Regardless of palette and preference, fake meat tends to be an acquired taste. Carnivores lambaste the creation for “not being enough like meat” (duh!) while some veg*ns deride it for being too much like the murderous muck. Personally, I eschew the taste politics altogether; I have no qualms with relishing in the cruelty-free concoction, but I don’t need it to survive either.
Movements within the veg*n community to move away from the over processed, often over priced meat fakery has been bubbling for years. Smaller companies have taken the helm by creating minimally processed grain-meats and vegetable loafs that aim to reappropriate the concept.
Field Roast is one such company. Yesterday, Seattle’s weekly The Stranger ran a piece that investigated the phenomena and sent a vegetarian to get the goods.
I’m interested to hear your take on the whole fake meat phenomena; please voice your opinion in the comment section.
4 Comments
Jason Das
on #I like good fake meat, dislike bad fake meat. I don’t totally get people who have a conceptual problem with it. One thing I love about Field Roast is that their products rarely come across as direct meat-analogues. They don’t make fake turkey or salami or bacon. They just make delicious foodstuffs that fill the same spot in my plate/sandwich!
NotBuyingIt!
on #I like Field Roast. But, I prefer to make my own “fake met”. You can eat different versions of anything: Meatloaf or Nutloaf, Stuffed Roast or Stuffed Squash, Hamburger or Gardenburger. No one ever says “That pork chop is like a steak or piece of chicken” because even though there are simularities, it’s not. I don’t have a problem with “fake meat” because I know it was never able to suffer. I even think of it as textured veg protien before I think of the word “meat”. I enjoy a lot of veggie dishes more than “fake meat” yet it’s kinda hard for me to make (guess I need classes) The “fake meats” are more filling (less healthy) and cheaper (I usually spend $1.99-$3.99) than fresh veggies(sad) I also get a lot of value and creativity out of wheat gluten. We need more affordable veggies.
JonG
on #I want to like Field Roast, but it’s terribly spiced! Some flavors are more agreeable than others, but overall I’m unimpressed – especially since it costs quite a bit more than other fake meats. That said, vegan food has gotten a lot better over the years, and I’m sure some other up-and-comer will get it right.
AdamG
on #JonG:
What planet are you from? sure, maybe the mexican chipotle is a little spicey for my tounge, but every other one is flavored wonderfully to meet a specific dish, smoked apple sage for a yummy breakfast hash.. italian as a reasonable bratwurst analogue, the celebration roast steamed with mash potatoes and gravy for a thanksgiving that beats any turkey!? i won’t even get into the meatloaf (which wasn’t available at the time of your post).. meatloaf sliders anyone?
seriously, i’d love to hear your qualms, since i couldn’t be happier with every single offering of field roast’s, and yes, i’ve eaten every thing they make.