World Wide Vegan

June was a difficult month for blogging. For a week I was ill with salmonellae I got from Taco Bell's new tomato salsa. For 10 days I ate nothing but soup and toast. After that I did some more traveling which I'll blog about later on. Now I'm eating my fill of tomatoes - from my own garden. I did some traveling after recuperating from tomato poisoning which I'll blog about later on. But most of the month was spent with family visiting from out of town, including my 2 year old granddaughter who proved to be one of my best critics for vegan cuisine.

Tomorrow life gets back to near normal so I'll start blogging again soon.

Labels: salmonellae, tomatoes, travel, Vegan, Vegetarian

Traveling in Europe can present difficulties for the traveling vegan. First there is the language barrier to contend with. And Second, most of Europe is not as enlightened about the vegan diet as are those in the US.

Tip: Each country is a little different than the rest regarding ordering and buying foods so I highly recommend reading up on the local culture and customs regarding ordering in restaurants and the availability of vegan foods before you leave home. Rick Steves travel books generally offer a section of dining out as well as information on local culture.

Although Italy is very tourist friendly you should understand that when dining out you will need to find items on the menu that are already vegan. In the US it is common for people to ask for substitutions or specific changes to a menu item, but in Italy asking for changes is considered rude.

I found this to be particularly true after my last trip to Europe where after a month of traveling around the Mediterranean we ended up in Venice. On our last day of the trip I ordered a pizza in a cafe that catered to locals. I asked the waiter if I could make a slight change from the menu. He looked at me as if I had just spit on him. Curtly he responded "It comes-a like on-a de menu." instantly I remembered where I was and apologized. Then I ordered something straight off the menu.

In Italy most of the smaller restaurants are family owned and run, and the family/employees take great pride in their product. They consider it an insult if you are not happy with their creations. Their Chef is an artist and his art should not be altered by the consumer.

Tip: Before booking your trip consider staying in alternative types of housing such as hostels and rooms with a hot plate and a small fridge. Accommodations with cooking options are very hard to find unless you are able to stay in a timeshare condo or in a hostel with community facilities.

In Venice we stayed at a hotel which had one room that included a hot plate and a small refrigerator. It was the only room on the 5th floor. The elevator only went to the 4th floor so we had to walk the last flight of stairs. It was spacious compared to most Venezian rooms and it had the quaint feel of Venice the way it may have been 400 years ago - but with a bathroom.

Purchasing fresh produce and herbs is easy in most Italian communities as the farmers market is a daily event. Venice has an early morning farmers market and fish market where the locals buy their daily foods. You can also buy produce from boat vendors throughout the day especially along the main canals.

Getting proper amounts of protein will require some ingenuity, but beans and grains are generally available in the small grocery stores. However, selection is limited compared to US grocery stores. You may decide to bring along some of your favorite spices and easily transported food items to get you by. Bring along a travel-friendly place setting as well if you are planning to prepare any of your own food.

Here are a few places in Venice which offer Vegetarian and/or Vegan food.

One which is highly recommended is Gam Gam which is located in the Jewish ghetto sector. The food is Kosher but not specifically Itallian. Directions to Gam Gam: Turn left at train station, stay on this side of the canal (do not cross the bridge), stroll past the shops until you come to Canale Cannaregio, cross this bridge, and then turn left. Walk two minutes, Gam Gam is on your right, canale on your left. Price is Moderate- cash only.

Trattoria Da Silvio is an Itilian style cafe that offers Vegan and Vegetarian items. they do take credit cards and they are also willing to make substitutions.

For vegan gelato visit Il Doge Gelateria at Dorsoduro, 3058/a Campo Di S. Margherita, at the south end of the street.

Labels: dining, Europe, hostel, Italy, travel, Vegan, Venice

Before leaving for vacation we stayed with my son in San Jose CA. Because I live in the country I get both nervous and excited to go back to the city, I get nervous because I know that finding a place to eat that will satisfy the men and will also have vegan options available can be an ordeal. I get excited for the same reasons. I love a good food adventure.

