Lentils for Lent, Crème for Carême

Tofu burger, fries and pop for Lent

Hard to remember where these names come from today ('slow' and 'forty' respectively), but with Lent fasting period starting earlier this Ash Wednesday, it seemed fitting to find non-meat food names that sound like Lent.  Some Germanic, Nordic or Eastern European languages have it easier, referring to this period simply as fasting time or Easter fasting. The same questions will come back later, with the rather Pagan name of Easter, or some word based on the Greek and Latin Pascha, a variation of Exodus and Leviticus' Passover, that has given us names such as Pascale or Pascual.

Why should I care, say you? Well, it does not take a Christian to enjoy Mardi Gras and this early form of gay pride known as the Carnival parade. ^-^ But I like Lent, fasting at the end of winter is a good way to purge oneself from all these toxins accumulated in the cold months, when we eat less fresh produce (or used to, before Chilean imports and hot houses) and take less physical activities. I also think that with millions of families eating meat just a few times a year, Lent is mostly a rich white man's problem, as the saying goes.

Personally, I don't follow Lent, as I already naturally don't eat much meat. On a scale from 1 to 5, what do you do for Lent?

1) No change of diet
2) Reduce "red meat"
3) Reduce all meats
4) Go vegetarian
5) Go vegan

Chimel.