Eating vegan at Scott Base started out as a real challenge. As the only strict veggie person over-wintering, it took a bit to fit in. I’ve come to understand that my diet sometimes alienates me from others, whether it be in Antarctica, at restaurants or in my parent’s house when I go home to visit. I think this is mainly because a lot of the comfort foods I grew up with, and the yummy foods that bring people together, I’ve converted into a vegan version. This can sometimes be hard for people to get their minds around. Dealing with my diet was one of my biggest worries before coming here, so much so that I even considered ditching my principles so that I could meld with the group. I’ve stuck to my guns though, or at least I think I have for the most part.
Within such a small group of people, having a different diet kind of puts you in the spotlight. Thankfully though I’m not alone with abnormal eating requirements: Andrew Velman is Jewish so doesn’t eat red meat or pork, and Lizzie Meek, one of the other conservators, has an intolerance to gluten and can’t eat regular pasta, bread and other wheat-containing foods.
Carla with her avocado maki © Antarctic Heritage Trust
When getting to know me, Chef Dan, who comes from a New Zealand family of big meat-eaters, probably thought I was a real wacko. He would make vegan food for me, using tahini and soy to make creamy sauces and the like. I would get really excited and thank him, and he would shake his head and say “it’s just not right”. But I urge him on, telling him that once he leaves here he’ll be talented and sought-after for his alternative cooking abilities. It’s cool because he is actually more foodie than me, so we chat about food all the time.
Andrew’s bee birthday cake © Antarctic Heritage Trust
A is for Andrew © Antarctic Heritage Trust
Anyone who knows me knows that I love food and cooking, am always talking about food and planning what to make next. Back in the ’real world’, I cook both vegan and gluten-free since my partner Matt is Celiac (ie allergic to wheat). We are just never really faced, in our home anyhow, with things we can’t eat. I’ve found one of the hardest things here is to see piles of cookies, cakes and muffins that I can’t eat. Drool! Luckily we can get into the kitchen to cook and bake when we like, as Lizzie and I often do, creating masterpieces of vegan and gluten-free baked goods that are all for us!
No dessert for me tonight! © Antarctic Heritage Trust
I’m trying not to think about it, but the next flight won’t arrive here until September. This means that we’ll soon run out of fresh fruit and veggies, so for now I’m trying to stuff in as many avocados as possible. On the plus side, we have a big dry food storage with an endless supply of nuts, legumes, peanut butter, artichokes etc, all of which I have access to for eating and cooking. Dan is open-minded and creative, making delicious food for all of us, mine which normally arrives on a specially labelled ‘Carla’ plate. Best of all, my friends here are very supportive, and most are not at all shy about sharing vegan food. But wait – there are no rice noodles here – what?!! All I want is Pad Thai. Four more months, four more months!
