Restaurants mislabelling and making you eat stuff you don't eat

[beeboo]

Was the pheasant you were eating halal?

I'm not sure that a sambuca mouthwash is following the rules to the letter either, but I guess if you don't want to eat pork for whatever reason, then fair enough.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

So you might have a case for making that suggestion, but not for going mental because you didn't ask.

Given that this was a reply to someone else, I'm not sure whether you're trying to say that I went "mental" about what happened? Because I didn't go "mental," in fact I think I was quite calm and reasonable about it, perhaps overly so:

I went into the kitchen and told the bar staff and chef that I was not impressed, given I hadn't eaten pig products for more than 18 years, to find pig products in something called a pheasant pie. They were most apologetic.

i.e. I told them, I didn't yell, I didn't shout and swear and go off on one or kick off or in any way shape or form go "mental."

...And then I went back and they were all concerned and apologetic, and I smiled and said it's okay, it was an accident. But I didn't really mean it was okay, inside I was fucking seething, and really upset, but there was a few people in there, last Sunday before Christmas, and I didn't want to put a dampener on the mood by kicking off.

i.e. I tried to play down the incident, even though internally I was quite angry and upset. I didn't go "mental," in fact I went out of my way to bear in mind the fact that other people were in there in quite a Christmassy last weekend before Christmas mood, and I went out of my way not to put a dampener on the mood. I was actually quite tempted to just leave, I felt so bad, but I stayed because I didn't even want it to look like I was so annoyed and upset that I was throwing a hissy fit and storming off. So I stayed and chatted and had some cake and ended up reassuring them that it was all okay, it was an accident, etc etc etc etc.

And then I came home and sent the bar owner a message via Facebook (she's a neighbour) saying I was mightily unimpressed and needs to sort it out.

Again, I didn't go "mental." I know the person who owns the place. When I got home I sent her a message telling her what happened, because I'm sure she'd want to know what's happened in the business she owns in her absence. And I'm sure she'll be equally mortified as her staff was. Because it's a place that gets a fair amount of veggies and vegans and other 'picky' eaters, so it's not like they're completely ignorant and unaccommodating of dietary preferences. It's not like emailing Gordon Ramsay and saying excuse me, why aren't there (m)any vegetarian dishes on your menu? It's a place where they're usually quite aware and accommodating of random dietary preferences. And again, pointing out a problem that needs addressing for future reference isn't the same as going "mental."

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Was the pheasant you were eating halal?

I'm not sure that a sambuca mouthwash is following the rules to the letter either, but I guess if you don't want to eat pork for whatever reason, then fair enough.

I never said I was a perfect muslim, or even a very good one.

I didn't drink for quite a few years. But then started again, because it's nice to have a glass of wine with a meal in a restaurant, because I can't bring myself to drink cola or pop with a nice meal. And I only used to eat halal meat, until I went to live in France for a few months, and the nearest halal butcher was on some ultra-dodgy estate in the HLMs, and we kept getting fed regular meat (I was in a group on a European programme), so it wasn't really possible to stick to it.

But I haven't eaten any kind of pig meat for more than 18 years.

If someone was a 'veggie' who ate eggs but not meat, I'm sure they'd be equally upset to find bacon in their quiche or omelette, but maybe people wouldn't be querying their veggie credentials so much, or would they?

Would such a person be asked, erm, are you a proper veggie anyway, if you eat omelettes? Actually, this is urban, yeah, they probably would!

 

[Herbsman.]

Do most restaurants list every ingredient just in case people don't eat it then?

I thought they only usually labelled stuff as 'vegetarian/vegan' for hippy freaks, and 'contains nuts' for allergy sufferers.

 

[zenie]

I just never knew you were a muslim, then wondered why you ate a non halal pheasant, seems a bit bizarre!

Vegetarians do eat eggs, not sure you have the right point there.

They should label it anyway, I don't disagree with your complaint, even if it's just out of basic courtesy, I might not like chorizo for example.

 

[Yelkcub]

I went into the kitchen and told the bar staff and chef that I was not impressed, given I hadn't eaten pig products for more than 18 years, to find pig products in something called a pheasant pie. They were most apologetic.

And then I went into the loos and stuck my fingers down my throat, trying to make myself throw up, but it didn't work properly.

So then I went back to the bar, and asked for creme de menthe, but they didn't have any. And they didn't have any absinthe or jagermeister or anything like that either. But she found some licorice sambuca, so I took a shot of that to the loos and used it as mouthwash.

