This Saturday, March 16, the very funny, tall, and compassionate KEVIN NEALON will host Fun For Farm Animals: Celebrity Poker Tournament & Cocktail Party to benefit the work of Farm Sanctuary, America’s largest and most effective farm animal rescue and protection organization. This amazing night will feature tasty treats, delicious drinks, and yours truly! Did I mention you don’t have to play poker? You and I can play that game where we stand by the door where the hors d’oeuvres come out from and eat them all. Once that game ends (read: we get full) we can join the carnival atmosphere with psychics (I’m going to ask how fat food blogging is going to make me), magicians (I have bad eyesight, so they always amaze me), caricature artists (like my Bat Mitzvah!), cocktails (like my Bat Mitzvah!) and an intimate acoustic performance by Grammy winning artist COLBIE CAILLAT (like my… nope. Nothing.) If you do want to ante, poker players will battle Farm Sanctuary members, celebrity players, and poker pros to make the final table and win amazing prizes!

Funny, tall, compassionate Kevin Nealon says, “REGISTER HERE.

And if you can’t make it, consider donating anyway!”*

WHAT: Fun For Farm Animals: Celebrity Poker Tournament & Cocktail Party

WHEN: Saturday, March 16, 2013 7:00 p.m. Doors Open / 7:30 p.m. Poker Tournament Begins

WHERE: Petersen Automotive Museum
Connor Penthouse (4th Floor)
6060 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036

COST: $200 per person for General Admission and $500 to enter the Celebrity Poker Tournament. Tickets are nonrefundable. Must be 21 or older to register.

PRIZES: Grand Prize: Choose one of three amazing experiences:
- A trip to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica
- An amazing Ski trip to Whistler BC and stay in one of the top hotels in the world
- A trip to the beautiful beaches of Bermuda

Additional prizes:
- 2 Tickets to see Grammy award-winning band FUN at their sold out Greek Theater show in September
- 2 Tickets to the Dancing With The Stars upcoming Season 16 Finale
- A LA Lakers ticket package and more! Read all the details here.

Farm Sanctuary’s three shelters in New York and California provide lifelong care for almost 1,000 rescued farm animals. These animals are ambassadors for the billions on factory farms who have no voice, and their stories help raise awareness about the harsh realities of factory farming.

*That was the Kevin Nealon in my head, not the real Kevin Nealon.

-The faces of The Facebook mounted a campaign to save a ‘Gay Dog‘ from being put down by a Tennessee kill shelter. Gawker covered the story and the dog was rescued! Yay!

-Want to know your state’s animal-related laws and their penalties? The ASPCA has made it easy!

-The European Union is set to ban animal testing for cosmetics forever!

-Will 2013 be the year of ag-gag bills? Our old compatriot Susie Cagle thinks so.

-Arizona lawmaker seeks ban on awarding live animals as carnival prizes. And he’s a Republican!

-”Going Vegan in the NFL” has zero mention of ethics. Do any of these guys care about the leather they’re fumbling?

-Gross. Professional athletes are spraying deer antler velvet into their mouths to stimulate muscle growth. Ew, also.

-Dust off those passports and book your tickets: the biggest vegan festival in the world is coming to London this October! 

-Or, if you’re not up for international travels, here’s the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival lineup for 2013, and there’s more to come! How soon is March again?

And maybe those particular chickens are happy. And if they are, good for them. I hope that in addition to being protected from hawks and coyotes as Ellen worries about, they are also well cared for into their old age, just as a family cat or dog would be.

Maybe these chickens don’t dwell on the fact that their brothers, uncles, nephews, and other male relatives were virtually all killed at birth for being “useless”. Maybe they don’t dwell on the fact that many of their mothers, sisters, aunts, nieces, and other female relatives will die from lack of adequate health care, or due to dangerous housing or transport. Maybe they don’t mind that they were bred, raised, sold, and shipped as a commodity. And maybe they don’t care that humans collect and eat their equivalent to menstrual waste. (I’m just talking about rich peoples’ backyard chickens here; not even getting into the horrors that befall their factory-farmed cousins.)

And it seems a safe bet that Ellen’s neighbors’ chickens, happy or not, don’t know what veganism is. But Ellen should know better. If you don’t care how the word “vegan” is used, how it is defined, or what it connotes, then you can probably skip this post. (But then I also wonder why you’re reading a site called SuperVegan?) It’s entirely probable that Ellen is still, in balance, a positive force for lessening animal exploitation. But she’s emphatically not practicing veganism here, and doesn’t seem to be practicing critical thinking or informed common sense either. Her words here are dangerous: if viewers think she’s saying all this as a vegan, we’re running a very real risk of serious dilution of the meaning of the word.

I’m not quibbling edge-case semantics here. There are gray areas to veganism. There might even be gray areas to “vegan” people eating eggs, if, say they’re providing sanctuary for some rescued layers (though I still would never call that vegan). This doesn’t fall into any those gray areas. Is Ellen uncaring or just ignorant?

Ellen has attached herself to veganism and has acted as a spokesperson. In this role, I wish she’d either set a better example or step aside. A celebrity who eats animal products but works towards reforming factory farming can still be a force for good, and maybe that’s Ellen’s role. But an Ellen who doesn’t eat any eggs, and can explain why on national television, well, that would be even better!

In a post from “Going Vegan With Ellen” (a site I criticized when it launched, which has now been killed but had its content folded in with her main site), Ellen says

I personally chose to go vegan because I educated myself on animal cruelty. Suddenly, I realized that what was on my plate were living things, with feelings. And I just couldn’t disconnect myself from it any longer. I read books like “Diet for a New America” and saw documentaries like “Earthlings” and “Meet your Meat,” and it became an easy choice for me.

Maybe she just needs some more reading material, to realize that “happy” chickens almost always come from unhappy backgrounds, and that advocating for backyard chicken-keeping on TV is advocating for suffering, exploitation, and murder, even if it’s not of those particular birds.

Hat tip to Sarah E. Brown, who blogged about this on both Vegansaurus and her own site, for bringing this to our attention.

Watch it with a friend or family member who eats turkey, and try not to physically attack them if they tell you “it’s not so bad”.

Thanks, MFA, for your continuing courageous work in documenting and exposing these horrors.

Did you know that animal rights groups became the “number one domestic terrorism threat” in this country?

I didn’t, until I read an interview with journalist and author Will Potter on the Animal Legal Defense Fund website.

Potter, “is an award-winning independent journalist based in Washington, D.C., who focuses on ‘eco-terrorism,’ the animal rights and environmental movements, and civil liberties post-9/11. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, the Huffington Post, and the Vermont Law Review.” After getting arrested for leafletting, threatened by the FBI, and then testifying before Congress, he became “obsessed” with finding out how this terrifying reality came to be.

