Jun 2, 2023 Metro Eats
Hello,
Sometimes I feel so ravenous that my hunger will supersede everything, and all I crave is meat: chicken thighs marinated in something delicious; pork belly sizzling in its own fat; steak cooking on the cast-iron pan, a hunk of butter melting beside it. And often, after my glutton has been taken care of and I exit the haze, an uneasy nausea starts to churn in my stomach and travel up to my throat – a sensation that happens after I start thinking about how I just ate a dead animal, something I can easily picture in my mind as alive and breathing and running around.
Most people I know think about their meat consumption in one way or another, and yet I know very few vegetarians. As Bon Appetit puts it in the intro for their new series, titled ‘Anxious Carnivores’, “It’s a strange, paradoxical time for meat eaters. Many are worried about their diet–the planet is dying and factory farming is a nightmare, after all–but they just can’t quit.”
I found this piece on the rising “conscious carnivorism” movement fascinating. A writer visits a small-scale beef purveyor, who is getting two cows – retired dairy cows – prepared for “harvesting”. He describes, in great detail, the cows’ last moments, and their slaughter. “A cow never had a better life,” the purveyor says, then later, “I hate these days… I fall in love with every single [cow].” To her, and the people who believe in this way of consuming meat, it is paramount that you care – and important that it is documented on social media, so that they can better educate consumers… an anti-thesis to “nameless, faceless factory farming”.
The piece is careful not to romanticise this approach to “ethical meat eating” either, noting that even addressing it, and writing about it, brings to light the many uncomfortable set of realities of meat production. Though, inevitably, he also falls into the emotionality of it all, saying that “when you understand how the food on your plate has died, I think you simply taste it more deeply.”
The use of retired dairy cows is one of the ways in which you can see this “movement” making its way to restaurants: central city restaurant Esther has just started offering this on its menu. I first ate the meat of a retired dairy cow at Firedoor in Sydney, and it had a deeper, savoury flavour; I don’t know how else to describe it except that it tasted more… beefy.
– Jean
Subscribe to Metro and get a case of Ārepa (worth $74.95) delivered to your door
For $59.80, you get four issues of Metro, delivered to you over a year, plus a one-off delivery of 12 Ārepa bottles, worth $74.95. A bargain! Just doing the maths, you get $134.75 worth of stuff for only $59.80.
If you’ve heard a lot about Ārepa and are curious as to whether it’ll work for you, now would be an excellent opportunity to try it out. Ārepa is proven to increase cognitive performance under pressure while supporting brain health – it helps with focus, stress, brain fog, mental clarity and sleep. Read more about the science behind it here. At Metro, we’ve found that it works well in place of a usual morning cup of coffee.
Only available until 12 June or until we run out.
Giveaway: Black Grace x Metro
We have a double pass to Black Grace Dance Company’s performance of ‘ Paradise Rumour’, a one-night only event on 7 June at SkyCity Theatre, created by Neil Ieremia and commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation.
If you’d like to win them, flick me an email at jean@metromagazine.co.nz with subject line ‘Black Grace’.
What’s happening
Eat some good food and drink some nice wine at Annabel’s this weekend – The Strawberry Pig is popping up at Annabel’s again this Sunday 4 June, 4pm onwards.
Guest chef Vini (Hugo’s, Pasture) is cooking at Alta on Karangahape Rd on Sunday 4 June, 5pm onwards. A la carte!
From chef Henry Onesemo (ex-Meredith’s, Apero), Tala is popping up at Bar Magda on the 13 and 20th June, showcasing Samoan flavours through a three-course menu ($90pp). Bookings here.
Speaking of Bar Magda – the restaurant is turning 2 soon, and as part of its celebrations, you can book special feasting menus (parties of 4+) through its birthday month (June). One bottle of wine, and either a 2-course sharing style ($70pp) or a 4-course ($95pp).
What’s good
I went to Daphne’s recently, post-Hayden Phiskie kitchen takeover, so the menu is a little changed from before: less obviously Greek. I especially liked the cavolo nero dish, charred with garlic, chilli and a bit of anchovy.
My mum put me onto Kesar mangoes from Yogiji’s Food Mart on Frost Rd – they’re selling boxes of them (and also Banganpalli ones) for $49.99. When I got there every single person in line was grabbing a box for themselves; they’re even limiting them to one per family. As a diehard R2E2 fan, I found these even sweeter.
I went to Lillius in Eden Terrace for dinner last night, and, as I always do when I dine there, think that there should be way more people eating there than there are. The crayfish-stuffed chicken wings are so luxurious and juicy; Tora Bay Pāua beautiful and balanced… the venison main came with these shaved chestnut chips we couldn’t stop eating. They also do a la carte now, so you can come and spend what you like without being locked into a set menu. (PS. They did win Best Fine Dining at Restaurant of the Year last year.)
What’s new
This coffee and bagel (and vinyls?) spot, Everyday, on Sandringham Rd next to the Okra Espresso Lounge has officially opened. We’ve been driving past their ‘Opening Soon’ sign for quite some time now, so it’s nice to see the doors open.
A new cafe, The Breakfast Club, is opening in Pt Chev (1179 Great North Rd) on the 6 June, from the owners of Slowlane.
Darling, coming soon to Auckland.
