Hey everyone! Things have been so busy that I've been relying on Facebook posts rather than updating the blog. My apologies to anyone who looks to the blog for the latest info.

Now, on to the topic at hand....The next Milwaukee Vegan Bake Sale is Saturday May 11th from 10am to 4pm at the Riverside location of the Urban Ecology Center.

You can find lots of details at the Milwaukee Vegan Bake Sale website, as well as the Facebook event. 

There will be tons of great bakery items including cupcakes, cookies, cheesecakes and even dog treats!

From Steph, the organizer:
"Proceeds will be split 50/50 between Urban Ecology Center and Milwaukee's Safe Haven Program, a partnership between the Wisconsin Humane Society and Sojourner Family Peace Center offering up to 60 days of shelter for companion animals of domestic violence victims."


Great treats for an even greater cause! Stock up for Mother's Day celebrations or to keep all to yourself :)  See you there!!

From Barb Eisenberg (the delegate you should vote for):
"Please share this event with friends and like-minded groups. It has been going on for 75 years, but most people are unaware or think it belongs to hunters, trappers and anglers. This election belongs to ALL of us. I've been attending for 13 years and served as a delegate from 2005-8. I am running for a delegate position again to be a voice for the hikers, bikers, bird watchers, canoeists, campers and other non-consumptive users of our public lands. It is also important to have input from biologists outside the DNR. Last year I lost by about 6 votes, so every vote is really important. Thanks to everyone who is already planning to go!"

Some important issues are as follows: 
Question # 68  Would you favor legislation to prohibit the use of dogs to hunt & training dogs to hunt wolves?

Question #70  Expanding hunting & trapping in state parks from 2 to 7 months?

Right now dogs are run to kill coyotes 24/7 year-round.  All wildlife is hounded.

See the entire Spring Questionnaire here.

From Patricia Randolph, wildlife activist

Although only 5,000 avid hunters and trappers have attended, statewide, the past decade, on average, the 90 proposals they make every year ( for 80 years running) to their advantage against the rest of the public interest - are paraded before the legislature as the "public will".  That charade has been enabled partially by calling the election , a " spring hearings".  Non-hunters tend to come out when an ISSUE upsets them ( mourning doves, feral cats, cranes) - but it is not an issue-driven process - all the power is in electing 2 of 5 delegates every year.

Privately hunters and trappers call it " the most important election in the state".  Of course it is.  It is the generator of policies that govern our 7 and a half million acres of publicly purchased billions of dollars of citizen investment.  It is the forum for stewarding our water, habitats, air, toxins, climate change, and the welfare of our besieged wildlife.  It should be about so much more than killing more and more species in more and more ways, with more and more weapons, now prioritized on ALL our public lands. 

 The health of all that is real depends on a diversity of interests being represented every year.

I have not missed one election since I looked for the center of power in 1997.  I was elected the first delegate ever to represent living wildlife and a wildlife loving general public in 1999 in Dane County.  The first and only in then 65 years of hunter total control.  I served on the Trapping Committee.  If you want PTSD, serve on the trapping committee.  Over a million innocent wild animals are mangled and die slowly or are bludgeoned to death in traps, snares and conibear traps, annually,  raping out what is ideal habitat for a rich diversity of life.

Why should a new trapper ( they are recruiting ) be able to pay $4 and kill as many animals as he can trap - hundreds a week - for 6 months for private profit as a business off of our public lands?   I cannot pay $4 and go into our public lands and take out one animal to save him or her.   Why should a new deer hunter be able to pay $5 and kill several deer or fawns, and remove them dead forever from our commons, and I cannot pay $5 and save any animal, to live out a life, even if the mother is killed in the road.  Even if they live on my private property.  Even if they are tamed by circumstance of being orphaned.

The underlying fundamental lack of democracy lies in a state agency funded by killing licenses instead of general public funds.  It is undemocratic and corrupt to the core.  It is set against the rest of the public, protecting killing, not protecting intact natural systems.

