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I’ve eaten some Quorn.  There, I said it.  Nothing to be ashamed about.  We’ll leave the matter there.  Oh, so you’re wondering how come I came to eat some Quorn?  Okay, I suppose it does require some kind of explanation so I’ll ‘splain.

Mum has been tinkering – on the brink as she says to all her friends – of being a vegetarian for a while.  She had a recipe that she likes but it uses cooked chicken and she didn’t want to use chicken.  She told me that while she was in her food shop last week, looking for meat alternatives, she found something called ‘Quorn roast chicken flavour pieces’. 

She was a bit nervous about using it as she was worried about the taste and texture.  The recipe calls for cooked chicken, some salad leaves, half an avocado and a handful of grapes, cut in half.  You add a little bit of olive oil mixed with some lemon juice, salt and pepper and you have a lovely lunch – according to the picture she showed me.

Having already made it, reluctantly, with cooked chicken, she now tried it with the ‘Quorn roast chicken flavour pieces’.  I came and sat with her on the sofa while she watched the 1 o’clock news, to give her a bit of moral support.  When our humans go through nerve-wracking experiences it’s part of our job description to be there with a paw on the thigh, to say: ‘hey, it’s okay.  I’m here with you.  You are not alone.  And if you’re not going to eat that, I’ll have first dibs.’

Nervously, she picked up a piece of QRCFP (I’m fed up with keep typing it out – it takes too long!) on her fork, adding a sliver of avocado and half a grape.  Looking at me, and me with a paw on her thigh, she put the fork gingerly into her mouth.  I half expected the whole lot to be sprayed out from her mouth, but she closed her mouth and munched quietly.  ‘Hm,’ she said, putting another piece of QRCFP, sliver of avocado and half a grape and a bit of Chinese leaves onto the fork.  ‘Would you like to try some, Casey?’ she finally asked after about three forkfuls had made their entry.

‘Is the Pope Catholic?’ I responded, ‘of course, I would like to try some.’

She broke off a little piece and held it out to me.  I sniffed it first.  It did smell like roast chicken.  I licked it; it did taste a little bit like roast chicken.  I went for the whole hog then and snapped it out of her fingers, a bit too quickly for her as she was taken by surprise.  I nibbled.  ‘Hmm.’

She offered me another bit and this time I was more gentle, less eager to snap her fingers off.  I had to make sure that this QRCFP was going to be the perfect choice for Mum, so I had to try four and a half pieces before I gave her my verdict.  The only reason I didn’t eat the other half was because it had a bit of the lemon and oil dressing and it made my eyes water and my whiskers curl up.

I told Mum that if she wanted to be a vegetarian she had my blessing, but Gibbs and I would remain on our meaty/fishy cat food, thank you very much.     

Till the next time

Casey - who's happy to broaden his experiences

  

Dogs Come when Called

"Dogs come when called. Cats take a message and get back to you."

"Of course, every cat is really the most beautiful woman in the room."

Edward Verrall Luca (essayist)