Revisiting Foods That Don’t Bite Back, 25 years later
Michela de Mattei, True Believers See More Patterns, 2024
Ongoing video archive of thylacine sightings
Video still, 18΄ 42΄΄ (in progress)
Courtesy of the artist
In 2000 I published a vegan recipe collection called Foods That Don’t Bite Back.1 The book gathered favorite recipes from my first dozen years as a vegan home cook and included a lengthy text about the reasons for going vegan, and strategies for doing so. The beautiful cover image from the original edition, by Canadian artist Holly Dean, is reproduced here. This was back when vegan cookbooks were scarce, and before the explosion of recipes on the internet. It was also before the advent of some key culinary transformations in plant-based cuisine, especially the availability of excellent non-dairy cheese, cream, yogurt and butters.
Looking back, I am struck by certain features of the book. First, while some of the recipes are still mainstays in my repertoire, most have fallen by the wayside. Not because they are bad, but because my cooking style has changed over the years and because so much of the pleasure in cooking is trying new things.
At a deeper level, though, there are important continuities in my basic approach to cooking and sharing food. One is to focus on simple, healthy and whole foods – no complicated skills required, no hard-to-find or expensive ingredients, and limited use of ultra-processed foods. A second is to focus on sustainable and regional foods, especially the pulses, root vegetables, and seasonal delights of the Canadian food year. A third is to focus on occasions for sharing food with others. Many of the recipes in FTDBB were geared toward celebration meals, potlucks and other gatherings such as picnics.
Holly Dean, cover of the first self-published edition of the book Foods that Don’t Bite Back by Sue Donaldson, Evergreen Publishing 2000
This food and community thread is the idea I wish to pursue here. After the book appeared my (unrealized) plan had been to publish a follow-up cookbook — a less didactic, more celebratory book of party foods and other recipes for fostering plant-based community and finding joy in more grounded and ethical ways of eating. However, as I see now, my idea of plant-based community back then was quite human-focused. My primary aim was persuading humans that they can eat delicious and healthy plant-based food in a way that welcomes and gathers their (human) family, friends and neighbors, and does so without harming animals.
If I were producing a follow-up recipe collection today the focus would be different – somewhat larger in spirit and scope, and undoubtedly more eccentric even than FTDBB. To explain what I mean I will share some reflections on three recipes, two from the original collection, and one that I have developed more recently.
The Multispecies Buffet
I grieved for a long time after my dog friend, Codie, died in 2005. One of the hardest things was to cook because I was so accustomed to his companionship in the kitchen where he liked to sit or lie down in the middle of the action. For months after his death, I continued to step carefully over his ghost body, and to reach my hand down with carrot tips and kale stems to feed into a nonexistent mouth. And so, when my partner, Will, and I adopted dog Roxie in 2019, I was much more aware of this important part of our relationship. Like Codie, Roxie is a voracious foodie. She will eat any cooked vegetable, and a good many raw (carrots, red pepper, fennel, kale, cucumber, romaine lettuce). I have adapted my cooking to include more of the foods she likes. So, for example, when making the lentil soup recipe reproduced here I always supplement it with some chopped kale and sweet red peppers for the pleasure of sharing with Roxie while we cook together. She munches on the raw kale stems and hard-to-chop parts of the pepper, while the rest goes into the soup for humans.
Multispecies dinner attendee, 08 March 2023
Photographer Eva Meijer
Photos and courtesy of Mediamatic
In my reimagined “Food and Community” book, this idea of commensality with nonhuman animals would play a prominent role. It wouldn’t just be a book about eating while reducing harm to animals, but also about creating community with animals through sharing food, like doing food prep with Roxie. And I would pursue this thread beyond the more-than-human family to explore food sharing with larger multispecies communities. One of my favourite examples is an initiative of the Multispecies Collective in Amsterdam, which began hosting ‘dog dinners’ in 20232. At these events dozens of humans and dogs come together to eat the same delicious multicourse meal, at the same table, as equals.
