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Re:Vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstr... by AussieWog93 on Thursday April 29, 2021 @08:09PM (#26988417)
We don't need to invent new anything. So many great vegan dishes have existed for centuries and survived against meat on their own merits. Proper falafel with tabouleh and tahini is amazing. Chana or brinjal masala are a treat. Pasta with a simple 4 ingredient Napoli is the ultimate comfort food. Don't even get me started on dosa. Hell, fucking bread dipped in olive oil is good.

Yet, for God knows what reason, whenever some vegan is trying to convince me of the merits of their diet, they hand me some godawful dry sausage made of hydrolysed soy protein and say "see, it's just like a real sausage. Did you know she's Paul McCartney's daughter?". Or some fermented cashew nuts smeared on a piece of bread that they think is anything remotely like cheese. I have never understood this and have since reached the conclusion that most vegans are closer to paleo, gluten-free (not coeliac) and other alternative diet folk in that they just don't "get" people who derive a massive amount of pleasure from food.

Re:Vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstr... by spfzero on Friday April 30, 2021 @02:54AM (#26990536)
Why would you think Paleo food choices aren't appreciated by people who derive a massive amount of pleasure from food? Paleo/Primal foods are the most satisfying, tastey and healthy foods. The feelings around food are evolutionarily rooted. We are always going to be most satisfied by the foods that are best for us, it's by design.

There is an epidemiological experiment that has been going on for over a million years. It resulted in a population of 8 billion homo sapiens. That is not actually good for the Earth, but if you want to know what to eat, to maximize your health as an individual, look that way.

Re:Vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstr... by freeflight on Friday April 30, 2021 @06:31AM (#26991727)
> We are always going to be most satisfied by the foods that are best for us, it's by design.

Not with modern food science. A lot of people consider cornsyrupy sugar water to be satisfying because companies have collectively spent billions and decades in R&D and marketing to make it taste and look as satisfying as possible.

It works because our sense are not infallible, they can be tricked and purposefully mislead. Just like taste expectations are often built from childhood on.

Re:Vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstr... by AussieWog93 on Friday April 30, 2021 @05:26AM (#26991366)
>Why would you think Paleo food choices aren't appreciated by people who derive a massive amount of pleasure from food?

Mainly it's the language that is used by people who adhere to diets such as this. There is more reference to the health properties of various ingredients than there is the art of cooking, and this feels alien to people like myself. Of course, there are paleo foodies (just as there are vegans), but they are in the minority.

I'm not saying the way you see things is wrong (if anything, the fact that you're almost certainly healthier than me is strong evidence to the contrary), but for evangelists of alternative diets there is a cultural barrier to overcome that vegans especially seem to just not be aware of.

Re:Vegan cheese has quietly but steadily infiltrated mainstr... by kewrkewm53 on Friday April 30, 2021 @04:55AM (#26991184)
Exactly. There are plenty of great vegan dishes you can do without having to use any highly processed stuff.