Holy Cow!

It’s a common stereotype (probably correct) in Hindu cultures – that cows are holy. I can’t really back this up with research, explanation or understanding. What I can do is offer my observations.

Cows have the freedom to roam around like big, lethargic squirrels – though they don’t climb trees. Finding a hamburger, or any kind of beef, is extremely rare. Just look at the available meats at this meat shop. That’s not a misspelling. Buff, or water buffalo, is a legitimate meat in Nepal. And it’s far from beef.

I’m not a cheese connoisseur, but I know what good pizza cheese tastes like (do they call that mozzarella?). Most places in Kathmandu that offer pizzas don’t mention this little caveat, they actually use yak cheese instead of mozzarella. It smells awful. Cow cheese has to be imported. Milk is a delicacy.