chicken broth 'vegetarians' (only my opinion)

October 16, 2009

I have wanted to reply to this for a while but the words don't seem to come out

right.

When I go to a restaurant or make a reservation for a catered meal, the question

always seems to come up when I request a vegetarian entree. " Are you a

vegetarian? "

My honest answer has to be " No " to this question, but I find it totally

frustrating when, after answering it, I am NOT taken seriously for my food

choices. I have had the problem of someone thinking, " Well, she isn't REALLY

one, so I guess I can feed her chicken anyway! " I didn't ASK for that and asking

for a vegetarian entree shouldn't require me to have to " qualify " as a true

vegetarian before I am allowed to eat the food!

I think there may be some who call themselves " vegetarian " (who aren't) who are

intentionally moving in the " vegetarian " direction, but have not tried doing it

full-time. It is so MUCH easier to say, for example, in a restaurant setting,

" I'm vegetarian " than to say, " I want to see if you can give me a vegetarian

option on this menu, but I am not actually a vegetarian...I occasionally eat

(whatever) and yet I want vegetarian most of the time, like NOW... "

I have seen this time and again--it is way too complicated for folks to

understand the fine distinction--so much easier to just say, " vegetarian " and be

done with it.

I know--it's totally accurate when someone does this. I also know there are

lots of people who don't understand the finer points. For most non-veg people,

the main point is dietary choice and not the philosophical/ethical

issues. There are probably regions of the country wehre people understand the

latter and are less stuck on the former, but here--I think the average person

who is NOT an actual vegetarian probably doesn't make the distinctions. If one

wants " vegetarian " foods on a menu, one better be saying one is " vegetarian " --or

else they try to give you meat, chicken, and so on, instead.

It's too bad there isn't a universally-understood term that describes people

like me. Don't go around saying " I'm vegetarian " , mind you. I also don't go

around saying " I eat meat " , either. I just do hate having to explain myself to

non-veg people in " food " settings and try to have them understand that I want

the option to be available, whether or not I am a " real " vegetarian. I feel I

deserve to have the choices as much as anyone else. I shouldn't have to

threaten them with " I'm a REAL vegetarian--you had better feed me right! " (But

some people almost have to be hit in the head with stuff like this or it doesn't

register!)

That is just my two cents' worth. I always hope to see more options for

vegetarians (true ones and fake ones) on menus when I eat out. I hope someday

the options won't be limited to dull things (iceberg salad, flavorless steamed

veggies, bean soup that really has bacon in it, and all other annoyances)! I

hope for truth-in-menu-listings (tell if there is meat sausage in the minestrone

soup!) and then ANYONE, vegetarians or " wanna-be-vegetarians " can eat with gusto

and enjoyment, without explanations or apologies!

Bon Appetit!!

--Laura B., in Illinois

October 16, 2009

Well, I think, for one thing it is no one's business if you are or if

you are not vegetarian.....all that matters is that you should be

able to decide what you, as an adult human being, want to eat

at that particular meal on that particular day. You should not

have to explain why you do or do not want not eat a meat dish.

And, two, you could, if you feel you have to explain, just tell them you

have certain dietary restrictions for medical reasons......after all, not

eating

a lot of meat IS supposed to be better for you. And, if they want your

business

that day, and repeat business, they will try to make sure they can provide you

with

some sort of vegetarian meal. Some restaurants can and some cannot all

depending on what kind of food they normally prepare.

When I met my husband, I was the salad, dessert, soup and bread chef at a good

size restaurant in Athens, Texas. He had come in that day for lunch and wanted

JUST a salad, but not a salad that was on the menu. One of the servers came

back to ask me if I could do what he wanted. I went out and talked to him,

found out exactly what he wanted.....walked back in the kitchen and made it

exactly like he wanted it. He got what he wanted, and needed that day for

lunch and we got a steady customer and I eventually got a new husband!! My

biggest problem was trying to find out how much to charge him for the special

salad that day.

But, it was not a big problem to fix the salad for him.

Nancy C.

October 17, 2009

This reminds me of that line in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding " where the

aunt offers the fiance some food and they tell her he's a vegetarian. The whole

room stops and looks at him, and then the aund says, " That's okay, I make you

lamb, " and then the room resumes partying.

People who are not like us totally don't get it, do they?

Vicki

Chronic Lurker

October 18, 2009

Vicki..You have to remember....that was just a movie.

Nancy

This reminds me of that line in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding " where

the aunt offers the fiance some food and they tell her he's a vegetarian.

The whole room stops and looks at him, and then the aund says, " That's okay,

I make you lamb, " and then the room resumes partying.

People who are not like us totally don't get it, do they?

Vicki

Chronic Lurker

October 18, 2009

Reminds me of my late mother in law who put meat in everything but pound cake

(and I'm not that sure about the cake) once she found out I was a vegetarian. If

I didn't accept what she cooked, I was a snob. If I took it, I wasn't a " real "

vegetarian and it would be discussed, discussed and discussed some more, ad

nauseum. If I took it and just spread it around my plate, making believe I was

eating, I was wasting food. If I accompanied my husband to their house for

dinner, it was loudly and often mentioned that they weren't able to afford to

feed me a separate meal. If I accompanied the family and brought a covered dish,

I was being snobbish about her cooking. If I stayed home, I was a snob. If we

all stayed home, I was keeping her from her son and grandsons. If it hadn't been

my vegetarianism, she'd have found something else she didn't like about me.

Is it any wonder that we vegetarians either stay home, eat with other

vegetarians or just keep our mouths shut?

Jeanne in GA

November 3, 2009