Misleading Headline Damns Vegans

This misleading headline from the Tampa Times damns vegans: 

Cape Coral vegans charged with murder after baby starves to death

The dead toddler’s parents told police they eat only raw fruits and vegetables.

The baby didn't die because it wasn't given meat and animal products.  It died because they neglected it.  But by focusing on "vegans" and eating only raw fruits and vegetables, the article gives the impression that it was the plant-based diet that killed the baby.

A Vegan Walk, Anyone?

I walked the first segment of the 17-Mile Crosstown Trail last week, too, and that's much more "country" than the new and improved 49-Mile Scenic Route, with fewer places to snack, but it got me to thinking about how great it would be to have a vegan trail in the city--a walk that would get people acquainted with the city in a new way but also lead to plant-based snacks.

I'd like to help develop a SF Vegan Walk or at least a vegan version of the 49-Mile Scenic Route, which takes in Beep's Burgers.  (I'm less offended by that now that I realize it's a historic place--1962.  They have a veggie burger, but I'm not sure it's vegan.)

Maybe this could be a vegan culinary walk.

Suggesting a Vegan 49-mile Route or 17-mile Crosstown Trail

Here's my letter to Rachel Shippee of the Factory Farm Awareness Coalition, which is having an annual gala dinner this Saturday.

Dear Rachel,

A lot was going on the day I responded to your message about Saturday's gala dinner.  But now I want to thank you for noticing that my effort to reserve two dinners hadn't "taken."  You saved me a lot of last-minute embarrassment.

I'm sure you're really busy right now, but for future reference I also wanted to mention something about the 49-Mile Scenic Route Heather Knight and Peter Harlaub have been promoting in the SF Chronicle.  I love their idea of walking (biking, etc) rather than driving this route, and I like the changes in the choice of paths too.  But it made me cross my eyes when I saw where they were suggesting that we stop to eat--a burger place.  Beef, of course, is the very worst thing for the environment, and part of their avoiding driving was the emissions.

I would love to help create a vegan route through the city.  Have you all thought about that?

Tuesday I walked the first section of the Crosstown Trail, and I didn't notice any vegan places along the route.  

See you Saturday!

Tina

My Letter to Dear Abby

Regarding the reader who is unhappy that her vegan family members don't offer meat and dairy,  I know that my friends and family who eat animals are good people, but I would no more provide meat and dairy dishes for them than I'd provide bumper stickers saying "Climate change is a hoax" or "Animals don't suffer in factory farms."  We should all move towards a plant-based diet and thank the friends and family who are helping us do that.  Every time we eat a plant-based meal, we're doing volunteer work for the environment and animal welfare.

This is my response to the Dear Abby Column below.

DEAR ABBY: Some of my extended family members have become vegan. When they come to my home, I make sure to have appropriate food for them, in addition to nonvegan food for others. When I am invited to their homes for a celebration, they offer only vegan selections. No one is allowed to bring nonvegan or meat-based dishes to their home.

It has reached the point that I no longer want to go there when a meal is involved. I have tried talking to them about this, but their reply is, "No meat allowed in our home." I now leave before mealtime because I don't like a lot of their dishes.

Is it common for vegans to prohibit guests from ever taking other food into their home? Thanks for any light you can shed on this. -- MEAT LOVER IN HOUSTON

DEAR MEAT LOVER: People become vegans for a variety of reasons. Some do because they feel it is unethical to kill animals for food. Others do it because they feel raising animals for slaughter is harmful to the planet. People also become vegans for health reasons.

Individuals who adopt this way of life often feel as your relatives do, and that's their privilege. If it impinges on your freedom or limits your enjoyment of these celebrations, forgo them and either participate in get-togethers that don't include food or go to an accommodating restaurant.

Vegan Eggnog Ice Cream on Fillmore near the Clay Theater

On Thanksgiving Day--an Acknowledgement of a Turkey Alternative!

Before leaving for the Millennium, where we'll have a small-family big Thanksgiving dinner, I opened an e-mail from the new treasurer of CARA:  How nice that there's an acknowledgement of an alternative to killing the bird!  (But we won't have Tofurkeys.  There really are lots of good things to eat without a substitute bird.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a wonderful day with your families.
Enjoy your Turkey and Tofurkeys!

acknowledgement of eco-efforts

Kudos to a reader of the SF Chronicle, Audrey Haynes of Oakland, who wrote a letter to the editor that was printed November 17, 2019, defending Prius drivers who were mocked in an editorial from November 11 as "virtue-signaling Prius drivers."   Haynes asked why they were mocking her in an article conceding the importance of taking climate change and air quality seriously.

