By Alicia Hückmann, VRG intern visiting from Germany

When people are asked to describe German culture, many will come up with Dirndl, Sauerkraut or Bratwurst even though these things are not actually typically German but rather Bavarian. Bavaria is a state located in the South-Eastern part of Germany and known for cities such as Munich and Nuremberg. Whether you go hiking in the Alps, have a beer at Oktoberfest, or listen to some of the finest music at Bayreuth festival – Bavaria is one of the most diverse regions in Germany and loved by tourists all over the world.

Our culinary tour begins with a delicious spread from this area: Obatzda. Traditionally made with lots of cheese and served with traditional German bread and veal sausages, Obatzda can also be enjoyed by vegans (perhaps with vegan sausages).

Starter: Obatzda – a savory “cheese” spread from Bavaria
(Serves 4)

Recipe by Clarissa Juse http://paradiesfutter.blogspot.de/

* ½ cup cashew nuts
* ½ cup vegan margarine
* 7 oz tofu
* 3.4 fl oz (non-alcoholic) lite beer or water
* 2 tbsp oil
* 2 scallions or a small red onion
* 1 tbsp paprika powder
* 1 tbsp caraway
* 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* Sliced onion and chopped chives for garnish

Soak the cashew nuts for an hour and take the margarine out of the refrigerator. Cut the margarine and crumble the tofu into very small pieces and put both in a bowl. Drain the cashew nuts and blend them with the lite beer or water. Add oil and blend until you get a creamy texture. Finely chop the scallions or red onion. Mix tofu, margarine, cashew cream, and onions together. Add spices, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper and mix well. Garnish with onion rings and chives and serve with whole wheat bread.

For our main dish, we will continue our journey to the South-East of Germany and stop at a region called Swabia, which is part of both Bavaria and its neighboring state Baden-Wuerttemberg. Swabians are not only well-known for their thriftiness and economical lifestyle but also for their great sense of community. It is no wonder that Käsespätzle, an inexpensive yet mouth-watering meal and the main course of our Southern German menu, is this region’s signature dish that has been bringing younger and older generations together for centuries. Even though the original recipe is made with lots of cheese and eggs, there is a way for vegans to enjoy this tasty meal.

Käsespätzle – a timeless Swabian noodle main course
(Serves 4)
Recipe by Sarah Kaufmann (http://www.veganguerilla.de)

* 4-1/3 cups flour
* 2 tbsp soy flour
* 1 tsp salt
* 2 cups water
* 8 ounces vegan cheese
* kosher salt, pepper

Optional: spaetzle maker (can be purchased online)

Add a pinch of salt to a pot of boiling water. Mix flours and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Add 2 cups of water while stirring/kneading the dough. Preheat the oven to 350°.

For the noodles, you can either use a spaetzle maker (put on top of the boiling water, go back and forth and let the dough fall into the water) or a cutting board (pour some water on the board, spread the dough and use a knife to cut it into thin threads that fall into the water). Noodles that swim on top of the water are ready.

Put some of the vegan cheese into a 9 x 5 inch baking pan (any similar size works). Put some of the spaetzle on top and repeat until you run out of ingredients. For the last layer, use cheese. Bake for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Flavor with kosher salt and pepper.

We will end our Southern German tour in the most south-western area of Germany, the famous Black Forest. The only thing this region is more famous for than stunning hiking trails and cuckoo clocks is a very popular dessert named Black Forest cake. As its main ingredients are actually only plants – dark chocolate and cherries – it is rather easy to make a vegan version.

