Excerpts

Introduction After all of these years, even though some people call me "the punk rock vegan chef" because I tour with food and still do buffets and demos at shows, at one point did a live cooking show with a backing band, and everything is still overly DIY and sketchy much of the time, I've still never done a punk-themed cookbook or zine. So we thought it would be fun to give it a whirl. Of course merely having recipes was not going to be enough, so we thought it would be entertaining to have photos. But, of course, if they were just of food that would be pretty passe, so people and their finery, dogs, and mess must also be included. Some of it must have little to do with anything. A mish mash of random quotes, playlists, and intros by various people from my life that range from zany to academic also needed to be included. There needed to be some interesting tips and methods for cooking without basic needs. This represents the circumstances that can come about from a series of bad choices. But that's one nice thing about punk and other DIY "cultures"--winding up in a tough spot at the end of the day doesn't stop you from having a good time, sustaining yourself, or being able to do what you need to do...one way or another. So voila, this tome came to be. You may wonder why there isn't also a picture for this and that, or why there is one of something else, or why this or that person isn't in here...well live my life and you would know the answer--Haha! Seriously, what part of "on no budget," "when I say I'll get that to you in a week I actually mean never," or "what's scheduling?" don't you understand?! It's shocking we managed to accomplish this much! In an attempt to keep it real, some mistakes are catalogued. Life ain't pretty, punk ain't pretty, and food ain't always pretty either. Neither are crusties. Punk means different things to different people, with the general rule being that you can recognize a punk because they love to argue about it, subcompartmentalize, and judge non-judiciously. That's nice, have fun in your mom's basement. Reminds me of when Varg Vikernes killed Euronymous. We're better than that--so stop being such a hesher about it! As someone who entered punk culture after punk was already dead...it tends to take on a life of its own, and you get the chance to tailor it to your own needs and circle of friends. That's some versatile shit, and it also becomes personal. That's probably why so many people are uptight about it. Oh well, I'm pretty over it--I play hardcore, go to and put on shows, cook and tour DIY and still live in warehouses and dirty-ass punk houses where bands practice so if you don't dig what I'm laying down here, mosey on. Or in the immortal words of Brett Frost "fuck you if you doubt me!" Particular interests, like crusties, that I find amusing: using what's in the cupboard, making something out of nothing, tongue-in-cheekly paying tribute to "idols" (which of course we're not supposed to have--yet there are college courses and whole books on these people!?), smashing tradition, ushering in half-baked concepts and fully-formed manifestations of crazy ideas--that's what punk-themed cookbooks are made of, or at least this one. It is what it is, enjoy it for that, rather than what it ain't. I know that's a tall order in this day and age, but similarly to my life, this book is meant to be random, kinda fun and moderately useful. So try to have some fun, okay? With its confluence of fashion, design, music, food, and concept, it's like you have a crappy little gallery opening right here in your hand. So please sit back with a few hors d'ouvres and a 40 oz. and enjoy the party! Excerpted from This Ain't No Picnic: Your Comprehensive Vegan Punk Rock Cookbook by Joshua Ploeg All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.