Abstaining from food

I just closed an article from the NYTimes. I didn't finish it. Why? After a few sentences they mentioned something that turned my stomach, clear turtle soup. I can understand why the cuisine was created or prized, those living in countries where the only protein source is foods such as turtles shouldn't starve out of principal (although I would consider moving to greener pastures - I get that that is not very realistic for most people) but that isn't New York.

I can't really get behind a restaurant that encourages the consumption of animals such as turtles, horse, cats, dogs, or others in that group (I am an on again off again vegetarian). This group includes animals that we have bred for companionship or for labor, animals that are rare, or animals that are eaten only so that the diner can say "I ate turtle/shark/canary at such and such place and it was to die for." Especially since most of these animals are eaten for texture and not flavor or need. It seems arrogant to eat $20 turtle soup when most of the world has to feed their families on $20/month.

It also seems like the desperate attempt of a chef to get the rich patrons. A talented chef can make a chicken soup that is better than turtle soup. A kitchy NY chef resorts to variety meats. It would be nice to see a shift away from this mentality into reality. People are starving, dying, being murdered for their beliefs and some J-O cares more about being different than being responsible. Being responsible is never easy. Oh yes I am sure these turtles are bred in captivity etc etc. Replace the word turtle with dog or cat and most people (not all - recognize this is a cultural difference) would turn away.

Having lived in Arizona on a reservation I can say first-hand that even Native Americans have replaced the turtle in cuisine and dress with other foods. Turtle shells were commonly used in Hopi ceremonies until their scarcity made the people think twice. Rather than raise turtles they started using aluminum cans cut and rolled so that they made the same noise during their dances. Ingenious and beautiful.

I am a fine-diner, I love food, I would be more impressed with a chef that could develop an entire menu around beans as the primary protein source. Not only would that be more interesting to see (it is incredibly difficult to make beans every day appealing) but it would show me that they weren't stuck in a vortex of egoism. I mean really, turtle?

The only caveat being since I didn't finish the article the soup might have had fake turtle! Wouldn't that be funny.