Fake meat just doesn’t cut it

This week, a company in Israel announced it had created a 3D printed steak...

For what purpose, you may ask? Well, the start up firm, which calls itself Redefine Meat, says it wants its invention to help meat-free steaks become part of the standard supply chain and become a norm in restaurants all over Europe.

But how can a fake steak, made from soy, coconut fat, pea protein, sunflower oil and other vegan ingredients, really substitute a meaty, juicy sirloin?

And why would vegans, who say meat is murder and won’t eat any animal product at all, and (a rare few) want it made illegal, want to tuck into a piece of god knows what that looks like meat?

It makes no sense to me.

Heck, I still argue with friends who claim to be veggie but then order fish and chips. Fish is meat, no?

And yes, before anyone says it, I know I am a hypocritical carnivore.

I love animals. I have a cat and I am a voluntary kennel assistant for an animal charity.

But I certainly wouldn’t demand that a vegan restaurant serves me a lamb chop.

So why do vegans want their food to look and taste like meat?

Take Wagamama’s watermelon ‘tuna’. Who are they trying to kid? It’s watermelon!

International Chicken Wing Day is marked in July, and the plant-based companies got in on the act by declaring their fake ‘chik’n’ products taste just like the real thing.

I’ve had vegan ‘chicken’ nuggets, and believe me, they don’t.

Vegan pulled pork is another thing that baffles me. Did it come from a pig? No. So how can you call it pork? It’s jackfruit. Plain and simple.

Meat eaters wouldn’t crash World Vegan day by promoting steak carved into broccoli shapes and dyed green, or chicken breasts molded into a carrot shape and coloured orange.

So why do they have to get involved in a meat eating day?

And surely in this day and age there are enough recipes for delicious vegetable dishes without having to throw in something that looks like chicken, or beef or ham?

Look, I don’t care what you choose to eat and what you don’t. Carnivores, vegetarians, pescaterians, vegans – it’s totally up to the individual.

And I understand some vegans miss the taste of meat and this is an alternative. But with an alternative lifestyle comes sacrifices, no?

You can’t have it both ways.

So by all means, enjoy your soy or tofu or whatever it is but live and let live and leave us meat eaters to our medium-rare, finger-licking fun.

Photo credit: https://www.redefinemeat.com