The Human Circus - American Vegan Society

Transcription

American
Ahimsa Lights The Way
New Series: Volume 6 Number 1
SUMMER 2006
A Tale of Two
Elephants
People of all ages waited for the
show to begin. The upbeat music from
a live band promised a jolly afternoon.
Jugglers, mime artists, clowns, and a
unicyclist cavorted through the crowd.
There was a true carnival atmosphere.
As the performance progressed,
laughter gave way to quiet as the
audience heard stories of the circus.
“People have always loved the circus,
but circus life was not beautiful and fun
for Shirley. Trainers put heavy chains
around her ankles; poked her with long
poles and hooks; made her do tricks in
every show; made her help put up and
take down the huge tent supports; then
ride for miles and miles standing up in
the narrow trucks and train boxcars.
Shirley missed her family, but she did
what she was told.”
As MoonSong told the story her
listeners responded, “Oh No!!!”,
Continued on page 4...
The Human Circus
INSIDE:
Vegan Culinary Arts Diploma Proposed
What Difference Does the Food We Eat Make?
Letters to Editors
Christians Go Vegan
Vegan Diet Effective Treatment for Diabetes
A Vegan Birdie’s Favorite Indian Dishes
Recipes, Reviews
AHIMSA
THE COMPASSIONATE WAY
AHIMSA is a Sanskrit term meaning
non-killing, non-injuring, non-harming.
AVS defines it in daily life as
Dynamic Harmlessness, spelled out at right.
THE AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY is a nonprofit,
non-sectarian, non-political, tax-exempt educational
membership organization teaching a compassionate way
of living by Ahimsa (see above) and Reverence for Life.
VEGANS—pronounced VEE-guns—live on products
of the plant kingdom, so exclude flesh, fish, fowl, dairy
products (animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.), eggs,
honey, animal gelatin, all other items of animal origin.
VEGANISM ALSO EXCLUDES animal products
such as leather, wool, fur, and silk, in clothing, upholstery, etc. Vegans usually try to avoid the less-thanobvious animal oils, secretions, etc., in many soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, household goods and other common
commodities.
AN EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION is held each
year, at Malaga or elsewhere.
INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL ADVICE is not given; AVS
educates on ethical, ecological, aesthetic, healthful, economic aspects of vegan living in general.
KNOWLEDGE AND OPINIONS in articles (or
books, tapes, etc., listed or reviewed in American Vegan )
represent the views of the individual authors, not necessarily those of the society or American Vegan.
CONFIDENTIALITY: AVS' membership list is never
rented or given out for commercial use or solicitations.
NO PAID ADVERTISING: any notices printed are for
informational value to our readers, and unpaid.
ARTICLES or items may be submitted for possible
publication.
AMERICAN VEGAN SOCIETY
Since 1960
Founder: H. Jay Dinshah
AVS Council Members & Officers
*Freya Dinshah, Malaga, NJ
–President/Treasurer/Editor
Roshan Dinshah, Malaga NJ –1st Vice President
*Rosemary O’Brien, Woodbridge NJ
–2nd Vice President/Secretary
*Anne Dinshah, Erie PA –Assistant Editor
*Andy Mars, Los Angeles CA
Daniel J. Dinshah, Malaga NJ –Assistant Treasurer
*Gabriel Figueroa, Austin TX
*Council
Website hosted by VegSource
2 American Vegan 6–1, SUMMER 2006
ABSTINENCE from Animal Products
HARMLESSNESS with Reverence for Life
INTEGRITY of Thought, Word, and Deed
MASTERY over Oneself
SERVICE to Humanity, Nature, and Creation
ADVANCEMENT of Understanding and Truth
American Vegan
Volume 6, Number 1— Summer 2006
ISSN: 1536-3767 © 2006
CONTENTS
1, 4—A Tale of Two Elephants
3—To Grandmother’s House We Go
4—The Circus—A Family Outing
5—The Human Circus
6—Public Eye: Artists for Animals
7—Christians Go Vegan!
8—Classic Indian Recipes with a Vegan Twist
11—Vegan Culinary Arts Diploma Proposed
12—Book and DVD News
13—“Does It Really Make Any Difference What I
Eat?”
16—Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Vegan Living
19—Book Review: In Defense of Animals: The
Second Wave
20—Book Review: Soup’s On!
21—Restaurant Review: Blossom, New York
22, 32—Eric Tucker - TheArtful Vegan - in
Philadelphia
23—Nodding Head Beers
24—George Bernard Shaw’s Metaphysics and
Vegetarianism
26—New Study Shows Vegan Diet Effective
Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes
27—Obituary: Alfred Hunting
28—Obituary: Dr. Ethel Thurston
28—Obituary: Friedenstern Howard
28—Vegfam
29—Sources of Non-Animal Items
30—Calendar of Events
30—Letters to Editors
31—AVS Membership/Subscription
Cover Design: Scott Depew
Front Cover Photo: Andre Szekely
Back Cover Photos: Linda Long
Printed by GraphiColor Corporation, Vineland NJ
Book & Video catalog available from AVS.
Editorial:
To Grandmother’s House We Go:
Each of us takes our own path to vegan living. For some it is a gradual process; for others it is a quick change. Even though it has become
easier in recent years, with an increasing number of readily-available
products in the marketplace, it has its inconveniences—which often
become excuses for inaction. Most people, however, will follow a
process that enables them to make substitutions for old ways.
Those who have progressed to calling themselves vegan have made
a commitment to themselves and the animals, and become standard
bearers for a compassionate lifestyle. Inconvenience is no longer an
excuse. We cater for ourselves when necessary, and can go without on
occasion rather than break a vow. (There are the inevitable tiny inconsistencies of living in a not-yet-vegan world, but these are a very small
The Human Circus poster, a
part of the big picture.)
limited-edition, four-color original
What concerns us is the rationale we now hear that, to encourage
artwork by Philadelphia artist,
others, a vegan should avoid at all costs giving the impression of being Gary Bernard, (18"x23"). $10 at
deprived, or encountering any difficulties. The solution offered is to fit www.publiceyephilly.org and $5
in with the group, be happy, not hurt anyone’s feelings, and eat the
at Public Eye's events.
best available. Based on the idea it’s only important what you eat most
The Human Circus DVDs
of the time, this allows eating grandma’s turkey at Thanksgiving!
available for donation. Phone
My grandmother was set in her ways which were not vegetarian.
215-620-2130 or email
But she understood our dietary habits and would not have expected us
lisa@publiceyephilly.org
to eat otherwise. She was not a stranger, and she served enough food
acceptable for us to eat while enjoying her company. And there is alThe Human Circus
ways the option of bringing some food to a family gathering “for the
Dedicated to Jenny, Shirley,
vegans to eat”, even if you are the only one.
Terrible Ted, and all the animals
Do not discount the value of your example. It impresses people and who suffer in silent anticipation of
supports their own efforts to improve. At a restaurant or on an airplane,
a brighter future.
we have generated interest in our specially-ordered-vegan meal. The
The Kindest Show on Earth!
person next to us may even think it looks better than the standard fare
they have been served. Packed lunches too are an opportunity to show
We care about animals
and believe they are
and share. Aside from any admiration accrued, consistency in vegan
happiest when they are
practice equates to genuine values, and gets respect.
FREE!
We receive letters from prisoners seeking support for their application for vegan meals. Prison officials may deny such request if the inWe come not to bury
mate buys something not vegan from the commissary, or even if, in descircuses but to raise
peration, they eat a non-vegan item from an inadequate menu selection.
them...from
arenas of
Provision for a vegan preference is based on faithfulness in practice.
cruelty to circles of
That’s something to think about next time an easier path beckons.
compassion and respect
Or be honest, and say you are vegan at home and lacto-/ovo-vegetarian
for all creatures.
or omnivore when out. Don’t dilute our ideal; it’s a matter of principle!
Freya Dinshah, Editor
(Read story on pages 1, 4–6)
American Vegan Society
56 Dinshah Lane, PO Box 369
Malaga NJ 08328-0908
Phone (856) 694–2887, Fax:–2288
www.americanvegan.org
Sign on to our E-Alert for messages.
Front Cover Photo by Andre Szekely
J. Mallory-Hill is the storyteller, MoonSong, who says:
“ I truly enjoyed the experience of researching, crafting, and telling the story of Shirley and Jenny. I was not aware of the “inside”
story of the difficulties endured by performing animals. I learned so
much from the video Urban Elephant, the Internet, and my favorite
libraries. The hardest part was paring my story down to the allotted
time. No, the hardest part was learning about the cruel treatment.”
American Vegan 6–1, SUMMER 2006 3
A Tale of Two Elephants
when something bad happened, “Yeah!!!” to good news, and “Aw!!!” if they were touched.
The lives of the elephants in MoonSong’s story are similar to those of many other female elephants who
become circus performers.
Born in the wild where they are cared
for within the herd, they are captured and
suddenly separated from their mothers and
extended family group. They are chained,
tethered, and confined; condemned to lives
unsuited to their natures. In the wild they
typically walk twenty-five to fifty miles in
a day. In captivity their movement is
limited. On tour they may be left standing
98% of the time. Without enough exercise
and being on hard surfaces, they suffer
Jenny and Shirley at The Elephant Sanctuary, Tennessee
from poor circulation. Joint, leg and foot
problems result—made all the worse when standing in their own excrement as commonly occurs. Training
involves breaking their spirits, and corporal abuse. They are forced into unnatural poses and acts, controlled
by fear and intimidation.
The two elephants in the story, Shirley and Jenny, were born in Sumatra in about 1948, and 1972. Each
spent approximately twenty years performing in a circus ring. Shirley suffered a broken leg. Jenny escaped
but was caught. They were passed on to menageries, and even sadder, lonely existences. But in their cases,
as befits a story told to children, there is a happy ending—which happens to be true!
o
The Circus—A Family Outing by Melissa Maly
Springtime marks the start of circus season. Every year, excited families head off to
enjoy a day at the circus, never realizing the pain and suffering animals go through in the
name of entertainment. It was May 21 2006 at the Conkey Center in Philadelphia PA.
This time of year, many vegan parents are faced with defending their stance on why they
don't do circuses, especially to well-meaning family and friends who don't understand the
ramifications of supporting such an industry. Some of us are activists who attend circus
protests; others wholeheartedly agree with boycotting, but don't know how to raise
awareness or get involved with such causes.
One group has made it
possible to be a part of the
compassionate movement.
With a heart-led effort to
bring to light the injustices
of circus life to the animals,
the people at Public Eye:
Artists for Animals put on a
both entertaining and informative show for a mixedaged crowd.
The Human Circus, featured jugglers, magicians,
dancers, mimes, musicians,
singers and storytellers.
No trip to a cruelty-free
“circus” could be complete
without freshly popped popcorn and *vegan cupcakes!
What better way to spend a
Sunday afternoon than to
support the hard work and
dedication of all those involved in making The
Human Circus a success.
Melissa took son Sebastian and
daughter Sequoia.
Sebastian and Sequoia
File photo from August 2005. –Long
*Vegan Catering: (267) 230-8733
Vis4Vegan@riseup.net, Danielle
Philip Jacobson, Terrible Ted, escaped bear.
.
Traditional circus attractions are performing wild animals: bears,
lions, tigers. Today there are popular circuses with no animals, such
as Cirque du Soleil, starring acrobats, jugglers and trapeze artists.
One circus, Public Eye’s The Human Circus, put on a show that
entertained with talented artists, and told the sad state and history of
circuses, utilizing story tellers and people in animal costumes.
Circuses started out by being cruel to both humans and animals.
In ancient Rome, wild animals were forced to fight humans, and each
other in bloody spectacles. In the middle ages, bears, chickens and
other animals were routinely forced to fight each other for the entertainment of villagers. Gradually through the ages, more rights and
privileges have been accorded humans—while still denying them to
animals. With the advent of the modern circus, animals were trained
to do tricks using cruelty and intimidation, with virtually no regulation of humane standards. Even today, with pressure from animal ac-
The show’s mascot, totem animal,
based on a real-life wrestling bear.
The Human Circus
tivists prompting change, animals still frequently are physically and
emotionally abused in circuses. In many parts of the world, animals are
still killed in religious festivals and "sporting" events, such as bullfights and cockfights. Circus animals don’t live a normal life. How
many realize that performing bears don’t get a chance to hibernate?
The circus motif of The Human Circus allowed for some straight-out
entertainment. It was spiced up with a few running subplots including
an escaped wrestling bear, an unlucky lion cub, and some bumbling
aliens. The aliens turned the tables on humans by declaring the Alien
Right to capture and use Earth People for their own amusement!
Throughout the performance, circus music filled the air. The
Human Circus Band played some Sousa Marches, classical background
pieces (Beethoven, Mozart, Prokofiev), show tunes ("Talk to the
Animals", "Baby Elephant Walk"), Jazz, Pop and original tunes by
Jim Harris: "Just Like You" and "The Ballad of Terrible Ted".
Reported by Freya Dinshah.
Photos by Andre Szekely.
Above:
Emily Kurtyan, Lion Cub.
