The veggie kitchen in an omniverous world

[Guest guest]

Hi, me yet again! In his last email Piers raised some good points. I'm thinking

that this one is a bit separate from the others, so I'm changing the subject

line.

 

Piers wrote:

 

> For option #2 [in the Poll about How Strict a Veg(etari)an Are YOU?] I think

>of my own situation where I'm in a house with several

> people, only 2 vegetarians, and I'm not the only one that cooks - I often

> have a suspicion that a dish is being enhanced by non-veggy bouillon, or

> that my veggie slice is being fried in oil which has just been used for the

> meat or fish course - well, rather than send it back I might bear it in mind

> and take up the topic on a separate occasion.

 

Yes, this is really tricky if one is to have a non-confrontational situation.

Of course, if one sent it back it would be unlikely to happen again in a hurry

and the 'often' word (above) might turn to 'rarely' ;=) How about a separate

pan for cooking the vegetarian options? After all, there are two of you. (Many

kitchens have separate pans for separate cooking purposes. Woe betide

anyone who cooked anything but omelettes in my mother's omelette pan - or

mine, for that matter - or heated anything but milk in the milk pan - or

anything

but rice in the rice pot. Or coffee in the teapot or vice versa LOL) Also,

kosher

households come to mind. I figure if all this can be managed in a kosher

household, then just keeping the meat away from the vegetarians should be a

snack (so to speak!).

 

But how do you all find this?

 

>In restaurants (except vegetarian ones) it could be a problem, can you really

be sure about what you're eating? is your veggyburger cooked on a separate

griddle from your neighbour's big mac?

 

Often not. So those of us who don't like the idea of having our food

contaminated by meat - or who may not have our food so contaminated -

order them to be microwaved and then throw enough relishes, pickles,

lettuce, tomatoes and mustard on to make up for the lack of a 'fried' taste. Or

we choose a different kind of restaurant. Many non-veg places actually have

vegetarian options of the kind that are not cooked on a grill. But maybe not

where you are? I never found the Netherlands very easy for vegetarians. I

was always offered a big bowl of mussels (sorry, everyone) and frites cooked

in lard :=(

 

Okay, so how does everyone else handle the kitchen, cooking pan, cooking

oil, etc. problem?

 

Pat ;=)

[Guest guest]

> I never found the Netherlands very easy for vegetarians.

 

Yes the problem with this sort of discussion on an international forum is, I

have really no idea what the situation is in most of your countries, I can

talk about Britain and Holland and say Britain (from whence I have just

returned) is " easy " with vegetarian options in almost all restaurants,

presumably prepared with respect for the underlying principles - food in

grocery stores has always (where appropriate) " suitable for vegetarians "

indicated, especially useful in the case of e.g. soups and cheese, and there

are plenty of vegetarian choices for prepared meals, snacks, pizzas, quiches

etc. - for the vegan it might be more difficult, I think there was a good

vegetarian lobby some time ago. In Holland there is none of this, a good

restaurant will have some vegetarian items but I have not the same

confidence in how carefully they are prepared in agreement with the

principles. Exceptions are some institutions e.g. hospitals and airlines,

which are used to preparing food to serve a wide variety of religions,

ethnicities, sicknesses, allergies and more - the best vegetarian meals I've

had have been in two Dutch hospitals, but this is not a reason for wanting

to get back in there...

 

So in the long run a lot depends on the culture and this differs from place

to place. I sometimes get the impression here that vegetarian preference is

regarded by many as a " whim " as compared with the seriousness of diet

requirements for health, religion etc reasons. Culture can be changed of

course but it's hard work and lonely most of the time - if you don't want to

take that on I suppose the answer is to look after your own patch and refuse

to compromise - as Gandhi said " you must be the change you want to see in

the world " .

 

Piers

[Guest guest]

>the problem with this sort of discussion on an international forum is, I

> have really no idea what the situation is in most of your countries,. . .

Britain

>is " easy " with vegetarian options in almost all restaurants . . . for the vegan

it

might be more difficult . .

 

I agree, England is easier than the Netherlands ;=) And it is always more

difficult for vegans, of course, anywhere.

 

>In Holland . . . a good

> restaurant will have some vegetarian items but I have not the same

> confidence in how carefully they are prepared in agreement with the

> principles.

 

Well, as we always say in these situatiions, you try to avoid the grilled food

because of what's on the grill itself, and look to safer things when eating out.

But even Holland must have some vegetarian restaurants? The Hare

Krishnas run at least one in most major cities? And how about Health Food

Bars and Cafes?

 

>I sometimes get the impression here that vegetarian preference is

> regarded by many as a " whim " as compared with the seriousness of diet

> requirements for health, religion etc reasons.

 

This confuses me, actually ;=) Most vegetarians are vegetarian for reasons of

health OR for reasons of ethics or religion. (Few, I mean, just refuse to eat

me*

t in order to bring discomfort on carnivores). Why should you not allow people

to assume that you are eating the way you do for health or religious reasons

on those occasions when people around you are rude enough to comment? I

know: look sad and quote Gandhi at them, or quote from Buddhist or Hindu

writings, or . . . ;=) Or just look sad.

 

>Culture can be changed of

> course but it's hard work and lonely most of the time - if you don't want to

> take that on I suppose the answer is to look after your own patch and refuse

> to compromise - as Gandhi said " you must be the change you want to see in

> the world " .

 

Gotta love that Gandhi - he had a tag for everything!

 

Total sympathy with the dilemma you must find yourself in. It can't be easy.

Hang in there!

 

Best, Pat ;=)