Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Dietary Dos and Don'ts


So being vegan in Japan will be interesting. Jorie and I figure we can manage pretty well while we're staying at JCMU, but eating at restaurants and a week's worth of homestay will be another question. One of our biggest concerns is offending others or being an inconvenience, yet we don't want to compromise our morals, either.

We have decided to let one thing slide when other options are not available: fish stock. It's used in soups and other dishes and is quite common. It would be, probably, the hardest thing to avoid.

Other than that, we made it clear on our homestay sheets what our dietary restrictions are, and we were told to be sure we clarify for our host families when we are able. The main objectives are to be polite, apologetic, and thankful, no matter what. If we have to discreetly pick some meat out of a dish, so be it.

I'm excited to try new things, and I have experienced a few already thanks to my friend Molly. At home, Jorie and I sometimes make zaru soba with home-made vegan tsuyu sauce, as well as veggie sushi and miso soup made from kombu broth. Lovely photos are by Jorie.

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