Are You Vegetarian ??

I have noticed lately that a number of people on a number of occasions have said to me with varying mixes of horror or surprise: “are you vegetarian, Brier??”

I began to wonder why this was such an important question.. I think, technically, I’m not vegetarian; but I don’t eat meat. Perhaps I could liken my meat-less tendencies to someone who doesn’t like dessert. They wouldn’t have dessert if they had the option, but if there is a very special dessert (Grandma’s specialty), or if everyone is having some and it would be impolite, or if you’re at a dessert restaurant for the specific purpose of trying the chocolate fountain, or if someone offers just a bite… then they might eat it.

Perhaps people are afraid of vegetarians because they introduce a menu problem at dinner parties? My father had one vegetarian dish that he would serve when vegetarians came for dinner. I can’t remember what he’d serve if they came a second time… for a long time I thought that this dish was ‘what vegetarians ate’ and since I didn’t like it, I concluded that vegetarianism was gross.

Perhaps vegetarians have the image of only eating steamed vegetables and salad? This would clearly indicate some sort of moral deficiency, especially in Alberta and Saskatchewan where locational pride is tied to our beef-eating tendencies.



(Hehe, I just had to insert this pic. You can still see these bumper stickers on large trucks around here.)

I looked up vegetarian restaurants in Calgary, and the search engine only came up with four specifically vegetarian restaurants.. It produced many restaurants (like A&W!!) that seemed like they listed themselves because they have vegetarian options (or salad).. but there were only four that were specifically vegetarian. Wowzers!

Many things can be yummy AND vegetarian (and not salad or boiled vegetables). One of these examples is: PIE



I made pie this weekend.. Now THAT’s something myself and my carnivorous friends can agree upon. :)