A
culinary and cultural history of plant-based eating in the United
States that delves into the subcultures and politics that have
defined alternative food - Diet for a Small Planet for a new
generation
The vegan diet used to be
associated only with eccentric hippies and tofu-loving activists who
shop at co-ops and live on compounds. We’ve come a long way since
then. Now, fine-dining restaurants like Eleven Madison Park cater to
chic upscale clientele with a plant-based menu, and Impossible
Whoppers are available at Burger King. But can plant-based food keep
its historical anti-capitalist energies if it goes mainstream? And
does it need to?
In No
Meat Required, author
Alicia Kennedy chronicles the fascinating history of plant-based
eating in the United States, from the early experiments in tempeh
production undertaken by the Farm commune in the 70s to the vegan
punk cafes and anarchist zines of the 90s to the chefs and food
writers seeking to decolonize vegetarian food today.
Many people become vegans because
they are concerned about the role capitalist food systems play in
climate change, inequality, white supremacy, and environmental and
cultural degradation. But a world where Walmart sells frozen vegan
pizzas and non-dairy pints of ice cream are available at gas stations
– raises distinct questions about the meanings and goals of
plant-based eating.
Kennedy—a vegetarian, former
vegan, and once-proprietor of a vegan bakery—understands how to
present this history with sympathy, knowledge, and humor. No
Meat Required brings
much-needed depth and context to our understanding of vegan and
vegetarian cuisine, and makes a passionate argument for retaining its
radical heart.
