Ordering The Vegan Way.

Or rather the apologetic way?

For the moment we are most certainly in the minority, gosh, here in our village more in the single numbers. Being vegan in a pork fortress was never going to be easy. It isn't as though we changed our lifestyle for the sake of irritating the villagers. But, vegan we are and proud of it.

We had another day of grape harvesting, the Uhubler this time, and at the end of a very long workday ( a bit over two hours! ) we all went to lunch at a local Buschenschank. Yes, yes, I know the last bastion of the meat eating society and yes, it wasn't that long ago that I was a card carrying member. But, one evolves, learns and changes for the better.

For a change there were four of us dedicated vegans sitting around the table and before the waiter approached we had a pow-wow and decided on bread & raw sliced onions doused in pumpkin seed oil. A case of culinary one for all and all for one! Jeez, one would think it was a new creation of a cordon bleu masterpiece. Honestly, far from difficult to slice bread, onions and put a bottle of pumpkin seed oil with it. But, at first I could almost see the waiter's eyebrows disappear under his hairline and his hiss of irritation was loud enough.

As per usual I was the one apologizing to him for putting him out! As if. Nothing more easy than serving a vegan. Being used to ridicule we are more than happy with even a lone carrot put on a plate in front of us. Once we can trust a restaurant not to mistakenly mix animal stuff onto our plates we are as mild as week kittens. Toothless tigers more than appreciative of our food.

The waiter ( who actually is the owner ) started to feel a bit embarrassed by his earlier irritation when he saw how happily the four of us cut up our own onions and tomatoes because he popped over numerous times to ask if everything was okay and if we were enjoying our food. Indeed we were and even though the meat contingency of our party was munching gaily ahead, I could feel a few envious stares heading our way.

Once Buschenschanks realize how easy it is to feed a vegan, not too mention cheap, they will start to welcome us with open arms and big smiles. Oh, and don't forget, we enjoy our wine too. Personally I think that today's visit has taken the fear out of serving vegans for this Buschenschank.

Biggi