The Home Stretch

Calgary boasts about many things.  The Stampede, the Bow River,  Chinooks, the Flames (sometimes), and beef.  Of all the cities I could be a vegan in, Calgary is really not the easiest one to explore this type of life style.  However, there are a fair number of alternative thinkers inside these beef filled borders.  I ventured to one such alternative thinking restaurant in search of a filling and animal free meal.  I was regaled weekly, if not daily, about the quality and consistency of The Coup, I know it looks like the word for overthrowing the government, but rest assured it's really the word for where birds are housed.  The Coup is a vegetarian place of eats that also allows you specify if you want the meal fully vegan.  It was a wholesome experience, fresh foods prepared well, and served with pride.  Having discussed at length the merits of vegan food with co-worker Chris, I knew that I must approach the food with little attachment to the usual suspects of my food knowledge.  Suspending reality for a few hours I enjoyed a multitude of flavors and textures.  These textures and flavors were well developed and deep in their respective profiles.  We, friend Steph and I, started with a yam and date dip, which was sweet and savory all in one.  It was a very large portion, and the yam being so sweet nearly quenched my hunger before the mains.  For the main dishes there was "el Taco", a burrito style wrap with quinoa, carrot, beet, beans, and Soygurt.  Yep you read that right, Soygurt, just like its name suggests is yogurt made with soy.  I had my reservations, Anthony Bourdain would be disappointed, but it was actually ok.  A little on the vanilla side, but good texture and added to the overall flavor of the dish.  The el Taco was delicious and did I mention filling?  There was also the "Upstream Burger".  A smoked tofu and yam "burger" with rosemary yam fries on the side.  I think I have had my fill of yam for the next 6 months.  Just kidding, I love yam.  Learning to put aside my predisposition to the classic burger, I enjoyed this "burger" for reasons other then having that beef like flavor and texture.  There was so much going on the with the flavor that I nearly forgot it was vegan, then I snapped back to reality and realized that it wasn't, but I did not stop enjoying the goodness.  It was that good.  The meal was finished by a Spelt crust chocolate torte and a mixed berry cobbler that I did not try due to honey mixed with the oats.  The torte was rich and I knew that it would actually be easy to put on weight as a vegan if you ate just chocolate torte.  It was a wonderful experience, and a very reasonably priced meal for the amount of prep and high end vegetables that made it onto the plate.

This brings me to another aspect of veganism.  Losing weight.  Vegan co-worker Chris and I have talked about how much we eat.  At first I was concerned by how hungry I was at the start of Lent and how I could eat a regular amount of food, then a few hours later be super tired and have a hankering for more.  I was scared of the consequence of eating so much food, but Chris put my fears to rest when he told me that vegans eat everything and anything they want, obviously within the confines of the vegan code.  Since that convo a few weeks ago, I have been eating like a mad man, not the kind on that TV show with the smokes and the midday drinks and the suits, but like one of those guys with beards and names like Grizzly Adams, who I am sure eats a lot.  So I have been having these epic salads and massive bowls of pasta and anything else I can create.  Guess what?  I still lose a little weight here and there.  A diet of mostly plants, is low in fats and other awkward badness, and high in fiber and other goodness.  It's really a win win situation.  Plus I have been sleeping deeper and longer, and my dreams are not crazy and full of making coffee, and though I smell bad following a two day hummus binge, I know that in general I am healthier and more productive.

At this point I would be willing to endorse a fully Vegetarian lifestyle, it's really been good to me these last few weeks, but I cannot endorse a Vegan lifestyle.  There are so many things, like wool sweaters and honey, that I enjoy and would like to enjoy on a regular basis, for me to give up in their entirety.  

Onward to the finish line.

Real Veganism

One of my co-workers, Chris, is an actual Vegan, and has been a source of great knowledge and support during the last weeks.  I recently asked him a few questions to get a better grip on his brand of Veganism.  Enjoy.

Q: When did you become a vegan?

A: I became a Vegan in May of 2005 at age 15. I was vegetarian for
about two weeks prior to switching to veganism. Given my nature to
embrace extremities, it seemed like a logical step to take.
Vegetarianism just didn't seem to encompass everything to which I was
feeling at the time.
Q: What prompted you to abandon animal products?

