I am a vegetarian. I am not vegan. I eat eggs (they specifically must be labeled as organic and cage-free) and do consume milk (Horizon, again organic)..and, oh...copious amounts of honey. But meat, nope. I am pretty strict on this. I don't eat anything with gelatin (a lot of candy has this ingredient). I don't eat cheeses that contain rennet. Rule of thumb for me? Anything that had to DIE in order for me to eat this meal is off limits.
As a vegetarian, it's hard to go out to restaurants and get a good meal. You can go and get the side salad, you can ask for the fish and potatoes platter "but hold the fish"...I have even gotten a McDonald's cheeseburger and told them to "hold the burger". But that gets old, it never feels like a good satisfying meal afterwards.
So this week, I decided to try the ethnic restaurants in the area to see if I could find a better chance of getting a well-balanced meal. I thought I had found it! Tuesday, we went to this little Afghan place. I was so happy to see that they had great customer service, a clean little dining room AND a pretty extensive vegetarian menu! Signs boasted "Halal meals!" all over the place. I KNEW I had found the diamond in the rough! If anyone understood not mixing unwanted meat (in their case, pork) into meals it was the Muslim guys. I had a WONDERFUL, filling meal that was so big in portions; it took me 3 different tries to get it finished.
I loved it SO much, in fact; I went again today and brought a friend! I decided to branch out and order something totally different this time. I got the Vege Aushak. It was number 4 listed under the "Vegetarian Delight" section of the menu. Scallion filled dumplings topped with fresh homemade yogurt and mixed vegetable sauce (or meat sauce), sprinkled with dried mint. My keen eye caught the "(or meat)" reference so I reititerated that I did NOT want meat. NO MEAT! Only vegetables. He acknowledged my request by repeating "NO MEAT! Got it!".
Flash forward about 5 minutes. We are innocently eating our choices. I notice what appears to be a TINY slither of chicken, like so tiny it would easily fit on the edge of a dime. I showed it to Brian. He said, "Looks like a piece of chick pea to me". I wasn't completely convinced so I put it aside. I eat two or three more dumplings before I see another stray chicken shred. I REALLY start to inspect now and realize that the sauce has quite a few little chicken shreds. It's MEAT sauce. And my dumplings are COVERED in it. I can't finish it.
Now, listen. I am not one of those vegetarians who can't stand the smell of meat, who get sickened when a friend sits beside me eating a bloodied steak. I am not one that throws red paint on fur coats and tries to push my agenda on everyone else. I could care less what YOU eat. You can eat Gorrila poo for all I care. I just don't like it that people advertise VEGETARIAN! then throw meat sauce on it. And I REALLY don't like it when I fall for it; hook, line and sinker.
I did say something. Not in a mean way because like I said before, they had great customer service and were super sweet. He did notice I was tossing most of my meal though and asked. I told him that there was meat sauce on it and I couldn't eat it. He seemed embarassed and upset. I ended up consoling HIM.
I felt sick afterwards. I don't know if it's in my head (I did picture the chicken all chock full of hormones, dirty, feathers matted in mud, weird growths on its body..being carried to slaughter) or if my stomach really was pissed at me.
It happens to the best of us. There's nothing that can be done, short of regurgitating it right there in the restaurant, except to move on..lesson learned.
So, on a lighter note:
First Friday is almost here! I actually got both pieces I submitted into the 6X6X6 show at Libertytown. I am excited about that, fo SHO!
BUT! Another good thing about this show is that the pieces are small..which usually means the prices are too. If you have been wanting to start or add to your collection of original art, this is your chance. We all are having to tighten our belts with this economy but it's good to just L-I-V-E once in awhile. This is an inexpensive way to do it. Come down tomorrow night from 6-9 pm. Meet the artists, see what you'd like and grab a piece or two. And I'm sure I've mentioned before...free wine and snacks!
