It looks good, it tastes like nothing one earth

[venta]

Here is a useful thing I just came across. At least, it is useful if you are planning to go to Japan and are not omnivorous:

Cut-out-and-keep cards explaining various dietary restrictions, in Japanese

I think these are a great idea, particularly for countries in which your average foreign person is all at sea with the language. It occurs to me that I haven't bought a phrasebook in a long time - maybe these days they have a handy set of stock phrases for common allergies/intolerances/choices?

Comments

[lanfykins.livejournal.com]

Such a sensible concept.

In fact, there are times when such cards might come in handy in this country...

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

Useful; I think I've seen such things before though. I resorted to drawing pictures to explain in a restaurant in Armenia once.

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

A friend has the misfortune to have an intolerance to any and all egg products. She found out (the hard way) that many people think "intolerance" means "I can't have very much of it" and switched to saying "allergy" even though this is technically incorrect.
Also, she found out that apparently "any part of the egg at all" does not seem to include the white: "oh, there wasn't any yolk in it so I thought you'd be ok" - well, you thought wrong...
And so forth.

As for me, I can't eat blackcurrants without being very unwell. It's not a big issue, but I feel for thouse with more major issues:
Q. What fruit is on today's fruit cheesecake?
A. I don't know. Does it matter?
Q. Is there any bleackcurrant in this?
A. I don't know. Does it matter?
(nb - to stand a chance of a correct answer, ask an open question without giving them a clue what answer is better.)
Q. So, Ian, is it the flesh of the fruit that causes you to be unwell or the juice?
A. I have no idea, and I don't wish to be violently ill while I experiment on this one. Omitting all blackcurrant from my diet is just fine.
Q. Are you sure you can't eat blackcurrants?
A. Yes, quite sure, thank you.
et cetera, ad nauseam, literally sometimes...

[exspelunca.livejournal.com]

Try being violently allergic to alcohol, which I was for 30 years. No-one believes you. "just a little one..." No, not even a sip. And the very real fear that some clown would spike your tonic with vodka.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

The cards are pretty good, but it would be nice if they made the distinction between fish and veggie dashi.

I also used to find "I can't eat X" (even for religious reasons) seemed to work better than "I don't eat X"