# Vegan in Spain



## AniaKoala (Mar 25, 2014)

I've been vegan for a year (in London) and never struggled. I've been in Spain for a week and it's been the most difficult culinary experience ever. Spanish people literally laugh when I explain to them what vegan means and look at me like I'm from a different planet. Restaurants happily offer me fish when I say I don't eat meat. My vegetarian partner is slowly breaking and we're growing frustrated at the lack of choice. Are there any plant eaters out there who mastered living in Spain please? I heard about a herbolario in Estepona which I have high hopes for, and there is a Holland and Barretts in Gib, but with no freezers... I want my cashew cheese and hemp milk!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

I'm not surprised you had no trouble in London, which caters for a population of over 8 million!

Many healthfood shops here have items that might be good or, if you ask, they may be able to order in things for you.

In Spain there are certainly less vegans, but if you google 'vegano españa', for example, there is a lot of information, such as associations, online shops and Facebook groups. You may find something local or find someone in the know who could advise you.


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola

Both my children are vegetarians; slightly different I know but anything they order will have Tuna (not a fish?) or bacon (not a meat?). Now I simply let them loose in the kitchen to do as they please; they understand the Spanish "don´t do vegetarian". 

Our nearest restaurant that will reliably do vegetarian is near Ronda 

Davexf


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AniaKoala said:


> I've been vegan for a year (in London) and never struggled. I've been in Spain for a week and it's been the most difficult culinary experience ever. Spanish people literally laugh when I explain to them what vegan means and look at me like I'm from a different planet. Restaurants happily offer me fish when I say I don't eat meat. My vegetarian partner is slowly breaking and we're growing frustrated at the lack of choice. Are there any plant eaters out there who mastered living in Spain please? I heard about a herbolario in Estepona which I have high hopes for, and there is a Holland and Barretts in Gib, but with no freezers... I want my cashew cheese and hemp milk!


I'm not at all surprised that it's difficult to find vegan stuff here. Nor that they look at you as if you're from a different planet. Spain is a very meat based society, particularly pig. I'd say the vast majority wouldn't know what a vegan eats, and I'd say they probably don't even know that vegan diets exist. You'll need to


find special sources of food
stock up
be inventive
make a lot of stuff yourself
 get in touch with groups of like minded people
develop a vegan sense of humour because it's going to be tough!
I presume you've Googled veganos en españa or likewise...


To all vegans out there - check the availability of vegan products/ restaurants and awareness of vegans in the country you're going to before you move 
I believe there are more vegans in Catalonia and maybe in Ibiza


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

My BIL and SIL are both vegetarians so you might think that is a bit easier than being vegan. Not a bit of it. We took them to a vegetarian restaurant in Torre del Mar a few years ago (it closed not long after opening) in the hope that they would be able to enjoy the sorts of dishes they prefer. No chance. Every single vegetarian dish on offer came with either ham or tuna. They had seven soups on offer all of which were made with a base of either beef or chicken stock, but at least the stock was freshly made on the premises!! We have a Spanish friend who is a vegetarian for health reasons and she never eats out. There are two new vegetarian restaurants opening near us but I'm betting neither will survive and neither will sell vegetarian dishes. I am not a vegetarian but I love vegetarian food and it does baffle me why the Spanish can't seem to get it.... What's wrong with a plate of olives, guacamole, peppers, cheeses (not vegan, I know), tomatoes, tortillas and breads with olive oil and balsamic??? We eat like that every day throughout the summer and it love it. Apparently it's quite healthy too...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

My OH is vegetarian (ovo lactarian) - we've been living in Spain almost 8 years and although cooking at home is no problem, eating out is very restricted. Tbh we seldom even bother trying Spanish restaurants now after more than a few stressful experiences when dishes have had to be sent back, because they've included either meat or fish, despite us stressing when ordering that he eats neither.

