Tofurky?
For Thanksgiving this year, we visited my grandmother in the nursing home. It is a pretty nice place, and they have a few special dining rooms for visitors, which we occupied. Since my brother recently became vegan, and I’ve been vegetarian for years, we decided to try a Tofurky, which is a tofu and vegetable protein turkey substitute. It is a round ‘roast’ shape, with stuffing in the center. Simply surround with vegetables, and roast it in the oven. I was skeptical at first, as always. I do eat some ‘meat-like’ veggie products, but I’m not a huge fan, and I meet each new one with skepticism, based on some very unsatisfactory experiences I’ve had with them in the past. Well, the Tofurky was pretty good. Not much like turkey, but tasty in its own right.
I think I understand better the plight of the companies trying to make ‘meat-like’ veggie alternatives. There are many vegetarians who feel its a waste of time to try to imitate meat, and think its better to just find new delicious vegetarian flavors. However, there are others who feel that if there are familiar alternatives in the vegetarian world, that it can make people more comfortable switching. Its often said that ‘people don’t actually like meat, they just like the spices that we put on it,’ and that seems to be true in some sense, because I know some lifelong vegetarians who enjoy some of the ‘meat-like’ foods, because they like how they are spiced. However, a common problem I think I see with the meat-like products is that they have to give themselves silly names like ‘Tofurky’ or ‘Chik-n Patties’ or whatever, so that people will know what kind of meat they are imitating, but since its never going to taste exactly the same, people don’t like them. They take a bite of ‘Tofurky’, which, by its name, should taste just like turkey. Well, it doesn’t, and they get horribly disappointed, and reject the food. If Tofurky had a different name, something that didn’t claim to be meat-like, then I bet more people would like it, because they would be coming into it from the mindset of “Ah, a new food to try!” instead of “Hmm, this is supposed to be like turkey??” If I suspend my belief that Tofurky is supposed to taste just like turkey, then I enjoy it more, because its just another new food in my mind, and not just a shabby imitation. However, they couldn’t just go and rename it, because the point of it is to try to get people to try an alternative to turkey at Thanksgiving. How do you do that? Give them something that is similar to turkey! The only way they can get people to try it is by calling it something that is likely to make people not like it as much. Its a confusing and unfortunate situation.
My advice to anyone who is presented with the opportunity to try a Tofurky, or other meat-like veggie alternative, give it a try! You might like it. However, don’t necessarily think of it as a replacement to the meat, or a perfect imitation, because you are bound to be disappointed. Think of it as a whole new food, that is simply spiced similarly to foods you may already be familiar with. Maybe saying “Tofurky takes just like turkey” isn’t a good way to think of it, maybe, “If you like turkey, then you might find the seasonings and texture of a Tofurky pleasing to your pallate.” Anyway, remember that even if you want to have an alternative holiday meal, it doesn’t have to be a fake-meat product. Last Thanksgiving, Madalene and I had a Mediterranian Feast, with Falafel sandwiches, cous cous, homemade hummus and fresh pita bread, cucumbers, tahini dill sauce, tomatoes, etc. It was great, and happened to be almost totally vegan. We did use some feta cheese, but if you wanted it to be totally vegan, that is a trifle to drop. It was a refreshing change from the same foods every year.
Friday 29 Nov 2002 | Sam | Personal
Tofurky! Interesting. I’d like to try one when I have a chance. In Japan, there is a way of cooking tofu called “Tofu steak.”