Other characters were played
by Carmen Martella III, Ring
Master; Brian Eckenrode,
Juggler , King; O’Keito Shortte,
Magician, Caesar, Tiger, Alien;
James Longacre & Dorothy
Cardella, singers (I Change
What I Can); Mary Pietrusko,
Queen, Elephant, Alien; Ryan
Abb, Caveman, Bear, Alien; and
Kristofunk Schmolze, Trainer,
Gladiator; Jeanette Mallory-Hill,
MoonSong.
Left:
Silent Majority Mimes. Other
performers: Versatile (Hip Hop);
Tapaholics Phenomenous, and
The Human Circus Band.
More About The Human Circus and Public Eye
Public Eye’s Lisa Levinson credited show director Meghan
Heimbecker for the success of The Human Circus. “She pulled it all
together into a seamless show.” Lisa also had high praise for Jim
Harris, Script-writer/Music Director, and Zipora Schulz, Production
Manager/Set-Designer. Harris and Schulz, husband and wife, met
Lisa at The Compassionate Living Festival in Raleigh NC, in 2004,
and became cofounders of Public Eye: Artists for Animals.
The Shows: The theme of each production is decided during an
annual visioning meeting. Then a planning committee is selected to
organize each production. This committee includes volunteer
researchers who gather and compile existing information from
various animal rights and welfare groups. These materials are given
to artists who use them as resources for their creative
interpretation of the theme. Marianne Bessey researched and
prepared facts for HC. From planning to production usually takes
six months to a year. HC was pulled together in four months.
The Performers in the shows are professional dancers, singers,
actors, etc. They are not necessarily animal activists, but may be
sympathetic to the cause. When they are new to the subject
matter, they often find the experience educational and
enlightening. These performers are found through professional
associations, word of mouth, scouting for local talent, Craig’s list,
and from responses to PE’s “Call for Artists” flyers. Some
performers are paid: others volunteer their time. Since HC was a
single-time show, most of the performers have moved on to other
projects. PE is exploring the idea of adapting HC for schools and
other organizations.
Previous Public Eye Presentations: In the past year or so, PE
produced a multimedia dance performance about the lives of
factory farm animals, an art exhibit honoring animals, an animal
blessing with a drum circle, and a fur-free fashion show. These
successful events each helped to build a community of people who
care about animals and the arts. Audiences had great times and
gained new perspectives.
Some comments on HC: “Circus animals are worse off than I
thought.” “Animals are overworked and forced into submission – truly
sad!” “Humans can be the cruelest. Animals belong in the wild.”
Lisa Levinson was a mosaic mural artist for 9 years, and is now a
movement therapist. She, Harris and Schulz started PE to help
inform people about animal abuses that occur behind closed doors,
and to promote a cruelty-free lifestyle.
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday October 8 2006 2–4 pm
Unitarian Society of Germantown
6511 Lincoln Dr, Phila. PA 19119
Cruelty-Free Makeover & Wild
Hair Contest December 9 2006
11a – 4p at Essene Mkt Phila.,
featuring hair sculptor Julius Vitali
and alternatives to cosmetics
tested on animals. Future projects:
a performance about conditions
for aquatic animals, an art exhibit
about animals as myths and logos.
Circus information:
Animal Protection Institute
P.O. Box 22505
Sacramento CA 95822
www.api4animals.org
(800) 348-7387,
(916) 447-3085
Animals in Circuses info
News, and Action briefs
Ten Fast Facts
Demo kits
People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals
501 Front Street
Norfolk VA 23510
www.circuses.com
Behind the scenes videos.
USDA inspection reports
List of Animal-Free Circuses
Kids’ Comic Books
The Elephant Sanctuary
in Tennessee
P.O. Box 393
Hohenwald TN 38462
www.elephants.com
(931) 796-6500
Video: The Urban Elephant
(Capture and trauma.)
Home of Shirley and Jenny
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd
San Rafael CA 94901
www.idausa.org
(415) 388-9641
circus@idausa.org
(Circus coloring books for kids)
www.helpphillyzooelephants.com
Captive elephant foot problems, and more facts
Public Eye: Artists for Animals
is a Philadelphia-area group that produces public events featuring
the arts. It focuses on the interactions between human and nonhuman animals, shedding light on hidden or ignored injustices. It
promotes a cruelty-free lifestyle.
Public Eye has an ongoing call for artists, so let your art speak
for the animals.
For more information: www.publiceyephilly.org.
Lisa Levinson, Director (215) 620-2130
(Public Eye is a project of Mobilization for Animals-PA.
www.mobilizationforanimals.org)
Christians Go Vegan!
Mary Ann Cavallaro
Caldwell New Jersey, June 4 2006
Christians from around the
United States traveled to Caldwell College, to be in the company of other like-minded Christians in support of animal compassion.
God’s Creatures Ministry, a
nonprofit organization headquartered in Wayne NJ sponsored
their first conference to motivate
Christians to speak with a louder
voice against animal cruelty.
Keynote speakers Rev. Frank
and Mary Hoffman of Athens
New York read passages from the
Bible establishing vegetarianism
in Christianity. Fiery Rev. Hoffman maintains pastors do not
speak this truth because they are
afraid to offend the congregation
that is paying for their upkeep.
A video-teleconference from
England’s Deborah Jones, editor
of The Ark and secretary of
Catholic Concern for Animals
gave the meeting an international
flavor. Determined Ms Jones encourages church members to hold
on and move the Catholic Church
to speak out against animal cruelty. “Since animals bless God,
we should give them kindness.”
Every Wednesday at 9:30 pm she
prays for people doing injury to
animals, the animals themselves,
and people like us who are
against animal cruelty. She invites others to join the group.
For more information see
www.godscreaturesministry.org
Write: God’s Creatures Ministry
PO Box 322, Wayne NJ 07474
Phone: (973) 694-5155
o
Steve Kaufman with Mary and the
Rev. Frank Hoffman
Photo: Rosemary O’Brien
Rosemary O’Brien adds:
Reverend Frank Hoffman, the
host of many websites for animals, spoke about “Living in the
Will Rather Than the Concessions of God.” He had found
that in working with many
churches the practice has not
been to truly look to see what
God is saying and what God’s
will would be according to His
Word, but to make concessions
that fit in to what we want to
do. He spoke about how God
holds up a high ideal for how He
wants us to live; but, all
through the books of the Bible,
people have not lived up to the
ideal, have complained, have
suffered the consequences; and
concessions have been made.
In other words, God will allow
you to do these things, but this
is not the will of God. God’s will
is that we are to be perfect.
Deborah Jones spoke on the
negative and positive aspects of
animal concern in the Catholic
Church which has been mostly
silent on animal issues. Animals
were considered to be made for
the sake of man, in a hierarchical set up, where “man” was the
only free one. Animals were
considered to be without a soul,
weaker and made to serve the
stronger, units of production;
and cruelty to animals had been
ignored. The positive is to remember St. Francis of Assisi
and Pope John Paul’s encouragement to the faithful to wit-
ness in the world, to love all
that God has created. St. Francis presented all of nature as
our brothers and sisters. St.
Isaac of Nineva said to aspire to
love the whole creation with a
softened heart, to no longer
bear the smallest suffering. We
are to aspire to move in a heart
that Christ had, full of love.
She cited the Bible, Genesis
27, 28, and 29; that we are
made in God’s image, that we
are given mastery and dominion
of all creation and we are given
a vegetarian diet. She cites the
Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 2416, “Animals are
God’s creatures. He surrounds
them with his providential care.
By their mere existence they
bless him and give him glory.
Thus men owe them kindness.
We should recall the gentleness
with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri
treated animals.”
Honoring God’s Creation,
a video produced by the Christian Vegetarian Association,
with implications for diet and
peace, was shown. Beautiful
music, photographs, and quotes
from the Bible make the connection for us to all of God’s
creation. A few harder to look at
photographs in the middle expose the suffering of animals.
Finally some words from Catholic priest Father John Dear, a
peace activist, bring a message
that is scriptural, gentle, and
hopefully powerful enough to
open the minds and hearts of
Christians to make changes in
their life choices that involve
the suffering of animals. It is
intended as a tool to be shown
to church groups open to living
in a more peaceful Christian
way with all of creation.
The main blessing to me was
the bringing together of those
speaking these truths. It reassures me in the truth of God’s
ways of love and compassion.
o
Soy Substitutes for Meat and Dairy Work Well in Traditional Family Recipes
Classic Indian Dishes with a Vegan Twist
Aryenish Vegan Birdie
My mother, Purviz Birdie, is the greatest cook on
Earth. I know a lot of people claim this title for their
mother, but those who do have never eaten at the
Birdie dinner table!
Cooking is a skill for which my mother’s family
has been known for many generations. My maternal
grandmother was born and raised in Bombay, India,
in the 1930s where she took traditional foods and
tweaked them to satisfy her taste. For both dietary
and ethical reasons my grandmother chose not to
consume animal flesh in the quantities most other
people in her community did. She also taught herself (with the help of a few friends) many Indian
vegetarian dishes that would be enjoyed by my
mother 30 years later in Karachi, Pakistan, where
my mom was born and raised.
When meat was consumed in my mother’s
household it was not the centerpiece and usually
consisted of not much more than one or two oneinch cubes of meat per person. Because of the spar-
Aryenish Birdie is
a student at
Hampshire
College in
Amherst
Massachusetts.
ing use of meat, my mother grew up with the knowledge that vegetarian food was delicious. Lunch usually consisted of a rice dish, Indian crackers, fresh
vegetables and fruit for dessert. Dinner was always
a vegetable entrée, a side dish, fresh vegetables and
again, fruit for dessert (except on special occasions
when a dish with a little more care was prepared). In
my mother’s house cooking and eating were carefully done, never rushed, and enjoyed with others.
To this day my mother (who now lives in Kansas) remains in a state of culture shock around the
proportions of food, specifically meat, that are consumed in this country.
When I first asked my mother how she made her
food so tasty she painted a picture for me of times
when she was a child and would exchange recipes
from magazines with friends and family. She also
told me, with nostalgia, about a daily tradition
where many women (and occasionally men) congregated at the front porch of her grandmother’s home
in the evening. It was here that they would join in
shelling green peas or whatever labor was needed
for the next day’s meal. The daily evening chat consisted of discussion around current events or the
kind of produce the vegetable man brought. Food
and politics was what it was all about.
Karachi had (and still has) only a handful of grocery stores and vegetable/meat markets. Most
households still support vendors who bring their
wares in a cart early in the morning; they begin to
plan their meal for the day depending on what produce looks fresh according to season. It sounds like
an old-time fantasy, but my mother tells me that
things have not changed much.
When we go out to potlucks or social gatherings
where my mother brings food, the topic of conversation is usually characterized by their astonishment
that what they are eating is vegan. My mother always responds in one word with her secret: substitution. Her secret is that she uses her mother’s recipes
and other traditional comfort food and simply replaces meat, dairy, and eggs with their soy counter-
parts. She always says that veganism doesn’t have
to be about losing anything. Her approach is to see
vegan cooking as changing from one form to another, with the result being compassion for all life
and a great meal. Being vegan does not mean you
have to deprive yourself of comfort food; rather, it is
a process of matching the love in your heart for
food, with the love in your heart for the animals.
Vegan versions of chicken, beef, pork, fish, milk,
yogurt and cheese are on the market that taste just as
good as the ‘original’ and are better for your body;
and let’s not forget our friend, tofu, which is light
and versatile. You can find these at your local health
food store or in the health food section your regular
grocery store.
It sounds too easy to be true, but oddly enough
it’s not. The greatest hardship my mother encounters
is finding the variety of vegetables she ate in her
childhood.
A festive and traditional meal, and one of my faPurviz Birdie cooks
vorites, is Vegetable Biryani accompanied with
traditional meals of the
Raita (a yogurt-based accompaniment), served with
sub-continent of India
baked spinach on the side, and kheer for dessert. A
in her Kansas home.
key to Indian food is crispy caramelized onions and
a ginger/garlic paste (equal quantities of ginger and
garlic ground with a little vinegar to form a paste). difficult for my mother. She cooks by adjusting the
The recipes I have chosen to share here have omit- flavors, smell and color constantly. For example, to
ted this laborious process and still have fabulous increase heat you may add cayenne pepper to your
results, but these dishes are the exception to the rule. taste or completely omit it if you prefer something
It should also be noted that writing recipes is quite milder. She always encourages others to use the
Alternatives Instead of cheese try Tofutti's Mozzarella, American, or quantities as a general guide and
Roasted Garlic Soy-Cheese Slices—made by Tofutti Brands, found in most
adjust to suit individual taste.
grocery stores, and Chreese products by Road's End Organics. REO products
are becoming more widely available, perhaps even in your local grocery
store. Whole Foods will definitely have it and you can always order from their
website, www.chreese.com. It is also sold in bulk online!
Instead of dairy products: My favorite brand is WholeSoy & Co. They make
soy yogurts, soy smoothies, and soy frozen desserts—found in most local
grocery stores; but, again, you might need to go to a health food store in
some towns, or look for other company brands.
Instead of cow’s milk: Soymilk is everywhere these days so it's best to try
different brands and see which one you like best. We use EdenSoy soymilk
made by Eden Foods, found in health food sections of your local grocery
store, although in towns less friendly to vegetarianism you might need to go
to a health food store. Other soymilks include Silk (White Wave) and Vitasoy,
and don't forget rice and almond milk!
