The Foreign Service Journal, March 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2019 31 Eat Your Liver Organ meats are nutrient-dense and are often less expensive than muscle meats. They are often readily available in many countries where FS personnel serve, where locals prize organ meats as delicacies—for good reason! Once you know how to cook them, livers, kidneys and sweetbreads are delicious and nutritious. If you’re squeamish, start with liverwurst or chicken livers. I got my daughters hooked on liverwurst last year, which they now spread on crunchy spelt or homemade grain-free crackers. Make Mealtimes Sacred We can learn much from the traditional cultures we encoun- ter at many posts, which remain closely attuned to the rhythms of life, family and food. Take a break to enjoy your food and focus on really chewing each bite. (Chewed food is much easier on the digestive system, and the act of chewing prompts the digestive juices in your stomach). If you must eat at your desk, as many busy FS professionals do, at least turn off your screen to give your eyes a rest, and don’t use your phone. When possible, go for a walk during the day to get some sunlight. Get to Know Your Butcher or Farmer There is noth- ing a professional butcher loves more than for someone to show interest in the cuts of meat and how to prepare them. Consider it part of cultural immersion in your host country. Some markets around the world do not share U.S. refrigeration requirements for meats and fish, but frequently you can find a local store or service from which to buy refrigerated or frozen meats, if not a proper butcher. If there are no reliable local sources, work with your commis- sary or a local importer, and pool with other diplomats or expats to ship in quality meats and produce where possible. If you are in the D.C. area, consider joining an urban buying club like Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farms, which delivers grass-fed meat and pas- tured poultry and eggs to D.C.-area neighborhoods. JÉRÔMEMAZURIER Butchers Florent (left) and Romain (right) with the author during her apprenticeship at an organic butcher shop in Bordeaux. Inset: The author at work in the butcher shop.