Eating at the Fourth Level of Bliss

When you bring home meat from the grocery store and use it in your most favorite dish, it's wonderful. But that's only eating at the first level of bliss.

Go to the butcher section, or someplace like Fresh Market, and get that same cut of meat (beef, chicken, pork) without antibiotics or hormones and use that in your favorite dish. If you're old enough, you'll say it tastes like meat you remember. Also there are now less antibiotics and hormones in the population. That's the second level with a bonus bliss for all.

Now take it up another notch. Go someplace like Whole Foods and get an organic cut. This may spoil you for grocery store meat because the final dish will be moister with more flavor then you're used to. It may just be healthier too. Third level bliss additions for all: less agricultural pollution, less reliance on foreign oil, better treatment of the animals.

Ready for the fourth level of dining bliss? Look for locally produced and slaughtered, grass-based meat. (Try a farmer's market, or do a web search for CSA or Metropolitan Buying Club.) You are now eating what five-star chefs serve. The bliss bonus: Natural and humane treatment of the animals, much more efficient use of resources, even less reliance on foreign oil, and improved local economy. The best thing? You know where your meat comes from the next time there's an e-coli scare.