The Quotidian Cook

We begin a new season at The Quotidian Cook with two recommendations, a culinary one (use quinces in your cooking!) and a fantastic book, The Vegetarian by 2024 Nobel Prize winner in literature Han Kang.

The Vegetarian is not a book in defense of vegetarianism. Its protagonist, Yeong-hye, is a woman who decides to stop eating animal-derived foods after a disturbing dream. Her decision launches a process of radical transformation in which she will face an aggressive family and social environment with no room for dissent. In fact, The Vegetarian is a story exploring the power of personal decisions and their consequences.

It is fascinating to see the detail of Yeong-hye’s social environment reactions to her decision to stop eating meat. Her husband’s reaction is me, me and me. Family, friends and institutions will consider her disturbed or mentally ill. At the family meal organized to try to convince her of her mistake, Yeong-hye’s father tries to force her to eat meat (by putting a cut of meat in her mouth).

The story is a fable about what happens when a woman challenges cultural conventions (a good meal is with meat) and illustrates very well the reactions by omnivorous people to those who make personal decisions of an ethical or unconventional nature.

Nothing better than a vegetable stew topped with golden quinces to accompany the reading of The Vegetarian. We never stop recommending quinces in stews, soups and legume dishes (check our Chickpeas with Quinces Stew). Its soft texture and its sour and sweet flavor at the same time deliciously complement the power of winter stews. Quince is a mythical fruit and we only have it during the cold months of the year.

In our White Beans with Quince we add them to a creamy bean stew that starts with a northern Italian stir-fry with celery, onion and carrot. A bunch of ground rosemary and hazelnuts builds depth and the quinces add joy to the dish. The result is a creamy, fresh and aromatic stew. A traveling dish, Rosemary takes us to the Mediterranean, quinces to the Garden of the Hesperides.

…

Read More »