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The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
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I found that scene amusing, especially considering Arthur's reaction. I think the interesting thing about that is that he'd be happy to eat a steak without thinking about whether the animal suffered, but with the assumption that it would have died unwillingly because presumably no animal that gets slaughtered for meat wants to die, and would escape death if it could.I've considered going vegetarian though, primarily because of the inhumane ways in which animals are treated to produce meat - cattle knee-deep in their own waste, chickens fattened to the point where they can't stand and bunched into warehouses where there's no space to move, terrible sores and infections from poor conditions (which affects the meat too), horrific methods of slaughter etc. I've read some shocking articles, and seen snippets of documentaries; I can't bring myself to watch too much.
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I don't eat vegetables, and that doesn't leave much for me to eat :(
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There not my favorite part of the meal but I would miss the if they weren't there.
I love my meat and hate how the animals are treated but I don't think becoming a vegetarian is the solution for that problem.
Maybe you just need to try some new things, take new appraoches t food? When I was a kid I hated most vegetables as well, I'd just eat meat, fish and non-vegetable starches. But honestly, I blame my mother. She just boiled everything and it was always mushy. I only started eating vegetables when I got older and tried vegetables that had been cooked differently (eg. stir fried, baked) or with mixed with different ingredients. But I still won't touch boiled veggies or anything else mushy, I think it's disgusting.I used to think of myself as a carnivore, but now I only eat small portions of meat, maybe once a week or every two weeks.
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I am trying tho. I have recently started eating butternut, and try to have some with dinner 3 days or so a week. But beyond that I only eat broccoli, cauliflower and spinach in cheese sauce. And that is the problem.
I have a huge dependency on carbs tho!
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I was expecting some nice South African cooking, but now I am starting too think if we're not better off eating out every night. ;P
I'm fussy too. I'm always apprehensive about going to someone else's house for dinner, especially if I know they're likely to cook something I don't eat, because I don't want to offend them. My sister made a butternut mash to serve with lamb chops when I was in CT, and it was very nice, although I would have preferred a puree.
Try experimenting with different foods and cooking methods at home. Then at least you can make it according to your preferences.
Also - and I know this sounds snooty - try a few upmarket restaurants, or small restaurants that focus on high-quality ingredients and excellent dishes. Basically restaurants on best-of lists, NOT chain restaurants. I say this simply because the food is so much better and you might find yourself loving something you hated before. I'm not saying it should be a regular thing, just a good way of trying new stuff.
I'm a decent cook, although I don't do any South African dishes :)
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Hahahah Barbara, Mark and I don't cook. We literally make 4 items and just go through them. Our favorite is spaghetti bolognaise :)
I hate cooking tho. So experimenting doesn't sound fun :(
The restaurant thing is actually a good idea! I'll try some veg etc. from them :)
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I pity your kids. How will they survive? Although on the other hand most kids I know would love to skip all veggies and only eat spaghetti. So maybe it will be heaven on earth for them. I would love to taste your spaghetti bolognaise.
I have been vegan for just over a year now. It is overwhelming in the beginning but gets better as you go along. Its totaly a mind set change
@Lu: Lol, I think I'd die of boredom if I had to eat the same four dishes all the time, especially if spaghetti bolognaise was one of them! It's fine if you put cheese on top but it's not nice enough that I'd go to the effort of making it unless I was just heating up sauce from a jar because there was nothing better in the cupboard.@Zuleka: phew, now vegan's something I wouldn't even consider. I could make the effort to be vegetarian, or rather pescatarian, but I'm not a big fan of veggies either, so if I cut out eggs and dairy I'd starve.
I do think it's worth it for people to cut down on meat. If there was less of a demand, then there would be less need for mass production and all the abuse that comes with it.
Oh, and since this topic is actually about the Douglas Adams book, I wanted to say that I love the scene when they leave the restaurant and find that Marvin has been waiting in the parking lot for hundred of thousands of years!
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@Zuleka - I'm very ignorant about vegans. Please tell what you eat and your favorites?