Drawing comparisons to the “Red Scare” era, Potter’s book, Green Is The New Red: An Insider’s Account of a Social Movement Under Siege is, “a thrilling memoir that contextualizes the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA).” AETA, he explains, was created to expand on the Animal Enterprise Protection Act (AEPA), which was deemed “inadequate in going after radical groups.”

The article also goes on to discuss the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which might be even more scary; “a secretive organization that allows corporations to literally write bills that have been introduced around the country—with lawmakers having no idea that they were actually drafted by corporations themselves”, and provides a link to Potter’s Congressional testimony. I need a hug!

Preorder this book!

Longtime friend-of-SuperVegan J.T. Yost is Kickstarting a sure-to-be excellent comics anthology, Digestate: a food & eating themed comic anthology.

Now, he made the first mistake of Kickstarter, which is meeting the goal too soon. But he still really could use more money. And you could really use a copy of this book, so go pledge and preorder. Or throw in 10 extra bucks to get a couple of minicomics on the side, like I did.

J.T.’s own comic is based on an affidavit from a slaughterhouse worker that he got from Gail Eisnitz (author of Slaughterhouse). In addition to J.T. himself, other vegan contributors to DIGESTATE include (some famous names in here!)
Berkeley Breathed, Neil Brideau, J.T. Dockery, Nicole J. Georges, Adam Hines, Jonas Madden-Connor, Hazel Newlevant, Dan Piraro, Aron Nels Steinke, and James Turek.

There’s over 50 contributors in all. This is a pretty great anthology for just learning who’s who in indie comics. Here’s a bunch of non-vegan famous names in there: Jeffrey Brown, Renée French, Alex Robinson, James Kochalka, Marc Bell, Box Brown, Noah Van Sciver, and Sam Henderson. Top drawer stuff.

I asked J.T. some questions and he answered so well I’m just gonna quote liberally here:

Originally this was going to be a comic anthology split between vegans and carnivores (omnivores, technically, but ‘carnivore’ sounds more extreme!). Once I’d made sure I had enough vegans contributing I made up a list of non-vegan artists I hoped might contribute. Once I started asking around I realized that my original idea would end up excluding a lot of talented people that either didn’t identify as carnivorous or fell somewhere further down the dietary preference chain. I thought it would probably turn out more interesting to dial back the theme to anything having to do with food and eating and allow the artists to decide how to approach the theme. Judging from the comics I’ve received thus far, I think my instincts were correct! There’s a huge variety in subject matter and tone. Some gave me autobiographical pieces, some were purely fictional, some are akin to essays and just about everything in-between. I like to think a dialogue has been created that can help all of us understand each other’s point of view when it comes to our choices about food & eating.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting this awesome project. You’ve got only a few days left.

Where I come from, MFA stands for Master of Fine Arts, but those are just really expensive pieces of paper that don’t do a whole lot. A better use of the acronym is Mercy For Animals because they do awesome things like fight for farmed animals and against the cruelty they are subjected to. Not the other way around. Do you know about this organization? I bet you didn’t know they were this cute.

On Saturday, June 2nd, I was lucky enough to attend a MFA event called Justice For All: A Night For Creatures Big And Small. This was a $500 per VIP ticket cocktail party in the West Hollywood Hills. Pretty swank. Hillary Swank was not there, but other celebrities were, like honoree Emily Deschanel and her Bones co-star Michaela Conlin, Jackass Steve-O and that Skinny Bitch Rory Freedman. The host, Freeway The Dog, and his house were incredible and the bar was not only open, but staffed with swoon-worthy ‘tenders.

The party was catered by super Vegan chef extraordinaire Dave Anderson from Madeleine Bistro, a restaurant that is open on an intermittent basis, and Maddy’s formerly known as The Shoppe, which hasn’t even opened once yet. Culinary highlights included BBQ seitan skewers, cashew cheese stuffed dates wrapped in a smokey mushroom, filet un-fish sandos, and some sort of donut/beignet thing that I am considering starting a competitive Vegan eating team for.

The party was fun, fancy and kind of like going to the airport. You had to take a shuttle van to get there (Heeeeey, to the people on my party bus!), you had to take your shoes off, and you left with a giant bag (of awesome goodies). LAXPH (Los Angeles International Party House).

There was a silent auction of all kinds of great things n’ stuff:

And after a few hours of free swim there was a short program, the three important parts of which were:

Won.) Nathan Runkle, the founder of MFA is appx. 18 years old. Or maybe that’s how old he was when he started it, either way, I have not done enough with my life.

Too.) This video. Don’t you not even try to don’t not be affected.

Three …) people in the room donated $25,000 each. 3! Nathan raised 200K in less than 10 minutes. This was impressive, but it’s not nearly enough, I’m sure. They are fighting billion dollar industries and winning, but with ag-gag bills passing, life is about to get harder for them and Bessy The Cow. Do you have extra dollars? Doesn’t have to be five figures, if you’re so inclined, they would gladly accept whatever you can give. And/Or, you could invest in the highly anticipated Shift all Vegan restaurant & bar in Venice, as they are still in need of a few chunks of money in order to open before I die from a suspense O.D.

• Not that you need an excuse to shop, but Mooshoes is celebrating its 10th anniversary this Saturday, Dec. 3, with a 15% discount on all in-store purchases, plus beverages and snacks from Blossom du Jour and Dun-Well Doughnuts.
• Veg Blog has released the third installment of its vegan business profile series, this time featuring cookbook publisher Heritage Press.
• On Wednesday, Dec. 7, head over to Pianos on the Lower East Side for some Freerange Nonfiction and listen while Hannah Tinti, Alison Espach and Alison Smith read from their animal-related books. The event’s $8 cover will directly benefit Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. For more information on this and other happenings in New York City, check out our Events Calendar.
• Speaking of farmed animals, Mercy for Animals has uncovered yet more abuse, this time by Sparboe Egg Farms, the supplier of McDonald’s eggs.
• In other atrocities, the USDA released its 2010 Dairy Checkoff Report, and the results are, well, atrocious: In 2009, $108 million was spent promoting milk, while $283 million was used to push dairy products like cheese. Is this really how we want our tax money spent?
• On a lighter note: Sending out holiday cards? Be sure to order a book of PETA’s stamps featuring veggie celebs, now through January. The stamps, which can be purchased online, are available as of today and feature famous faces such as Woody Harrelson, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Barker and Morrissey, plus historical notables including da Vinci, Tolstoy and Pythagoras. Celebs aren’t always the most consistent carrot eaters, but they do help expose the mainstream to the cause.
• Maybe PETA will consider dedicating a stamp to five-year veghead Jessica Chastain. She’s not the only vegan to make people think the chicken she was chomping was “real.”
• For the young compassionate people in your life: The Vegetarian Resource Group is giving away two $5,000 college scholarships to vegetarian high schoolers graduating in the spring of 2012. If you know a senior who lives and promotes the veg lifestyle, make sure he or she applies by Feb. 20.
• The Clash’s Paul Simonon was arrested earlier this year while working undercover as a vegetarian cook for Greenpeace. He might not have been a vegan pirate cook fighting whalers, but protesting against Artic oil offenders gets a thumbs-up too.
• Jane Brody wrote about vegans’ favorite vitamin in The New York Times: Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Cause Symptoms That Mimic Aging.
• Arms dealer Viktor Bout, the closest thing to a real-life James Bond villain, is demanding vegan meals in jail.
• Last, I’m sad to say that Marti Kheel has died. I had the privilege of hearing the ecofeminist and the author of Nature Ethics speak a few years ago, and her message was inspiring. RIP, Marti.

