Vegan Food for Everyone

While the reputation of vegan food is changing, it can still conjure up images of food in poor taste. "No eggs, butter or honey? No way!" For the longest time I refused to identify myself as vegan and could count on eating a better vegan meal at a high end steak house than at a vegan or vegetarian restaurant. The recipes in this book are full of flavor, without being over-spiced. They have lovely texture, without using eggs or dairy. The food in this book can be counted upon to disappear first at a party and has generated the reaction, on many occasions, "There's no way this is vegan!" When my Bay Area foodie friend told me, "I don't like vegan food, but I like your vegan food." My reaction was, "What?!? I don't make vegan food!" He asked me what I have ever served him that wasn't vegan since he knew that eggs give me 3 day long migraine and the last time I ate dairy I went into anaphylactic shock. At the same time his wife was explaining, "Honey, Dushenka doesn't make vegan food, she makes good food that just so happens to be vegan." Ten years later, I identify myself as vegan - a non-judgemental, food loving vegan - who thinks vegan food needs a new rap. Luckily I'm not alone in this endeavor and vegan restaurants that serve food I'm willing to eat have been popping up both on the East Coast, where I live, and the West Coast, where I visit regularly. I thought about calling this book, The Reluctant Vegan, but friends convinced me that Vegan Food for Everyone was a more clear description of what I've written. Enjoy! and Bon Apetit! Read more