River Cottage goes Vegetarian

henryporter

Apparently Hugh Fearnly whateverhisnameis is going veggie for 7 weeks - you can see his show tomorrow (Sunday) evening at 8 on Channel 4: veggie barbecues (not much use in Ireland:-))

Tar.Aldarion

Have no diea who this is or what that is but shall have a looksee thanks!

sweet-rasmus

I read about this too. Fearnley-Whittingstall is starting a new series on Channel 4 at 8pm this Sunday, October 16th, called "River Cottage Veg". I guess it ties in with his new book River Cottage Every Day Veg. More details at http://www.channel4.com/programmes/river-cottage/episode-guide/series-16

Thanks to John for telling me about this! I'll have to have a look...

--LOS--

must have a look at this later, even if it does clash with the x factor results ¬_¬

entropi

Cheers for that! Gonna record and watch it tomorrow evening

LOS: surely veggie stuff is top of the to-do list right?

You wont be missing anything with that other thing :pac:

--LOS--

Master of Nothing wrote: »

Cheers for that! Gonna record and watch it tomorrow evening

LOS: surely veggie stuff is top of the to-do list right?

You wont be missing anything with that other thing :pac:

Ye thankfully I am down home today so there is no one to force me to watch x factor >_>

you could probably also catch that show on 4od mon

--LOS--

river cottage goes vegetables -_-

JCC

Did anyone watch the first episode? I missed it as I was in an X Factor obsessed friends house!

--LOS--

JCC wrote: »

Did anyone watch the first episode? I missed it as I was in an X Factor obsessed friends house!

Ye I did, pretty disappointing, its whole ethos seems to be vegetables versus meat, as opposed to alternative sources of protein versus meat. Yes vegetables are great and we could probably all do with eating more vegetables but everything on the show not only lacks meat, it lacks protein so it was basically your stereotypical view on vegetarianism. I don't think it would entice any meat-eaters into vegetarianism, the shows constantly substitutes meat with vegetables which is nonsense imo. The show starts by showing what the presenter normally eats to start off his day......a big rasher sandwich, then he makes a green vegetable broth as an alternative, later he makes bbq fennel skewers as an alternative to a bbq pig roast

henryporter

Totally agree with LOS - it was awful - I can't understand how flashing up images of meat being prepared had any relevance other than to sicken vegetarians who presumably were the main audience of the show. Won't be watching it again :-(

confusedIam

yeah I saw it....it was okay but a bit uninspiring to be honest, and out of season (was all about BBQs). unless off course you want to go around snipping dulse and other sea vegetables...then it was perfect :cool:

noworries

henryporter wrote: »

Totally agree with LOS - it was awful - I can't understand how flashing up images of meat being prepared had any relevance other than to sicken vegetarians who presumably were the main audience of the show. Won't be watching it again :-(

I don't think you really got the programme at all if you believe that vegetarians were the main audience of the show. The main audience is meat eaters who are disillusioned with lack of quality, bad husbandry and who, up to now , have not been catered for in cookery programmes. The first episode whetted the appetite for more adventurous vegetarian fare rather than the sterotypical green salad and nut roast.

I guess I am in the target demographic and after following HFW's writings and cooking adventures over the years I am strongly looking forward to the remainder of the series. In fact, watching the show and discussing it with my family last night, a commitment was made to try out some of the recipies and investigate a 'more veg. less meat' approach to our weekly menus.

Watching HFW encourage his chefs to replace more of the main courses in the River Cottage canteen, serve vegetarian lunches to building site workers and interviewing a family of vegetarians (granny being a vegetarian for the last 53 years) follows the traditional River Cottage approach to the subject. Expose, discuss, replace with something better. Evoloutianary rather than Revoloutionary.

I'll certainly be watching the next one.

--LOS--

noworries wrote: »

I don't think you really got the programme at all if you believe that vegetarians were the main audience of the show. The main audience is meat eaters who are disillusioned with lack of quality, bad husbandry and who, up to now , have not been catered for in cookery programmes. The first episode whetted the appetite for more adventurous vegetarian fare rather than the sterotypical green salad and nut roast.

I guess I am in the target demographic and after following HFW's writings and cooking adventures over the years I am strongly looking forward to the remainder of the series. In fact, watching the show and discussing it with my family last night, a commitment was made to try out some of the recipies and investigate a 'more veg. less meat' approach to our weekly menus.

Watching HFW encourage his chefs to replace more of the main courses in the River Cottage canteen, serve vegetarian lunches to building site workers and interviewing a family of vegetarians (granny being a vegetarian for the last 53 years) follows the traditional River Cottage approach to the subject. Expose, discuss, replace with something better. Evoloutianary rather than Revoloutionary.

I'll certainly be watching the next one.

I didn't think the show was aimed at vegetarians, I thought it was aimed at meat-eaters who might consider a more vegetarian diet. But it had little to do with vegetarianism and more to do with........vegetables! And vegetables are not an alternative to protein, they are an accompaniment to it. I would also question how strict that vegetarian family was. The granny said herself she did not know she was vegetarian for all those years, she just didn't eat meat and ate vegetables. All they had on that big table of stuff was vegetables so I really don't think they were the best example of vegetarianism. I had to laugh in the restaurant when they served a bug hunk of lamb on lentils and the vegetarian option was polenta with some salad. If only green salad and nutroast was the stereotypical veggie option :P

JCC

Interesting replies guys, I think I'll catch the next episode just to see what it's like. I think I'm just curious to see how Hugh can manage a diet which includes no meat, and hopefully a few decent recipes (on a side note I see they've already got the book relating to the series out in the shops, talk about cashing in).