• I know you’re not going to eat turkey this week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t adopt one from Farm Sanctuary.
• Speaking of eating, our very own Andrea Wachner polled readers like you and came up with recipes for Honee Nut Brussels Sprouts, Blueberry Muffin Bread Pudding, Onion and Apple Relish Tofu, Maple Syrup Pecan Pie, Veggie Gravy and Deconstructed Green Bean Casserole.
• Need more? Treehugger says even omnis will love these 9 dishes; Christina Pirello shares recipes for things like Fig and Walnut Tapenade on Daikon Rounds; MSNBC thinks Sarah Kramer has some tasty ideas; and use Earth Balance instead of butter in this recipe for Tofu Skin Roulade With Sage Mushroom Stuffing—it looks veganlicious!
• Mind set on a different type of mock meat? Target now sells Gardein.
• Or maybe you’re not interested in cooking on your day off—there are plenty of places to go for Thanksgiving dinner in NYC.
• If you’re in the Philly area, gourmet vegan destination Horizons is no longer an option, but maybe Vedge will fit the bill. If burgers and fries are more your speed, a new fast food joint is headed for the City of Brotherly Love.
• Who says you have to eat your fruits and veggies, anyway? Japanese artist Takaya takes a cue from Carmen Miranda and creates herbivorous headgear.
• If you want to bring booze to dinner but don’t have a really cool wine shop near you, that’s okay: Barnivore’s ever-expanding list now encompasses 4,728 libations.
• Can your cookie crush the competition? Submit your favorite recipe to VegNews’ 1st Annual Holiday Cookie Contest by Dec. 10, and you could win a KitchenAid mixer and worldwide (web) notoriety.
• Finally, find out what makes a SuperVegan say, ”Tings, mon.”

I love Jorja Fox, now more than ever.

• One of my favorite people, Jenny Brown, is speaking at Jivamukti Café on Saturday, 11/12, from 7-9pm. In Peace Begins on Your Plate: Why Farm Animals Matter in Our Quest for Peace, the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary cofounder will talk about the way animals are raised for food and how we can be better advocates for our fellow critters.
• O Canada! Why do you get your very own vegan patty from Subway but we don’t? All in good time, I guess.
• Next Monday, 11/14, from 7-9pm, NY CLASS is hosting Happy Hour for the Horses at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. Join super SuperVegan Patrick Kwan to learn more about the campaign to put the horse-drawn carriages out of business. Drinks specials include the “Horseless Carriage Cocktail” for $3.50, and 2-for-1 beer, wine and well drinks, plus snacks courtesy of Sweet Cheeks Vegan Bakery. Check out these and other events on our NYC Events Calendar.
• I don’t have any ink, but I have a lot of friends who’ll be happy to see there’s a new vegan tattoo balm out there.
• Meatless Every Days is better, but Meatless Mondays is a good start. Share this video with the omnis in your life and get them moving in the right direction.
• Jorja Fox stars in a new ad campaign for PETA, asking people to investigate how their food came to be. How cool is it that the actress’s veg epiphany happened in the greatest borough of all?

Heya, Angelenos! Got plans this Saturday? Too bad, change ‘em! Head over to Halloveegan, L.A.’s Vegan Drinks, presented by ChicaVegan! Taking place at Verdugo Bar, which has an incredibly huge and well curated beer selection and full bar, there promises to be loads of vegan grub, tons of prizes and it all sounds ridiculous in the best possible way. What are you gonna wear?? LOTS of details after the jump:

via the meetup website:

IN ALL THE ANNALS OF LIVING HORROR, ONE EVENT STANDS OUT AS THE EPITOME OF TERROR!!



HALLOVEEGAN!!

‘HEAD’ TO THE INFAMOUS VERDUGO BAR
(whose grounds are known to be haunted by a mean torturer, executioner, and hangman)
Saturday October 29th

starting at 3pm

you must be dead, very VERY dead to attend (at least 21 years dead!)

(This terrorific happening is free)
But we’ll collect voluntary DONATIONS for The Gentle Barn


MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN THE INVISIBLE MAN!! STRANGER THAN DRACULA!!



HALLOVEEGAN!!


CASTLE DOOR PRIZES FOR THE FIRST 100 BOILS & GHOULS IN COSTUME!! Including:

1. Sample gift from Co-Soap (Unscented Vegan Soap)
2. Sample gift from Justin’s (Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups plus coupon)
3. Special gift bag from Healthy Roots Nutrition
4. Two Coupons from Tofutti Brand (for any product)
5. Sample gift from Beanitos Brand (Pinto Bean / Flax or Black Bean Chips plus coupon)
6. Free ticket for the raffles!

Main Events from 3pm to 8pm:
1. DAY OF THE DEAD… the very VERY DEAD… MAKE-UP ON THE PATIO!!
2. HAVE YOUR PHOTO TAKEN (WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE HANGMAN) IN THE YELP PHOTO BOOTH!!
3. ART SALE by NINOSKA ARTS
4. EAT GRRAAIIINNSS!!! (from 3pm to 8pm) AT THE HALLOVEEGAN CASKETERIA’S:
Pacha New Peruvian Cuisine
Doomie’s Home Cookin’
Twice Baked
Amanda’s Bakery

At 7pm:
1. RAFFLES for the first 100 attendees IN COSTUME. Prizes include:
Beanitos Gift Basket ($20 value)
Every Man Jack Gift Bag ($30 value)
Nacho Mom’s Cheese Gift Box ($40 value)
Arouse Coffee Gift Bag ($45 value)
Sir Richards Gift Box ($60 value)