Instead of meat products: Explore the options available at your supermarket, or through The Mail Order Catalog PO Box 180, Summertown TN 38483.
www.healthy-eating.com, (800) 695-2241. Not all meat substitutes are vegan,
so check the labels. Textured soy products are made that replace many
meats. Turtle Island has a big range of vegan products: burgers, sausages,
deli slices, tofurky, and jurky. Canned products from Loma Linda are useful:
Vege-burger, Tender-bits, and Big Franks are some of their vegan range.
Tuno is a vegan product from Morningstar.
–Aryenish
Aryenish Vegan Birdie was born in
Lawrence Kansas and now attends
Hampshire College in Amherst Massachusetts. She got involved with
Animal Rights at the age of twelve to
work against testing cosmetic and
household products on animals. Next
she learned about the many ways
animals are exploited in industries
across the globe.
It was because of the inconsistency of loving one group of animals
and eating other animals that she
became vegan. Currently, in the
early stages of her senior thesis, she
will use a sociological framework to
argue that the same mechanism that
allows for discrimination and oppression based on gender, race, or class,
is the same mechanism that allows
humans to perpetuate speciesism, a
fundamentally flawed way of treating
non-humans.
Vegetable Biryani:
Serves appox. 3-4
8-oz. packet of mixed frozen
vegetables or chopped fresh vegetables of your choice, e.g., carrots,
peas, cauliflower, sweet potatoes
3 small potatoes, cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ cinnamon stick
4 cloves
5 black peppercorns
2 green cardamom pods
¼ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. cumin seeds
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tsp. ginger, minced
1 tsp. salt or to taste
2 cups uncooked rice
4 cups water
Sauté the onion until it is
lightly browned. Add all the
spices and sauté for a couple of
minutes. Add in the tomato, potatoes, and the vegetables and sauté
well. Add rice and sauté. Pour the
water into the mix and bring to a
boil. Then lower the heat to the
lowest setting on your stove. Put
a lid on the pot and let it simmer
gently for 15 minutes. Remove
from heat and let it sit covered for
5 minutes. Serve Biryani with
Raita.
Aloo Tari: Serves 2-4
4 large potatoes
2 medium tomatoes
2 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. cumin seeds
1 green chili (optional)
salt to taste.
Peel and dice the potatoes.
Chop tomatoes. Heat oil; add the
potatoes, garlic, turmeric, cumin
seeds, and salt. Fry for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and chilies, cook
for 3 minutes, then add enough
water to cover the potatoes. Bring
to a boil and simmer until tender.
There should be enough liquid to
make a good sauce to taste. Add
the optional green chilies and
serve.
Baked Spinach: Serves 2
1 10-oz box of frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. ground mustard (powder)
¼ tsp. cayenne powder (optional)
1 cup plain soymilk
1/3 cup (or more) shredded cheddar-style “cheese” of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat oil. Add flour and cook
about a minute, add cayenne,
mustard, salt and pepper. Add
the milk and whisk to form a
smooth white sauce. Cook until it
starts to thicken over medium
heat. Add squeezed spinach. Reduce heat and cook on low for
about 5 minutes. Remove from
heat. Transfer to a baking dish.
Sprinkle “cheese” on top and
place in a 400-degree oven for
about 15 minutes. Alternately, if
you like it a bit “cheesier”, add
about 2-3 tablespoons of “cheese”
to the mixture and the rest on top.
Serve hot.
Raita: Serves 3-4
2 cups soy yogurt,
plain unsweetened
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
pinch cayenne
¼ tsp. mustard, ground
½ tsp. cumin, ground
½ tsp. coriander
½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. black pepper
½ bunch fresh chopped cilantro
½ bunch chopped mint
½ chopped cucumber
1 small finely chopped onion
In a large bowl mix all the ingredients. Let it sit for 30 minutes
before serving.
Kheer: Serves 2-4
2 cups soymilk
1/3 cup sugar
(more or less to taste)
¼ cup white rice
(washed and rinsed)
¼ cup ground cashews (optional)
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. vanilla
Place soymilk, sugar, rice, and
cashews in a saucepan (preferably
nonstick). Bring to boil and lower
heat and cook on gentle simmer
for 15 minutes, or until the rice is
completely soft. Cool slightly,
transfer to a blender and blend to
thick and smooth consistency. If
the consistency is too thick you
may add a bit more soymilk. If it
is too thin let it simmer a bit
longer to thicken. When slightly
warm you may add the cardamom
and vanilla. Kheer will thicken as
it cools. Serve warm or cold.
Note: My grandmother would
omit cashews and instead use
ground blanched-almonds. Children also enjoy chopped nuts and
raisins in kheer.
o
A unique convergence of vegetarian chefs
Vegetarian Awakening Conference
Vegan Culinary Arts Diploma Proposed
Linda Long
A landmark event happened at
the Grand Rapids Community
College in Michigan April 3 & 4
2006. Or, as The Grand Rapids
Press printed, “A dietary
revolution took place…” A bold
and determined culinary
professor, Kevin Dunn, pressed
for this event he called a
“Vegetarian Awakening”. His
vision-to-reality program
involved eleven dedicated vegan
chefs from across North America
who came to show their stuff and
offer their expertise in vegan
cooking to interested home
cooks, Kellogg Corporation
chefs, a Five-Star-Restaurant
chef, and culinary students from
around the country. Kevin
realizes that vegan issues are
becoming a need-to-know subject
for all chefs everywhere,
especially the culinary students
that he is sending into the world.
Answering this rallying call
were Eric Tucker (chef of
Millennium in San Francisco
California, author The Artful
Vegan), Fran Costigan (culinary
instructor from New York, author
of More Good Great Dairy-free
Desserts Naturally), Ken
Bergeron (Connecticut, chef,
author of Professional Vegetarian
Cooking), Bryanna Clark
Grogan (Canada, teacher, food
writer, author of eight cookbooks
including The Almost No-Fat
Cookbook), Ron Pickarski
(Colorado, first vegetarian chef
certified by the American
Culinary Federation, author of
Friendly Foods and EcoCuisine,
head of Eco-Cuisine Inc. that
produces vegan products for food
services), Chad Sarno (Maine,
chef, instructor, author Vital
Creations), Ian Brandt, (chef/
Kevin Dunn with Ice Sculpture
owner of Sage’s Café, Utah), Chef
Carved by His Students
Tanya Petrovna (head chef of
the popular Native Foods chain
Kevin Dunn graduated from
of restaurants in Southern the prestigious Culinary Institute
California, author The Native of America (CIA) in Hyde Park
Foods Restaurant Cookbook), New York and spent seven years
David Lee (Washington, at the highly-acclaimed New
instructor, president of Field England Culinary Institute in
Roast Grain Meats), Timothy Vermont where he practiced his
England (Executive Chef at vegetarian cuisine. Now at Grand
Calvin College, Grand Rapids MI, Rapids Community College he
and world pastry-chef champion). directs the Advanced Food
The vegan meals were Production Class which also
designed to meet a variety of operates the Heritage Restaurant
diets, and prepared by the where he includes vegetarian
students and staff of GRCC under dishes. His favorite quote reveals
the supervision of Chef Dunn. his desire to move vegan food to
Cooking demonstrations afforded the fore, “If you’re not on the
the opportunity to sample a cutting edge of what you do,
variety of items prepared without you’re in the way.”
When Kevin was the
animal products.
Kevin Dunn led off the Executive Chef of Kellogg
presentations, creating Seared Corporation at Battle Creek he
Tofu with Marsala Wine and discovered that he had diabetes
Pomegranate Sauce. His students and heart disease. He was only 35
assisted the guest chefs in their years old! His first act was to
vegan demonstrations — which look for a healthier eating style.
All of his training and personal
made a huge impression.
The wonderful Howard conviction then led to the desire
Lyman (former cattleman, vegan to make this cuisine available in
motivational speaker, lobbyist, all culinary curriculums in the
author No More Bull!) was the country and for the young chefs
keynote speaker and riveted the to take their vegan education into
attendees with significant quips t h e w o r l d t h r o u g h t h e i r
like, “The fork is the most restaurants. But how could he
dangerous weapon in the organize and promote such a
A m e r i c a n d i e t . ” a n d worthy undertaking?
Kevin asked the select chefs
“Environmentalists eat what
listed here to remain after the
destroys the environment.”
Vegetarian Awakening main
event and participate in a round
table discussion. The ultimate
goal is to establish an impressive
set of courses that can be
accepted as the standard for a
Vegan Cuisine Arts Diploma and
be authorized by the American
Culinary Federation*, as is done
for mainstream culinary
education. This would allow all
schools to offer this certification
using an accepted and trusted
guide. Kevin feels that because
the vegan community is growing
at such a fast rate all chefs should
get this certification.
Fran Costigan offered that “the
Natural Gourmet Institute for
Health and Culinary Arts is no
longer just a vegetarian school.
They have added some animalproducts classes as their need
required. Likewise, other culinary
schools need to add vegan
curriculums if they are to keep
pace with customer demands.”
Randy Sahajdack, Program
Director of Hospitality Education
at the College, sat in on the round
table and asked if vegan interest
was peaking or still on the way
up? The group commented on
having seen a keen interest in
vegan food as a cuisine. It seems
that the reference “vegan cuisine”
is being grouped with other
cuisines in conversations, such as,
“Where shall we eat tonight? Do
you want Italian? Japanese?
Vegan? Mexican?” This reflects a
sturdy position in the
marketplace.
David Lee felt that a goal for
this process would be to raise the
standard of vegan food being
offered in the marketplace. Ron
Pickarski was concerned, as was
Chad Sarno, that confusion might
arise when considering the
various categories of vegan
cooking. Where would raw vegan
come into the thinking? Kevin
realized that the concern was that
all areas needed to be categorized
within the curriculum: raw, dairyfree, low-fat, gluten-free, sea
vegetables, pastries, etc.
Ian Brandt has noticed that
there is more and more evidence
of a public outcry for good plantbased information. He shared that
after a golf tournament on the
Golf Channel recently, the
famous elder golfer, Arnold
Palmer, was asked to explain his
amazing comeback to the greens.
He fell to his knees in front of the
cameras and begged everyone to
read The China Study and to
adopt a vegan diet. More and
more mentions of “vegan” in
movies and TV open more minds.
This results in restaurant chefs
receiving requests for vegan food.
To answer this call David
reflected that there needs to be a
place for chefs to go for help.
Any one chef at the round table
could not answer that need; they
are all running their own
businesses. But, they can use
their experience to make
suggestions and build a
curriculum. ACF participation
would be a great advantage for
chefs all over the world.
Kevin said that the goal is
twofold: help mainstream chefs
with the added vegan education,
and to get new chefs accredited in
vegan food preparation.
Bryanna Clark Grogan said
that it needs to be emphasized
that vegan food is inclusive;
everyone can eat it. “It is ‘safe
food’ — safe for everyone.”
Ron felt that “chefs do not
want to not know something”.
There is awareness in the culture
now that could help drive the
process. However, “A program
must include minimum skills,
labor requirements, and menu
concepts to start”. The more chefs
are educated the more vegan
items will be added to menus.
Kevin is creating a Web site
for the chefs to continue their
discussion and move toward
concrete plans. If the reader
would like to offer specific
suggestions about going forward
with such a program that can add
to the forward movement and
goal, please e-mail Linda Long at
long3333@msn.com.
*The American Culinary
Federation Accrediting Commission
is the national accrediting
commission for the culinary, pastry,
and educational programs at postsecondary institutions. They created
a system to monitor culinary
programs for quality performance
and, as a result, help to set
professional standards for culinary
education and assist in career
development. Registered with the
Department of Labor, ACF operates
the only comprehensive certification
program for chefs in the United
States. ACF certification is a
valuable credential awarded to
cooks and chefs after a rigorous
evaluation of experience, education
and testing.
o
Book and DVD News
New books:
The Nut Gourmet: Nourishing
Nuts for Every Occasion—Zel
Allen. 2006, 256pp $19.95.
The Vegan Family Cookbook—
Chef Brian P. McCarthy. 2006,
330pp 8x6¾” $20.
Dr McDougall’s Digestive
Tune-Up—John McDougall MD
$19.95.
Now available as DVDs:
Diet for A New America—
John Robbins (1 hr.) $24.95.
A Diet for All Reasons—Dr
Michael Klaper (1 hr.) $22.
Order from American Vegan
Society. 20% off for members.
“DOES IT REALLY MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT I EAT?”
Bob LeRoy, MS, EdM, RD
The title question reminds us
of another extremely-familiar
one: “Does it really make any
difference whether I vote or
not?” For perhaps half the U.S.
population, “heck, no” is about
all you’d get in asking EITHER
question. Call this a lazy, irresponsible attitude if you will...
but society’s not been educating
people too well about how
more-careful choices will lead to
a better life!
Do lifestyle choices affect
your health? A message that
never smoking should prevent
most lung cancer cases, HAS
successfully reached most folks
(whether or not they ACT upon
this). Consider, though, a related disease, breast cancer.
The population has basically
heard nothing but: get frequent
mammograms and do selfexaminations to prevent breast
cancer. How can tests/exams
which find a cancerous tumor
only after its size reaches 1 to
10 million cells, be seen as
“preventing” cancer? In the
case of most serious diseases,
the general public is NOT effectively told what it can do differently in day-to-day life, to
AVOID illness happening in the
first place.
