Being a Vegetarian on holiday

KayJay

Have you considered cruising? My daughter is a veggie and although on the dining room menus there are always a couple of veggie options, if you ask for the vegetarian menu then it will be given. Then the buffet which is available for all meals - they have loads of veggie options.
That way you can sample the different countries and their foods but if you don't like 'em - eat on the ship.

pollypenny

GwylimT wrote: »

No it isn't, milk doesn't contain the stomach contents of a dead animal, parmesan does.

Rennet is still not flesh. One could say that all cheese contains the contents of an animals body. Or are teats different to stomachs?

GwylimT

pollypenny wrote: »

Rennet is still not flesh. One could say that all cheese contains the contents of an animals body. Or are teats different to stomachs?

It is actually. So you think milk contains udder?

beeg0d

pollypenny wrote: »

Rennet is still not flesh. One could say that all cheese contains the contents of an animals body. Or are teats different to stomachs?

I think you'll find the difference is NOT what it contains but the method of getting it. Milk you fill up a bucket and the cow walks away. Rennet requires the slaughter of the calve to harvest the stomach acid.

Wheather thats acceptable to the veggie depends on their reasons for being a veggie. If its just because they dont like meat or health reasons then they may have no problems with rennet cheese, but if its on moral grounds (dont want an annimal to die so they can eat) then of cause rennet is a massive no

pollypenny

beeg0d wrote: »

I think you'll find the difference is NOT what it contains but the method of getting it. Milk you fill up a bucket and the cow walks away. Rennet requires the slaughter of the calve to harvest the stomach acid.

Wheather thats acceptable to the veggie depends on their reasons for being a veggie. If its just because they dont like meat or health reasons then they may have no problems with rennet cheese, but if its on moral grounds (dont want an annimal to die so they can eat) then of cause rennet is a massive no

Exactly. But sadly so many calves are simply bred to keep the mother lactating. Too many are just slaughtered anyway.

Anthorn

beeg0d wrote: »

I think you'll find the difference is NOT what it contains but the method of getting it. Milk you fill up a bucket and the cow walks away. Rennet requires the slaughter of the calve to harvest the stomach acid.

Wheather thats acceptable to the veggie depends on their reasons for being a veggie. If its just because they dont like meat or health reasons then they may have no problems with rennet cheese, but if its on moral grounds (dont want an annimal to die so they can eat) then of cause rennet is a massive no

In fact it's not the "method of getting it" per se but "where it comes from" - the fourth stomach of slaughtered calves and also slaughtered adult cows and pigs

It also depends on the type of cheese. Some cheese such as Parmesan will never be vegetarian but other types of cheese can be made from artificial rennet produced from fungi. Personally I eat vegetarian cheese and Ihave never failed to find it. I bought my last lot from ASDA. But I have developed a liking for Tofu from ASDA which is the Vegan's alternative to cheese.

https://www.vegsoc.org/cheese

Ainsley1

in fact it's not the "method of getting it" per se but "where it comes from"

With that logic, it is ok to eat vegetables that have grown on anything that is purely vegetative, but you would not eat ones that have been fed on anything derived from animals?

I have I got your argument understood correctly that milk is ok because it comes from the inside of an udder but animal rennet is not because it comes from the inside of a stomach. It is nothing to do with the slaughter of animals?

I admit to being omniverous and sometimes the logic of some vegetarians defeated me even though I can see that there are financial and health benefits from eating plenty of veg.

sgun

Ainsley1 wrote: »

With that logic, it is ok to eat vegetables that have grown on anything that is purely vegetative, but you would not eat ones that have been fed on anything derived from animals?

I have I got your argument understood correctly that milk is ok because it comes from the inside of an udder but animal rennet is not because it comes from the inside of a stomach. It is nothing to do with the slaughter of animals?

I admit to being omniverous and sometimes the logic of some vegetarians defeated me even though I can see that there are financial and health benefits from eating plenty of veg.

I'm a vegetarian and a horticulturalist; I don't use blood, fish and bone or any other animal derived products on my crops. If I'm delivering a workshop I always discuss the issues surrounding products like these - it's not just for vegetarians, many religions have restrictions on what they feel comfortable using so I think its good to bring it up. Its very unlikely that mass farmed crops would be fed with blood, fish and bone as its cheaper and easier to use synthetic fertilisers.

Rennet comes from the flesh of a dead animal, milk does not. For those who don't want to contribute to any perceived cruelties within the dairy industry there is veganism.

As this has gone OT I shall bring it back round to the original question.
Greece is fab for vegetarians, Budapest is also wonderful, Berlin is amazing (but not the rest of Germany). I have trouble in Spain as they quite often pop in a bit of ham as a surprise. The concept of vegetarianism isn't well understood or respected much, its a different culture so fair enough. I found the food in Croatia quite bland and repetitive but the fresh fruit and veg on the markets was excellent so I did lots of self catering. Russia was just awful, I thought I would die of starvation! I have enjoyed good food in Poland and Slovakia, not so much in the Czech Republic. In northern France I ate a lot of cheese, good cheese, possibly made with animal rennet but that's my choice :-)

I should add that I never stay in big hotel complexes and as the OP probably would there would be different food available anyway.

Heedtheadvice

I think you are correct sgon that the posts seem to have gone off topic. I would also give Greece a vote.....but then there is the confusion about what is acceptable to the OP's daughter.

As is quite clear one person's vegetarian choice is sometimes totally abhorrent to another....and that if where it becomes impossible to give a definitive response. Clearly you and others accept cheese is fine (lovely Greek Feta, Kefalotiri etc. come to mind) to others even fish is impossible some verge on vegan.

It is difficult for a non vegetarian to understand the different objections to animal derived products.

Fish blood and bone is not used by you and is expensive too (but a great fertilizer non the less) so you will use others. Some perhaps derived from oil (animal product?) and others (maybe vegetable derived such as fermented beet) ...but I can see Ainsley's argument in another way. How small an animal does it need to be before products are considered not to be derived from an animal? Cow, sheep, earthworm, other minute animal organisms? Where do insects feature in the logic. One presumes micro organisms are fine as are animal cells in milk?

Anthorn

Ainsley1 wrote: »

With that logic, it is ok to eat vegetables that have grown on anything that is purely vegetative, but you would not eat ones that have been fed on anything derived from animals?

I have I got your argument understood correctly that milk is ok because it comes from the inside of an udder but animal rennet is not because it comes from the inside of a stomach. It is nothing to do with the slaughter of animals?

I admit to being omniverous and sometimes the logic of some vegetarians defeated me even though I can see that there are financial and health benefits from eating plenty of veg.

Looks like you have the terms confused.

Depends on whether you are Vegetarian or Vegan. Some vegetarians eat dairy products, eggs and fish but vegans don't eat anything which comes from an animal including honey.

c.f. Ovo-Vegetarian.

In some cases "Vegetarian" just means "meat-free". For example the ingredients list on "ASDA Meat Free 6 Lincolnshire sausages" which bears the "Sutable For Vegetarians" mark includes "Dried Free Range Egg White" We must note in this example that "Suitable For Vegetarians" doesn't mean "Suitable For Vegans".

These standards are pretty applicable world-wide when travelling. For example at Butlins, U.K. I was given fish as a vegetarian meal as I was in a restaurant in Agde, France and in a restaurant in Kissime, USA.

For info on the rest of your post you will have to look at animal rights organisations such as PETA:
https://www.peta.org