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Vegetarianism: Roots In Europe?

I'm always astounded at the fuss folks make when catering for someone who's vegetarian.

I've married into a Hindu/Buddhist family (and he's married into my Christian one) and cooking a vegetarian curry selection is no more effort than one that includes meat on the side. Plus courgettes and aubergines taste bloody gorgeous cooked like this, soft and buttery. if you leave out the dairy stuff like ghee, paneer, yogurt and the eggs then it's also vegan-friendly.

Even at a Nepalese equivalent of a 'greasy spoon caff' the menu just lists the dishes in a meat/non-meat selection, no separate list:

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(from 2013 so prices have gone up a bit since then, but 140 NPR is about £1)
 
I'm always astounded at the fuss folks make when catering for someone who's vegetarian.

I've married into a Hindu/Buddhist family (and he's married into my Christian one) and cooking a vegetarian curry selection is no more effort than one that includes meat on the side. Plus courgettes and aubergines taste bloody gorgeous cooked like this, soft and buttery. if you leave out the dairy stuff like ghee, paneer, yogurt and the eggs then it's also vegan-friendly.

Even at a Nepalese equivalent of a 'greasy spoon caff' the menu just lists the dishes in a meat/non-meat selection, no separate list:

View attachment 17808

(from 2013 so prices have gone up a bit since then, but 140 NPR is about £1)
If anyone can do vegetarianism it’s those from India, Pakistan etc. If I were to turn veggie I think I would have to live off food from that region...mmmmm tarka dhal with roti.
 
I'm always astounded at the fuss folks make when catering for someone who's vegetarian.


There seems to be... for some reason I don't know... a sense that a vegetarian meal has to be complicated and made of fancy, arty-farty (my description) ingredients. If I'm out for a meal I'd like nothing more (barring pizza) than a vegetable lasagne or macaroni cheese, that sort of thing. (I've always had simple food tastes).

But what am I often faced with on menus? Compote of chickpea with a tofu reduction etc*. Drives me up the bloody wall.

See? It even makes me swear.


*disclaimer: I have no idea what the heck a reduction even is, but you get the idea.
 
Algae - food of the future?

Algae could be a way for vegans and vegetarians to get the right kinds of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets

Of course, the health food niche is no stranger to algae. If you have been to a smoothie shop anytime lately, you have probably seen spirulina, a strain of algae, on the menu. And those mermaid bowls or unicorn lattes you may have come across? They’re made with E3 Blue Majik, another strain of algae.

As smoothie fans already know, these strains of algae boast impressive health cred. They’re packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and are more protein-dense than most vegetables. It could also be another way for vegans and vegetarians to get enough of the right kinds of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.

But the potential use of algae is much bigger than simply as an occasional supplement to a vegan diet. There are a few traits that make algae unique from other food sources. Algae can grow very quickly and in even the most inhospitable of environments. It doesn’t even require fresh water (hence its ability to grow in the ocean). Essentially, it’s a crop with minimal needs. All of this, combined with its remarkable nutrient density, is huge.

Some startup companies have picked up on this and are working with it eagerly. The richness of algae, combined with its minimal resource requirements, makes it a promising and sustainable nutrition solution. Triton Algae Innovations and iWi are two companies currently exploring what is possible with algae. Triton grows its algae in labs and iWi farms theirs in the deserts of Texas and New Mexico. According to their website, iWi’s algae farms produce more “essential amino acids and vital nutrients per acre and gallon of water than traditional plant or animal based farming”, all without disrupting marine ecosystems. Both companies have an interest in sustainable nutrition and recognize algae as a potentially low-input, highly effective way to feed the world.
 
Algae was the food of the future when I was a kid. Still waiting.
 
Yep, we were going to have many farms under the ocean.
 
I think there was something about that in The Usbourne Book of the Future, but I may be mistaken.
Had a couple of those, Fremtidens Byer(Future Cities) and Romfart(Star Travel). Got them in the last half of the 70s, I think.
 
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