flexitarianism? just another "ism" on the list.

as if the nutritional realm didn't have enough alphabet soup already, the term "flexitarian" is now becoming a popular pin-up girl type of jargon. i've been reading up on this idea myself because in my last post i was quite adamant that i would remain a full-fledge veg here in france. this was the case until we went to dinner at friends and the only items on the menu contained meat-based ingredients. these people KNEW i was a vegetarian and yet informed me: "fais pas chier et manges." for all of the non-francophone readers out there, ne cherche pas.

now, when i hear the term flexitarian, i get this mental image:




obviously, i am right on the money. this man has got to be all over the beef enchiladas and protein shakes. but actually, flexitarians, according to what i've found, are nothing more than "meat restrictors." this is to say, meat is generally avoided and in the following order:

1. red meat (never eaten/rarely eaten)
2. poultry and fish (occasionally eaten)

against my own desire and intentions, i think i'm flexing the ol' flexitarian muscle here in gaulois country. i think meat is something i may have to be prepared to eat if we are invited out. while most people are understanding and accommodating, as i mentioned above, others are not. i won't even go into the difficulty of requesting a vegetarian meal in a french restaurant! nonetheless, i intend to stick to my veggie ways within the confines of my home (last night i made couscous stuffed artichokes with french fries...DIVINE!!!) but lest i become one of those strange women who never goes outside, i think i had better make some big decisions fast.

p.s. i can't believe that in less that six months i caved! what a weenie. in my defense, however, if i know where the meat is coming from (i.e. fished/hunted by a friend, locally grown and butchered, free-range, organic, etc.) i feel like i have more of a choice as to whether or not i will consume it. i also am not just on the rampage consuming meat like a half-starved zombie (no, i am not talking about the olsen twins, either). helas, here are my musings on my failed stint as a vegetarian, tome deux.

WOO-HOO!

i got my work visa today! life is good. french administration is still silly though, as they are asking for proof that there was no "rupture" in my marital life from 2005-2010. nonsense. from now on though, it should be smooth sailing...providing that i can find a job in an economy with 9.7% unemployment. here we go!

vega-whatta-tarian? in france? are you SERIOUS?

i have now been successfully unemployed in france for three months. vive la france! vive la revolution! but i still refuse to become a country wife who spends her days doing cross-stitch and making jam...i do however, need to think about supper for the evening which brings me to this carence alimentaire-induced post. i feel like i have lived on nothing but cereal, yogurt, zuchinni, and tomatoes for the past 90 days.

i am still desperately trying to remain a vegetarian in france (despite duck filet *drool*, free-range local meat, etc.). i've read "eating animals." i have a social conscious. i feel that i am doing the right thing for the world and for animals. however, i'm hungry. and i am constantly met with comments like "yeah, i knew a guy who was a vegetarian for 25 years. then he moved here. now he eats meat. it just turned out to be easier on everyone." or better yet, the wild-eyed look i received from the woman in the supermarket the other day when i asked if they carried tofu. "quoi?" she replied, looking at me as though i had just stepped off of an alien aircraft carrier. i then tediously explained to her that tofu is a soy-based product often used in eastern cuisine as well as being a meat substitute for vegetarians. MEAT SUBSTITUTE? VEGETARIAN? the look of contempt and suspicion was all over her face. my quest was to no avail (in this particular shop).

furthermore, vegetarianism appears to be some sort of strange line that is walked in europe and acknowledged semi-knowingly by fellow europeans. in a restaurant a few weeks ago, after having ordered a vegetarian platter, i was brought the same amuse-bouche as my convives: foie gras. when i offered up said platter to my fellow table mates, raised brows and wrinkled foreheads looked at me as though i were yet again some crazy alien being. "you don't like foie gras?" i was asked. i then had to mention (again) that i was vegetarian. long pause. silence. "i don't eat any part of a dead animal," i said to clarify. blank stares. "it's just the liver," someone said. just the liver. this is like my good friend who lived in spain (also a veggie) being served some spanish salad with crispy toritilla bits in it. only she found out that the crispy bits were in fact pig skin. apparently in europe as long as no muscle (?) is being consumed it is a matter of no-harm, no-foul. this is at least my assumption thus far.

this is not to say that my veggie ways have been scrutinized by all here. some family and close friends are enlightened enough to realize that i am doing this for reasons other than my waistline or simple calorie-counting. it is therefore, quite enjoyable to sit down and have a meal with them. nonetheless, i find that i am struggling with being a vegetarian here in the land of 400+ cheeses (thank god i am not a vegan!). life (and produce) tends to be much more seasonal here, which is a big change from supermarkets in america where virtually anything was available almost virtually anytime. i am not, however, attempting to mold france to follow my lead, but perhaps just to fit my needs slightly more than currently.

i intend to bend and not break under pressure. as for tonight, it'll be boiled artichokes and pasta with tomato and mozzerella salad. we'll see how this gois. to be continued...

perhaps it's the summer heat. perhaps it's chronic depression. perhaps it's some quirky 60/40 or 80/20 combination of the two; nonetheless, my favorite blogger has been on hiatus for two weeks now...her scathing and quirky snippets are all that have kept me going as of late, and now i have nothing left to look forward to all. perhaps i will be subscribing to "tunafishdreams" instead.

you-who! how does this internet machine work?!?!

good morning america! arrival in france was flawless, and as any of you who have ever dealt with french administration can imagine, life is uncomplicated to say the least. wink. wink.

take for example our bout with internet service: orange (previously france télécom) owns the main landlines. we wanted SFR so we could call home for freebies...well, long story short, we're out 55 euros because SFR cut off our phone service with orange (which they shouldn't have done) and finally 8 weeks after our arrival here, we have service with orange instead of SFR. don't ask. it's complicated.

it's kind of like my paperwork to live and work here...it's complicated as well. in fact, our dog and cat are probably more legal to be living and working in the EU than i am, however, i don't see either of them getting off their keisters to do anything. helas...
i digress with this "sujet qui fâche" and furthermore, "cela m'incite à broyer du noir." i will stop here and rejoice in the simple things in life: minitel and the black beans that just arrived via la poste from my auntie. it could be worse, non?