And one of the most moving experiences I’ve had in recent years was taking part (with fellow researchers) in a communal food event at VINE, a sanctuary for formerly farmed animals in Vermont, USA. In the pouring rain we handed, tossed and flung a crazy array of surplus grocery store produce to the residents, including cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys, goats and alpacas. We had been told that the animals eagerly anticipate this weekly event, and they certainly participated with zeal on this occasion (though with care to prevent injury to one another). We humans were utterly caught up in the joyful and giddy spirit. Indeed, its ritualistic and celebratory nature was underlined by the fact that the alpacas wanted to be in the middle of the party even though they didn’t eat any of the food!3
As an amateur cook, I’m also very interested in growing food. I long ago abandoned any hopes of producing a decent (human) food garden, although I try to include something homegrown in my cooking even if it’s just fresh herbs, or a few scraggly kale leaves left by the bugs and the chipmunks. I’ve become much more interested, though, in gardening for the animals (intentionally rather than inadvertently 😊) by planting and encouraging native fruit and nut trees, flowers, shrubs and grasses to feed the creatures who share our patch of land. I am more successful at this kind of gardening and thrilled by the diversity of birds, amphibians, insects and others who’ve come along to sample the buffet. It’s deep winter in Ontario, Canada, as I write this, but I am pouring over the catalogues and choosing hazelnut, serviceberry and plum seedlings to plant this spring.
So, my reimagined book would find a way of including this more expansive idea of multispecies commensality, with associated ‘recipes’ for composting and other uses for food waste, for planting, and for sharing; and with ‘menus’ for different kinds of multispecies buffet.
Hearty Lentil Soup with Cloves (Serves 2-4)
Cloves — the viol da gamba of spices – occupy a nice of their own, adding a unique depth and complexity to any dish. This recipe can easily be doubled for company. I like the challenge of fishing the cloves out, but you might want to tie them in cheesecloth. And don’t forget to include your nonhuman companion(s)’ favourite veggies to share at the preparation stage!
1.5 Tbsp. (22 mL) olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
¾ cup (180 mL) green or brown lentils
¼ cup (60 mL) tomato paste
6 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) parsley, minced
½ tsp. thyme
1 cup (240 mL) regular or sweet potato, diced
½ tsp. (2.5 mL) paprika or smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until soft, but not browned. Add the stock, lentils, tomato paste, cloves, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer at low heat until the lentils are cooked (about 30 minutes). Add the potatoes, paprika, salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 15 minutes). Just before serving, remove the bay leaves and cloves.
The Long Game
I didn’t develop the recipe for chocolate cake reproduced here – it goes back to rationing during the Second World War, and no doubt long before that. It was shared with me by a colleague many decades ago and it’s still my go-to birthday cake, although I am more mindful now about how I source chocolate, and about using palm oil-free vegan butter or margarine for the frosting.
This recipe has been a staple of family gatherings, and before the recent warp drive advances in vegan baking this recipe was my trojan horse – guaranteed to conquer sceptics, including those close to home, dismayed by the prospect that a life without animal foods meant ‘fruit for dessert’. (Needless to say, chocolate is not suitable for nonhuman companions, so for Roxie it’s still ‘fruit for dessert’!) My family have always been very accommodating of my (and Will’s) veganism, even when, in the early years, this meant going to considerable trouble on our behalf. While grateful, I was also a little sad that our veganism didn’t seem to be rubbing off on anyone. Then, perhaps a dozen years ago, something changed, and now I count many vegans, vegetarians and near-vegetarians amongst my siblings and the next generation of nieces and nephews (and grand nephew!). You might say that we veg+ns are the new normal. (And my niece, Amelia, who develops new vegan ice cream flavours, has published a beautiful recipe book of her own!4)
Multispecies dinner attendee, 17 January 2023
Photographer Eva Meijer
Photos and courtesy of Mediamatic
All of which is to say, change takes time, because individuals change in tandem with family, friends, and broader cultures. The transition to a plant-based world is less about changing individual diets one by one, and much more about creating and sustaining these new food communities. This includes the ecology and economy of sustainable and secure food systems; the education of new generations of food producers, chefs, home cooks and eaters; and the re-creation of family and cultural traditions. Now, when I look back over 40 years as an adult cook, I am amazed at the gradual normalization of plant-based eating. Given the dire political developments stalking the globe it is easy (and quite rational) to be frightened and disheartened. (These dire developments include quite specific backlash against the successes of the animal rights movement.) When I lose heart, I remind myself that plant-based community is quietly building from the ground up. It’s there, like a seed buried under metres of February snow, ready to take off under more nurturing circumstances.