A: The decision to detach myself from the typical North American diet
came as a result of several things. I've always had a love for
animals, and as far back as I can remember, I questioned eating meat,
if not to my parents, who controlled my diet, then at least to myself.
I was never sure why it was okay for people to act like this, but I
accepted it as a part of life. It would seem that I was at the perfect
age to fully envelope myself in something like veganism, when I did. I
think that at fifteen, people are really looking for a passion,
something that maybe isn't the norm, and something with a whole lot of
intense people within. When I was fifteen I was very unhealthy. I was
really overweight, I was often sick, and I had little energy to spare.
My mood was often fluctuating and I had a hard time concentrating. The
switch to veganism helped me overcome all of these issues, although I
sure hormonal development also deserves credit.

The initial move to veganism started with ethical reasons and moved
into health. FInally and most importantly to me at this point was the
environmental aspects. I am certain I don't need to bore you with the
details about the environmental degradation due to factory farming. IT
simply is a more responsible way to consume, and fall asleep at night.
Q: Are there any special rules you have for yourself that might differ
from other vegans?  If so what are the reasons?

A: I am pretty strict about most things, however there are certain
moral flexibilites I have had to undertake. Since working in coffee, I
am forced to try drinks, in order to maintain quality control. I
always spit out the drink after tasting, however, I am sure many
vegans would be horrified by this. But what can I say, this is my
profession, and it comes with certain difficulties. You do what you
can do with what you've got.

The only other thing I am flexible with is honey. Though I would never
cook with it or use it myself, if it is served to me, I will eat it.
The reason being, when people hear I am vegan, they generally get
excited to cook for me. It is extremely rare that someone thinks about
honey as an animal product. But they try so hard, and I have to
appreciate their efforts, so honey, I can handle. Though again, I do
not consume it on my own terms.

(Editors Note: Upon further conversation with Chris, he informed me that he would also wear any clothing, aside from fur, second hand.  I thought this was an excellent idea, and a far cry from the extremists a few posts ago.


Q: What types of meals do you find yourself eating on a regular basis?


A: The meals I eat the most are very dependent on the season.

Heres an ingredient breakdown for the seasons & some sample dishes
that go along with it.

Spring/Summer
Tomatoes
Zucchini
beans
peas
carrots
beets
parsnips
rutabaga
kale
swiss chard
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
peppers
eggplant
apples
peaches
melons
berries

I generally choose quinoa as my grain for the spring/summer. The
reason being that I consume less nuts, bean varietals and soy products
in the summer and eat much more fresh fruit and vegetables, so my
protein levels are generally lower.

Typical dishes during this time of year are pretty basic. My goal is
to cook my food as little as possible and really enjoy the freshness
and richness of the seasons.

This means tons of variations of salads, and typically food found in
hot, coastal countries, as they tend to have access to these foods all
year round. Mexican is my favorite ethnicity to cook. of course it is.
And summer is perfect for it.

Fall
Garlic
onions
dark leafy greens
corn
fresh milled grains (how sweet it is)
potatoes

This is the time of year where I try and do a lot of preserving and
pickling. I also try and get my hands on as much fresh grains as I
can. Stocking up for winter and the last of the great summer harvest.
Typical meals are pretty homestyle. fresh soups, barbecues, I go crazy
for garlic as its not ready until this time of year. I try and eat a
lot of quinoa and barley, the reasons behind the barley are that when
I lived in collingwood I had a great connection with a grain farmer
who would give us fresh barley every year. My life was oh so good.

Winter

Root vegetables galore
tons of grains
potatoes like crazy
tofu makes its appearance
soup soup soup

WInter for me is a time to slow down and embrace the simplicity of a
vegan diet. There is something really cathartic about eating with the
seasons and especially winter, as it forces you to become very
creative with the few things you have.
Soup, casseroles, sheppard's pie, more soups, and a lot of brown rice.
Because brown rice makes me happy.
Q: Are there processed vegan foods that you enjoy?

