Opinion How David Lynch inspired my veg advocacy

With the passing of one of the most unique and beloved artists of our generation earlier this year, I pay tribute to David Lynch the only way I know how – with an unapologetically lengthy love letter and a journey through Twin Peaks-themed vegan drinks.

Most people know David Lynch as a director whose work defies convention; as a well-respected auteur who fought to maintain control over his creative endeavors to remain true to his work and his vision; and as co-creator of pop culture phenomenon, Twin Peaks, a 90s show that changed the course of television forever, and the imagery of which has been referenced and parodied more times than could possibly be counted.  

But Lynch is so much more than a director. He is an artist in every sense of the word. Through painting, sculpture, drawing, animation, photography, music, sound and writing. David Lynch is art. Not in the pretentious manner of a modern artist duct taping a banana to a wall, but in his mere existence. And in the way he could tap into parts of himself and catch bits and pieces of ideas, like fish, with his disciplined, twice-daily transcendental meditation practice. This practice is at the heart of his not-for-profit, The David Lynch Foundation.  

You may notice I speak of Lynch in the present tense, despite his passing earlier this year. This is deliberate. Lynch is no mere man. He is the beauty, the horror, the unusual, the wholesome, the mundane. He is kindness and he is curiosity. A feeling, a mood, an atmosphere. Perhaps most importantly, he is a reminder of the beacon of creativity within us all. He’s a constant source of inspiration. And yes, this is a love letter.   

 

 

Across Lynch’s work is his signature style. The term ‘Lynchian’ is commonly used in the vernacular to describe anything similar to his work – ominous and dream-like. A look at a traffic light switching colours in the night, flashes of red curtains, stretches of road whizzing past lit up only by headlights, or the simple click of a finger, are all images that make his work identifiable. In Twin Peaks in particular, American diner culture plays a major part in the small town, and coffee, cherry pie, and donuts are so present, they should get their own place in the credits. They have become totems of a wholesome, innocent town that’s filled with secrets.  

 

Let’s briefly rewind back to December 2015. My partner and I had made the trip of a lifetime to Snoqualmie, Washington, to the town that we’d been dreaming of visiting for years – the real town in which Twin Peaks is set. We had missed the filming of Twin Peaks: The Return by mere weeks, but the buzz in the air still lingered.  

This spark of creativity may not have manifested in the usual means of art, music, and film that Lynch most commonly inspires, but it did stir a desire in me to combine my passion for his world and my skills for crafting decadent things. My ultimate goal with all of my decadent art? To leave people thinking ‘That can’t be vegan!’ 

So, please allow me to take you on a journey of vegan David Lynch/Twin Peaks-themed drinks. If you’ve never seen the show, stick with me here – the drinks are worth the journey and the references might just inspire you to delve into this wondrous world yourself!  

As a wise man once said, “I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.”

David Lynch Coffee & the Gordon Cole 

That’s right – David Lynch, the man of many talents, is also a great lover of coffee. As mentioned previously, coffee features so heavily in his work that it may as well be credited as a starring role. So when he released his own coffee brand back in 2011, it all made perfect sense. On each pack, a promise was made: ‘Ideas in every bag’. (Why, of course!) 

This coffee was available throughout the US but in Australia, it was only sold for a short time – in art galleries, naturally. That was until I imported it in wholesale and retail bags. Boy oh boy, were Melburnians lucky to get to drink this cup of inspiration for their daily brew! And even better – take it home to enjoy. (Or in my case, display as part of an ever-growing Lynchian collection.)  

 

For me, it’s the flavor. It should have no bitterness, and it should be smooth and rich in flavor. I like to drink espresso with milk, like a latte or a cappuccino, but the espresso should have a golden foam. It can be so beautiful… 

David Lynch
 

The Gordon Cole was a simple idea. It was the first drink off the ranks in the lead up to that magnificent date when the world (yep, the whole world) got what it wanted after 25 years – a return to Twin Peaks. This was a chance to enjoy the David Lynch special signature blend for the first time in Australia, however you wanted it.  

Fire Walk With Me 

“Wanna play with fire, little boy?” I sure did! I wanted to honour those moments Leland experienced as a child with Bob, and of course, the prequel film of the same name released in 1992. Now, I was keen to make this one experimental, but how do you make coffee work with fire? I’ll tell you what you don’t do – you don’t mix it with liquid smoke! If I can impart one piece of advice, it is that. It’s not fit for consumption. What is, however, is a rich mocha with hints of cayenne pepper… Delicious! 

Cherry Pie Frappe 

It had to be done. This drink was pure magic and so true to the diner vision. A creamy frappe made with ice cream, pie crust, and homemade spiced cherry syrup. It came topped with whipped cream, pie crumble, and of course, a cherry on top.  It was literally a cherry pie in slurpable form. Perfect for those who can’t be bothered to chew their desserts but still want to experience the Double RR’s finest! 

There’s a fish in the percolator! 

This one’s pretty easy to make at home: Literally any coffee your heart desires, but with a shortbread fish cookie for dipping. Because no one needs to drink coffee from a percolator that an actual fish has been sitting in.

You can find a killer recipe for vegan shortbread here, minus the icing. Though given this is an Easter-themed recipe, it would be a crime not to make at least a few giant chocolate bunnies. You know… to keep as evidence.  

Nadine’s Smackdown

When Nadine woke from her coma and became the Twin Peaks High wrestling champ, I don’t think there was a viewer on the planet who can claim they saw that coming! To celebrate this momentous occasion through the medium of vegan drinks, I knew this thing had to pack a punch.  