We find Indian, Italian or Thai restaurants more veggie friendly, although Italian might be more difficult for vegans.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Sandra is vegetarian, thankfully eats fish although she's contemplated giving that up. I agree with thrax, life isn't easy for vegetarians. To have some variety in her diet and make life easier for me (I'm the cook) we get a regular supply of a variety of Quorn products from a Gibraltarian friend.
It was a hundred times worse in Prague, though. At least here the fruit and veg are copious and of good quality.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

So, plenty of info about life in Spain for vegetarians.
Any vegans?


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

It is really easy to be Vegan here but only if you don't eat out...


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

thrax said:


> It is really easy to be Vegan here but only if you don't eat out...


Agree. Far better to cook and eat at home. There are always plenty of excellent seasonal vegetables around, and pulses of all kinds are common. 

The concept of vegetarianism/veganism is alien to a country where eating meat is traditionally a sign of status. In times of hunger, meat was a luxury. Why would anyone forego it voluntarily? 

Things ARE changing, especially in areas where there are lots of northern European visitors. But don't expect the average cafe or restaurant to accommodate your demands. Try and understand where they are coming from, a bit of compromise won't go amiss.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> Things ARE changing, especially in areas where there are lots of northern European visitors. But don't expect the average cafe or restaurant to accommodate your demands. Try and understand where they are coming from, a bit of compromise won't go amiss.


A bit of compromise from the proprietors/chefs of Spanish restaurants and cafes wouldn't go amiss either! I would have thought that not opening their minds to the fact that they are losing out on a growing number of potential customers is a foolish thing to do in this economic climate, and bad business sense.

As you rightly say, there is no shortage of ingredients readily available in Spain with which to cook meals to appeal to both vegetarians and vegans - therefore it wouldn't be too hard for them. And as those ingredients are so cheap here, the profit margin on such dishes would be higher than the meat or fish ones, too. 

I don't think I really understood the concept of vegetarianism until I was in a relationship with one - I'd have thought "well,why can't you just leave the meat on your plate and eat the rest?". But why should people who find the thought of eating dead flesh totally abhorrent be expected to compromise? They're not really asking for anything overly difficult.

Thankfully, it is becoming a bit less difficult to eat out in the cities and larger towns now (places where there's a large student population are always more understanding of vegetarians/vegans, and lots of them are Spanish too, not just Northern Europeans).


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> A bit of compromise from the proprietors/chefs of Spanish restaurants and cafes wouldn't go amiss either! I would have thought that not opening their minds to the fact that they are losing out on a growing number of potential customers is a foolish thing to do in this economic climate, and bad business sense.


Less than 3% of Spaniards are vegetarian, much lower than other countries. Do you really think they should change their entire way of cooking to accommodate a tiny number of people? Even rice dishes are made with meat stock.

I have sat down with restaurant managers here and tried to explain how they could offer veggie options for visitors, and why jamón is actually meat. They are sympathetic in the main, but it's just not economically viable to effectively run two separate kitchens.


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

Not being funny but I can't believe that you'd wait until coming out before seeing how a vegan would cope in Spain of all places!


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

I saw this range in Aldi this morning. They are labelled as vegetarian but may be suitable for vegans too? The link is only in German but you get the idea:

ALDI Nord - Soja-Sortiment


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

AniaKoala said:


> I've been vegan for a year (in London) and never struggled. I've been in Spain for a week and it's been the most difficult culinary experience ever. Spanish people literally laugh when I explain to them what vegan means and look at me like I'm from a different planet. Restaurants happily offer me fish when I say I don't eat meat. My vegetarian partner is slowly breaking and we're growing frustrated at the lack of choice. Are there any plant eaters out there who mastered living in Spain please? I heard about a herbolario in Estepona which I have high hopes for, and there is a Holland and Barretts in Gib, but with no freezers... I want my cashew cheese and hemp milk!


To keep you from starving to death, I saw this on The Guardian's website today:-


Our 10 best vegan recipes | Life and style | The Guardian

The aubergine jambalaya looks good, and I can't for the life of me see why a Spanish restaurant would find it so impossibly difficult to cook something like that.

