Between June 20 and 28, cities across the world held vegan bake sales to raise money for charities and show everyone that vegan food can be delicious too. The second task was probably more challenging.
It's safe to say that no non-vegan has ever tasted food that doesn't use any animal products and said "that's good" without adding "for vegan food." But cities such as Portland and Vancouver put up a good fight last week with desserts that were beautiful by any standard. Here in cattle country, Society of Peace (at Mango's Café) and Sedition Books hosted sales.
We visited Sedition on Sunday with a real vegan in tow. It was a modest set-up, with a single table outside the shop in the punishing heat. We purchased a slice of yellow cake with mocha frosting, a coconut macaroon made almost entirely of chocolate, a soft gingerbread cookie and a lemon bar. The lemon bar was the best of the group, with its pop of tartness over a buttery (soy margarine) crust.
The vegan and I had both had better, but not in this city. In New York, where vegan donut trains arrive every week from Philadelphia, and in California, where Gwenyth Paltrow is more or less in charge, we have had our pick of vegan cuisine. Vegan food in Houston is mostly found at ethnic restaurants - pad Thai without the fish sauce and egg- or at a few strongholds like Mango's and Field of Greens. We wonder, how many vegans are there in Houston? And where do they hold their secret meetings?