A: In terms of processed vegan foods, I've tried many, as they
interest me in some way. The brands I have enjoyed are; Sol organic's,
Amy's, and toffutti. Sol makes great veggie burgers, Amy's has wicked
burrito's and pizza's and toffutti makes ice cream sandwiches that I
would do awful things for. Yet still less awful then klondike. Also
earth balance makes a great butter substitute. Earth Harmony makes
some good fake cheese. But the trick is to not try and replace animal
product's but view these vegan products as their own entity.

Q: What are the challenges of working in a non-vegan food service environment?

A: The only challenge I've come across in the food service industry is
one particular chef. The biggest challenge for most people is to find a way of
describing offerings without saying " I'm vegan, So I don;t know
anything about that." Also many would find it difficult to be around
animal product's and serving animal products all day. But looking at
Phil & Sebastian's...
I know I am serving the best possible animal products out there, and
if anything, slowly changing people's mindsets so they at least start
to consume animal products in an intelligent way.

Q: What does veganic mean?


A: Veganic is a term meaning to farm not only organically, but also
using no animal products such as manure, bloodmeal, or bonemeal.
Whilst working on a veganic farm I saw first hand the benefits of
this, as we used only green manure, mulching and a whole lot of hands
and knees weeding.
Check this noise; http://www.goveganic.net/

(Editors Note: Names were removed to protect privacy)

Soy Fail

This feast day known as Sunday was by all accounts normal.  I spent the morning making espresso based drinks followed by a quick trip to the vinyl store near the shop, followed by the purchase of a Charles Mingus album, followed by a nap due to the exceedingly early morning I had.  After the nap I was uber hungry and was in need of something to give me energy and nutrients.  Enter the following:

I had procured these tasty treats from my local Community Natural Foods, home of vegan friendly advice and awkward soy based products.  For some reason unknown to myself I really wanted to try vegan cheese.  It might have something to do with my desire to suspend my vegan reality for a moment in an attempt to indulge in glorious tastes and textures before my alloted Lenten experience is over.  

As tradition of my own making dictates, I will consume a beer made by monks on the Sunday Feast Day.  This week is a brew that I had been waiting to try since the beginning of Lent.  I have never had this beer before, I had it's little brother a few months ago with my Belgium Triple lover roommate Ben.  This week was the older and wiser brother of the triple, it was the Quadruple from Koenigs Hoeven.  This beer was a formidable force that shocked me with complex layers of taste that left me searching for what else I had yet to taste.  Aside from the general maltiness of this monster, it had a great summer fruit type taste.  Think strawberries and raspberries.  It was delicious.

Since fermented barley and soy should not be enjoyed alone, I invited friend Steph over to enjoy the fermented soy and barley extravaganza.  I fried up the Tempeh while secretly hoping that this would be the burger like substance I had been craving for so many weeks.  I sliced the "cheese", portioned the lettuce, and prepared my bun for excellence.  Omnivores everywhere cringed as I took that first fateful bite.  The first bite was really enjoyable. I blame this on a number of factors: I was hungry, I still had some beer taste in my mouth which in itself is delicious, I was tasting my homemade ketchup and my moms Christmas relish before actually getting to the "burger" and the "cheese".   Subsequent bites were of less enjoyment factor then the first.  It still had the excellent multifacetedness of a well crafted burger, but lacked in two of my favorite areas.  You got it, texture and flavor.  

Though the "cheese" had a little cheesiness, the texture was closer to an under ripe avocado then to actual cheese.  The "burger" had good "Barbeque" flavor.  However, as it came to the end of the meal, the portions left were quite dry and lacking in, how can I describe it, oh right, Meatyness.  I was heart broken, my dreams of living out this vegan adventure in style were shattered, my palate will never be the same.  But it's all for the experience I guess.  

The thing that bothers me is that these companies are trying to make something that is exactly like a product that actually exists in the world, just without the one thing that makes the non-vegan product so special, animals.  Trying to imitate a product seems like a sad attempt to make life more enjoyable for those who have chosen to live their lives a certain way.  If you are going to give up meat and dairy, then know that you are giving up some of the best things ever domesticated by man.  Don't try and substitute with soy something you gave up.  