Two of the things my OH would order (when they're on a Spanish menu) are pisto (similar to ratatouille), and patatas a lo pobre (potatoes slow cooked in olive oil with onions and green peppers). Both are normally served with a fried egg on top, which would be OK for your partner but you could ask for them without the egg.


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## V-Dog (May 10, 2012)

AniaKoala said:


> I've been vegan for a year (in London) and never struggled. I've been in Spain for a week and it's been the most difficult culinary experience ever. Spanish people literally laugh when I explain to them what vegan means and look at me like I'm from a different planet. Restaurants happily offer me fish when I say I don't eat meat. My vegetarian partner is slowly breaking and we're growing frustrated at the lack of choice. Are there any plant eaters out there who mastered living in Spain please? I heard about a herbolario in Estepona which I have high hopes for, and there is a Holland and Barretts in Gib, but with no freezers... I want my cashew cheese and hemp milk!


Help is at hand! I am one of those 'plant eaters' that you speak of! & I am successfully living a problem free, non meat eating lifestyle, here in Spain!!

I relocated here from the UK as a dedicated vegan, only to find myself (unsurprisingly) initially struggling on occasion, particularly when eating out, which resulted in me living a split vegan / vegetarian lifestyle, often reverting to ordering 'vegetarian' meals on many occasions when eating out but at the same time asking that any cheese & other obvious and easily removable dairy elements be left out etc

I am now 100% vegan at home, due to finding an excellent & very knowledgeable health store (totally meat free & organic) offering a plethora of vegan products & personal chef, experienced in preparation of wonderfully tasty vegetarian & vegan food (far better than any restaurant I've visited on CDS!)

Although still more vegetarian than vegan when eating out, due to having a chef I no longer eat out anywhere near the amount I did previously. I ate out to such an extent during my first few months here that I found the hiring of a personal chef actually saved me money!

The health store used by myself have an online & high street store ( Bio Casa, Fuengirola) and offer same day home delivery in the surrounding area and I believe they also offer next day shipping for deliveries further afield. Links below for their website & Facebook page

BioCasa
https://www.facebook.com/biocasa.salud?fref=ts

Along the CDS I have found vegetarian restaurants in Estepona, Fuengirola & Malaga. 

Most offer some vegan options but the balance is heavily tilted in favour of veggie dishes. However, i have never had a problem asking that such dishes be made vegan, where possible. 

Despite finding a number of veggie & 'training' some local restaurants to be veggie friendly, the real saving grace for me was to hire a chef! Despite attending a number of vegetarian / vegan cooking classed when first arriving on the CDS, I am still very much in the 'can't cook, won't cook' crowd!!

With unemployment on the CDS high, here you will be able to find a 'cook' / 'chef' for around 10€ per hour. My friend has recently hired a mum & daughter cook / cleaner combo for 8€ per hour each, contracted to 1hour per day for cleaning and 2 hours per day for cooking all meals for the day, Mon-Fri. I myself pay more due to expertise and specific vegan food experience, along with the fact the service is provided by a local business which must give consideration to taxes. Should the use of such a service be of use, let me know and I can give you some tips on where to look for an experienced veggie / vegan chef. 

Hang on in there, I am sure you will soon find yourself being able to combine the lovely weather with problem free vegan eating options, making for a wonderful lifestyle! And most importantly eco friendly and cruelty free into the bargain


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## V-Dog (May 10, 2012)

thrax said:


> We took them to a vegetarian restaurant in Torre del Mar a few years ago (it closed not long after opening) in the hope that they would be able to enjoy the sorts of dishes they prefer. No chance. Every single vegetarian dish on offer came with either ham or tuna. They had seven soups on offer all of which were made with a base of either beef or chicken stock, but at least the stock was freshly made on the premises!! cheeses (not vegan, I know)


I am not surprised it closed! A vegetarian restaurant that serves ham & / or tuna, lol, ridiculous and somewhat funny at the same time!!

