Emphasis mine.
You call yourself whatever you want to call yourself. Descriptively, people who call themselves “vegetarian”, in my experience, eat dairy and eggs. People who don’t specifically identify themselves as “vegan.” Frankly, I don’t care as I eat everything, but I do ask dinner guests if they have dietary constraints, and vegans explicitly identify themselves as such. I’ve never had a vegan dinner guest identify themselves as “vegetarian.”
Yeah, that’s an odd statement by MPB. Why would lard be vegetarian? Gelatin, also, not vegetarian. There is a little grey area with cheeses, though. A lot (probably most) cheeses are coagulated with animal rennet, which is sourced from a dead animal. There are vegetarian rennets, though, which is why you have “vegetarian” cheeses.
Going to a family steak dinner and whining (or whinging as we say here at the Dope) about how meat is murder and ruining everyone else’s good time is about as festive as it gets for a vegetarian. Can’t you taste the smug superiority already?
I’m not a vegetarian, but I have to second or third eggplant parmigiana. My mom used to make it, and we loved it. It gave the sort of chew experience that meat eaters miss in most all-vegetable meals.
If asked to go out to a vegetarian place for dinner, my choice will be an Indian buffet. Some of Chicago’s Indian buffets are completely meat free, some have a large percentage of meat free dishes.
If she’s willing, instead of cooking and stressing, to go out and eat, a good Indian food meal can be utterly meat free and you don’t miss it. And I’m a carnivore.
If you want to discuss exactly who is and who is not a vegetarian, please start a new thread. This thread is to suggest good non-meat meals for the OP. Feel free to point out the use of any dairy products or eggs involved if you make a suggestion so people can evaluate whether they can partake, regardless of the dietary labels they choose for themselves.
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
To settle any questions about what kind of vegetarian I am, I do eat eggs and dairy, I don’t eat fish, but I do eat clams and oysters. I avoid anything with a central nervous system.
Let me know if you try the spaghetti.
Heck I’m not a vegetarian and I’m going to try the spagetti. That sounds wonderful.
That’s very similar to a spaghetti recipe I make, but the Roma tomatoes around here, especially during the winter, suck seriously bad, so I use canned Romas instead. I’m a big fan of the Muir Glen brand.
One of my vegetarian favorites, is spaghetti alla puttanesca. I normally make mine with anchovies, but you can skip them. Basically, it’s a spaghetti dish served with a spicy sauce flavored with garlic, olives, capers, (optional anchovies), hot pepper flakes, and tomatoes. It’s a perfect dish.
Otherwise, I’d say go out for some good Indian food. I’m a carnivore, and I’ve eaten many an Indian meal without realizing the lack of meat.
I eat everything, and if I had to describe what meat is like to a strict vegetarian, I’d go with some form of cooked portobello.
What about portobello parmiagiana? Has anyone ever made that?
How about a mushroom risotto with some pan-fried scallops on top? Add a fresh salad or some lightly sauteed greens and a bottle of white wine and you’re good to go.
Then I vote for linguine with white clam sauce. I’d post a recipe, but the two times I tried to make it at home were not even close to good.
The linguine with white clam sauce here is excellent (even though it’s a chain). You might find a copycat recipe, or just go there.
Turn to Indian dishes for all kinds of delicious meatless food. Palek Paneer, Chana Dal, or just goof around with lentils or beans, tomatoes and spices and serve it over rice. It’s going to be tasty, nutritious and satisfying. (sez this carnivore)