A Lesson for Omnivores: Vegetarian Myths, Debunked
I've been a vegetarian for 9 years (ok, so for 3 of those I was one of those terrible, awful, hypocritical fish-eating "vegetarians") and I found this article both enjoyable and relevant. I agree with nearly everything Taylor Clarke said. I'm not judging anyone for eating meat any more than I judge anyone for their religion; it's a personal choice and I don't think beliefs should be forced on anyone. I'm not easily grossed out and I don't care if you are eating meat next to me, or even if my veggie burger was cooked on the same grill as your hamburger. I do like the smell of bacon but meat doesn't even seem like a foodstuff anymore. You might as well say, here, eat this plastic bag! I like tofu and I agree with Sieseye about both tofu and meat being vehicles for spices and flavor.
I have not had too many problems with a lack of vegetarian options, though I am a little tired of the ever-present veggie burger, pasta, and overcooked vegetables. I went to a barbeque restaurant and eat the sides. My friends make vegetarian food at parties because they are nice people and they like it too. If they didn't want to make it, that would be fine with me too. Having been in college and/or NYC for the past 6 years, I don't often come against anti-vegetarianism anymore, but it's still there. Every time I see my grandfather he asks what I eat. "No turkey?? But it's Thanksgiving!"
I do get upset watching Top Chef: they put so much emphasis on animal protein-based dishes. Mark was kicked off last week for a vegetable curry, and during the zoo challenge, the Gorilla team used meat in 2/3 dishes (I think) and no one really called them out on it. It seems like fine dining is adapting more slowly to vegetarianism. Applebee's and Friday's have had veggie burgers for decades now! It's a shame because I think vegetarian cooking does encourage a chef to be more creative with tastes and textures. It's so easy to just fall back on what you know with meat.
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