Black Forest cake inspired vegan cupcakes – a tasty cherry delicacy
(Makes 12-15 cupcakes)

Recipe by Alicia Hückmann

* 1¾ cups flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 2 tsp baking powder
* ¼ tsp salt
* 1/3 cup baking cocoa
* 1/3 cup oil
* 1 cup vegan milk
* Approximately 15 oz can black cherries
* 1 cup vegan margarine
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* Vegan dark chocolate chips and black cherries for decoration

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa, then add oil and vegan milk. Separate the canned cherries from the juice but do not pour the juice away. Blend the cherries with two tbsp of juice. Mix half of the puree with the dough and add ¼ cup of the juice. Pour the dough in muffin liners and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

For the vegan butter cream icing, blend vegan margarine and powdered sugar. Depending on how much icing you like on your cupcakes, either use 1 cup margarine and 2 cups powdered sugar for a small amount of topping or you can double the ingredients for more icing and then add the remaining puree. Adapt the flavor, color, and texture with the help of the juice.

Take the muffins out of the oven and let them cool. Spread the creme using an icing bag or if you don’t have one a knife can be used. Decorate with several chocolate chips and a black cherry on top.

By Alicia Hückmann, VRG intern visiting from Germany

The VRG had a booth at the 32nd Street Farmers Market in Baltimore – also known as Waverly Farmers Market – to spread information about the benefits of vegan diets. Farmers markets are known to draw many health-conscious consumers as well as those that are ecologically aware, which was why Casey, another VRG intern, and I looked forward to spending our Saturday morning in Waverly. It would be a very successful day for us indeed, as dozens of people would stop to grab some brochures, stickers, or a Vegetarian Journal, sign up for our monthly email newsletter, and have a chat with us. Among them were a mostly vegan family, several people interested in tackling diabetes the vegetarian way, and two environmental activists. Others were looking for inspiration for new recipes, for vegan-friendly places to have dinner at, or simply wanted to share their experiences with us.

Over the course of the six hours we stayed at the market (6am – noon), we had enough opportunity also to go shopping for local products at other booths. Different from what the term “farmers market” suggests based on my cultural experiences in Germany, one could not only buy fruits, vegetables, and animal products, but also French bread, pastry, cereals, snacks, and much more. My hands down favorite (and most likely everyone else’s), however, was a popsicle booth that prevented more than one heat-related fatality that day for sure (the heat index was over 100 degrees by noon!). I also loved the booth next to ours that was selling animal free sweet-smelling handmade soaps and other natural cosmetics.

As I greatly enjoyed both booths I have volunteered at so far (Hamilton Street Festival and Waverly Farmers Market), I am all the more excited to be among the representatives for The VRG at the 3rd Vegan Soulfest in Baltimore on Saturday (August 20th).

To volunteer at future booths, in the office, or other ways, contact Brigette at [email protected]
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

The Vegetarian Resource Group will have a booth at the Vegan SoulFest being held this Saturday, August 20th 12:00 PM-7:00 PM at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), 2901 Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215. This event is free and open to the public! Be sure to say hello to our terrific volunteers staffing the VRG booth.

For information on this event, see: http://www.vegansoulfest.com/

By Marissa Thobe, VRG Volunteer

Although German food is traditionally not vegan or vegetarian friendly, vegan Germans deserve to be able to enjoy cultural events without feeling left out. That’s why this year the Zion Church of Baltimore will be featuring vegan sausages (made by the company Tofurky) at their “Beer and Brats” event on Friday, August 26th, 2016 thanks to the advice of one of our volunteers. Next to the beautiful Baltimore City Hall, Zion’s Garden is the perfect place to eat vegan sausage on vegan rolls, drink beer (if you’re over 21, that is), enjoy music, and celebrate the closing of the summer season, regardless of your ethnicity or religion. Zion welcomes people of all diets, backgrounds, faiths, and sexualities. It is a great community event in Baltimore that can be very educational to those unfamiliar with vegetarianism or veganism. The event begins at 4 pm and lasts till 8 pm, rain or shine. Zion Church of Baltimore is located at 400 E. Lexington Street. You can RSVP to the event at zionbaltimore.org.

