Disclaimer

I am not a vegetarian. 

I eat cheese. And eggs. And, occasionally, fish. I suppose technically that would make me a “pescetarian”. But when I describe myself as such, someone inevitably makes the joke: “What church do you go to?” The more polite folks ask “Oh, really? Why?”, but usually aren’t all that interested in hearing the answer. The ‘why’ mostly has to do with sustainability, my concerns with America’s meat production, and the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet. But I am not interested in preaching (and my guess is you’re not interested in my preaching either). You can ask me if you’d really like to know. Or you can refer to Michael Pollan’s article Unhappy Meals from The New York Times. He’s better explaining it than I am anyways.

What I am is a food lover. I think about food all the time. I love to grocery shop. I love to cook. I love to have friends over for dinner. I love to salivate over recipes and food blog photos (see "things to read"). If I didn’t live in a yard-less 750-square-foot apartment in Cambridge, I’d love to garden, too.

I am also an avid soccer fan and season ticket holder for the New England Revolution. From April through October - or November, if the Revs can recapture a playoff berth this season - most of my Saturday evenings, plus some Wednesdays and Sundays, are spent standing in the parking lot outside Gillette Stadium surrounded by fellow nerds, beer, and lots of juicy grilled meat. Somewhere in the middle of June, the limp, half-frozen veggie burgers on my grill start to look pretty lame.

But despite what logic may tell you, my two major interests are NOT mutually exclusive. Whatever your reasons for passing on pre-game hot dogs and steak tips, you are not doomed to a lifetime of tailgate parties spent choking down processed soy patties! With a bit of preparation and creativity, it is possible to eat consciously and to eat well...all while standing in a parking lot.