3.31.2009

Vegewhat?

My half-sister is a vegetarian and has been for years. Except my brother says she's not really a vegetarian, "She be eatin burgers every once in a while." Hilarious. Even more so if you know my brother and can hear how he says it. He's a character. (Side note: (oh how you've missed these!) At least one of my professors and possibly several of them hate(s) the term "a character" and demand(s) definition if you use this phrase. People in docs are still referred to as characters even though they're not fictional, scripted or directed. So when you say "a character," you must define what makes this person someone you want to include in your film. Be specific. Yes, my professors are characters. :P Lol.)

Anyway. I've never ever thought I would be one of those people who would even consider vegetarianism a possibility. I've always been strongly pro-meat. I love meat. When people hear this, they say, "Why not give up pork?" For real? I LOVE bacon. At Thanksgiving, I'd rather have ham than turkey (turkey is too often dry-- yes I've had fried turkey and it's good but I've had too many bad turkeys) and sausage is my second favorite breakfast accompaniment. For me, breakfast doesn't exist without eggs. That is the star of breakfast. Not pancakes or waffles which I like almost never.

How did this become about breakfast? The point is I have started liking some vegetarian meals and can sometimes see the point and deliciousness of a meat-free dish. This is shocking to my psyche. I feel weird having even written that sentence.

That being said, if I'm talking to any veggies out there, you know, you veg-heads or meat-freers, both of which Rach has been known to call you, you really should let meat eaters make your meat substitutes or "fake meat" as Stace's Dreezy likes to gross me out by calling them. Yuck. Who wants to eat fake meat? So gross. Anyway, there are far too many "vegetarian sausages" (I don't care what you define as sausage, this term is an anomaly to me) and turkey bacons that taste disgusting and not at all like a meat substitute unless by substitute you mean subpar and not even worth the effort. I would rather have a vegetarian omelet without the veggie sausage if it's going to taste like nothing, thanks. For the record, I can't be expected to become a vegetarian if you're not going to get your non-meat products together. Regardless, I won't be giving up (ground) turkey or chicken or seafood. But adding in some more veggies? That I can do.

8 comments:

RunningMom said...

lol @ all those terms!

My mother has been a vegetarian for at least 20 years. I was for 2 years, but I also like meat. Unless I think about it, which I try not to do, because then I get grossed out.

But I get grossed out by many things if I think about them too long.. like the amount of bugs that can be found in your food (yogurt, peanut butter, apple sauce, etc.) GROSS!

Anyway. I like vegetarian things, not so much "fake meat" I do like a gardenburger on occassion. All veggie burgers are not created equal. Some are good, some are terrible.

Rashan Jamal said...

Vegetarian lasagna - check

Vegetarian chicken patties? - i'm a go head and pass on that.

Although when me and my sister used to share the same space, if I didn't feel like going to get food, I would occasionally get down on the veggie burgers. Just gotta season them mugs up though...and cheese is a must..

Anonymous said...

Here via Los Angelista. Actually, I like fake meat. Not the bacon, which tastes like cardboard, but the sausage (we call it notsage)and fake ribs and veggie burgers. And things like tempeh and tofu. I'm a pesca-vegetarian - fish and other seafood, but nothing higher on the evolutionary chain. It seemed like a good compromise to me.

Momisodes said...

I think I just added a few dozen words to my vocabulary. :)

I'm with you on the fake meat. I went to Trader Joe's and they were giving out samples called, "Chickenless Chicken."

Despite my warnings, my daughter insisted we try them.

The look of disgust was clearly punishment enough.

CNEL said...

I will sometimes ask for the veg option when I know it's just going to be chicken or turkey or ham or something standard. I also will volunteer to do veg when other options run out.

I am a burger man but if veggie burgers are an option, sometimes i do go for the veggie burger.

*Tanyetta* said...

LMAO at--**"She be eatin burgers every once in a while."***

Your brother sounds like he is funny as heck to be around!

As far as being a 100% vegetarian, I'm sure there are some benefits to it. I probably won't be going down that route. If you decide to do it, let us know how that's working for you :)

p.s. what is the purpose of fake meat anyway? haha

Mau said...

Um...Sausage doesn't HAVE to be pork. And I'm not taking about those various brands of turkey abominations, either!

There's beef sausage, and there is this WONDERFUL chicken sausage that's made right here in the ATL.

I consider myself a borderline food snob, so trust me. Give them a chance!

Jameil said...

lol. the amt of bugs allowable by the FDA is so nasty!! never had a gardenburger. i don't want to eat cardboard so i need recommendations on the meat-free products from meat-eaters!

rj... i bet your sister has some bomb non-meat recipes. i'm gonna have to hit her up next time i see her.

citizen... i don't like tempeh too much. it just tastes so nothing to me. i like seafood more and more the older i get.

momisodes... lololol!! the thought of babisodes chowing down on fake chicken is hilarious! they had some DISGUSTING coffee in there for samples one day. horribly bitter.

cnel... our profs bring sandwiches sometimes when they bring us in for non-class events and the vegetarian ones are better than the turkey. that was shocking to me! never had a veggie burger. you know how i love my burgers.

tan... lol. he is! i'm sure there are benefits. there are benefits to eating meat too-- not having to search the world for acceptable sources of protein that still taste good. doubt i'll be going down that route, either. fake meat is i guess to trick the vegheads. lolol.

mau... i know. i've had some good chicken apple sausage and turkey sausage. there are so many spices in sausage it's pretty hard to mess up the substitute meats on that one. i'm more talking about bacon. it is jam hard to find a good non-pork bacon.