Once only found in health food stores and hippy-dippy food joints, the veggie burger is now available in just about any restaurant that serves hamburgers.

I was hanging out one day at the Portland home of Paul Wenner, the creator of the original veggie burger. I told him about going to a brew-pub to get a veggie burger and a beer. I noticed on the menu the option to get bacon on the veggie burger. I was rather surprised. I told Paul that it seemed that some people did not get the concept of a meatless burger. He was not surprised at all. “We call that the ‘sin’ burger.”

I don’t think it a sin to eat meat, I just prefer not to. And I suppose even meat-eaters may want to cut down their consumption and will order a vegetarian option at a restaurant. In fact, I have to get in the front of the line at buffet style potlucks because the meat-eaters will also go for the vegetarian food, too often leaving me with nothing to eat!

It’s great to see that vegetarian food is more acceptable to more people. What about you? Do you occasionally have a “sin burger” or go for some other vegetarian option? Or do you find that the taste and texture just does not do it for you?