My simple vegetarian rule is " If you'de eat it and it tastes good, odds are the vegetarians will eat and like it too ( as long as it fits into their dietary rules) "
And I think this applies to just about most diets ( veg, diabetic, kosher, gluten free..). The problem for the host is ti figure out/ understand what the persons dietary needs are.
As Steve said above, Ive never in my life gone into an occasion expected special treatment. But, If anyone here is like my mom, I know it would kill them if they had someone over and didnt have anything to eat. So I'de usually try to make it a point to let the host know that there is plenty to eat for me, so they didnt go the whole night gawking over to see what was on my plate ( even though they do anyway
)
Getting back to the 'fake meat'. As I said, %95 of it is poor. Occasionally there is a good brand, and Im sure the veg guests know which one it is. Many focus on looks over taste. Or they get the taste close enough, but the consistency is gross.
MYTH: TOFU tastes like anything you cook it in. Although I agree, it does absorb the flavors, its still has that ' tofu taste'. which isnt necessarily bad ( in stirfry), but dont try to marinate it with sage and thyme, toss some gravy on it and expect it to taste like turkey
. Just as Id never expect anyone to let me roast a chicken or cook up a steak, I dont expect anyone to try and cook with an ingredient they've never touched before ( and dont even like), and try to make it taste good. That being said, there are those occasional surprises where someone actually pulls it off, but its few and far between.
So, then after my mom gave up on buying tofu turkeys, her next attempt was to go to a health food store, and try and pick out some stuff from behind the prepared food counter ( salads, other veggie things). Most this stuff was tofu, tempeh, quinoa, bulgar wheat.... Good old mom would pick out a bunch of these things for us to eat. Once again, Im not an unappreciative bastard :P , but this stuff is wayyyyyy over priced, usually has been sitting around for weeks cause no one else likes it so no one buys it, and because it usually is a poor attempt at the store trying to make something for non vegetarians to buy for their vegetarian guests. So my mom would spend like $8 for a 1/4 pound container of stuff that was fair at best. Which emphasizes a second rule, Dont buy something that you dont know what it is, and assume it tastes good and the vegetarians will like it just cause it has no meat. There are people who are really into health food, and may love all that stuff ( not because it tastes good, but because they've been brainwashed into thinking ' just because it has healthy ingredients and is good for you, and is bought in an upscale store, it must taste great). Then there are those like me who just dont eat meat, but love to eat things that tastes good. Which brings us back to that other rule, if you would eat t it and like it, more than likely the vegetarian would too ( as long as it is within his/ her dietary rules).
Boy, us vegetarians are a pain in the butt, aren't we ??
Taxlady does bring up a good point. about the beef stock, chicken broth, anchovies in caesar salad dressing, fish or oyster sauce in asian stirfries. Sometimes we get fooled, but most of the times we know if something animal based is in ther. Why?? cause usually it tastes better than the crap we eat. Most times its innocent mistakes and I know i never say anything. This is why I usually take kind of a tasting sample first, then when i go for seconds, if I know or assume it doesnt have meat products in it, Ill take more. I dont want to pile up a bunch of stuff on my plate, then find out as I eat it that it has meat products in it and have a plate full of stuff I wont eat. First of all, I dont want to waste anything. Also, I dont want to call attention to myself, and have the host keep staring at you and your full plate, then ask why you didnt eat it.
Luckily, these days it is a lot more accepted to be a vegetarian, than back in the good old days. So its rarely if ever a problem on any occasion I attend. Also, most know I love to cook, and often ask me to bring something anyway.
I think I need to change my Nick here to " The Bitter Vegetarian".
Im really not trying to stir anything up, or come across as a pain in the butt. I just want to point out my experiences, just so you guys know whats going through your vegetarian guests heads as we sit down at the table. Although, most of the thoughts start as early as when we get the invite LOL. We'll mentally plan out what we are going to eat even before we walk in the door.
or maybe ' Grumpy Vegetarian' I like that better.