2. COSTUME CONTEST hosted by Healthy Roots Nutrition:
PUT ON YOUR BEST MA’SCARE’A and SPOOK THREADS… and WIN A BASKETCASE OF HORRID PRIZES & TREATS!! (it’s now become 2 full very heavy bags!!!)
Om by Miquette Gift from the event organizer Chica Vegan ($15 value)
Larabar Assorted Bars ($30 value)
Harmony Valley Hamburger and Sausage Mix Bags ($20 value)
Nacho Mom’s Cheese Jars ($10 value)
Food For Lovers Queso Jar ($5 value)
Hail Merry Snacks ($7 value)
Chicago Soy Dairy Dandies Marshmallows ($5 value)
Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful Jar ($4 value)
Lotus Foods Rice Bag ($4 value)
Vega Energy Bar ($3 value)
Wolfgang Puck Coffee Samples ($1 value)
Cascadian Farm Organic Bar ($1 value)
“Baby Cakes” Cookbook ($24 value)
“My Sweet Vegan” Cookbook ($23 value)
“Speed Vegan” Cookbook ($20 value)
“The Joy of Vegan Baking” Cookbook ($20 value)
SIGNED COPY of “Spork Fed” Cook Book ($20 value)
“Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Foods” Cookbook ($18 value)
October and November’s copies of VegNews Magazines ($12 value)
Freaky Dog People T-shits ($56 value)
Sunology Natural Sunblockers ($45 value)
TofuXpress ($40 value)
PetSide.com pet t-shirt with matching human t-shirt ($40 value)
Iron Fist Clothing Clutch Bag ($30 value)
Recycling Rocks Back Pack and Water Bottle Set ($30 value)
Co-Soap Samples (Eucalyptus, Lavender, and Pure bar soaps) ($10 value)
Wheatware Eco Yo-Yo ($7 value)
Kitchen Tool gift from De-hydrated.com
Alternative Outfitters gift pen
Fruits to Remember Gift Card ($25)
So Delicious coupons ($22 in savings)
Happy Tiffin coupon ($16 value)
Journals Unlimited Food & Fitness Mini Journal ($6 value)
Special gift from Healthy Roots Nutrition
Mercy for Animals Farm to Fridge Video
Tofutti Brand coupons ($11 in savings)
DailyGourmet.com coupon ($10 credit)
Earth Balance Coconut Spread coupon ($5 value)
Larabar coupon ($1 off)
Ayala’s Herbal Water coupon (.50c off)
Gardein coupon ($1 off any product)
Iron Fist Clothing coupons (15% off)
Alternative Outfitters coupon (10% off)
Peas and Thank You recipes
Harmony Valley recipes
Earth Balance recipes

After 8pm, grains still available AT THE FRONT DOOR by:
The Frankenstand (our favorite spooky-theme food and professional spookyfier extraordinaire)
Seabirds Truck
Veg-it-Up Truck

COME NOW!
COME SEE!
COME FEEL THE AWFUL CREEPY CRAWLING TERROR THAT STANDS YOUR HAIR ON END AND BRINGS A SCREAM TO YOUR LIPS!!!!

THE SPINE TINGLING – BLOOD CHILLING EVENT THAT WILL STUN YOUR EMOTIONS!!!

HALLOVEEGAN!!!

HALLOVEEGAN!!!

SPREAD THE WORD AND SPARE YOUR ASHES…
TO COME ALONE
WOULD BE THE MISTAKE OF A ‘KNIFE’ TIME!!!

YELP

BLOG

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

MEETUP

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

I’m home sick with a sinus infection, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay in and miss all the fun (like Saturday’s Smorgasburg, which for the first time featured items from the Vegan Bodega). But thankfully Smorgasburg happens every Saturday, so you’ll have another chance to go next week, and the week after that.

Two other very cool events are happening Sunday, 10/23:

• Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Farm Animals, which starts at 11am in Central Park. If you can’t walk, be sure to donate!
• The Vegan Fall Shop-Up, taking place at the Pine Box Rock Shop, from 12-5pm. Check out the artisanal tempeh, kale chips, hummus made in Brooklyn, farm-fresh veggies, stationery, soy candles, and more. The Vegan Bodega is making an appearance at the Shop-Up, too, so be sure to check them out!

Someone bring me a doggie bag!

Yesterday was my favorite day of the year: ThanksLiving, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary’s yearly celebration in honor of the turkeys, and of all the animals who are raised for food. It’s a day to hang with the critters, meet vegans from all over, listen to great music, and, of course, eat amazing food. And what a beautiful day it was! Saturday’s rain gave way to comfortable temperatures and sunny skies (until after dinner, anyway). Yesterday was also the first chance anyone had to check out the farm’s new B&B—a lovely, quaint, yet spacious-feeling little house across from the main field. I can’t wait to stay there! But that’s a topic for another post; right now we have food to discuss.

While the guests perused the silent auction items and strategically placed their raffle tickets (I walked away with a set of Woodstock Chimes and a gift certificate to V-Note), booze from Frey Wines and Stone Brewing Company Beers flowed (until the red wine ran out). And then came the appetizers: I really enjoyed Regal Vegan’s Faux Gras Crostini and the Buffalo Bites from Blossom; my favorite restaurant apparently also donated Cape Cod Cakes, but they went so quickly, I never even saw them. Also making the rounds were Faux Beef Medallions with Béarnaise Sauce, which might have been better if they’d made it out hot; on the cool side they were a little chewy. That said, their flavor almost resembled the meatiness of Primal Strips, so they might be good dehydrated.

Then it was time to sit and eat, and listen, but just a little: This year there was no lineup of speakers, just founder Jenny Brown greeting the guests and thanking the staff and volunteers, who included the chef from Jivamuktea Cafe; David Silver, the former owner of Second Helpings (and one of my housemates); and vegan dynamo Terry Hope Romero, who was at the kitchen’s helm. And dinner was an impressive array: Chipotle Sweet Potato Bisque with Cashew Crema, Cornbread Sofrito Stuffing with Veggie Chorizo, Massaged Kale Salad wih Raisins and Toasted Almonds, and the much-anticipated Savage River Faux Chicken Rajas in Orange Garlic Mojo.

The ThanksLiving spread: Chipotle Sweet Potato Bisque with Cashew Crema, Cornbread Sofrito Stuffing with Veggie Chorizo, Massaged Kale Salad wih Raisins and Toasted Almonds, and Faux Chicken Rajas in Orange Garlic Mojo.

The soup was deliciously rich and hearty, and I love, love, love my greens, so I didn’t leave a speck (or drop) of either behind. I didn’t finish my stuffing, though, because I got the gluten-free version, which meant all the tasty stuff—the cornbread and the chorizo—were left out. As for the chicken, well, this was made with Savage River’s new gluten-free soy and pea protein mock meat, which isn’t on the market yet. While I’m happy there’s going to be a new alternative out there, I have mixed feelings about it: The “chicken” was gently and tastefully seasoned, but the texture of the stuff was a little dry, almost grainy; even Terry’s Mojo couldn’t save it. What did make it more palatable, though, was the cranberry sauce; once I began to pair the two, I enjoyed the mock meat a whole lot more. Maybe it’s because the food didn’t make it out piping hot, or maybe Savage River still has a few kinks to work out with their recipe. But I wasn’t overwhelmed by the new “meat,” and I really hope they improve upon it before they release it in stores.