Reliable, responsible workers in the Baltimore area needed to assist veggie manufacturers in their booths at the Natural Products Expo East at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, September 22, 23, 24. Must be available to work all 3 days. Paid positions. If interested, please email [email protected]

By Heather Francis, VRG Intern

My first day at The Vegetarian Resource Group was technically in May when I attended a Dietetic Internship Day. That day I met Charles and Debra who co-direct The VRG and ate a ton of vegan goodies, such as blueberry “cheesecake,” brought to the VRG office by 10 University of Maryland dietetic interns (working towards their Registered Dietitian credentials). My first real day began in the end of June when Charles gave me the tour of the VRG office. We must have spent hours talking about the history of The Vegetarian Resource Group, and about the vegan movement. I was pleasantly surprised to find a hidden library in the back of the office full of nutrition, animal rights, and environmental books, as well as veggie cookbooks.

I definitely learned a lot about the vegetarian movement, and how there are “extremists” and those who simply float along. I learned more about what it means to be a vegan and how to approach those who aren’t. I used a lot of patience for one of my projects when it came to trying to find out whether or not the National Parks in America offered vegan meals, which another intern and I are still working on. I spent my time writing articles, and spent time packaging and fixing brochures sent out from the office.

What I found most beneficial about the internship, is the overall experience. I have never lived in a city. I have never rented a room from someone I had never met. I didn’t know what it was like to have everything at arm’s reach. I was fully independent, and the work during the internship was all on me to complete. I even created my own schedule and followed it during the summer. The schedule itself changed around due to projects popping up and timing, but I was able to complete all of what I had set out to do plus more. I got to try almost every vegan restaurant in Baltimore, and even traveled to Sticky Fingers in DC and Glory Donughts in Frederick, MD.

I am extremely thankful for the conversations I was able to have within the office. I have spent numerous times engulfed in conversation with my fellow interns or VRG staff about societal and political issues. It is through these conversations I have learned the most. If there is anything I can say I will always remember, it will be Charles’ favorite saying, “take everything with a grain of salt.” Just because a product says vegan, doesn’t make it vegan. Just because someone says they’re vegetarian doesn’t mean they are. Yet, whether a product or a person is or isn’t 100% vegan shouldn’t only matter as long as there is still contribution and direction within the animal rights movement.

Overall, I will miss interning at The Vegetarian Resource Group, but I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and experience. I will continue to volunteer and stay involved with this impactful organization, as I’m already scheduled to work a booth in November near my hometown in New Jersey. I found that working for a non-profit, specifically this one, there is a lot of work but at the end of day I can go home knowing I am making a difference in an important movement. I will head back to Jersey with more knowledge within the vegan movement, and be able to help others focusing on trying to do justice in the animal rights world. I am in school for dietetics, and this internship did not turn me away from dietetics but instilled more reason why I should become one.

I move back into school shortly, and my first week I will be meeting with the Senior Director of Residential Dining to go over the plans for the new vegan/vegetarian menu. I know I will utilize the tools and resources I have discovered the past two months interning for The Vegetarian Resource Group. It doesn’t end here though, as the animal rights movement is growing and there is more to be done and to learn. Living the vegan lifestyle is about compassion, and showing compassion to each person one encounters. Whether or not someone is vegetarian or vegan is not all that matters. Whether or not a company is vegetarian or vegan is not all that matters. Compassion matters, and that’s what the movement is about. The Vegetarian Resource Group makes this extremely clear in all that they do, and I am blessed to have been able to be a part of it.

For information about VRG internships, go to http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship, internships, and other outreach to young people, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

According to the Times of India, The Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of any material of animal origin in
silver leaf (silver foil) (chandi ka warq), commonly used in
confectionaries and sweets. “The silver leaf is prepared by placing
small thin strips of silver between the intestines of cows and buffaloes
and continuously hammering these bundles for up to eight hours a day till
desired thickness of silver leaf is achieved,” an official said.

