World Vegan Day - Celebrating 65 Years of Veganism
Tomorrow is World Vegan Day, for some of you around the globe, it is today already. So what? Why should you care? Well, it's certainly not as well-known or celebrated as Halloween is. But it is a chance to get out and meet with other vegans, to sample vegan fare, to stand up for animal rights, or simply to get our stories out there.
WorldVeganDay.info is asking us all to do just that, to get our stories out there. To blog, twitter, YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, or visit forums and get the word out. Why did you go vegan? Tell your story, who knows, you may inspire others.
Below is a partial list of activities around the globe. If you don't see anything in your neck of the woods, check out google, facebook, craigslist, or your local colleges. The information is scattered, but it is out there. As for Jane and me, we're going to be making dinner for a few friends who aren't vegan. Activism through eating.
- If you're in Melbourne, AUS, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration.
- If you're in Wellington, New Zealand, here's info on a World Vegan Day Bake Sale.
- If you're in England, near Croydon, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration. They're saying you should be there, or be without vegan cake and beer. (Damn, wrong continent!)
- If you're in England, near Ennis Killen and are interested in practicing some yoga, followed by a meal of home cooked vegan fare... visit here.
- If you're in Glasglow, the Univerity of Glasgow is hosting an Animal Lovers Fayre in honor of World Vegan Day.
- If you're in Paris, you should check out Paris Vegan Day. I can't tell you exactly what they have planned, but dusting off my High School french, I believe there will be vegan product representation and vegan food availabe.
- If you're in Montreal, they've got a World Vegan Day Fashion Show planned. It's billed as an evening of fashion, gourmet vegan cuisine and musical entertainment.
- If you're in India, the Sthitaprajna Vegan Life Centre near Byndoor, Udupi District, Karnataka, is planning a three-day vegan event (Nov 1 - Nov 3).
- If you're in San Francisco, there's a World Vegan Celebration dinner on Monday night. Just $15 including tax and tip. Details here.
- If you're in the Los Angeles area, VegKids is sponsoring a rollerskating event in NorthRidge
- Please note, if you're in the Los Angeles area and were planning on attending the Animal Acres World Vegan Day celebration, IT HAS BEEN CANCELED.
- If you're in Phoenix, AZ, the Spectrum Mall light rail station is hosting a potluck of vegan goodies.
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Vegan Questionnaire
So there is this fun little vegan questionnaire going around, you may have already seen it. It comes to us via an email from Janine in England (she has no blog). Anyway, it's below. Feel free to submit your answers on your own blogs. It's a fun way to get to know each other a little better.
1. Favorite non-dairy milk?
Actually, I have three:
- Home-made almond milk - Jane whips up a batch using our Soyabella Milk Maker
every four or five days. I use this in our breakfast shake and Jane uses it for almost all of her cooking/baking endeavors.
- For cereal, I like WestSoys Plain Light - it's closest to the old fat free cow's milk I used to drink BV (before vegan).
- Silk Light Chocolate - I like this as a snack. I'm totally addicted!
2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?
I don't do any of the cooking... but Jane's certainly got 3 recipes on the back burner that I can't wait to try. Susan's Okara Crab Cakes and her Seitan baked in Sweet and Sour Orange Sauce. And a whole bunch of new recipes Jane is planning on debuting for Thanksgiving this year.
3. Topping of choice for popcorn?
I have never been a huge fan of flavored popcorn. I prefer the regular buttered and salted variety. So it's Earth Balance for me!
4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?
The worst thing Jane has made for us as vegans has been Veganomicon's Mac & Cheese. I know plenty of you enjoy it, but we both took one bite and then Jane threw out the panful (something she NEVER does). It was such a disaster that we have avoided all mac and cheese recipes
5. Favorite pickled item?
There is a wonderful Japanese pickled cucumber condiment we get sometimes. I can't remember what it's called, but I know they use a bit of sugar in the brine too.
6. How do you organize your recipes?
I don't understand how Jane has the books organized, but she knows where each one lives. She's also got a ton of recipes online organized by things like: appetizers, breads, soups, breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, cakes, cookies, and FAVORITES
7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?