As always, the desserts were from Vegan Treats. And as always, they were incredible. I forwent my usual Peanut Butter Bomb fetish and instead sampled the Baklava Cheesecake (ridiculusly flaky and delicious) and Cannoli—a perfectly crispy shell encasing a not-too-sweet yet delectable cream topped with chocolate chips. But the selection didn’t stop there: There was also pumpkin cake, pecan pie, apple pie, brownies, and cookies. This was a veritable feast of sweets. All hail Danielle Konya!

What is there to say about Vegan Treats? Delish.

So overall, the day was a blast and the meal was really good. While Savage River’s faux chicken can stand a little fine-tuning, it’s nice to know new altenatives are on the horizon. Who knows what surprises will await us at ThanksLiving 7.0?

This is Part 1 of my Woodstock Weekend posts. Check out Part 2 and find out what other gastronomic delights await you in Ulster County.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

Tonight, Wednesday, September 7th from 6:30 to 9:30pm, the League of Humane Voters will be hosting a fundraiser for the creation of a Political Action Committee for Animals. There are lots of special interests at work in government, so why not add an animal PAC to the mix, right? By influencing the vote in NYC, voters who care about animal advocacy issues can help influence the New York State Legislature—of the NYS legislature’s 215 members, 89 legislators (over 40% of the NYS Legislature) are from NYC. This means that for any animal protection bill to pass in New York State, it must have the support of state legislators from NYC.

Tickets are $60 and available at the door and there will be a buffet from V-Spot to enjoy while you listen to speakers and get motivated to take our government back. Because “We are ready to march…Everybody here’s got a vote” after all (what can I say, I’m all riled up after watching Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa, Jr. throw down at a Labor Day union rally in Detroit).

Also of note, communications expert Josephine Bellacomo will donate a 30-minute free communications strategy session/consultation with the purchase of 2 copies of her book Move the Message at the event tonight.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 8th, MooShoes will be hosting Fashion’s Night Out from 6-10pm. In case you weren’t aware that you live in the fashion capital of the world (yeah, Milan and Paris, I said it), Fashion’s Night Out is an annual event where retail stores stay open after hours for your shopping pleasure (such good Capitalists we are).

A 15% discount will be offered on all purchases made at the store all evening and Cri De Coeur and Vaute Couture will be there with their wares. Grub and grog from Blossom and Vegan Vine will be served. There will be a chance to win a $50 MooShoes gift card or a Cri De Coeur bag and the money raised will go to benefit Alice Dietz’s work for Brooklyn’s feral cats, which of course you already know about because Alice was profiled by yours truly for Supervegan.

Also happening that night is Pints for Pigs at The Half Pint at 76 West 3rd St. (between West 3rd & Thompson) from 7-10pm. The Half Pint is generously donating 25% of the tab to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and vegan fare will be available for purchase from Blossom du Jour to benefit the animals and the work of WFAS. The event is hosted by Brett Wyker as part of his upcoming marathon run for WFAS in which he’ll be running 26.2 miles at the Smuttynose Brewing Company’s Rockfest & Marathon on World Farm Animals Day. Visit Brett’s Crowdrise project page for more details.

And to help raise additional funds, The Half Pint will feature Smuttynose Brewing Company beers. It’s clearly a win-win situation.

Also, the next Vegan Drinks on Thurs Sept 29th will benefit WFAS so if you miss the fundraiser tomorrow there’ll be another chance to drink beer for the pigs (and goats, cows, chickens, turkeys, rabbit, sheep, ducks…).

Two of my favorite things are helping animals and attending parties so when the two are joined, count me in! Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (WFAS) will be hosting a Rooftop Solstice Party in Williamsburg this Thursday, June 23rd at 7 pm. The rooftop belongs to Dawn Ladd, owner of Aurora Lampworks and a WFAS board member, and she chose the date of the event as it’s one of the longest days of the year—all the better to be outside enjoying the “fresh” Brooklyn air. If it rains, the party will be moved inside but here’s hoping the rain stays away that night.

There’s also promise of fancy hors d’oeuvres from Verité Catering, drinks, fire dancers, a live DJ and the event even has a fancy host committee (Tracy Bonham, Chloé Jo Davis, Jason Fine, Cat Greenleaf, Joshua Katcher, Nellie McKay, & Elizabeth Olsen, I’m talking about you!).

Tickets are $65 and available in advance. The proceeds will help fund essential repairs and improvements to WFAS’ Pig Barn and Duck Pond.

Also, coming up at WFAS is their annual summer shin-dig at the farm; this time it’ll be held over Independence Day weekend, July 2-3rd from 11 am-4 pm each day. There’ll be live music, kid activities, a “VEGE-Q” and farm tours. If you’ve been meaning to visit the 200+ rescued animals, or are due another visit, you don’t want to miss July Jamboree.

See you there!

If you did watch it, you’re in very good, anonymous company; after seeing the video, an MFA supporter is matching donations to the org up to $2,500 at Vegan Drinks this Thursday, April 28. Which is so great, because who doesn’t love MFA? I mean, really, is there anyone? Because I will find them, and peel their eyes open and force them to watch this video because it is what’s UP.

Oh, and disclaimer before I post the video: I found it super disturbing. To be totally up-front, actually, I could only stand about 25 seconds, so I’m posting it below, but BE WARNED, this will make you wonder why, why, why there isn’t a cow on her hind legs stabbing farmers with a pitchfork and yelling, YOU LIKE THAT, YOU SICK SON OF BITCH? THAT’S WHAT YOU DID TO MY BABY, and recording that, and posting it on YouTube to put the fear of death in all their twisted farmer friends.

But do watch. If nothing else, it’ll make you want to empty your wallet at Vegan Drinks, leaving yourself only enough moola to buy Matt Rice, MFA’s Director of Operations, and Eddie Garza, their New York Campaign Coordinator, a very tall beer.

Folks getting their yum yum on at the 2010 Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale at MooShoes. Photo courtesy of joyfulgirl415.

Empty your to-go containers, the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is here again! More than 100 bake sales will take place on six continents between April 23rd and May 1st. Sugar high indeed!

New Yorkers will have multiple opportunities to buy vegan sweets and help raise funds for a variety of organizations during the week. Do your sweet tooth a favor and search the list of participating locations now.

On May 1st, our good friends at MooShoes will once again be hosting a bake sale expertly organized by our pal Dayna and her crew of volunteers. Bakers and volunteers are still needed for this event, so please sign up!

