I scream, you scream...

We all scream for humane ice cream!

Today I had the fortunate experience to tag along with Roger, who is one of the co-founders of Pleasant Pops, a local DC paletas/Popsicle vendor. The paletas are sold at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market, and only contain local (and humane!) ingredients.

***If you haven't ever had a pleasant pop, I suggest you haul your cookies to the corner of 17th and Lamont, NW the next Saturday, and try one... or three... or five. It is local, humane and so delicious!***

Anyways, so Roger was on his way to buy local milk for his creamy paletas. When we got to the store, Timor Bodega, I learned that, not only did they have local milk, but they also had ice cream from the humane Trickling Springs Creamery.

The variety of humane ice cream was amazing: they had vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, coffee, chocolate chip cookie dough, grapenut, butter brittle, peppermint and coconut chip almond. (I left with coffee and chocolate chip cookie dough... this time. Roger left with lots of milk for his pleasant pops!)

It is no wonder why Prince of Petworth calls Timor Bodega the "greatest bodega in the city."

As temperatures soar to 100 degrees this week in DC, it is nice to know that I won't have any problems getting some humane cold treats between Pleasant Pops and Timor Bodega.

Good Veggie Eats in DC

A big reason I started this blog was to find good places to eat out... humanely.

I already have a great base of vegetarian restaurants, but I would like to find more places that serve humane dairy and eggs. And those that don't, I would like to encourage them to try -- There are a lot of farms (for example, Keswick) who sell their humane dairy to stores and restaurants who clearly have the capacity (and the need!) to sell more.

Before I begin investigating, I wanted to share a list of veggie restaurants that I have been to, or want to go to. Stay tuned to see which of these have humane dairy and eggs, and what we can do to help them serve humane:

Amsterdam Falafel - All veggie, and in my opinion, the best falafel in town!
Humane? The only dairy on the menu is their taziki. I need to see if they buy it wholesale or make their own...


Asylum - They offer a bad-ass vegan brunch. Best tofu scramble... ever.
Humane? Easy to eat humane, for sure. But for all those egg-and-cheese lovers out there, I need to check.

Duccini's Pizza - Fake cheese!!!!
Humane? I wouldn't push my luck. Getting vegan jumbo slice is already amazing.

Nirvana - All vegetarian Indian food in the heart of downtown DC.
Humane? Although Indian food typically doesn't use a lot of dairy, they do serve amazing dishes with cheese. Need to check.

Banana Leaves - Great asian-fusian restaurant. It is the only place I have ever been able to find vegetarian hot-and-sour soup! Plus, they have a great veggie-tempura roll.
Humane? By default, yes.

Luna Grill and Diner - I love this place for their great veggie chili, veggie taco salad, and more!
Humane? Definitely need to see... Stay tuned!

Cafe Green - Officially my favorite vegan restaurant in DC. Great vegan mac-and-cheese. Oh, and they allow pups outside.
Humane? You betcha!

Pizzeria Paradiso - One of the best pizza places in DC (or so everyone raves).
Humane? They do have vegan cheese, but as for their regular cheese? Nope. Not at all. But they certainly could and should be!

Straits of Malaya - Okay. Definitely my favorite restaurant in DC.
Humane? By default, yes.

Coppi's Organic - Delicious local Italian food!
Humane? I am told, yes. But I need to check to see which farms their cheese comes from.

Full Kee - Best vegetarian pan-fried noodles in DC. And eggplant in garlic sauce rocks!
Humane? No dairy there. Love the restaurant, but have to face away from the door so I don't see the dead ducks hanging in the window.

Dolcezza - I hear this place is awesome, and I can't wait to try it.
Humane? It may be the only humane ice cream shop in DC...

Pasha Bistro - A great Mediterranean restaurant. They serve a great falafel platter, delicious salads, and good veggie burgers.
Humane? Sadly, no. But I hope to be able to convince them. I know some farmers who sell great feta!

Taylors Gourmet Deli - Their fried risotto balls are delicious, but they are expensive as they ship their bread daily from Phili.
Humane? Nope... but they do charge an enormous amount for a sandwich. With these prices, I think they could afford to be humane!