@Lauren - Lol Mark and I love our 4 dishes, so we still find them entertaining :)
- Hahah yea Marvin. He cracks me up. I love how they try and be nice to him and cheer him up, but he just thinks they are talking to him because they feel sorry, which is true :)
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Hmm, well I might be able to stick with it if I could pick any four dishes that I didn't necessarily have to cook. Let's say:1. Sushi! With low sodium soy sauce
2. Paneer butter masala (like butter chicken but with paneer) and naan
3. Baked fish with butter or olive oil, lemon and garlic (this I would cook because it's dead easy and quick)
4. Pizza. But with different toppings each time. Which is cheating, but whatever. Will start with sliced sauteed apples, walnuts and blue cheese, since that is about to be my brunch, except on on a roll. Will be back later, I'm super hungry now.
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1. Sushi! With low sodium soy sauce
2. Paneer butter masala (like but..."
Isn't sushi cheating too, since there are so many different kinds?
True, although I'd be willing to have the same selection each time.
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Lol, well it's not like I can really do this rotation. If I had to choose four meals that I actually do cook regularly it would be:1. Butter sage pasta, with feta if possible
2. Peanut sesame noodles
3. Shiitake mushroom and ginger soup with udon noodles
4. Scrambled eggs on seed or wholewheat bread with fresh herbs (and feta, if possible). And this is totally a meal, I will eat it for breakfast, lunch or supper, I don't care what anyone says.
Edit: this is only in Addis. If I was in SA I'd swap one for baked fish.
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You are big on the noodles.
I have been thinking about four dishes but all I know is that boerenkool has to be one of them and one of the others will have to have spinach in it. Not too sure what I could eat if I can only eat 4 dishes for the rest of my life.
Noodles and bread are my preferred starches. I like chips/fries every now and then, but I find rice boring.I could add spinach to the soup and the peanut noodles, and I'd need more veggies overall, but these are only for evening meals, right? Can still make sandwiches or whatever for lunch. Or do your four dishes include lunch Lu?
Just googled boerenkool - I could eat the kale in something else but I don't eat mashed potatoes, I hate the texture.
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1. Spagettig/Penne Bolognaise
2. Gordon Blue + Oven Chips
3. Pork Chops + Oven Chips
4. Nando's or Mimmo's once a week
5. Rarely Chicken burger patties with hot sauce + Oven Chips
(We do eat out quite often tho)
Lunch:
1. Leftover Spagettig/Penne Bolognaise
2. Woolies slimmer meals
3. Combination of apple, grapes, nacho's, nik naks (weigh less ones), biltong
4. Soup
Breakfast:
1 and only. Biltong or I don't eat.
I only really get hungry at dinner time.
@Lu Vegans don't eat any animal products.I eat lots of fruit. So I make lots of smoothies and I also want start juicing again. I also love pasta so I make pasta with veggies instead of meat. I also love potatoes,lol can eat it everyday if it was up to me. Pizza is also good with lots of veggies :)(Doppio Zero has a very vegan pizza on their menu. I sometimes like to add caramelized onions and avo) now that winter is getting closer we will eat more soup, which I also love :)
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My staple dinner is a piece of meat or fish, air fried chips and steamed veggies!
We have a vegan at work and she never eats anything when we have functions because everything has eggs in it. I definitely couldn't make that choice because bacon and egg is the best!
I do however find it fascinating why people make choices to follow a specific food lifestyle, even if it is one I know I could never choose. Zuleka, why are you vegan?
And I also Love Marvin!
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Warthog sounds fascinating. Is that something we can try when I come to visit you in PE in October? I love to try new things!
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I'ld love to try both the biltong and fresh meat.
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@Varla I started changing my diet due to health issues. I was tired of always feeling sick and having no energy. My husband and I also watched a documentry called: The Best Speach You Will Ever Hear which was just the final push that we needed to go vegan
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Yes I am interested. I had crocodile once and liked it but I bought it myself and really had no idea how to prepare it and just tried something. It would be great t taste it when it is prepared by someone who knows what he/she is doing.
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SPOILERS
At the restaurant, the bovine comes and offers himself as dinner. This was strangely startling to me. And I know for a minute or two there I considered going vegetarian. It was so strange and deeply scary, and really made me thought that if something like that happened I don't think I would be able to handle it.