hello everyone,
Many years ago it was quite, well more "very", unusual to have any type of vegetarian choice on restaurant menus. Now days it is more unusual not to have more that one or two choices of vegetarian cooking as more and more people are becoming vegetarian as they realize that the fare is incredibly tasty and very satisfying.
In fact there are many meat eaters who choose the vegetarian option when they go out for dinner. Not only that, but they are including meatless meals in their own home a couple of times a week.
Maybe this is because it is no longer regarded as "alternative" but becoming almost main stream. Also the fact that people are now realizing that there is such a wide choice rather than just a pasta dish or beans and lentils.
It has always been amusing that most meat eaters believe that vegetarians like mushrooms and tofu, thinking that these two things are close enough to meat that all vege eaters would eat them. Newsflash, not all vegetarians like mushrooms or tofu just as not all meat eaters like fish or pork.
There is now such a diverse range of cooking out there with the international choice of restaurants and the interest in different types of foods and ways of cooking. It is only natural that vegetarian cooking is coming into its own.
Such an infinite array of vegetables, nuts, grains and pulses are so readily available that cooking, be it at home or in a restaurant, is now exciting and innovative. More and more people are beginning to appreciate the good foods now on offer.
So many of us are now live a meat-free diet without even realizing it or calling themselves vegetarian and it is not entirely due to health, animal welfare or economy. It is more a matter of taste and the vast choices available.
Years ago most vegetarian meals were time consuming as a lot of the ingredients had to be soaked and prepared in advance prior to actual cooking. Now with manufacturers offering tins of pre-cooked produce and pre-made patties, "frankfurters" "sausages" and a host of other meat substitute items, vegetarian cooking can be as quick or as slow as any meat meal.
Today vegetarians are able to have a complete balanced diet. These meals are nutritionally sound and gastronomically sensational. Gone are the days of over-cooked vegetables, the "hundred and one ways with soya beans" and the lack of choices on any restaurant menu.
It is now a real pleasure to have choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner both in restaurants, cafes and at home. To be able to go into a supermarket and acquire excellent ingredients. To be able to shop online and have quality products delivered to the door. All these things mean that more vegetarian cooking will be done, eaten and enjoyed by more and more people.