Catering to vegetarians

[Deleted]

Vegetarians are an interesting phenomenon since vegetarianism appears to go against 'normal' physiological requirements of human beings, who are ominvorous mammals like bears, pigs and rats (among quite a few other species). Lots of birds are also ominvores.

The animals do not question this, but humans beings do, so there are more than a billion vegetarians in the world, most of whom were born into to it for religious reasons but many of whom choose to be so for ethical or "health" reasons. I don't want to start a debate about this or I would have put the thread in "Port or Starboard," but since a lot of us dine in each other's company, it seems worthy of mention here.

I myself do not believe that vegetarians stand on any sort of high moral ground, so I feel that they should respect me at least as much as I respect them. It would therefore be normal for a vegetarian to serve me meat if I come for a meal if they expect me to serve a vegetarian dish when they visit. Actually, this is quite common among people I know because often it concerns couples with one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian.

I do admit that I have never understood how anybody can call themselves a vegetarian and still eat fish, not to mention the numerous people who say "I'm a vegetarian but I'll eat fish and chicken and most white meat." This makes almost no sense to me at all. I think they are defiling the term "vegetarian."

So, what do the rest of you do about vegetarians, real or imagined? (It is amazing how many "vegetarians" will eat a meat dish if it is in front of them just because it appeals to them too much, even when vegetarian options have been provided.)

[htmb]

I was a vegetarian for at least fifteen years. During that time I did not knowingly eat any meat or seafood. I've been back to eating meat and seafood for about seven years, but I don't eat it every day. It's not something I want much of the time.

During those years I prepared meat/seafood dishes for friends and family when we had special occasions. For example, I typically make an egg strata for Christmas breakfast. During the vegetarian years I would make a sausage version, and one without. It was easy.

I learned that it was often easier and better for me if I didn't say I was a vegetarian when going out to a fancy business banquet because I might get a plate of green beans and nothing else (true), or a pile of lettuce with heavy dressing, or a heavy, tasteless cream coated pasta. When ordering off a menu I would often order something like a good mixed salad and a pasta with marinara.

I know people (very well, in fact) who make a big deal out of the fact they are vegetarians, like it's some noble calling making them better people than the meat eaters. I also watched as a few people like that ate meat/seafood and then lied about it later. However, not all vegetarians are insensitive jerks. Many are very nice, kind and thoughtful people.

I think it's easy to adapt a lot of cooking to accommodate different types of eaters. Because of the various (and serious) allergy issues among some members of my family, we do it all the time. And honestly, I was always happy to bring my own food to a dinner party if the host didn't mind. It was often easier and was just not a big deal.

[Deleted]

I clicked that I would make a special vegetarian meal for the guest.

The thing is I eat very little meat any way. Growing up we ate even less, it was nearly all vegetarian fare. My family were from the Sikh faith and so eating beef was a big no no. Pork was okay, and so was chicken. But like I say, even these were rarely eaten.

I guess the other thing that plays on my conscience is how animals are killed for our consumption, but that might be another debate and question altogether. Like many, I tend to turn a blind eye to that part of how meat actually gets to our plate.

I agree though that those that say they are vegetarian but still eat fish and chicken can't be taken to be true vegetarians.

[Deleted]

Most of the time, I would avoid inviting vegetarians for dinner. If a vegetarian was attending, depending on the others there, I would attempt to make everyone the same vegetarian meal. Conversely, I would not invite my dad (an avowed carnivore) and a strict vegetarian to the same meal. Just wouldn't make sense. And I'm sorry, I would just avoid an invitation altogether if the person was a vegan. I couldn't make the effort.

I knew I was going to have some issues when I invited my cousin, who is an ovo-lacto vegetarian, to my wedding. Then she told me she was off dairy and eggs and completely gluten-free. The reception was held in a restaurant where I had planned a six course dinner with matching wines. She didn't eat the goat cheese salad, the wild mushroom struedel or the halibut main course (chosen because my brother eats only fish) and stuck with the butternut risotto (course #3, made with vegetable stock and no parmesan, specially for her). Then there were the people who didn't drink (but at least they weren't recent AA members. It seems I'm always inviting former alcoholics to my dinner parties. I'll ask them if they mind, then pour for those of us who need wine with dinner). The restaurant ended up serving far less alcohol than they normally would for a wedding.

I eat meat, but not a lot. When I'm cooking for my husband, I cook it a lot more because he wants to avoid too many carbohydrates because of his blood-sugar issues. I eat a lot of cheese and eggs on my own.

And duck. I'll do anything for duck.

[Don Cuevas]

I recently had a brief email exchange with a woman who told me that she ate pork, but only if it were humanely raised and slaughtered. I didn't tell her my opinion, that if you go to that length, you really should be totally vegetarian. We had nothing further to discuss.

[lagatta]

I have food allergies, so I'm used to having to be the obnoxious one (though I no longer have a deadly allergy to cow's milk - it is simply an intolerance). We cater to vegetarians (not vegans, thank God) and carnivores all the time, as the friends include people from the southern part of South America who eat mostly meat, and some vegetarians. It isn't a big problem. Many vegetable dishes, some meat, some cheeses etc.