As a public health nutritionist
since 1985, I’ve focused on how
what you eat INCREASES or REDUCES risk of the full range of
“degenerative diseases”, the
NON-infectious conditions responsible for most of the country’s suffering, disability and
deaths. [Examples: heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes,
osteoporosis, chronic hypertension, kidney and liver diseases,
and many other “autoimmune”
diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, lupus, ulcerative
colitis).] You may be surprised.
TONS of published scientific
research covers exactly this.
Thus, for example, there’s long
been consensus among national
cancer organizations that 3060% of all cancers are linked to
what’s eaten... compared to 3035% linked to smoking. Overall
lesson: MOST ARE PREVENTABLE.
For most degenerative
diseases, obesity, sedentary
lifestyle, and alcohol abuse,
as well as smoking, make
them more likely to strike.
Plentiful and varied physical exercise, and maintaining reasonable body weight, are definitely
among the preventive factors.
What eating choices will make a
difference? Even if you remember NOTHING else written here,
cling to this: the most overwhelmingly clear conclusion of
medical research over the years
has been that people who eat
more fresh vegetables and fruits
have lower risk of the full spectrum of degenerative diseases.
Regarding cancer, that was the
ONLY unqualified conclusion of
the historic U.S. government
report “Diet, Nutrition and Cancer”. It’s a missed opportunity
for the majority: only 15% of
surveyed Americans say they
“frequently” eat vegetables/
fruits. At least 25% of U.S.
“vegetable” use is via French
fries, the next 25% comprising
canned tomato products, head
lettuces, potato chips and other
peeled-potato products. Within
most salads, more calories
come from refined oils in dressing than from vegetables. This
ain’t exactly the “fresh” approach researchers imagined.
National Cancer Institute’s
review of 156 early studies
found low vegetable/fruit consumers have over twice the
cancer risk of high users. World
GREENS
Photo: Jim Oswald
Cancer Research Fund and
American Institute of Cancer
Research later stated vegetables are convincing or probable
reducers of risk at 16 of the 18
main body sites for cancer;
fruits are reducers at 12. Some
studies of heart attack death
rates found that adding almost
2 ounces vegetables/fruits daily
cut risk by 20%, adding the
equivalent of one to two carrots
and one to two oranges daily
cut risk by 30%. One survey of
past research summarized that
3½ ounces/day green leafy
vegetables should cut bone
fracture risk by 30-50%. A
study of 87,245 women showed
that highest vegetable/fruit users had 54% less stroke risk
than the lowest users. A study
of 46,693 subjects found those
eating the most vegetables had
these reductions of disease risk:
32%, kidney stones; 30%,
asthma; 29%, liver cirrhosis;
26%, stomach ulcer; 21%,
heart attack; 16%, rheumatoid
arthritis.
Despite truckloads of evidence for fresh vegetable/
fruit benefits, one CANNOT
assume
similar
diseaseprevention results for supplements of isolated nutrients. E.g., studies of betacarotene pills and lung cancer,
and fiber-pills and colon cancer,
commonly didn’t show riskreduction. Vegetables/fruits
(each uniquely) contain HUNDREDS of cancer-preventing
agents, of antioxidants, of phytochemicals working in COMPLEXES, and we should eat wide
varieties of WHOLE foods.
What foods to avoid?
Throughout the years, only two
food-words seemed to conjure
any negative-health implications
in public awareness: “meat” and
“fat”. A current craze adds
“carbs” to this list. What are the
science-based realities?
“save face” for producers. Many
millions continued the typical
American diet, making ONLY
one change: EITHER lowering
total fat, OR dumping JUST the
meats, which research linked
more than any other foods to
colon and pancreatic cancer
[and even popular culture linked
to heart attacks]. These two
groups seemed proud and overconfident about having a single
brilliant idea... “wasn’t that
enough” to achieve lasting
health?!
Until recently, most who just
abandoned meat encountered
a
tragic
flaw... they simultaneously INCREASED dairy
use! They probably FELT
worse, because cow’s
milk
proteins
afflict
more humans than do
any
other
allergytriggers.
Degenerative
disease risk didn’t drop.
Dairy (NOT dairy-fat) is
even linked MORE than
any other food to prostate cancer, rheumatoid
GRAPES
Photo: Jim Oswald
arthritis, multiple scleroFor decades it’s been obvious sis, and based on smaller bodies
that the U.S., Canada, northern of research, ovarian cancer, luand western Europe, Australia, pus and ulcerative colitis. Cow’s
and New Zealand suffered milk, a known cause of many
higher rates of degenerative childhood diseases, is incrimidiseases than did most of the nated in insulin-dependent inworld, and as other countries fant diabetes as directly as cigastarted EATING more as THEY rettes are in lung cancer.
did, patient numbers crept right
Bad news for BOTH groups
up.
Indeed “western” diets and documented since 1920:
were fattier, overall, BUT ALSO Higher PROTEIN from ANY
much higher in meats, dairy animal-based
foods
in(milk) products, ANIMAL- creases calcium EXCRETION
derived fats, and animal-derived more than does anything
protein, so what gets blamed?
else eaten (thus greatly inFat was easiest to blame creasing osteoporosis and kidbecause this allowed popular ney/bladder stone risk)... and
and economically-important the most comprehensive popufoods to be “excused”. As satu- lation-health study ever (China,
rated fat and cholesterol in ani- Campbell/Chen and associates)
mal-based foods were increas- showed animal protein raised
ingly associated with heart dis- blood cholesterol most amongst
ease and strokes, promotion of all foodstuffs, in turn raising
leaner meat cuts and lower-fat heart disease, stroke and overdairy products attempted to all cancer risk the most.
Problems of excess food-fat
(from any source) are SECONDARY to all the above, but real.
Examples: high-fat meals temporarily raise blood pressure
and reduce oxygen supply to
tissues, shifting many borderline medical situations into crisis; high-fat diets hamper desensitizing of allergy- and autoimmune-afflicted tissues; and
increased fat is among 4 major
factors slowing colon waste
movement. [Higher fat, insufficient water (in food/drink), insufficient fiber (obtainable from
whole natural vegan foods) and
lack of physical exercise all
make digested food LINGER.
Thus more carcinogens, toxins,
allergens and autoimmunetriggers get ABSORBED there,
and more estrogen and bileacids RE-absorbed, and colon
disease itself is a threat.]
Atkins Diet promoters demonize “carbs” but all that’s behind this are certain drawbacks
of REFINED high-carbohydrate
foods, based on pastas, white
rice, refined grains/flours, refined sweeteners and peeled
potatoes. Indeed these foods
raise LDL-cholesterol, blood
triglycerides and “insulin resistance” [and heart disease and
Type-2 diabetes risk in turn].
Well, the foods offered initially
by Atkins to REPLACE refined
high-“carb” items actually make
these problems and risks
WORSE. E.g.: one study of 200
identical twins showed, as foodfat increased so did insulin levels. As almost universally understood, following an Atkins approach means eating MORE
meat, dairy, animal protein, animal fat AND total fat. So, all I’ve
said about how THESE choices
make degenerative diseases
more likely, is compounded.
We must DISTINGUISH
between WHOLE NATURAL
high-carbohydrate foods and
the REFINED ones. Most calories in vegetables, fruits
(besides avocado/coconut),
whole grains and legumes
(besides soy/peanuts) ARE from
carbohydrate. Health benefits
from vegetables/fruits are
abundantly described above.
Whole grains and legumes
(whether cooked, fermented or
sprouted) are clearly helpful in
stabilizing blood-sugar levels
and in providing many essential
nutrients, e.g. potassium (an
osteoporosis risk-reducer) and
fiber (preventive for all degenerative diseases). As of 2000,
85% of studies on whole grains
and cancer found LOWER risk,
but results for refined grains
were exactly the OPPOSITE and
whereas
multiple
studies
showed greater whole grain use
cutting heart attack death rate
by 33%, more white bread use
was linked to 22-55% higher
heart disease risk. There’s a difference!
not destabilizing blood sugar
with concentrated sweets and
refined grains, not munching on
dry foods ‘til we’re dehydrated.
Given all the above, what’s a
reasonable lifestyle program to
try to prevent two of the diseases mentioned, breast cancer
and coronary (heart) artery disease? Avoiding smoking, alcohol
abuse, and obesity would help
with either. Cumulative lifelong
blood-level estrogen exposure is
the greatest known breast cancer risk indicator. Exposure increases via earlier puberty, later
menopause, and higher blood
estrogen in between. These
three situations are universally
associated with more animal
protein AND animal fat consumption. Whether protein or
fat is blamed, animal-based
foods
are
discouraged.
[Avoiding them also does the
most to reduce another heart
disease and breast cancer
risk factor, high blood
cholesterol
and
LDLcholesterol, and rejecting
refined high-carbohydrate
foods will help modestly.]
Blood estrogen also rises
via greater RE-absorption
when colon food movement slows, so a highfiber low-fat diet, and
plenty of water and exercise, are desired. Large
amounts of varied vegetables/fruits will supply litYAMS
Photo: Jim Oswald
erally hundreds of cancerWe’re biologically survival- preventive substances, and
programmed to desire calorie- adding whole grains, legumes,
concentrated foods, but our nuts and seeds complements
most protective, nutrient-loaded these with some others.
foods are the vegetables/fruits,
Other preventive steps for
LIGHT foods, 85-95% water. coronary artery disease:
We should maximize vegeta- 1. M i n i m i z e
artery-wallbles/fruits and then be careful damaging factors (which is
in managing the remaining measured by blood homocysmore-concentrated part of our teine) by supplementing vitamin
diet... not abusing/not using B12 (unless you eat soil and
animal-based foods (the great- insects which always are
est disease-risk-promoters), not “contaminants” in all other
confounding colon and insulin mammals’ diets)... and seconfunctioning with fat overloads, darily by supplying assorted
other B-vitamins via varied
vegetables, whole grains and
legumes, and avoiding exaggeratedly-excessive
protein
amounts.
2. Don’t let your “inflammatory”
tendency (disease-progressionrate, which is measured by
blood C-reactive-protein) run
haywire because you sabotaged
your omega-3s. Instead: eat
abundantly of vegetables; avoid
a high-fat diet; stop depending
on bottled oils (most emphatically, corn/safflower/peanut/
sesame/sunflower/cottonseed);
eat SOMETHING from these
omega-3 “helpers” – whole flaxseed, spirulina/algae, alaria/
wakame, chia, hempseed; and
if walnuts are in fresh condition,
include them among nuts used.
3. Control blood pressure further by avoiding the waterretention effects of eating excess sodium, the sodiumretention effects of abusing animal-based proteins, and the circulation-constricting effects of a
high-fat diet.
Averting heart trouble is NOT
just about decreasing the
“gunk” available for plaque formation
(via
blood
LDLcholesterol)! Similarly wellrounded approaches can use
daily lifestyle choices to reduce
risk of every degenerative disease you ever heard of!
o
Bob LeRoy has served as
Nutrition Advisor to North
American Vegetarian Society
since 1990. Bob holds an MS
in Nutrition and Public Health,
and an EdM in Community
Nutrition Education, and is a
Registered Dietitian. He also
earned certifications as Fitness Instructor and Exercise
Test Technologist.
Requests for him to speak
may be sent to
bob1040@juno.com.
Book Review:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Vegan Living
Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray Sammartano
Vegan Living [Alpha Books 2005]
by Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray
Sammartano takes you on an
exciting journey, and no matter who
you are, you’re going to enjoy the
trip. It is for those who want to
“lessen humanity’s negative impact
on our fellow creatures”, and who
have “a willingness to try to do
something about it.” This in-depth
guide is guaranteed to get you
ruminating about how to make those
very changes that can make the
world a better place.
Beverly Lynn and Ray’s
c o mp r e h e n s i v e o v e r v i e w o f
veganism as a lifestyle, and not
merely a diet, is most refreshing, as
is their unwavering emphasis on the
compassion present when actually
living the journey. Even the book’s
dedication, “…to all the creatures we
share this world with.”, reminds us
why the authors poured so much of
their passion into its pages.
All the basics of going vegan —
what to eat, where to shop, how to
cook — are thoroughly covered and
Beverly and Ray give you many
reasons and tools to make veganism
a reality in your life. If you can’t do
it in one fell swoop, the authors
encourage incremental change —
taking baby steps — from where you
are now to where you want to be.
The destination remains the same
whether it’s nonstop or laid over.
One chapter focuses on vegan
pregnancy, breastfeeding and raising
healthy vegan children.
“The birth weights and
lengths of vegan babies are
relatively the same as, if not
slightly higher than, those
born to meat-eaters. Healthy,
strong vegan babies abound,
while low birth weights and
preterm births are on the rise
in the US and around the
globe. Inadequate nutrition is
most certainly to blame, but
not so with the average baby
born to a vegan mother!”
Raw Food Info? There’s an
entire chapter dedicated to
everything from sprouts to live
juices.
Raw food’s transit time
(from digestion to elimination)
is around 24 hours. Cooked
food takes two to four times
longer to work its way through
your 29 feet of intestines. Raw
foods are more easily broken
down on a nutrient level
hastening their utilization and
processing.
Recipes? Find fifty of the best
culinary treats, simple and clear,
right down to the last delicious
vegan bite. (Some recipes follow.)
