When We Were Vegan
By Brian Goode

I like bacon. Let me put that out there from the get go. After thirty years as a chef, I am in love with the best cuts of meat, properly aged, the finest and most unusual cheeses, and the smoothest gelati. So when my wife and I announced to our restaurant staff recently that we would be trying to incorporate a few vegan days into our regular diet, there were   looks of shock, disbelief and the inexplicable “you’ll never pull it off” face. By a few days I mean three days out of seven. We were motivated by health concerns, as well as by our desire to consume less of the earth’s resources.

The beginning of the year seemed like a good time to put ideas into practice. A vegan diet helps reduce the impact an individual has on the planet by reducing consumption of foods that require more energy to produce- i.e. eating the grain used to feed a chicken or cow, instead of the animal itself. It takes much less grain to feed oneself than if you ate the animal being fed. Vegan diets rely on grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables- no dairy, eggs or animal products, or things produced with them.

One of the things we first learned is that this diet forces you to really read food labels, which is definitely time consuming. We are always learning that there are a number of items that use animal products, and are, therefore, verboten.

We have had to build our pantry items to satisfy our ravenous appetites. My personal experience is that creating meals are easy, but snacks are more difficult to produce on short notice. The good news is that there are a growing number of processed foods available that conform to vegan specs, though the range of choices is still less than a non-vegan diet. There are Garden Burgers and Veggie Dogs for the grill. We loaded up on sorbet, Frozen Fruit bars and the like for dessert, lots of nuts, hummus, and dried fruit for snacks. I scramble tofu like eggs, or eat good Irish oatmeal with berries for breakfast. There is a nice mango drink that gives me additional fruit when needed, and also makes a good snack. We went to the Asia Market in Pleasantville to stock up on dried beans and the ever-versatile tofu in its many guises. Other grains which help form a complete meal are the amino-acid rich quinoa grain, as well as grain-based tempeh, which has a nice firm texture and a nutty flavor. Thus far I have managed to make it through about three weeks and two to three days per week featuring the vegan diet. I have managed to go to bed feeling pretty good about myself. I wake up feeling even better..

We figured that the world is about ready for a family of confirmed carnivores to make a foray into the land of soy milk and honey, although I could never be a total vegan. I like food too much. We really just want to do our part for our planet and our bodies. We figured if Bill Clinton could exercise some self control we could do it three days a week.

Brian Goode has been a chef and wine enthusiast for over thirty years, ever since his college days as a science major in Santa Cruz, California, and during his chef training at the Culinary Institute of America. During a Foodservice and Hospitality career in many areas around the country, he has received numerous awards for his cuisine, as well as several Wine Spectator Awards for his wine lists. He and his wife Joanne have been owners of Ye Olde Centerton Inn for seven years. He rarely declines an offer to talk about or taste wine and food.www.centertoninn.com or visit us on facebook