Calling Vegetarians

Bags Oh how I wish we had a "like" button!

Bags

There are all sorts of reasons why some people choose to be vegetarian, some because of a revulsion about eating animals, some for environmental reasons and, dare I say it, some because they are picky eaters.

Likewise, those of us who eat meat, whether frequently or rarely, and those of us who only eat meat which has been humanely killed, all have their reasons for doing so.

I don't like to be instructed on what to eat by anyone, although I'm open to information about food sources and make up my own mind.

One interesting PoV which a geographer friend pointed out is that without sheep farming, not only would great swathes of upland which is useless for anything other than sheep farming, put many farmers out of employment, if the sheep did not graze this land our countryside would quickly revert to scrub, bush and then forest.

Yes. The argument that using the land that is currently used for grazing for growing vegetation (grains, vegetables) is not sound. Hilly land is used for grazing (growing meat for human consumption) precisely because it is not suitable for human vegetative edibles, so such a change would be pointless and do nothing helpful.

It's not just the topography that makes it unsuitable either. Soil (mainly lack of it on mountainous country) and weather/climate are often wrong too.

I wondered how long it would be before a thread entitled 'calling vegetarians' reverted to meat eaters talking about that instead.

Well this has turned into an interesting discussion and all because I want to make something nice for my veggie DGD at Christmas!

Thanks for all the ideas folks, I have had some super recipes and think I might have decided what to do.

I don't think the 'meat eaters' are talking about that. They (and I'm not sure who they are) have responded to a post about meat eating by vegetarians.

I am happy with vegetarians not eating meat, and I don't assume that they live entirely on heaped plates of lettuce with the occasional boring lentil (a la Young Ones) There are some really good vegetarian recipes about, but they don't seem to have reached every restaurant - but then neither do all the good omnivore ones.

Omnivores, by definition, have at least as wide a range of food as carnivores, as it embraces all the meatless dishes .Omnivores don't live entirely on boring meat and two veg - even if they did, there are a variety of meats, a variety of vegetables, and a variety of accompaniments and sauces, so it would not have to be boring. Believe it or not, omnivores often eat meals with no meat in them in fact many of them only eat a very small amount of meat at all.

I am with Bags and others in pointing out that carnivores eat meat exclusively. The only humans that I know of in this category are the Inuit who live on meat and fish through the long Arctic winter when nothing vegetarian is available. Those who eat meat as well as vegetables are omnivores.

Here's a deal - those who prefer a totally vegetarian diet, for whatever reason, are welcome to get on with it in peace. I will not make any comments about rabbit food, sandals, or anything else that puts you down. In return, they can refrain from implying that eating meat in moderation is the equivalent of ripping up bloody carcases with bare teeth while uttering ear-splitting hunting cries, and that not eating meat is a sign of moral superiority. It is not.

I have used a Sarah Brown recipe for cashew and mushroom roast in the past. Non-veggies liked it too.

My DD and all her family are vegetarians. For Christmas she has ordered buffet food from M&S. Try their website, the food my DD has ordered sounds delicious.

Can someone tell me where those who eat meat were described as 'carnivores ' on this thread? Genuine question because I can't find it before bags first mentioned carnivores in her post at 07.01 today.

Also where anyone said that not eating meat is a sign of moral superiority? Because I can't find that either. Perhaps I'm not very quick this morning, it is Sunday after all

The word carnivore is often used of omnivores. It was a general remark because I think people tend to use carnivore wrongly, not necessarily on this thread.

Also, I don't think anyone has ever said that eating meat is a sign of moral superiority. Not sure where you got that from. But some (repeat, some) vegetarians and vegans lecture the rest of us, and make sneering remarks about human meat-eaters, as if eating meat were immoral. It isn't. And not eating meat isn't particularly moral (or immoral) either. It's just a food choice.

Sorry, should have said "about eating meat"...

Edible stuff, of animal or vegetable origin, is food. We are lucky to be able to choose what we eat. Until very modern times, most people even in the UK, didn't have that choice. It's possible most people globally still don't have that choice, wouldn't surprise me if that were true. Hopefully development will increase thenumber of people who have the freedom to choose what they eat instead of just having to make do with what there is, whether they like it or not.

I just went off eating meat after the menopause. Still a mystery as to why.

B I was going to follow my post with a 'freedom to choose' comment but you beat me to it.

Similar thing happened to me in my early forties, but then I went back to eating meat as part of my diet and still do. (Menopause came later).

ffinn

My post was general too - Some vegetarians do tend to occupy the high moral ground and lecture. Carnivore is often used as a description of non-vegetarian.

Thanks thatbags. I thought I had missed something. I'm glad to know no one on this thread used the term carnivore instead of omnivore. Just a general point.

I got the term 'moral superiority' in relation to eating meat from Elegran's post of 10.44. Again, no one on here was claiming that not eating meat gave them the moral high ground. Perhaps a little unfair to bring such things into what has been a perfectly civilised thread, as far as I can see? Both those who choose to eat meat, and those who don't, can seem a little defensive at times.

Crossed posts Elegran.

Some meat eaters do their best to try to demolish the reasons behind vegetarian's food choices as well. I don't think there's much point in creating an argument about it where none existed.

Wow! Eloethan said she found vegetarian food boring. That is obviously an acceptable thing to say.
I said there is nothing more boring than meat and two veg.
Did not mention carnivores or omnivores or any other eaters. That is not an acceptable thing to say, obviously, reading the following comments.

Just been shopping Eloethan, and you can rest easy about the Bisto, although I would never use it as most of their products contain real meat juices. I'd be a bit worried about the factory where it is made. There are also so many other companies that are completely vegetarian that I would want to support.

Gaga, I do not know what you have decided to make, but can I suggest that you make a lot of it. In my experience non-vegetarians always want a taste of the vegetarian food. I like making a nut roast in a ring dish and filling the centre with vegetables and an almond sauce. That means plenty for others to try.

Love your comment about sandals, elegran . Actually, I think it was not unknown for sailors becalmed and running short of food to chew on leather. They also, of course, ate as many of the ship's rats as they could catch, as one would if one were starving.

Apologies if I misinterpreted anyone's tone earlier. It just often does seem as if some vegetarians think it is immoral to eat meat. Perhaps it was just the word boring that got my goat. I don't think vegetarian food is boring but, I have to admit, if I'm completely honest, that I've often eaten a vegetarian dish and thought that it would have been much improved by some bits of bacon . For instance, I make the best pesto I've ever tasted (Minibags and MrBags agree) but I think even that is better with some chopped bacon added. Chacun à son goût.

I think it may be to do with fat content and the type of fat, animal fats being, in my view, tastier than vegetable ones.

It would be nice to know what you decide to make for your granddaughter, gagagran, and what she thought of it.