Please allow me to let off a little steam...
I myself was a vegetarian for one year in my early twenties. I stopped because it became very tiring to have to explain the whys and wherefores every time I went out to dinner and also because, a wine lover, I came to the conclusion that fine wine and vegetarianism do not go together (Château Margaux and a nut roast? - no thank you!).
I am currently receiving some English guests. Two out of three not only do not eat meat, but no eggs or milk products either! What a nightmare!!! Of course, people always insist that "they're not complicated" but, believe me, it is not easy to make formal dinners under such circumstances.
OK, having been prodded, I've come up with a solution for this evening:
- first course: slices of fresh small melon (accompanied by Parma ham for the meat eaters)
- main course: stuffed squash (about the size of a baseball), stuffed tomatoes, and pommes sarladaises (potatoes fried with ceps, garlic, and parsley) served with rice
- cheese (for those who accept to eat it...)
- caramelized oranges
I think the meal will suffer from stuffing without meat, and the absence of Parmesan, but when you welcome guests into your home, you need to make sacrifices some times...
I realize that these people have the perfect right to eat and drink whatever they want (at least they're not teetotal!), but it does make life more difficult and I'm very grateful I don't have to cope with this situation very often!!!
Best regards,
Alex R.
I myself was a vegetarian for one year in my early twenties. I stopped because it became very tiring to have to explain the whys and wherefores every time I went out to dinner and also because, a wine lover, I came to the conclusion that fine wine and vegetarianism do not go together (Château Margaux and a nut roast? - no thank you!).
I am currently receiving some English guests. Two out of three not only do not eat meat, but no eggs or milk products either! What a nightmare!!! Of course, people always insist that "they're not complicated" but, believe me, it is not easy to make formal dinners under such circumstances.
OK, having been prodded, I've come up with a solution for this evening:
- first course: slices of fresh small melon (accompanied by Parma ham for the meat eaters)
- main course: stuffed squash (about the size of a baseball), stuffed tomatoes, and pommes sarladaises (potatoes fried with ceps, garlic, and parsley) served with rice
- cheese (for those who accept to eat it...)
- caramelized oranges
I think the meal will suffer from stuffing without meat, and the absence of Parmesan, but when you welcome guests into your home, you need to make sacrifices some times...
I realize that these people have the perfect right to eat and drink whatever they want (at least they're not teetotal!), but it does make life more difficult and I'm very grateful I don't have to cope with this situation very often!!!
Best regards,
Alex R.