Day 8: Dinner

I have discovered a few things tonight. One, vegan bacon is decent on a sandwich but not all that great just to nibble on; and two, vegan cheese has a loooong way to go.

Tonight I ate two BLTs and a bowl of chili. (I didn't eat lunch and I was hungry.) The bacon, which is pictured above, didn't look all that much like bacon, or at least not pork bacon. Turkey bacon, perhaps? No fat, and obviously shaped into a bacon-like strip. According to the package, the bacon could be cooked either in a skillet or in the oven. I chose the oven. Although the package said 5 minutes at 450 degrees, it took about twice that long to achieve a crispy texture. When matched with bread, vegan mayo, lettuce and tomato, it tasted much like regular bacon. When eaten alone, it didn't.

I bought a chunk of vegan cheddar-like cheese, which clearly stated on the packaging "It Melts!" NO IT DOESN'T. It has the texture of Velveeta when cut or shredded, and it tastes like nothing else- especially cheese. The soy flavor was very heavy. Raw tofu, perhaps? I don't think I will buy it again, especially seeing as it's rather expensive. I would love to see the day when fine artisanal cheeses come in vegan varieties- my kingdom for a cruelty-free Gorgonzola!- but I don't see it coming any time soon.

Veganaise, the brand of vegan mayonnaise that I purchased, was awesome. No different from regular mayo, if not better.

One regret that I have here is that I purchased white bread for the BLTs. White bread is just better for that purpose, but I forgot what I had read earlier and related in this same blog- that white flour turns to papier-mache in the stomach. I'm going to feel bad tomorrow. But it was organic, and it was made by 365 Organics (Whole Foods' store brand). I couldn't have been that bad!