If the last para seems a little harsh, I guess it is.  The first few weeks of Lent were a challenge due to the amount of cooking I was doing, and the amount of thought that had to be put into everything I was eating and doing.  Over the last two weeks I dipped into the world of pre-made vegan food and it has been disappointing.  It's a combination of cravings and of weariness of trying so many new things and getting mixed results with regards to taste and texture.  I am frustrated with the Vegan way of life, with the lack of woolen sweaters, the lack of cheese, and the lack of iron rich beef.  Only 13 more days.  I am confident that I can make it, but it might be the biggest struggle of the experience.    

Handsome Furs and Leathers and Wools

Surprisingly fitting was the fact that I was listening to the Handsome Furs on CBC Radio 3 while learning about why Vegans don't like animal furs or leathers or hairs.  This is one of my biggest contentions with Veganism.  I like love wool (it's true, love is a verb. I wear those sweaters with great pride).  In fact my brother lent me a few sweaters for Lent since I own only one sweater that is made of cotton, and it's too big.  I own a leather belt, I own a down filled vest, and my favorite socks, Fox River, in the world are a blend of wool and acrylic.  I knew that this was going to be a challenge due to the fact that I would have to keep my eyes peeled for the every present animal hair blend during the duration.  The first day I did not read the ingredients of a sweater I could have sworn was fully cotton.  Co-worker Owen, who keeps me very accountable with my Lenten exploration, checked my sweater contents and informed me that I had already failed.  It was a sad day, and then after I cried a little (just kidding, vegans don't cry) I took my sweater off.

I even bought a new belt.  This belt has held up well, defying gravity most of the time.  Though lately it seems like it has had enough of my tightening and loosening and is starting to fail.  It will rarely hold up my pants for a full shift, I often have to re-tuck my shirt and ensure that I don't offend anyone with my low slung jeans.  Thankfully the belt cost me only 6 dollars from vegan friendly MEC.  I also broke out my polyester vest that I have had since grade 8.  It served me well then, and it serves me well now.  It's warm, and it's vegan, plus it's vintage MEC, which always helps with street cred.

For weeks I have guarded myself against wearing anything with animal hair in it.  I broke down a few times and tried on a suit to see if it fit yet, I have shed a few pounds since the start of Lent, and I tried on a tweed jacket roommate Ben gifted to me.  It has been hard, and I really am starting to dislike this whole non animals thing.  I understood a bit before of the reasons behind such drastic measures.  Poor treatment of animals in the world with regards to their pelts and the hair off their backs is sometimes dastardly, but is the appropriate response to give up on every clothing item made from the animal kingdom?  Killing snakes or alligators for the prized skin, I feel, is nearly the exact opposite from shearing some sheep so that us Canadians can keep warm during our freezing, and never ending, winter.

The Vegan info site Vegan Means? talks a great deal about cotton and hemp and other such non animal products.  I wonder about the cost effectiveness of buying Hemp clothing vs. wool clothing.  Is hemp as warm as wool?  I think not.  I wore hemp socks a few times since the beginning of lent, and they are terrible.  The do not hold their shape, they retain too much moisture, and if I was wearing them running or hiking I would undoubtedly get blisters.  Vegan Means also talks about what to do with your animal products when you decide to become a vegan.  This really gets me red in the face.  It suggests that some vegans even get together and bury their animal products!

"Even disposing of these can be a task, as giving them away keeps them ‘alive’ in the public eye. This is a personal decision. Some vegans have buried these items together in a respectful ceremony."

I struggle a great deal with people who have ethical problems with animals.  In regards to food and clothing.  I generally understand where they are coming from, there is a great deal of improper handling of animals both for food and for clothes, but there are ways to find products that fit an aware lifestyle.  Knowing where your food comes from, knowing who made that scarf, keeping tabs on certain aspects of life makes a better consumer.

I have yet to be convinced by anyone that I should give up my wool sweaters, and frankly since my feet are cold and the fact that I have invested in excellent socks makes me not want to bury such excellently made products in the ground so that no one can use them.  I look forward to once again wearing sweaters of all shapes, sizes, and makes.

Edit: I like the sound of Political Vegan via Serious Eats.

Badger Badger Badger

I nearly shaved, then realized my shaving brush was made from badger hair.  Thank heavens, I hate shaving.