How about recycling? I compost all our kitchen scraps. And we're lucky, we can co-mingle all our recyclables, including all plastics, which are picked up weekly.
8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)?
Turkish Lentil Stew, Strawberries (really ripe, fresh from the farmer's market) or Cherimoya, and almost any bread.
9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?
My mother made hamburgers for dinner one night; they were rocks (my mom was and still is a HORRIBLE cook). When my parents weren't looking, my brother grabbed our burgers and threw them out the third floor window. When my parents went out that night, my brother ordered us a pizza. He was 6 years older than me, and I thought he was sooo cool.
10. Favorite vegan ice cream?
So Delicious - Chocolate Brownie Almond
11. Most loved kitchen appliance?
Again, I defer to Jane.... It's her Kitchen Aid Mixer.
12. Spice/herb you would die without?
Savory: Cumin // Sweet: Cinnamon
13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?
Joy of Cooking
, and we still use it!
14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?
Blackberry.
15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?
Tofu chocolate mousse. People cannot believe that it is vegan.
16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?
Seitan by far. But tofu is the easiest.
17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?
Jane likes to cook in the afternoon.
18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?
Because we have such a tiny kitchen, we have a ton of stuff on top of our fridge. The toaster oven lives there, along with whatever cold cereals we are eating at the moment, tea bags, two bottles of liquor, and the local phone books (what are those?). I'm probably forgetting something!
19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.
That's easy. Morningstar's Grillers Vegan, frozen fruit (blueberries, blackberries, and cherries) for our breakfast shake, and Trader Joe's Chocolate non-dairy dessert (our vegan ice cream).
20. What's on your grocery list?
Phyllo dough, Field Roast sausages, and tofu.
21. Favorite grocery store?
Trader Joe's. They are starting to carry more and more vegan products, and their prices are usually much better than what we get elsewhere.
22. Name a recipe you'd love to veganize, but haven't yet.
Macaroni and cheese!
23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa's because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?
Fat Free Vegan - Susan has the best recipes!
Seitan is My Motor - Mihl also has a great blog. Jane has had good results with her baked goods.
Bitten - Mark Bittman's blog for the NY Times.
24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?
Jane's chocolate truffles.
25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?
Soy milk powder. Jane uses it in icing. It was around $14 for a canister. Sheesh!
26. Ingredients you are scared to work with?
Jane bought something called annatto for a recipe she can no longer find. It's been sitting in the cupboard for about 4 months now.
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Pound Puppies
It's been awhile, sorry. While I've been ignoring this blog, I've been watching a fight brew in a chat I visit. The issue is animal adoption. One of the people involved is choosing to buy a dog from a breeder. The other person is a staunch animal rights activist and has taken to berating her openly and is actively recruiting others to harass her. He even started a chain email to petition her to get an animal from the local pound. This has been going on for almost two weeks now. It's gotten to the point where I think the animal rights activist has been banned from the chat.
Personally, I cannot understand how someone would buy a pet when there are so many animals in shelters, especially today when many people are giving up their companion animals because of financial issues. And yet, it is very common. My cousin bought himself a boxer last year, and a co-worker is getting herself an English Bulldog. Both of them have purchased their animals from breeders. I tried to dissuade them, but they both had their minds made up, and nothing I said had any influence. I even sent them links to websites for rescues for the breeds they were looking for. Also, it's not uncommon to find specific breeds at local animal shelters today. But my money is still on the mutts.
Regardless of how you feel however, if someone wants to buy a companion animal, they currently have that right. So I find myself in the interesting position of siding with the person who bought her dog, even though I think what she is doing is morally wrong. But her antagonist is really out there. The most bizarre thing about all this is that they live on different continents. It almost seems like he is venting all his frustrations at her because she is so far away and can't really retaliate. Regardless, it is her choice. It is still very legal in this country to breed and sell animals. His behavior is alienating others on the board who might otherwise be on his "side." This chat has nothing to do with animal rights or veganism.
Having said all that, if you are considering getting a pet in the near future, please look to your local animal shelters. There are so many wonderful animals in need of a good home. Petfinder, which is an on-line, searchable database of animals that need homes, has animals all across North America. Be aware that each shelter has their own set of fees and requirements for adoptees.
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