Btw,There are literally thousands of vegan cheeses available nowadays, many very tasty, and just like many of the non dairy milks on offer, they are, imo, tastier than the dairy offerings. 

Could you please provide further info on the planned opening of the 2 veggie restaurants you mentioend? Thanks in advance


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## V-Dog (May 10, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> Sandra is vegetarian, thankfully eats fish .



OMG! There is NO such thing as a vegetarian that eats fish!!


Definition of a vegetarian:

_A vegetarian is someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of dairy products and eggs.

A vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or by-products of slaughter._

An ex girlfriend of mine also claimed to be a vegetarian, yet she ate fish! I suggested that until she gave up eating fish she couldn't accurately / honestly claim to be a vegetarian. As she had spent 15+ years proudly claiming she was a veggie due to her love of animals, she wasn't long in changing, when realising her claims were invalid! 

Best wishes from me to Sandra for success with her quest to give up fish


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

V-Dog said:


> OMG! There is NO such thing as a vegetarian that eats fish!!
> 
> 
> Definition of a vegetarian:
> ...


I must admit, my OH says the same. Really, people who describe themselves as vegetarians but eat fish are partly responsible for restaurants failing to realise that putting tuna or other fish into dishes renders them unsuitable for vegetarians.

My OH once ordered a cheese sandwich, thinking at least that would be safe - oh no it wasn't, it came with tuna added! Who on earth thinks cheese and tuna is a good combination anyway?

The only saving grace is that he doesn't preach at me about what I should eat (apart from sometimes complaining about the smell of bacon or fish cooking!).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> I must admit, my OH says the same. Really, people who describe themselves as vegetarians but eat fish are partly responsible for restaurants failing to realise that putting tuna or other fish into dishes renders them unsuitable for vegetarians.
> 
> My OH once ordered a cheese sandwich, thinking at least that would be safe - oh no it wasn't, it came with tuna added! Who on earth thinks cheese and tuna is a good combination anyway?
> 
> The only saving grace is that he doesn't preach at me about what I should eat *(apart from sometimes complaining about the smell of bacon or fish cooking!*).


that's cos it's making his tastebuds sing


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

V-Dog said:


> I am not surprised it closed! A vegetarian restaurant that serves ham & / or tuna, lol, ridiculous and somewhat funny at the same time!!
> 
> Btw,There are literally thousands of vegan cheeses available nowadays, many very tasty, and just like many of the non dairy milks on offer, they are, imo, tastier than the dairy offerings.
> 
> Could you please provide further info on the planned opening of the 2 veggie restaurants you mentioend? Thanks in advance


You know that veggie doesn't include ham/ tuna, I know that veggie doesn't include ham/ tuna, but many Spanish restaurants still find it a challenge to not use these basic ingredients in their dishes. A lot of think they're doing you a favour by including them. It's a cultural thing, it's difficult and it's not ridiculous. Annoying, even infuriating at times, but sooner or later they will end up assimilating if the need continues. It's taking a long time admittedly, but there is more and more awareness. In Madrid we went to a crudivore restaurant recently. An experience not to be repeated by any of the four of us who went (one American, one English, two Spaniards, one veggie all others not)
Interesting alternative of the cook sorting out your meals!


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

We had our own bar/restaurant for a couple of years serving such British standards as Curries, lasagne, moussaka, Chilli (irony intended) and of course provided many vegetarian choices as is normal nowadays in a British eatery. On occasion were asked for vegan dishes so we changed the "v" (vegetarian) annotation on our menu to "V" for vegan on the appropriate items and somewhat to our surprise found that a fair few were.

I suspect you will have more success if you seek out UK style restaurants - they are more used to providing for such tastes.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

V-Dog said:


> I am not surprised it closed! A vegetarian restaurant that serves ham & / or tuna, lol, ridiculous and somewhat funny at the same time!!


