Showing posts with label buying local. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buying local. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Dear Vegan Blogosphere...

EAT LOCAL! Yes, I know I'm "different" and this isn't one of my usual topics because I just assume that most vegans are paying attention to the same things that the greenies are tracking - you know, carbon footprint, eating locally and such.

Sadly, it is not true. I am reading a lot of vegan blog posts lately - esp starting around Valentine's Day - that rely on produce from far, far away. Seriously folks - we do NOT eat strawberries in March in North America. They aren't in season. OK, there are a few in my garden but by the time they ripen, the slugs have already had their way with them and that's fine - just hope they are propagating the seeds for me.

Did you folks ever notice that I don't post recipes with bananas? For one thing, they just don't taste as good here in Northern California as they do in places like Mexico (or even New Orleans) where they can be picked from a tree. I just don't bother buying them because I know what tree-ripened bananas taste like and eating bananas that were picked hard and green and ripened with their own esters (or "rotted") is not the same thing at all. The farthest away I'll buy produce is from Mexico -- and that's a rare thing for me.

Now, I'm not one to issue "challenges" to blog readers but I'm starting to feel like I need to throw down the gauntlet with vegan bloggers.

Here are some resources for eating locally - and yes, this means you don't get to eat all kinds of ridiculous fruit all winter long that is not in season unless you froze or preserved it yourself. If you want to save the planet by cutting out consumption of animals - think about how you are damaging the planet by buying crap from thousands of miles away.


PS: One more thing, vegan bloggers, if I see ANOTHER recipe for applesauce, I will scream! Seriously - there's like a ZERO difficulty level to peeling, cutting up apples and cooking them down. That's about as difficult as boiling water.

PPS: I am NOT ever writing a cookbook. Seriously. Never.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Sad News About Zachary's Pizza...

But at least this explains why I get hives for days after I eat it:

Hi Jennifer-
Thanks for the email. We can't give out all the specific ingredients in our dough, however I can tell you that our dough is not vegan. It contains butter.
If that makes our pizza out of the question for you...you are welcome to buy our sauce and make your own version of Zachary's Pizza at home! It might not be the exactly the same...but I have heard some people make a version that is pretty darn close.
Best,
Becki Gagnon
Zachary's Pizza Manager

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Fall Harvest Cooking Class at Millennium

Hey folks - check out the Fall Harvest Cooking Class at Millennium. The classes are a lot of fun - I will be there on Sunday and hope to see you there!

Fall Harvest Cooking Class
Sunday November 9th, 2008
10am-3pm (approx), $135/person
With a plentiful Thanksgiving upon us & nary an inspiration for a holiday menu, let chef Eric teach you a few new tricks... Optional opportunity to meet the farmers that provide for Millennium & it's guests: join Eric Saturday November 8th @ the Ferry Building for a guided tour through the Farmer's Market. Gather up your produce for the week & talk about the finishing touches to the class's menu the following day...10am @ the CUESA information booth located in the front of the building, just below the clock tower.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

China troubles...

Lonely kitten in earthquake rubble in China.


China has a terrible record for human rights and pollution - among other things. They're doing their best to clean things up before the Olympics, including fostering ideas about cats as carriers of human disease and killing hundreds of thousands of cats. This has gotten so out of hand that even school teachers on playgrounds feel compelled to beat stray cats to death with sticks to keep their charges safe.

On a slightly lighter note - they are also trying to ban any horror films that feature "wronged spirits and violent ghosts, monsters, demons, and other inhuman portrayals, strange and supernatural storytelling for the sole purpose of seeking terror and horror."

Americans are showing a stronger aversion to the "Made in China" label. While it's clearly more green to buy local -- it's quite difficult to avoid products made in China is widely documented.

When I lost my stainless steel insulated mug, I found that they all seem to be made in China. I settled for a second-hand mug that was abandoned in the kitchen at my office last fall after a round of layoffs. I definitely spend more on shoes to get vegetarian shoes (from VeganEssentials.com and MooShoes.com) which are made in England and other places that are Not China.

How do you do it? What have you given up or substituted?