Tip of the Day: Get a small deli-style container to carry shredded soy cheeze or other proteins with you when you are trying a new eatery, just in case you have to order items without protein. i.e. A veggie sandwich minus the cheese and mayo has little to no protein.

The first night out we went to Una Mas! a healthy-style burrito and Mexican fast food eatery. I thought I would have to create something different from the items available but to my happy surprise they offered several "Vegetarian" burritos, the Butternut Squash Burrito, the Grilled Fajita Burrito-Veggie and the Roasted Pasilla Veggie Burrito. Of course I ordered mine without cheese. Click here for nutritional listings.

I had brought along some of my own shredded soy cheeze but in the end the huge, tasty burrito didn't need it as there was ample amounts of black beans and rice. I did add some medium salsa and some cilantro and I ordered it with a tomato wrap. It was divine.

When trying a new eatery always prepare ahead of time to make sure your meal will be healthy and satisfying. There is no sense in eating a meal without protein or other beneficial ingredients, especially when a little planning can insure that you remain both vegan and healthy.

Labels: ethnic, Mexican, restaurant, travel, Vegan

Well, I just returned from a trip to Kissimmee Florida where we went to Disney World. Before leaving on our trip I looked up Disney World online and found that they have a policy which is Vegan friendly. The day before entering any of the Disney World Parks you can call the eatery you wish to dine at and request a vegan meal ahead of time.

Having never been to Disney World this option didn't work for me. I had no idea where I would be at any given time or where the eateries were located so I had to wing it. What I discovered is that each of the parks have very different types of eating opportunities. Let me give you an overview of what I found about each of the different parks we went to. This Blog will focus on the Epcot Center. Look up the subsequent blogs for information about the other Disney parks including the Wild Animal Park, Downtown Disney and the Magic Kingdom.

Tip: Disney theme parks have a solid policy of attempting to make all of their customers happy. This includes dietary needs and requests. While some of the parks such as the Epcot Center have vegan and vegetarian menus and foods readily available many do not. However if you call ahead to the eatery you wish to visit they will create a meal just for you.

Epcot Center:
* The Epcot Center had a building called The Land in which were several different places to eat. One was The Garden Grill restaurant which offered several vegetarian and easily veganized dishes. The price per meal is about $23.00 which is about what you will pay at most Disney restaurants.
* The other eatery, Sunshine Seasons was primarily a self serve food court which served breakfast lunch & casual dinner items. This was where I found the greatest variety of fully vegan dishes. They had many ethnic dishes including tabbouleh, Asian noodle bowls, stir fry, cous cous, fruit salads, pasta and even veggie sandwiches. The food was tasty and the price was about what you would expect from a theme park.
* The World had many different eating establishments with foods from all over the world. We ate a late dinner at the more formal, Italian restaurant where I chose a pasta dish, dinner salad and minestrone soup. I had to ask that the meal be made without cheese and the server eagerly obliged.
* For a midday mini-meal we stopped at the Chinese village and went to the Lotus Blossom casual dining area where we shared an order of bean curd, rice and stir fried vegetables. It was tasty and fairly inexpensive ($7.29). Although the bean curd was a little too mushy for my pallet I was surprised by how tasty it was.

We were at the Epcot Center for about 14 hours and all day I felt secure with the knowledge that vegan-style food was always nearby. I just had to look for it.

Labels: Disney World, Epcot, restaurant, travel, Vegan

I am an avid traveler and after becoming a Vegan I realized that it is sometimes difficult to remain a strict Vegan when on the road. So, I decided to start this blog to give others the information I gather while traveling regarding eating out, cooking & grocery shopping while traveling. I will also focus on what is available in other countries as well as the do's & don'ts of other cultures.

Also, you might want to peruse my travel-adapted and favorite recipe listings as well as my Health and Veganism articles and my Veganism for Beginners articles. My new website www.worldwidevegan.com has lots of other interesting Vegan and travel related articles and news.

You can find supplies while supporting this blog by shopping here at the World Wide Vegan Market. Let me know what you want to read about.

Karen

Labels: health, travel, Vegan