And then I went back and they were all concerned and apologetic, and I smiled and said it's okay, it was an accident. But I didn't really mean it was okay, inside I was fucking seething, and really upset, but there was a few people in there, last Sunday before Christmas, and I didn't want to put a dampener on the mood by kicking off.

And then I came home and sent the bar owner a message via Facebook (she's a neighbour) saying I was mightily unimpressed and needs to sort it out.

I would say complaining in person, about an assumption you made entirely of your own volition, using strong spirits as a mouthwash and trying to make yourself sick, was 'going mental'.

Being "fucking seething" inside about it is pretty insane and contacting the owner complaining further about your incorrect assumption that you could have easily had corrected if you'd just asked, is to me, not entirely reasonable.

 

[zenie]

I would say complaining in person, about an assumption you made entirely of your own volition, using strong spirits as a mouthwash and trying to make yourself sick, was 'going mental'.

Being "fucking seething" inside about it is pretty insane and contacting the owner complaining further about your incorrect assumption that you could have easily had corrected if you'd just asked, is to me, not entirely reasonable.

 

[DotCommunist]

Anyway back to the pie, I wanted to buy a venison pie the other day though it was a little "dear" so opted for a bowl of chips

opening the crackers early I see

 

[DRINK?]

opening the crackers early I see

admit it, it is brilliant....I was going to have an omlette with 2 eggs though realized that one was an oeuf

 

[Yelkcub]

Because it's a place that gets a fair amount of veggies and vegans and other 'picky' eaters, so it's not like they're completely ignorant and unaccommodating of dietary preferences. It's not like emailing Gordon Ramsay and saying excuse me, why aren't there (m)any vegetarian dishes on your menu? It's a place where they're usually quite aware and accommodating of random dietary preferences. And again, pointing out a problem that needs addressing for future reference isn't the same as going "mental."

Pheasant season, according to Google, starts on October 1st, so they may well have been serving that dish for three months. Do you find it strange that none of the other 'picky' clientele have had this problem, or presumably the menu would have been altered?

 

[Yelkcub]

While the rolling eyes Miss?

I find the OP's reaction to her own mistake crazy. It's not meant as an insult, but it makes no sense to me. To make an assumption that is wrong with performing a simple check available to me and somehow blame anyone but myself just beggars belief.

 

[High Voltage]

The one that gets me (and continues to catch me out) is:-

Cheese in things I wouldn't normally expect to have cheese in

for example

A Roast Dinner. Usually a choice of 2-3 meats and "assorted Veg"

The amount of times Cauliflower Cheese is classified as a "Veg" or the Potatoes come with Cheese thoughtfully sprinkled over or mixed in with

And if I remember to ask if the meal has any cheese in it I get the "Are you stupid . . . this is a Sunday Roast . . . Of course it doesn't have cheese in it" look.

And again, there's not so much as a hint of a clue in the menu to start the old warning bells ringing . . . Luckily for me Mrs Volts loves cheese

 

[Orang Utan]

pork fat and sausages are used in lots of dishes to flavour them - they taste nice - be glad the chorizo was there as it probably gave the dish a bit more oomph!
(apologies if you're Muslim or Jewish)

 

[Gromit]

Most people in catering have rubbish educations.

They probably couldn't spell chorizo so thats why they didn't include it. You were lucky that they knew pheasant was a Ph and not an F.

/industry expurt
/nods sagely

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

I can see why you're upset, but tbh I find it a bit strange that you've been avoiding pork for 18 years and aren't aware that it's pretty common for restaurants not to list all their ingredients.

Most of the veggies/vegans I know are very particular about checking what's in things, unless they're specifically labelled 'vegetarian.' Just being based on vegetables would be enough - it certainly wouldn't be unheard of for a vegetable soup to be cooked with chicken stock for example.

 

[Registrar]

I never said I was a perfect muslim, or even a very good one.

I didn't drink for quite a few years. But then started again, because it's nice to have a glass of wine with a meal in a restaurant, because I can't bring myself to drink cola or pop with a nice meal.

If your drinking wine and washing your mouth out with spirits its unlikey people will think your Muslim unless you tell them. If your so against pork that eating it mkes you wants you force it up again, then perhaps tell people first...?

I have a mate that has allergies. He simply hands the waiter a card that explains it to them in several languages. Saves time.

 

[felixthecat]

Learn your lesson from this and always ask if its important to you. You've probably eaten loads of pork products over the years if you haven't done so, because, as others have mentioned, its often used as a flavouring ingredient.

