Vegetarians

[Poopsy]

First of all, I wanted to say a huge Thank You!! to everyone who posted resources/links/blog entries Second, I find it amazing that there is any argument about the function, purpose, ethics, whatever of being vegetarian on here... The thread is called Vegetarians. It's 2012, yes they exist. Let's get over it already.

I'm not much of a cook... I was looking into cookbooks like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Kansha-Celebratin ... 1580089550
(I figure it would be great to have recipes where the ingredients are easy to find in Japan.)

Has anyone already bought a book like this that they'd like to recommend?

[Cytrix]

Oh that looks like a great cookbook...will have to see if it's available on amazon.co.jp as well.

I came over with two small Japanese cookbooks, which do have a meat section (back when I was more of an omnivore) but they had great sections on Japanese ingredients (took up half of one of the books).

I use the following two websites for a lot of my quick recipes (when I'm not experimenting at home)
http://www.justhungry.com
http://www.justbento.com

Although there are meat recipes on here, there is also a substantial amount of vegetarian recipes as well. The instructions are simple and they are always very tasty and great if you make bentos to bring to school.

Edit: Yup found it. http://www.amazon.co.jp/Kansha-Celebrat ... 1580089550 Time to start my cookbook collection over here (I have a bookcase with about 35 back in NZ)

[hunterofpeace]

A bit related, but once I ordered something from mos burger and they messed up the order.

I told them, and when they brought out the right burger they were surprised I ate the wrong one. They actually wanted to take it back and toss it in the garbage! Lol.

As a server, I have an answer to this. We are so used to seeing people constantly trying to get something for nothing that we might bristle a little bit at having someone point out a mistake and make us cook up another one, if they were perfectly content to eat the original. I know that it is the restaurant's fault for making the mistake but that doesn't mean that the customer automatically deserves a free burger (or two because sometimes we comp off the mistake). Especially if it was apparently good enough to polish off the whole thing. To a server who gets that stuff all the time, it just looks like more of the same... even if it's not. I'm not saying at all that this is what you were doing. Just trying to explain the reaction. I had a lady send back an entire bowl of pasta for re-cook because it "had a fettucini noodle in it" and she didn't like fettucini. I was appalled. It's one noodle. Also... it's made of the same ingredients as the rest of the pasta in your bowl. Also, it doesn't change the taste. Also, you can just pick it out. She acted all outraged about it and... waddayaknow... got her pasta taken off her bill, even though we re-cooked it perfectly.

To those who say you've been lied to, I definitely know what you mean. It could also very well be ignorance. I take the utmost care to make sure I fully understand the menu at my restaurant. I know which dishes might seem vegan-friendly (like salad dressing) but actually have egg or a dash of cheese. I know that the vegetable soup is actually made with pork broth and that two of our pastas are made with egg. But a lot of employees just have no idea because they've never done the research. My vegan customers order dishes that they've gotten several times and been assured that they were completely vegan but I've had to warn them about some hidden product. I'm not a vegan or vegetarian myself, but I understand how important it is to some people. My advice for vegetarians (and especially vegans) is to ask the manager about the ingredients of a dish rather than the server. Sometimes they really just have no clue.

[ljoekelsoey4]

The thread is called Vegetarians. It's 2012, yes they exist. Let's get over it already.

the debate was about the social difficulties of explaining your morals on eating meat without implying that you are judging others who happen not to share them, not about whether vegetarians exist....


seriously, read more carefully.

[Poopsy]

The thread is called Vegetarians. It's 2012, yes they exist. Let's get over it already.

the debate was about the social difficulties of explaining your morals on eating meat without implying that you are judging others who happen not to share them, not about whether vegetarians exist....


seriously, read more carefully.

Actually, I was referring to some of the people who popped in with snarky and discouraging comments earlier in the thread. Also, not to be rude, but I did skim through the 8 pages and I came here looking for resources and not to read a debate. I wasn't saying anything against it though.

[Eigen]

Huge warning: chances are likely that if you bring a small vegetarian library on cooking Japanese food yasai dake (only veggies) that a lot of it might go unused! Regional cuisine differs greatly, as well as seasonal produce and what kind of grocery stores you have to shop at. Farmers markets are worth PLUNDERING.

My biggest advice: when you arrive, make friends with people who like to cook! I don't use my cookbooks at all, save for VegOUT, but I do get private cooking lessons from cooking enthusiasts. They'll show you have you can modify Japanese recipes easily to make your own. Also, LOTS of restaurants offer cooking lessons and, if you want to go and will pay a little for supplies, they can usually arrange vegetarian cooking lessons.

Hands on is MUCH more useful in my opinion, and it's where I've learned to adapt Japanese food the most. Foreigners with unique dietary choices is an interesting point for cooks here. Sometimes not in the BEST light, but usually it means they really want to help you if you're nice. Teach them Western, and they'll teach you Japanese!

