Will you cook meat?

Clare Bear

I'm having a few friends over for dinner next week, all meat eaters. The last dinner party I had I cooked vegetarian food and it went down well but this lot are of the "I can't survive without meat" brigade. Now I don't mind cooking them meat that much but I haven't done in years and I'm just wondering have the vegetarians/vegans on here ever prepared meat for someone else? I know I could make them lovely vegetarian food but I'm not sure two of the lads coming will enjoy it if there's no meat in their meal.

Do any of you sacrifice your own personal choice to cook meat for others and aren't bothered by it or is it a bit hypocritical of me to go out and buy meat and cook it when it's against what I believe in personally?

Slaphead07

Clare Bear wrote: »

Do any of you sacrifice your own personal choice to cook meat for others ....

No. The idea of having meat (a socially acceptable word for a piece of animal carcass) in my kitchen disgusts me. It's perfectly possible to cook a good meal for people without meat, I've often done it. I can't imagine any of my friends or family expecting me to warm up animal cadavers just for them.

If your guests really need meat in their dinner then find a restaurant, it's your kitchen and your principles - they should respect that.

Absurdum

Clare Bear wrote: »

I know I could make them lovely vegetarian food but I'm not sure two of the lads coming will enjoy it if there's no meat in their meal.

can I go instead of them???

Clare Bear

Absurdum wrote: »

can I go instead of them???

Ha ha, the more the merrier!

Slaphead07 wrote: »

No. The idea of having meat (a socially acceptable word for a piece of animal carcass) in my kitchen disgusts me. It's perfectly possible to cook a good meal for people without meat, I've often done it. I can't imagine any of my friends or family expecting me to warm up animal cadavers just for them.

If your guests really need meat in their dinner then find a restaurant, it's your kitchen and your principles - they should respect that.

Thanks, yeah that's what I was thinking myself really. You could say they find the whole vegetarian thing a joke :rolleyes: Feck it, I'll cook them an amazing Vegetarian meal that they'll never forget. Show them they don't have to eat a dead animal to enjoy their dinner!

kumate_champ07

Slaphead07 wrote: »

No. The idea of having meat (a socially acceptable word for a piece of animal carcass)

no. its the word for animal muscle tissue, carcass includes bone and hooves as well as the muscle tissue(meat).

so 'muscle tissue' is shortened to 'meat', which rhymes with eat.

Sapsorrow

Hell no!
It's not really anything to do with being a vegetarian but any normal intelligent human being will be happy with anything just knowing that their friend put love and care in making something for them and was trying to give them a nice night out. If they can't appreciate your efforts and offering then they would have to be seriously childish and I would not be sure I would want friends like that myself.
Someone claiming they can't enjoy a meal without meat reminds me of a toddler refusing to eat their dinner without a half bottle of ketchup on it, it so immature.

Absurdum

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

so 'muscle tissue' is shortened to 'meat', which rhymes with eat.

go cook your feet

kumate_champ07

If you dont want to cook it you shouldnt have to. I wouldnt expect a vegetarian friend to cook meat for me. but youre only cooking ,not eating it. but Im sure it would be strange having the smell of meat cooking in your kitchen.

kumate_champ07

Absurdum wrote: »

go cook your feet

sorry, I dont eat bones. also I dont eat my own body parts that I use daily.
not sure what your point was or if there was any point at all.

ztoical

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

no. its the word for animal muscle tissue, carcass includes bone and hooves as well as the muscle tissue(meat).

so 'muscle tissue' is shortened to 'meat', which rhymes with eat.

The word meat comes from the Old English word mete, which referred to food in general.

Isn't learning fun? Now be a good troll and run along.

kumate_champ07

ztoical wrote: »

The word meat comes from the Old English word mete, which referred to food in general.

Isn't learning fun? Now be a good troll and run along.

and how was I wrong exactly? meat is muscle tissue. meat is the word we use to describe muscle tissue.

nice condescending attitude you got there.

