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A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 23 OctOber 2019
New restaurants show meat-free Mexican is not a carne sin

By TERRY TANG wrongfully assuming a fa-
Associated Press ther and daughter, both
PHOENIX (AP) — "That's not Mexican, were frequent
real Mexican food," ''My patrons because the girl
grandma would slap you" was vegan.
and "sellout" are just some "(The father) said, 'I started
of comments Jose and Le- doing it for my health,' and
ticia Gamiz received when he was like, 'Nobody in my
they started their pop-up family will follow me except
vegan Mexican food busi- for my daughter,'" Gamiz
ness, Mi Vegana Madre, said. "Usually the men in the
four years ago. family are the ones that are
People saw them doing more resistant. I think there's
something new and took a misconception that you
it personally, Jose Gamiz need meat to be manly."
said. "We even had some- Adults in the U.S. have a
body write (online) in Span- 40% chance of getting
ish, 'They're probably not type 2 diabetes, but His-
even Mexican.'" panic and Latino adults
Despite the haters, the have more than a 50%
couple's meat- and dairy- chance, according to the
free endeavor has built Centers for Disease Control
a following. It's part of a and Prevention. Hispanics/
growing vegan Mexican In this Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, photo, Jose and Leticia Gamiz, owners of the Mi Vegana Madre Latinos also are at greater
food industry in the U.S. restaurant, stand inside the dining area of their vegan Mexican restaurant in Glendale, Ariz. risk of developing diabetes
that has seen Latinos take Associated Press at a younger age and get-
control of the kitchen and hot dog. a 'vegan taste' or be bland. food in Mexican and His- ting complications like kid-
plant-based Mexican cui- The sisters and their par- We wanted it to have fla- panic cultures has blos- ney failure and vision loss.
sine increasingly plant roots ents have been vegan for vors, so our spices are very somed as younger genera- The CDC says some of the
in areas with large Latino nearly five years, and it was important to making it Mex- tions became inspired by factors contributing to this
communities. Keren's dream to open a ican," Keren Aguilar said. ways they can cut animal are genetics and the cul-
Las Vegas and Austin, Tex- vegan restaurant. It just so Gustavo Arellano, a Los An- products from cooking. tural value in eating meals
as, each have at least a happened a space be- geles-based columnist and "What blew up the vegan high in fat and calories.
few eateries or food trucks came available and a author of "Taco USA: How Mexican movement was Yet for some Latinos, going
that are exclusively vegan family friend was willing to Mexican Food Conquered these pop-up vegan food sin carne can still feel like
Mexican. Across Southern be a financial partner. America," said restaurants fairs where you have not a sin. Linda Sepulveda, of
California, there are a slew While most American veg- like Earth Plant Based Cui- just Mexicans, but Central Albuquerque, New Mexi-
of options, including a veg- an restaurants offer a few sine are bringing a level of Americans," Arellano said. co, which has virtually no
an panaderia peddling tra- basic Mexican-inspired authenticity beyond the Since opening their sit- all-vegan Mexican restau-
ditional pastries. items, the Gamiz and Agui- "hippy dippy white vegan down locations, both fam- rants, would find it hard to
The vegan Mex wave now lar families are trying to stuff like tempeh, or they ily-owned restaurants have give up an omnivore's life.
seems to be sweeping Ari- capture the array of reci- get a taco and put cubes also noticed Latinos of a Her house is always stocked
zona. pes they grew up on. of soy in it." certain age sampling the with ground beef, tortillas
Mi Vegana Madre expand- "We didn't want it to have Arellano believes vegan food. Jose Gamiz recalls and salsa.
ed into a brick-and-mortar "I'm intrigued by (vegan
restaurant in the Phoenix Mexican), but I think a part
suburb of Glendale last of me knows it won't taste
year. It offers vegan takes the same," she said. "We
on carne asada, al pas- are always trying to find
tor and nachos with a ca- where we can add veg-
shew cream-based cheese gies, but there always has
sauce. Another restaurant to be a main meat and ev-
offering vegan Mexican erything else dresses it up."
and Mediterranean dishes While some may say veg-
opened in January a half- anizing is misappropriating
mile away. In September, Mexican food, the coun-
a third place opened in try's indigenous natives
Phoenix, also led by a Mexi- actually ate mostly plant-
can American family. based foods, according to
Keren Aguilar, 19, and sister Arellano. Colonizers from
Keyla Aguilar, 22, launched Spain irrevocably altered
Earth Plant Based Cuisine the food culture with intro-
in Phoenix's hipster Grand ductions of beef, lamb and
Avenue arts district. Other pork.
family members, includ- "They don't realize, if you're
ing their mother, also work real Mexicans, you're not
there. The menu includes supposed to be eating this
fish tacos, churros and soy meat in the first place be-
chorizo (Mexican sausage) cause colonizers brought it
— all made in-house. They In this Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 photo is two of the taco selections at the Earth Plant Based Cuisine over," Arellano said. "I eat
also have a plant-based restaurant in Phoenix. everything, but I'll eat veg-
BBQ sandwich, burger and Associated Press an Mex if it's good."q