Due to my passion for exotic cuisine, I've probably eaten everything under the sun. My culinary tastes tend towards the extreme – with an overwhelming urge to explore, push the limits, ignore cultural taboos...and above all, just not be bored. And meat can be delicious – especially when experienced through the flavors of Asian cuisine. As a result, the Guide catalogs numerous dishes for the carnivore...including past personal favorites of mine – from sushi to soon dae (silken-smooth korean sausage, made from pork blood and sweet potato starch.) Such delicacies are an essential part of the Asian food experience...and therefore belong in the guide, which was created as a compendium of culture and cuisine (and not a political soapbox.)

Over the years however, I have come to question (and ultimately reject) the ethics of meat eating – a gradual shift which began with the exclusion of mammals, then chicken... ultimately encompassing fish and all animal derived products, including eggs and dairy. Thanks to the slippery slope known as logic/consistency, I find myself vegan – a philosophy I have come to embrace and respect....one which is not quite as much at odds with the Asian palate as one might at first expect.

Like many Americans, my love of animals started with dogs. I grew up with canines – my childhood shared by two miniature Poodles (both named Pepe). Further canine companionship followed – a parade of pets named Elsa, Stubby, Bo, Gypsy, Scarlett and now Max – a fat little sausage shaped terrier, who even now sits at my feet as I type. A portion of my adult life has revolved around canine welfare: I worked for four years at the American Kennel Club, and have participated in various forms of dog rescue. I have driven for rescue groups, and currently volunteer on weekends at the New York City Animal Shelter. The logic was there. Sometimes, it just takes time to make the connection. For how can a person dedicate a portion of their life to animal protection, then come home to a bowl of beef rendang? After all, they eat dogs in Asia. How is that worse than eating cows or pigs...an arguably more intelligent animal? (Sorry, Max.) Can an animal lover eat meat, or even milk and eggs - industries built inherently on a foundation of animal suffering and death? The answer is no...at least if you want to be consistent.

But then – not all my life has focused on dogs. For many years I've dabbled in weight lifting – and practice a particularly vigorous form of martial arts. Read any modern bodybuilding magazine, and you'll find them unanimous. In order to build muscle—they say—you must consume at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. And that's a goal best achieved by eating meat – lotsa meat. Athletic issues aside, many nutritional experts consider meat essential, part of our dietary requirements. Did the human body evolve to thrive on meat – and is veganism incompatible with health? Following are a few thoughts – both on health issues, and other arguments against vegetarianism (those with a more philosophical bent):

The argument from nature - we evolved to eat meat

Is pure vegetarism natural, and can it produce optimal health? As omnivores, humans have included meat in their diet for centuries. But is meat eating truly part of our evolutionary heritage? An argument can be made that humans are more biologically adapted to a herbivore diet – as evidenced by our long digestive system, flattened teeth, and a particular body chemistry geared to obtain certain vitamins from outside sources (such as Vitamin C, which carnivores manufacture internally.) And until the time of the industrial revolution, meat eating was rare – for reasons of costs and availability, if nothing else – certainly not a traditional staple of the human diet, to be consumed on a regular basis (as with /amburgers and hot dogs.)

Then there are the health studies – epidemiological surveys of large scale populations* linking animal products to a host of ills, including heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and viral/infectious risks such as mad cow. Review the literature, and meat eating starts to look a little less healthy. Nutritional wisdom seems to be further contradicted by the simple vitality of many modern day vegetarians/vegans – individuals who have stuck with the diet, yet seem to thrive year after year.

But even if we are true omnivores, does that make eating meat “right”? Throughout human history, we have evolved to do many things, now circumscribed in today's society. (Killing other humans comes to mind.) The point – that 'natural' and 'moral' are not automatically synonymous terms. For if we can maintain nutritional health without killing, is there not an obligation to do so?

