Vulcan Eating Habits

[Linda]

Another thought. In TNG, Beverly Crusher (I think) was offering to prepare a dish of Vulcan mollusks. Would Vulcans make the distinction between life which has a katra, a soul, and animals, fish, insects, that might not feel much pain or have much of a thought process? Would they eat these katra-less creatures? Would Vulcans swat mosquitos?

[blacknblue]

Would Vulcans kill bacteria? Virii? Parasites?

[Emberchyld]

Would Vulcans kill bacteria? Virii? Parasites?

Anyone else here just think of that virus-killing tissue commercial with the Buddhist monk?

[TSara]

Maybe they follow the eat nothing with a face philosophy?

Mollusks don't have a face do they?

Or maybe they don't actually eat the Mollusks....they just export them as food.

[CX]

That's more of what I was thinking.

[Linda]

Well, I am not sure they didn't eat the mollusks. If I remember right, it was a Vulcan recipe. And considering their somewhat strict moral code, I don't see them saying "It is against my morality to eat those mollusks. But I will ripe them out of their environment on my homeworld and sell them to you so you can eat them". Of course, guys like V'Las are capable of doing that and I will bet there are a few more like him among the billions of Vulcans.

[Emberchyld]

I wonder if they judge it by brain capacity? I can so see a Vulcan scanning a life form and, when it falls below the radar intelligence-wise, eating it.

Mollusks pretty much fall under the incredibly unintelligent category...

[Linda]

LOL, you are right. I remember the definition of a hermit crab: 4K RAM on board, one small claw for feeding, one large claw for social occassions. Yeah, I think hard-shelled marine life might come in below the Vulcan intelligence radar, especially since Humans probably come in just slightly over the dividing line, ha, ha.

[CX]

I doubt that would be the case since chickens are hardly intelligent creatures, and Spock seemed pretty upset at the idea of eating a drumstick and enjoying it. He didn't make any distinction, it was just the flesh of an animal.

[Linda]

Well, Spock is canon, so there are Vulcans who would not make the intelligence distinction - they probably would just not eat ANY animal. But Tavin is canon also, and he ate chicken - even if the explantion for that is he deviates from the norm. And a case can be made that since there was a Vulcan mollusk recipe in TNG a hundred years after Spock's chicken refusal in TOS, that there are continuing differences among Vulcans on what it is okay to eat and what isn't. I tend to think that it is only logical that these differences exist among such a large population as four billion.

[WarpGirl]

I've given this a lot of research and even more thought. I've come to the conclusion that Vulcans are not Vegans. In "Fight or Flight" T'Pol, Trip, and Archer are eating an Italian pasta dish. Take it from a half/Italian girl, Pasta dough is made with semolina flour and egg yokes. I've made a lot of fresh pasta. If T'Pol was a strict vegan she wouldn't have eaten it. Also we know she's eaten Pecan Pie and that has butter in the filling and the crust. So obviously milk products would be acceptable. I don't think most Vulcans would have an omlet for breakfast and a glass of milk, but it's safe to say they'll eat foods with eggs and Milk Products. I don't think cheese is a problem because if I remember right T'Pol eats pizza in an episode as well. Also we have to remember that Vulcans will make exceptions in cultural situations. All in all I think Vulcans can vary as to what types of animal products they would ingest. Some may be completely vegan some may not.

What I don't understand is the Vulcan views on drinking, they make Port but they don't drink it? And Spock has had Romulan Ale at least once in "Undiscovered Country." But he refuses McCoy's brandy. Sorry B-B messed up on that one.

[WarpGirl]

Hey sorry for the double but I was hit by a wave of inspiration. Over the course of ENT T'Pol has been subjected to a variety of foods, some she likes others not-so-much. But why did they never introduce her to the most important food of all? CHOCOLATE! I mean that is a possiblity full of nuance. Chocolate is healthy, and has ant-depressant, and aphrodasiacal properties. And well it tastes like sweet sin. The scientist in T'Pol should be curious about such a food. Out of all the foods to challenge her with this should have made the list.

[Alelou]

Oh, there are fics about this. I believe there's more than one where Hoshi introduces T'Pol to the most important food of all...

(I just came home starving from my thrift store shift and ate way too many chocolate biscuits.)

[WarpGirl]

I've read them myself. Even one where Trip was ALMOST a bigger chocolate whore that I AM! Although, I'm pretty sure it isn't possible. But really it should have been written in the show, because sometimes food is an extra character. And come on, it's chocolate!

[Alelou]

TRIP a chocolate whore? Dang, I think I missed that one.