Teferi

If you were going over to your mates house would they go out of their way to make you a vegetarian plate even though it may not be on the menu?

If so, I think the same respect should be shown to their lifestyle choice.

lee_

The smell of it cooking would make me sick, I dont think id be able to do it..

It doesnt take too much effort to make a veggie meal with those quorn products, ie: veggie lasagne with quorn mince or somethink like that .

BurnsCarpenter

Teferi wrote: »

If you were going over to your mates house would they go out of their way to make you a vegetarian plate even though it may not be on the menu?

If so, I think the same respect should be shown to their lifestyle choice.

Not the same.

If the friends had a belief that one should eat meat only and had a serious ethical problem with vegetables, pasta, etc then fair enough.
Most people are omnivores, not carnivores, and can survive quite well without meat for one meal. In fairness like, they've never had a margarita pizza for a meal?

henryporter

No way I would cook meat for anyone I have over for dinner - why not cook them a good hefty lasange using things like porcini mushrooms, or a blue cheese (I think there's a recipe for one on Delia Smith's website). Most times a dish like that is so substantial, the meaters forget they haven't had their fix for the day. Also soups for starters will keep them quite - meaters hate salads, thinking they're being conned into eating grass. If you really wanted to fool them all do something with seitan. Steer clear of tofu though - the look on some meaters faces when I once presented that to them was like a gang of vampires at daybreak - thorough disgust. Desert of course doesn't matter unless they're jelly fanatics. Best of luck with the dinner. Let us know how it went.

Thoushaltnot

As for principles - I've cooked for the wrinklies and would for children in my care but not for grown men and women.

Anyhoo, I'm never sure if meat's cooked enough (salmonella, and all that) and tend to err on the side of caution and overcook.

Another idea - side dishes of ham/ turkey slices or whatever straight from a packet onto a paper dish, on top of a proper dish and placed at the centre of the table to add to veggie dishes, like extra helpngs of carrots. The lads can help themselves then and you don't have to cook it.

fillefatale

I read an absurd article in the sunday times once, don't think it was by A A Gill, maybe it was Jeremy Clarkson, wish I had kept it now, arguing that it was pretentious and arrogant of vegetarians to expect to be served a vegetarian meal when they went to a friends house, a meal especially to cater to their dietary requirements, yet when the situation was reversed, they would not serve a meat meal to their friends, to suit their requirements. I was gobsmacked, the ****ing cheek!! Its about morals, not selfishness!!

I would never cook meat for anyone, friends or family - thats why I wouldn't work in a deli or sandwich place. Limits choices of jobs a bit =/

kumate_champ07

fillefatale wrote: »

maybe it was Jeremy Clarkson

sounds like him!

Clare Bear

Thanks everyone

Yeah Jeremy Clarkson hates Vegetarians. Then again, Jeremy Clarkson hates a lot of things

Absurdum

Clare Bear wrote: »

Yeah Jeremy Clarkson hates Vegetarians. Then again, Jeremy Clarkson hates a lot of things

lots of things hate him too

For me it comes down to the people and the situation.

If the point is to do something nice for someone, then I would rather that they be happy with the meal.
If I don't know them that well or I know someone has vegetable issues.
I'll play safe.
I cook meat for my Mum because she can't herself.
I never once cooked it for my meat eating ex, because it wasn't something I was prepared to do habitually. So he was going to have to learn for himself.

For a dinner party, I'd be inclined to cook veggie. Because I would rather know that I'm happy with food by being able to taste it.
None of my friends would expect me to cook meat, and I'd quite like the idea of winding up their fussy eating partners.

Sapsorrow

Clarkson is a.....

Absurdum

implant?

Sapsorrow

Absurdum wrote: »

implant?

A big fake tit was actually where I was going there

oldyouth

Just butting in for a minute. I'm pure carnivore (and loving it) but I would really look forward to a vegetarian meal cooked by someone experienced in producing varied and interesting dishes. Also, I wouldn't expect meat to be given to me in a vegetarian house.

