Tangled Noodle: Well, in this new high-tech age, the invitation to judge came about through very modern means. Ariane of D’Artagnan sent me a note on FaceBook, asking if I would like to be a part of the event.

Vegetarians: Yes, this event is probably not the most tasteful out there. But that’s the whole point of it. It’s done with humor, to blow off some steam. In reality, so many of these cooks, who work for some of the nation’s top restaurants, have more respect for animals than you give them credit for. They work with the best ingredients, and so they value them. They use every bit of every animal because they know that a life was sacrificed. They work with family farms, as opposed to industrial ones, to help keep these businesses alive. They create markets for heritage breeds that otherwise might no longer exist because the demand would not be there to raise them otherwise. I’m sure these points won’t change how you feel, and I wouldn’t want them to, as I understand your passion for what you believe in. So I hope we’ll just agree to respectfully disagree.