[Marie_KumamotoPA]

I recommend checking out Elizabeth Andou's website and ordering her cookbook. I ordered this a few years ago and it has been a great resource. I lent it to an ALT who arrived last August, who preferred a vegan diet, and she found it really useful. I have managed to find a number of really good organic and local produce shops in my area (Kumamoto City). I found these shops by asking a friend who owns a restaurant where they only serve local food and organic produce. Elizabeth Andou's website is http://www.kanshacooking.com/ Japan in the past in most of it's Buddhist temples served 精進料理　shoujinryouri. This has changed now but you can still eat in some restaurants and some temples where they still train monks and nuns. It is worth partaking in if you are a foodie and prefer vegetarian food.

[brainsteww]

I recommend checking out Elizabeth Andou's website and ordering her cookbook. I ordered this a few years ago and it has been a great resource. I lent it to an ALT who arrived last August, who preferred a vegan diet, and she found it really useful. I have managed to find a number of really good organic and local produce shops in my area (Kumamoto City). I found these shops by asking a friend who owns a restaurant where they only serve local food and organic produce. Elizabeth Andou's website is http://www.kanshacooking.com/ Japan in the past in most of it's Buddhist temples served 精進料理　shoujinryouri. This has changed now but you can still eat in some restaurants and some temples where they still train monks and nuns. It is worth partaking in if you are a foodie and prefer vegetarian food.

I was under the impression that organic food is not popular in Japan-- this is good to know!

[Gizmotech]

I actually bought the kansha book after you guys linked it. It's not bad, however I was hoping for a few more (a lot more) pictures in it. It is definitely written for a western audience, who are not in Japan, which is why I find the lack of photos rather odd.

[Cytrix]

I've just borrowed it from our lovely PA, and I feel the sentiment of the lack of photos. I am a big fan of cookbooks that bring the foodporn. However there are quite a few good recipes so far that I'm eager to try.

[Trudi]

Happy National Vegetarian Week from the UK!

[Jitensha12]

Wow, I've missed a lot since I've been away from this thread! (I'm on month 5 of an internship at Farm Sanctuary, if any of you are familiar with that organization.)

First of all, thank you to all the PA's who joined in this thread--it's been so great to read your feedback and overall positive experiences on here! I would be thrilled to have any of you as my Prefectural Advisor.

I was just reading the Advice / Tips for Tokyo Orientation thread, and at the bottom of page 1 somebody wrote, "all lunches [served at TO] are vegan" . . . Can anyone here confirm this?? What about other meals served at orientation? It does make sense logistically for a caterer to only serve vegan meals, since nearly everyone can (and will) eat foods without meat, dairy, and eggs, but not everyone will eat foods with those ingredients. Needless to say, I find this information very promising!

Also, if anyone else on this thread is attending Group B's orientation, let me know! I'd love to plan an outing to one of the many veg-friendly restaurants in Tokyo: http://www.happycow.net/asia/japan/tokyo

[brainsteww]

Wow, I've missed a lot since I've been away from this thread! (I'm on month 5 of an internship at Farm Sanctuary, if any of you are familiar with that organization.)

First of all, thank you to all the PA's who joined in this thread--it's been so great to read your feedback and overall positive experiences on here! I would be thrilled to have any of you as my Prefectural Advisor.

I was just reading the Advice / Tips for Tokyo Orientation thread, and at the bottom of page 1 somebody wrote, "all lunches [served at TO] are vegan" . . . Can anyone here confirm this?? What about other meals served at orientation? It does make sense logistically for a caterer to only serve vegan meals, since nearly everyone can (and will) eat foods without meat, dairy, and eggs, but not everyone will eat foods with those ingredients. Needless to say, I find this information very promising!

Also, if anyone else on this thread is attending Group B's orientation, let me know! I'd love to plan an outing to one of the many veg-friendly restaurants in Tokyo: http://www.happycow.net/asia/japan/tokyo

I heard the same rumor. Very exciting ^^

[Cytrix]

e. Meals provided in Tokyo during the orientation are suitable for vegetarians.

from https://www.kintetsu.com/jet2011/form.html (who are the travel agents for JET).

I only attended one lunch and I remember it being pretty bland (I think it was some random soup and pasta). Breakfasts are a buffet style so there is the normal array of bacon, eggs, sausages, cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurts, french fries (don't ask) and salads (seriously...). I've found most people head out to conbinis/restaurants to get something a bit more substantial than what you're given.

[Eigen]

e. Meals provided in Tokyo during the orientation are suitable for vegetarians.

from https://www.kintetsu.com/jet2011/form.html (who are the travel agents for JET).

I only attended one lunch and I remember it being pretty bland (I think it was some random soup and pasta). Breakfasts are a buffet style so there is the normal array of bacon, eggs, sausages, cereals, fresh fruit, yoghurts, french fries (don't ask) and salads (seriously...). I've found most people head out to conbinis/restaurants to get something a bit more substantial than what you're given.

Quote for Truth! Vegetarian or not, you might find the lunches to be REALLY bad. We went to the first lunch last year and refused to go back. There's a good Indian joint in the basement of one of the office buildings nearby in Shinjuku (I think it's listed on Happy Cow, which was linked above). Just depends on your time! Combinis are ok, and there's a number of underground places to grab a bite near Shinjuku station.

Careful with Starbucks! Many of the sammiches that I used to eat in Canada that were sans flesh contain bacon or ham or chicken here.