Check out the official details about the MooShoes bake sale:

It’s time for the third annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale! This year, we’re excited to partner with for the Animals sanctuary (ftA). Located about an hour away in Blairstown, NJ, ftA is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and life-long care of victims of the food farming trade.

MooShoes, NYC’s largest vegan shoe store, located at 78 Orchard Street, has graciously agreed to host us again on Sunday, May 1 from 12:30-5:30 PM.

We’ll be there with cookies, cupcakes and all manner of deliciousness. The good folks from ftA will also be there selling handmade jewelry and answering any questions you may have about the sanctuary. And Hannah Kaminsky, author of My Sweet Vegan, will be there signing copies of her new book, Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season!

And don’t forget to bring a bag or container to take your purchases home in (or a utensil to eat with there) so we can use fewer disposables!

Comedy for Karma is pig approved

It’s that time of year again — when it’s appropriate to laugh out loud to help rescued farm animals. For the fourth year in a row, the “funny farm” is back with another installment of Comedy for Karma benefitting the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (WFAS).

When: Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Doors at 7:30 pm. Show starts at 8 pm sharp.
Where: Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street between 7th & 8th Avenues in Manhattan.

Tickets are $40 general admission in advance, $50 at the door and there are $75 VIP tickets available as well. You can order tickets online or by calling 845-679-5955.

The line-up of comedians includes:
Olivia Munn of The Daily Show & NBC’s Perfect Couples (if she is indeed still eating chicken, my money’s on WFAS co-founder Jenny Brown to get her to reconsider)
John Oliver & Wyatt Cenac of The Daily Show (note: both are tentative at this time)
Gary Gulman & Myq Kapla, both of whom were Last Comic Standing finalists
Jamie Kilstein of Showtime’s The Green Room
Dan Piraro, Bizarro creator and WFAS board member, will emcee. I, for one, cannot wait for his Viagra jokes that have ruffled some feathers at past WFAS Thanksliving events (and I’m not talking about the turkey feathers).

The funds raised will go directly to the care of over 200 rescued farm animals at the sanctuary and the advocacy work of WFAS. Here’s a video from last year’s show in case you still need convincing that this is an event you don’t want to miss.

On Feb. 8, I went to the Tribeca Grand for the first screening of Chow Down, a documentary that shows the turnaround that two men with heart disease achieved by switching to a plant-based diet. (By turnaround I mean that they didn’t die.) If you’re looking for an outreach tool that comes from a health perspective, this is it. Doctors like Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., Neal Barnard and Joel Fuhrman, as well as T. Colin Campbell, lay the facts out on the table, including the discovery that nutrition controls the expression of certain genes, including those that govern disease. The movie also addresses the government’s complicity in Americans’ nutrition-poor diet and the hold big-money interests like the meat and dairy industries have over what we’re told we should eat.

The editing was a little choppy in places—for example, there were supposed to be three participants, but the third, a woman, dropped out, and no other explanation was given except that she just couldn’t do it right then. But overall the movie delivered its message with simplicity, humor and truth.

Because it doesn’t address the cruelty issue, it was followed by a screening of Glass Walls, narrated by Paul McCartney. It was at this point that a lot of people left the room, while the rest of us covered our eyes and tried to plug up our ears. Make no mistake: This seven-minute film pulls no punches and is extremely explicit about what happens to the animals we use for food. I’d recommend this as an outreach tool, but most vegans aren’t able to sit through it, so I can’t imagine any guilty omnivores sticking it out.

The panel afterward included vegan (and one nonvegan) authors, activists and foodies: Gene Baur, Victoria Moran, Bart Potenza, Simone Reyes, Michael Parrish Dudell, Alex Jamieson and Annemarie Colbin. Responses to audience questions ranged from impassioned to no-holds-barred. Gene responded to one query in a very diplomatic yet matter-of-fact way: When he was asked that age-old question—What about humane meat and eggs?—he told it like it is: At the end of the day, no matter how much respect the farmer says he has for his animals, he slaughters them, it’s a violent and tragic end, and he does it simply because he makes money from it. The end.

The only cringe-worthy moments of the evening (well, aside from the screening of Glass Walls) were provided by Colbin, who seemed to be pushing to include meat in our diet and actually uttered the confounding statement I thought only ignorant omnis sometimes pulled out of their back pocket: Plants have a consciousness too, so if you care about them, being vegan isn’t the answer. What all of these people forget is that the majority of the grain we grow is used to feed the animals we slaughter for meat, rather than feeding the many, many hungry people in this country.

For the panel following the Feb. 19 screening, two new speakers have been added: Julie Grayer and Gage Johnston, the producers and directors of the film. And if it’s organized like last time, there will be drink tickets available for the cocktail hour in the lobby bar following the Q&A, at which point you can ask any questions and make any comments there wasn’t enough time for during the panel.

If you’d like to attend the screening, RSVP here—but do it quickly, because it’s a small screening room, and the last showing had a waiting list four times over. If you can’t get in this time, you can always subscribe to the mailing list. And if you do go, let us know what you think in the comments!

Kathy and Jesse havin’ some face time

On a rainy evening last October, over 100 folks found warmth and cover at Loft 56 in Midtown Manhattan as we gathered to listen to Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, discuss her latest book, Animal Camp: Lessons in Love and Hope from Rescued Farm Animals. Stevens shared a story called “The Audacity of Love,” about Rambo the sheep who is adored by both Hannah the sheep and Barbie the hen. The tale spoke of both cross-species love and jealousy and shows the complicated emotional lives of these rescued animals. (Check out SV’s Patrick Kwan’s short video montage of the event.)

Animal Camp is Stevens’s second book, following Where the Blind Horse Sings. It is perfect for anyone who has ever wondered what it’s like to run an animal sanctuary, and also a heartwarming and accessible introduction to the lives of farm animals.

The first part of Animal Camp focuses on three outcasts–a pig named Franklin, a cow named Tucker and horse named Hope–who had a difficult time adjusting to their new home at CAS and fitting in with others of their species. Stevens decides to set up a “summer camp” for these three at her partner David’s place in High Falls, NY. There, they would get individual attention and she could search for answers to her own questions:

“I wondered whether, and how, the weak ones from their respective herds would bond. Would a lonely horse and a picked-on pig become friends? Would they gain the confidence that they needed to fare better back at home, or would they cower once more as soon as they returned?”

The second part of the book begins after the three animal campers are brought back to CAS. This section is comprised of short essays about other CAS residents and daily life on the sanctuary. In the introduction to Animal Camp, Stevens mentions another book that inspired her: The Good Good Pig, by Sy Montgomery, the story of a pig named Christopher Hogwood.

“I laughed and cried my way through The Good Good Pig and strongly suspect that more than a few readers gave up eating bacon and pork chops after putting down this delightful work. Why? Because Montgomery made him real for us.”

