It's been nearly a quarter century since I sat down to a traditional Thanksgiving Day meal of a dead turkey. Over these past twenty-five years, we've struggled with establishing our own holiday menu. For one thing, Della has often worked on Thanksgiving Day and I, of course, treat it like any other Thursday in the year.
Initially, we tried vegetarian lasagna, but that's a lot of work and it never seemed to come out as well as we would like. When Della had to work that day, I established my own tradition -- a Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal from Amy's Kitchen. Yes, it's a frozen dinner!! But almost ANY frozen dinner from Amy's Kitchen is delicious, organic and vegetarian.
One year -- when Della actually got the day off -- we came up with a compromise. Since she is still a meat-eater and I am not, we met each other halfway by dining on a Tofurky. What is a tofurky, you ask? It's a meat substitute made out of seitan (wheat gluten) and tofu. Amazingly enough, it really tastes like turkey!
However, we only featured a Tofurky once or twice because, to be quite frank, since I don't eat meat, I'm really not interested in eating something that tastes like it!! Really, if I craved that kind of taste, then I'd eat turkey rather than fake turkey.
I really don't understand why so many people are interested in eating something that tastes like something else. I suppose the various varieties of meat substitutes are aimed at those individuals who are just starting out as vegetarians, but still haven't lost their appetite for dead flesh.
Della is working this Thanksgiving and will be gone all day, so my Thursday menu is completely up to me. I'll probably just make some soup. :)
Initially, we tried vegetarian lasagna, but that's a lot of work and it never seemed to come out as well as we would like. When Della had to work that day, I established my own tradition -- a Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal from Amy's Kitchen. Yes, it's a frozen dinner!! But almost ANY frozen dinner from Amy's Kitchen is delicious, organic and vegetarian.
One year -- when Della actually got the day off -- we came up with a compromise. Since she is still a meat-eater and I am not, we met each other halfway by dining on a Tofurky. What is a tofurky, you ask? It's a meat substitute made out of seitan (wheat gluten) and tofu. Amazingly enough, it really tastes like turkey!
However, we only featured a Tofurky once or twice because, to be quite frank, since I don't eat meat, I'm really not interested in eating something that tastes like it!! Really, if I craved that kind of taste, then I'd eat turkey rather than fake turkey.
I really don't understand why so many people are interested in eating something that tastes like something else. I suppose the various varieties of meat substitutes are aimed at those individuals who are just starting out as vegetarians, but still haven't lost their appetite for dead flesh.
Della is working this Thanksgiving and will be gone all day, so my Thursday menu is completely up to me. I'll probably just make some soup. :)
I am smiling at your choice of words "dead turkey" and "dead flesh". I really don't know that many people who eat live turkey and live flesh....
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Well, if one likes the taste of meat but is a vegetarian for ethical reasons, I suppose it would be reasonable for one to eat things like Tofurkey indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteyes, the idea of eating a bird is really the most bizarre thing.
ReplyDeletebut then again, the idea of gathering together to pig out is bizarre in the first place.
Val,
ReplyDeleteI included the word "dead" for effect. :D
Dasein36,
Oh, I suppose...
DQ,
I'm with you on both counts!
BTW, I've recently watched some videos of you teaching Taoism. I really like your teaching style!!!
i think it's more bizarre that humans eat milk and milk-based foods. after all, plenty of predators eat meat but what animal has ever thought of MILKING another animal and then drinking its milk? :P humans are so weird!
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