Peace

Something horrible just happened.

After a half hour of perusing the outrageously beautiful Olives for Dinner blog, and after coming across at least three recipes that use Butler Soy Curls, I realized that I have never actually had these, nor have I ever noticed them for sale. So my first step was to Google the product, visit the Butler Foods website all happy-go-lucky, and click on the link for “Where to Buy.”

And wouldn’t you know, there is only one place in the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts where you can purchase Soy Curls. And that place is was Peace O’ Pie.

I am not really exaggerating when I say that a little part of me died when Peace O’ Pie closed a few weeks ago. And I think I’m justified in feeling that the memory of my favorite vegan eatery deserves a post of its own.

When I lived in Brighton, I visited PoP multiple times per month, despite my tight student budget. The delicious comfort food and opportunity to support an entirely vegan business was worth it. Particularly when I was studying for the bar exam, PoP was a godsend, even more so on Sundays when I would go in and just completely load up on their brunch buffet. Some examples:

Mac and cheese, french toast, tofu scramble, and a veggie-potato hash

Tempeh & broccoli mac, curry and black bean tofu scramble, roasted red and sweet potatoes, and sauteed rainbow chard (told you I would load up)

Click through for even more brunch food porn.

After moving out of the city, I was not able to go as frequently, but whenever I could I would willingly put in a couple of hours of MBTA hell to travel out to my favorite corner of Allston (recently commemorated in PPK’s Top 100 of 2012, thank you very much!) and pick up a couple of slices and a sandwich for later.

On Sundays between April and August, H and I play in a co-ed softball league, and our team’s post-game hangout spot is a bar in Allston called The Draft, which is just a block or two away from Peace O’ Pie’s former location. So during the season, while my team chowed down on chicken wings, I was able to walk down the street and pick up my own “wings” (tofu bites), some pizza, or a sandwich, then walk back and rejoin my team.

Buffalo Tofu Bites with Garlic Aioli

The Draft, being an incredibly awesome establishment, never cared that I brought my own food in, and most weekends the employees would eagerly look forward to seeing what kind of delicious vegan concoction I would show up with. The most memorable time was in Summer 2010 when I came with slices of mac n’ cheez pizza (made with mac left over from brunch, no doubt). I thought our waitress’s eyes were going to pop out of her head!

Peace O’ Pie’s closing is really a terrible loss for the vegan community in Boston and beyond. And so, now that I am super-depressed, how about I post the 8767856 pictures that I have stockpiled over the years depicting their incredibly tasty, creative, and lovingly-made food. Enjoy, and if you can, raise a glass to Peace O’ Pie, and to all of the beloved veg places in your life–don’t ever take them for granted!

Tofu Parm

Buffalo Chik’n Pie

BBQ Chik’n Pie

Cinnamon Roll (holy hell I will miss these)

Cheesy Bread (better than anything you ever got from Domino’s)

An amazing Slice of the Day with Tofu Ricotta, Kalamata Olives, and Sundried Tomatoes

Take-out box for slices

Slices of the Day. The one on the left was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted–-roasted garlic oil, Daiya mozzarella, and artichokes. Amazing.