One of our Christmas guests is vegetarian and only just told us

[AnnaleeP]

Christmas this year is just me and DH and a couple of close friends. When we invited them they said they had a friend coming to stay, would it be OK for them to come too? We said yes, that was 6 weeks ago. Since then we've sorted out what they're bringing food-wise.

Tonight DH gets a text 'will there be room for a tray of vegetarian sausages to go in the oven?' Errrr if the extra guest is vegetarian the time to mention this was 6 bloody weeks ago. I'd like to be able to serve the poor lady something a bit nicer than freaking Linda McCartney sausages for Xmas lunch so now we have to rethink what we were planning on serving. Obviously the vegetables with the main meal are OK but the starter was going to be fish and meat and there's quite a lot of meat involved in the main obvs. I'll have to make veggie gravy and different roasties for her. I dunno what to do for the main. DH is trying to get some answers out of them but so far it's 'oh don't go to any trouble, she'll just have sausages' - she's not having freaking sausages! Just tell me what she wants and I'll make it! Is it me? I'm just trying to be hospitable to someone I've never met, it's bloody Xmas.

I'd take Linda McC sausages over a nut roast any day of the year! In fact, that's what I'm having.

It's tiresome when people INSIST on doing something fancy when I'd honestly prefer just the veggies/gravy.

DD2 who is veggie is having [http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/article/vegetarian-christmas-gallery/crustless-spinach-and-feta-pies/list-page-15.html spinach and feta pies]] for Christmas dinner.

Spinach and feta pie link fail

She's a vegetarian, so give her the fucking vegetables. Sprouts, potatoes, parsnips, bread sauce, christmas pudding, brandy butter, no effort, sorted.

Please don't anyone assume they know better than the person concerned what they want and what they can eat- my daughter is a lifelong vegetarian and some of the options mentioned would kill her.

If a person says they will bring sausages, let them. Maybe the original friends forgot to tell you and this is a solution they came up with, in order to avoid all this fuss.

My thoughts on the points above - with the caveat below about not overthinking it and relaxing.

Aldi onion gravy granules made up with boiling water with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce in it is delicious for veggie gravy. It actually tastes like gravy. Bisto is really not great.

Likewise the Waitrose pates. I was so excited to see them last week, I bought them all. They are in very pretty ceramic pots and taste vile. The "best" is the mushroom. Way better to get the mushroom pate from Holland and Barrett. It's not in a fancy dish, but it will taste delicious.

Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian. You could substitute a veggie hard cheese from Sainsburies in your starter.

I'm sure she'd prefer a relaxed host to perfect veggie food. As a veggie myself for over 30 years, I can say that the dining is only one part of the experience. The company, ambience, and cheer is what she's coming for after all.

Don't stress, she will have a lovely time.

Don't understand these vegetarians eating goose fat potatoes.

If you are going to make a wellington have a look at this www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/mushroom-and-squash-vegetarian-wellington/ I have made it for the last few years and it is amazing. The flavours go so well, and although I say it myself, the end results are restaurant quality. Jamie calls it a 'labour of love' but I didn't find it that hard to prepare everything on Christmas even and then assemble next day. As lovely as this recipe is though, I would definitely have a look at the M&S veggies Christmas meals, and also Tesco and Sainsbury nut roast

I'd be a bot annoyed that they failed to mention being veggie until 3 days before.
I wouldn't be changing my plans too much due to the late notice tbh

Started I'd get them mushroom pate

I would get a pre made veggie Wellington and cook with some roast potatoes (without goose fat) and do some veggie sausages and veggie gravy.

Your dessert is probably already going to be veggie as a lot of your goodies will be.

Stick to things (almost) everyone likes. Like potatoes. You don't want to prepare something with goat cheese only to find out that she fucking hates goat cheese. (And it would be horrible for her, too!)

If she's not a vegan, (i.e. does eat eggs) there's some very nice looking potato foods you can put frozen and just put in the oven. Like, this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_potatoes

Looks classy, and will help her sausages not look as lonely.

That first "put" should be a "buy". Sorry.

Make mushroom Pate rather than buying, it's very easy and tasty

It's basically fru mushrooms in butter, blitz. Add cream cheese, blitz. Season. Eat

www.rivercottage.net/recipes/mushroom-pate - as an idea

Is this a bad time to mention that Parmesan isn't vegetarian?

I'm a veggie and would be very happy with LM sausages. Failing that, I'd happily eat the veg. My DM is also a veggie and never cooks an alternative for us at Christmas. We just scoff in all the lovely veg.

I forgot not all cheese is vegetarian. Good tip on the parmesan, I'll have a look for summat else I can use.

Yeah and wine as well. We have lots of spirits though so she can have those. If some of the wine we already have is OK that will do, we've already bought the booze so I'm not buying more.

Thanks for all this btw, much appreciated.

Can you cover her food with foil if it's in the main oven please? Nothing worse than a veggie dinner splashed with roast meat fat.

You sound like a very considerate host, hope she's appreciative.

If she actually wants sausages that would be different but I'm getting the sense they're just being polite.

omg, that's so English. Never assume that people actually mean a word of what they actually said.

OP, this might help... www.vegsoc.org/cheese

We have a vegetarian friend, usually she takes a relaxed view about cheese, but because she knows DP and I are savvy about food (for want of a better way of putting it), she expects us to provide veggie cheese, which we do anyway. So yes, if you can do your starter with veggie cheese, and have at least two veggie options on your cheeseboard, your efforts will probably be massively appreciated.

I'm not vegetarian for moral reasons, I just don't like meat.
I always have veg and potatoes if I go somewhere for a roast dinner.
And at christmas it all gets smothered in bread sauce.
Drool.
I agree that if they have said veggie sausages then go with that!

Oh, and our veggie friend is totally relaxed about wine. Who'd have thought it?

Tescos veggie frozen mini sausage rolls are delicious......they are the nearest to meat tasting sr I have ever tasted. Just saying.

I was a vegetarian for a long time and would have felt really uncomfortable to have somebody have to go to loads of effort. I was always happy with veggie sausages, I preferred this to an entirely separate meal so I could still have all the trimmings. Obviously the roasties will need to be made separately if you do them in with the meat.

M&S used to do gorgeous individual Duchy Camembert and roast tomato tarts or a caramelised onion version if you want to get something for her but not bother actually cooking. She could have it with the potatoes and vegetables.

Agree with Viques about the sausage rolls too.

Buy a nut roast and some veggie gravy granules

You really are making a meal of this.

She wants veggie sausages. It's not up to you to sneer about Linda McCartney food - especially if she's bringing them. Just do two or push the boat out and do four. You can do them while your meat extravaganza is resting.

Do your roast potatoes in vegetable oil. It won't fucking kill you. I like goose fat or lard but I'm going to do vegetable oil this year because I cba to buy goose fat. I promise you, it works.

Get some fresh onion gravy. You can get a tub that serves three for £1.50 from Sainsbury's. Give her boiled vegetables.

She will probably be happy. Most vegetarians are if people treat them like normal human beings.