Could vegetarians eat a 'test tube' burger?

[pmeswani]

Yep, but grain, spuds, beans and pulses contain protein.

Quorn offers a more interesting alternative.

[gingerjedi]

Tell me, why do veggies eat meat substitutes? OK, I know they need all the same nutrients as the rest of us, but if they don't want meat, why should they want some kind of fake meat?

Why not just eat lots of varied veg if you're a veggie?

Why do you eat cheese and onion crisps when there's no cheese or onion in them?

It doesn't bother me, I actually prefer quorn sausages to the real thing as they aren't full of lips and arseholes, not an ethical thing just squeamish I guess.

[d000hg]

Yep, but grain, spuds, beans and pulses contain protein.

If you don't eat pulses you are going to struggle. For a vegetarian who can't eat them, Quorn is a hugely useful source.

[pmeswani]

Veggies seem to split fairly evenly between those who disapprove of the idea of eating meat full-stop, and those who simply object to the fact animals are brought up and killed just to eat.

Of course, this new stuff will lead to an entirely new group including vegetarians AND meat-eaters, who refuse to eat 'unnatural' food.

I wonder if this could be one of the major changes that happens in our lifetimes.

I don't object to the killing of animals for those who believe in it... as long as it isn't forced upon me. I will sit at a table where someone scoffs down a juicy beefburger, whilst I saluvate on a veggie burger. Quorn Horses for Courses is what I say.

[d000hg]

I don't object to the killing of animals for those who believe in it... as long as it isn't forced upon me. I will sit at a table where someone scoffs down a juicy beefburger, whilst I saluvate on a veggie burger.

So you don't mind animals being murdered, you just don't like eating meat? Or you don't want to eat something murdered, but you're happy for it to BE murdered?

[gingerjedi]

Exactly, why have quorn shaped like a lamb chop, or a sausage or whatever?

Why not come up with some new "Quorn" shaped items.

Well there's meat shaped like dinosaurs and have you seen the sliced bears face?

[Mich the Tester]

Well there's meat shaped like dinosaurs and have you seen the sliced bears face?

I'm quite enthousiastically carnivorous but I'd sooner eat quorn than that..

[pmeswani]

So you don't mind animals being murdered, you just don't like eating meat? Or you don't want to eat something murdered, but you're happy for it to BE murdered?

Murdered is such a harsh word. Slaughtered is far better. I stop eating meat when I was about 12 or 13, so don't want to appear to be a hypocrite by objecting to animals being slaughtered for human consumption. I went off the taste of it and also have reservations about its health benefits. I was more stressed eating any form of meat than when I stopped. If someone wants to eat meat, then good for them.

[pjclarke]

Don't really get the question. Do you associate your hunk of clingfilmed 'stuff' on a plastic tray from Tesco with the cow it came from? Why should it matter if the 'chop' came from a pig or a mushroom?

I gave up meat for a variety of reasons - the principal one being I had a problem with intensive farming (don't want a debate thanks). Most Western cuisine uses meat or meat juices as the main flavour (meat & two veg, with the veg playing a secondary role) so veggies have to rediscover the art of seasoning to make the veg ingredients into a fulfilling meal.

But I grew up a carnivore and so am conditioned to having meat in the mix so I occasionally do eat 'meat substitutes', the Proper Pasty Co do a reasonable sos roll (I guess there isn't that much actual 'meat' in the 'real' ones). Quorn mince is Ok as the basis of a Spag Bol or a chile sans carne, but the Quorn burgers etc are pretty rank. Tesco do a reasonable meatfree burger. If it makes the carnivores feel better, nobody has yet come close to producing a substitute bacon butty anything like as good as the real thing and the inventor of a convincing vegetarian Scotch Egg will make a million....

[d000hg]

Don't really get the question. Do you associate your hunk of clingfilmed 'stuff' on a plastic tray from Tesco with the cow it came from? Why should it matter if the 'chop' came from a pig or a mushroom?

Because one involved killing a pig and wusses think that's a bit cruel.