Bens Chili Bowl - Hands down, the best vegetarian chili in DC.
Humane? Don't think so, but need to check. Their cheese fries are delicious, and it would be even better if it was humane!

Dupont Italian Kitchen or DIK - Great Italian restaurant in the heart of boys town. Offers late-night karaoke.
Humane? Need to check this one out!

The Greek Spot - For our friend Andrew's birthday, they ordered in from The Greek Spot, and got veggie gyros! Delicious!!!
Humane: Would like to check to see if the taziki is...

Floriana - This place has peaked my interest, as it looks like it has delicious pasta.
Humane? I called and asked where they got their cheese, and was informed all local farms. We need to dig further though, and find out which farms!

I plan on developing a running list of restaurants of where you can a humane vegetarian meal, so stay tuned!

Paul Konerko and Hot Dogs

My lovely (and missed!) friend Courtney sent me an email a few weeks ago, with PETA's top-ten vegetarian-friendly ballparks. Courtney's email exemplifies 2 goals I have for the Humane Food Finder:

1) To start a dialogue about our food -- to get people talking about humane food, and
2) To find something that I love more in a ballpark than the Chicago White Sox!

So, without further ado, here are PETA's top-ten vegetarian-friendly ballparks:

1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies) - Never been there, but they offer:
   ficken (fake-chicken) sandwich and vegan rice krispy treats, along with old faves such as veggie burgers, Southwestern black-bean burgers, veggie dogs, feak sandwiches (fake steak), ficken feaks, frab cakes (fake crab), hummus and pita chips, and fresh fruit.
   
   Cross our fingers for an inter-league series in the City of Animal love!
   
   
2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants) - Also never been, but they offer:
   veggie dogs, Gardenburgers along with a brand-new mixed vegetable sandwich, a portobello mushroom sandwich, a vegetable roll, vegetable burritos and tamales, a broccoli tofu platter, and vegetable chow fun.
   
   
3. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros) - PETA says that Carlos Lee might be coming up empty at the plate (former White Sox, I might add), but fans are loading their plates with:
   veggie burritos, quinoa tabbouleh, sun-dried tomato rigatoni, veggie dogs, Thai noodle salad, hummus and vegetable wraps, vegetarian sushi, fruit smoothies, rice and beans, and organic baby-vegetable ratatouille.
   
   
4. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers) - While I hate the Detroit Tigers (sorry, Chaz), I may have to go to a winning White Sox game there. They serve up:
   black-bean burgers, vegetable fried rice, and a hummus plate as well as veteran favorites such as veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and vegetarian taco salads, stir-fries, and veggie sushi.
   
   
5. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies) - Ubaldo Jimenez provides the hot sauce to put on your: veggie burgers, dogs, wraps, burritos, kabobs, and paninis as well as fresh salads and fruit, roasted portobello sandwiches, and made-to-order potato skins.
   
   
6. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves) - The White Sox beat them last night (who's number 1 now???), but surely not because of their:
   veggie dogs, meatless tacos, burritos, baked beans, Asian noodles, and organic zucchini dip.
   
   
7. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres) - My friend Sara work(s/ed) there---we need to catch up --so I hope she's enjoying the:
   veggie burgers and veggie dogs, vegetarian sushi rolls, roasted corn, vegetarian burritos, and hummus and vegetables.
   
   
8. Angel Stadium (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - Next time I go visit my Aunt Amy and Uncle Charlie, we can go enjoy some:
   veggie dogs, edamame, Gardenburgers, California cucumber rolls, veggie paninis, bean burritos, and roasted vegetable sandwiches.
   
   
9. Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers) - While everbody around you is doing a continuous Sarah Palin impression, it is also fun to eat:
   veggie dogs, veggie wraps, baked potatoes, made-to-order pasta, build-your-own burritos, and portobello mushroom focaccia sandwiches.
   
   
10. (tie) Target Field (Minnesota Twins) A rival of my beloved White Sox, the Twins offer:
    veggie dogs, veggie burgers, veggie burritos and tacos, and fruit kabobs.
    (tie) Progressive Field (Cleveland Indians)- Perhaps one of the MOST insulting mascots (a laughing Native American), so I'm not eager to go there. Period. But if you're at a game, they serve:
    veggie dogs, veggie subs, wild grain and tofu curry, veggie pasta, veggie wraps, fruit cups, and roasted vegetables.

