The pleasure of vegetables
/But you can eat around that, right? Vegetarians hear this a lot. The first time I recall getting this question, it came from my well-meaning grandmother – who'd known I’d been a vegetarian for some years. She'd made an egg casserole for Christmas breakfast – probably upon my request because the previous year’s had been de.lish.us. So, skipping down the steps in full anticipation of CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST!, I heaped fluffy veggie eggs on my plate only to spot, fork midair, a new ingredient had been added to the slow-baked dish.
Ham.
Ham. Ham. Disappointment snapped me from the high of already imagining the taste of breakfast to the cold reality of starting the holiday with a bagel.
Maybe my grandmother just wanted to stem my disappointment with the harmless suggestion: You can still eat it… just go around the little pieces of ham. Right. I'll just pick around those innocent little guys that had been cooking and infusing their juices (and admittedly deeper flavor) into the eggs.
Quite some time later, in Spain, I'm thankful for the vegetarian training I began that day. In a country like Spain, one orders a salad, a plate of grilled mushrooms, a side of veggies and rice, maybe a fish dish. What always finds its way into the mix, whether stated or otherwise?
Jamon.
Jamon. Jamon is everywhere in Spain (and surely adding flavor to already delicious dishes.)
The other day, over coffee, a friend excitedly recommended a vegetarian restaurant to me in Madrid. You will love it. It’s called myVeg. Later, I found myself in the neighborhood of said restaurant. It is indeed called myVeg. And their tagline is el placer de las verduras (the pleasure of vegetables.)
A look to the menu begins with thistle soup (strange but promising), moves onto salad options, fried artichokes with lemon sauce and parmesan. I couldn’t believe my luck… until midway down the menu when the options took a turn to pulpo (octopus) and salmon tacos. Okay, no problem, we’re in Spain. Fish is reasonable for a vegetarian restaurant.
But then, then came the increasingly dubious listings: spiced chicken, marinated steak, roast beef. And callos. Callos is tripe… as in stomach lining. At a restaurant called myVeg.
Needles to say, I probably will have a meal at myVeg sometime. Not only does the place look lovely, but where else can I try creamy thistle soup? And anyone can join me, have a burger.
Maybe the Spaniards have the right idea about vegetarian restaurants after all.
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Calle Valverde, 28 · Malasaña
91 531 17 02
reservas@myveg.com
