My dad's steak could convert even the staunchest of vegetarians. Yes, you PETA-following, soy milk-drinking, tempeh/tofu/seitan lovers out there: you are all welcome to the Cho household to try my father's famous filet mignon.
This afternoon, we shared a delicious family meal. A carnivore's delight. Dad's perfectly-seasoned, perfectly-grilled filet melts in your mouth. The meat is so tender you don't need a knife. Each bite is heaven (a bonafide foodgasm). That, coupled with Mom's fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes and salt-and-pepper asparagus... Yum with a side of yum.
"Sharing good food with family, that's what life is all about," Mom said as she finished the last morsel of beef on her plate. "I mean, what else do you need?"
Mom's right (she's also Korean, and in our culture it's nearly sacrilege NOT to eat meat. Have you ever met a Korean vegan/vegetarian? Case in point: Korean BBQ, hello?).
No disrespect to those who follow a strict no-meat code. In fact, I think it's amazing and honorable. I tried vegetarianism for a year during college. But I realized being Korean and vegetarian makes as much sense as Rosie O'Donnell joining the Young Republicans.
At Dad's dinner table, I can't help myself. It's why I could never be a vegetarian.
