Cooking Vegetarian Tonight

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aizvara

2,050 posts

166 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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ascayman said:
You didn't say it had anything to do with principles you said you'd be afraid to under cook or burn it so you don't bother which if im honest I think is a cop out.

Half my family are veggies but they aren't selfish and neither am I so when they come to me I make an extra special effort to make them a nice veggie meal and a nice meat or fish meal for the rest of us, likewise when I go to them both veggies and meat eaters are catered for, imo that's what being a host is about its also just basic manners.

If I had some veggie friends over for dinner and catered for them and yet on the away leg they didn't cater for me then I simply wouldn't go round for dinner again.
Well, many (most?) vegetarians are so due to their beliefs (religious or otherwise). Perhaps some due to health, or just not liking meat. Why are they showing bad manners if they don't cook something with meat in for you? Are you not catered for with what they do cook?

It wasn't a cop out I hope - I though it was a reasonable explanation, trying to stay outside of ethics - I'm likely going to cook meat dishes poorly in a situation where I'd definitely like to cook something nice. If someone is coming around for a meal I'd rather cook something I can be proud of, something I can at least taste to see if it is nice or not, and have some idea what it is meant to taste like.

More examples, ad nauseam:

I have friends who don't drink alcohol. I'm happy to have soft drinks like those fake wine things and similar when they come over. I don't expect them to provide me with alcoholic drinks when I go to theirs. I have a friend who can't cope with strong flavours. When she's over we'll cook mild food. I prefer strongly flavoured food and drinks, but I don't expect her to cook that sort of thing when I go to hers.

evoivboy

926 posts

145 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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C0ffin D0dger said:
Well it turned out ok, certainly edible but could do with a bit more punch with regards to flavour. The mother-in-law liked it anyway.

Heres the recipe is anyone is interested: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chickpea_and_but...

Needed a bit of tweaking though, when it says it serves 6 I would have to assume they mean 6 mice and not humans. I put a whole butternut squash in which was well over twice what the recipe suggested. Stuck with the two leeks and can of chickpeas though. I also did quite a bit more potato as the quantity suggested looked very meagre. Upped the amount of sauce to compensate. Ended up with something that would serve 4 hungry adults.

The timings were also way out. Roasted the squash for the 15 minutes suggested and it had hardly started cooking, needed over twice that time though I went for chunky so maybe smaller cubes would have done quicker. Also the final cook in the oven to brown the "scones" was way more than the 15 minutes suggested.

Back to meat eating tonight biggrin
Add a vegi stock cube smile

Cheese Mechanic

3,157 posts

168 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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aizvara said:
Well, many (most?) vegetarians are so due to their beliefs (religious or otherwise). Perhaps some due to health, or just not liking meat. Why are they showing bad manners if they don't cook something with meat in for you? Are you not catered for with what they do cook?
It wasn't a cop out I hope - I though it was a reasonable explanation, trying to stay outside of ethics - I'm likely going to cook meat dishes poorly in a situation where I'd definitely like to cook something nice. If someone is coming around for a meal I'd rather cook something I can be proud of, something I can at least taste to see if it is nice or not, and have some idea what it is meant to taste like.
More examples, ad nauseam:
I have friends who don't drink alcohol. I'm happy to have soft drinks like those fake wine things and similar when they come over. I don't expect them to provide me with alcoholic drinks when I go to theirs. I have a friend who can't cope with strong flavours. When she's over we'll cook mild food. I prefer strongly flavoured food and drinks, but I don't expect her to cook that sort of thing when I go to hers.
Its all about people enforcing their "principles" on others. Many veggies do that, and are usually stuck too far up their own pipe to see it.A large part of the reason I take a dubious eye on veggies overall, and treat vegans as totally png.

aizvara

2,050 posts

166 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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Cheese Mechanic said:
Its all about people enforcing their "principles" on others. Many veggies do that, and are usually stuck too far up their own pipe to see it.A large part of the reason I take a dubious eye on veggies overall, and treat vegans as totally png.
What does that have to do with what I posted? I realise not knowing means I am stuck too far up my own pipe.

Perhaps you are suggesting that when arranging social visits with friends, vegetarians are intentionally trying to enforce their principles on those meat eating friends? Why would anyone be friends with someone who you believed (rightly or wrongly) was doing this?

I go back to my earlier post - if this is a problem people find themselves facing, and the indignation at not being fed meat is such as it seems on this thread, then I'd suggest you make these things clear before inviting vegetarians over in the first place. And perhaps find different friends with the same dietary requirements.

Japveesix

4,476 posts

167 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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I find it really bizarre that anyone finds it challenging or odd to cook a tasty veggie meal. I'm a meat eater but my girlfriend is veggie and as I usually cook nice meals for 'us' to eat (not just things I like) I often eat veg only meals. And i don't find it any issue at all and we generally eat healthy and well.

Perhaps I'm just not dedicated enough to meat...

As a side note her folks are both veggie and they go well out of their way to cook me meat, including a lovely steak not so long ago. They do this even though I've told them I don't need meat and can survive perfectly well on whatever they would normally eat. They're odd though.