Please join us at Wisconsin Wildlife Ethic - Vote Our Wildlife  
( www.wiwildlifeethic.org) to grow a movement to claim a first time democracy to protect our state which is being raped out.  We must organize politically to go up against the very organized NRA, Farm Bureau, Safari International and the very organized Wisconsin Wildlife Federation ( see their affiliates here:  http://www.wiwf.org/affiliate-clubs.php  when you scroll down).

All of the power is in attending every year to elect two candidates that represent protecting our wildlife and ecosystems.  80 years of one special interest has done a lot of damage.  All of the power is in electing two delegates of five in every county.  Delegates design these questions very narrowly to their advantage.  When you vote against expanding trapping & hunting in state parks, you vote for 2 months of trapping and hunting, the way the question is written.  It is usually do you want to kill more or more than that?  It should not be all about killing.  We are late into the devastation of our planet.  

http://dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/springhearing.html

Patricia Randolph
State Journalist
Madravenspeak living wildlife column every other Sunday
Capital Times online newspaper
www.wiwildlifeethic.org

The Ste Martaen Vegan Food Truck from Chicago will be visiting Milwaukee Saturday January 19th to deliver your pre-orders. This means you need to review the menu ahead of time and email them at foodtruck@stemartaen.com to let them know what you want. Then, when you pick it up, you can pay with Cash, Credit Card or TheLevelUp. Watch for the minivan instead of the truck this time!

Instructions
Submit all pre-orders to foodtruck@stemartaen.com with MKE in subject line by 1pm on Friday Jan 18th. If you receive no confirmation for your order, please resubmit. Be sure to include your name. 

Saturday 1/19 Milwaukee, WI Menu

Buffalo Wings $10 - Vegan chik'n (soy protein) on sugar cane "bone" smothered in fresh made buffalo sauce (GF) (Nut Free)

Milwaukee Wings $10 – Maple glazed bbq vegan chik’n (soy protein) wings on a sugar cane "bone" (GF) (Nut Free)

Chicago Cheesesteak $10 - A mammoth hoagie filled with seitan, peppers and onions topped with a Ste Martaen cheese sauce

Curry Chik’n and Bok Choy $10 – Shredded chik’n (flat bean curd) simmered in coconut milk with onions and bok choy over basmati rice (GF)
"Rib Tips" Pita $7- Vegan BBQ'd "rib tips" (seitan) served on pita with a creamy jalapeno soy cheese (Nut Free)

Buffalo Chik’n Pita $7 – Spicy vegan chik’n (soy protein) served with a creamy dill sauce (Nut Free)

BBQ Chik'n Pita $7 – Vegan BBQ chik'n (soy protein) topped with shredded Ste Martaen cheese 

Whole Spinach Quiche $25- Sautéed onions, spinach and a creamy tofu based filling make up this savory pie. (Nut Free)

Whole Rum Cake $22- Rum infused cake topped with a rum glaze. (9" * 3" loaf) (nut free)

Mac and Cheese $5 (Nut Free)

Ste Martaen Cheese $5 each – Flavors: Olive, Smoked Gouda, Pepper Jack, Muenster & Colby (GF)(Soy Free)


Milwaukee, WI Schedule 1:30PM-3:50PM 

1:30PM - 1:45PM
S Kinnickinnic Ave & S California St
Bay View Milwaukee, WI 53207

2:00PM - 2:15PM
Humane Society
4500 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53208

2:30PM - 2:45PM
E Capitol Dr & N Oakland Ave
Shorewood, WI 53211

2:55PM - 3:10PM
Whole Foods
2305 N. Prospect Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211

3:15PM - 3:30PM
1221 E Brady Street
East Side - Brady Milwaukee, WI 53202

3:35PM - 3:50PM
E Center St & N Fratney St
Riverwest Milwaukee, WI 53212

The Ste Martaen Vegan Food Truck from Chicago will be in Milwaukee for a visit Saturday afternoon, July 14th . They'll also have menu selections from Morning Sky Cafe, a vegan restaurant planned to open soon in Peoria, IL.

