Vintage Veg
Vintage Cookbooks That Prove Vegetarian Food Has Always Been Delicious
Despite what you may have heard, vegetarians and vegans have been eating very well for decades
A recent New Yorker piece by Tad Friend did a deep-dive into the Impossible and Beyond burgers — the men behind the companies, their ethos, their fast-food presences, the big money they’ve raised. All of this information wouldn’t be ground-breaking to anyone who’s been paying attention to the rise of these patties. What was also pretty predictable was how Friend framed the necessity of their development by insulting vegetarian food: “Vegetarians, the five per cent of the population who had accustomed themselves to the pallid satisfactions of bean sprouts and quinoa.”
As anyone who doesn’t consume animal products knows, this is a false claim that nonetheless gets repeated again and again. It’s outdated and boring, ignores many cuisines from around the world that prioritize plant-based proteins and vegetables, and perpetuates the strange narrative that Impossible and Beyond’s meaty patties are the only hope humanity has to end climate change because only meat is actually delicious.
For those unsure whether vegetarians and vegans have always been as concerned with eating…
