Restaurants and vegan options

[karadekoolaid]

One thing I really miss - Panera's vegan black bean soup.

OK - help me out here. Black beans are vegan. I imagine they add onions, garlic, maybe peppers, and water to the soup. It's naturally "vegan".
Not trying to be picky! Just curious. Did they put the infamous "chicken stock" into the soup?

 

[Herbaceous]

If you have not eaten chicken for a while, can you really know that the chicken nuggets tasted similar enough to chicken?

I’m not vegetarian and eat chicken pretty regularly, so yep, I can be pretty confident in saying they tasted quite similar.

I do try to reduce my meat consumption for environmental reasons, but I eat meat a few times a week at least.

 

[JAS_OH1]

OK - help me out here. Black beans are vegan. I imagine they add onions, garlic, maybe peppers, and water to the soup. It's naturally "vegan".
Not trying to be picky! Just curious. Did they put the infamous "chicken stock" into the soup?

It's not uncommon for US restaurants to use chicken or beef stock into what otherwise is a seemingly vegetarian or vegan soup. It would be important information and a strong selling point to make it clear that the soup is vegan.

 

[Rocklobster]

I don't even use the term Vegetarian or Vegan at work..I say we have "no meat" options but that is about as far as we go. I add some powdered chicken stock to my vegetable soups.. If somebody needs to eat something I have a variety of options without meat. Deli Salads, I can make a few sandwiches, or they can order a meatless wrap....
Many times, some vegetarians and vegans, don't want to just get something to eat, they want a designated menu of options for them to pursue and decide if they want anything..
I would make a lot more sales if I started a burger menu. I know that for a fact..but, I choose not to...

 

[caseydog]

It's not uncommon for US restaurants to use chicken or beef stock into what otherwise is a seemingly vegetarian or vegan soup. It would be important information and a strong selling point to make it clear that the soup is vegan.

I did a little research (copycat recipes), and it looks like the Panera vegan black bean soup used vegetable stock.

CD

 

[JAS_OH1]

I did a little research (copycat recipes), and it looks like the Panera vegan black bean soup used vegetable stock.

CD

I wasn't the one questioning if it was actually vegan, that was karadekoolaid.

My youngest was a manager at Panerai when she was in college and was still living with us during that time so we got to hear a lot about the menu and other details, lol.

 

[caseydog]

I wasn't the one questioning if it was actually vegan, that was karadekoolaid.

My youngest was a manager at Panerai when she was in college and was still living with us during that time so we got to hear a lot about the menu and other details, lol.

My post was not a challenge to your post.

CD

 

[karadekoolaid]

I wasn't the one questioning if it was actually vegan, that was @karadekoolaid.

Yep - and my question was really me thinking " if black beans are veggies, then why do they need to SAY so". I mean, if I were to offer Tomato Soup, I'd be damned if I put minced ham in it, and if the dish were "Vegetable Soup", then I'd assume no bacon. Or chicken stock.
Then I had a flashback to a Renaissance hotel I used to stay at in NY. I once had a pasta, and damned if it wasn't cooked in chicken stock. It was 'orrible!

 

[JAS_OH1]

My post was not a challenge to your post.

CD

Oh, okay, you were just letting me know something I already know. I get it now

 

[TastyReuben]

Yep - and my question was really me thinking " if black beans are veggies, then why do they need to SAY so". I mean, if I were to offer Tomato Soup, I'd be damned if I put minced ham in it, and if the dish were "Vegetable Soup", then I'd assume no bacon. Or chicken stock.
Then I had a flashback to a Renaissance hotel I used to stay at in NY. I once had a pasta, and damned if it wasn't cooked in chicken stock. It was 'orrible!

It also goes beyond the obvious, too. Mass-produced restaurant food (because the neighborhood chain restaurant isn’t making very much from scratch) can sneak in all sorts of animal-derived ingredients, like a particular red dye to make that tomato soup look extra tomatoey, or using anchovies in an otherwise meatless dish to kick up that oh, so important umami that everyone’s in love with.

 

[JAS_OH1]

It also goes beyond the obvious, too. Mass-produced restaurant food (because the neighborhood chain restaurant isn’t making very much from scratch) can sneak in all sorts of animal-derived ingredients, like a particular red dye to make that tomato soup look extra tomatoey, or using anchovies in an otherwise meatless dish to kick up that oh, so important umami that everyone’s in love with.

When they could use mushrooms instead.

So totally right.

 

[caseydog]

Oh, okay, you were just letting me know something I already know. I get it now

No, I was letting everyone following this thread know something they perhaps didn't know. I didn't know the recipe for Panera's Vegan Black Bean Soup until I looked it up. All I did was add some information to your (quite correct) post. You don't get it.

CD