| Cooking for the vegan is more or less | | | | elimination of salt, grease, animal fat, |
| like cooking for any other ethnic or | | | | and so on keeps their palette clean |
| religious group which restricts certain | | | | enough to taste the real essence of |
| things from their diet. A little | | | | fresh fruit and vegetables. |
| creativity will win you some big points | | | | Vegan Cuisine... |
| with your vegan customers, and | | | | One wonders where vegans would be |
| furthermore will help conquer a niche | | | | without soybeans. Soy forms a big staple |
| market. Vegans often mourn the lack of | | | | in the vegan diet, in the form of soy |
| restaurants that cater to their needs. | | | | milk, soy meat substitutes, and tofu. It |
| Providing some imaginative menu entries | | | | is interesting that vegans work so hard |
| for vegan customers will make a happy | | | | to create so many things out of soy |
| patron who spreads good word of mouth to | | | | beans that look, smell, and taste just |
| their vegan friends! | | | | like the meat and animal products they |
| Understanding Vegans... | | | | are trying to eliminate. Anyway, soy |
| Vegans are vegans for any combinations | | | | substitutes will be a big part of any |
| of these reasons: | | | | large vegan banquet, particularly |
| _Health_ The vegan diet includes whole | | | | because soy is so easily fortified with |
| grains, beans, soy products, olive oil, | | | | other vitamins and nutrients. |
| fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and | | | | International cuisine holds many wonders |
| fresh spices. Resultantly, they argue, | | | | for the vegan dietary spectrum. In |
| their diet is very high in protein, | | | | particular, Mediterranean, Middle |
| vitamins, beneficial monounsaturated | | | | Eastern, Southern Indian, Thai, |
| fats, and antioxidants and other | | | | Mesoamerican, East Asian, and East |
| micronutrients, while being moderate in | | | | African cuisine have a rich tradition of |
| sodium, calories, and saturated fats. In | | | | recipes and dishes which happen to be |
| addition, they automatically exclude | | | | vegan-friendly. This is due in part to |
| those scary food contamination problems | | | | some parts of the world having birthed |
| that strike their meat-eating | | | | their culture in a regional area that |
| counterparts, such as e. coli and mad | | | | doesn't have a handy livestock animal |
| cow disease. | | | | nearby, or just being poor grazing |
| It should be noted that there are | | | | grounds to start with. |
| essential vitamins missing from the | | | | But also, many cultures of the world |
| vegan diet, most notably B12, iron, and | | | | have a wealth of native crops which lend |
| calcium, which they must supplement by | | | | some interesting flavors to the cuisine. |
| other means. Vitamin-fortified foods or | | | | At least here, you can be a little |
| vitamin supplements are usually used. | | | | envious of vegans - some of them are |
| _Ethics_ Probably the biggest concern is | | | | gourmets in their own right, and can |
| for animal cruelty. Vegans typically | | | | regale you with tales of Indian curry, |
| wish to exclude any and all forms of | | | | rice pilaf, almond deserts, salsa, baba |
| ""animal exploitation"" - not just meat | | | | ganoush, seven-grain bread, and various |
| and leather, but even the products that | | | | other cultural specialties. Particularly |
| you can obtain from an animal without | | | | in contrast to the typical North |
| killing it; because even milking a cow | | | | American and European Union homogenized |
| or shearing a sheep for wool is still | | | | diets, which sometimes seem to consist |
| exploiting an animal for a human's | | | | entirely of hamburgers and fries or |
| benefit. This is a belief, when held, | | | | chips, the vegans certainly get a wider |
| which varies in degrees of commitment | | | | variety of flavors. |
| from philosophy to religion. | | | | A chef can see this as an artistic |
| _Environmental Responsibility_ The | | | | challenge to be creative within a strict |
| typical environmental impact talks about | | | | set of rules, and studying some vegan |
| methane gas from domesticated animals | | | | recipes and the menus at vegan |
| being as bad for the ozone layer as | | | | restaurants should give you a host of |
| emissions from car exhaust, and about | | | | inspiring ideas. |
| how it takes this many acres of land to | | | | Meat substitute will usually be some |
| sustain one cow where the same acres | | | | form of tofu. Tofu comes in textures |
| could more efficiently be used to raise | | | | ranging from soft, which is about like |
| crops, and so on. | | | | yogurt or jello in consistency, to very |
| _Religion_ While religions which | | | | firm, which is more like a hard cheese. |
| specifically require veganism are rare, | | | | Tofu is marvelous because it can take on |
| several sects of Buddhism still require | | | | the taste of virtually anything. |
| strict adherence to non-violence, | | | | Make tofu bacon by slicing thin strips |
| including killing an animal. Parts of | | | | of hard tofu and frying in a skillet |
| different philosophies, which usually | | | | with vegetable oil, adding a couple |
| focus on reducing the impact one's life | | | | drops of liquid smoke flavoring. Or |
| has on the Earth, also suggest or | | | | grind hard tofu into a good hamburger |
| enforce vegan beliefs. | | | | and chili substitute. The medium-texture |
| _Aesthetics_ It can certainly be argued, | | | | tofu can be used for a cheese |
| if you've been inside a slaughterhouse, | | | | substitute. And soy, itself, can be made |
| that the factory-like process of | | | | into anything from milk to yogurt to ice |
| butchering animals is unpleasant in | | | | cream, some of it tastes as good if not |
| smell and appearance. Vegans also boast | | | | better than its animal exploiting |
| that their food just plain tastes and | | | | counterpart. |
| looks better. They say that the | | | | |