Making Pepperoni

When I first became vegan, I ate a lot of meat. I grew up on a farm, and it was kind of a way of life. Stopping that cold, and living in a house full of meateaters, I found a lot of mock meats in my grocery basket. Ok, it was my mom’s grocery basket, but I put them there. They were expensive, didn’t always taste great, but they were well within my comfort zone. I also ate lots of beans, so don’t give me too much hate. Still, the one time I tried to make seitan was horrible, so I just bought it. It was tastier and easier.

This last week I made ‘pepperoni’. It actually turned out pretty darn good, with fine texture and a great tangy taste. The full recipe will be in this issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience as ‘Sundried Tomato Pepperoni’ and if I have time, I will make a version without the tomatoes. It was tasty, it had good texture, and I made it from scratch.

Now, I am so excited to make more and better vegan sausages. Now I walk past the mock meats in the store, and I know I can make those better and tastier at home. Look for some more recipes as they start to be created, but have a little patience, because none are done yet. Well, except for the pepperoni and that will be in the magazine.

It is great what you can do with a little experience, a lot of creativity, and a ton of bravery. Go boldly into your kitchen and think about a muggle (non-vegan) food that you used to love. Then, get in the kitchen and make your own version. Just because your first attempt doesn’t work, doesn’t mean it never will. If I believed that, there would not be any pepperoni in the next pizza issue.