She went on to say "Consider how much mockery vegans get despite most people conceding that the animal cruelty of our agriculture system is wrong."

Interesting that she didn't mention the aspects of of agriculture system that are bad for the environment. 

vegan birthday

Vegan Mob and Timeless Cafe

A Banquet Can Be Wonderful Even without Much to Eat

I had a wonderful time at a recent banquet  celebration of a marriage because of the people and the fact that it's good to fast occasionally.  The food kept coming, but only three dishes among maybe fifteen were vegan.  Here are two of those three dishes--all very tasty! 

Vegan by Me

I've been experimenting with toppings for the cornmeal crust sold at Trader Joe's, Safeway, and other places.  Today I had two and a half red bell peppers and some mushrooms I wanted to use before the suggested expiration date was a year old, so I Googled "bell peppers and mushrooms," and got a recipe for a tasty concoction.

I'm taking two nice neighbors out to dinner tonight, so I'll try the topping, now ready to go, tomorrow.

I knoq ir lookA  bit misty, so here's a clearer picture of the salad I made to go along with it--the kale with lemon-herb dressing I make quite often.

A Restaurant that Does Justice to Vegan Dishes and a Restaurant that Doesn't

Fiorella has a symbol for vegetarian vg and for vegan v, but it doesn't have anything on its menu with the v symbol.  The server told me that they could make a vegetarian pizza vegan, but I really think it came to me with cheese.

But notice how well la Mediteranee does!  All of the pictures are from the combination dinner I ordered.

Vegan Choices at Three Different Events Today

I went to three gatherings today--all of them wonderful.  But the vegan choices were not equally wonderful.  OWL usually has more vegan choices, but most of the offerings yesterday had eggs.  The second gathering had cheese and eggs--except for a beautiful fruit plate (prettier than my bowl of grapes shown here).  But the World Veg Fest had ample vegan  offerings, as you'd expect!

In Response to Soleil Ho's Review of Shizen

October 20, 2019

Dear Soleil,

That was a very nice front-page cover story letter you wrote to us readers this morning--a pleasant and planet-friendly way to begin the day!

In the sidebar I see that you use the term "Meat-free options" as you did last week rather than "plant based options."   

At first I thought the other writers had forgotten that this was to be a meat-free month for Food + Wine, so I was wondering why Tara Duggan featured a dish with shrimp and Jessica Battilana had one with chicken.  But now I realize that you were promising "October reviews go totally meatless" and recipe write-ups aren't considered reviews, just promotion.

I'm glad you mentioned Casson Trenor, "an environmental activist who has worked on ocean conservation issues."  I think you made the readers aware throughout of the connection between the seafood we eat and the health of the planet, most of which is ocean.  

I also like your analogy between books and film versions, animal-based and vegan versions.

I guess you think the film adaptation of Dr. Zhivago was at least as good as--and maybe better than--the novel.  

Yes, "exposing ourselves to different culinary perspectives can be really enriching."

Maybe that's why in 2016 a readers poll named Shizen not just the best vegan restaurant but the best Japanese restaurant!  (I have to admit that was a Readers Poll taken in the SF Examiner.)

  I treated a Japanese-American friend to Shizen a couple of years ago and also made it the birthday celebration for my son when he was visiting from NYC. 

I hope readers understand the difference between vegetarian and vegan.  Many people no longer think of vegetarian as so weird and most restaurants have plenty of options, but they still seem to think of vegan as weird and not to be bothered with.  Maybe your letter will help change that.

I like the way you draw in the green asparagus from Lazy Bear and make the distinction between imitation meats that bleed and plant-based dishes that are happy not to be disguised.  

You also do a good job of taking on bluefin tuna and describing the possibilitiy of being at peace with out conscience (maybe) when we know the ocean isn't being threatened by our dining choices.

Thank you,

Tina  

Vegan recommended for those with Parkinson's

The doctor a friend mentioned who is doing research with Parkinson’s patients and recommending a vegan diet is named: Laurie K Mischley, ND

Impossible Foods and Max Burgers Recognized by the UN

Impossible Foods | Singapore, Hong Kong, USA, Macau: Creating plant-based alternatives to meat. 

