Beyond Meat The Start Of Something

The talk all this past week revolved around a simple patty. Why was is so special? Because It's Beyond Meat and not only tastes like beef but has the same texture too. Will it spark a vegan revolution? Possibly.

Beyond Meat is a far far cry from when vegan meat  products first came on the market. Thirty years ago you had to visit a health food store to get so so tasting hotdogs and burgers. Some stores , such as The Happy Carrot in River Edge, NJ made a vegan tuna salad using soy, celery and some kind of vegan mayo that was eggless. The tuna salad was passable in taste and texture but you wouldn't want to eat it every day. Vegan restaurants were scarce. Forget the fast food chains. You could order a hamburger, hold the meat at McDonald's. That was it. Slowly but surely vegan foods started to appear in supermarkets. With each decade there was improvement. Companies such as Morningstar Farms and Gardein started to pop up with a cornucopia of soy based "meats'. There was bacon that sort of tasted like the real thing, better than bacon because there was no grease to deal with. The chicken nuggets tasted like the real thing. Gardein nailed it with their hamburgers and fish fillets which taste like the real deal.

Now there is Beyond Meat. The company is not new. It has been around since 2009, started by Ethan Brown in Los Angeles, CA.It's making the news now because Mr. Brown has come up with a plant based "meat" that can easily be subbed in for actual beef. His creation, will no doubt, have Morningstar  Farms and Gardein worried, especially if more and more supermarkets and big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target carry it. Mr Brown's mission is simple . He wants people to forgo any  kind of meat to save animals , save the planet and save his fellow human beings from cancer and heart disease. A plant based diet will cut down on slaughter along with positively influencing climate change and garnering more green land. People who eat less animal protein will have lower cholesterol and less of a chance of getting certain types of cancer. The burgers are already served at Harvard and Carl's Junior. TGIFriday's  also has the Beyond Meat faux beef along with Del Taco.
What is the meat made from? There is no soy, but cellulose from bamboo along with pea protein and refined coconut oil. The red beefy color comes from beet extract along with annatto, natural food coloring that originates from the tropical plant achiote.

Ethan Brown may be the force behind the new wave of veganism. He may make us forget the real beef deal to go for his Beyond Meat. What that means is only good - a planet that is less climate challenged along with less slaughter and less disease.

The Diversity of Ecuadorian Cuisine

Ecuador is primarily known for the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin developed his evolution theories. However it should also be known for its' varied cuisine that reflects its history and topography.It's an interesting blend of sea and land along with some ancient recipes..

Like most South American countries Ecuador has a mountainous area leading into coastal lowlands. Pork chicken and beef are popular in the mountains along with cuy or guinea pig. The last,  a shocker to any North American who had one as a companion, is made with garlic and native chilis along with pisco, an Ecuadorian brandy.It's one of the country's most ancient dishes, first being cooked by the Incas. Cuy was a sign of wealth too, being enjoyed by the local Incan royalty and used also to portend omens.However the country is also known for its' other dishes such as their version of arroz con pollo that is highly spiced with cumin and achiote, a plant derivative that adds a red color to the dish. There's also fritada de gallina, chicken made with fermented corn drink or chicha along with garlic and onion.There's also a kind of chicken fried rice ,chaulafan de pollo that's spiked with bacon, scrambled eggs and even raisins along with veggies and spices. Students make arroz con huevos, rice and eggs tweaked with plantains and avocados,Plantains or plantanos are also big in Ecuadorian cuisine. They are usually stuffed with cheese or topped with it.

The country has a lush coastline and its' reflected in its seafood dishes. They're mostly shrimp but cooked in  variety of different ways There is arroz con camarones , a kind of paella spiked with native spices along with onions , peppers and tomatoes. Chorizos, those highly spiced pork sausages can also be added.Another paella influenced dish is arroz marinero which is chock full of not only shrimp but also clams, squid and bay scallops.The Ecuadorians also appreciate beef and pork dishes as well as lamb. Many home kitchens produce carne colorada, a braised beef dish that's been marinaded in a mix of beer, garlic and oregano. Pork is also a staple and it's the base of pernil, a holiday  pork dish popular throughout South and Central America.It's a pork loin marinated in bitter orange juice along with clove and cinnamon for a few hours. Lamb is also marinaded , especially in the dish seco de borrego, A combo of beer and wine is poured over it as well as the usual Ecuadorian combo of achiote and cumin.The Ecuadorians love goat too and make a stew out of it with the native fruit naranjillo, a type of kiwi that has a tart  and acidic flavor. Chicha is also added for some kick.

Ecuador is an interesting country , full of wild and wonderful dishes. They reflect a country that has both Incan and European influences in its' cuisine. The food is tasty, flavorful and good.

Remember those affected by the Ecuadorian earthquake. Donate to the Red Cross now.