Tofu & Brettanomyces

I have been reading The Year of Living Biblically.  It's comforting to know that my Lenten veganism is trumped by a memoir of a year long adventure.  Somehow it makes it easier for me.  Plus A.J. Jacobs in inspiring me to take some steps outside of my veganish box to actually try and experience how vegans live instead of just restricting the food and clothes side of life.  One thing that I keep coming back to is the idea of texture.  I really love texture and mouth feel in food, in fact it is something I have been training my palate to look for when tasting anything.  As I was purchasing some spices at my home away from home, Community Natural Foods,  I ventured into the processed soy section, a section I usually scoff at since these "good for you" foods are highly processed and despite being the vegan alternative to soy burg and dog, they never really captured my attention.  Instead of scoffing and looking the other way I delved deep into the section attempting to find a concoction that would fill the void/sadness my GI tract has been feeling with the lack of meat and meat style products.  I found something that actually appealed to me.  Granted "appealed" is a bit of a stretch.  Usually I stray away from products that have a grocery list of ingredients, and these beauts have 25.  All in the name of experience right?  I bought the "sausages" and BBQed them up at friend Marley's house.  A few of us tried them, and aside from the mildly awkward texture, and the more or less lame attempt to shape the end like extrusions with the typical sausage like nubs, the flavor was actually quite enjoyable.  I even put them in a simple tomato sauce today for my dinner. Behold Tofurky!

As a side note, while making said sauce today I was listening to the Bee Gee's classic album "Main Course".  Did you know that at one time both Barry and Robin Gibb were vegetarians, possibly vegan?

Sunday, feast day, beheld a grand showing in the world of beer.  This week I had a huge Trappist victory.  I finally found a bottle of Orval.  I had searched high and low in this city, generally known for it's decent collection of brew from around the world, and had not found the last puzzle in my mosaic of monk made malts.  When I found the bottle of Orval, I held it aloft for a moment, then carefully with both hands, carried it to the front where I bought it with cash.  Orval is one of favorite beers.  It's interesting, no other beer is like it in the world, and is uses a interesting strain of yeast to give it that added edge.  Brettanomyces is a wild yeast, so wild in fact that some wine makers in the Napa Valley refuse to venture into the Russian River brewery, a brewery that uses said wild yeast, for fear that a spore will stick to their clothes and ruin an entire harvest worth of wine with the wildness of the yeast.  Orval has this wonderful yeasty yet fruity yet malty yet floral yet delicious nature to it.  In case it's not clear, I really really like it. As an added bonus the bottle has the date the it was placed in the bottle.  Mine was bottled in 2007, I know for a fact that many Orval drinkers will age their Orval for a minimum of 6 months before drinking.  Mine was 3 years old.  Victory indeed.  Simon and I cheersed via the age old Skype and then discussed the nuance of vegan cooking for well over an hour.  It was a wonderful feast Sunday.

Spring Waffles

Two major food wins this past week.  Waffles and spring rolls.  The waffles were a win since I had been reading  a blog called Waffleizer and have been inspired to waffle things.  I forgot that I even owned a waffle iron until I was searching the depths of my airplane toilet kitchen and lo and behold there was a waffle iron.  Victory.  I made a spelt/whole wheat/unbleached flour batter, and then proceeded to have waffles for 3 mornings in a row.  They were filling, but not nearly as filling as the Belgian waffles I had last year around this time.  A little maple syrup and I nearly forgot about the lack of butter, I said nearly.  My roommate, Ben, joined me for some waffles and happened to put butter on his portion.  I nearly fainted at the scent.  But I sat strong and resisted the golden hued glory that was before me.  In the end they were tasty and I got my maple fix which important in anyones life.

 The second major win was spring rolls.  Friend and fellow temporary vegan Simon made some first which inspired me to craft my own.  Simon and I often share experiences via the Skype, and this was no exception.  I spent the better part of an hour watching Simon make spring rolls.  He first started by making a dipping sauce for these little deep fried beauties.  Here is more or less the conversation we had:

Simon: "So I have some vinegar, some sugar, some chili flakes, and some fish sauce.  I love this sauce they give you when you order spring rolls at a restaurant"

Me: "Si, repeat the ingredients to me"

Simon: "Vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, fish sauce....oh dang, are you serious, fish sauce?  That's not vegan is it?"

