The idea that vegetarians were people who craved foods that
mimicked meat to make up for the meat they rejected has been around a very long
time. It is an idea perpetuated by people who aren’t themselves vegetarians,
who find the very concept of not wanting to eat meat utterly baffling.
While leaving vegetarians to muddle through by themselves is
acceptable, when it comes to entertaining, vegetarian guests pose a huge
problem. What to serve them? Hence the many various recipes that call for
ingenious replications of the meat experience. It’s as if the vegetarian really
craves a hamburger but simply must refrain.
Creating an artificial steak is a bit tricky, so most
recipes go for fake ground beef made from crumbled stuff. The Veggie Burger is
now a staple in the frozen food aisle. This recipe from 1919 even goes so far
as to eliminate butter, and doesn’t sound too appetizing. Perhaps the vegetarian
would like some vegetables instead?
The Thrift Cook Book,
Marion Harris Neil, 1919
Also from this book: Getting Ahead, Burnt Flour Soup, Walkie-Talkies
