Meat is a Spice

I was a vegetarian for over three decades and cooked and baked in many health food restaurants. That said I now live in a town with the worlds best and healthiest butcher. He taught me how to cook simple meat loaf made of mostly oats and veggies, and how to make the world's best slow cooked vegetable beef stew. We rarely eat meat but when we do we eat it as a special occasion. We treat meat as a spice.

I have a lot more in common with my immigrant Italian and Jewish ancestors in my cooking and baking than anyone I know.