That’s what it should be.
(though in regards to the OP, she was a bitch)
I very much appreciate cooks who go out of their way to not put animal products into things that don’t need them, if there’s a chance that a vegetarian may be around. Examples: why cook with lard? Why make soup with chicken stock? These things have alternatives which are easy to find and don’t affect the final product much. I don’t mind taking a pass on the hamburgers but I hate sitting out of dinner because the rice, the RICE, has meat products in it. How much does the meat improve the rice experience for the meat-eaters?
It’s a pretty common experience for me to turn up at a meal (usually catered events, to be frank, not dinner parties - but that’s just because I don’t get invited to a lot of dinner parties and most of my friends are veg too) and find nothing to eat, because the soup has chicken stock and the salad has bacon bits etc, and have quietly nibbled on breadsticks. Just because no one has called in advance to provide their list of requirements, and because no one makes a fuss at the dinner, doesn’t mean that vegetarian options aren’t very much appreciated.
I know, I know, it’s our responsibility to make our dietary restrictions known, and I’m happy to do that. But I live in a big city with lots of vegetarians in it - at what point can I take for granted that there will be a vegetarian option present?
Well, rice made with chicken stock is way better tasting (to someone who eats meat) than rice made with water or vegetable stock. Lard makes pastry extra rich and fluffy. If the goal is to provide the best tasting food possible, meat and meat products (and eggs and dairy) are often used - because they contain fat and fat tastes GOOD to most people. I wouldn’t say the alternatives don’t affect the final product much - their is a huge difference in the taste or other qualities in these things if you use meat products. And yes, you can use plant based fat, but it really isn’t the same to your taste buds.
(Reminds me of my veggie friends who rave about some food or another being “just like meat.” Vegetarian hot dogs come to mind. Portabello mushrooms. Morningstar Chix nuggets (which are darn good, but don’t taste like chicken). Seitan. Most of these things are good - I cook all of them voluntarily for my non-veggie family except the veggie dogs, but saying these things taste like meat just lets me know you haven’t had meat in a LOOOOONNNNGGG time. I cook with tofu voluntarily, too. We like it at our house - makes great “cheesecake” which, btw, doesn’t taste “just like cheesecake”).
Not that I don’t agree with your main point - there are enough vegetarians (people keeping “non-strict” kosher, halal, or having other meat based dietary restrictions) out there that any restaurant or catered buffet should provide several options - and electing to cook the rice with a vegetable stock is a good way to do that. Not putting bacon on the salad (or anchovy based dressing), leaving the ham out of the potatos au gratin, etc are other good ways. It isn’t a big deal if ordering three pizzas to order one veggie pizza - the olives don’t jump off the pizza and attack anyone (we alway end up with one without cheese for the lactose intolerant and vegan set as well). And when you are cooking a dinner party, it isn’t that big of a deal to leave a few dishes veggie, just in case. In fact, for a cook it at home dinner party - its way easier not to cook your rice with chicken stock and to leave the bacon bits off the salad. (Vegan is a little tougher, if only because dressings for salads are often dairy or egg based, and nearly everyone covers their veggies in butter or a butter substitute that contains milk solids).
Dangerosa I have to disagree. I’m a meat eater and I dislike rice cooked in beef or chicken broth. I don’t like butter on vegetables, and I can’t stand cream on anything. Not that i would pull a “vegan bitch” on someone who served me the above things, I just wouldn’t enjoy them. Well, except the cream. Lots of cream tends to make me yack.
Egg whites! Ick!
