Vegetarian Question...

[MrsFruitcake]

Not an AIBU, but more of a was he BU?

Friend of many years came to visit for Sunday lunch. She has been a vegetarian since forever and we obviously know this. She also knows that we all eat meat.

Lunch was lamb with provision made for her in the form of nut cutlet or some such. She then proceeded to pour gravy all over her lunch and then was upset when it was pointed out that it had been made with the meat juice. She is still upset with DH weeks on as she blames him for this.

My Q is this - if you were a vegetarian visiting a family who you know are all meat eaters, would you assume the gravy is meat free?

Ah, I'd read it as nut cutlet or some such - so rather more vague.

no as a vegetarian i would ask, or even bring my own gravy granules, rather than risk eating animal fat.

simple as.

echt the veggie option obviously did need gravy otherwise the friend wouldn't have covered her dinner in gravy would she? This thread would not be here had the dinner not needed gravy.

I often aim for the common denominator as well when catering for different dietary requirements, but it depends whether it's a dinner party or someone invited to 'join us' to something already planned (e.g. The stuff's bought or everyone attending thinks it's BBQ or whatever).

It can get tricky though. I had a 'curry party' once with a vegan, a vegetarian who didn't eat cheese, a pescetarian, an omnivore who didn't eat fish and 2 people in the above groups with a nut allergy. Umm. I avoided the peanuts obviously (though I do make a fab peanut Dahl). The rest I made sticky labels and got folks to help themselves

I can honestly say that I've never had a guest who's complained about me serving something they can't or won't have as long as they are catered for. Maybe jealous (friend was recently diagnosed coeliac and I didn't know) but not complaining!

No - if there is roast meat, the normal way to make gravy is with pan juices. I probably would have done a separate jug of veggie bisto, but I don't think you should expect all the gravy to be veggie in that situation. I'd have expected her to be looking out for her own wee jug.

Oh, except if you let her eat it, in which case you would be being unreasonable.

Well actually I assumed it was roast dinner. The op hasn't actually said it was. But nut cutlet / lamb, sounds like it was. Nut cutlet is rank anyway. It would need to be drowned in gravy to make it edible.

I don't see how any dinner could "need gravy". Some people might choose to have gravy with some meals, but that's a choice. The friend chose to have the gravy but assumed it was vegi and didn't check.

Bisto is veggy, she probably was hoping it was veggy.

I would have asked, but I also think you should have told her first what she could and couldnt have. Part of being a good host

Nut cutlet is rank anyway. It would need to be drowned in gravy to make it edible.

yy

megs - I agree I would do separate. But if I was doing roast lamb I would do 'proper' gravy and not bisto granules for everyone, as it is a hell of a lot nicer (for a meat eater). But then, if I am catering for veggies I normally just do veggie for all, I don't go a bundle on meat substitutes.

Bisto is not vegi, why does everyone keep saying it is?

I have some bisto beef gravy n the cupboard, it is not labelled as vegi and the ingredients contain "beef extract"

stealth mine has the V sign and no beef in it. The red one.

Is yours from this decade?

I'd have asked if the gravy was veggie, but then you run the risk of the host saying 'Oh, um, no. Sorry' and you are left with a dry nut cutlet with nothing to enhance it and the host feeling irritated.

Or maybe not. I'd have started eating, and hopefully the host would have pointed out what they'd provided to go with the nut cutlet, and say 'the gravy isn't vegetarian'

One thing I wouldn't be is annoyed by it, if you're the one with the dietary need, you are the one that checks.

the chicken one is definitely not veggy though

veggieadvisor.com/blog/veggie-gravy-products/attachment/bisto-favourite/

'also check about the potatoes as some people cook them in the meat juice'

Or goose fat, because it makes them so crispy. It's a minefield. There ought to be an app for it,

veggieadvisor.com/blog/veggie-gravy-products/

Me too Mrs C. I would go over the table at the start of the meal and state what was unsuitable. If I served sauce, it would be suitable for all. I don't eat meat substitutes or nut cutlet. I would have yorkshires and cauliflower cheese. I'd make something my guests would like (or why have 'em). If it was too much of a pita, we'd go out.

I wouldn't out gravy made with flour, if I had a coeliac over for dinner. I also wouldn't put meat gravy on the table.

Mine is the red one and definitely has "beef extract" on the label.
It's from Lidl I think...definitely in date though (one of the few things that is)

does lidl sell BISTO? Not you know lidl version? Check my links

ahhhhh just looked at the picture. They're gravy granules, not the instant gravy stuff. I have some of those also and you're right, they have the vegi symbol on, which I didn't realise.
That's really quite misleading

Bisto is veggie (onion/red) and some is gluten free too (best).

I'd make jus with wine for a nice dinner.

it's the beef one of these

so does everyone use thr gravy granules and not the instant gravy then? because absolutely everyone else is talking about something different from me!