Below is the tentative schedule and menu for Saturday. You can also text your additional stop requests directly to them at 312-857-4393. And, be sure to watch Twitter @stemartaen or Ste Martaen on Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates on schedule.

Schedule:

12:45PM - 1:10PM
Cathedral Square Park
N Jefferson St & E Kilbourn Ave
MIlwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

1:30PM –1:45PM
S Kinnickinnic Ave &S California St
Bay View Milwaukee,WI 53207

2:00PM –2:15PM
Wisconsin Humane Society
4500 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee,WI 53208

2:30PM –2:45PM
E Capitol Dr &N Oakland Ave
Shorewood,WI 53211

2:55PM –3:10PM
N Prospect Ave &E North Ave
East Side –Whole Foods
Milwaukee,WI 53202

3:15PM –3:30PM
1221 E Brady Street
East Side –Brady
Milwaukee,WI 53202

3:35PM –3:50PM
E Center St &N Fratney St
Riverwest Milwaukee,WI 53212

Menu:

Morning Sky Cafe
Sandwiches $8:

Reuben
Thinly sliced homemade corned beef,sauerkraut,and Thousand Island dressing between two pieces of fresh-baked rye bread.

BBQ Ranch Chicken Bacon Pita Wrap
A folded pita filled with strips of grilled chicken and diced bacon laying atop a bed of lettuce,tomato and scallions and drizzled with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce.

Falafel Wrap
Homemade falafel patties,tabouli,lettuce and tzatziki sauce wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.

Chicken Salad Sandwich
Toasted wheat bread,with two scoops of creamy chicken salad on a bed of romaine lettuce.

Desserts $5:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake

Boston Cream Pie Cake

Lemon Cheesecake

Ste Martaen/Vegan Food Truck

Chicago Cheesesteak $10 –A mammoth hoagie filled with seitan,peppers and onions topped with a Ste Martaen cheese sauce

BBQ Chik’n Pita $7 – Vegan BBQ chik’n (soy protein) topped with shredded Ste Martaen cheese

Spinach Quiche $5- A delectable savory pie with sautéed onions,baby spinach,creamy soy cheese and tofu. (Nut Free)

Mac and Cheese $5 (Nut Free)

Ste Martaen Cheese $5 – Olive,Smoked Gouda,Pepper Jack,Muenster &Colby (GF)(Soy Free)

FYI:Ste Martaen cheese is cashew based and gluten/soy free.

And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Crumbs...is a pop-up restaurant group organized by the folks from Ball'n Biscuit Catering that offers a mysterious gourmet several-course dinner each month in a different location. They gather professional and amateur chefs from around the city to contribute to these events and the results sound amazing.

On August 5th, the pop-up dinner will be 100% vegan. One of my friends and vegan-bake-sale-coordinator, Stephanie, will be preparing some dishes along with several other chefs. With all the omnivore foodies looking to try something knew, they expect this event to sell out fast, so get your tickets now! It is more expensive than your average meal, but there will be several courses and they really make the whole event an experience to remember with decorations and ambiance. See their website for photos of a previous event.

So, here are the details...act now for a unique and exciting dining experience!

Please join us for the third (and hotly anticipated) pop-up event of And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Crumbs…

SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE VEGAN!
A multi-course ALL-VEGAN dining experience served to you in a
natural (hint, hint), SECRET (until we tell you), wonderland setting

+Please note that while this meal is all-vegan, it will not be gluten free. Non-gluten eaters and meat romancers beware.+

*
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Gather: 6:30 p.m.
Dine: 7:00 p.m.