In Animal Camp Stevens sets out to do the same for all the animal ambassadors at CAS. She attempts to show the depth and range of their emotions and their unique personalities. Some will accuse her of anthropomorphism, and she is equipped to respond. She even includes a chapter “On Anthropomorphism”:

“Not only do I dislike the term anthropomorphism, but I don’t buy it. I don’t think that when we talk about a dog being worried or a chicken being excited or a horse being depressed or pig being jealous we’re ascribing human emotions to animals… In my view, the term anthropomorphism is used either malevolently, for instance, by scientists trying to assuage their guilt or deny their humanity as they justify horrific experiments performed on animals, or mistakenly by people who know little about animals and thus accept the popular notion that they are fundamentally far more emotionally limited than humans.“

Animal Camp gives us not only a window into the lives of these rescued farm animals, but also one into the lives of their rescuers. Running a sanctuary is hard work (as described in the chapter called “When Winter Kicks Your Ass”). At any given time, CAS is home to roughly 250 animals, who are at various points in their own journey of healing. CAS is powered by the devotion and patience of the staff and volunteers (and also by solar panels!). Stevens shares with us the joys of this work, but also the difficult decisions along the way. CAS has rescued many animals from hoarding and cruelty cases, but with the recent economic downturn, individuals who can no longer feed their farm animals also come knocking on CAS’s door. “The stories leave us reeling: one job loss after another, one foreclosure after another… Yes, determining which animals to take in is always, always, an excruciating choice.”

Once in sanctuary, the animals heal at their own pace, on their own terms. In the chapter, “The Little Horse That Could,” we meet Andy, a male pony rescued from a “nurse mare” operation. Just like male chicks in the egg industry, Andy was discarded as useless. When he arrived at CAS, Andy was emaciated with pencil thin legs, a prolapsed rectum that hung outside his body, and urine the “color of dark chocolate.” When asked whether he’ll make it, Stevens responds, “He made it here alive. This is easier than what he’s been through.” But his recovery, Stevens admits, will be “anything but easy.”

In the chapter “Carpe the Diem,” Stevens writes a letter to Maxx, a horse on his deathbed. This is an intimate and emotional glimpse of the difficulty of saying good-bye to a dear friend, teacher and companion to many at the sanctuary.

At the end of her talk in Manhattan, the 52-year old Stevens gave some advice to vegans: “Don’t be so angry.” She explained that she ate meat and dairy most of her life and didn’t become vegan until she was 43, and how that, too, was a gradual process. In her book, she makes the same plea against judging meat eaters who have not yet begun their journey:

“How much more important is it for us to find inviting ways to engage others in a conversation that’s become truly urgent, and to provide the skills and confidence to help them consider eating with a conscience.”

At CAS, they are doing just that with two new exciting programs. Compassionate Cuisine will offer vegan cooking classes with Chef Kevin Archer. CAS’s Camp Kindness will be Animal Camp for kids–a vegan summer program that piloted this past summer–with the goal of being fully operational in Summer 2012 for day- and sleep-away- campers!

Stevens believes that you have to give people a chance, an invitation, toward choosing a more compassionate way of life. Animal Camp, like CAS itself, offers such an invitation.

Walk Coordinator Calla Wright at the 2009 NYC Walk for Farm Animals. Photo credit: Nicholas Laccetti

Put on your (non-leather) walking shoes and join Farm Sanctuary for the annual New York City Walk for Farm Animals on Sunday, October 24 in Central Park. Over 70 of these fundraising walks are occurring around the world this year, and the New York edition is the biggest by far. In 2009, over 800 NYC Farm Sanctuary supporters came out to the Walk and raised nearly $80,000 to benefit Farm Sanctuary’s rescue and advocacy efforts.

I recently sat down with the coordinators of this year’s event, Calla Wright and Jennifer Parrucci, to talk about the significance of these walks—and why the 2010 NYC Walk for Farm Animals promises to be the biggest and best yet.

SuperVegan: Thanks so much for joining me today, ladies. Can you tell me a little bit about the NYC Walk for Farm Animals?

Calla Wright: Farm Sanctuary’s New York City Walk for Farm Animals is the biggest walk for farm animals in the country. It’s going to be a day of activists getting together to raise money to benefit Farm Sanctuary and, more importantly, to come together as a group to show our vegan pride and our compassion for farm animals. The walk takes place in Central Park, and the route will be about an hour from start to finish. After the walk, everyone gets a free vegan lunch donated by generous local businesses, and there will be speakers including Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Baur, vegan NBA star John Salley, Joshua Katcher from the Discerning Brute, and Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart from vegan fashion house Vaute Couture. We’ll also have musical performances by Jenn London and Dan Mims. Walk participants also have a chance to win dozens of raffle prizes, all donated from local businesses.

Jennifer Parrucci: The Walk for Farm animals isn’t a protest—it’s a celebration. We really like the positivity of the day. You know, most of the time, activists get together to voice their unhappiness with a company, like anti-fur protests at Macy’s or anti-vivisection protests. It’s not often that activists come together to celebrate our love and compassion for farm animals. It’s going to be a great day.

SV: And what are some of Farm Sanctuary’s current campaigns? What will all this fundraising support?

CW: Farm Sanctuary’s efforts are both legislative and grassroots. We have the No Downers campaign, which we have been working on pretty much since the farm was founded. A downed animal is one who is too sick or injured to walk to her own slaughter. Normally, these animals are dragged along with a forklift or dragged behind a truck just to get them onto the kill floor. Farm Sanctuary has been working to prevent those animals from going to slaughter. Not only is it a health concern, but it’s obviously incredibly inhumane treatment of these animals.

Our biggest effort, which the Walk will help support, is the anti-confinement campaign. We’re working to ban some of the most intensive, abusive farm practices, like veal crates, battery cages, and gestation crates. To do this, we actually try to get these practices put onto state ballots so that the people can vote for their elimination. So far, we have had successful bans passed in Florida, Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio, and in the summer of 2012 we expect to launch a new campaign in another U.S. state. We’ve partnered with organizations like the Humane Society of the United States and Mercy for Animals, but these are really labor-intensive, financially draining campaigns that need all the support we can give them.

We also have the Veg For Life campaign, which is all about encouraging people to go vegan. Volunteers around the world hand out literature and table at businesses and festivals, trying to explain to people that a plant-based diet is better for you, better for the environment, and better for the animals. This is more of the grassroots activism vs. legislative reform.

And, of course, money raised at the Walk will also benefit the animals living at Farm Sanctuary. All of the animals on the farm are sick, having come from intensive confinement systems or other abusive situations. The fundraising done on Sunday will go toward their medical care, housing, food, and upkeep of the farm. It’s a huge undertaking.

SV: How did you get involved with Farm Sanctuary?

