Why are vegetarian meat substitute dishes always called, cutlets or sausages or mince etc?

Question

does it show a lack of imagination or should the manufacturers just sell the product in 'lumps' i.e '6 quorn lumps' instead of '6 quorn cutlets'?

Answer 1

I don't care if you vote me as best answer or not. But either you are a bit stupid or you just like asking dumb questions because you've got nothing better to do. They are called cutlets, burgers, sausages or mince because that is exactly what they are.

Why is a pork sausage called a pork sausage, because it's a sausage made of pork. Why is the minced fruit that goes into fruit pies called minced, because it is minced.

If people showed 'imagination' as you call it we might call a sausage a jahgehogiv, then what, would you even know what it is, let alone by one and eat it.

If you make something that looks like a cutlet, burger, sausage, or whatever its called a cutlet, burger, sausage or whatever.

This is know as semantics.

It is what it is. Oh by the way mince is not a lump, so it can't be called a lump if its a minced something.

Answer 2

Those things appeal primarily to people who used to eat meat, or more meat, and miss it. People who've never tasted meat and meat lovers have, obviously, little use for a meat substitute.

So my guess is that it's part of the marketing. If you're craving something cutletty, something labelled 'cutlet' might do it, but a lump? No way.

See also non-dairy 'ice cream.'

Speaking as somebody who thoroughly dislikes them, though, I'd _love_ to see them labelled 'lumps' &c. And, 'mush,' 'logs,' 'cylinders,' 'disks,' etc -- but, mostly, 'lumps.' 'Contents: edible lump products...'

Answer 3

Cos that's what they are. It's what's done to the veg. Minced, cutletted and made into sausages.

Answer 4

they are marketed by people who eat meat. people who cant get over the idea that a product will sell in its own right without a meat association.

i work in a restaurant where we have a duck substitute,chicken substitute,mutton substitute,pork substitute, bacon substitute......it's a veggie restaurant but the owner cant get over the meat association. a lot of people think these substitutes suck especially vegans who find it hard to eat something that is pretending to be something it isn't.

personally i like them. not because of what they are called but how they taste(no...they don't taste like meat) you could call them anything you like i will still eat them.

Answer 5

i love the taste of all those little minces. they are only breed in wisconsin and once a year millions are killed to make mince meat pies at thanksgiving. i just can't wait till i get a mince meat pie this year.

Answer 6

Maybe cos a lot of veggies miss eating meaty stuff? Makes them think of the "olden days" when they ate meat?

I'd buy "chunks", chunks is a good word.

Answer 7

good point!
i saw the linda mcartney range of frozen veggie stuff, at sainsburys, just after she died, and it was all over the media.
Boxes with her picture, labelled linda mcartney, in the freezer, were suddenly macarbe!

Answer 8

to make soy CRAP sound interesting.
does a car salesman tell you everything that sucks about a car you like? or everything thats good?

Answer 9

If they don't like like meat why do they want it to look like meat

Answer 10

so people don't feel left out, a veggie can have 'chops' and chips too