lacking spontaneity

~Equal rights for all, special privileges for none~

-Thomas Jefferson

Carnivore and I can be described as many things.  Some would use positives in describing us, while I'm sure there are people with choice words on the topic.  We are the definition of "opposites attract" which is quite obvious just by reading the title of this blog.  However, one thing we do lack is spontaneity in our dining choices.  Not to discredit my previous posting on restaurant choices. However, those options are perfect for a casual Tuesday night dinner.  Not for a celebration or special events. Case in point: Carnivore surprised me with an evening out tonight.  We are both looking forward to a great meal, lots of wine, and good company.  He had picked a restaurant ahead of time, which I, sadly, had to reject. I knew there were no options for me, the second I heard the name, which is such a disappointment since I had so wanted to check out the new hot spot. The world of veganism really reduces our ability to be spontaneous.  Instead, I have been on the internet for the last two hours combing through online menu after online menu, looking for one fine dining establishment that suits both our needs.  Sure, I can go anywhere and ask the server for a house salad, no cheese, and perhaps a vegetable medley. Woopie. In carnivore terms, this would be like having a baked chicken breast at every restaurant you go to, where the excitement and enjoyment of eating is removed. Vegans are foodies, too. 

We recently watched an episode of Top Chef where the contestants had to prepare a vegan dish which left the vegans and carnivores at the table equally pleased, and neither missing meat.  The creativity and thought put into the food was amazing, and I found myself jealous of the judges' palates, for once.

When looking to make a reservation for dinner tonight, I was presented with 74 available fine dining restaurant options.  I probably looked at 60 of the menus.  Not one offered an entree for a non-meat eater that consisted of more than pasta with garlic and olive oil, a large salad (leaving off the cheese), or the aforementioned vegetable medley. Where are the interesting tofu dishes in the fusion experience? Why can James Beard award winning chefs create a "new" steak, but cannot cook with tempeh? Furthermore, and I suppose most notably, why is the art of cuisine limited to the world of carnivores?

If vegans ruled the world, every restaurant you walked past would be filled with organic vegetables, local tofu, and hearty dishes made to wake the taste buds and fill the stomach. This would be the true measure of one's cooking ability. Lord knows the world does not need another demi glaze for a pork chop.

...and there's my soapbox.