JP: On our anniversary in 2008, my husband and I decided to take a weekend trip to Farm Sanctuary. We had been vegetarians before that point but not really activists. When we got to the farm, we took a tour and heard all the terrible things about factory farming; we basically went vegan that day, and we wanted to get involved with vegan activism back home in New York. We learned about and participated in the NYC Walk for Farm Animals and the Farm Sanctuary ACTivist group and have been advocating ever since.

CW: I have been a vegetarian almost my whole life, and I went vegan four and a half years ago. I met a Farm Sanctuary supporter in one of my classes at the New School who encouraged me to go to events and meetings in the city. Knowing him from school was really helpful, because I felt comfortable attending these events knowing I would at least know one person there. When I lost my job a couple of years ago, I had all this free time and wanted to find an animal rights group to volunteer for. Farm Sanctuary felt like a natural fit.

SV: Do you have a favorite animal on the farm or favorite rescue story?

JP: I’m partial to Echo, the turkey. I actually have a tattoo of him on my arm! My husband and I sponsored him for Thanksgiving in 2008, and ever since he’s been really special to me.

CP: I like Echo a lot too. When I first went to the farm, I had never seen a turkey before—who am I kidding, I’d never seen a cow or any farm animals before—but I didn’t know what to expect from a turkey. I thought maybe they wouldn’t care about humans or want to interact with us at all, but Echo was so social and friendly. I was just like, “Oh my god, turkeys!”

Lilly is another wonderful animal on the farm. She’s a goat who had been purchased as a birthday present, but the girl who was supposed to keep her didn’t actually want a goat. Her father was going to take her to slaughter but felt bad and decided to drop her at Farm Sanctuary instead. She had only ever been around humans before, not other goats, so she always wants to nuzzle and play with the humans on the farm.

You can help support Lilly, Echo, and the hundreds of Farm Sanctuary’s rescued and rehabilitated farm animals by walking in this year’s NYC Walk for Farm Animals. Online registration is open until October 22nd and costs $15. You will receive a free vegan lunch, a Walk for Farm Animals t-shirt designed by Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, and a free online fundraising page to send to all your friends and family members. The walk begins at noon on Sunday, October 24th at the Merchant’s Gates, W. 59th St. and Central Park West.

I was browsing the olive bar at Union Market in Carroll Gardens the other day and was thrilled to see they were selling Faux Gras, a “deliciously decadent, ridiculously healthy, mousse-like, creamy spread that makes toast, crackers and crudite proud,” which is produced by Brooklyn-based The Regal Vegan and offers a cruelty-free alternative to the spread made of the fattened livers of force-fed ducks.

I thought I’d check in with Ella Nemcova of The Regal Vegan for an update on her foray into this upscale gourmet grocery store chain. Ella said that while one Union Market location keeps Faux Gras by the hummus and tapenade spreads, another keeps it by the foie gras, which is disconcerting to her though she can’t decide whether she’d like them to move it or if it’s a good thing to be next to the offending product. She reports that some of the Union Market shoppers are turned off by her product at in-store tastings when she tells them it’s walnut lentil pate–as if their tongues will fall off if they taste it (or like they revert to age 5 when they pitched a fit to avoid eating the lentils mom served).

Rest assured, no one’s tongue will fall off from eating Faux Gras. It’s available at locations around NYC including obvious places like Perelandra and Lifethyme–a full list of stores is at The Regal Vegan. Ella is also donating a whole bunch of it to be served at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary‘s annual Thanksliving celebration on October 10th. If you don’t have tickets yet, get them pronto as this event always sells out.

And if you’re feeling motivated, please join the weekly demonstrations up at the Rhinebeck Farmer’s Market protesting Hudson Valley Foie Gras, one of the country’s top producers, which has been investigated in the past with reports citing egregious cruelty. There’s a Facebook group you can join for more details on the demos. For activities in NYC and elsewhere check out The Animal Protection & Rescue League and Farm Sanctuary for more info.

I also saw Sweet & Sara’s vegan marshmallows and rice crispy treats at Union Market. Not that I need any incentive to snap up the delectable treats but by helping to create a demand for these products, I’m hoping the store will continue to stock them. So, you know, it’s actually kind of an obligation. And I’m happy to oblige.

Carol Adams will be at MooShoes on Thursday, September 16th at 7pm to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her ground-breaking book The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory. She’ll be discussing and signing copies of the new edition of the book.

Speaking of, I couldn’t help but notice that Pamela Anderson’s recent Peta ad–the one that was banned in Canada-–looks so darn similar to the cover of The Sexual Politics of Meat. I know the Canadians got hot and bothered about it (a Montreal official explained that the city’s decision was based on being pro-equality, not puritanical) but the image wasn’t all that shocking in my opinion–more a riff on the book cover. So I thought I’d check in with Carol and PETA and get their takes on the ad.

The ad in question

Carol Adams:

Regarding the book cover: it is misogynistic. It is a (male) fantasy about metaphorical sexual butchering of women.

Regarding the poster: actually, I have never seen anyone point out [that the Pam ad riffs on the book's cover image]. While many things could be said–that this image is misogynistic, that this image is an anti-homage to The Sexual Politics of Meat, a sort of “f you” to all feminist-vegans who have been saying, for gee, almost 40 years, that meat eating arises from and exists with a patriarchal world and we can’t end meat eating if we don’t challenge the patriarchal world view, here is a different, vegan-based response, a vegan challenge to a vegan organization: what vegan do you know thinks of animals like this, a living animal divided into parts of (future) meat? PETA, if your goal is to create a vegan world, why sexualize body parts and make them enticing? Why not either tell the truth (body parts are muscle and bone, bleeding) or show the animal her or himself and let the animal represent her need to be seen as individual, not as fragmented body parts? I don’t expect anything feminist to arise from PETA institutionally (the proclamations from women like Ingrid to the contrary that they are women and thus they are feminist). But shouldn’t we as vegans, expect PETA to represent a vegan consciousness?

Dan Matthews, Senior VP, PETA:

The iconic butcher’s diagram showing how animals are dismembered for their various cuts of meat was an ideal thing to parody. It allows us to focus on the how animals and humans have so much in common. As the ad says, “we all have the same parts – have a heart and go vegetarian.” Within 3 days of the ad being released PETA received over 800 requests for our vegetarian starter kits, so we consider the ad a huge success.

Dan also did a CTV interview about the issue in which similar questions were posed.

I guess it’s time for me to revisit Carol’s book and get a refresher course–the larger issues at hand are no doubt still relevant. But if Pam Anderson wants to speak up for animals and chooses to use nudity to express herself and her ideals, perhaps it’s patriarchal to ask her to put her clothes back on when this is how she’s comfortable exposing (oops, I mean expressing) herself.