Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

2fer post: Quorn and McDonald's

I didn't used to like meat substitutes. I tried some soy burgers years ago and found them lacking, and since I wasn't giving up meat totally anyway, I didn't see a reason to substitute fake for the real thing. I ate bean chili and tacos, and vegetable sandwiches, and just left meat out of dishes where I didn't need it, like spaghetti sauce and pizza.

In attempting to expand the non-meat meal options, though, I started trying it again. I don't know if my tastes have changed or if the food technology has improved, but I have no trouble eating veggie or soy patties instead of hamburgers. I still prefer my chili with just beans, but I have found good seitan taco fillings. And I love Quorn*, a fermented mycofungus...which doesn't sound very appealing...but it tastes, well, remarkably like chicken. (It may also taste like beef, but I haven't tried the beefy-flavored stuff.)

I've made Quorn parmesan, buffalo Quorn sandwiches, and just eaten it plain.

Today a vegetarian friend was asking me if they made Quorn meatballs (yes; they are new) and I ended up on the Quorn UK web page. It's been availale in Europe a lot longer than it has here, and they have way more types available...sliced sandwich Quorn. Quorn Pâté. Tikka Masala Quorn with Pilau Rice. I am so jealous.

This is the one that really got me, though: McQuorn.

Ok, it's actually called "Quorn premire," a "succulent Quorn fillet topped with sweet chilli sauce, Hellmann's extra light mayonnaise, tomato and lettuce all in a foccacia bun."

Foccacia bun?

Hey. We don't have foccacia buns here. What else does McDonald's have for the Brits that we don't get?

Well, they have a grilled chicken caprese (grilled chicken breast, topped with basil sauce, a slice of cheese made with mozzarella, rocket, tomato and onion all in a tasty sun-dried tomato and olive bun), another chicken sandwich with sour cream and chive sauce and salsa, and a cheeseburger with Emmental.

This is sorta silly, I guess, but I got a real kick out of looking at the web page...so familiar, yet not quite. Which lead me to check out other McDonald's around the world...

In Australia, they have a Vege burger with a chickpea patty, and cheese and tomato sandwiches for breakfast.

In India (where I can't imagine hamburgers being terribly popular), they have a Paneer Salsa Wrap...and interestingly, a Chicken Mexican Wrap. One of the Happy Meals is a McAloo Tikki. They also keep the cooking areas for the vegetarian and meat products completely separate, which is cool.

Uruguay has the McHuevo, a burger with a poached egg.

In Italy they have an interesting-looking square sandwich and I think maybe shrimp, but I don't spreak a word of Italian so I don't know for sure.

Wow. And I was excited when they added that good Newman's Own dressing here in the US.

*Quorn footnote...some people, particularly those who are sensitive to mold, can have significant adverse reactions to Quorn. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has called for it to be banned, a move I disagree with (people are allergic to milk and peanuts, too, but you don't see a movement to ban their sales)...but I do think the potential hazards should be well communicated.

Posted by Nic at April 16, 2004 08:39 AM