My reimagined book would try to encompass this broader idea of plant-based community, and the politics of change at a more communal rather than individual level.
Special Occasion Chocolate Cake
This cake packs a serious chocolate punch. Ideal for birthdays, or everyday chocoholics. (Chocolate is dangerous for many nonhumans, so please omit this recipe from the multispecies buffet.)
3 cups (720mL) all purpose flour
2 cups (475 mL) sugar
6 Tbsp. (90 mL) + 1 cup (240 mL) cocoa
2 tsp. (10mL) baking soda
1 tsp (5 mL) + pinch of salt
2 cups (475 mL) cold water
2/3 cup (160 mL) canola oil
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) white vinegar
2 tsp. (10mL) + ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) vanilla extract
3 cups (720 mL) icing sugar
6 Tbsp. (90 mL) margarine
3 Tbsp. (45 mL) hot water (approx.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Sift and combine flour, sugar, 6 Tbsp. (90 mL) cocoa, baking soda and 1 tsp. (5 mL) salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the water, oil, vinegar, and 2 tsp. (10 mL) vanilla. Make a depression in the dry ingredients and mix in the wet ingredients. Beat until smooth. Grease two 8 in. (20 cm) round cake pans, and line bottoms with waxed paper. Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool, then turn out the cakes, and slice each one into two layers.
Sift the icing sugar and remaining 1 cup (240 mL) cocoa together. Blend in margarine, ½ tsp. (2.5 mL) vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add just enough hot water to give icing a spreadable consistency (not too much!). This makes enough frosting to cover the cake and three inside layers.
If you want to vary the flavour for the internal layers, spread some or all with a thin layer of jam or marmalade instead of chocolate frosting. Or add some instant coffee (dissolved in the hot water) to some (or all) of the frosting to make it mocha-flavoured.
Joyful Connection
These days my meals for sharing with company consist of some basic themes and variations – tofu scramble with a seasonal twist, or winter and summer versions of make-ahead casseroles. The winter version uses an oat milk or cashew cream base with leeks, lentils, lemon zest, parsnips, celery root, and/or mushrooms in various combinations, and a crunchy, garlicky, topping. The summer version is the one reproduced here.
Multispecies dinner attendee, n.d.
Photographer Eva Meijer
Photos and courtesy of Mediamatic
When I wrote FTDBB I was a bit more invested in serving fancy appetizers and hosting multi-course or internationally-themed meals – ‘performing’ veganism to woo and convert the masses. These days I am often reminded of the mother of childhood friends who, for any and every occasion, made the same meal of lasagne, garlic bread and salad. She didn’t fret or fuss. She definitely didn’t ‘perform’ food. She exuded welcome, calm, and delight in her guests. When I started cooking and hosting my frame of mind was more pedagogical, more eager-to-impress. While the food was good, I think the atmosphere was sometimes lacking. Now I recognize the wisdom of that Mom. Nail a few simple casseroles, add bread or roast potatoes and salad. Maybe buy dessert from a professional if you can afford it. Then enjoy the company — human and better-than-human — and plan the revolution.
So the last key ingredient of my reimagined book would be, not food itself, but that something extra that happens when food truly nourishes community.