MAX Burgers | Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Poland: Creating the world’s first “Climate Positive” menu.  

Each item on Max Burger’s menu includes a CO2e label to empower customers to better understand the climate impact of food and guide them towards options with a lower carbon footprint. The initiative builds on the company’s 2016 launch of plant based “green burgers”, which have a fraction of the climate impact of beef burgers.

https://unfccc.int/climate-action/momentum-for-change/climate-neutral-now/max-burgers

A Plea for Plant-Based Dishes at SF WEN, San Francisco's Women's Environmental Netwowrk

I just took a look at a lovely new member of the board at WEN, Women's Environmental Network, written up in their newsletter and left this comment:

Rebecca sounds like a wonderful new addition to the WEN Board.  Could she and the rest of the staff  be more progressive in advocating a move toward a plant-based diet for the good of the planet? 

It seems strange that WEN pays so little attention to this important means of counteracting  climate change.   You could help this cause by providing plant-based dishes (dishes with no meat, eggs, or dairy) at your functions and having a sign that makes it clear you're not doing this for vegans; you're doing this for the planet and all living beings and things on it.  You can quote the United Nations Environmental Programme and Nature at the University of Oxford.  (Please see "Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits." )

Praise and Plea to San Francisco WEN: Plant-Based Food Is For the Planet

Here's my praise for the women of Mothers Out Front, who always serve plant-based treats.  (Maia's notes were really excellent, food being the only thing she didn't mention.)

Thank you, Maia.  These are great notes.  I also want to thank Kathie for providing the place and always being on top of things and all the good cooks and food contributors.  That cracker was so good with the sweet tomatoes and asparagus and the fruit and nuts were also a treat.

You all further the environmental cause by showing how good plant-based dishes can be.  

Also, Anya, you've so good-humoredly faced the WEN push-back, but please remind them of this:

Plant-based food isn't for the picky, minority-group vegans.  Plant-based food is for the planet.  

Thank you!

Tina

Plant-Based Diet Plea--for Labor

A Week after Labor Day My Labor Day Message Is in Print in the San Francisco Chronicle.  I'm always grateful when I get to have my say on this subject, but I really meant it for Labor Day and even got it in the Saturday before. 

McDonald's Intransigence on the Plant-Based Burger

In today's SF Chronicle, Kevin Fisher-Paulson, the charming (but not vegetarian or vegan) columnist, mentions that McDonald's does not have a vegetarian alternative to a Bic Mac, so he pays $6.00 for three pieces of bread with lettuce and cheese for his son.

In the same newspaper today there's a letter from a Karl Gustaffson of Half Moon Bay saying "Keep it real, KFC."    Apparently there was a blurb in the Business section about this yesterday, saying that Kentucky Fried Chicken is testing plant-based nuggets and boneless sings. 

Karl Gusaffson says, "Colonel Sander' suit, hair and goatee are white, the color of chicken meat--not green, the color of plants. Count me as someone who will not be lining up to try this vegan take on fried chicken."

Do you think he's making fun of people who think that way?

As for McDonald's refusal to have a plant-based burger, what's wrong with them?

"Replace meat, dairy with plant-based food alternatives" says Patti Breitman of Fairfax

"Replace meat, dairy with plant-based food alternatives" says Patti Breitman of Fairfax in a letter to the editor in today's SF Chronicle.

She was responding to "Point Reyes plan seeks to aid ranchers, limit elk" from page one, August 9) about extending ranching in Point Reyes.

OPINION // LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the Editor: Switch to plant-based foods

San Francisco Chronicle Aug. 18, 2019

Comments

In this Nov. 20, 2018, file photo Romaine Lettuce still sits on the shelves as a shopper walks through the produce area of an Albertsons market in Simi Valley, Calif. Avoid fast food, eat vegetables and exercise. It sounds like generic health advice, but they're tips supposedly tailored to my DNA profile.

Photo: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Regarding “Point Reyes plan seeks to aid ranchers, limit elk” (Page One, Aug. 9): Extending ranching in Point Reyes for 20 years is shortsighted and wrong! A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an international group of scientists pulled together by the United Nations, recommended that we all cut back on meat and dairy in order to slow climate catastrophe. It is time for every one of us to take personal responsibility for severe global food and water shortages that are already starting and predicted to increase as the climate continues to be disrupted. Replacing meat and dairy with plant-based alternatives uses far less water and contributes far fewer greenhouse emissions. Point Reyes is going in the wrong direction if they allow more ranching on this federal land. We can counter this nonsense with our own plant-based food choices.

