On a friend’s recommendation, I was thrilled to try a mocktail recipe book that compiles some of the best zero-proof drinks that bars around the country have to offer (with some unorthodox ingredients). While I’ve only scratched the surface of the possibilities here, I’m thrilled to see that just focusing on making a good-tasting drink (instead of replicating a traditional cocktail) can generate yummy results.
Leaving no rocks glass unturned, I took several friends’ recommendations and expanded my search for something resembling a more satisfying Non-Alcoholic cocktail than what I explored in Part 1. It turns out there are better NA options than what I originally thought was available, thanks to better ingredients and better technologies, but in the end, individual experience comes down to personal reasons and expectations.
I’m finding more advertisements for non-alcoholic cocktails popping into my social media feeds, more NA drinks showing up on menus when I’m out at restaurants, and more of a need to explore these options as I age. With that in mind, I recently started exploring zero-proof and lower-proof cocktails to see if I could find something capable of going toe-to-toe with my favorites.
Kombucha has been hailed by some as a panacea, providing multiple health benefits including digestive, cardiovascular, and immune system health. There’s still a big gap of scientific research on the subject, but some of the connections are at least plausible, if not demonstrable. I’m getting back into making my own for better digestive health as I continue to rebuild my microbiome.
The end of this series is not the end of this exploration. Looking into the historical influences of religion on cuisine has made me more curious about what modern influences shape the choices we make today in an increasingly global society. It also feels, to me, that in an increasingly chaotic world, the small decisions we make for ourselves are even more important.
I discovered an unexpected vegetarian paradise in China when I traveled there in the summer of 2008. With vegetable-heavy cuisine influenced by ingredient availability and long tradition of religious practices that encourage a plant-based diet, I rarely had to worry about what I could eat. While there I learned about China’s long and skillful tradition of mock meat dishes, of which I took full advantage.
Indian food has been a staple for me as a vegetarian, but dairy plays a big role in Indian cuisine, so I was unsure about turning to this part of the world for this series on veganism. It turns out that many Indian recipes are actually vegan or vegan friendly, in part because of the wide availability of plant-based ingredients across the country.
The world’s oldest monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism, influenced the others we’ve already covered in this series: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However, with more of a focus on ethical behavior than prescribed actions, the guidelines of this ancient religion leave a lot of room for interpretation. “Everything in moderation” and religious tolerance went hand in hand with centuries of peace and prosperity in the Persian Empire.
While I have some friends and colleagues who are Muslim, I knew little of the religion’s general food restrictions beyond pork and alcohol. With Islam currently practiced by 2 billion people across the globe, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to examine the overlap between halal (“legal”) and vegan foods. Interestingly, many highly Muslim countries already had vegan or vegan-friendly cuisines to start.
My knowledge of the Eastern Orthodox church is limited, aside from their fantastic food festivals and some basic history about their split with Catholicism in 1054. Given their continued practice of strict fasts throughout the year, countries with ties to this church have developed some delicious (and even indulgent) vegan-friendly dishes. I happily produced a delicious Georgian recipe in my own kitchen.