50 combined years of veganism

My wife and I are celebrating.

Mar 21, 2024

20 years ago, after many years as a vegetarian (mostly because I was a theater student and felt that being vegetarian went with the whole vibe — along with wearing all black and smoking clove cigarettes but never inhaling), I went vegan.

The thing that did it for me was learning how completely horrid the dairy and egg industries are. I was working in an AIDS-awareness theater company at the time and could no longer stomach the idea of fighting for one oppressed group while consuming another.

It remains the best choice I’ve ever made.

30 years ago, my wife Moore went vegan. She was living in San Francisco and had recently struggled with kidney stones that her doctor said were probably related to the dairy in her diet. Shortly after ditching all animal products, Moore learned about the ethical implications of dairy and eggs and, also like me, became an ethical vegan.

To celebrate our veganversaries — 50 years total! — we spent this past weekend eating our way through Toronto. Every morsel we consumed was almost embarrassingly moan-worthy. Let’s just say, I’m a changed woman.

I’m not much of a foodie, even though everyone expects me to be. Nor am I a good cook — or any kind of a cook, really (thankfully, Moore is fabulous). Sure, I can fumble my way through the kitchen, but I don’t really enjoy it. And since I usually eat very simple foods — grain bowls with veggies and tofu, smoothies, microwave mug cakes — elaborate cooking is mostly a non-starter anyway.

Celebrating two decades of veganism in one of my favorite cities with one of my favorite people has underscored a key skill of mine: while I might not be a wizard in the kitchen, I am an absolute ace at ordering from a menu.

Here are some highlights from our trip to Toronto. Be prepared to drool.

On our way to Toronto, we stopped for lunch at Eden Cafe & Bakeshop in Batavia, NY.

This was my insanely good grain bowl. Puts the ones I make to shame.

Then we drove to Buffalo, home of our favorite location of Strong Hearts, which is one of our regular go-tos. Pictured above is Moore wandering through the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

Once over the border, we made our way to the vegan doughnut shop Beechwood Doughnuts in St. Catherine’s (just across the street from Rise Above, an incredible vegan cafe we frequent). It was just about St. Patty’s Day, and I celebrated with a green vanilla doughnut. Moore had a cookies' n' cream-stuffed doughnut.

Finally in Toronto, we stopped at Animal Liberation Kitchen, where a standout menu item was vegan eggs Benny, not to mention the tahini-chocolate-chip cookie. And yes, we bought the mugs.

Pictured above is my chickpea wrap and out-of-this-world vegan Caesar.

Here’s Moore’s Benny!

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. This is a fully vegan Danish bakery … it’s actually called Vegan Danish Bakery. Moore got (wait for it …) a Boston Creme Croissant. It was basically a vegan cronut with creme inside. Pinch me now.

It was f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g, but I insisted on stopping on the North side of Lake Ontario because, back in Rochester, we live on the other side. Once upon a time, there was a ferry that went from Roc to Toronto, but sadly, that was short-lived.

Boy-oh-boy is Hogtown Vegan a must-visit.

Moore got the vegan chicken and waffles. Who needs to EAT BIRDS when you’ve got this?

It was tempeh-based fish n’ chips for me, with a side of garlicky greens.

Toronto, you were a blast. Veganism, you’ve been a revelation.

Moore and I? Grateful every day for a life free from animal exploitation, our true appetite is for quicker change—and perhaps one more round of those stuffed doughnuts.

xo,

jazz

P.S. Here’s some select media I’ve helped create since last we spoke:

Cornell student's startup, Aunt Flo's Kitchen, aims to destigmatize menstrual health dialogue

How the future of rainfall will affect our communities

Whether or not to have kids amid the climate crisis

Environmental responsibility in the food sector

The power of electrification to address climate change

Our Hen House:

DEFENDING ANIMALS W/ KENDRA COULTER

HIP HOP IS GREEN W/ KEITH TUCKER

WHO ARE WE HAVING FOR DINNER? W/ MOLLY ELWOOD