Sadly, the White Sox didn't make PETA's top-ten list... this year. They came in with an honorable mention with:
veggie dogs, veggie burgers, made-to-order vegetarian burritos, vegetable wraps, char-roasted vegetables, and crispy chickpeas.

To see the full list, please visit: http://blog.peta.org/archives/2010/06/major_league.php.

Thanks again, Courtney, for alerting me to this, and hats off to ARAMARK (where Courtney works) as providing food for 5 of the top 10 winners!!!

Now, take me out a humane ball game!

What if you DON'T have a farmers market near you?

My grandfather who reads my blog -- he also has a blackberry, a laptop with which he skypes and looks at the latest pictures of my niece (his great-grand daughter) on Snapfish -- asked me after reading The Chicken and the Egg Part I and II where he could get humane eggs if he doesn't go to a farmers' market.

Well, it just so happens that certain brands are certified humane. This is an amazing resource if you want to see where you can get humane animal products. They don't just rate dairy and eggs, but also meat.

The organization that certifies humane is called Humane Farm Animal Care. They are a non-profit that was

"created to improve the lives of farm animals by setting rigorous standards, conducting annual inspections, and certifying their humane treatment."

I have met farmers who have gone through or are going through the process to become certified humane. They define certified humane as food that:

*Meets the Humane Farm Animal Care program standards, which includes nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space and the ability to engage in natural behaviors.

In my first blog, I wrote about deciding to go humane. Certifying an animal product as humane means much more than what the USDA defines as "free-range" or "cage-free." It is a standard, that in my opinion, you could apply to how you treat your best friend: ^..^

So the BEST part about this is that you can search for products at stores that are certified humane!!! So, in response to my grandfather's question as to where he can buy certified humane eggs in Chicago (near his home), here is the answer, Papa:

The Whole Foods on 30 W. Huron St. sells Phils Cage-Free Eggs, Born Free Eggs.

Happy humane hunting, everybody!

Today's Dupont Farmers Market

Dupont Circle is by far my favorite Farmers Market in Washington, DC. The wide variety of dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables is amazing, and the market's standards for humane treatment are extremely high (I will delve into the standards of DC Farmers Markets in another post).

I found this out when I first began asking questions about humane treatment after I had read Eating Animals. The first farmer I spoke to at Keswick Creamery informed me that they:

1) do not dock their cows' tails
2) anesthetize their cows before they remove their horns
3) have their cows graze outdoors and not eat in a barn on cement

This is all critical information to know when finding out if a dairy cow is treated humanely.

So, today I bought some Quark -- very similar to cream cheese -- and Wallabee -- a smooth, light, hard cheese from Keswick.

I then headed over to Blue Ridge Dairy (run by a farmer whom I also interogated previously) and bought some Mozzarella (with which I made pizza tonight) and Honey YoLight (light honey yogurt).

There are many other dairy and egg farmers there, so stay tuned for next week!

It's like clipping toe-nails

After I investigated hatcheries that did not clip beaks or claws, I emailed Randy from Star Hollow Farms. (As you may recall from The Chicken and Egg Part II, I spoke to Randy at the Adams Morgan farmers market, and he said that he could not get chicks with their beaks intact.)

This is the email I sent to Randy:

Hi Randy:

My name is Emily, and I met you last weekend at the Adams Morgan Farmers Market --- We discussed your chickens, and you told me that you got your chicks with their beaks already clipped, because you couldn't get them intact. As you may remember, I told you that I could not buy eggs from someone who got their chicks with their beaks clipped, and also could not partake in your CSA for that same reason.

As you may know, there are a lot of folks like me who want to get their eggs from farmers who raise their hens with their beaks intact. I believe that people will be more inclined to get eggs from you if you started buying chicks who were not debeaked. From our conversation, and from what I gathered from your website, this is the one element of humane treatment that is lacking in the rearing of your chickens.