Patti Breitman, Fairfax

An Open Letter to Justin Phillips on Supporting Black-Owned Restaurants

Here's a letter I got off  just now (8:05 am Friday, August 16, 2019) to Justin Phillips, whose new column in the SF Chronicle has held my interest.  Today's column was on the need for more diners in black-owned restaurants.

Dear Mr. Phillips,

I would really like to support black-owned restaurants, and I'd really like black-owned restaurants to support the plant-based revolution so important at this time of climate change.  

When I was in New York City, I ate at Seasoned Vegan in Harlem.  I've also read the book Sistah Vegan:  Black Female Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society.  I think it's notable that the chef-in-residence at MOAD, Bryant Terry, is vegan and has written a vegan cookbook.

Could you write articles on supporting both black-owned restaurants and the planet?

Your faithful (and vegan) reader,

Tina Martin

My Vegan Diet Isn't for ME

I love my friends and know that when they say they made a dish for me, they have the best of intentions.  But I wish they understood that my diet isn't about me. 

I'm often in the awkward position of hearing the apology   as I did at a pot luck dinner last night, "Oh, I forgot you were coming, or I would have used Earth Balance instead of butter,"

It sounds too grandiose to say it's for animal welfare and for the environment, and I want to sound just the right amount of grandiose.  But here are a couple of concepts:

1)  Fair Trade coffee isn't something we buy to please our friends who drink only fair trade coffee.  "Oh, here's Fair Trade coffee for you, Jane.  And the rest of us can have the kind we prefer."

2)  When African-Americans sat down at the lunch counters in the 1960's, it wasn't because they wanted a sandwich.  It was to create change for the better.

In any case, I didn't suffer, and what came to my plate caused minimum animal suffering and harm to the environment.

Why Is Progress' Slabs of Meat Featured in an article on Green Bay Area Chefs?

I am now packing my own mug (the ceramic one) so as not to contribute to waste, so I'm glad Chef Dominique Crenn is encouraging that, according to Janelle Bitker's article "Bay Area chefs wowrk to beome even more green" on June 21.

  I wish the report also mentioned that she doesn't serve meat at the restaurant that won Michelin stars.   

But how can Progress, whose slabs of skirt steak are featured above a picture of Chef Crenn,  be called "green"?

Granted, Progress deserves more credit than Arby's, whose marrot has zero merit.  

"Carrots for carnivores: Don’t expect better eyesight," July 19).

  Unlike  Arby's  with its meat-filled carrots, Progress is not defiantly opposing all positive changes brought about by environmental organizations and those concerned with alleviating animal suffering.

David Yaffe-Bellany's article on Arby's arrogance and stupidity cites climate experts' finding that switching over to plant-based meat could help the environment by eliminating thousands of tons of carbon emission.

Bitker's article on Bay Area chefs points out that agriculture contributes to 30% of greenhouse gases, and we should remember that animal agriculture uses about about 70% of agricultural land and is one of the leading causes of deforestation, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.

"Bay Area chefs work to become even more green" should feature plant-based dishes, not slabs of meat.

The Inspired Cookie Brownie Bliss

Brownie Bliss:  The Inspired Cookie

I'd been wanting to go to a cafe on Powell really close to the BART station because they were among the first to have a sign out for the Impossible Burger.  Yesterday after seeing the Playwrights Central playoffs, I invited Beth there, and even though neither of us was hungry enough to order anything substantial, I did get a Brownie Bliss Inspired Cookie--the first of that brand I'd ever had--and it was delicious!  I looked up the Inspired Cookie Co., and this is what I found:.  

https://www.theinspiredcookie.com/about-us

Frida Cafe in Bremen, Germany, Is Vegan!

Ana Luengo, a friend, writer, and professor in the Spanish Department of San Francisco State University, posted this on Facebook, saying that it was waiting for me!

It's anice coincidence that Mia Katz, one of Jutta's friends from Bremen, is now in SF. and can take back our diary, so I can include this picture!

Open Letter to Soleil Ho in Response to Prairie in Barbecue Special in Food Section

Dear Soleil Ho,

Thank you for including vegan dishes in your review of the Prairie Restaurant in the Barbecue issue the Food Section today.

