All of these strange food items you see in the photo above were given to me by Joey, one of my closest friends. He has recently left for Portland, Oregon for a journey to graduate school and a fresh start. Some of these items were actually gifts from me that he never got around to using. I'm sure he had no idea where to begin with maiz jora, nor did I--making it a suitable gift for the adventurous. He always did have an attraction towards interesting cuisine. I've spent the last few days researching certain dishes I can make for the next year, at the very least. I hope to have lots of visitors/critics so that I do not have to eat all of these grain-based meals alone.
I met Joey two years ago, living with him for two summers in the Bahamas where we got to know each other very well. He would always say things like, "I know exactly what you're thinking." "You just love it here, don't you?" "You hate it when I call you that." "I bet you have to fart." Sorry, maybe that was too much information. But my best friend, Joey is a guy who loves a good fart/poop joke every chance he gets (are you surprised?). He always tells me how much he loves that he can say whatever he wants around me and I rarely think that the things he says are foul. We have some of the best talks about life, the projects we are conjuring to improve living standards for all (access to clean water, air, healthy food), and ways we wish to incorporate conservational decision in the everyday lives of others (promoting reduction and the repurposing and recycling of materials, plus environmental protections).
Dare you ask, what does any of this have to do with vegan food?
Joey is an absolutely amazing and knowledgable soul who has taught me a lot about myself and a lot about food. He has been a vegetarian for five years, and mostly a vegan for at least half of that time. He used to perform husbandry animal care at a prominent Florida university (not sure if I am allowed to say which) whose research facility performs many types of invasive and painful tests on animals for human benefit (please see some of his amazing documentation here). It was Joey who reminded me that this sort of practice is not acceptable, and if I do not condone poor treatment of animals and their exploitation for human benefit then I can make the choice by not participating in such antics by denying my monetary and social support in the ways I saw fit. There are many controversies centered around whether animal testing is necessary at this stage of scientific advancement. I won't get into those here (though, they are interesting--see link above), but I am grateful for my involvement in the medical field and for receiving the education on the perspective opinions from both sides through my studies and research.
The modern day treatment of animals in the food industry is not quite comparable to the treatments experienced by animals in the medical field. Almost all will argue that animals used in the medical field are treated 100 times better than livestock in mega slaughtering facilities. In research facilities, animals receive clean places to sleep, nutritious food, some receive stimulation based on what purpose these animals serve in their testing, and greater space to move about. We all know that most food industry livestock do not receive any such luxuries. None at all, actually, and we often forget that what we are eating was even a real living, breathing, feeling/thinking animal at one time.
What I have learned from Joey and what I have seen in the field has been a blessing. Our joint love of animals and our compassion for people has made us more thoughtful researchers, making us better problem solvers and conservationists with the value of life always in mind. Nonetheless, I was already mostly a vegetarian, but it was Joey that helped me transition the entire way. Not because he was opposed to me eating meat, but because much of the meat and dairy industry is so toxic. From toxic chemical preservatives injected into processed meat, genetically altered instructions laced into living cells, ammonia used for directly disinfecting meats, dishonesty and scandal (also see: dolphin, whale, horse, sushi surprise), negative environmental impacts, the risks of certain cancers, etc., etc. All problems that could be addressed and resolved towards the health of the industry and its consumers if thoughtful practices were a priority. Alas... not supporting these industries has become my own personal responsibility based on my own health and the health of our planet, and a protest against the emotional divide between the treatment of product, the consumer, and the ones so focused on making a buck at such great expense against our future.
It is the people we meet in our journey to happiness that are meant to build upon our own character. Joey has been that for me. In his compassion and love for animals and life, he has instilled in me great empathy towards all things that make up this vibrant planet. I wish him all of the best, always, and I cannot wait to visit his home in Portland, OR.
Joey, "C U next Tuesday."
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