Halal, Kosher, Vegan, and ?

[phatch]

I am curious about religious food restrictions. I am familiar with Halal, Kosher, and the Budhisst/Jainist traditions. It seems that I remember one of the Christian Orthodox or Coptic groups also having such traditions but I can't remember.

Any info on that one or others?

Phil

[coolJ]

First of all, Vegan isn't religous, I know that 7th day adventists are vegetarian, but they do eat milk and cheese. Another one, Roman Catholics, aren't supposed to eat red meat on Fridays. hope this helps. If am wrong with my info, please correct me, because sometimes with different religions a person doesn't always get everything correct, and it is important, at least I think it is, to be accurate on stuff like this.

[phatch]

I picked the word Vegan to encompass the lesser forms as well. Not that it does, it was just the most extreme form so the others would have been covered by that level of restriction.

phil

[Isa]

Originally posted by coolJ
Roman Catholics, aren't supposed to eat red meat on Fridays.

Thought it was no meat at all.

[Pongi]

Isa, you're correct, Roman Catholics are supposed to avoid any meat (except for fish) on Fridays, and all the days before a main festivity. These days are called "Giorni di magro". There are also some days called "Giorni di Digiuno" (Fast days) when food restrictions are greater and you're supposed to eat only vegetables. In example, on December 24th lunch is "di Digiuno" and dinner is "di Magro".
I must say that nowadays also the practising Catholics follow these prescriptions only seldom...except for Christmas Eve, when ALL the Italians eat exclusively fish independently from their religious habits.
When I was a child, however, although my family wasn't particularly religious all those food restrictions were respected.

Pongi

[phatch]

I knew about the Catholic friday thing, but had forgotten it. Thus the tradition of fish dishes in restaurants on fridays.

Phil

[Isa]

I had no idea we weren't suppose to have meat on Christmas Pongi. Makes me wonder how turkey became so popular for Christmas dinner.

Does Giorni di magro mean a lean day? I'm sorry I can't find a better word to described it. I'm thinking of the french word maigre.

[Mezzaluna]

I thought Mormons had food restrictions too- caffeine, for instance- but I'm not sure of the specifics.

[phatch]

Yes, the Mormons do, but it's really just three things. Alcohol, coffee, tea. Tobacco too, but eating that is a bit extreme anyway. Herbal tea is OK. For them, cooking with alcohol is a grey area. I know some who don't, and some who do. Both sides think the other is off base a bit.

Phil

[Pongi]

Isa,
Lean days is correct, just the word I was looking for!
As for Christmas, we eat fish on Christmas' EVE... but on Christmas' DAY we stuff ourselves with plenty of meat! The usual main courses of Christmas lunch in Italy are Bollito (mixed boiled meat with sauces) and stuffed poultry, traditionally capon. Since finding a good capon has become very difficult (growing up a capon is very expensive compared to other poultry) it's often substituted with hen, chicken or turkey.
BTW, another traditional lean/fast day is Le Ceneri (Ashes Day), the first day of Lent.

Pongi

[Isa]

Thank you Pongi. I do remember lent. You're not suppose to have sweets that's why they invented hot cross buns. I think I'll go make a batch....

[Athenaeus]

I think that this is the appropriate day for me to reply to this nice thread

Today it's Clean Monday for the Ortodox Church, the first day of the Great Lent, the 40 days period before Easter.

During the Great Lent , we abstain from everything that contains blood. Meat, poultry, fish. We also abstain from dairy products. Olive oil is excluded too,during Fridays. As you see it's a severe fast period.

During these 40 days only in March 25 we are allowed to eat fish.

These restrictions resulted in the creation of very very interesting dishes, mostly caseroles.I can share a few if you wish.

Generally speaking, we abstain from meat, every Thusday and Friday plus the period of Great Lent.

[brreynolds]

Dishes that contain no meat or cheese should interest vegans. I'm not one myself - I'm a confirmed carnivore (omnivore, actually) - but I do have friends who are strict vegetarians, and I'm always interested in learning about dishes that they and I both might enjoy.