This is Spain and you really should make an effort to understand the culture of the country you live in. Meat is meat, flesh, _carne_. Ham and tuna aren't _carne_. Practising Catholics who give up meat during Lent will still eat _jamón _and fish. That's where these "ridiculous" restaurant owners are coming from. Try to be a bit more tolerant and a bit less patronising.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> My OH once ordered a cheese sandwich, thinking at least that would be safe - oh no it wasn't, it came with tuna added! Who on earth thinks cheese and tuna is a good combination anyway?


The most scandalous thing I have read in this thread to be honest.
What an odd combination.

This is why I don't eat out, no matter what you order there is still something on the plate that I don't eat. Normally a salad, rogue veggie or a tuna/cheese sandwich or something.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

Be on the lookout for a _sandwich vegetal_ then. It is tuna that seems to be mixed with Sandwich Spread. Quite delicious, for we omnivores, but not what you veggiesaurs might expect.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

V-Dog said:


> OMG! There is NO such thing as a vegetarian that eats fish!!
> 
> 
> Definition of a vegetarian:
> ...


I hope she doesn't. . I'm a carnivore but rarely eat meat at home as I can't be arsed to cook it just for me. My diet is certainly healthier but I don't want to spend my days wracking my brains asto what to have for lunch that we both can eat.
Tbh I don't think Sandra will care much about what the correct labelling of her choice should be.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

V-Dog said:


> With unemployment on the CDS high, here you will be able to find a 'cook' / 'chef' for around 10€ per hour. My friend has recently hired a mum & daughter cook / cleaner combo for 8€ per hour each, contracted to 1hour per day for cleaning and 2 hours per day for cooking all meals for the day, Mon-Fri. I myself pay more due to expertise and specific vegan food experience, along with the fact the service is provided by a local business which must give consideration to taxes. Should the use of such a service be of use, let me know and I can give you some tips on where to look for an experienced veggie / vegan chef.
> 
> Hang on in there, I am sure you will soon find yourself being able to combine the lovely weather with problem free vegan eating options, making for a wonderful lifestyle! And most importantly eco friendly and cruelty free into the bargain


I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read this.

By my arithmetic, your friend is spending 48 € a day five days a week to maintain her lifestyle choice. That's 220€ a week, almost €1000 a month, if I've understood correctly. 

No further comment.


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## V-Dog (May 10, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> This is Spain and you really should make an effort to understand the culture of the country you live in. Meat is meat, flesh, _carne_. Ham and tuna aren't _carne_. Practising Catholics who give up meat during Lent will still eat _jamón _and fish. That's where these "ridiculous" restaurant owners are coming from. Try to be a bit more tolerant and a bit less patronising.


Do get over yourself, your are totally missing the point!

Had the restaurant been any other type of restaurant other than a 'Vegetarian Restaurant' I would not have commented as I did. The 'ridiculous' comments is not patronising, perfectly appropriate given the ridiculous circumstances! Such a comment would be equally appropriate, in an equally ridiculous situation, such as a 'fish restaurant' or a 'steak house' trading without offering fish or steak, such a situation would be equal in the ridic stakes, and therefore worthy of such commenting.

Just for the record, I have spent a great deal of time visiting and learning about the culture here, pre & post move! In any event, there is a good chance that the restaurant proprietors in question are not even Spanish, perhaps it better suggested that it is in fact you that has been patronising to presume so!


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## V-Dog (May 10, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read this.
> 
> By my arithmetic, your friend is spending 48 € a day five days a week to maintain her lifestyle choice. That's 220€ a week, almost €1000 a month, if I've understood correctly.
> 
> No further comment.


Arithmetic = €8 per hour x 3 x 5 = €120 per week 

But since only the chef costings are of any relevance here - €8 per hour x 2 x 5 = €80 per week

Can't for the life understand the inference of the laugh or cry comment???


