Do most people think vegan food is utter shit? It's not!

[Ennuid]

And that we all just eat still eat pasta, salads and that vile tofu (yuk!) they used to make in the 90's?

I've been vegan for 15 years and let me tell you there isn't anything these days that you will miss in terms of taste or texture, the ''fake'' stuff is amazing and just as good, if not better than the real thing (not to mention much healthier). I mean meat, chicken, fish, cheese, melty cheese, ice cream, milk, yogurt, salami, pate, mayo, spreads, hot dogs, burgers, pizza, even eggs... literally anything you can imagine! Ask me anything you'd like to replace and I can come up with at least 2-3 great vegan alternatives.So may EU and US companies make really good stuff and the chinese fake meats are different but equally amazing. Every largish city will have at least a few veggie/vegan restaurants and stores (I have personal experience of Brighton, Edinburgh and Norwich).

The best thing you can do is visit one of the vegan fairs where you can get lots of free samples and see everything in one place. There seems to be a vegan fair just about everywhere in the UK nowadays (quite surreal since 5 years ago there were maybe 5 or so?) , here's a schedule for 2015: [edited by MN to remove possibly spammy address, we're sure MNers are smart enough to Google if needs be] .

There's even a new all vegan supermarket chain spreading all over Europe. Vegan is the new organic, baby!

If you don't agree with eating animals, why on earth would you want to eat something that tastes like an animal?

Facon tastes like frazzles and looks like a picture of bacon made into a sticker. It's all gross, really expensive and hard to get.

Vegan baking can be amazing, using cake mixes and substituting dairy and eggs for a can of fizzy drink of your choice, brilliant. But a lot of vegan substitute foods and drinks are heavily processed and bad for you, I can easliy have a tasty meal with no meats or dairy but when the substitutes come in to play they are just depressing.

I was vegan, I'd be pissed

mileend- I assume you are in the US? THat sentence has quite a different meaning to the message you intended.

Mileend I didn't imply that going for impromptu meals is a sin. I stated quite clearly that it's not something busy working mothers of a certain age do very often. Even if they are rolling in cash. The idea that 'impromptu meals' are a big thing in someone's life is quite alien to me at the stage of life I'm currently in. It wasn't in the past, as I pointed out. It might not be in the future. But assuming that everyone goes for 'impromptu meals' regularly because you do is a bit like me assuming that everyone has to cart their kids to rehearsals every weekend, just because I do, or me assuming that everyone reconciles their bank account daily because I do. A bit silly.

Being a vegan doesn't restrict me because the vast majority of places do have vegetarian menus which identify dishes that can be vegan. I've been a vegan for 32 years as I said upthread. All my adult life.

I don't care whether chefs hate me.

Because of my job I eat in a LOT of restaurants round the world not just in the UK (London) and I stand by what I said about mushroom risotto - not only is it not the 'go to' vegan option, it's not even the only vegan option on a typical menu.

Roast vegetables most certainly is a meal. As much as mushroom risotto is. And it most certainly is the single most prevalent option I see in the western world (not in China, Malaysia etc obviously).

I'm a busy working mother of a certain age and I go for impromptu meals quite often. Speak for yourself, not a whole swathe of people.

virginia I must admit that's my view too. Apart from fake fish fingers which I do like sometimes. I can't remember if they taste like the real thing but I like them. As an occasional thing.

Winter - not that busy then. I shall rephrase. None of the busy professional working women around my age that I know go for impromptu meals very often because we can't just swan off at lunchtime and our evenings tend to revolve around being a cab driver. Sigh. Planned meals sure. Impromptu - nope. But perhaps I only know atypical people.

But if I did go for impromptu meals willy nilly, as I kind of do when I'm traveling for work (which I do regularly - but I know I have to find something to eat so it's not a surprise and I will normally be constrained by such things as the conference/meeting timetable and location, and what my colleagues are doing, so not really 'impromptu' as such) then I still wouldn't find it a problem - I don't find it a problem. There's always something. And often it's roast vegetables. It's never mushroom risotto though. Because of the stock issue. Which was actually my point.

If mileend IS in the US then I'm amazed since the US is one of the easiest places to be vegan - however it's a big place and I guess not everywhere is as vegan friendly as NYC or Chicago. I had quite a tough time in Atlanta I seem to recall, I did eat mainly salad there but it was so blooming hot I was fine with that (No zombies).

No, WinterOfOurDiscountTents15, I agree, undressed seitan I don't think tastes of much, but that is easily remedied, it is designed as a sponge to take up flavours that can taste surprisingly of meat. Sorry you haven't been able to do that successfully, maybe keep at it, or not, whatever.

Personally I have never eaten steak or seitan, so have to admit I wouldn't know, but I'm really glad to have you on board to tell me exactly what other people are thinking, useful stuff there.

I have no desire for meat substitute, it just reminds me of what I am subsisting it for.

Also thanks for the useful article on nooch, where on earth would those of us who have been vegan for 30, 40 years be without useful meat eaters showing us the errors of our ways? Dead apparently, oh no.....wait....

keeptothewhiteline
No Im English actually. I just assumed most people would be able to pick up the difference in intended meaning of the word via the context of the sentence. Your condescension is much appreciated though.

assuming that everyone goes for 'impromptu meals' regularly is......A bit silly
At no point did I ever assume that everyone goes out for impromptu meals regularly. I simply said that following a vegan diet makes it difficult to do so. Assuming that because you dont go out for impromptu meals, no one else does, is a bit silly.

Roast vegetables most certainly is a meal
No it isn't. Its a side order.

I prefer to defend out British culture.

To me being pissed will always mean being drunk.

Navin I dont know why I am even bothering to talk to you as youve clearly got all the FACTS on whats going on in the world.