More at www.veganchef.com.
Ever steadfast in their direction,
the authors remind us again of
compassion for life when buying
clothes, household products, and
health and beauty aids — areas
easily overlooked if we’re just
considering food and diet.
Vegan Living is very userfriendly and, in typical Complete
Idiot’s Guide format, is peppered
with boxes on the sidelines:
warnings and cautions called “HOT
POTATO”, useful info and tidbits
called “IN A NUTSHELL”,
definitions marked “VEGAN 101”,
and meaningful quotations where
you see “GOLDEN APPLES”. Each
chapter ends with “THE LEAST
YOU NEED TO KNOW” which is a
reassuring summary so you don’t
miss anything!
I wish this definitive book had
been around when I turned veg
fifteen years ago. As I was wading
into those unfamiliar waters back
then, not knowing the difference
between tofu and kung fu, Vegan
Living could have served as compass
and companion!
This resource is for the inquiring,
compassionate mind. In his
foreword, John Robbins says, if you
want to “bring your life into greater
alignment with your heart...If you
are the kind of person who knows
there is wisdom in your heart and
wants to live by it, this book’s for
you.” I wholeheartedly agree!
The authors’ information is so
astonishingly lucid, anyone who
reads Vegan Living can adopt a
vegan lifestyle with relative ease and
confidence. If you’re new to
veganism, reading it is like an
exciting adventure; if you’re already
vegan, it’s like visiting a dear old
friend; and if you’re somewhere in
between, reading it will give you the
best of both worlds.
Reviewed by Lin Silvan
Complete Idiot’s Guide to
VEGAN LIVING –Beverly Lynn
Bennett and Ray Sammartano. 2005,
368pp 7½x9½ $18.95. (In stock at
AVS, 20% discount to members.)
Lin Silvan is founder and director
of the Eugene Veg Education
Network (EVEN), the Eugene
Oregon vegan society.
eugvegedunet@comcast.net
Beverly Lynn Bennett
is an experienced vegan chef,
writer, and animal lover who has
worked for various vegan and
vegetarian restaurants and natural
foods establishments during the
past decade. In 1988, she earned
her culinary arts degree and spent
the next 15 years developing and
expanding her vegan culinary
skills and knowledge base.
Ray Sammartano is a
Breakfast Fruit Parfaits
musician, web developer, and
long-time vegan who has devoted
himself to spreading the vegan
message for the past 15 years. He
is also the webmaster for Beverly's website and her partner in
life as well as in many veganrelated endeavors.
Earning a degree in philosophy
helped deepen Ray's understand-
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ray Sammartano
Currently a chef in Eugene,
Oregon, and the author of the
"Dairy-Free Desserts" column for
VegNews, Beverly's work has appeared in many publications, on
public television, and all over the
Internet. A vegan for more than 15
years, she is the author of the ecookbook Eat Your Veggies! and
has hosted "The Vegan Chef"
website at veganchef.com since
1999.
In her spare time, Beverly enjoys giving culinary advice to fellow vegans and the veg-curious
via the web, trying out new recipe
ideas on friends and family, exploring the Oregon countryside,
and spending time with her cat
Luna.
ing of the issues surrounding a
vegan lifestyle. In 1999, he created a popular online vegan discussion forum known as the
VMB, or Vegan Message Board,
which evolved into the semiofficial forum for The Vegan Society until 2002.
Ray's unique brand of electronic music was featured in the
2001 film The Accident, released
by Parthenon Films, and has been
used in other independent productions while receiving acclaim from
listeners worldwide via the Internet. Learn more at xylox.net.
The authors of
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries,
cut in half lengthwise
1 cup strawberries,
hulled and sliced
1 mango,
peeled, pitted, and diced
1 kiwifruit, peeled and diced
¼ cup fresh or bottled apple juice
5 large bananas, peeled and
cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tsp. fresh or bottled lemon juice
1 cup unsweetened coconut,
shredded
4 cups granola
Combine blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mango,
kiwi, and apple juice in a medium
bowl. Toss gently to combine,
and set aside.
Use a food processor to purée
bananas, lemon juice and shredded coconut. Scrape down the
sides of the container; process an
additional 2 to 3 minutes or until
extremely light and creamy.
To assemble, in four large
glasses or dessert dishes, layer
half-cup mixed fruit , half- cup
granola, and half-cup bananacoconut cream. Repeat layers.
Serve immediately.
Variation: Use nondairy plain
or flavored soy yogurt instead of
the banana-coconut cream mix.
Vegan Living
Ginger-Teriyaki Tofu
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes,
plus 30 minutes to press tofu.
Cook time: 40 to 50 minutes
2 lb. firm tofu
½ cup tamari, nama shoyu,
or Braggs Liquid Aminos
¼ cup brown rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Begin by pressing the blocks
of tofu between 2 large plates, set
in the sink, weighted with large
cans or other heavy objects to
press out excess moisture. Leave
blocks of tofu to press and drain
for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut
each block of tofu in half lengthwise, cut across each piece 3
times to yield 4 tofu cutlets from
each half. (So each block of tofu
yields 8 tofu cutlets.)
Put the tofu cutlets in a single
layer in a large casserole dish. In
a small bowl, whisk together the
other ingredients. Pour this mixture over tofu in casserole dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Turn tofu
cutlets with a spatula, cook an
additional 20 to 30 minutes or
until most of glaze is absorbed.
Serve 2 or 3 tofu cutlets per
person as a main dish, side dish,
or sandwich filling, with fresh
veggies.
Variations: Cube pressed tofu,
bake, and use in soups, stir-fries,
salads, pasta, rice, or grain dishes.
Or bake sliced or cubed tempeh
in the marinade.
Bangkok Coconut Rice
& Black Beans
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
4 cups filtered water
2 cups brown basmati
or jasmine rice
2 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and grated
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper,
freshly ground
½ cup canned coconut milk
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 (15-oz.) can black beans,
drained and rinsed
½ cup red bell pepper and
½ cup orange bell pepper,
seeds and ribs removed, diced
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sliced almonds
In a large saucepan, combine
water, basmati rice, ginger, garlic,
salt, and black pepper. Bring to a
boil, cover, reduce heat to low,
and simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed and tiny
holes appear on top of rice. Remove from heat, leave covered,
and set aside for 10 minutes to
allow rice to steam.
Transfer rice to a large bowl,
and fluff with a fork to loosen
grains. Add remaining liquids,
and toss gently to combine. Add
beans, bell peppers, onions, cilantro, and almonds, and gently fold
to combine. Serve plain or on a
bed of chopped greens.
Variation: Refrigerate, and eat as
a cold salad on chopped greens.
July 27 2006: It was reported by Oregon Zoo that an elephant, Pet, who has suffered for years from captivity-induced foot and joint disease, is scheduled to be
euthanized due to a chronic infection of the foot that has invaded the bone, literally
causing the bone to rot away inside the foot. —IDA bulletin
Chewy Walnut Brownies
Yield: 1 (9x13-inch) pan
or 12 squares
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 to 40 minutes
1 (12-oz.) pkg. vegan chocolate
chips
¼ cup margarine,
(non-hydrogenated)
2/3 cup walnuts
3 medium bananas, peeled,
and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached sugar
½ tsp. baking powder,
(non-aluminum)
½ tsp. sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In
the top of a double-boiler, combine chocolate chips and margarine, and heat until thoroughly
melted. In a food processor, pulse
walnuts to finely chop. Transfer
walnuts to a small bowl and set
aside. Place bananas and vanilla
extract in the food processor,
process for 2 minutes, scrape
down the sides of the container,
and process an additional minute
to form a light and creamy purée.
Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together
pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add banana purée to
dry ingredients, and stir well to
combine. Add melted chocolate
chip mixture, and stir well to
thoroughly combine.
Lightly oil a 9x13-inch pan.
Pour batter into the pan, sprinkle
reserved chopped walnuts over
top, and press them in gently with
your hands. Bake for 30 to 40
minutes or until center is set. Allow to cool completely, at least 1
hour, before cutting into 12
squares.
Book Review:
In Defense of Animals:The Second Wave
Edited by Peter Singer
This book of eye-opening and
motivating essays examines the
ideas, problems, and activist strategies of today’s animal movement. In
Defense of Animals provides answers to the question many of us
have: What can we, who already are
vegan, do to encourage others to
make similar food choices?
I posed this question directly to
Peter Singer when I interviewed him
in his office at Princeton University
where he is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University
Center for Human Values. Speaking
earnestly but simply, Dr. Singer advises that we should (while not being
self-righteous or pure), “be an example and be ready to talk about why
we eat the way we do.” We should
choose appropriate times; the dinner
table may not be the best venue to
discuss animal slaughter. But above
all, “when we see an opening we
should speak up.”
Picking up where the original
book printed twenty years ago leaves
off; we see intellectualism merged
with updated activism. The modern
animal movement began in the
1960s in England, when the British
public became aware of factory
farms and cruel practices of animal
production for profit.
In Defense of Animals reintroduces the term speciesism — the
attitude that it is justifiable to place
humans above animals with complete disregard of inflicting pain or
suffering in their lives on the
grounds that humans are members of
the species Homo sapiens.
Peter Singer’s 1975 landmark
book Animal Liberation explores
this then-new term. He compares it
to the cruel and immoral treatment
of members of one race by another.
Although not necessary to the understanding of In Defense of Animals,
Animal Liberation offers a good
introduction to Singer’s argument
against making animals suffer in
medical research and factory
farming systems of food production.
Singer advises we look at each
animal’s consciousness when we
decide if there is pain and suffering.
For example, there is a difference in
the awareness level of a chicken as
compared to that of an ape.
Due to the sometimes misrepresentation by the animal movement,
Dr. Singer cautions that speciesism
does not imply that animals have the
same rights as humans, such as the
right to vote for example. But an
honest attempt needs to be made to
understand the differences and similarities of each species.
Dr Singer is equally clear that he
does not advocate or condone violence in the cause of animals. He
points out that the use of violence
undermines the animal movement’s
ethical basis. Education and persuasion are the favored means in a democratic society.
The first section of In Defense of
Animals, The Ideas, contains an essay addressing questions such as,
“What is a person?” and “Are any
nonhuman beings persons?” A
bonobo, Kanzi, demonstrates he understands verbal commands such as
“take the vacuum cleaner outdoors”
by removing the vacuum cleaner. A
gorilla, Koko, used American Sign
Language with a hint of good self
image to answer questions such as
“What’s a smart gorilla?” by signing
back “Me.”
Although the second section of
the book, The Problems, contains
sad stories of suffering of farm animals, fish, rodents used in research,
and captive animals in zoos, backed
up with the staggering numbers, Dr.
Singer feels the center of animal ethics revolves around reducing the
number of animals that are eaten.
In the US alone nine billion
birds, chickens and turkeys, go
through factory systems to slaughter
each year. They spend their short
lives in filthy manure conditions.
Even the workers wear masks to protect themselves from breathing the
dust and ammonia from feces in the
factory environment.
Yearly in the U.S. 750,000 calves
are eaten as veal. While there has
been a decrease in the number of
cows used for milk, over 20% of the
now 9 million cows here are injected
with synthetic bovine growth hormone to increase milk production.
Banned in countries outside the U.S.,
the hormone debilitates the animals,
putting them at great risk for metabolic disorders and lameness resulting in “downer” cows. Dairy cows
too are eventually slaughtered.
It is estimated that over 15 billion
aquatic animals such as salmon,
trout and shrimp are consumed in the
U.S. — many of them captive-raised
in crowded conditions, receiving
pesticides and antibiotics. What fish
would not need antibiotics if 27 fullsized trout were crowded together in
a tank the size of a bathtub? Slaughter methods include bleeding and
electrocution.
In section three, Activists and
Their Strategies, Matt Ball’s essay
“Living and Working in Defense of
Animals” says we should be able to
verbalize our reasons for the way we
choose to eat by focusing on cruelty
rather than reciting things like
“shrimp isn’t vegan”. The bottom
line is suffering, not veganism.
Due to his heavy traveling schedule, even Peter Singer admits that
sometimes on the road it is a challenge to follow a strictly vegan diet.
He may eat a few eggs or dairy when
traveling. He reminisces about the
family cat. “I did not feel right about
making her vegan”.
From a strategic marketing level,
Bruce Friedrich’s outstanding essay
“Effective Advocacy. Stealing from
the Corporate Playbook” lists four
things we need to do: Be Respectful,
Be a People Person, Dress for Success, and Be Optimistic. He warns
readers off common tactics that are
ineffective. Behaving as a compassionate reasonable human being,
removing negative barriers, may
build bridges with people rather than
prevent them from adopting a vegan
diet. Following a vegan diet saves
about 100 animals every year from
pain and suffering.
If you ever get discouraged and
wonder if any inroads are being
made, look at the supermarkets in
your area, and cruelty-free products
such as cosmetics and non-leather
shoes.
Dr. Singer optimistically
points out that a flagship organic
supermarket, Whole Foods, even
though they sell meat, is still moving
in the right direction. Unfortunately
the world is moving in another direction. Approximately 10% of Whole
Food customers are vegetarians,
while 3% of the customers are vegan. A business decision moved the
supermarket chain to choose to go
“humane” if not vegan. Ultimately it
is the customers’ choice.
