Will Self nails it perfectly.
Supermarkets are the abattoirs of capitalism and we are but so many cattle, driven along brightly lit aisle after aisle until our credit is electrocuted.
Who says vegans can't have a traditional English cream tea when they want one?
The Hastings Vegan Dining Club met on August Bank Holiday Sunday afternoon to host our first traditional English Cream Tea!
About 18 vegans got together to feast on scones with whipped cream and jam, scrambled egg and watercress sandwiches, pizza squares, chocolate cake with peanut butter and banana filing, ginger cake, apple tart, flapjacks and much more. You could even pick an iced cup cake from the cup cake tower!
The theme of comfort food continues in September when we get together later this month for a bangers and mash evening. Then, we have a scary Halloween lunch to look forward to in October.
Vegans don’t know how to enjoy themselves?
Don’t you believe it!
Really excellent telly program produced by BBC 4 called “In Their Own Words,” which is, as the Beeb describes it, ‘the story of the British novel in the 20th century told by those who know it best – the authors themselves.’ It’s a three-part series. The first is up now at iPlayer. So, you’ve got to act quickly while it’s still there and, then, keep an eye out for the remaining two parts.
The first episode includes the voice of God (should it be Goddess?): Virginia Woolf. Here, you can listen to the entire talk she gave along with other novelists of not as much importance but, nonetheless, fascinating and relevant to understanding the world in which we live.
Power: A Radical View by Steven Lukes (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, second edition)
Anyone read Power: A Radical View by Steven Lukes? I’m quick reading it. One point stood out, which now seems so obvious, but never occurred to me before: Power is at its most effective when it is invisible. A good case in point is the power of speciesism–the ideology by which humans exert power over other species. Speciesism isn’t discussed by Lukes but I’m enjoying exploring his book nonetheless.
Guardian columnist George Monbiot writes about how the “built environment makes us.” I know from my experiences that the place where I am greatly affects the mood I become. I link the version of the article on his Web site because it includes the references. Here’s a quote to inspire you to read it all.
We are, to a surprising extent, what the built environment makes us. Academic papers show that many of the problems we blame on individual behaviour are caused in part by the places in which we live. People are more likely to help their neighbours in quiet areas, for example, than in noisy ones. A long series of studies across several countries, beginning in San Francisco in 1969, shows unequivocally that communities become weaker as the volume of traffic on their streets increases.
I am haunted by a dream that I live in a country which is run by a government that was never elected; which is implementing a legislative program that was never put to the people at a general election; which consists of a second chamber that is unelected; which is commented upon by a media that is compliant; and which enjoys the support of those whose entitlements are mostly hereditary or, at least, class based and, therefore, natural to them and no one else.
Two vegans, one vegetarian and one non-veg ate at Zilli Green in London’s Soho last night. They universally acclaimed the dinner as outstanding. The style of cuisine is “Italian vegetarian with a fusion mind from across the world.”
For appetisers, T had the Peppers, Courgette Aubergine & Parmesan Terrine with a Watercress Pesto Dressing. It was presented very well but had a surprisingly mild flavour. (Zilli Green ensures the cheeses they use are vegetarian and do not include animal rennet.) G greatly enjoyed the Mixed Vegetable Tempura. It wasn’t oily as it is so often cooked. It was also presented very well and greatly admired by everyone. J and K had the soup of the day. This was a delicious creamy base of beetroot, coconut and sage with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Both said it was delicious. The beautiful deep red colour striking. All felt the soup was the best appetiser.
Selecting dishes for the main course was challenging as the choice is outstanding. After much deliberation and discussion, T had the Ricotta, Artichoke & Truffle Ravioli with Butter & Sage Sauce; J picked the Tofu Sausage with Spring Onion Mash, Mushroom Gravy & Mushy Peas; G opted for the Lightly Smoked Tofu Cake with Tarragon, Skin-on Potatoes, Mixed Greens & Sardinian Bread; and K went for three vegetable dishes, which were Rosemary Roast Potatoes – Skin On, Mixed Greens and Chargrilled Mediterranean Vegetables in Cider Vinegar & Mint Dressing.