To me texture is actually a lot more important than flavor. Like I said, I don’t actually know what tofu tastes like. The few times I’ve managed to get it into my mouth I started gagging and had to spit it into a napkin. I don’t know why: I suspect my taste buds are deficient. Subtle flavors are always lost on me. I’m actually happier with junk food than fancy restaurants, because junk food usually has strong, simple flavors. High quality food always tastes bland to me, even when my dinner companions are swooning over it. If it were possible, I’d give up on food entirely. It’s usually just a bother. If only humans used photosynthesis…
Tofu texture (or lack thereof) is an issue with me, too. It just sorta dissolves, like weak jello. I’ve read about pressing it to make it firmer, I’ve tried a couple different firmnesses, and all in all, I can’t say it does anything for me. I want to try tempeh, but I am scared to. I have no idea why - if I don’t like it, I don’t have to eat it and it’s not likely to kill me with one bite, but I am a food wimp for the most part.
On the other hand, I make a great smoothie drink with silken tofu that bothers me not at all.
Thank you thank you thank you for saying that. I’m vegan because well, it’s just how I am. I initially did it for health reasons, then I didn’t care about health reasons and it just kinda stuck. Now the idea of eating meat just grosses me out. Dairy too. I just can’t see it as food, it just looks like animal parts to me. I’m a light smoker and if I had a block of tofu for every time I heard "you smoke and you’re vegan???, I’d never have to grocery shop again. And save all of the “you think eating meats nasty and you smoke?” comments okay? To each their own. :o
And mmmmmm tofu. That is hands down my favorite food for the sole reason that it’s just so damn versital. I can make anything from “ice cream” to “meat loaf” to “cheese” with the stuff. Amazing food, that tofu. 
Oh, I almost forgot. For all of you commenting about the texture of tofu, IMHO, tofu isn’t meant to be just eaten raw. It’s supposed to prepare a variety of dishes, and I use it as a binder (instead of egg in recipies). There is no one texture of tofu, it can go from liquid to solid (smoked tofu) to a jerky (tofu jerky, suprise suprise) although I sometimes crumble it raw on salads, it soaks up the dressing and is oh so yummy.
I usually tell people who comment on the texture or taste of tofu that they just haven’t had it cooked right. Most of the time I cook with it, the people that eat the dish don’t even know tofu is in there.
Good effort there, lezlers.
Anyone who dislikes the texture of tofu should look into firm and extra firm tofu. While soft tofus lend themselves well to smoothies and the like, cooking with tofu benefits immensely from using the firm varieties.
Try pan frying thin slabs of firm tofu in some vegetable oil. Once they have been browned on both sides, toss in some grated ginger, crushed garlic and roasted sesame oil. Just before the garlic begins to brown toss in several tablespoons of soy sauce and keep the tofu moving around the pan to stop it from sticking.
Continue cooking until the tofu is golden brown and serve with cooked mushrooms over vegetable chow mein. You might find this utterly different from any tofu you’ve had before.
Good effort??
A couple of tricks when cooking with firm or extra firm tofu (in other words, if you want your tofu to be, in fact, firm)-
Right after you buy it, always freeze the tofu. Take it out and let it thaw about an hour before you use it. It helps the texture immensely.
Always press your tofu after you take it out of the package! Gently squeeze it over your sink. Be careful not to squeeze too hard or it will crumble! Because I like really dry tofu, after I squeeze I place it between 2 layers of paper towels and put a light weight on top. This helps to press out all the water. You should leave it like this for at least 15 minutes.
Be careful when using the second method, as it can make the tofu pretty dry. When tofu gets dry it soaks up any and all liquid it’s in, including sauces. At times this can make it too strong. I recommend pressing it before you use it as a cooked egg substitute. It loses all binding properties and becomes really fluffy.
Tofu can be crunchy, liquid, dry, fluffly, slippery… it really is amazing stuff. I even love the smell before it’s cooked. Kinda like pumpkin.
Tonight I made vegan sausage quiche with it… it was excellent!
I only freeze it occasionally, because it completely changes the texture, makes it almost grainy. I make enchiladas with frozen tofu, yummy…
The most important distinction I’ve seen is to buy the tofu that comes in the tubs of water, and not the stuff that comes in juice boxes. Use the juice box tofu for fake scrambled eggs, tofu pumpkin pie, etc., but if you want it to be any kind of meat substitute, get the tofu in the tub of water.
