Demitarian - Honestly?

I love meat, but understand that it is hard to square eating it several times a day with our knowledge of the world and the way it is heading. Not on moral grounds about our rights to eat animals, though anyone with a mind at least considers that aspect of the thing; but for environmental reasons. Producing meat takes up a lot more of the earth's resources than its benefits justify.

But as with every moral dilemma there is complexity here. Meat raised on grain is frankly daft, we use about 4kg of food that humans could eat to make 1kg of meat. But there are many marginal places - hill farms, sparse grasslands - where not much else can be farmed. Then again, it is such a good source of the protein we need to thrive that meat makes life easy for the nutritionally aware cook (vile phrase but useful). Add to that the damage cow farts etc do to the atmosphere and stir. But don't forget to include the sensual side of the argument - for the carnivore there is nothing more toothsome than a well-hung piece of sirloin griddled rare.

A half-way point between vegetarianism and its opposite is now being touted and it seems made trendy (though philosophically eating a bit of meat makes you a carnivore still), the idea of demitarianism - eating meat occasionally, and not in massive lumps if that's not putting it too technically. I just wonder about such a position: practical yes, but honest? Nevertheless it is, though I loathe the ugliness of the word, kind of where I intend heading in dietary terms. More fish (sustainably sourced etc etc), more vegetables (with our own to the fore), more mushrooms and other fungi, more tofu if I can find the good stuff locally (the honeycomb variety not the nasty soggy slabs). And, though they may be a concern for the cholesterol in them, more eggs given we have our own hens.

The practical worry I have about this is that as many have lost the ability to cook for themselves in any meaningful way (i.e. they may feed themselves, but it is by reheating what another has cooked) and a slab of protein is so simple to serve, a lot of people will be considering themselves demitarians, but like a few vegetarians I've known who have the occasional burger, they really won't be. Which leaves the environment just as knackered as it was before the idea started to trend - moreso as we will surely soon see a flood of celebrity demitarian tomes ("Film actress Lula Schachter-Bonk tells us she has always been a demitarian, and her new book [by Lula and someone who can write and cook] gives her favourite recipes."

One Flame Demitarian?

I heard someone from the World Food Programme (I think) this morning on Today, talking about the need to reduce our use of animal protein, indeed animal products, to slow our damage to the environment. He used the term 'demitarian', to convey the idea of cutting meat/milk/cheese etc consumption, but not stopping it. Not sure if I like the word, but the sentiment is good.

Other posts have covered how I am trying to reduce our meat usage. It is not hard, except in terms of breaking a habit - meal plan so often starts with a lump of protein. Last night's meal probably didn't quite fit the demitarian party line, but came close. It was a meal that de Pomiane would have smiled at too, ready in 20 minutes but with only five minutes' work involved. Good one for the student and austerity cook too, cheap and cheerful, one-pot cooking, and pretty healthy: first course a mix of hors d'oeuvres, second linguini with Parmesan and butter. 

The idea for the hors d'oeuvre-fest came from the almost summery weather: grated carrot (squeezed to get rid of excess moisture, it makes it fluffier) with tiny rings of spring onion and flecks of Maldon salt; a tin of good sardines in oil; a few slices of salami; some olives; fingers of cucumber and yellow pepper, and a load of tiny tomatoes that wonder of wonders actually tasted of tomato, and they were only £1 for a bag at Sainsbury's, enough for three or four such servings.

Two large platefuls ready in three minutes, lots of colour and a feeling of virtue. It's a sociable course too, diners reaching over for a bit more of this or that, pass the mayo or pepper. 

Second course was cooking while we tucked into our starter, and again it is a friendly dish, twirling of pasta on fork and slurping of the dripping threads. 

Grated carrot btw is one of my favourite standby things when a meal needs a salad. Last night two carrots was plenty, but another one or two, dressed with oil and lemon and crunchy salt makes a rapid salad on its own. The vibrant orange brightens any table too, and for pennies - about 20p I guess, with 5p for olive oil, and another 10p for a wedge of lemon. 

When people say cooking is a chore, I wonder have they ever tried it. And how can anyone not have five minutes spare to do something fun in their day that feeds the family?