Mercenary Pen's Meticulously Planned Machine of Prose Random Banter #182

[LaZodiac]

What makes it different from other meats?

Beef looks like food. Snail doesn't look like food.

[Dimonite]

What makes it different from other meats?

Well, meat generally comes our own phylum, vertebrata, with the occasional arthropod shellfish in there. Snails, however, are from phylum mollusca. I realize as I'm typing this that it means nothing, because people eat clams all the time, so I'll switch tack. Basically, when I was a kid, the other children and I classified a snail as a "bug", and we were brought up being told that bugs are not for eating.

EDIT: or we could just go with what LaZodiac said, which makes more sense in a quarter of the time.

[Qwertystop]

Beef looks like food. Snail doesn't look like food.

Or another way of putting it:
Most meats don't look like the animal they came from when they're ready to eat. Most people don't like being reminded that their food was once an animal.

[Dimonite]

Or another way of putting it:
Most meats don't look like the animal they came from when they're ready to eat. Most people don't like being reminded that their food was once an animal.

I don't mind. Mmmmm, delicious cow meats!

[Tragic_Comedian]

Beef looks like food. Snail doesn't look like food.

That is not a valid argument at all. Beef looks like food because you eat beef. A snail looks as much like food as beef does when you eat snails.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Or another way of putting it:
Most meats don't look like the animal they came from when they're ready to eat. Most people don't like being reminded that their food was once an animal.

I remember I was in a restaurant once and I saw this little boy start to bawl once he realized his hamburger had been a cow.

[Mutant Sheep]

I remember I was in a restaurant once and I saw this little boy start to bawl once he realized his hamburger had been a cow.

I realized that once. I RELISHED in devouring that steak.

[HalfTangible]

I remember I was in a restaurant once and I saw this little boy start to bawl once he realized his hamburger had been a cow.

The world's newest animal rights activist, ladies and gentlemen

[LaZodiac]

That is not a valid argument at all. Beef looks like food because you eat beef. A snail looks as much like food as beef does when you eat snails.

A cooked snail looks like a snail you are going to eat. A cooked steak does not look like a cow you are going to eat, it looks like a product one could call "food". Cooked snail is still food, but it looks like an animal. Other meats don't.

[AtlanteanTroll]

The world's newest animal rights activist, ladies and gentlemen

Nah. I walked by later. He was eating it fine.

But speaking about sudden dumb realizations. I realized that if I just worked out a bit I'd have abs ... Not worth it though.

[Devmaar]

Or another way of putting it:
Most meats don't look like the animal they came from when they're ready to eat. Most people don't like being reminded that their food was once an animal.

What about fish?
In fact, most seafood is commonly served whole or nearly whole.

(Not that it isn't also commonly served dressed in some way, but you know what I mean)

ion, Sci-Fi society is fun

[wadledo]

What about fish?
In fact, most seafood is commonly served whole or nearly whole.

(Not that it isn't also commonly served dressed in some way, but you know what I mean)

ion, Sci-Fi society is fun

Shrimp or lobster for example.
While I don't particularly care for lobster, I very much enjoy shrimp, especially fried with rice and peppers.
Also, Snails are very tasty.

[Qwertystop]

What about fish?
In fact, most seafood is commonly served whole or nearly whole.

(Not that it isn't also commonly served dressed in some way, but you know what I mean)

ion, Sci-Fi society is fun

I suppose it depends on the area. Here, it's typically fillets or steaks. In the case of fillets, the head, tail, skin, and scales are removed, at which point it looks like a slab of meat. In the case of steaks... You look at a fish steak and tell me that seriously looks like a fish to you.

[Heliomance]

I still sleep with my teddy ;_____;

Oh. Oh my.

Must - resist - urge - to - ship!

[Aedilred]

There's a movement to try to encourage people to engage with the source of their food, rather than treating it as a "food product" divorced from its supply chain. After all, the life of the animal and its appearance on your plate are interlinked. The quality of life of the animal will affect the quality and flavour of the resulting food. If the customer knows the true value of the food they're consuming, the producers/distributors can sell it at a fairer price which ensures that the livelihood of the producer and the quality of life of the livestock can be maintained, and so on.

I think it's important that people, even (especially!) children, are aware of where their food comes from. The idea that it isn't "proper food" unless you can't tell at a glance what animal it's from is rather depressing, and, I think, almost entirely incorrect. I learned more about pork products from half an hour of cutting a pig apart than from the preceding twenty-five years of buying and eating discrete pork joints, sausages, bacon, etc. from supermarkets and butchers.

[Thajocoth]

There's a movement to try to encourage people to engage with the source of their food, rather than treating it as a "food product" divorced from its supply chain. After all, the life of the animal and its appearance on your plate are interlinked. The quality of life of the animal will affect the quality and flavour of the resulting food. If the customer knows the true value of the food they're consuming, the producers/distributors can sell it at a fairer price which ensures that the livelihood of the producer and the quality of life of the livestock can be maintained, and so on.

I think it's important that people, even (especially!) children, are aware of where their food comes from. The idea that it isn't "proper food" unless you can't tell at a glance what animal it's from is rather depressing, and, I think, almost entirely incorrect. I learned more about pork products from half an hour of cutting a pig apart than from the preceding twenty-five years of buying and eating discrete pork joints, sausages, bacon, etc. from supermarkets and butchers.

I'm in favor of this. There's currently very little meat in my diet. (There's very little of anything healthy in my diet.) Even though McD's is the largest source of meat for me, I still see the value of what you suggest.

This is the first I've heard of this movement.

[Coidzor]

I remember I was in a restaurant once and I saw this little boy start to bawl once he realized his hamburger had been a cow.

