[brnaftr361]

I don't even think it's necessarily the taste of meat, but rather having something that is as widely compatible with recipes as what it is intended to replace.

For instance, some of these replacement items can't be boiled as one might in making a soup. It makes it difficult to complete a meal without refactoring the whole thing in some cases.

Plain meat is pretty... From what I recall typically doesn't have much taste without several additives like salt, butter, herbs typically marinated... You can do all that with the replacements, typically.