Cheese Mechanic

3,157 posts

168 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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aizvara said:
What does that have to do with what I posted? I realise not knowing means I am stuck too far up my own pipe.
Perhaps you are suggesting that when arranging social visits with friends, vegetarians are intentionally trying to enforce their principles on those meat eating friends? Why would anyone be friends with someone who you believed (rightly or wrongly) was doing this?
I go back to my earlier post - if this is a problem people find themselves facing, and the indignation at not being fed meat is such as it seems on this thread, then I'd suggest you make these things clear before inviting vegetarians over in the first place. And perhaps find different friends with the same dietary requirements.
My post was concise , clear , and unambiguous. Unless you want it to be other, of course.

aizvara

2,050 posts

166 months

Friday 31st October 2014
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Cheese Mechanic said:
My post was concise , clear , and unambiguous. Unless you want it to be other, of course.
Of course.

Pferdestarke

7,179 posts

186 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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My Uncle has a highly-strung strict vegan girlfriend who is a complete nightmare to eat with, whether out or at home. My issue with her is that she will make such a fuss over what she's ordering that the whole table gets consumed by her needs. Instead of pinpointing the dishes that she can eat and discretely asking the waiter the usual questions, she vocalises it to everyone else who usually won't have a clue whether the "pumpkin soup has any chicken stock in it"! My uncle then falls over himself making sure her meal is fine, without a care for anyone else around the table. It's honestly that bad.

I had a big 60th party for a family member the other year and made four meat/fish curries from scratch. I made her two vegan curries to ensure she was catered for and all I got was "it was nice"

But then, when she eats at home, she has Lynda McArtney sausages and Quorn chicken strips regularly. Thats the proof for me that she simply does not understand food at any real level and is quite ignorant to the whole debate.




H_Kan

4,942 posts

198 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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I would not cook meat if I was inviting people around for dinner, I think that the example of alcohol here is a good one, if my guests didn't drink (due to beliefs) then I'd get some Schloer etc, but I wouldn't then expect them to get me booze when I am with them. I understand that it is contrary to their beliefs and would not expect them to have it consumed in their home.

Most omnivores do not believe that they cannot eat vegetarian food, eating meat is more a preference. I'm not a big risotto fan, but it is a common vege option, so I'll eat it as it's ok to eat in line with my dietary choices, albeit not my preference.

When catering, I will however make a big effort. eg. Last time I had friends for dinner, I spent 6 hours cooking, including making fresh ravioli (with a seperate filling for somebody who did not like blue cheese). All my guests were very satisfied and a couple wanted recipes for the starter.

Putting the time and effort into making a tasty meal is imo the key to reciprocating the effort they make for me.

Oh and I think you'll find I think you'll find that people, such as myself, who are vegetarian due to a cultural or religious reason (I am indian), do not tend to carp on about it at length. Indeed, many colleagues and acquaintances are often surprised as they'll only find out when they see me ordering a vegetarian option when eating out etc.

H_Kan

4,942 posts

198 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Btw OP, or anybody else for that matter, if you are having to cater to vegetarian guests, feel free to drop me a PM if you need some inspiration or ideas as to what dishes work well, or ingredients you can use to vary meat dishes.

I'd be happy to help.

Steve H

5,224 posts

194 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Generally I suspect that most veggies are acting on their beliefs, most meat eaters that would expect a veggie to cook meat for them are awkward tw@ts looking for a chance to have an argument. There seems to be a few on here.


You wouldn't go to an Italian and expect fish and chips or go to a curry house and ask for pizza; treat veggie stuff like any other kind of "specific-type" food, OK every now and again but be grateful you don't have to live on it.

Ace-T

7,687 posts

254 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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We eat meat, but I like to make sure we eat enough veg, so I bought Hugh FWs Veg cookbook. Really tasty veg recipes in it and you can use it as a base for ideas to create your own stuff too. Eating more veg doesn't mean you have to get all evangelical about not eating meat.

I have made at least 50% of the stuff in it which is good going for me and a cook book! biggrin

Shaolin

2,955 posts

188 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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For me, it comes down to the hypocrisy of the "get it down you it won't hurt and you might like it" from vegetarians who won't do the same when served with meat and expect something specific that others could have too but actually they would rather not and prefer a meal with meat instead. The "preference" thing just seems to go one way.

There's also a level of anxiety and extra effort produced by feeling you have to cook a special extra dish just for the minority rather than them having what you are practised and possibly skilled at as a meat eater.

When we have groups of people round that may include some we don't know well (and so may have specific preferences) it's either BBQ's that are heavy on the meat and people are told this in advance or low-key buffet-type affairs that are suitable for all. Any special occasion meal with fussy eaters and it's out to a restaurant to deal with them.

calibrax

4,788 posts

210 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Most vegetarians expect people to go out of the way for them. If you are a vegetarian going to someone's house, you should just expect to have the same as everyone else but without the meat, and not expect any special treatment.

Imagine if some people started to only eat meat and no vegetables or fruit, and demanded that people make them special meat-only dishes. Would people would go out of the way for them? or just serve them the meal everyone else is having but without the veg... I suspect the latter.