I spoke to another farmer (also from Pennsylvania), who told me that he was able to get his chicks with their beaks and claws intact. I got the names of the hatcheries, and thought you might be interested in looking into that option. I have included their contact information below:
- Reich Poultry Farm, Inc. (717-426-3411), http://reichspoultryfarm.com/index.html
- Moyer's Chicks (215-536-3155), http://www.moyerschicks.com/MC-Web/DesktopDefault.aspx

I write a blog called (www.humanefoodfinder.blogspot.com), and wrote about my experience last weekend. I would love to let readers know that you switched to chicks who were not debeaked, and who are able to carry out natural instincts like pecking.

Please let me know if I can help in calling the hatcheries, and I look forward to hearing from you and updating my blog, and specifically coming to buy eggs from you!

Many thanks!
Emily

Randy responded a few days later after looking into the hatcheries.

First, I would like to state that Randy owns the type of farm you want to buy food from. When some crazy person with a bullhorn and a bone to pick (a-hem... me) emails him and asks about debeaking chickens, he did not dismiss me as the bullhorn, bone picker that I am. He instead looked into my concerns, and addressed them. Here are some highlights from his response:

He looked into both of the hatcheries I referred him to. He explained that Reich's Hatchery is out of the question because they only sell chicks (not debeaked), and in order for him to raise baby chicks, he would need all kinds of expensive chick-raising equipment, and that does not interest him.

Therefore, he needs to get ready-to-lay hens. He spent 15 minutes on the phone with Moyer's Chicks, and learned that they do clip the beaks (contrary to what Pecan Meadows Farms told me) and they told him that "clipping the beaks at a very young age is about the equivalent of clipping toe-nails on us." They went on to tell Randy "if enough people requested unclipped beaks, they might try it. I added my name to a list of interested persons," he emailed me.

He also told me the producers' reasoning for clipping the beaks, primarily that hens end up hurting each other when they are trying to establish their pecking order, sometimes killing other hens. And he asked me, "I guess one of my main thoughts is, if I got such a flock, how willing am I going to be to have birds killing each other mercilessly, as is their nature, even with complete freedom, just so I can say they have unclipped beaks. Not an obvious benefit for them, or us, if you ask me. Just so you know, I consider myself a strong proponent of animal rights, and we treat our birds very well. So why change when it will mean dead birds vs. clipped beaks?"

So, like I said, Randy is a farmer you want to buy from. He is thoughtful. He is a strong proponent of animal rights. And he is doing the best he can. (Go read his bio on his website, if you don't believe me).

But what I need to find out (and not from PETA or a hatchery) is if debeaking is really like clipping toe-nails. Some consider neutering or spaying a dog inhumane, but, as a strong proponent of animal rights, I think I treat my dog very well, and decided it was best to neuter Winston.

And if we do find out that debeaking chicks is like clipping toe-nails, then that is great. (I love clipping my toe-nails. I clip them too short, even.) But if we find out that it is not, I hope more farmers will contact their chicken suppliers, especially Moyer's Chicks, and ask them for chickens with their beaks intact.

My Dairy Daddy

I have a Dairy Daddy. A Dairy Daddy or DD is like a Sugar Daddy, except...

Sugar Daddy: A man who lavishes a woman with money,gifts,etc.

Dairy Daddy: A boyfriend who lavishes his girlfriend with inhumane cheese, eggs, icecream, etc..

(Sugar Daddy definition courtesy of Urban Dictionary)

So, Alex is my Dairy Daddy. Having a DD is essential for me in going humane. Today, my DD was uber clutch (not only at Cornhole/beanbags at this great BBQ where we were), but also when it came to the ice cream cake.

No... I did not get any delicious, chocolate, inhumane ice cream cake of my own... But Alex did. And I had a bite... or two... or four. But I did not get my own plate.

And that is what makes him my Dairy Daddy.

I will be sure to always let folks know when I ask my DD to share some of his inhumane dairy. It won't be often, but just as there are few times when a White Sox baseball player is clutch, there will be few times when my Dairy Daddy will come in handy (Chicago deep dish pizza, Dairy Queen and White Russians come to mind...) Nevertheless, I recommend that anyone who is trying to go humane get a Dairy Daddy. Priceless.