Chalk this one up to experience and be more wary in future.

 

[Gromit]

then perhaps tell people first...?

My Muslim friend would do this. At a karate BBQ it took 10 minutes for us to confirm beyond a question of a doubt that the beef sausages had no pork in them.

As some mass produced beef sausages do contain pork to pad em out (and pork ones containing beef to pad them out too, its madness i tells ya).

Glad to say the butcher himself (who had provided the meat) was there (a member of the karate club) so it was cleared with 100% certainty.

 

[Yelkcub]

I never said I was a perfect muslim, or even a very good one.

I don't think that anyone else's business. I do however think that you should take responsibilty for ensuring you keep to whatever dietary restrictions you place on yourself, not expect others to do it.

 

[DRINK?]

My Muslim friend would do this. At a karate BBQ it took 10 minutes for us to confirm beyond a question of a doubt that the beef sausages had no pork in them.

As some mass produced beef sausages do contain pork to pad em out (and pork ones containing beef to pad them out too, its madness i tells ya).

Glad to say the butcher himself (who had provided the meat) was there (a member of the karate club) so it was cleared with 100% certainty.

you get all sorts of things in sausages these days....what I do is buy sausage meat and make my own...that way I know exactly what they are

 

[felixthecat]

My Muslim friend would do this. At a karate BBQ it took 10 minutes for us to confirm beyond a question of a doubt that the beef sausages had no pork in them.

Exactly. It just makes sense. I recently had to check if the sausages we had contained wheat based cereal as a filler. Unfortunately they did so the daughter couldn't have them, and had something else instead.

Its very easy to ask.

 

[zenie]

While the rolling eyes Miss?

I find the OP's reaction to her own mistake crazy. It's not meant as an insult, but it makes no sense to me. To make an assumption that is wrong with performing a simple check available to me and somehow blame anyone but myself just beggars belief.

I just think you went a bit overboard tbh

I'd assume it wouldn't have chorizo in it too, I would have thought most people would. Why isn't it labelled as 'Pheasant and chorizo pie'? Lots of people don't eat pork, not just for religious reasons.

 

[ViolentPanda]

It's a bit of an oversight, but it's hardly the worst or most outrageous thing to happen in a restaurant. Far from unusual for game pies to use pork in, albeit it'd more usually be bacon rather than chorizo. It's a pie for christ's sake - you only tend to list the primary ingredient rather a dry description of all contents. I would have been better to have stated the pork somewhere, but I wouldn't be massively surprised, just as I wouldn't have been to find bacon bits in a Beef Bourguignon. It's a common and uncontroversial combination, if not the assumed one.

At the risk of sounding unsympathetic, your reaction sounds slightly unusual and out of proportion. It's a bit of sausage, not a poison. And whilst it'd have been better to know in advance, I'd advise that you request the ingredients of your orders before choosing if you have such vigorous, set preferences. A pie's rarely of one ingredient, nor are most usually stated, although best practice would be to label both meats.

Myself, if I see a pheasant pie (or a pie containing most other game, for that matter) on a menu I generally expect it to contain, at the very minimum, traces of pork (in the form of fat), because I know that for the catering industry it's a "quick fix" in terms of cooking and flavour.

Wouldn't have hurt the restaurant to label their pie as "pheasant and chorizo", though.

 

[Geri]

Lots of people don't eat pork, not just for religious reasons.

What other reasons do lots of people not eat pork?

 

[miss minnie]

I hope you're not keen on dim-sum because chinese "seafood" dumplings can contain pork.

I learned this when I was a teenager living in Chinatown in Sydney and learning to cook. When I asked a chinese woman why they would put pork in seafood dumplings she said that it wasn't really meat. (I think she meant that it didn't *count* as it is used widely as a *filler* for other flavourings)


Take, for instance, this recipe for Prawn Wontons

 

[ViolentPanda]

Erm. Pork is commonly used in game dishes IME. Especially in pies etc to bulk-out/moderate the gamieness of the main meat.

Yep.
I'll be making a venison pie and a hare pie in the new year. Both will have a small amount of minced belly pork in them.

 

[DRINK?]

What other reasons do lots of people not eat pork?

parasites

 

[Yelkcub]

I just think you went a bit overboard tbh
:

It's the internet. You expect me to emote with only the small amount of interest the subject actually has for me?

 

[Pip]

What other reasons do lots of people not eat pork?

I know loads of W. Indians who don't eat pork.

 

[ViolentPanda]

What other reasons do lots of people not eat pork?

Vegetarianism?