Farm animals were bred for food, and wouldn't exist otherwise

A specious argument, which quickly falls flat on examination. The same argument could be used to justify slavery, or the breeding of humans for food, with no moral qualms. Not an option, unless you're making a case for long pig.

They're not human, and therefore have no rights

By itself – a rather arbitrary standard. For what is it specifically about being human, that grants us an exclusive right to life and liberty? Unless the argument is religious (and I'm definitely not) the only criteria I can fathom would be intelligence, some definitive level of self awareness which grants us elevated status. Vegetables have no nervous system, and are therefore unproblematic. (Sorry guys, I don't believe that veggies can feel pain.) Insects (though protected under traditional vegan philosophy) have brains, but probably little to no self awareness. But my dog is clearly self aware, able both to think and learn (at least where treats are involved). So where is the line rationally drawn, and why? Can it be drawn at all...?

With due respect to Ayn Rand, I do not believe that there is such a thing as a purely objective code of ethics – no inherent way to go from is to ought. But I can speak for my own set of values, and my personal comfort level. Somewhere on the gradient of intelligence is a dividing line – a point that separates mindless, instinctual life (translation, edible) from sentience. Not being omniscience, I don't know where it is. But I doubt that it's drawn directly on the human threshold. And surely it would be wise to err on the side of safety – with respect for other forms of life.  Okay - I admit that animals such as mussels are truly borderline cases (could they have any self-awareness at all?)  But I choose to be consistent in not consuming animals across the board, regardless of species.  I just seems...like the safer thing to do.

No – not everyone agrees with the vegan philosophy...especially culinary explorers with tastes similar to mine. In Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain famously wrote that:

“Vegetarians and their Hezbollah splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistant irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal, stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demiglace, or even stinky cheese is not a life worth living.”  (Actually, I would think that any chef worth a damn would have enough skills to make do without...resulting in dishes that are equally tasty and fullfilling. --JC)

Fortunately, there is more to culinary life than veal, pork or milk – especially in the Asian world, which leans heavily on vegetables, herbs and a delicate balance of sweet, spicy, salty flavors. Mongolian and Tibetan cooking aside (and despite the Chinese reputation for eating anything that stands on legs) many countries do offer traditional meatless buddhist cuisines. Other dishes are easily veganized – from maki rolls with pickled burdock (a god-send for the sushi lover in me) to vietnamese banh uot rice crepes tossed with chili, bean sprouts and various meat substitutes.

Honestly, since I've gone essentially vegan**, I haven't missed meat, dairy or eggs at all.  I've found that the appeal of almost every dish is really the spices, herbs, and seasoning which provide them their flavor.  The meat itself?  Bleh.  Since going veggie, I haven't felt a single urge for steak, burgers, chickens...or even raw fish sushi.  Without raw fish, I'll have to forgo my love of Korean Hwe Du Bop. But I've still got Tteokbokki – and that's all that counts. Then again, there's always Baluut...but that I guess I can do without!

* Such as the 1989-90 China Study, and 1978 7^th Day Adventists study, tracking over 25,000 adults

**In the spirit of research, I have reserved the right to try new dishes with either dairy or eggs at least once - nothing meat based, and if I like it enough to want it again, I'd better damn well find a vegan-friendly substitute.   True, nothing died directly for the dish, but I'll avoid subsidizing the dairy/egg industry, thank-you-very-much!

RECOMMENDATIONS

Following are a few books and sites which I recommend to those interested in exploring veganism. They made a convert out of me. And given my love for steak tartar, that's saying quite a bit.

Becoming Vegan (Brenda Davis)

Mad Cowboy (Howard F. Lyman)

Vegan Freak (Bob and Jenna Torres)

Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating (Erik Marcus)

You Don't Need Meat (Peter Cox)

Compassion Over Killing - an absolutely great website, with tons of easy recipes for the beginner cook (trust me - I'm an absolute clutz in the kitchen, and all the recipes I've tried from here have still come out absolutely yummy!)