I think it is important to remember if you are watching it, that it's a program about an omnivore who's simply not eating meat for a few months, not someone becoming vegetarian. I think it's a good concept just to introduce people to vegetables other than potatoes/broccoli and other Irish staples people seem to think I live on!

schemingbohemia

--LOS-- wrote: »

I didn't think the show was aimed at vegetarians, I thought it was aimed at meat-eaters who might consider a more vegetarian diet. But it had little to do with vegetarianism and more to do with........vegetables! And vegetables are not an alternative to protein, they are an accompaniment to it. I would also question how strict that vegetarian family was. The granny said herself she did not know she was vegetarian for all those years, she just didn't eat meat and ate vegetables. All they had on that big table of stuff was vegetables so I really don't think they were the best example of vegetarianism. I had to laugh in the restaurant when they served a bug hunk of lamb on lentils and the vegetarian option was polenta with some salad. If only green salad and nutroast was the stereotypical veggie option :P

She said when she was 8 she didn't call herself a vegetarian she didn't know what the word meant, she was definitely a vegetarian.

Did you not notice the peanuts in the salad, or the haloumi in the bbq, the cashews in the carrot salad, the eggs in the tart?

I still think you don't understand what the programme was for, it's giving examples of vegetable based meals that meat-eaters would enjoy, it's not supposed to be a replacement diet full-term for people. It's about reducing the amount of meat that meat-eaters eat. Surely that's a good thing, in and of itself?

Thomas Magnum

--LOS-- wrote: »

And vegetables are not an alternative to protein, they are an accompaniment to it.

I don't understand what you mean here. All vegetables contain protein.

--LOS--

schemingbohemia wrote: »

She said when she was 8 she didn't call herself a vegetarian she didn't know what the word meant, she was definitely a vegetarian.

Did you not notice the peanuts in the salad, or the haloumi in the bbq, the cashews in the carrot salad, the eggs in the tart?

I still think you don't understand what the programme was for, it's giving examples of vegetable based meals that meat-eaters would enjoy, it's not supposed to be a replacement diet full-term for people. It's about reducing the amount of meat that meat-eaters eat. Surely that's a good thing, in and of itself?

The so-called head vegetarian chef used some halloumi and some seeds, think he might have used some tofu, that was about it for the program. I mean you would have gone home starving after that veggie option in the restaurant.

Thomas Magnum wrote: »

I don't understand what you mean here. All vegetables contain protein.

you wouldn't exactly call them protein sources now would you. Plenty of foods contain elements of different food groups, but in what amounts, you're not going to get your protein fix from eating vegetables alone.

Thomas Magnum

--LOS-- wrote: »

you wouldn't exactly call them protein sources now would you.

I would. All vegetables contain ALL the essential amino acids so they are in fact a source of protein.

--LOS-- wrote: »

Plenty of foods contain elements of different food groups, but in what amounts, you're not going to get your protein fix from eating vegetables alone.

How much protein does one need?

schemingbohemia

--LOS-- wrote: »

The so-called head vegetarian chef used some halloumi and some seeds, think he might have used some tofu, that was about it for the program. I mean you would have gone home starving after that veggie option in the restaurant.




you wouldn't exactly call them protein sources now would you. Plenty of foods contain elements of different food groups, but in what amounts, you're not going to get your protein fix from eating vegetables alone.

what would you recommend he should have cooked during the programme? remember this is the first of a series.

do you not think you'd have been full after what they had at the bbq? samphire tart, gorgeous potatoes, fennel and halloumi skewers? looked gorgeous to me and definitely filling.

the lunch done by the van looked really filling to me too, there were tofu slices in that plus all the veggies and the seed/nut mix thrown on top.

what do you eat at every meal?

Tar.Aldarion

Thomas Magnum wrote: »

I would. All vegetables contain ALL the essential amino acids so they are in fact a source of protein.

Nonsense. No they do not contain all 9. Only certain things do. There is also PDCAAS to take into account...

How much protein does one need?

That depends on your age, weight and activity levels. I daresay it would be a lot of vegetables, every day, and while it is possible to eat that much I have seen it said it medical journals that it shouldn't be peoples sole intake and should be supplemented by non-vegetable sources. Probably because very little people would eat that much (not that i know how much you would have to eat).

schemingbohemia

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Nonsense. No they do not contain all 9. Only certain things do. There is also PDCAAS to take into account...

That depends on your age, weight and activity levels. I daresay it would be a lot of vegetables, every day, and while it is possible to eat that much I have seen it said it medical journals that it shouldn't be peoples sole intake and should be supplemented by non-vegetable sources. Probably because very little people would eat that much (not that i know how much you would have to eat).

But the facts are that there was protein in most of the meals shown.

Did you expect him to put a quorn fillet onto the plate or a linda mccartney sausage?

And again, this programme isn't for us, it's for current meat eaters to encourage them to have a meat-free day or two per week. I've the book ordered anyway because i've always liked his attitude to food, and the recipes so far look great. I'm not going to be eating exclusively from the book or the series and I don't think anyone would.

henryporter

schemingbohemia wrote: »

But the facts are that there was protein in most of the meals shown.

Did you expect him to put a quorn fillet onto the plate or a linda mccartney sausage?

And again, this programme isn't for us, it's for current meat eaters to encourage them to have a meat-free day or two per week. I've the book ordered anyway because i've always liked his attitude to food, and the recipes so far look great. I'm not going to be eating exclusively from the book or the series and I don't think anyone would.

Not only is the program not for vegetarians ; it's not for the average meater who can't hop out into their garden and snip 7 different types of greens to make a summer soup, or anyone for that matter who hasn't a professional gardener or three working away outside to ensure the best quality produce is available.