Vegan on "Come Dine With Me"
I don't usually watch reality-type shows but I caught part of Channel 4's "Come Dine With Me" this afternoon. I stayed with it because one of the participants was a vegan and I was interested to see what she would prepare for 3 meat-eaters, and how it would play out.
First, she certainly wasn't the meat-eaters idea of a "stereotypical vegan" but the narrator of the programme certainly was a stereotypical (ie obnoxious) "voice of meatery!" I got so tired of his efforts to be "amusing" (though I'm sure it's more the director's idea than the dubber's).
The menu looked delicious, though a little heavy on the processed soy products. I loved her attitude of "converting through deliciousness." AND, it turns out she has a website for veg*ns. http://www.scouseveg.co.uk/ I've had a look, and am seriously tempted to email her and recommend VW for some cracking recipes!
The meat-eaters' response was better than I expected. No one was obnoxious about it to her face, though one lady enthused on camera...and then gave her just 5 out of 10 because the meat was missing! And she had one fellow seriously thinking about his choices. The older man I expected to be oh-so-condescending really wasn't...the tofu chocolate mousse didn't go over large, but I was pleasantly surprised, as evidently so was he.
I've seen two episodes of come dine with me that had vegans on. The woman, if I remember rightly was really good and didn't lecture too much, but answered when asked why vegan and such like. I think one of the other guests ended up saying he was going to give up dairy and eggs because of her influence.
The other episode I saw with a vegan really pissed me off. For his starter he sliced some avocado and some beech smoked tofu (the type where the flavouring is only on the outside) and served that - not even cooked or anything. Just plain sliced avocado and plain uncooked smoked tofu. It really pissed me off because even I, as a vegan, would hate to be served that. And by going on telly and serving this it gives the impression that all vegans eat this type of thing.
CDWM - love it! talk about characters ... some are awful.
I've seen both of those episodes. Good fun to see carnivores so completely out of their comfort zone ... "what do/can they eat?", hmm, now let me think ... EVERY-EFFING-THING ELSE!
The vegan lady works/worked for the Vegetarian Society and seemed really down to earth. The fella, well, yes I must admit I agree Shelloid his starter didn't look too good but, if I remember right, he struggled with a couple of the other contestants/diners who couldn't seem to get beyond the fact that he was vegan (think we've all been there at some point or another!).
I remember there was a vegetarian fella on another episode who I felt really sorry for as the others didn't really cater for him. Someone made him egg and chips whilst the others tucked into some meatfest, only for him to confess to camera that he hadn't eaten eggs for a number of years but had tried it out of politeness and was repulsed by them all over again.
As for the voiceover fella, I find him quite dry. My favourite line: when someone noticed a Cheeter skin (yes, I know!) on the floor and the owner claimed it had been roadkill at which point the fella screamed "how fast were you going?".
Yes, I really do love that show!
Dave Lamb, the voiceover man, is hilarous, and makes the programme worth watching.
Funnily enough, while I am reading this forum, I am also cooking the aubergine and spinach curry made on the show by the vegan girl.
Recipe here:
http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/occasions/dinner-parties/come-dine-with-me/mashed-aubergine-and-spinach-curry-with-quinoa-and-chapatti-bread-recipe_p_1.html
oh, let me know how it turns out...I tried it and I was so so disappointed :(
Mine was quite good, not as tasty as a curry made properly (toasting and grinding the seeds yourself, and using fresh ginger etc) but not bad for a quickie meal.
We have an analog of this programm. Dunno how to translate the name. hmm maybe " formal dinner party"... :) Once I saw a vegetarian woman at this show. She was quite anorectic and very strange. She has no kithchen, no table and no oven. Only a microwave and something looks like bedside table to serve the food.
To tell the truth the menu wasn't delicious at all.
A salad with processed cheese. Sabzi with cheese. And chocolate cookies with special tea (milk, spices and so on).
Chocolate for cookies was sugar free and therefore bitter.
Also this woman decided to use chopsticks instead of spoons. Neither of guests can use it.
She got the end of the chart. Epic fail :)
I was annoyed about the lack of response from the male vegan to that stupid woman's 'Animals were put here for human use' comment, but then again, these programmes are heavily edited so he may have said something.
It's a shame he didn't cook the tofu first which is what he was meant to do, he would've probably done better score wise and taste wise that way.
OOOH. how do I get to view this show?
eta: I just found it on youtube. not the vegan episode, but now I realize that I saw this show years ago and I loved it. oooh such fun.