Food and drink containing hidden animal derived ingredients

Mountain Cat

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I remember back in the late 70s, when my friend brought her boyfriend (who was vegetarian, no NOT vegan) over for dinner. I was living off-campus and this was the boonies of Indiana.

I'd planned a dinner down to the last ingredient - and at the very last moment I looked at the bottle of Worcestershire sauce and the ingredient label. Oysters or such. ACK.

For about three seconds I considered using it anyway and lying, but... I couldn't do that. I punted with the little I had in my spice cabinet as a college student and we had quite a fine dinner anyway.

You can find alternatives without resorting to over-processed junk (even if back then I didn't have a word for that). Or without serving your guests foods they really prefer NOT to eat, for whatever, and/or every all reasons that is not for you nor me to judge.
 
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Worcestershire Sauce is a good example of foods containing hidden animal products. It contains anchovies (not oysters) which of course, provide that umami flavour. I love it!
I was going to say the same too, I use about 10 litres a year, I buy in 5 litre containers. The you tube video on making it is really good.

Russ
 
There are tonnes of things that contain hidden animal/fish based ingredients that you have to be really careful about.

My hubby who has been vegetarian for 25 years or more almost fell for one a couple of weeks ago . I stopped him at the last minute when I spotted it going through the till at a shop we use frequently so even though it was an over the counter job, we were able to return it . He fancied fresh pasta for our evening meal. We often get different colour pasta but because of a genetic condition requiring a low iron diet (!), we now can't have things like green (spinach ) pasta or red/black rice . So he had picked up fresh black pasta. I knew instantly to check the source, it could have been black beans but I think that gives more of a grey myself, but he never realised that it could and was squid ink.

Now a vegetarian diet may accept that, some do , some don't, but we're basically vegan plus eggs and the rare bit of honey . So squid ink is not on our list of edibles.
 
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