Thanks for leaving a comment and expressing your view regarding vegans.

With regards to the how, in this specific case, whilst I didn’t spell it out in detail in this post, the restriction for this challenge was to make the recipe the vegan way with no latitude for variation. I’m not just talking restrictions to meat but also to items that vegetarians would consider to be fine.

For any other non-vegan or even non-vegetarian recipes, allowances are made to accommodate people with other dietary preferences. Not so with this vegan.

This is but one example of imposition of philosophy. More commonly it has to do with the zeal that they purport the “evils” of killing & exploitation of animals, and the apparent health benefits of not eating any derived animal products.

Whilst I actually do agree with vegans on a number of points e.g. inhumane treatment of some livestock, I don’t look to impose my dietary philosophy onto people or make a point that it’s better than others. Nor is there any compelling scientific evidence that I’m aware of that suggests that veganism is a particularly healthy, especially when B12 difficiency, which can lead to nervous system and even brain damage, is a common issue and is a recommended supplement to vegans by vegan bodies.

I’m sure that there are vegans out there who are much the same as I am. Ones that aren’t so self-righteous and zealous about their dietary choice. Nice vegans who live their vegan lives without ill will to people with other dietary philosophies. An I’m ok, you’re ok sort of vegan. I’ve just yet to knowingly meet one.

Whilst this post may give the impression that I pigeon-hole them, I don’t intentionally do so. Life just hasn’t shown me otherwise. Though, I am open to changing my point of view if I go come across a sufficient number of vegans to make those less savoury ones a minority.

My sincerest thanks for your response as well as the account of your experiences with vegans. I hope I’ve sufficiently addressed your response.

“I have issues with vegans. Not so much with the food they choose to eat; what they eat is their own business. It’s more to do with the fact that, to date, I have yet to have met or encountered a vegan in some form or another that didn’t try to impose their philosophy onto others”,

I am curious as to HOW vegans have tried to impose their philosopy on others. I am not a vegan, but I do not eat cows, pigs, or sheep for what I consider health reasons. I’ll eat and enjoy fish, seafood, and poultry. I don’t know too many full-fledged vegans, but the ones I do know have not tried to push anything on me. If the topic comes up, I will first express my admiration for their culinary discipline. And I will usually ask them why, and how. It was by asking these questions in the past that got me started on refraining from red meats. If I hadn’t been curious and not inquired I’d probably still be eating Big Macs and Whoppers today. So what I am saying is if a vegan did try to push their ways upon me I would have walked away. Rather, it has been the informative conversations with vegans that has opened my eyes to the health benefits of abstaining from eating meat. I am sorry you may have experienced some aggressive vegans, and like you I would have been very turned off. But they are not all like that and should not be pigeon-holed. ….My next step…cutting out the chicken.

Peter

Hi nlle noelle! I may very well have by that logic but none that I knew were vegan and didn’t see as the preachy or difficult sort. They’re like the evangelical christians of the food world, well so my experience to date would lead me to think. It’s like they can’t help but impose their philosophy onto others, whether it be blatant (like with the challenge) or in more passive but equally unsubtle manner.

I’m open to changing that point of view but, as I’ve alluded to, I’ve yet to personally come across a counter example.

Hi Natashya! Thanks :)

I’d love to give the traditional recipe a go myself. Just need to sort out how to make them superthin. Might also need to get a large griddle plate for it, or maybe just make them on the BBQ hot plate.

Hi isa! Thanks, and thanks for dropping by :)

Hi John! Thanks! :)

I have experienced the type of “pushy” vegan/ vegetarian you are talking about, for sure. But luckily, it hasn’t been the majority of those I’ve encountered. Maybe one of these days you’ll come across one that breaks the stereotype. Or maybe you already have, but didn’t even know it because they were so low key about their choice that they didn’t “advertise” it! (Hey, anything’s possible, right?)

Hi Bake in Paris! Thanks! :)

Hi Lorraine! I wish it were not the case for the both of us but for me, I’ve yet to experience otherwise firsthand.

Hi art and lemons! Despite certain grievances, I was happy to see to the challenge as well :)

Hi Valérie! Thanks :)

Shocked isn’t the way I would put it. Disappointed would be closer to the mark.

If it wasn’t made clear already, the fact that the food is something that vegans can eat was not my issue.

Hi nlle noelle! I thought the whole simmer down thing was for me until I went to your blog! hehe :)

Thanks for the rather detailed comments. I would question whether the whole supportive, friendly group thing should take precedence over an environment that allows for the honest expression of ones own reviews and constructive criticism. You’re right in that being a host will likely open you up for criticism. However, if I were ever in that position, I would welcome such criticism, so long as it was fair and constructive. There is very little room for learning and growth in an environment where people choose not to be honest and say what they truely think for the sake of appearing supportive and friendly.

I do agree with the issue of lack of clarity. It didn’t really affect me too much but I can imagine some of the less experienced cooks would get lost. I guess the forums can be used help cover that gap.

Your defense of your friends is quite admirable. My issue wasn’t that there weren’t any vegans out there that weren’t imposing. It was that, based on my experiences, I had yet to meet or encounter one to date. To borrow your analogy, it makes it hard to not paint them all with the same brush as I’ve only ever had one brush to paint with. I would find it hard to argue that the host was not imposing her vegan principles, which just affirmed my experience to date.

I’ve already stated in a previous comment that I don’t have any issue with vegan food as such, so I won’t go into it further here.