November 9, 2006

Confirmed idiot sighting

I, my friends, am an idiot.

The scene: my desk.

The players: a co-worker from next door and myself.

She came over and we got to talking about meat, and how she doesn't eat chicken due to the gristle found there. And how she doesn't like most ham due to the skin and icky layer on the outside of it, yet she loves bacon, the greasier the better. And she loves beef of all kinds, and turkey, but not chicken. Then we got on the subject of different kinds of meat (get your minds out of the gutter, please) and she said she can eat veal, since it's a form of beef.

I said, "Veal is from sheep. It's lamb meat."

She said, "No, I think it's from baby cows, who've lost their mothers."

"No, it's sheep meat. I'm sure."

"It's baby cow, I'M pretty sure."

I reach for my dictionary, and say at the same time something utterly pompous that only someone who's ALWAYS RIGHT can produce.

I read out loud "The meat of a calf."

Oh. My. God.

OK, so I'm an idiot. But at least I eat chicken, unlike some people.

18 comments:

Sideon said...

Personally, I like those delicious baby garden burgers.

No can eat veal. Unless plied heavily with alcohol. Then I might. But only a few tastes. I wouldn't want to spoil the buzz.

Just one of many said...

I thought it was baby lamb too!! Chaulk two up in the indiots corner!! :)

Sister Mary Lisa said...

Trust the Texan and Montanan to not know their beef. GAWD how embarrassing!!!

Cele said...

Okay, look at it this way ML, the reason you didn't know is because there is no way you could ever eat a piece of meat raised so inhumanily for human consumption. Okay, really I said that, but you can borrow it if you want.

And before you argue over mutton - that's sheep meat. Unlike lamb which is baby sheep meat.

Kudo's on the dictionary.

Freckle Face Girl said...

I had an unfair advantage on this topic. My grandparents are ranchers in Idaho.

The worst part about veal is that sometimes they like to nail down their hooves to make the meat more "tender." I'm not a vegetarian or animal rights activist, but that is sad.

Most of us get a little weird about food. I don't eat jello b/c the idea of where it comes from grosses me out. I do eat apple pie though & that has gelatin in it.

Janet Kincaid said...

Veal: bad. I absolutely refuse to eat the stuff. Which is unfortunate, because most German and Viennese restaurants in the States use veal for the Wiener Schnitzel.

Anonymous said...

The part that made me laugh was the quote "I think it's from baby cows who've lost their mothers."
Really? Farmers only pick orphaned calf? Are they really that discriminating when it comes veal?
Ummmmmm....what? Are we sure about that part? It sounds like the premise to a bad Disney movie.

Rebecca said...

Hey, at least you can admit when you're wrong. In a public forum. In writing. Plausible deniability is for pussies!

Genilimaa said...

I cant' help but think of Jessica Simpson and the Buffalo wings:
"No thanks, I don't eat buffalo".

Christy said...

I agree with Rebecca. Good on ya, mate! I've had similar arguments where I come out in the wrong... sucks, don't it?

Dayngr said...

If you really wanna get bummed about the topic visit http://www.noveal.org/

Sister Mary Lisa said...

Cele, yeah, what you said, only I didn't eat it because I thought it was from a cute little lamb!

Freckle, eeeew. Nailing down the hooves? Sad.

Janet, my host mom made Wiener Schnitzel using chicken. It was way good.

Said Woman, I was too embarrassed over insisting I was right to notice the humor in the words.

Rebecca, I'm still a pussy. But at least I can laugh at myself. Notice I DID NOT make myself into Weenis of the Week over this.

Genilimaa, thanks so much for putting back in my brain the commercials of Jessica throwing open the doors to the restaurant and throwing her boobs and pizza forward...my 13 yr old son always quit breathing during those commercials.

Christy, keeps me humble. Otherwise I'd be too awesome for mere mortals.

Dayngr, I went to that website and it made me so sad. Icky icky. I will never eat veal.

Bull said...

It could be worse. The neighbor lady didn't know how many letters are in the alphabet.

Bull said...

Also reminds me of the Pakistani co-worker I overheard explaining to a friend that in the U.S. they call goat "mutton." Apparently Pakistanis like goat but not sheep, because he about choked when I informed him that mutton is meat from a sheep.

Bull said...

Just a naive question. Why are we expected to treat animals that we are raising for the explicit purpose of slaughter and consumption humanely?

To quote a t-shirt sold at a local BBQ joint: I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to become a vegetarian.

I personally love veal...

Sister Mary Lisa said...

Bull, I reserve the right to have blonde moments whenever I please! I do know how many letters are in the alphabet, at least.

The horror of the Pakistani was probably as much as mine in finding out I actually didn't know squat about veal!

Sister Mary Lisa said...

Bull, good question. It is a REALLY good question. Makes no sense to worry about it, when the end result is the same, either way.

cecily said...

I needed veal for a recipe, but wanted to know if I could replace it with beef... so I looked veal up on the internet. Tiny, newborn calves separated from mamma and crying with loss. I decided then that I would not buy veal - but beef just isn't the same in the recipes. The cost of buying with conscience!