*
Tickets
$70 per person with cash or check
$75 per person via PayPal
An 18% gratuity is included in the ticket price

Seating is limited, and from what we've heard from lots of little birdies, tickets will sell fast with this one!
 
*
Please contact trailofcrumbsmke@gmail.com if you would like
to purchase your tickets with cash or check. We’ll then send you information about where to send your payment.

-or-

Purchase tickets via PayPal
Send payment to trailofcrumbsmke@gmail.com

• The final location of the event will be determined 48 hours beforehand and will be sent to you via e-mail.
• The detailed menu will be kept secret until the night of the event.
• You will receive a confirmation e-mail upon purchase with further details.

The next Milwaukee Vegan Meetup will be at the Fresh Eco Cafe & Juice Bar in Mequon. I've only made it here once since Mequon is a bit of a hike for me on an average day, but it was TOTALLY worth it. It has a casual cafe atmosphere and you usually order at the counter and they bring the food to you.

Pictured to the left you can see my Italian Tofu sandwich with a side of some kind of mashed potatoes which were amazing! It has been about a year since I've been there, but what I can tell you is that they really take care in putting together delicious, flavorful healthy food. There's a copy of their catering menu online, although the restaurant does not have a full website.

Unfortunately I'm going to miss this meetup since I'll be in Key West (reports of awesome vegan vacation food to follow soon thereafter!), but I highly recommend this meetup, especially if you don't make it out to Mequon too often because this is a great chance to try something new with a bunch of awesome like-minded people! In addition, this restaurant is the site of the upcoming Raw Foods Dinner & Demo, so check out some of their raw dishes or desserts and then sign up for the dinner-demo too!

Details
When: Saturday June 2 at Noon
Where: Fresh Eco Cafe & Juice Bar
Address: 10994 N Port Washington Rd, Mequon, WI
RSVP on the Vegan Meetup site and make sure it's accurate because the restaurant will need a head-count!

Have you ever been interested in raw foods? Well, now is the chance to have a delicious vegan raw foods dinner and learn how to prepare it! Not only that, but it benefits a great cause--the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

To get an idea of what you're in for with this fantastic event, take a look at Sharon Kleigman's YouTube Demo of raw zucchini spaghetti preparation. Sharon is an RN, certified Food-for-Life Instructor and personal trainer, so you'll be in good hands as you learn more about raw foods.

Here are the details:
Date: Sunday June 24, 2012
Time: 5:00PM
Place: Fresh Healthy Eatery in Mequon
Address: 10994 N. Port Washington Road Mequon, WI 53092
Cost: $40 includes dinner, the demo, printed recipes, one raffle ticket to win an IPOD Nano, and a $25 donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
How to sign up: Get all the details and sign up from their Evite link.

If they get a good response, they hope to have more events like these in the future!

Mark your calendars--the Second Annual Heartland Farm Sanctuary Gala is coming up August 10,2012!

If you follow Vegan Milwaukee on Facebook, you probably saw photos from my visits to the Sanctuary and realized that I'm in love with that place! As an animal activist, I'm so happy that we have such a great organization nearby in the Madison area that is not only saving farm animals, but also reaching out to their community to help educate people of all ages about how special each and every one of these creatures is.

Now, let's talk about this Gala! This is a huge event held at the Madison Concourse Hotel (fancy!) that includes a formal dinner (both vegetarian and vegan options offered), live entertainment, and live/silent auctions. The vegan meal sounds fantastic--it includes "a mouth-watering mixture of rosemary polenta and grilled summer vegetables, topped with zesty basil puree."

Tickets are $60 per person or $100 for a pair. All the proceeds go directly to the Heartland Farm Sanctuary to help save more animals like Toby the calf who I'm feeding in the picture below. Tickets will be on-sale until July 24th, but make sure you get yours before they sell out!

You can buy tickets directly online or by printing out the PDF form and sending it in. Please let them know that Vegan Milwaukee referred you in the "Referred By" field.

Hope to see you there! :-)