Texas Vegetarian

I find that living in Texas there are few things I miss more than a trip to the local grocers for good vegetarian ingredients. They exist but often require a trip to a large market or specialty several towns over from my little bedroom community.

First off if you ask, "could you direct me to seitan?" as it's pronounced say-tan they look at you as though you worship the devil and are looking for his house of worship.

This evening In The Neighborhood I phoned the takeaway Asian style restaurant and requested the gen Tso's chicken the household eat, save the sole veggie me, and one coconut curry. "What meat?" she asked.

"No meat," came my reply and to my surprise she balked back with a demanding request for my face preference and a list rattled off like machine gun fire.

"No meat, just the vedge please," was my simple reply to the demanding woman.

"No meat?! You no meat? Nevah hear dat in Texas! You sure no chicken?"

"I'm certain, no meat please," I said most desperately.

She complied and rang my total proclaiming the order would be ready in five minutes. I gathered my wallet and keys and snaked my way through the look-a-like houses and up to the storefront.

The lovely women who took my order was very concerned again that I hadn't any meat in my curry and proceeded to inquire ad to whether I would be mixing the gen tso's chicken with the curry. I ensured her that I did not eat meat and she looked at her co-worker then back to me and asked, "You Catholic?".

"No ma'am, I'm vegetarian, I don't eat meat."

"We Nevah hear dat in here before!"

I thanked her for the concern and departed with my order.

Have I mentioned that I miss the local vegetarian markets...


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