Vee-gan or veg-an. It’s veg-itable and veg-itarian. But without the “i” it becomes vee-gan with a hard “g”.

No matter how it’s pronounced though the meaning is clear: no animal products of any kind in the diet. I’ve read where some folks won’t even eat honey.

Along with the vegan diet often comes the vegan attitude. The curled lip at meat eaters. The querulous tone, “What’s in this?” The lofty sense of righteousness.

The American diet is tough on a vegan. There’s cheese in everything. And butter and eggs lurk in every recipe.

I know. I was a vegan for a while. But then I took the Dali Lama’s caution to heart (this is my paraphrase): If you are served food in love, accept in love.