The Stew Is NOT the Problem

There is a party of special magnificence being held, and you've been invited. (No, not necessarily in Hobbiton, but if it helps to envision it, go for it!)

Like all worthwhile community gatherings, everyone is asked to bring a dish to share, and you are all too happy to oblige. After all, you have this AMAZING beef stew recipe that your grandmother has been sharing for generations.

It's your favorite. You know every ingredient, and you wouldn't change a thing.

On the day of the party, you proudly place your stew on the buffet table, only to discover a few other stews in the mix. In fact, your cousin has brought their own adaptation of Grandma's stew recipe. This version is vegan - an affront to your sensibilities, and when you tried it, you really didn't like it.

You see, you follow every step exactly as Grandma intended. You even spent time with Grandma as she cooked it to make sure you got it exactly right. You know the history, the ingredients, and why she made it that way. Your cousin has changed all sorts of things in their version.

Clearly, yours is the best.

Or...is it?

Your cousin LOVES their version. Maybe their tastes have changed. Maybe they don't eat meat anymore. Maybe they simply prefer it.

Whatever the reason, that's their opinion. And yours is that Grandma's original is clearly the winner. I mean, come on, its the OG.

Perfectly fine.

But wait...

You return to the buffet table and discover that more people are eating the vegan stew! Yours has a few servings taken out, but this modern adaptation of Grandma's classic is almost gone.

You internally freak out - WTF! (What the Freak!)

You walk over to a nearby table and announce to someone enjoying the vegan stew, "You know, the original recipe is WAY better."

They look up, confused, and a bit shy by the aggression. "Um... okay."

You spot a teenager eating the offending vegan version.

"Did you try the original? That's the one this is based on. It's much better."

"No, I'm vegetarian. But thanks."

This is insanity.

You KNOW Grandma's recipe. You've been eating it your entire life. You know exactly how it's supposed to taste.

Something needs to be done.

So you climb onto a chair and demand everyone's attention.

"EVERYONE! You need to know the TRUTH about the stew being served here! They're calling it BEEF STEW, but THERE'S NO BEEF! Grandma's ORIGINAL recipe is being replaced by an imitation, and people are actually eating it! Don't be fooled!"

The room goes quiet.

Everyone looks at you.

Then they look away, mumbling about the person standing on a chair yelling about stew. A few get up and move to tables farther away.

You slink back down, feeling a little ashamed, though you do get a brief nod from Uncle Eddy.