Now I want to dig up my copy of Where's My Cow?

[Dimonite]

Now I want to dig up my copy of Where's My Cow?

That would be an interesting twist to that book that would be totally in keeping with the streets of Ankh-Morpork

[Elemental]

On the topic of food, I'm completely comfortable with knowing that when I eat meat it was an animal. But I'm a very picky eater. Actually, I'm a picky eater with everything.
But I've got no problem with other people deciding to eat things I would consider unpalatable.

You and Serpentine both tease me with names of creatures I've never heard which I then look up, and crave a wildlife tour of your country. In my mind all of the animals will cuddle and frolic with me like in a Disney movie.

Although Canada and Australia will be similar in that respect -- we too have vast open spaces of both the wild and cultivated variety with sun-bleached fences and droopy centenarian barns. Not to say that Australia wouldn't be unique in its own ways, of course -- I would love to take such a drive with you.

To be fair, the scenery does get rather repetitive after the first half hour. But it does not diminish in its picturesque qualities and there are always things to draw one's attention.
Fires in the distance, guessing what's growing in a field, livestock grazing in fields, bottle trees, grass trees, wildlife. Those sorts of things.

[Mutant Sheep]

On the topic of food, I'm completely comfortable with knowing that when I eat meat it was an animal. But I'm a very picky eater. Actually, I'm a picky eater with everything.
But I've got no problem with other people deciding to eat things I would consider unpalatable.

I am pickier than anyone I know. It annoys me.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Leaving the US does marvels for being a picky eater...

EDIT: Get back on AIM you sophomoric confidante.

[Mynxae]

On the topic of food, I'm completely comfortable with knowing that when I eat meat it was an animal. But I'm a very picky eater. Actually, I'm a picky eater with everything.
But I've got no problem with other people deciding to eat things I would consider unpalatable.

Yes, you're weird Ele. Eating meat first when having dinner and then leaving veggies till last or not eating them at all. Tsk tsk.

[MoonCat]

I honestly can't tell whether I am liked or whether I'm barely tolerated in my school. Oh well, I know some of the girls like me!

[Thajocoth]

I am pickier than anyone I know. It annoys me.

List of the 10 things I'm able to eat (sans snacks):

Macaroni & Cheese - Can be anywhere from Kraft's powdered cheese to a mixture of American & mild cheddar. Using only cheddar (even mild cheddar) is too strong for me.

McDonald's Double Cheeseburger (only cheese & ketchup) + fries

Pasta (I usually go with rotini or shells) with shredded mozzarella & Prego Traditional sauce + English muffins, toasted, buttered, garliced, then ovened

Plain (cheese) pizza, but not from most pizza places. I have a pizza stone, so I can make my own pizza too. I use a little garlic & Italian seasoning between the sauce & cheese when I do. Unfortunately, I don't have a good dough recipe yet, so I'm using Boboli crusts.

Celentano cheese ravioli with Prego Traditional sauce. Andrea brand cheese ravioli can also be okay...

White bread with smooth peanut butter & Welch's grape jelly

Vanilla yogurt (I have trouble with the texture of yogurts with bits of fruit in them. Vanilla doesn't have that.)

Scrambled eggs between 2 slices of toast (white bread)

Fried egg yolks (sunny side up), used to dip nearly burnt toast into (white bread)

Grilled cheese (white bread, American cheese)

-----

I want a better diet. Hating food as much as I do, I may as well eat healthy if I'm not going to enjoy it regardless... But my body reacts to the smells and then my throat burns or I get dizzy or nauseous or my throat closes itself... Depends on the specific food(s) in question.

The talk about snails not registering as food earlier? Imagine FOOD not registering as food.

-----

On the thought of eating meat and knowing what it was... That part doesn't gross me out in the slightest. It could've been human before it reached me, and I wouldn't squick. (Though, I would certainly hope it was donated willingly if I ever found such a scenario.)

[LaZodiac]

I honestly can't tell whether I am liked or whether I'm barely tolerated in my school. Oh well, I know some of the girls like me!

Awesome! It'll always be hard to get a perfect read on some people, but I wish you luck!

[Devmaar]

I suppose it depends on the area. Here, it's typically fillets or steaks. In the case of fillets, the head, tail, skin, and scales are removed, at which point it looks like a slab of meat. In the case of steaks... You look at a fish steak and tell me that seriously looks like a fish to you.

While I admitted there were other ways, it's also common (and better imo) to cook fish like so

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And as for sardines, other than in tins, I think I've seen them like this more often than not

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[Coidzor]

^: This is how I usually see sardines myself.

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Leaving the US does marvels for being a picky eater...

Puberty was what started getting rid of it for me, oddly enough. Then getting a girlfriend got rid of more of it, though, I admit, this was about the same time period as my trip to Europe. Then becoming an adult got rid of still more of it.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Puberty was what started getting rid of it for me, oddly enough. Then getting a girlfriend got rid of more of it, though, I admit, this was about the same time period as my trip to Europe. Then becoming an adult got rid of still more of it.

I could see having a SO making one a better eater. I was always a really picky eater and then I went to Japan when I was 14. Wanted to try everything not offend anyone. The one thing I couldn't eat was some octopus sashimi.

[Mutant Sheep]

I could see having a SO making one a better eater. I was always a really picky eater and then I went to Japan when I was 14. Wanted to try everything not offend anyone. The one thing I couldn't eat was some octopus sashimi.

I went to France once. Nothing changed.

[Maugan Ra]

I used to get in trouble when I was young for sitting across the table from my little sister and making 'baa' noises when she started on her lamb chops. Then, she cried. Nowadays she kicks me in the shin, which discouraged the habit much faster than any amount of tears or parental lectures.