Me:  (laughter) "How did you miss the FISH on the outside of the bottle"

After Simon decided that it was ok for just this meal since he had already made it, he moved on and proceeded to make a large sampling of this delectable delights.  After he was finished we chatted about the process and my mouth started to really water.  A few days after this momentous convo I ventured to my local Asian supermarket.  A bad idea if you are there to look and don't have a purpose.  I was nearly swayed by the wonderful looking meats and other such animal products.  I stayed strong and finally found the spring rolls wrappers and the other veg ingredients.  I left, came home and tried it out.  They were delicious.  Yesterday I made a large number of these beauts to keep in the freezer and to eat as a snack or when I feel the desire to fill my gullet with sweet and salty treats.  The photo below is pre-fried spring rolls.

On the cravings front, I tried a soy cappuccino to aid me in my lack of textured milk.  This was a bad decision.  Not only did if fuel my desire to have a real milk cappa, but the combo of soy milk and espresso was terrible.  I don't mind the taste or texture of soy milk, but in a mixed drink I really don't like it.  So back to brewed coffee and the occasional tiny americano.   

Struggles & Westmalle

The past few days have been a pretty big struggle.  I thought the worse of the cravings were over last week, but I guess they were just about to ramp up to a whole new level.  Since I work in a cafe, I make cappuccinos  (along with a multitude of other drinks) all day long.  The cappuccino is my favorite drink in the cafe, and since it contains milk I am exempt from having it for the duration of Lent.  It has become both the greatest joy to make, and the saddest drink to pass up.  Lately I have also been thinking about  the possibility that I may come out of Lent with a regained lack of lactose processing ability.  For a few years I was affected quite heavily by lactose, made me sad since I could not enjoy the great plethora of lactose based goodness out there.  I overcame said affliction and now, or at least at the beginning of Lent, could enjoy much and many of the great culinary masterpieces out there.  This is one of my greatest fears in life, being unable to enjoy any aspect of food and eating.

I had only one significant culinary win this past week.  Aside from the massive amounts of hummus and pita I ate, I made a chocolate cake using one of the most unconventional fats for a cake, avocado.  I was inspired by Cakespy and made said cake.  I did not have enough avocado left to make icing, but I shared it with friends and ate my fair share anyways.  It was moist, delicious, and totally vegan.

This weeks beer is brought to you Westmalle and Skype.  Fellow vegan Lenter Simon and I shared our ritual beers via Skype.  It was mildly unconventional and I loved every moment of it.  It was rich and delicious.  Quite malty with some great nutty notes.  For some reason I had a mild aversion to Dubbels, and now regret ever doubting the brewing prowess of Monks.  This week I was reminded of the extreme quality Trappist beer subscribes to.  Some would consider it a living beer, it has been re-fermented in the bottle to provide the carbonation and as such there are living cells that continue to change and modify the beer as it ages.  Much like fine wine.  Like all Trappist beers, the Westmalle had a great layer of sediment on the bottom.  I previously was afraid of this seemingly dangerous layer, but after much debate with good friend Charlie, I finally gave in and tried the "digestif", his words not mine, and it was delicious.  It's like smelling coffee before brewing, it gives you an added level of complexity to the beverage.  It was delicious and a welcome break from the life encompassing Lenten season.

The Monks are Tasty

Yep, true to fashion I imbibed in a bottle of handcrafted glory yesterday during my Sunday Monk beer ritual.  It was tasty, and malty, and dark, and wonderful.  After many different styles and versions, the Belgians really know how to throw down when it comes to well crafted beer.  Knowing that men of the cloth craft and enjoy this beer makes it even more delicious, if that's possible.

Today was a rough day.  I was tired, felt sluggish, and had a raging headache.  How much of this can be attributed to the Calgary winter/spring/chinook/pressure change I don't know.  But I do know that even the copious amount of water I drank today did not help the hurt in the old crazy frontal lobes from lessening.  I even drank some tea to quell the hurt, but to no avail.  I wonder if it's my body finally coming to terms with the no animal products, or if it's just a lack of sleep.  Tomorrow is another chance to get some serious proteins and carbs of varying quantities into my blood stream in an attempt to feel better and stronger.