Blisterman

The double standards in this thread are shocking.
I'm a meat eater and I went out with a vegetarian, and we cooked for each other from time to time. I'd cook her some vegetarian food. She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

Slaphead07

Blisterman wrote: »

The double standards in this thread are shocking.
I'm a meat eater and I went out with a vegetarian, and we cooked for each other from time to time. I'd cook her some vegetarian food. She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

It's actually a lack of double standards if you think about it. I'm delighted you and your girlfirend found a workable arrangement but to expect the rest of us to follow just because of that is a bit much.

ztoical

Blisterman wrote: »

She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

Good for your girlfriend but as pointed out time and time again people have different reasons for being veggie and vegan....it's not a big cult we've all joined, we made our own choices and as such you can't really apply a standard. Someone who went veggie for health reasons might not have any issue cooking meat for others but someone who went veggie for animal welfare issue could. There's no universal veggie bible or man with a big pointy hat laying down the laws...each person has their own set of personal rules they follow.

I won't cook meat nor have it in my house because it's my house. At the same time I don't expect omnivores to cook veggie food for me...I've been to plenty of meals where all I could eat was salad or bread but didn't bother me as I didn't go for the food but for the company. I laughed and talked with my friends, no one noticed nor cared what I ate or didn't eat....certainly wasn't going to kill me to skip a meal, or part of one, every now and then.

Tar.Aldarion

Blisterman wrote: »

The double standards in this thread are shocking.
I'm a meat eater and I went out with a vegetarian, and we cooked for each other from time to time. I'd cook her some vegetarian food. She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

:rolleyes:
and I never use that horrible smilie.


No I would not.

Sapsorrow

Blisterman wrote: »

The double standards in this thread are shocking.
I'm a meat eater and I went out with a vegetarian, and we cooked for each other from time to time. I'd cook her some vegetarian food. She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

You're totally missing the point, have you even thought about what issues this thread addresses or are you just commenting randomly because of an experience you had wit hyour ex.
Vegetarians and vegans more than often than not do not just happen to dislike the taste or texture of meat. It's an ethical, moral or religous/spiritual commitmant on their part which is extremely important and meaningful to them on many levels.
We don't choose to vegetarians for the hell of it, it's not bloody easy, you have no idea how hard it is to live your lifew without rasher sandwhichs and fry ups after a night out it's because we really can't bring ourselve to play a part in something we find so despicable, selfish and immoral and therefore we are compelled to make the sacrifice to go without meat.
By your standards would you honestly expect say a devout Hindu to prepare meat for you in their home after already showing you the generosity, hospitality and kindness of inviting you into thier homes and offering you their own food that they spent their hard earned money and time to share with you? No you wouldn't at least if you were a thoughtful and mature human being you would simply be grateful for their having put the effort in.
That is such an incredibly insensitive and selfish opinion to have if so and I sure as hell woudn't be interested in having someone that closed minded over to dinner at my place thats fer sure.

ztoical

Blisterman wrote: »

The double standards in this thread are shocking.
I'm a meat eater and I went out with a vegetarian, and we cooked for each other from time to time. I'd cook her some vegetarian food. She'd cook me meat. It was no issue. I wouldn't expect her to eat meat, but likewise I'd hope she would cater for my tastes.

Just out of interest if you were dating a jewish girl would you expect her to cook you pork or non Kosher meat?

khrystyna100 wrote: »

By your standards would you honestly expect say a devout Hindu to prepare meat for you in their home after already showing you the generosity, hospitality and kindness of inviting you into thier homes and offering you their own food that they spent their hard earned money and time to share with you? No you wouldn't at least if you were a thoughtful and mature human being you would simply be grateful for their having put the effort in.
That is such an incredibly insensitive and selfish opinion to have if so and I sure as hell woudn't be interested in having someone that closed minded over to dinner at my place thats fer sure.

+ well put...there is a huge difference between living with/dating someone, you need to find a balance there respecting each others beliefs and find a way to co-habit that you are both happy with. Totally different to inviting friends around to your home for food which is what the thread is about.