Generally, everyone agreed the dishes were creatively presented and pleasing to taste. The ravioli was delicious, said T, who admitted to “inhaling it.” J, an American visiting London who wanted a traditional meal, thought the tofu sausages and mushy peas were “good enough that a bloke from Newcastle wouldn’t know the difference”! G said the lightly smoked tofu was a satisfying combination of mild flavours. And K snaffled down the three vegetable dishes and confessed to looking forward to a return visit when he could try more.
We picked a Maris Syrah vegan, organic and biodynamic French red wine. J thought it had an “excellent bouquet, very smooth with a little bit of fun at the end — a peppery finish.” K would have preferred it to be a bit drier but G and T disagreed. We all thought, however, the Maris was a good choice which complemented well our various choices.
The desserts at Zilli Green did not disappoint. Indeed, they ensured our dinner was totally enjoyable. T had a Selection of Homemade Italian Ice Cream which, she said, was vanilla and almond flavoured and were “Delicious!” J picked the Creme Brulee with Passion Fruit, which he described as a very hot custard with a caramelised top. G and K shared the Organic Tofu & Limoncello Cheesecake and the Dairy Free Tiramisu. All were worth going to Zilli Green alone!
The service was excellent, including a very attentive and caring Maitre d. Head chef, Enzo di Marino, and Award winning Italian chef and restaurateur, Aldo Zilli, are to be congratulated on producing an outstanding restaurant. The meal was as good if not better than some of the best veg/vegan restaurants that we have enjoyed in such American cities as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
What does John Thompson mean by “intellectual horticulture“?
It seemed like intellectual horticulture. Seeds of knowledge planted in fertile minds were given an opportunity to germinate in a nourishing environment. Like plants that open their flowers to the wind, seeds from their work at the Fellowship will spread to and grow in other minds. Wherever the careers of these scholars take them that knowledge, and the spirit of active inquiry, will continue advancing our understanding of the human-animal relationship.
The Observer profiles artist Polly Morgan, who explains her justification for using taxidermy in her art.
As she explains it: “a) I don’t want to get in trouble with the animal-rights nutters, and b) even though I eat meat and killing for meat is quite a natural thing to do, killing something and trying to make it look alive again is not a very natural thing to do.”
Writing in The Chronicle of Higher Education Harold Fromm, visiting scholar in English at the University of Arizona, berates vegans and demonstrates shocking ignorance about what veganism means in theory and practice. Apparently, he’s author of The Nature of Being Human: From Environmentalism to Consciousness (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009) and co-editor, with Cheryll Glotfelty, of The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology (University Press of Georgia, 1996). These titles won’t be on my reading list, that’s for sure.
Unlike vegans, who are enlisted in an open-ended but futile metaphysic of virtue and self-blamelessness that pretends to escape from the conditions of life itself, vegetarians have more limited goals and have marked out a manageable territory with fewer cosmic pretensions. They are concerned about their health. Or they don’t want animals to be raised expressly to be tortured and killed—especially in factory farms and slaughterhouses—for their dinner plates. Or they don’t want to ingest the dead bodies of fairly complex creatures, which is apt to make them feel queasy. No doubt they would prefer all animals (whatever that might include) to be treated humanely, but they are not prepared to stop wearing leather shoes or eating Jell-O. At least vegetarianism—though it can’t resolve the moral dilemma of the savagery of our lives—is more or less possible in both theory and practice. Veganism, while perhaps harmless enough, especially if you don’t care about being part of society or alienating potential friends who may find you more trouble than you’re worth, fails on both counts. Furthermore, there are critics who explain that farming vegetables involves the killing of huge numbers of animals with plows, pesticides, and herbicides. And anyone who has grown a large home vegetable garden knows what raccoons, possums, rabbits, mice, birds, and deer can do to the veggies. Without a war on animals, there would be no vegetables for the vegans.
Many thanks to Jeannette for bringing this nonsense to our attention.
