Turkey Tetrazzini

I became a vegetarian this summer. There are (darn good) reasons why I made the decision, but I won't go into them at the moment. That's another blog for another day. Right now, all you need to know is that I don't eat meat.

While I was in the process of deciding whether or not to commit to vegetarianism, I took a good look what that would mean for me. I wanted to be realistic and make sure that it was something I could follow through with and not something that I would flake out on after a few weeks. After some deliberation, I went for it. And, to be honest, it has not been difficult for me. The reasons why I chose to be a vegetarian are compelling enough that not eating meat does not feel like a burden. I have no problem saying "no" to chicken nuggets or ordering a bean burrito instead of a beef burrito, and I was totally fine with my poultry-less plate at our Thanksgiving dinner table. I don't miss eating meat.

With one exception: turkey tetrazzini.



I have only to think of this wonderful, meaty meal and I feel a pang of regret in my vegetarian stomach. After Thanksgiving and Christmas, my mom used to take our turkey leftovers, bake them into cheese-y, noodle-y, turkey-y deliciousness, and we called it turkey tetrazzini. And it was good. It makes me sad to think that I'll never taste it again.

Nevertheless, here I am, having survived my first no-meat holiday season. You know, I don't even think it's the taste of turkey tetrazzini I miss the most. There were memories baked into that delicious casserole. Time with family, telling stories, laughing. I think it was the fresh flavor of still-lingering holiday spirit I loved best about turkey tetrazzini. I can't eat it now, but I'll never stop enjoying it.