By Jasmin
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that vegans love their pizza. I know I do. Whether it’s the BBQ “beef” vegan slice from Vinnie’s in Brooklyn, the Earth Mother vegan slice from Two Boots on Bleecker Street, or the Zen slice from Viva Herbal Pizzeria in the East Village, the only thing I am sacrificing in order to eat delicious vegan food is oppression….and maybe heart disease!
And I’m not alone. Vegans and non-vegans alike are all seeing that there are viable, delicious alternatives to “animal foods” available everywhere. In Boston, ACTivists Jason and Danielle love visiting TJ Scallywaggle’s Vegan House of Pizza (pictured above and below).
Farm Sanctuary’s own Director of Legal Campaigns, Delci Winders, favors NOLA’s Naked Pizza, where she is gaga for the SUPERbiotic slice with vegan soy cheese.
Campaigns Associate Liz Leininger loves her pizza so much that she got a tattoo of it.
Liz told me: “I had been traveling for work in California when a friend of mine and I found this pizza place – The Pizza Kiln – that had vegan pizza. So, being the huge pizza fan I am, I dove right in. My mind was blown. After gorging on my own personal EXTRA LARGE pizza, then slipping in and out of a food coma, we decided to spice up the day even more by getting tattooed. I had nothing in mind so my friend asked, ‘What do you love?’ I said, ‘I sure did love that pizza.’ And from there the permanent body art was born.”
To clarify, we’re not suggesting that you need to go out and get a tattoo to show your love of vegan food. But you CAN patronize these stores and let it be known how much you appreciate their dedication to offering cruelty-free deliciousness.
Farm Sanctuary’s California Advocacy Organizer, Michelle Sass, is hell-bent on saving animals’ lives, one pizza at a time. She’s been working tirelessly with Cruzer Pizza in LA, to offer a variety of vegan pizzas – and she’s succeeded! What makes these vegan pizzas extra special is that they are using the highly anticipated (by the veg community, anyway) Daiya Cheese. Now, I can assure you, it is gooey and gorgeous. It is stringy and scrumptious. It is divine both raw and melted – and yes, it does melt! It is the best thing since sliced bread…or on sliced bread! And in California, it is now offered on pizza – on many pizzas! – at Cruzer.
Sass’ excitement is palpable, and understandably so! Cruzer’s vegan pies are the talk of the Los Angeles foodies. “What started as a simple conversation has turned into a tremendous VegforLife Campaign outreach success! Not only does Cruzer Pizza now have a growing vegan menu to choose from – numerous pizzas, calzones, lasagna, and vegan parmigiana – but they have also removed veal from the menu! Due to popular demand, they’re already extending the vegan menu to another one of their locations as well, and the owners are talking about all kinds of opportunities to expand their vegan horizons. So if you live in L.A., get out there and get your pizza on; it’s for the animals!”
It is worth noting that just yesterday, as I quietly worked in the solitude of my NYC office, the Watkins Glen staff (plus Making Hay's own Danielle Bays, who was visiting for the day from DC), feasted on their own office-baked vegan pizza. They even managed to score some Daiya cheese, compliments of Danielle, who has an “in” with Sticky Fingers Bakery in DC, which also uses Daiya cheese in a few menu items.
Communications Director (and vegan-mom-to-be) Tricia Barry loved it so much that she almost gave birth. “It didn’t quite induce contractions, but it certainly prompted some happy kicks from the little guy who is anxiously anticipating his entrance into the world after getting to taste this healthy, cheesy, vegan deliciousness,” added Barry.
In a time of economic crisis, when the whole world seems upside-down, one of the best things we can do is to say NO to cruelty. Be sure you know what and whom you consume, know that there are delicious alternatives readily available, and for the love of the cows, eat vegan pizza!
Got some vegan pizza near you that you’re just crazy for? Comment below!
