http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:43:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5388 Psychgrad Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:41:29 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5388 My dad has actually made the effort to go to China during Passover to avoid having to make the house kosher for Passover. He brings a big suitcase of passover "supplies". But, I believe he will eat non-kosher chcken and beef. My dad has actually made the effort to go to China during Passover to avoid having to make the house kosher for Passover. He brings a big suitcase of passover “supplies”. But, I believe he will eat non-kosher chcken and beef.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5377 Alix Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:19:14 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5377 KFWT, I know that when kosher people travel abroad, they often bring an additional suitcase full of canned tuna and other things they can eat. While I did not mean to discourage anyone from visiting Vietnam, I did mean to say that it would be one of the hardest countries, ever, to keep kosher in, not only because treyf is so prevalent, but because as my husband put it, "vegetarian here means just a little bit of pork." CWT, With no disrespect to those who keep kosher, I totally agree with you. A huge part of a culture is its food, and going to a country and not being able to experience it would greatly diminish the experience, especially in a food-obsessed country like Vietnam. There is a proverb there, about how one should learn to eat before learning how to live, or something like that. I actually considered eating meat a lot, since I couldn't even try the national dish, Pho, a beef soup with rice noodles. I felt I missed out on a lot there by not eating the meat, but that was my choice. If I had lived on canned tuna, well, my experience would have been much, much less enjoyable, since some of the meals I was able to eat were highlights of the whole trip. My omnivore husband would definitely say the food was one of the highlights of the trip. KFWT,
I know that when kosher people travel abroad, they often bring an additional suitcase full of canned tuna and other things they can eat. While I did not mean to discourage anyone from visiting Vietnam, I did mean to say that it would be one of the hardest countries, ever, to keep kosher in, not only because treyf is so prevalent, but because as my husband put it, “vegetarian here means just a little bit of pork.”
CWT, With no disrespect to those who keep kosher, I totally agree with you. A huge part of a culture is its food, and going to a country and not being able to experience it would greatly diminish the experience, especially in a food-obsessed country like Vietnam. There is a proverb there, about how one should learn to eat before learning how to live, or something like that. I actually considered eating meat a lot, since I couldn’t even try the national dish, Pho, a beef soup with rice noodles. I felt I missed out on a lot there by not eating the meat, but that was my choice. If I had lived on canned tuna, well, my experience would have been much, much less enjoyable, since some of the meals I was able to eat were highlights of the whole trip. My omnivore husband would definitely say the food was one of the highlights of the trip.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5372 Meli Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:46:56 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5372 One of the reasons I transitioned from keeping kosher to vegetarianism was exactly because of the meat culture here: I don't know how to kill an animal. I don't even know if I could. I also have no experience taking it from body to ready-to-cook. Meat shouldn't be viewed as if it grows in styrofoam shrinkwrapped neatly-cut pieces. Currently, I know what my food looks like growing up and -- by and large -- how it's prepared since then, and I like that. So I very much understand your respect for the Vietnamese way of dealing with meat. One of the reasons I transitioned from keeping kosher to vegetarianism was exactly because of the meat culture here: I don’t know how to kill an animal. I don’t even know if I could. I also have no experience taking it from body to ready-to-cook. Meat shouldn’t be viewed as if it grows in styrofoam shrinkwrapped neatly-cut pieces. Currently, I know what my food looks like growing up and — by and large — how it’s prepared since then, and I like that. So I very much understand your respect for the Vietnamese way of dealing with meat.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5371 Current World Traveler Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:34:10 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5371 I would argue that if you're going to travel and not eat the local food, you've missed half the point of traveling. How can you truly experience a different place if you're eating all your meals in your hotel room next to your well-stocked suitcase? I would argue that if you’re going to travel and not eat the local food, you’ve missed half the point of traveling. How can you truly experience a different place if you’re eating all your meals in your hotel room next to your well-stocked suitcase?

]]> http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5368 Kosher Future World Traveler Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:00:57 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/how-was-the-food/#comment-5368 Alix, It is totally possible for people who keep kosher to travel to all kinds of places where kosher restaurants are not available. Most people who keep kosher strictly bring some or all of their own packaged food with them and/or rely on fresh produce, eggs, and other foods that can be eaten without kosher supervision - and the hechshered American products that can sometimes be found in stores. So there's no reason to discourage kosher people from traveling - We know it takes extra planning and hassle, but for some of us it is well worth it for the opportunity to travel. No kosher person would leave for an Asian country without planning out what they would eat while there, I promise. Alix,
It is totally possible for people who keep kosher to travel to all kinds of places where kosher restaurants are not available. Most people who keep kosher strictly bring some or all of their own packaged food with them and/or rely on fresh produce, eggs, and other foods that can be eaten without kosher supervision - and the hechshered American products that can sometimes be found in stores. So there’s no reason to discourage kosher people from traveling - We know it takes extra planning and hassle, but for some of us it is well worth it for the opportunity to travel. No kosher person would leave for an Asian country without planning out what they would eat while there, I promise.

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