Cauliflower sandwiches against climate change
THE #2 BEST NEW SANDWICH IN AMERICA IN 2012 ACCORDING TO THE HUFFINGTON POST: Roasted Cauliflower, Smoked French Dressing, Raisin Relish, Potato Chips
And well, already into the topic of environmental awareness, here goes the re-publication of a post on the topic that I came across recently, that I wrote in June 2017 for a blog I had then, back in the pre-newsletterian era...
Mexico City, June 7th, 2017.
With all this discussion about climate change (to get up to speed on the subject, I recommend this interview), I've stopped to think about what little things I can incorporate into my habits to become a better planetary inhabitant.
When I say "small things", I don't want you to think I'm being stingy in my efforts to become a better human, but let's face it, the world is not going to change in a finger snap. The practical thing to do is to focus on seemingly small but completely achievable changes. For me, it always makes more sense to go from less to more, each one at his own pace and possibilities.
It's the same logic I use when I go to the gym. I usually have little time to go, so I think: I need at least forty-five minutes to complete a decent routine. But the reality is that I only have 20 minutes between the time the gym opens and the time I have to go home to start the harmonic routine of getting my kids ready for school (only those who don't have kids believed the “harmonic” part was true, right?). The problem is that if I don't go at that time, the chances are very high that I will end up not exercising all day. So, in the end, it is more effective to invest those 20 minutes in the morning than the sad reality of stoping up by the gym for an hour, only two or three times a month.
Well, one of those apparently insignificant things, which I have started to do almost naturally in the last few years, is to increase my vegetable (and cereal) consumption vs. my meat consumption. Specially when it comes to beef, whose foul fumes are the second biggest threat to the ozone layer (if you don't believe me, check this out).
But to be clear, I am not a vegan or planning to become one. I see this action more as a way to enhance the importance of vegetables in my life, to enjoy them more and to be much more creative when using them: substituting them in dishes where I thought they were irreplaceable or inventing ways to cook them that defy my traditional logic.
One of the meals where I usually have that unjustified feeling that vegetables fall short if they are not accompanied by something animal, is between two breads; be it sandwiches, cakes, paninis, hamburgers, etc.. This sandwich that I present here, taken from an incredible, funny, and delicious book called A super upsetting book about sandwiches, by Tyler Kord, is a perfect example of what I am trying to convey (and has many other good examples of sandwiches with vegetables).
This emparedado (as my children used to say when they were little, influenced by their Cuban-gringo father, among other funny words), is far from being the typical vegetarian. So much so that in 2012, it was chosen by the Hufftington Post, as the #2 best new sandwich in the United States. This is somewhat to the chagrin of the author, who, although he says he is grateful, makes it very clear that he is not a fan of such arbitrary and generalizing ratings (in cookbooks, one tends to skip right to the recipes, but if you get your hands on this one, read the whole thing).
After stating his reasons for not believing in best anything lists, Kord then breaks down by type of commentary what struck him most about the list, which were the arguments of jealous cybernauts angry that their favorite sandwiches had not been included. In subsection four, to the generalized comment of: all these sandwiches look very unhealthy, the author responds by mentioning other strengths of this sandwich:
(But mine is made of fucking cauliflower, which is low in fat and high in folate and vitamin C! (Can’t you fucking read?!?! (And fucking raisins for fiber (and French dressing because the French live longer!! (And potato chips because I hate you!!!)))))
The best part of this recipe is that even though cauliflower is not one of the most popular vegetables, the combination of ingredients, flavors and textures, makes this sandwich completely child-proof (at least form mine, whom in difference of tastes between each, cover a quite suitable spectrum for a population sample); just don't tell them what's in it, or just lie to them, it's okay (they're little white lies, my grandmother would say).
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