In Defense of Animals gives
some practical insight into what the
animals might want us to say or do
in their behalf. When we see the
opening Peter Singer referred to, we
will know how to state their case
when we speak up.
Reviewer: Mary Ann Cavallaro
Book review:
Soup’s On!
Vegetarian Soups, Muffins and Accompaniments
Barb Bloomfield
Soup’s On!
The call to Vegetarian Soups,
Muffins and Accompaniments by
Barb Bloomfield of THE FARM
fame is a souper addition to anyone’s cookbook collection.
Divided into three sections as the
title suggests, the book further organizes in a simple, manageable
way. Soups are either tomato or miso
based, pureed or creamy, stews or
thick. Muffins are sweet or savory,
and accompaniments range from
bagels and crackers to sesame sticks
and scones, all of which are a comfort to your bones.
Soups’ ingredients are subdivided
for ease of mixing and are an interesting blend of a base with vegetables such as Black-Eyed Pea with
Eggplant, and Mushroom Vegetable
Barley. A count of calories is provided, along with protein, fat, and
carbohydrate grams per two cup
amount of each recipe in all sections.
It would take considerable time
to make all the recipes, and then
some to combine the variety of
soups with muffins and accompaniments. I tried several soups, muffins,
and some crispy crackers which con-
IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS: The Second Wave — Peter Singer, Editor.
A collection of essays by a new generation (active in Europe, the United
States, and Australia) advocating and working to alleviate the pain. Actions
are often incremental steps designed to arouse public awareness. Rationale,
campaigns and various strategies explained. 2006, 264pp 6x9” $21.95.
In a coming issue of American Vegan, Mary Ann Cavallaro talks to
Peter Singer about the new book:
THE WAY WE EAT: Why Our Food Choices Matter — Peter Singer
and Jim Mason. An account of modern food production starts by reviewing
the meals of three families (typical U.S. omnivore, natural & organic consumer, and vegan). The reader is then in a position to make an informed
choice of what to eat based on animal care/suffering, environmental concerns,
and the state of health of food animals and those who eat them.
2006, 328pp 6x9¼” hard $25.95.
[[
Books in stock at AVS; 20% discount to members, free shipping.
vinced me that this “Special Lay-Flat
Binding 127-page book” was well
worth $10.95. The lay-flat binding
allows the cook to read while preparing, worry-free about losing the last
few ingredients or instructions to a
sudden fast-closing page!
Barb also includes some tips on
how to thicken a thin soup or desalt
a salty one. A two-page glossary
helps the novice with unknown
terms as well as being an aid to the
well-informed. For example, you can
make an egg-replacer from flaxseed,
and did you know that, “millet is the
only grain that is alkaline (acidneutralizing) when cooked”?
I have to go now. My AmaranthLemon Apple Muffins are ready to
pull out of the oven. I hear my Miso
Escarole Soup crying out that the
stove is too hot and those good old
miso enzymes will have a bad time
of it.
Reviewed by Art Giffoniello
Orange Beet Soup
1½ tsp. coarsely chopped garlic
4 whole cloves
2 cups water
4 cups beets, peeled and chopped
1½cups orange juice (fresh squeezed
is best)
½ tsp. salt (optional)
Boil the garlic, cloves and beets
in water for 10–15 minutes until the
beets are soft. Remove the cloves.
Blend the cooked mixture in a
blender or food processor.
Add the orange juice and stir
well. Serve hot or cold. –BB
Restaurant Review:
Blossom
Gourmet Organic Vegan Cuisine — Lunch and Dinner
187 9th Avenue (between 21st & 22nd), New York City 10011. 212.627.1144
www.blossomnyc.com
When Pamela and
Romen Seri moved into
the chic and evolving
Chelsea section of
Manhattan there were no
organic vegan
restaurants. So what
does one do? Open your
own! And, did they ever!
Not only is the food
wonderful, but in their
intimate townhouse
setting there is
candlelight at night,
even a modern fireplace
to enjoy.
First and foremost
they care about animals,
and they believe in fresh
ingredients from local
farms and small distribution companies. They
know that eating organic vegan food encourages
a health-conscious lifestyle for all. This philosophy
comes through clearly, from the moment you
enter to the last bite of dessert.
Living in Manhattan and having the wonderful
opportunity to visit all of the vegetarian
restaurants, I think of Blossom among the first
places I want to go to dinner, especially if I have
a meat-eater with me. The menu is so friendly to
the fare we grew up with, pre-vegan, and many
of the dishes bring back memories, like mashed
potatoes, seitan and gravy, but this time the food
not only tastes good but is vegan, and organic
yet at that.
The friendly staff is efficient, and helpful in
knowing all the ingredients in each menu item, so
ask away. They will tell you their favorites, and
the favorites of their frequent customers. On my
first visit I was encouraged to start with the
Black-eyed Pea Cake, a crispy cake of Yukon gold
potato & black-eyed peas served with chipotle
aioli ($8). Good suggestion, and now I have it
each time I go.
I did not have to ask for suggestions on a
recent visit because the famous actor, Ethan
Hawke, was sitting at the next table. He offered
his favorite entrée suggestion of Seitan
Medallions which is pan-seared and served with
soft polenta and
broccoli rabe ($18). He
ordered the Arugula
Salad with avocado, red
onions, tomatoes and
chick peas in a roastedgarlic vinaigrette ($8)
as a starter. I noticed
that his dinner partner
ordered a starter of
Beet & Tofu Salad which
is roasted golden beets
with baked miso-sweet&-spicy tofu drizzled
with a sherry wine
reduction ($8). As an
entrée this was the
night Ethan chose a
Tofu Stir Fry, a lightly
Photo by Andre Szekely
spiced tofu, Napa
cabbage, broccoli, bean
sprouts, red & yellow peppers in a gentle ginger
sauce ($14). Seems he has already tried
everything on the menu.
Let’s not forget dessert, shall we? Few very
high-end mainstream restaurants can top their
flavor-packed offerings. Not surprisingly, seems
the Chocolate Ganache Torte served with
chocolate truffles, chocolate sauce, with a scoop
of chocolate vegan ice cream ($9) is the top
seller. Truly, a delicious chocolate fix!
The portions are very ample so a take-home
container is often requested. Somehow, I manage
nicely without one. This can be a good thing or a
bad thing.
Review, and photo below, by Linda Long
Eric Tucker—in Philadelphia
Eric Tucker is the renowned executive chef at San Francisco’s
Millennium Restaurant and the author of two cookbooks* cele-
Above: Mandy Sadowski and
Melissa Maly look forward to a
vegan meal from a heralded
chef. Below: Freya Dinshah
thanks Eric Tucker for a wonderful dining experience.
brating the heights of vegan cuisine. He endorses vegan food
for its appeal as well as its healthful qualities. It becomes exciting with the attention he devotes to flavor, texture, and visual
appeal. A true artist in the kitchen, Eric is innovative and finds
the right notes to make each dish a delight.
Eric has been a guest chef in Philadelphia for The Book and
The Cook’s salute to food and dining; this year marking his fifth
appearance at Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant. Four of us,
Freya, Linda, Mandy, and Melissa, decided to experience the
best meal offered in Philly on the night of March 22 2006. We
were not disappointed. When we arrived at the center-city locale on the second floor, every possible place setting was laid
out including seating at the heavy wooden banister around the
top of the stairway. We slid into a booth. Attendance that night
was estimated at 120 people.
For a banquet event like this Nodding Head’s kitchen is not
large enough, so auxiliary kitchen space has to be found in the
neighborhood. Eric brings in a staff of chefs, many of whom
have worked with him at restaurants in the past, so the event
becomes an annual reunion. NH kitchen staff work with them
and learn. They are amazed and delighted by the collaborative
effort.
The menu charmed us from the start with an “amusement”
of white-butter-bean spread served with freshly-baked breads.
Each course was accompanied by a beer from the brewery, the
first being an oatmeal stout. Those who partook of the brews
were impressed. A first course, drawing its flavors from sea
plants and mushrooms, was accompanied by blinis and an
edamame salad. The second course was a Yuba Roll, as shown
at right. We gazed upon each work of art before exploring taste
and timber. Linda was taking photos—not an easy task in the
dimness; a handheld mirror was used to maximize available
light. There were two entrees to choose from, the Hibiscus Tamale shown on the back cover, and an Indian Spiced Cioppino
(a thick stew mélange of chick peas and vegetables) with spinach coconut saag (Asian spinach cooked in coconut milk), and a
crisp papadum. Dessert was light, with rich flavors of espresso,
chocolate, caramel, coconut, and toasted almond praline. The
meal was an exquisite experience, enhanced by the company of
friends.
We asked NH Chef Andrew Maloney if the regular menu at NH
has been influenced by Eric’s food. It has, in a modest way. On
the vegetarian menu are vegan items such as a phyllovegetable roulade with polenta and tomato sauce; and a tortilla
torte filled with plantain, tofu dressing, cilantro, and mango
sauce. A phone call a day or more in advance of going to NH
will give them a chance to offer a larger selection.
*Millennium Cookbook $19.95, The Artful Vegan $24.95
The Book and The Cook
In the Spring of each year since 1985 the city of Philadelphia has hosted
The Book and The Cook, a dining festival that is now legendary. The
occasion attracts some of the world’s best cookbook authors to southeastern
Pennsylvania for a ten-day extravaganza in which some 75 restaurants and
venues now participate. The objective is to promote the interests and ties
among restaurant owners and chefs, cookbook authors, farmers and food
producers, retailers and consumers, in a showcase of culinary arts and an
exchange of information. The heart of the event is the opportunity to dine
with and meet favorite cookbook authors. In 2006 there were over sixty author-dinners on the schedule to choose from.
Each author and host restaurateur work together to create a menu of flavorful and cultural variations based on the author’s cookbook. The meal is
then prepared by the host kitchen staff under the direction of the authorchef, and offered to the public at a fixed price.
In addition to the main program, a weekend expo comprises a culinary
marketplace with displays of cookware and kitchen furnishings, cooking
demos, food samplings, and book-signings.
Other vegan chefs who have been featured at B&C are Christina Pirello
—in 2006 at Kitchen-Aid® Showcase Expo. In 2005 Matthew Kenney
cooked at Loie’s Brasserie & Bar off Rittenhouse Square. Ron Pickarski
appeared in 1995 at Melange upon publication of EcoCuisine.
For information see www.thebookandthecook.com and the Philadelphia
media in February and March.
MILLENNIUM
RESTAURANT
580 Geary St
San Francisco
CA 94102
(415) 345-3900
Executive Chef:
Eric Tucker
Crisp yuba roll with asparagus and tea smoked tofu over green
papaya and lotus root salad topped with an ipa ponzu sauce.
Reported by Freya Dinshah. Photos: Linda Long
Eric Tucker—in Philadelphia
Although the usual clientele of this small brew-pub stick
with their familiar BBQ pork, steak, rack of lamb, and mussels, Chef Andrew looks forward to the time when there is a
bigger demand for vegan fare. He loves Eric’s food, is improving his own diet, and hopes to find the opportunity to
go to San Francisco to work with Eric at Millennium.
Eric is expected to be back in March of 2007 for his 6th
year at Nodding Head. This ground breaking chef presents a
different menu each time he comes to Philadelphia.
o
Nodding Head Beers
Beer served at Nodding Head
is made on site for consumption
by the clientele. It is not marketed so does not contain the
preservatives, artificial coloring
agents, and additives that are in
commercial beers.
Dining at Nodding Head is on
the second floor; you can see
the fermenters below. The basic
ingredients of beer are hops,
malt, yeast, and water. We
asked Brewmaster Gordon
Grubb what additional ingredients are used to make different
flavors of beer. He cited oats,
ginger and lemon grass, coriander and honey, molasses, dried
fruits and spices, and bacteria
for a tart sour taste; Gordon
even has a chocolate beer.
He said what a delight it is to
work with Eric Tucker, “ a great
chef who makes some amazing
pairings of a beer with each
course—that work perfectly”.
We checked on clarifying
agents, some of which could be
from animal sources. Only extremely rarely, if needed, does
Gordon use isinglass (made
from swim-bladders of fish); no
other.
Although most NH beers are
OK for vegans who drink beer
(AVS advises against alcohol use),
it is wise to phone during the
day to check with Brewmaster
Gordon what will be available in
the evening. Find out in advance
if any should be avoided because of use of isinglass, or a
honey ingredient. Waiters may
not know such details.
Nodding Head 1516 Sansom St.
Philadelphia PA (215) 569-9525
George Bernard Shaw’s
Metaphysics and Vegetarianism
Dr. Harry Gershenowitz
The second famous English
(English-Irish) playwright George
Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) was
born in Dublin. At the age of 15,
he started to work as a junior
clerk preparing for a long life
journey ahead. Later, in 1876 he
went to London to join his sister
and mother. During this time he
was near destitute while attempting to achieve success by writing
novelettes. He was self-taught in
many subjects.
He became associated with the
London Star as a music critic
from 1888 to 1889. In 1895, he
was promoted to the important
level of drama critic for the Saturday Review.