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

V-Dog said:


> Arithmetic = €8 per hour x 3 x 5 = €120 per week
> 
> But since only the chef costings are of any relevance here - €8 per hour x 2 x 5 = €80 per week
> 
> Can't for the life understand the inference of the laugh or cry comment???


I thought you said they hired these two people for two hours for cleaning and another hour for cooking, ... Six hours a day? That's how I read it. Two people, three hours work each.
So 6 x€8 = €48 x5 =220 € . That is a lot of money a month for people on low incomes. I take it you wouldn't be urging this course of action to a Spanish worker. OK for Brits who are so inclined, I guess.

I'm presuming you wear no leather goods. - shoes, belts, jackets- and that any cotton or woollen garments you wear are untainted by pesticide?


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

V-Dog said:


> Do get over yourself, your are totally missing the point!
> 
> Had the restaurant been any other type of restaurant other than a 'Vegetarian Restaurant' I would not have commented as I did. The 'ridiculous' comments is not patronising, perfectly appropriate given the ridiculous circumstances! Such a comment would be equally appropriate, in an equally ridiculous situation, such as a 'fish restaurant' or a 'steak house' trading without offering fish or steak, such a situation would be equal in the ridic stakes, and therefore worthy of such commenting.
> 
> Just for the record, I have spent a great deal of time visiting and learning about the culture here, pre & post move! In any event, there is a good chance that the restaurant proprietors in question are not even Spanish, perhaps it better suggested that it is in fact you that has been patronising to presume so!


Veganism and vegetarianism are I'm afraid viwed as 'ridiculous' or incomprehensible to very many people. Try being vegan or vegetarian in the Czech Republic. 
Frankly I couldn't give a damn what people eat. It's their choice. I do find it mildly irritating to be told that 'meat is murder' or made to feel that a non- meat dietis in any wáy ethically 'superior'.

There are very many parts of Spain where non- Spanish venta and restaurant owners are rather thin on the ground. Fuengirola isn't one of them, I know, but that's not the case where most people live.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> This is Spain and you really should make an effort to understand the culture of the country you live in. Meat is meat, flesh, _carne_. Ham and tuna aren't _carne_. Practising Catholics who give up meat during Lent will still eat _jamón _and fish. That's where these "ridiculous" restaurant owners are coming from. Try to be a bit more tolerant and a bit less patronising.


I can just about understand why tuna might not qualify as flesh I suppose but Jamon?


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

jimenato said:


> I can just about understand why tuna might not qualify as flesh I suppose but Jamon?


The best explanation I could find: the wealthy were obliged to give to the church the money they saved on meat when fasting. Because dried fish and cured meats (e.g. jamón) were subsistence foods for peasants, they weren't valuable in the way that red meat was.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Isn't it funny how all these restaurant proprietors so faithful to deep-rooted tradition appeared to have no difficulty adapting to such new-fangled ideas as frozen chips and microwave ovens?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> Isn't it funny how all these restaurant proprietors so faithful to deep-rooted tradition appeared to have no difficulty adapting to such new-fangled ideas as frozen chips and microwave ovens?


I hate both of them (and don't have either of them), but the key to survival in many ways is adapting and mixing the old and the new!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I know people are and should be free to choose what they eat, wear etc. and yes, I know there is an ethical dimension to many of our activities. But so many of our 'ethical' choices seem to involve an awful lot of time and trouble -and money - and most of these are very 'me' directed. 

As Alcalaina has rightly pointed out, many cultures, not just the Spanish, have widely differing views as to what is normal, usual, ridiculous or cruel. I'm not into cultural relativism but I do acknowledge those differences. I abhor the practice of eating dogs which is widespread in some East Asian cultures but then there are cultures which prohibit the consumption of beef or pork.