See: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/FSSAI-bans-silver-leaf-of-animal-origin-in-food-items/articleshow/53514713.cms

By Casey Brown and Heather Francis, VRG Interns

The Vegetarian Resource Group had the opportunity to volunteer at Will of Wisdom Wellness Center, a program of Tuttie’s Place, which is an impressive non-profit organization located in West Baltimore. The center offers a summer camp to low-income students of various ages for six weeks. This summer their aim was in educating the kids about a healthy lifestyle and diet. Ayesha, the director at Tuttie’s Place invited The Vegetarian Resource Group to come speak about health in relation to being a vegetarian. Three VRG interns, Casey Brown, Heather Francis, and Alicia Hueckmann, along with Sam Stahler, a volunteer, spoke.

While there, we had a discussion with about thirty students, ages ranging from five to eighteen years old. We began by asking what they already knew about vegetarian and vegan diets/lifestyles. Many of them were familiar with the terms, though out of the thirty kids there was only one student who cut out some type of animal product from their diet. This was a high school student who was raised a pescatarian. While discussing the topic of nutrients, the kids thought someone who chose a vegetarian diet would have trouble incorporating protein into their diet. One young kid, in about fourth grade told us he couldn’t live without steak. We were able to explain, along with a young girl in the audience who knew, how protein comes from numerous sources such as beans, lentils, tofu, and whole grains. A few kids asked us what tofu was, which surprised us since tofu is something we have been used to eating in our diet and since we are surrounded by those who know what tofu is. The young kids were surprisingly also curious whether or not vegetarians were allowed to eat french fries, seeds, soda, and fruit juices. During our discussion, we were able to explain to them vegetarians could choose to eat those foods, along with many other vegan-friendly foods.

We also asked the students why they think people would go vegetarian, and most of the students only thought people chose to change their diets to begin eating healthier. We were able to explain some of the health benefits of going veggie, including a lower risk for many diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. We mentioned how many people also choose to eat less or no meat due to the inhumane treatment of animals along with the negative environmental impacts. We wish we could have gone into more detail on the ethical side and environmental side of veganism since veganism encompasses all three of them, but they are each a different type of presentation. Hopefully, in the future we can return with the intent on educating the kids on the mistreatment of animals.

While the students did not seem interested in committing to a fully vegetarian or vegan diet, many expressed they would be able to try it for one day out of the week.

After presenting, we had the kids make banana nice cream. We froze enough bananas to feed thirty kids and offered toppings alongside the dessert. Using a Yonanas machine, each of the students made their own bowl of banana ice cream and topped it with their choice of strawberries, dairy-free chocolate chips, sprinkles, shredded coconut, walnuts, and/or peanut butter. The students enjoyed making the ice cream themselves, and they all seemed to love the healthy, dairy-free alternative. They were eager to try it and were excited to share the recipe with their family once they got home. The student who said he could not live without steak, shared with us how he was nervous because he expected the ice cream to consist of tofu, but was instead surprised to find he loved the creamy banana texture. The ice cream recipe uses only frozen bananas either processed through a Yonanas machine, or blended in a blender. For information on the Yonanas machine see: http://yonanas.com/

After we cleaned up the kitchen, Ayesha, the director took us for a tour through the center. We learned the center is in conjunction with Tuttie’s Place, which is a Group home for males in the area. The Will of Wisdom Wellness Center is not a group home, but a program for students in schools in multiple schools in Baltimore. There are three classrooms, 5-8 years old, 9-13 years old, and 14-21 years old. Right now there is a waiting list for students to be introduced into the program. The center helps students in high school with college applications, tying ties, job interviews, and basic life skills. Right now there is an after-care program, and summer camp, and they are working on including a before-care program as well for the upcoming school year. The center makes a tremendous contribution within their community, and we are thankful we were able to come volunteer and make an impact on these students-whether it is big or small.

In the future, The Vegetarian Resource Group plans to table at booths and come speak with the students again about veganism. We found a lot of kids don’t know what it means to be vegetarian or vegan, so by staying involved with this program we will be able to spread awareness and share our resources with the students about veggie diets.