Very few guests who don't drink at all. We have an AA friend, but he has moved to Florida. It was never a problem; he had taken the pledge years before and didn't seem to mind friends drinking around him; he even bought fellow diners beer or wine.

Not that there is a lot of wild drinking going on in groups where they youngest people are likely to be around 35 and the oldest well over 70.

[Deleted]

One type of vegetarian who would not be welcome at my table are the people who replace the word 'meat' by 'flesh.' It would make me want to shove a fleshball into their mouth, and probably somewhere else, too.

[Deleted]

First off, I need to say that the people in my life who are welcome at our table, I respect their choices with regard to dietary preference, be it philosophical, moral, or otherwise.
And, the vegetarian friends we do have as guests know and understand our preference and do not judge us.
I prefer not to think of it as "catering".
We have long term friends, extended house guests who come and we respect their dietary choices, and, it has never been an issue, ever.
Between my husband and I, we have a culinary repertoire that satisfies all and we offer up every conceivable option available on the menu we serve without question or judgement from anyone.
These are our guests, and we have welcome them into our home and offer up the finest meals we can.
So what if someone doesn't like red meat, it's their choice.
I won't deny our friends a fine repast based on their preferences.

A picky vegan...don't know too many and few if any travel in our social circle.

[Deleted]

I obviously know more Muslims than vegetarians, having worked for an Islamic company for 34 years, but it was never a problem to deal with their diets. Two thirds of them totally ignored Islamic food and drink rules, and as for the other 33%, I got along fine with them without ever sharing a meal. And frankly, I have found that I can be friends with lots of people without having meals with them, and we both understand the reason. Even some friends of the group "just like me" never eat with me because we have totally different budgets or like radically different foods. I can have a lovely time with friends without eating at the same time.

[Deleted]

Well, there lies the difference in that we don't have many friends with dietary restrictions due to religious custom and or beliefs.
I do have a dear friend who is "severely" Jewish and adheres to strict Kosher dietary regimen, but, we only dine with she and her family at the restaurant or ritual of their choice. Less complicated and amicable.

[Deleted]

My closest Jewish friends were very kosher but for some reason had excluded breakfast bacon from their rules. Then again, the fact that they were Jews of Russian origin partially explains it, since appearently most Russian Jews are addicted to pork, which has created major problems (?) in Israel because the huge numbers of immigrants from Russia continue to insist on eating pork.

I have to admit that when my family took two of these friends to Alsace, where the speciality was sauerkraut with a hamhock, lots of pork sausages and bacon, even though we told them that they could absolutely order anything else from the menu, they wanted to eat the sauerkraut with us, and they liked it very much.

Frankly, I like people who have dietary restrictions that can be bent -- Muslims or Jews who can eat pork when there is an exceptional occasion, or vegetarians who can eat meat in the same sort of situation. By the same token, I have absolutely no problem eating an Islamic or Kosher or vegetarian meal when presented with the situation. In my opinion, dietary "rules" should be able to be set aside from time to time. Just about all of us can eat whatever we feel our diet should be 99% of the time, so I don't think that anybody is going to hell (or dying of incorrect nutrition) if 1% of the time the rules are ignored.

[htmb]

Sept 15, 2013 4:53:27 GMT kerouac2 said:

One type of vegetarian who would not be welcome at my table are the people who replace the word 'meat' by 'flesh.' It would make me want to shove a fleshball into their mouth, and probably somewhere else, too.

I know someone of that type very well. I find the use of the word to be very annoying, to say the least. That particular individual is also not honest about what's actually consumed when no one's looking.

[anshjain97]

I am normally a vegetarian however on less than a handful of situations I have eaten meat. Jains are supposed to be vegetarian and we have become due to our culture, now it is a big mindblock for any of us to change it.

We don't keep non vegetarian food at dinners etc when people come over. It just isn't done here.

[Deleted]

Actually, I would always make an effort for anyone who was raised in a vegetarian culture. The vegetarians who sometimes annoy me are the ones who go in and out of vegetarian phases at random, or who design their own version of vegetarianism to include animal items that they did not feel like giving up, or who become such fanatics that their medicine must come in vegetal capsules because they refuse to swallow the ordinary ones made with animal gelatin.

[Deleted]

Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine can pull off vegetarian fare so well that I can overlook the absence of meat. The thoughtful and creative use of sauces, curries and wonderful spices compensates for so much.

[rikita]

without reading the rest - i would not expect a vegetarian to serve me meat - and i would serve them something without meat. just as i wouldn't expect someone who dislikes peas to serve me a dish with peas - and when they come over, i'd have a dish for them that doesn't contain peas.

after all, meat is just one of many things omnivorous beings can eat. why would there have to be meat somewhere i go to eat, just because i eat meat, among various other things?

[rikita]

okay, now i read the thread - and i must admit that, even though i am not a vegetarian by far, nor have other "dietary restriction" (other than some dislikes) i have to take some deep breaths before answering, and order my thoughts. sorry, but i do disagree a lot with some of the things being said here ...