OMG TV moment

[figmo]

My TV turned on to "Sara's Secrets" on the Food Network. She was making a meal that was supposed to be for "both vegetarians and carnivores." One of the items she made was two versions of a savory strada. When she went to plate it, she first stuck her spatula in the sausage-laden strada, then, without cleaning the spatula, stuck it into the vegetarian strada.

I blurted out "Oh my gawd!" so loudly I awoke Warren, who was sound asleep two rooms down with the door closed.

For those of you who aren't chefs, if you're feeding a vegetarian, that's like dipping your spatula in poison before serving your guests.

Comments

[justeps.livejournal.com]

"I'll have the real food and my PETA-sympathizer friend here will have the fresh baby spinach." (Sorry, couldn't resist...)

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I know that you meant it as a joke, but some people would find that just plain mean spirited.

As a vegetarian I still get lots of people thinking that they are being an absolute riot when they refer to me eating rabbit food & them eating real food, as if some poor critter has to die before you can live. The only thing more real about eating meat is the fact that somewhere a cow, a pig or a chicken (in most cases) died for your "Buzzard food". The way the stuff is prepackaged and whatever any more most people are entirely removed from the process so they are not aware of the suffering their choices cause.

I could go off on a rant about how vegetarian choices are better for your health & the overall health of the planet but that's entirely counter to the point that Lynn was originally making. That point is courtesy.

If I'm serving food to someone who's keeping Kosher you can bet your sweet potatoes that I will comply, to the best of my ability to abide by the rules of a Kosher diet. If I'm serving food to a mixed crowd of veggies and carnivores I will attempt to, in any way I can, keep the portions & the utensils separate.

As Robin stated above, I'm not so strict that I will require a separate grill when I cook my veggie-burgers or my portabella mushrooms, I just don't want to have to pick the little pieces of meat out of my "garden" salad. (& yes, I've been faced with that situation) If there is any doubt about how strict the individual is, or needs to be, then one should either ask or attempt to be stricter, merely as a courtesy. You might still fail, but at least you have tried & most people can appreciate that.

As for the current spinach scare; they're saying don't eat the stuff raw. I'll take a plate of it lightly steamed with some pepper & balsamic vinegar, thank you. Would you happen to have a roll to eat alongside?

[justeps.livejournal.com]

If you remember my parties, you'll recall I had two Crock Pots: one that contained meat, and one that never touched meat in its life.

The rest of this is largely a religious argument. The most perfect person on the planet, his holiness the Dalai Lama, is OK with eating meat. That's good enough for me.

Humans aren't rabbits. We can't digest grass. We can digest grass-fed beef. You can debate all you want about whether we evolved into carnivores, or were "intelligently designed" to be carnivores. It doesn't matter; we are what we are. Parsley is decoration, not food. Celery is not nutritious.

You're welcome to eat whatever you want. Just don't preach to me about what I should or should not consume.

[capplor.livejournal.com]

Did you even read as far as: "I could go off on a rant about how vegetarian choices are better for your health & the overall health of the planet but that's entirely counter to the point that Lynn was originally making. That point is courtesy. "?

I'm not telling you what to eat. That's not my choice. Why do people think that I am doing so when I espouse an alternative dining-style?

Maybe the real problem is not one of courtesy, but rather one of expectations.