I'm assuming that they didn't find a way to corrupt a grilled avocado, though I see they put bonito flakes on the top of the sweet potato.  From what you say in the side bar about their willingness to take away offensive components (the animal products that cause human and animal suffering and environmental degradation), I suppose they could leave off the bonito flake fluttering.  What could they do to spare the cabbage dish?  Use Earth Balance or olive oil instead of butter for those crevices?  And, yes, let's hear it for Kombucha.  

Could you coax the SF Chronicle into always showing at least one picture of a plant-based entree and making it look good?

Your faithful but under-represented reader,

Tina Martin

A Further Plea to Soleil Ho, Restaurant Reviewer for the SF Chronicle

Thank you so much for your response.  I really hope our message is being heard if not acted upon.  

I'd be even happier if the SF Chronicle would act upon it and address the ethics of a plant-based diet.  I really don't think any discussion of ethics and food should be made without making the point that having a plant-based diet (or at least moving towards one) is the single best thing we can do for animals, the environment, and people.  

As for recommendations, I like both Millennium and Shizen, which you say didn't merit inclusion in the list.  Why not?  Whose palate judged that?  Did you know that Shizen was voted Readers' Favorite Japanese restaurant in 2016?  Not just best vegan Japanese restaurant!  

I liked the way you let the "elite" restaurants compete with each other instead of with the more affordable ones.  Couldn't you add to the list the best vegan restaurant?    Just always have that category?

As for the Millennium, I had a superb Thanksgiving dinner there two years ago.  Occasionally, I've been disappointed.

Encuentro pops up from time to time, and my family and I love their food.

Have you tried Gracias Madre?  Cha-ya?  

I worry that if you didn't like Millennium or Shizen, you're not going to like any other vegan restaurant.

I know you're open to restaurants that have comfort food rather than "fine dining," so have you tried Cybelle's Front Room on 9th near Judah?  They have an extensive vegan menu because the manager's daughter wanted to enjoy all the taste sensations she had before she became a vegan and created dishes (or had them created) to satisfy her own cravings.

Have you tried the Golden Era on Golden Gate near the Civic Center?

Some of my vegan friends like Enjoy, which has two locations.  I like Loving Hut even though I wish they didn't have that "Supreme Master."  When I invite friends to the one on Irving, I seat them facing away from the TV promoting her.  

Thanks again for paying attention to a minority that really needs to grow for the good of the planet.

Tina

Soleil Ho Replies

Ho, Soleil <Soleil.Ho@sfchronicle.com>

To:Tina Martin

Jul 1 at 12:26 PM

Tina,

Thanks for writing. I hear you! And to be honest, I was also disappointed to not find a single, exclusively vegan restaurant that merited inclusion in the Top 100. (Happy to take suggestions! I went to a few pop-ups, trucks, and to restaurants like Millenium and Shizen.) I’m hoping that changes for next year.

Soleil Ho

Restaurant Critic

Pronouns: she/her/hers

soleil.ho@sfchronicle.com • @hooleil

The SF Chronicle's Restaurant Critics Failed Their Ethics Test Once Again

Tina Martin <tina_martin@sbcglobal.net>

To:soleil.ho@sfchronicle.com

Jun 30 at 3:35 PM

Dear Ms. Ho,

I appreciate the fact that "Plant-based options" became part of the restaurant reviews when you came on, but it's really disappointing that you and your team couldn't find a single vegan restaurant to list among the top 100.  It's also alarming that you can address the question "Where do ethics fit in?" without mentioning  plant-based dishes.  

I agree that it's ethical to factor in sexual harassment and assault allegations when going through the list as well as how the restaurant staff are treated.  But it's essential to consider the move to a plant-based diet when considering ethics.  

The way animals are treated in factory farms is unethical.  

It's unethical to expose workers on factory farms to what they have to face. 

 It's not sustainable to have animals given the space that would be their natural habitat if they're going to be used for meat on a planet with more than 7 billion people.

It's unethical to let our habitual diet harm the environment when we could change our habits and move towards a plant-based diet..

I feel sympathetic to you (and slightly envious) that you have to sample so many restaurants in a year, but if you can't make it to vegan restaurants, couldn't you hire a vegan reviewer who could?  

Sincerely,

Tina Martin