Vegetable Strata Gratin (Serves a crowd)
2 medium globe eggplants (approx. 21 oz. / 600 grams)
4 large zucchinis (approx. 21 oz. / 600 grams)
3 sweet potatoes, peeled (approx. 21 oz. / 600 grams)
Olive oil for drizzling
Your favourite vegan cheese, shredded or sliced (approx. 7oz / 200 g)
2 cups (700 mL) basil-infused tomato sauce (home made or purchased)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup (120 mL) mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds, toasted and chopped
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) vegan butter
1/2 cup (240 mL) panko-style breadcrumbs
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped parsley
¼ cup (60 mL) vegan parmesan (Can be replaced with extra seeds and breadcrumbs, or toasted pinenuts.)
Preheat the oven to 375° F / 190° C. Trim the tops and bottoms off the vegetables. Cut then in half across the middle, then turn and slice into layers approx. ¼ inch (around ½ cm) thick. Drizzle the sliced veggies with oil (about 2 Tbsp./30 mL in total), and season with salt and pepper. Poke the eggplant skin with a fork in a few places. Layer all the veggies in a single layer on 2 or 3 large baking sheets. Roast until veggies are very tender, and slightly browned, (20-30 minutes) turning part way. (Cook the little end bits too, to share with your cooking companions!)
Layer the cooked eggplants in a single layer along the bottom of an oblong baking dish (9 x 13 inches, or 23 x 33 cm). Layer the sweet potatoes on top of the eggplant. Spread half the tomato sauce next. Then layer the zucchinis, followed by the cheese slices or shreds. Finish by spreading the rest of the tomato sauce on top of the cheese.
Heat the butter in a shallow pan on medium heat. Sauté the garlic for a few moments. Then add the chopped nuts, breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Sprinkle the crumb over the veggie casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 375° F / 190° C for 30 minutes, until tomato sauce is bubbly hot. Remove from oven. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
- Τhe header is a still from an ongoing video archive of thylacine sightings compiled by Michela de Mattei. The archive features all currently available footage sourced from online communities and regarded as evidence of its existence. The archive will expand as new evidence emerges.
The first edition was self-published by Evergreen Publishing (2000), edited by my brother John Donaldson. The second edition was called Foods That Don’t Bite Back: Vegan Cooking Made Simple (Whitecap Books/ Arsenal Pulp Press, 2003).
The Multispecies Collective, Amsterdam: https://themultispeciescollective.cargo.site/dog-dinners-en
This experience is described in C Blattner, S Donaldson and R Wilcox (2020). “Animal Agency in Community: A political multispecies ethnography of VINE Sanctuary” Politics and Animals Vol. 6.
M. Haley and A. Ryan, Great Scoops: Recipes from a neighbourhood ice cream shop. Figure 1 Publishing, 2022.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue Donaldson is a Canadian writer and philosopher. She is a research fellow affiliated with the Department of Philosophy at Queen’s University, where she is the co-founder of the Animals in Philosophy, Politics, Law and Ethics (APPLE) research cluster. She followed an unconventional path as teacher, creator and advocate before finding her ‘forever home’ in philosophy. Her research is situated in the political turn in animal rights theory, and explores the implications of recognizing animals as members of social, cultural – and political – communities. What would it mean to live with other animals in relationships of mutual respect and flourishing instead of tyranny and exploitation? Sue’s work considers how animals might co-author their relationships with us, as co-citizens in a multispecies demos, denizens of shared liminal spaces, and sovereigns of wilderness territories. This work draws insights from citizenship theory, feminist political theory, disability theory, children’s rights theory, democratic theory, ethology, and ecological ethics; as well as practical “experiments in living” such as animal sanctuaries and intentional communities. In 2003 she co-authored the vegan cookbook Foods That Don’t Bite Back: Vegan Cooking Made Simple, while Zoospolis, 2011, which she co-authored with Will Kymlicka, is now a basic bibliography of non-human studies and is published in Greek by Polis Publications.