I detest animal cruelty but I eat meat because if I stopped doing so it would make absolutely no difference to the custom. So I spend time doing outward-directed things like helping to find good homes for abandoned animals, raising money to help pay for their food and medical care and in the past cleaning out their **** from their pens.
It's just my opinion but many current enthusiasms and quite a few New Age fads are very narcissistic in that they focus entirely on the individual and not on the wider society where so many things need changing. It's a kind of spiritual Thatcherism.
No amount of aromatherapy, meditation or gazing at crystals is going to make me a better person. I am what I am, formed by my upbringing and the society that I as a very little fish swam in. But I and every one of us can do something to make others feel a little better with their lives.
Vegans, vegetarians, non-meat-eaters, carnivores...it's all a personal choice and whether you can exercise it depends on where you are and your means. But there is no moral hierarchy in these choices, not to me anyway, and I enjoyed a great solomillo de ternera with salsa Roquefort at our local Spanish-owned restaurant yesterday.
As Berthold Brecht said 'Eats first, morals afterwards'. In my case anyway...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I don't suppose anybody would say to a Jew or a Muslim "oh, don't be so fussy, it's only a bit of ham, it won't kill you", would they?

We also had a very nice meal yesterday at our nearest Thai restaurant. Vegetable tempura with chili dipping sauce as a complimentary appetiser, my OH then had vegetarian spring rolls followed by a vegetable red curry and sticky rice (very, very spicy as requested). None of those vegetarian options is on the menu, but the chef/proprietor is more than happy to provide them as she has all the ingredients used in her kitchen anyway, and can charge €9.00 for a dish which probably cost less than €2 in ingredients. 

Just as a lot of Spanish restaurants would have ingredients to hand to be able to offer a vegetarian option, if they were prepared to do it. Even if all it takes is leaving the tuna out of a cheese sandwich.

We often see so-called vegetal sandwiches on menus but when the ingredients are listed they include chicken, ham or tuna. At least those can be avoided because they've bothered to list (accurately) what's in them. Unlike the innocuous baked potato with aioli which my OH once bought, unwrapped and found chopped ham in the aioli. Into the bin it went. It really is that hard for vegetarians in Spain.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> I don't suppose anybody would say to a Jew or a Muslim "oh, don't be so fussy, it's only a bit of ham, it won't kill you", would they?


Well, I would. In fact I have! In some parts of the world, Turkey for example, Muslims do eat pork, and drink alcohol too. Lots of Jews in the US now eat pork and seafood. Not eating them made sense in the Middle East in the days before refrigeration, but these days observing religious food doctrines is after all just another lifestyle choice.

I have a vegetarian friend from London who now eats jamón ibérico when she's over here because she has seen the pigs grazing on acorns in the dehesas and is reassured that there are no animal welfare issues to worry about.

I too am concerned about animal welfare and try not to eat factory-raised meat if I can help it. That's easy here, because I know exactly where it has come from. Our local economy would collapse without all the retinto beef cattle and dairy goats. But I wouldn't embarrass my friends in a restaurant by insisting the mayonnaise was made with a free range egg.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> I don't suppose anybody would say to a Jew or a Muslim "oh, don't be so fussy, it's only a bit of ham, it won't kill you", would they?
> 
> We also had a very nice meal yesterday at our nearest Thai restaurant. Vegetable tempura with chili dipping sauce as a complimentary appetiser, my OH then had vegetarian spring rolls followed by a vegetable red curry and sticky rice (very, very spicy as requested). None of those vegetarian options is on the menu, but the chef/proprietor is more than happy to provide them as she has all the ingredients used in her kitchen anyway, and can charge €9.00 for a dish which probably cost less than €2 in ingredients.
> 
> ...


Well, I go back to what I said before, vegeterianism does not include ham, nor tuna, but Spain's restauranteers resist that definition. I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of them are not as thick as two short planks, and would like to sell more food if they could. I believe it's more of a cultural (mis) perception, than a refusal to sell vegetarian food. 
I must say in Madrid and round about it used to be far more problematic than it is now to get vegetarian food, or to ask restaurants to adapt existing menus. Slowly but surely vegetarianism is making its mark.
PS In Spain I can quite believe that a chef/ cook/ waiter/ restaurant owner would say "oh, don't be so fussy, it's only a bit of ham, it won't kill you", and without a trace of malice, too!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I must say in Madrid and round about it used to be far more problematic than it is now to get vegetarian food, or to ask restaurants to adapt existing menus. Slowly but surely vegetarianism is making its mark.
> PS In Spain I can quite believe that a chef/ cook/ waiter/ restaurant owner would say "oh, don't be so fussy, it's only a bit of ham, it won't kill you", and without a trace of malice, too!


