Check out my progress on All in the Name of Taste
Tonight I write to you in a cloud of conflicted emotion due to some unexpected news I received in my Principles of Food class. Apparently, I will be required to taste meat this semester.
On the first day of class, the professor explained that we would be preparing several recipes throughout the course of the semester, so she asked that anyone with “special dietary needs” contact her; she assured us vegetarians that we would not have to taste the meat dishes. As of today, however, that decision has been rescinded. Every student is required to taste every dish as part of the “sensory evaluation” component of our lab sessions. The decision was made on the basis that registered dieticians may be called upon in a hospital setting to taste patients’ food.
I understand and agree with the decision; personal dietary preferences cannot and should not impede me from performing my duties as a nutritionist. Nonetheless, I am still a bit uneasy about the prospect of tasting meat again—it’s been almost seven years since I last consumed animal flesh. All uncertainties aside, I’m sure the tasting experiences will enhance my nutrition education. All in the name of taste, my friends.
Is there a food you haven’t eaten for an extended period of time?
Enough about what I haven’t been eating…let’s get onto what I did eat today!
So I’ve decided that Green Monsters > Shamrocks shakes. Who’s with me?
I packed a quick lunch to be consumed on campus. When in doubt, just douse some veggies with Goddess dressing, and call it lunch:)
Once I arrived home from class and had gotten some homework done, I sauntered into the kitchen for some cooking experimentation. I was in the mood for black bean burgers, but I was in no mood to be chained down by a fussy recipe…so I improvised. They ended up a little dry—nothing a drizzle of ketchup can’t fix!
Alright, off to catch up on the ol’ Google Reader. Nighty night.
Filed under: Meals
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
Good luck with the tasting! There’s many foods that I haven’t eaten in a while, but am going to venture again soon
LOVE the spiralized sweet potato improvisation!
My Intro to Food Science course that I’m going to be taking this semester (classes begin this Thursday!) might have me doing the same thing. I know that there’s a section or two on meat preparation and I’ve talked to the professor before and they said some of the vegetarians choose to not eat it, but I’m not sure what I’ll do yet.
I also heard they make homemade cookies and hydrogenated crap cookes from a box and you have to taste and evaluate them. =s
Not looking forward to that but I’m really looking forward to getting into my food classes finally. I hope you’re enjoying yours as well.
Sooner than you know it, I will be making you burgers
Just kidding! Maybe…
wow I cant believe that everyone has to taste meat even vegetarians? I think that you will probably get to vito the meat when it comes down to it. You will make the right choice for you
hehe! I love the name Shamrock Shakes!!
Good luck with the tasting. That is definitely a difficult issue. If a dietitian works in the food service arena, she should definitely be expected to taste all sorts of food. However, in the clinical setting, I never once had to taste a patient’s food. I don’t think it’s really fair for them to force you to eat a food you have convictions against eating. Unless you are the only dietitian in a hospital setting, I doubt you’d ever have taste a non-veg meal. I sympathize w/ your feelings! You could always do the taste and spit…my culinary friends tell me this is completely acceptable…they do it all the time!
I would claim to be deathly allergic to meat. And if your professor doubts, threaten the hives.
I think that it is a great thing that you have to try all of the foods. I mean as a dietitian you are going to have to tell people that they need to eat meat from time to time to help their bodies function appropriately. If it werent for my dietitian eating red meat with me while I was in treatment, I probably wouldnt have eaten it and I would have remained sick and vegetarian. I know it will be tough for you, but remember it is probably only a taste and you will not have to change your diet at home!!
I’m sorry Caroline! I am lactose intolerant and if I had to eat yogurt, I would get sick. Since you have not had something in your diet for years, you have an intolerance to it too probably.
Your teacher is so ugh!
I hope everything goes well. I guess that as a nutritionist, you have to try it all, right?
I recently started eating red meat again, and omg, I have no idea why I stopped in the first place.
Wow ! Tasting meat! That must leave you feeling a whirlwind of different emotions!! That will definitely be odd for you, but hopefully a positive experience in the long run.
Love those bean cakes and shamrock shakes!!! Want BOTH now and I just woke up!!!
Hugs Miss Caroline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
does it help that you will only be TASTING, not CONSUMING? bring a cup so you can spit out the food into. all u need for tasting is to chew it a big to get the flavors, then spit out
does that help?
i am sure that is a conflict! you are very mature with the way you are handling it. good for you.
Goddess Dressing or ketchup – both make everything better.
So sorry that you have to taste the meat – that would have freaked me out back in my vegetarian days, but you seem to have a positive attitude about it all. I hope it goes well, and that it doesn’t bother your stomach.
Your black bean sweet potato burgers look delicious – perhaps a little hummus in the mix next time will keep them from getting too dry?
I agree with Janetha… what a mature and reasoned decision you’re making. I look forward to hearing about your experience!
Also, about the mozzarella “cheese”- no, it really didn’t melt at all. It got hot, but didn’t change its shape.
I’m actually pretty shocked they would require you to eat the meat as a vegetarian. I don’t see the reasoning behind it. I mean, I get where they might be coming from, but at the same time, I don’t. I don’t think that would fly here at all. What about religious reasons for not eating a certain food? Would they also require those students to eat said foods?
And I’ve never had a shamrock shake in my life…so I would concur that green smoothies trump them.