Served in a glass with ice, pour over two shots of your finest espresso, swill to cool, and top up with smoked cola. If you don’t have access to a good ol’ smoked cola, you can use a cola of your choice and it’s sure to give the same effect – superhuman strength! I promise, you’ll have boundless energy for at least four hours, and you’ll likely have started a relationship with a local jock named Mike before the effects wear off.  

Garmonbozia 

Garmonbozia, or ‘pain and sorrow’ for those not in the know, is represented throughout the series in the form of – wait for it – creamed corn. You bet your bottom dollar this one had me stumped! I mean, soup could work, sure, but creamed corn in a tasty drink? Lynch himself can make almost anything happen, but Lynch I am not! I didn’t want people to feel actual pain and sorrow as it slid down their gullet. After a lot of thought and a little testing, I decided a choc caramel shake topped with caramel-coated popcorn was the better way to honour this motif on our menu. (I was right!)  

The Salty Tears of James Hurley 

James, aaah, James. Has he always been cool?! That’s a question for the ages. One thing’s for sure – he’s undeniably Twin Peaks’ biggest sook! To capture his schoolboy angst, his teenage vulnerability, his delicate world of softness and romance (which is perfectly juxtaposed by the vision of a leather clad biker speeding out of town), we absolutely needed to be able to taste his salty tears running down the back of our throats. The same way we need to feel the emotion in his voice as he sings ‘Just You’ with two different girls he’s romantically involved with (one, the identical but brunette cousin of his murdered girlfriend; the other, his murdered girlfriend’s best friend… Not cool, James!). 

I digress. As it turns out, James Hurley’s Salty Tears taste delicious! An icy chocolate shake with a drizzle of sweet caramel sauce and salty pretzels blended throughout. It contains a saltiness so perfectly balanced you’d wonder if I actually purchased his tears off eBay for this very drink, and enough sweet and cool to make you want to just get on your bike and go. At least to a mountain top for a picnic.  

Cool fact: This recipe (and The Laura Palmer) features in the book, Smith & Deli-cious: food from our deli (that happens to be vegan), available at all good book stores. 

Cotton Balls!

I’m sorry, but you don’t invent the world’s first silent drape runner without having it appropriately commemorated in liquid form!  

Cotton Balls is a simple drink, however not an easily accessible one to create in the vegan world. For lovers of white chocolate, I managed to track down a beautifully sweet, creamy, and perfectly melty vegan white chocolate to make just a simple white-choc variation of a classic hot chocolate. Simply serve with some sweet fluffy marshmallow cotton balls for dunking… or gluing to your drape runners for a perfectly silent experience. Hey, I don’t judge. You do you.  

 

Black Lodge, White Lodge

With a non-dairy white hot chocolate mastered, all you need to do to create another masterpiece is throw in some coffee! Black coffee, white chocolate, and topped with creamy hot milk, this velvety white mocha is perfection. Aside from tasting every bit as amazing as I’d hoped, it allowed me to spend far too much time organizing these white choc chips and coffee beans into this iconic logo.  

The Laura Palmer 

As any fan knows, “Laura is the one”. So what better way to see this list out than where it began? The classic Arnold Palmer is a refreshing beverage that’s been around for yonks, with its invention being attributed to the famous US golfer. The Laura Palmer has been around for far less time but is just as (if not more) worthy of fame. A twist on the classic  – half iced tea and half fresh, tangy lemonade –  the Laura Palmer adds a spiced cherry syrup with notes of star anise, nutmeg and cardamom to the mix. It’s refreshing, aromatic, and it’s a taste of the wholesome Pacific Northwest.  

But wait! Surely there’s more to this vegan foodie fever dream you can share with us! 

And that’s not even the end of this quirky fusion of passions! The vegan lifestyle collides with not just Twin Peaks, but all things Lynch, in a handful of inspiring establishments across the world.    

In Sydney, you can visit Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, which currently features a number of vegan pizzas on the menu to be enjoyed in their Black Lodge-themed interior. This Borderland in Melbourne’s north often serves up vegan cherry pie, so you can live your Double RR Diner fantasy.  

While they may be less accessible to reach in person, you can also satisfy your Lynch-fix through the Instagram pages of:  

🍒 Twede’s Diner in Snoqualmie, Washington (the real location for the Double RR Diner, which serves lots of vegan dishes nowadays)

🍒 MUF Vegan Bakery in Mexico City who has made the most amazing Lady in the Radiator cake

🍒 New Moon Vegan Bakery in Illinois, who churn out blue rose cupcakes

🍒 Club Silencio in Paris, an exclusive club designed by Lynch himself!  

Or, feel free to take a peek at my David Lynch-inspired Vegan Instagram account, where I try to bring them all together in one satisfying collection of inspiration.  

Aren’t you forgetting something…? 

I’m glad you asked, because I was really struggling for a segue here! 

Throughout his life, David Lynch never stopped creating. The medium for his art may have changed many times, but dreams, inspiration, and ideas never stopped pouring out of him. Even the seemingly mundane act of making a quinoa-based dinner became a work of art and a somewhat bizarre lesson in storytelling.  

Yet amid the endless interpretations his art invites, there is one scene that has evoked a remarkable reaction across audiences: the iconic chicken dinner scene in Eraserhead (1977), which viewers often report having changed how they viewed animals in the food system. Lynch is beloved, and at times, has been reviled, for showing the reality of the world’s darkness on the screen. And while he himself never led a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, he demonstrated courage in showing the animals on our plates through the lens of the horror that it plainly is. What better way to encourage people to question their choices than by simply holding up a mirror? That is, after all, the David Lynch way – shining a light on what darkness bubbles under the surface of otherwise seemingly mundane or wholesome behaviours.

If you’ve ever been inspired by the great man in any way, but especially when it comes to veg and food advocacy, reach out over on Instagram. I’d love to see what wild and weird dishes Lynch has you cooking up.