Mushroom risotto is never offered as a vegan option. FACT despite me saying I've worked in many restaurants all over the UK that do this as standard
Working mothers do not go out for impromptu meals. FACT contrary to myself and others disagreeing with you

Have you ever considered the prospect that your opinions may only apply to you?

No, WinterOfOurDiscountTents15, I agree, undressed seitan I don't think tastes of much, but that is easily remedied, it is designed as a sponge to take up flavours that can taste surprisingly of meat. Sorry you haven't been able to do that successfully, maybe keep at it, or not, whatever.

I make great seitan, thanks. I know exactly how it works, and as I said, it can be lovely. However it has nothing like the texture of meat. You can add lots of flavours but unless you're soaking it in beef fat those flavours are not of steak.
I haven't ever made seitan taste successfully of steak, no. Neither has anyone else.

I think it totally depends on the chef to be honest.
If you (say) just cook a roast and omit the meat or replace the meat with a bland , ill thought out lump of toffu or whatever then YABU - it's shit!

However, when a veggie / vegan with good food knowledge takes the time to create a proper vegan or veggie meal then it can be very enjoyable indeed.

I'm afraid I love my meat though - I'd rather be shot through the head than go veggie, let alone vegan.

Navin I have had vegan mushroom risotto, it might have even been an impromptu meal. Lots of us have lots of impromptu meals.....

Okay, WinterOfOurDiscountTents15, clearly you are totally right and I am just wrong, wrong, wrong, must be great to have tasted every seitan meal ever cooked by anyone, how long did that take?

I don't actually know anyone who goes for an 'impromptu meal'

I do. As do all my friends. Also decide last min to go out with my DP.

Gobblers, why so defensive? It's not about my opinion or yours, its simple fact. Vital wheat gluten and steak are very different substances and share few similarities. It's the same thing as if you assert that you can make a raspberry taste exactly like a fish. It's just not physically possible!

And since you say you've never tasted steak or seitan, why so argumentative?

Mileend I made it very clear that when I eat out I've never seen it offered as the 'go to option'. Which you claimed it always was. I didn't say it never was anywhere, just it never was anywhere I'd been (in many conutries not restricted to the UK). I'm guessing that it's ALWAYS offered where you work because it's you offering it. I have not eaten all over the UK. I've not even ben to most of the UK. I don't claim to know what they do up north. But I can say, with authority, that it is not always the case that mushroom risotto is what vegans are always given. I don't know why you feel so threatened by this. But you are spreading misinformation and claiming it's fact (what with your 'I work in hospitality' line). It's your experience but it's no more valid than mine.

But you seem desperate to paint being a vegan as toiling through a vale of hungry tears (as fact rather than as opinion). When it just isn't in my experience (which I'm guessing is considerably longer than yours).

I don't actually believe you are a vegan.

I'd love to be able to go for an impromptu meal. Perhaps when my youngest is old enough to be left at home alone, or when I retire/downscale my job (or if I won the lottery). For now though, impromptu isn't a word in my vocabulary (and that applies to impromptu cinema visits, theatre visits, concerts... I can't do anything at the drop of a hat, sadly. :( ). But if I could just say right I'm going out for a meal NOW I have no fear that I wouldn't be able to find something to eat that wasn't mushroom risotto or salad. There are 3 veggie/vegan restaurants within 10 mins walk of here, also 2 indian restaurants, a thai place and a (lovely) mexican place. I'd be spoilt for choice. As it is though, when I've finished editing the document I'm working on I shall be taking DC3 to tap, then taking DC2 to music theory, then collecting DC3 from tap, taking her to the theory teacher's house, swapping her with DC2, bringing DC2 home, and then eventually collecting DC3 from the theory teacher's house. At which point I shall collapse in front of the telly. I hope.

Because I have friends who have tasted both and think differently, and I object to you telling me I am conclusively wrong, it actually is just your opinion and that is all and apparently, no one is entitled to a differing one. How can you pass of your own experiences as 'fact'? They are just your experiences and thoughts about them, there are a lot of people in the world and some of them, might, just might have different ones.

I don't actually believe you are a vegan
Not sure how youve come to that assumption, but as its your opinion Narvin I shall accept it as FACT. No skin off my nose mate. I would suggest winding your neck in before making accusatory statements based on fuck all.

I'm guessing that it's ALWAYS offered where you work because it's you offering it
Not really. Its usually because I tell my chef we have a vegan guest, what would he/she like to make for them and a lot of the time it's mushroom risotto. I dont dictate to the kitchen what they make.

If you want to actually read what I wrote in my first post which was 'makes impromptu meals out almost always 'basic salad' or 'mushroom risottto.' Youll notice the inclusion of the word 'amost.' I didnt ever say the only meal ever available for vegans is mushroom risotto. Just that it is what I have been offered plenty of times whilst dining out and what my restaurants offer to many vegan guests.

Ok fine, have it your way. Your friends can't tell the difference between washed vital gluten and dead cow. Good for them. If you could pass on a recipe that makes wheat gluten magically change to the texture of dead flesh, taste of dead flesh, replicate the unique fat content and texture of cow fat...I'd love to try it.

And you care so much about this why exactly?

Foie gras, really? Even when I was a meat eater I wouldn't touch the stuff. Disgusting process and animal treatment.

I don't as an issue per se, I just find it frustrating when other people insist on shitting all over other peoples experiences and are too closed minded to accept that they might differ from their own.

I am more than happy to accept that you haven't ever tasted seitan that tasted remotely like meat, and also that you don't think you ever will or even that it is possible, I have no problem with that, you seem to be unable to extend the same courtesy back and accept that this might not be the case for everyone.

But that's okay, some people can just never be wrong it takes all sorts.

And now I am off to cook my vegan dinner, that will not taste of meat of feature seitan in any shape or form, just Briam and kale