For more information on Tuttie’s Place and The Will of Wisdom Center in Baltimore, Maryland, please visit: http://tuttiesplace.org/np/

To intern with The Vegetarian Resource Group, see http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

VRG will have a booth at the Waverly Farmers Market in Baltimore this Saturday from 7am to noon. The market is located at 400 E. 32nd St, Baltimore, MD 21218 in the Waverly neighborhood near Charles Village. Come by and say hello and be sure to purchase some organic produce while attending this market!

Frederick is an hour drive from Baltimore, Maryland but that didn’t stop Alicia (another Vegetarian Resource Group intern) and I from traveling to Glory Doughnuts early on Friday morning. Since the moment I started working at The Vegetarian Resource Group, I had been told to find a way to sample these vegan doughnuts. We heard how amazing the doughnuts were from numerous people, but we also had been told that to be able to purchase a doughnut, we had to get there super early before they ran out. Our volunteer coordinator, Brigette, once traveled there to find the doughnuts sold out at 10 a.m. Instead she ordered cast iron pancakes, which she found to be phenomenal. She wasn’t even mad they were sold out of doughnuts, because of how awesome her pancakes were.

Alicia and I were determined to get there before the doughnuts sold out, so we left at about 7:30 am to get there around 8:30 am. The drive from Baltimore was surrounded by trees and no traffic bothered us on the way there. Reaching Frederick, we were impressed by the beauty the small historic village embodied. When we found Glory Doughnuts on the corner of Church Street, I silently squealed of joy. There were small red tables with chairs on the outskirts of the shop.

When we walked in, there was no one in the store and so we took our time looking around the doughnut shop and looked at each doughnut, which the case still held a lot. A few minutes went by, and a rush of people came in behind us. There were seven options to choose from:

Key Lime Pie
Whiskey Crème
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Cabana (coconut)
Chocolate Frosted
Rosewater Glazed
Traditional Chocolate w/ Jimmies

I purchased eight doughnut:, two of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Rosewater Glazed, and Traditional Chocolate w/ Jimmies. Then I got a chocolate frosted and Cabana Coconut. No I did not eat them all in one sitting…but I probably could have. The doughnuts are $3.50 each for the deluxe, and $3 for the classic, and they are worth every penny.

Alicia ate two of them before noon–one Key Lime Pie and Traditional Chocolate w/ Jimmies. They had a perfect texture and tasted better than a simple doughnut from a store. The Rosewater Glazed is a hit. Since Brigette wasn’t able to try the doughnuts last time she traveled there, we brought her one and she indulged in the rose water. She was expecting it be super sweet, but instead complimented how it tasted as one would expect a rose to. A unique flavor as Debra (VRG Co-Director) put it.

I highly recommend the drive to anyone who is considering trying Glory Doughnuts. The staff were extremely friendly and the atmosphere of the small shop made me want to eat there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The biggest recommendation I can make is to get to Glory Doughnuts as early as possible, as they sell out their doughnuts quickly from what I’ve heard. After traveling back to the office, I went to go like their Facebook page and saw they were sold out by 10 am that day. Even if they are sold out though, I wouldn’t be bummed out because their menu has amazing options such as the cast iron pancakes and salted apple pie stuffed French toast.

Personally, I haven’t had a doughnut since I became a vegan, which has been over a year and a half ago. I haven’t complained about it, but when I heard that a vegan doughnut shop was in an easy reach from me, I could not pass up the opportunity to taste these famous vegan treats.

For more information on Glory Doughnuts please visit their website: http://www.glorydoughnuts.com/
And their facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GloryDoughnuts/home

If you would like to learn more about dining out in Maryland as a vegetarian/vegan, go to the VRG’s online Maryland restaurant guide at: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/Maryland.php or visit our national restaurant guide at: www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php