vegan pizza

OK, I admit it, I slipped

I’ve been debating about whether to confess this or not. It’s not something I’m terribly ashamed of, but I don’t want to lose my credibility in your eyes. On the other hand, I’m blogging about my vegan experiences and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s fallen off the vegan wagon.

I was in New York this weekend, watching the Giants on TV with a bunch of my friends. Go Giants! What do guys consume while watching sporting events? Beer and Pizza. And yes, not only did I consume the non-vegan Guiness (see this post for the shocking details on beer – it’s not quite what you think!), but I also had the pizza. I know. How can I call myself a vegan? What can I say, I slipped. Pizza was a much beloved staple in my life until recently. So when the pies arrived from my favorite pizza parlor (nothing beats NY pizza), it didn’t take much encouragement from the guys for a slice to wind up on my plate. And then another, and finally, a third! And if I’m having pizza, I’ve got to have beer to wash it all down.

Was it delicious? Yup. Did it make me want to give up my vegan ways? Nope. Did I feel guilty? Just for a moment, but I rationalized…It was a cheese pizza, so I wasn’t consuming any animal flesh. (Note: I do not support the factory farming practices of the dairy industry.) Halfway into my second slice I had an indication that maybe my digestive tract and my conscience weren’t going to be happy later on. Sure enough, that’s what happened.

It’s funny, as a vegan, when you’re discussing your dietary restrictions, almost every vegetarian will say to you “I’d go vegan, but I couldn’t live without the cheese.” Jane and I have found that we miss dairy (specifically milk, cheese, and ice cream) more than any other non-vegan food. After six months without cheese, eating that pizza was sublime. So far we haven’t come across any vegan product that is a viable substitute for real cheese. But we’ll keep looking.

So I had pizza on Sunday. I’ve forgiven myself. Have you?