Another opinion of vegetarians, from a confirmed omnivore:
Fine, eat what you want, but don’t be forcing your beliefs on everybody else. Respect other people’s choices.
I eat meat. I love meat. You think it’s cruel? Then ripping innocent plants out of the ground and cutting them up, or tearing the fruit from their branches - denying them a chance to reproduce - must be totally humane.
And, one more line: to those people who say, “I never eat anything with a face”, I reply, “Me neither - I cut the face off before I eat the rest of it!”
Schlitz - eat whatever the fuck you want, but don’t resurect month old threads to slag on half the participants, ummm, K?
:rolleyes:
Duly noted. Excuse me while I slip over to General Questions. Obviously I don’t belong here…
It may seem rude or nasty to some, but here are a few phrases that work very nicely for those occasions when a guest is being a pissy asshole in your home.
“Shut the Fuck Up” comes to mind, but it’s a bit frank for some.
“Fuck you, get out of my house!”. A bit extreme, but sometimes justified, especially if the others don’t work.
“Well it was nice seeing you, so sorry you have to be going now!” (said in a cheerful voice while giving them the Eye of Death and forcefully leading them by the arm to the door.)
“I don’t care to hear it anymore” Still a bit angry sounding, but better than the first one.
“You know, I’m just sooo glad I invited you!” (dripping with sarcasm while you smile like an idiot).
Variant for those not specifically invited but along for the ride; “You know, I’m just sooo glad you could make it today!”
Addendum for effect; “It just wouldn’t be (a special occasion) without someone here to (spit on my hard work/insult my food/whine/ruin everything).”
“I’m sorry you’re having such a difficult time today, perhaps you should come back when you’re feeling better”.
I’m sure there are many others.
It may seem rude or nasty to some, but here are a few phrases that work very nicely for those occasions when a guest is being a pissy asshole in your home.
“Shut the Fuck Up” comes to mind, but it’s a bit frank for some.
“Fuck you, get out of my house!”. A bit extreme, but sometimes justified, especially if the others don’t work.
“Well it was nice seeing you, so sorry you have to be going now!” (said in a cheerful voice while giving them the Eye of Death and forcefully leading them by the arm to the door.)
“I don’t care to hear it anymore” Still a bit angry sounding, but better than the first one.
“You know, I’m just sooo glad I invited you!” (dripping with sarcasm while you smile like an idiot).
Variant for those not specifically invited but along for the ride; “You know, I’m just sooo glad you could make it today!”
Addendum for effect; “It just wouldn’t be (a special occasion) without someone here to (spit on my hard work/insult my food/whine/ruin everything).”
“I’m sorry you’re having such a difficult time today, perhaps you should come back when you’re feeling better”.
I’m sure there are many others.
Vegetables are what food eats. 
I’ll have the veal… rare.
-FK
I’ve never understood the aversion to tofu, either! I have a fabulous recipe for tofu, brown rice and veggies with a spicy peanut sauce. I made it this week, and some lady in the lunchroom looked at it, said it smelled good, but when I told her what was in it, she recoiled like I’d slapped her. Then she asked me why I was vegetarian.
I have absolutely no problem with vegetarianism, but am not vegetarian myself. So, I told her I wasn’t vegetarian, that I occaisionally eat meat, but I eat a lot of vegetarian food because the really good recipes use more spices and they’re often more flavorful.
Do you know what she said to me? She said… “Well, even if you do eat tofu, at least you eat meat.” Sheesh. I get that everytime I eat veggie burgers, too. “Oh, so you’re vegetarian.” If I don’t have to be vegetarian to like mashed potatoes and vegetables, why do I have to be vegetarian to like veggie burgers & tofu?
OKAY - done with my hijak/rant.
But inky- - you should have tossed that bitch out on her ear. I know it’s been said many times on this thread, but if she didn’t tell you she was vegan instead of vegetarian (HUGE distinction), then it’s her fault for going hungry.