I’ve never had a very high opinion of the foodie movement. To me it’s no great coincidence that foodie (sort of) rhymes with snooty.
Sure, I like food that tastes good. But I can’t help being turned off by an extreme and expensive obsession with luxurious foods in a world where 2 billion people don’t have access to clean water and another billion don’t get enough calories. Who cares if your goat cheese is handcrafted or your guindilla peppers were cooked in the Basque tradition? Shouldn’t we just be happy to have enough?
And, I admit it—I don’t trust most foodies to make ethical decisions about food. Foodie-ism tends to be about pleasure, not making the world a better place. If paté foie gras is on the menu, you can bet it’s at a restaurant catering to foodies. After all, it is foodie guru Anthony Bourdain who said:
“ To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.”
So for a long time, I’ve believed that foodie-ism is antithetical to ethical eating. But a bunch of new vegan cooks and bloggers are changing my mind. They are people who are dedicated to ethical meals that taste exceptional. Fabulous, fresh, well-prepared food that pleases the palate and saves animals—it’s not a bad thing.
While these recipes may not represent everyday cooking for vegans (there are some definite time issues here!) they show the world that dishes containing no animal products can be divinely gourmet and extraordinary. These cooks put an attractive and appealing face on vegan diets, and that is good activism for animals.
Here are just a few of the blogs that are creating a welcome new image for vegan fare. (The suggestions came from some of the wonderful vegan tweeps over at twitter.com. As usual, I don’t know what I would do without them!)
And, for those who don’t have time to whip up gourmet fare but just want to know where to find it, check out veggiething for ideas about some of the best vegan foods on restaurant menus.
Food, to be truly nourishing, should be pleasing to all the senses – including one’s senses of honor and justice, dignity and ethics, I think.
I’ve run across snooty foodies (ick) who’ve poisoned my meals by objecting to the particulars of how the lettuce was cut (or torn) (real example!); perhaps the kind of hobbyist I am is “mealie” or “estheticky”, becasue what I aim for is full enjoyment of the meal, from the purchase, through the preparation, through the presentation, through the eating, and including the clearing up. Unethical food sourcing (whether by harming animals or oppressing humans) would spoil my meal just as badly as placing a large dog turd on the plate.
@shunra well, that was frank 😉
I know; Shunra you are too funny! I am definitely planning to find a way to quote the dog turd comment!
just discovered your blog today and am truly enjoying your posts.
i know this is an old entry, but i just wanted to take a second to sing the praises of vegandad.blogspot.com. some of his recipes are a little time-consuming, but as a dad he takes pleasure in creating simple meals as well. and as a vegan food blogger, he enjoys tweaking his recipes from time to time to make them even better (or simply different). just passing it on. 🙂