We come to Madrid for a few days every year and really enjoy the choice of restaurants available. In Sevilla, too, the choice is much better than it was a few years ago, and I know other cities in various areas of Spain are the same. We've been to a very good vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the Ruzafa area of Valencia (called Copenhagen) although as a meat and fish eater myself I normally prefer to go to a restaurant which has choices to suit everybody.

That's why on our travels we tend to stick to the cities rather than out in the sticks. Have fond memories (not) of the restaurant in Colmenar we called into one Sunday lunchtime when out and about with visiting family. Having seen two or three decent sounding vegetarian-friendly dishes on the menu and tried to order each in turn, only to be told they weren't available, I explained to the waitress that my OH didn't eat any meat or fish and asked what he could have to eat. "Lechuga" she said, and laughed. We left. Egg and chips would have done, but that was just plain rude.

I don't want to make this sound like some anti-Spanish diatribe, btw. Other restaurants can be just as bad. A British owned "gastrobar" with a British chef has just opened in Torre del Mar, and we thought we'd give it a try one day last week. One glance at the menu put paid to that, not a single vegetarian option on it, not even a "vegetarian dishes available on request". So they won't be getting any custom from us.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Have just remembered (to give credit where it's due) that you do come across the occasional little gem in the most unlikely setting. Some friends recently took us to El Acebuchal, which is about as off the beaten track as you can get, and the menu there, although featuring mainly game dishes (and run by a delightful Spanish family) does always offer a vegetarian option.

Bar el Acebuchal, Frigiliana - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

La Patria on the Costa de la Luz near Vejer de la Frontera is another fantastic place, off the beaten track, with lots of veggie options.

It's run by Danes though 

RESTAURANTE PATRIA


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> La Patria on the Costa de la Luz near Vejer de la Frontera is another fantastic place, off the beaten track, with lots of veggie options.
> 
> It's run by Danes though
> 
> RESTAURANTE PATRIA


Now that looks lovely, just shows what can be done with just a bit of imagination and creativity, rather than "we've been doing it this way for the past 100 years and if you don't like it you can s*d off"!


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> Now that looks lovely, just shows what can be done with just a bit of imagination and creativity, rather than "we've been doing it this way for the past 100 years and if you don't like it you can s*d off"!


Yes, but it works because it is in an area with a lot of visitors from Northern Europe. It wouldn't work in my village, because there are only a handful of foreign visitors and most of those come to sample the game and other meat products for which the area is famous. The vast majority of locals are extremely conservative about food and very reluctant to try anything new. Restauranteurs aren't necessarily being stubborn, just meeting demand!

One enterprising person started doing veggie kebabs on the parrilla but a visiting vegetarian (English) complained that it been had cooked on the same grill as the meat, and refused to eat it. It would have been totally unrealistic to hold up all the meat orders while they cleaned the grill for one customer. That illustrates my point about having to compromise sometimes.


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## xtranjera (Jun 17, 2014)

I'm a pescetarian living in Spain. I was a pescetarian for years, but now that I live in Spain I'm shifting more towards vegetarian. Its 100% because of the sad little fish faces still attached to the body when you order it.

My DH's traditional Catalan family loved meeting me, but when I told them I didn't eat meat they had a 20 minute panic attack. Everyone from the grandmother down to the 7 year old cousin looked at me like a 3 eyed martian.

jajaja I think its funny. 

But I do miss not having to explain myself and my food decisions.

Por los gustos, los colores!


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