In London he joined a number
of intellectual clubs. During this
period in England, there was a
need for more formal discussions
as the frames of reference moved
from static Victorianism in taste,
habits of thought, and conduct, to
dynamic biological and social
Darwinism. In 1864, Shaw helped
organize a group of gifted scholarly idealists to form the Fabian
Society. (The name indicated its
art of worldly wisdom—named
for Fabius Maxinus, 275–203 BC,
a Roman statesman and general
seeking victory by delay rather
than a decisive battle.) Fabian
philosophy was not revolution but
the policy of gradualism which
would aim to nationalize the
means of production. The theoretician of this movement was Sidney Webb (l859–1947).
During the 1890s Shaw wrote
his controversial comedies. His
plays were being performed in
England, Germany, and America.
His wit and dialogue helped destroy the smug satisfaction of ostentatious display of Kiplingian
superiority which was the conventional morality of the Victorian Age.
Shaw’s philosophical thinking
was influenced by a number of
European professors of philosophy including Samuel Butler
(1835–1902), an anti-Darwinist.
One of the major pillars of the
Shavian philosophical theme was
the power of the “Life Force.”
Shaw’s early model in defining
the “Life Force” was formed by
the French philosopher Henri
Bergson (1859–1941) who called
it “Elan Vital.” This growth force
possessed the impulse of life—
specifically, a creative principle
immanent in all organisms and
responsible for the process of
evolution. Essentially, “Elan Vital” is a non-mechanical force.
Bergson’s rational investigation
of the truths was based on intuition not upon reason. His universe is a vital one which opposed prevailing positivistic
thought. The intellect can not
comprehend life whereas the instinct takes the very form of life.
Shaw’s paradigmatic paragon
used in his plays rivaled all forms
of Darwinism. It was built on a
number of pre-Bergsonian philosophers who acted as forerunners in accepting the basic truth
that knowledge is gained
intuitionally through a keen and
quick insight. Shaw was well
aware of the expositions found in
the writings in the French phi-
losopher Blaise Pascal (1623–
1662) whose commentaries
served as a precursor for the essays of the Danish philosopher
Soren Kierkegaard (1813–1855)
who believed that Man must find
truth in himself. The pessimistic
philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer
(1788–1860) contrasted with fellow German Friedrich Wilhelm
Nietzsche (1844–1900) who
stressed the importance the Will
to power as the chief motivating
force of both the individual and
society.
Contemporary South African
philosopher Jan Christiaan Smuts
(1870–1950) presented his thesis
that Holism is the theory that a
material object, especially a living organism, has a reality other
and greater than the sum of its
constituent parts. Holism is one
more view of “Elan Vita1”, even
earlier explained by the members
of the Peripatetic School in the
Lyceum at Athens (Aristot1e,
Theophrastus, and Strato of
Lampsacus).
Shaw became one of the disciples of the Norwegian dramatist
and poet Henrik Ibsen (1828–
1906). Shaw admired Ibsen’s uncompromising insistence in presenting natural characters in conflict with social custom and environment. The term Ibsenism,
which championed the individual
in conflict with society, was developed in detail in Shaw’s book
The Quintessence of Ibsenism
(1891).
Shaw was a staunch vegetarian, a vegetarian who eschewed
alcohol and tobacco. The practice
of vegetarianism gave Shaw high
levels of energy. Importantly,
Shaw was an antivivisectionist
who did not believe in harming
animal 1ife. Also, he was an op-
ponent of cruel sports. Shaw rejected meat for humanitarian reasons and grew vegetables and
fruit in his own garden. He enjoyed eating tomatoes and potatoes.
Shaw once said, “My stomach
is not a graveyard for dead animals”.
A typical Shavian story occurred when in 1891 Shaw attended an Art-Workers Guild
meeting in Venice. He had to
travel as a holy man in order to
convince the headwaiters to supply a vegetarian diet. A member
of the group was a don from
Cambridge University who substantiated that Shaw was a member of a religious order under
vows to refrain from eating meat.
Well done!
Shaw’s belief and practice did
not cause a loss of popularity
among his countrymen. As a matter of fact, he gained new adherents and believers. He argued that
flesh-eating caused a loss of energy, and time which could be
spent helping humanity.
Scientific research in nutrition
has made great strides during the
past hundred years. There is no
doubt that for humans to animalize their gustatory passions can
cause the twilight of 19th and
20th centuries’ civilized advancements. Shaw wrote the following
about flesh-eating in a nondogmatic fashion:
“It involves a prodigious slavery of men to animals. Cows and
sheep, with their valetaille of accoucheurs, graziers, shepherds,
slaughtermen, butchers, milkmaids, and so forth, absorb a
mass of human labor that should
be devoted to the breeding and
care of human beings. Some day,
I hope, we shall live on air, and
get rid of all the sanitary preoccupations which are so unpleasantly
aggravated by meat-eating.”
Shaw’s popularity with the
public reached a high level in his
post-World War I play Back to
Methuselah (1921).
In 1925 Shaw, writer of social
and political theories, received
the Nobel Prize in Literature. His
1egacy of monies was to be spent
to simplify a reformed English
alphabet having 40 letters. Shaw
felt there was a need for a phonetic alphabet. He decried that,
“The English have no respect for
their language and do not teach
their children to speak it.” Above
all, he wrote disparagingly about
inconsistencies of English spelling “Amazingly there still exists
the difference between English
English and American English
which can he viewed as almost
different languages.”
George Bernard Shaw was a
prolific letter writer and continued to write up to his death. He
died on November 2 1950 from
complications following a fall.
o
George Bernard Shaw
Charles Hogarth
Portraits of Famous People
–Dover Publications NY.
Will Rogers, interviewed by
the BBC in 1925: “You know,
we in the States are rather interested in a man you’ve got
over here called George Bernard
Shaw. We think him rather
amusing; some folk think he’s
really funny—but we haven’t
got to live with him like you
have.”
In 1926 Bernard Shaw was
appointed vice-chairman of the
BBC Pronunciation Committee
formed to advise announcers as
to the pronunciation of difficult
names, and, in the case of
words which could be pronounced in two or more ways,
which one to use when broadcasting.
Shavian advice, 1932: “If
you ever want to criticise people’s beliefs, start by telling
them something they are bound
to agree with, then you can set
about pulling things to pieces.”
Re: vaccination: "Within my
long lifetime, its ruthless enforcement throughout Europe
ended in two of the worst epidemics of smallpox in record,
our former more dreaded typhus and cholera epidemics
having meanwhile been ended
by sanitation. After that failure,
the credit of vaccination was
saved for a while by the introduction of isolation, which at
once produced improved figures. At present, intelligent
people do not have their children vaccinated, nor does the
law now compel them to. The
result is not, as the Jennerians
prophesied, the extermination
of the human race by smallpox;
on the contrary more people are
now killed by vaccination than
by smallpox.” --GBS, August 9
1944, letter to The Irish Times)
In 1945, George Bernard
Shaw wrote to Donald Watson,
as The Vegan Society (England)
commenced activities, informing
him that dairy produce and
eggs had never formed a prominent part of his diet.
New Study Shows Vegan Diet
Effective Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes
A new study appearing in the
August issue of Diabetes Care
shows that a low-fat vegan diet
treats type 2 diabetes more effectively than a standard diabetes
diet and may be more effective
than single-agent therapy with
oral diabetes drugs. The randomized controlled trial was conducted by doctors and dietitians
with the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine,
George Washington University,
and the University of Toronto,
with funding from the National
Institutes of Health and the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation.
PCRM president Neal Barnard, MD, the study’s lead researcher, joined Joshua Cohen,
MD, of the George Washington
University Medical Center, and
David Jenkins, MD, PhD, ScD, of
the University of Toronto for a
news briefing in Washington on
July 27 to release the details of
the study. Two study participants
also discussed the dramatic health
improvements they experienced
on the vegan intervention diet.
The study involved 99 individuals with type 2 diabetes. Half
the group was assigned to follow
a low-fat vegan diet for 22 weeks,
and the other half was asked to
follow a diet based on the American Diabetes Association's guidelines. While both groups experienced significant reductions in
hemoglobin A1c (a measure of
blood sugar levels over a prolonged period), weight, plasma
lipid concentration, and urinary
albumin excretion, medicationstable participants in the vegan
group experienced significantly
greater reductions in A1c, weight,
body mass index, waist circumference, total cholesterol, and
LDL cholesterol.
“The new diet approach does
not rely on any limits on carbohydrates, calories, or portion sizes,
and appears to be more effective
than typical ‘diabetes diets’,” Dr.
Barnard said. “And all the ‘side
effects’ were good ones—weight
loss, lower cholesterol, and overall better health.
Vance Warren, a 36-year-old
study participant and former
Washington DC police officer,
discussed how changing his diet
changed his life. When he was
first diagnosed with diabetes at
the age of 31, he did not take it
seriously, he said at the press
conference. Then he began developing problems with his eyesight
and renal function. He tried several different diets, but none of
them worked. However, since he
began the intervention diet in
January 2005, his A1c dropped
from over 9 percent to 5.3 percent
(normal values are below 6.0 percent), his cholesterol dropped
from 221 to 148 points, and he has
lost 74 pounds.
Virginia resident Nancy
Boughn had a similar experience
with health improvements on the
intervention diet. The diet was “a
really simple change,” she said.
“I’d spent eight and a half years
measuring,” she added, referring
to the portion control that is typical of most diabetes diets.
Boughn’s A1c dropped from 8.3
to 6.4 percent, and she had to discontinue one of her medications
even before the end of the 22week study.
Dr. Jenkins concluded that doctors need to put a much greater
emphasis on diet for diabetes
treatment. Dr. Cohen also noted
that, "despite the fact that the vegan diet places no limits on carbohydrates or calories, it is at least as
good, if not better, than traditional
approaches."
o
©2006 Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine; all rights
reserved. Reprinted by permission.
More info on this and other studies at www.pcrm.org
Participants following the vegan diet in the study were asked
to eat a low-fat diet, and also to
eat low-glycemic foods. The 16page booklet, The Vegan Diet
How-To Guide: Diabetes, can be
down-loaded at PCRM’s web
site , or ordered from them.
Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave, NW, #400
Washington DC 20016
Phone: (202) 686-2210
Email: pcrm@pcrm.org
VEGAN HEALTH STUDY
Participate in nutrition research,
investigating the long-term
effects of vegan diets, by any or
all of these ways: Complete a
questionnaire. Provide blood
and urine samples for lab testing—fee. charged. Donate taxdeductible funding.
Michael Klaper, MD, Director
Institute of Nutrition
Education & Research
1601 N. Sepulveda Avenue #342
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
www.veganhealthstudy.org
The Seattle Times, Sunday, May 14 2006 –12:00 AM, Obituary:
Engineer was a Seattle Archetype
by Jonathan Martin, Seattle Times staff reporter
Mr. Hunting had two stints at
Alfred Hunting was the quintessence of a certain type of Seat- Boeing, including one working
tleite, right down to his Gore-Tex on the proposed Supersonic
wardrobe. He helped engineer Transport, which was canceled in
airplanes at Boeing. He was an 1971. When Boeing—and Seatardent liberal Democrat and a tle—hit an economic recession,
gardener. He filled his vegan diet Mr. Hunting found engineering
work in Texas.
with Pike Place Market produce.
The Huntings returned in 1975
And although Mr. Hunting
was perfectly healthy, he joined a and stayed for good. Mr. Hunting
group of people who'd had near- went back to Boeing for 12 more
death experiences, just because years, retiring in 1995 from the
he was curious and wanted to company's commercial airplane
support people in difficult times. division.
"He did not bring any
negative agendas to his
Alfred Hunting was a
life on Earth," said
Gilbert & Sullivan fan and
Kimberly Clark Sharp,
leader of the near-death enjoyed quoting their lyrics.
group.
Marianne Gutteridge met Mr.
He died unexpectedly on Monday at 78. A private autopsy is Hunting in the mid-1970s when
he asked if the Seattle Gilbert &
pending.
He was born in New Jersey Sullivan Society needed help. He
and moved to Seattle in 1961 was an avid fan, prone to quoting
when Boeing offered him a job Gilbert lyrics such as "Oh joy, oh
soon after he'd been awarded a rapture!" "We speak G & S in our
doctorate in aeronautical physics family," said Carol Sue Janes*,
at the University of Michigan. He Mr. Hunting's daughter. Mr.
and his wife, Shirley, already had Hunting meticulously researched
three children, and they had a and produced the programs for
fourth soon after arriving in the the society's productions, and visarea. His children say he was a ited a Gilbert & Sullivan web site
charming father; he nicknamed regularly to better understand the
nuances of the lyrics. He was at
them after Russian scientists.
His son David Hunting, nick- work on a program for the socinamed Mushkelishvili, said his ety's July performance of "The
father's perfect day would have Pirates of Penzance" when he
been spent with his children. "He died. "Al was an absolutely marvelous person," said Gutteridge.
never sat still," he said.
VEGAN OUTREACH
211 Indian Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
www.veganoutreach.org
GoVeganRadio.com
Bob Linden/SEE, PO Box 40246
San Diego CA 92164
(818) 623-6477
"For all the work he did, he never
took any credit."
Mr. Hunting's father passed
away in 1990, and his stepmother
disclosed a near-death experience
of her own. That propelled Mr.
Hunting and his wife to the Seattle chapter of the International
Association of Near-Death Studies, a support group for people
who'd returned from death.
