Sneaky meat rice!

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 10-06-2005, 01:17 PM

There's a Japanese market near where I work that sells an assortment of delicious readymade lunches: sushi, bento boxes, desserts, etc. I got a tofu bento today, which included rice, pickled vegetables, and a tofu patty with some tasty sauce. I get halfway through eating the rice, which has seaweed in it, when I develop the sinking feeling that I've just tasted something I haven't eaten in over 2 months - beef.

I eat fish, which makes me a pesca-vegetarian, I guess. I stopped eating other meat a couple of months ago after reading a book that made me feel like a hypocrite. It's boring to hear someone spout off about why they became a vegetarian, I know, but I'm far from being militant about it. I like meat. I like the way it tastes for the most part. I don't judge people who eat it. Its consumption suddenly grossed me out so I stopped. It was more a moral choice than a dietary one. I avoided fish even, but eventually caved when the temptation of affordable sushi found its way into my life by way of this wonderful market.

And, really, I don't feel about fish the way I feel about pigs, cattle and sheep, etc. I'm not as disturbed by how fish finds its way onto my table.

I have less of a problem with deer hunting/venison, because it doesn't involve hormone injections and slaughterhouses.

Anyway, if I could give up all meat, I probably would. I just find that I don't always feel like I'm getting enough protein from beans and tofu. Plus, I really do love the way fish tastes, especially raw fish.

But beef and chicken I don't miss. Had a bit of a hankering for some oink-oink the other day, but not so much that it was an actual temptation.

And then today, along with the rice, pickled veggies and tofu slab, I discovered miniscule slices of meat in the rice. I took a bite and it was suddenly more flavored than the other bites. Gah! Gah, I thought! I made my co-worker inspect the food and she said, "Maybe it's tempe....no, wait. Yeah, that's beef. Sorry."

MAN! Call it a tofu bento and one just assumes there's not meat to be found. The call it yam noodle rice, why can't they call it yam noodle PRETTY COW rice, too.

It's not like it's hurt me. And, like I said, not militant. If I'm invited over for dinner and all that was being served was meat, I'd probably bite the bullet and eat it, out of politeness.

Still, label things properly, dammit. I didn't want that cow in my tummy!

10-06-2005, 01:17 PM	#1
Eliza Hodgkins 1812 Sputnik Sweetheart Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 2,685	Sneaky meat rice! There's a Japanese market near where I work that sells an assortment of delicious readymade lunches: sushi, bento boxes, desserts, etc. I got a tofu bento today, which included rice, pickled vegetables, and a tofu patty with some tasty sauce. I get halfway through eating the rice, which has seaweed in it, when I develop the sinking feeling that I've just tasted something I haven't eaten in over 2 months - beef. I eat fish, which makes me a pesca-vegetarian, I guess. I stopped eating other meat a couple of months ago after reading a book that made me feel like a hypocrite. It's boring to hear someone spout off about why they became a vegetarian, I know, but I'm far from being militant about it. I like meat. I like the way it tastes for the most part. I don't judge people who eat it. Its consumption suddenly grossed me out so I stopped. It was more a moral choice than a dietary one. I avoided fish even, but eventually caved when the temptation of affordable sushi found its way into my life by way of this wonderful market. And, really, I don't feel about fish the way I feel about pigs, cattle and sheep, etc. I'm not as disturbed by how fish finds its way onto my table. I have less of a problem with deer hunting/venison, because it doesn't involve hormone injections and slaughterhouses. Anyway, if I could give up all meat, I probably would. I just find that I don't always feel like I'm getting enough protein from beans and tofu. Plus, I really do love the way fish tastes, especially raw fish. But beef and chicken I don't miss. Had a bit of a hankering for some oink-oink the other day, but not so much that it was an actual temptation. And then today, along with the rice, pickled veggies and tofu slab, I discovered miniscule slices of meat in the rice. I took a bite and it was suddenly more flavored than the other bites. Gah! Gah, I thought! I made my co-worker inspect the food and she said, "Maybe it's tempe....no, wait. Yeah, that's beef. Sorry." MAN! Call it a tofu bento and one just assumes there's not meat to be found. The call it yam noodle rice, why can't they call it yam noodle PRETTY COW rice, too. It's not like it's hurt me. And, like I said, not militant. If I'm invited over for dinner and all that was being served was meat, I'd probably bite the bullet and eat it, out of politeness. Still, label things properly, dammit. I didn't want that cow in my tummy!
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