A Celebration

To celebrate finally starting this blog that has existed in my head and heart for months, I am having a whiskey and pumpkin flavored soy milk drink, with freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg on top:

                                                         ummmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

Some background since this is my first post:

This blog is inspired by my mother and grandmother, both inventive, excellent cooks.  As a third generation Italian-American, my mother still bases many of her recipes on Italian tradition.  My grandparents were children of poor immigrants and labored hard and long to make a life in this country.  My mother and her siblings were raised without heat or hot water, but my grandfather had a huge and bountiful vegetable garden, fruit trees, and grape vines from which they would make many of their meals.  My grandmother baked bread, donuts, cookies, cakes and pies from whatever she could scratch together, she made tomato sauce from the garden tomatoes, the milkman delivered the milk to the door, and meat was a luxury.  Sometimes they ate squirrel.

Now, modern factory farming makes meat and animal products plentiful and cheap.  However, the cost of using and consuming these products is taking its toll, on our personal health, our public health, our economy and the environment.  I choose plant based foods for my family and I also choose to honor the traditions of my foremothers.  Hence, Vegan Fazool.  I hope you enjoy it.