"It was something that drew
him out of his reductionist, engineer's view of the world," said
David Hunting, a Seattle software
consultant. "It made him more a
part of the world."
Sharp, head of the group, said
Mr. Hunting was unafraid of
death and rarely missed a meeting
in the past decade. "He was a
man who would reach out his
hand to anyone," she said. "He
was a never-met-a-person-hedidn't-like kind of guy."
He is survived by his wife of
52 years, Shirley, sons David
Hunting of Seattle and Randal
Hunting of Hoboken NJ, and
daughters Carol Sue Janes of Seattle and Martha Hunting of Seattle, and two grandchildren.
Jonathan Martin: (206) 464-2605,
jmartin@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle
Times Company. Reprinted with
permission.
*Carol Sue Hunting Janes is a Life
Member of American Vegan Society
Meatout Mondays
Weekly e-newsletter with a
vegan recipe, inspirational
message, and vegan product
www.meatoutmondays.org.
OrganicAthlete.org
Leading the Race for Life on Earth
PO Box 33, Graton CA 95444
(707) 360-8511
animal alternatives.” “I met Dr.
Thurston when I was 15 and had
the privilege and honor of working with her for ten years,” Sohn
said.
Funded for seven years by
AFAAR, cytotoxicologist Bjorn Ekwall of Sweden developed human
cell culture tests which by 1998
could “predict human lethal concentrations with 71% precision,”
Thurston told ANIMAL PEOPLE in
1998. Ekwall died in 2000, but the
Bjorn Ekwall Foundation has continued his work.
Thurston started Beauty Without
Cruelty USA as a branch of an organization begun in Britain in 1957
by Muriel, The Lady Dowding, who
died in 1993. In 1963, the Lady
Dowding spun off the cruelty-free
product manufacturing firm Beauty
Without Cruelty Inc. as an independent company. Thurston’s first BWCUSA project was an anti-fur protest
held in February 1974 to coincide
with the American International Fur
Fair. A June Fashion Show featured
appearances by the Lady Dowding,
Dr. Ethel Thurston
Ethel Thurston, 94, died at
home in New York City on January
4 2006. A longtime professor at
Hunter College, Bryn Mawr, New
York University, and the Manhattan
College of Music, Thurston was
globally known as a musicologist
who recreated the original sounds of
compositions from the Middle Ages
and Renaissance.
But Thurston was legendary,
friend Sara Sohn recalled, as “a pioneer of the animal rights movement,
who devoted the last three decades
of her life to running the two organizations she founded.” Beauty Without Cruelty USA, started in 1974,
“informed the public on where to
find cruelty-free cosmetics and
household products, and also vegan
clothing and footwear.” The American Fund for Alternatives to Animal Research, begun in 1979,
“provided grants to scientists who
were committed to developing, validating, and implementing non-
in the hands of Sandra
Friedenstern Howard now
Ozolins and Simon Good.
(1940–2006)
Friedenstern Howard died at his
Devon, England, home on April 8
2006. For 38 years he had guided
the work of Vegfam; from 1967 to
1994 with his mother Ruth as codirector. Vegfam administration is
Frieden was a lifetime vegan and,
with his wife Frances, parent of four
vegan children. They shared their
experiences with others, and in 1973
self-published the Parents’ Handbook of Breastfeeding and Plant
Foods which was very helpful at a
VEGFAM
Feeds the hungry without
exploiting animals
VEGFAM ℅ Cwm Cottage
Cwmynys, Cilycwm
LLandovery, Carmarthenshire
SA20 0EU, WALES
Great Britain
Checks to American Vegan Society
designated projects only or projects &
administrative costs, and marked for
overseas relief will be forwarded in £s
Fund for Animals founder Cleveland
Amory, and Broadway actress
Gretchen Wyler, who later founded
the Genesis Awards program. The
effort is remembered as the ignition
of the U.S. anti-fur movement.
[And in September Dr. Thurston
came to AVS Malaga NJ to speak,
show a film about trapping for furs,
and present a fashion show. –Ed.]
Thurston also helped boost animal rights philosopher Tom Regan
to prominence. Recalled Regan, “On
behalf of the International Association against Painful Experiments on
Animals, Ethel and IAPEA founder
Colin Smith [deceased in 2001] invited me to organize and chair a
1984 conference on religion and animals. In 1986, I was privileged to
publish the proceedings as Animal
Sacrifices: Religious Perspectives on
the Use of Animals in Science.”
The Ne w England AntiVivisection Society in 2000 honored
Thurston with the Cleveland Amory
Humane Achievement Award.
o
Courtesy Animal People, Clinton WA
time of little such guidance. Theirs
was the first vegan family featured
on national TV in the UK.
Frieden was also a board member
of sustainable agriculture charities.
He promoted leaf concentrate for
provision of vitamins and protein to
hungry and malnourished people in
developing countries.
o
VEGFAM PROJECTS
Vegfam provides short- and long-term aid to victims
of flood, drought, cyclone, famine, and war, as well as
earthquake. It funds emergency feeding, seeds for
planting, and water supplies. 2004 aid went to Ghana,
Tajikistan, India, Sudan, Mozambique, & Bangladesh.
Tsunami relief was sent immediately to India’s Tamil
Nadu region in the form of food packets of vegetables, pulses and rice. 2005/6: Usual relief efforts, plus
Vegfam’s Indian Ocean Earthquake Appeal is raising funds for long-term vegetable growing projects.
Commercial products today
are often advertised as
"wholesome", "natural", or
"cruelty-free", with no clear
standard of what is really meant.
Some firms don't see insects as
animal; products using lanolin
(wool fat) or fish parts are
sometimes sold as "nonanimal". We are pleased to list
some mail-order catalogs and
websites you’ll find helpful,
selling vegan clothing, shoes,
cosmetics, toiletries, etc.
For a list of 200+ ingredients
commonly used in foods,
cosmetics, etc., see
VEGANISM: Getting Started
(AVS/Ahimsa publication).
Arbonne International
Swiss formula skin care & toiletries.
Independent Consultant
recommends all Arbonne
products with vegan.org
certification.
Dr Kerrie Saunders, 10433323
6805 E. Sanilac Road
Port Sanilac MI 48469
(810) 622-8687
www.DrFood.myArbonne.com
Different Daisy Webstore
Christi Wymer
10766 State Route 139
Minford OH 45653
www.DifferentDaisy.com
Supplements, apparel, cosmetics,
body care, household cleaners, first
aid, + info, recipes, events, & more.
Working Vegan Network.
Earth Vegan Footwear
Many styles of
vegan casuals
for women &
men. Vegan
Society (UK)
certified
components &
construction. KALSO ® negative heel.
Breathable simulated leather.
151 Newton Street
Waltham MA 02453
(877) 746-3364
www.earthvegan.us
Sources of Non-Animal Items
Heartland Products Ltd.
Box 218
Dakota City IA 50529
(515) 332-3087, (800)-441-4692
www.trvnet.net/~hrtlndp
Men’s/women’s footwear:
safety, athletic, hiking, dress; also,
luggage, belts, baseball gloves.
MooShoes: alternatives to leather
152 Allen Street
New York NY 10002
(212) 254-6512, and Toll free:
(866) 59VEGAN(598-3426)
www.mooshoes.com
Non-leather shoes and accessories.
Pangea
2381 Lewis Avenue
Rockville MD 20851
(800) 340-1200
www.veganstore.com
Toiletries, shoes, T-shirts, clothing,
bags, food items, dog food, etc.
soles of the earth
Roger Romanelli
951 N. Oakley Blvd
Chicago IL 60622
(773) 276-7613
www.solesoftheearth.com
Footwear and accessories available
from September 2006
Veg Essentials
3707 N 92nd Street
Milwaukee WI 53222
Ph/Fax: (414) 527-9684/9685
(866) 88VEGAN (888-3426)
www.veganessentials.com
Soap; bath, body, dental-care items;
cosmetics; flavorings, and sweets.
The Vegetarian Site
David Sudarsky
PO Box 18699
Tucson AZ 85731
(520) 529-8691
www.thevegetariansite.com
Footwear, food, personal care,
accessories, media items.
Vegetarian Shoes and Bags
Daniela Derderian
Quality fashions for all seasons and
occasions made from faux leather,
faux suede, and fabric.. Belts too.
14101 Oxnard Street
Van Nuys CA 91401
(818) 235-4709
www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com
or www.vsandb.com
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
►Vegans generally obtain vitamins
and minerals in natural foods rather
than extracts or supplements.
(See Do You Need Vitamin
Supplements? article by Dr. Agatha
Thrash, from AVS.)
Freeda Vitamins, Inc.
36 East 41st Street
New York NY 10017
(800) 777-3737
www.freedavitamins.com
Non-animal supplements.
Pioneer Nutritional
Formulas, Inc.
304 Shelburne Center Road
Shelburne Falls MA 01370
(800) 458-8483 orders
(413) 625-8212
www.pioneernutritional.com
Some (not all) Pioneer Formulas
have seal of approval from Vegan
Action.
Prescription 2000
3301 Alta Arden Expy, Suite 2
Sacramento CA 95825
(916) 483-1085
(877) DO-VEGAN (368-3426)
www.prescription2000.com
NOT A SUPPLEMENT BUT A
COMPLETE MEAL
The Ultimate Life
Box 4308
Santa Barbara CA 93140
(800) THE MEAL (843-6325)
www.ultimatelife.com
MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES U.S.A.
WASHINGTON DC
Taking Action for Animals, Saturday September 2 to Tuesday September 5 2006. A leading event
for the animal protection movement to be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington DC. Sponsored by leading
organizations, Taking Action for Animals is designed to motivate, inform and inspire activists nationwide. Speakers include Peter Singer, Michael Greger, Neal Barnard, Wayne Pacelle, Zoe Weill, Kim Sturla, Holly Hazard and
many others. (202) 452-1100, HSUS/Taking Action for Animals, 2100 L Street NW, Washington DC 20037.
www.takingactionforanimals.com.
CALIFORNIA
Healthy Lifestyle Expo, Friday September 22 to Sunday September 24 2006 at the Burbank Hilton
Convention Center, Burbank California. Drs. McDougall, Gordon, Fuhrman, Esselstyn, Mills; John Robbins, Jeff
& Sabrina Nelson, vegan chefs. See www.HealthyLifestyleExpo.com, or call (818) 349-5600.
CALIFORNIA
21st International Compassionate Living Festival, Friday October 6 to Sunday October 8 2006,
titled The Strength of Many, will be held at the Renaissance Montura Hotel near Los Angeles airport. The festival
is co-produced by the Animals & Society Institute (ASI) and Tom Regan (Empty Cages) of the Culture and Animals Foundation.. Information from Kim W. Stallwood, ASI, 3500 Boston St. #325, Baltimore MD 21224, (410)
675-4566, www.animalsandsociety.org.
FESTIVAL AND CONGRESSES, OTHER COUNTRIES
INDIA
37th World Vegetarian Congress, Sun. September 10 to Sat. September 16 2006 at Radisson
White Sands Resort, Pedda, Varca-Salcete Goa 403721, India. Sponsor: International Vegetarian Union
(www.ivu.org) and others. Opening the doors to Healthy Lifestyle Vegetarian Way! See
www.vegsocmumbai.org. Write: info@vegsocmumbai.org or The Vegetarian Society 114-A Mittal Court,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021, India Phone 91 22 85 5755/56 Fax 22 84 5040.
Letters to Editors
Newsweek July 31 2006:
ACCORDING TO RECENT
RESEARCH conducted at the
University of Chicago, switching to
a vegetarian diet is as or more helpful than switching to a hybrid car.
The study concluded that an animal-based diet accounts for significantly more fossil-fuel use than a
plant-based diet, and emits much
more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Furthermore, the practice of raising animals for food
causes greenhouse gases even more
dangerous than carbon dioxide, primarily methane and nitrous oxide.
With the wide range of vegetarian
options in today’s market, it is convenient and simple to switch to a
plant-based diet. LESLIE H.
ARMSTRONG, Ashville NC
Los Angeles Times 4-3-06
Vegetarianism is healthier
Re “The Fat From These Pigs May
End Up Helping Your Heart,”
March 27
As a gastroenterologist, I have good
reason for doubting the benefits of
the new omega-3 enhanced pigs.
According to a new British Medical
Journal study, there is no evidence
that taking omega-3 supplements or
eating oily fish rich in omega-3
fatty acids has any health benefit.
Moreover, pork is high in cholesterol and saturated fat, two key contributors to heart disease. It simply
doesn’t make sense for people to
consume such unhealthy products
when a healthy, plant-based diet
rich in fruits, vegetables and whole
grains is proven to lower cholesterol.
ZARIN AZAR MD, Downey CA
In Defense of Animals
announces
Kenneth G. Williams
professional vegan bodybuilder
and advocate for animals
will appear at the
Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
Saturday October 21 2006
10 am–6 pm
Reggie Lewis Athletic Center
1350 Tremont Street, Boston MA
& at other east coast locations in
October 2006 tba
(415) 388-9641
www.idausa.org
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The Artful Vegan, Eric Tucker, in Philadelphia for The Book and the Cook at
Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant in center city, serves a morel, black lentil, and
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and a butternut-squash escabeche.
See story, page 22.
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The Human Circus - American Vegan Society

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