The great meat experiment is on. This week, I’m adding poultry to my traditional diet of fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains, dairy, and fish. (And sugar…) I’m keeping a log of everything I eat, how much I sleep, activities I do and how I feel on this other page, because I fear the details may bore everyone to death unless they’re me. So now, let’s talk turkey.
This weekend, over a dish of pasta and fish, my mother told me a story about how some local turkeys at the wildlife center attacked her car, trying to peck at their reflections. They were really dumb, mean, and territorial. I kept that in mind when I went to the deli counter at the supermarket to order lunch for the week: 1/2 pound of sliced New York State turkey meat.
Being at the deli counter was odd. The deli and the butcher sections of the supermarket are parts of the supermarket I never go to in a place I’m at all the time. Kind of like the library in the White House during the Bush administration. Just never thought to go there. Never had to “take a number for service.” But there I was, and now there’s some fowl in the fridge.
To practice, and for inspiration, I went to Subway for dinner.
Pictured: Dinner, turkey breast with the fixins. With wine. On my brand new kitchen table! I’m like a grown-up who eats the flesh of dead animals. At a table. Sweet.
Subway’s always been a friend to the vegetarian with both the “veggie patty” and the “veggie delight” sandwich. I’ve never been able to understand what makes up the patty, it’s sort of slimy and grainy, and built at exactly the size of the bread. The “veggie delight” is actually just all the toppings without any meat. But it comes on any bread you want. And it includes cheese.
Today, I learned that the turkey sandwich is really the “veggie delight” with turkey, a nice way to wade into the meat eating. And even just a little bit tasty. A little bit of turkey on my veggie delight isn’t all that unfamiliar. The pickles and the sweet peppers tend to overpower, and biting into the cucumber causes most of the other toppings to fall out. Just like I remember!
In conclusion, turkey experiment, day 1:
Pros:
It doesn’t taste like all that much, I could probably do it again.
Only $5 for a footlong, if you put meat on it or not.
I finally have a use for mayonnaise.
Cons:
I taste it when I burp.
For the first time, Lucy expressed interest in what I was eating.
Any of the energy boost I may have gotten from the protein was probably counteracted by the wine…
Posted by Abby on February 8, 2010 at 9:03 am
Ew, Subway is evil. Their meats used to be good, but somewhere along the way they took a detour down Cheap Street. When buying lunch meat, go for the good stuff, like Boar’s Head. Re feeling sleepy after eating turkey and wine? There is a Seinfeld episode about that.
My lunchmeat is locally grown, I’m trying to stick to that as much as possible. I never knew about the Subway meat change!
Posted by stefanie on February 8, 2010 at 10:06 am
I love that you paired Subway with wine (and even used the Subway napkins). You are classy, friend.
I think that the sublte oak flavors of the wine really brought out the freshness of the iceburg lettuce. (Who am I kidding, the bottle of wine cost $5!)
Posted by Anaka on February 8, 2010 at 10:38 am
“Kind of like the library in the White House during the Bush administration.” This line made me laugh out loud at my desk.
hooray!
Posted by mickey on February 8, 2010 at 12:03 pm
I had a veggie delight recently. I’m not sure, but I seem to recall that losing the meat didn’t get me much of a price break. Funny thing was, it tasted pretty much like a meated sandwich. Or not so funny, considering the toppings are what you taste anyway. But I think you already pointed that out.
Back in the day, they used to have a “sandwhich of the week,” which was $1 less than all the others, including the veggie delight, so sometimes I bought that and told them to hold the meat.
Posted by Courtney on February 8, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Yeah, it does seem like the veggie delight should cost less than the meaty sandwiches. Let’s write to Jared and tell him we have a problem.
Also, this reminded me of the time I saw two co-workers get into an argument over whether turkeys are smart or not. I forget who won.
Posted by Kristabella on February 8, 2010 at 3:02 pm
Turkeys are really stupid. They had a story about it in the paper around Thanksgiving one year. They can drown on like a drop of water.
It makes me feel better eating them then, since they are so dumb.
Posted by Allie on February 9, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Ha! I have to admit to using Kristabella’s rationalizing about turkey. I don’t eat mammals, and I really don’t miss it, but I can’t see every giving up turkey, chicken, or fish. Maybe if I could still eat wheat, but I can’t limit my diet any more than I do.
Posted by Dingo on February 10, 2010 at 3:37 am
I’m trying to think of ways to cut down on my meat consumption. Reading about Subway turkey sandwiches has helped. I hate them. Except for the meatball subs. Mmmmm…those are veggie, right?