Flexitarian?

I have a very particular way of eating, continuously testing what does me good and what doesn't. The ones that know me well know that food is an integral part of my life. One that has always, since a kid, played a significant role. The term hangry has had a strong presence in my life. 😅

I enjoy food, good food. I love the experience around it; the tastes, the history, the culture, the combinations, the looks and feels - the seasonality of ingredients, the colours, the whole art around it. ⁠

A few years ago, I dived into the topic and informed myself more and more about the food industry. Some information I knew already, others have shocked me. The issues related to mass production and the sustainable options available out there opened my eyes.

I went from a savage meat eater to a vegetarian to a consequent vegan. Until I found that which could best describe me, a flexitarian - for some of you it may be a familiar term, for others, it might still be a confusion of what it actually means.

For me, it is all about conscious eating. I prefer to choose plant-based options, simply due to the fact that I couldn't kill a cow myself and not because I dislike the taste of it. It is a conscious choice. Sometimes I eat eggs and cheese; sometimes, I don't. For some, every so often a hard thing to understand. When I know where the products are coming from, and I can stand behind the value, I eat it with delight and without regrets.

Organic, free-range or self-hunted have been terms that turn on a green light in my head and "it's ok to have it". Acknowledge its origins, understand where it is coming from and appreciate it, with love and care. Every bite mindfully.

That was the case last week at the Bellini Locanda Ticinese in Lucerne, where I was offered to try their wild deer meat dish, hunted in Swiss territory by the owner himself, Alessandro Pedrazzetti.

A little note here... During this time of the year it is hunting season in Switzerland, and "Wild" is available on the menu of the majority of the traditional restaurants. One has to be careful, though. A few restaurants claim to have it since the demand is high, but the meat has actually been imported from farms in New Zealand or other countries. So, if you want to consume, make sure to inform yourself and not fall in the trap.

(This post has by no means the intention to attack the choices of others, it is merely an expression of my perspective towards the subject)