Pogo Café

http://www.pogocafe.co.uk/

A great big vegan fry up

Sunday Brunch at Pogo

I’ve been to Pogo a few times now, one of the most recent visits on an invitation by a friend to try the Sunday Brunch. Given the choice between the healthy option and a huge (and I mean absolutely stacked) plate of fried breakfastness, well, it was an obviously choice. ‘Sides, It took me more than two hours to get there! I earned it! The plate included vegan sausages and facon, mushrooms, tofu scramble (one of the best I’ve had), fried potatoes as well as a hash brown, beans, and tomato.

All in all, it was a trip well worth my time. I just wish we had somewhere in Crawley where I could roll out of bed and pop to a local café for a fry up.

Dessert

Knickerbocker Glory Sundae at Pogo Café

From another visit to Pogo, but worth a mention anyway, this Sundae is a heavenly (and dairy free) interpretation of the British classic. Swedish Glace ice cream packed into a tall ice cream glass, layered with fruits sauces and nuts, this alone makes Pogo worth a visit.

Final Thoughts

Okay, so Hackey may be a pain in a typical Londoner’s arse (those not in the East of the city, at least) to get to, but make the effort. The café has all sorts of evening events too, so keep an eye out for something that interests you and enjoy an evening at one of East London’s best vegan eateries.

Terre a Terre (Great Growers Menu)

http://www.terreaterre.co.uk/

Starter

Pulborough’s Asparagus Army at Terre a Terre

I was excited for this because after trying samphire for the first time ever this year, I was looking forward to some more. Unfortunately my plate came with only a mere sprinkling of this marshy vegetable, but my friend had plenty so graciously shared. I should have complained, really, but I was so taken aback by the soup that I sort of forgot about the rest of the dish. Creamy, perfectly salted, and delicious, this soup makes broad beans even more heavenly than they already are.

Broad bean lemon thyme espresso with samphire, linseed flowery leaf relish and fried asparagus soldiers.

Main

Lettuce and Lovage at Terre a Terre

This was so good I licked the plate. Well, almost, but my lunch buddy did say something along the lines of “I wondered how long it’d be before you did something ridiculous.” Okay, so table etiquette may not be my forté, but I know a good meal when I have one, and this was sublime.

British pea and parsley pikelets with St Germain sauce, a warm salad of seared lettuce, shallots and baby potatoes, finished with lovage salt and mint oil.

Dessert

Raspberry Rumble at Terre a Terre

I’d heard good reviews of this pudding, and they were certainly accurate at the very least. This. Dessert. Was. Outstanding. I don’t care who you are and where you live, get your arse on a plane/in a car/on a train/in the hold of a boat, and come eat this. Now.

Raspberry frangipane tartine served with raspberry sorbet.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve never had a meal at Terre a Terre, for whatever reason, set aside a few quid from your next pay day and treat yourself. It remains one of my favourite restaurants for a number of reasons. While their vegan options may be limited, the menu changes often enough and there’s always something to entice my appetite.

Manna Vegetarian

http://www.mannav.com/

Starters

Crispy marinated tofu (top right) and Manna mezze platter, including, from left to right: spring rolls, smoky tofu & potato roulade, and living pad thai.

For starters we ordered the Manna Mezze platter, which offered a choice of 3 appetisers on one plate. The Living Pad Thai was one of my favourites, and not just because it was everyone else’s least favourite (hence I pretty much got to eat it all). It’s a tangy raw salad with mild chili undertone with a great balance of flavours. I’d order it again.

raw carrots, courgettes, red cabbage, chinese leaves, mung bean sprouts, basil, mint and cashews in a white almond chilli sauce.

A good complement to the pad thai, the similar ingredients are well suited to these Vietnamese style spring rolls. Plus I got all the sweet chili sauce all to myself. Bring it on!

rice paper wrap, julienned carrots, red pepper, mange tout, shitake mushrooms, chinese leaves, thai basil & mint with a peanut sesame dip & chilli sauce.

I think it’s safe to say the smoky tofu & potato roulade was everyone’s favourite. Smooth, smoky, and delicious, if you’ve got to chose only one starter then this should be it.

a light potato roll with an oyster mushroom & herbed tofu filling.

“It smells like deep fry!” was one friend’s comment as soon as the crispy tofu hit the table. Naturally that’s probably in the top 5 of her compliment repetoire, so I’m pretty sure it was a hit. I tried a small piece and what can I say? You can’t knock the effects of hot oil.

Mains

Organic Spaghetti & Meatfree Balls at Manna

Two friends ordered the Organic Spaghetti & Meatfree Balls, a dish which Manna’s evidently fairly well known for in the veg community. I stole a taste of the sauce when no one was looking (okay she was looking, but I think she was finished) and it was pretty tasty. No complaints from their end, anyway!

Basil & Cashew Pesto Tortiglioni from Manna

A plate of the organic pasta of the day also landed on our table, and as it was next to me the sampling was less tricky. When I go out to eat, I generally avoid pasta dishes as I want to order something that wouldn’t be so easy to make at home. That doesn’t mean I don’t drool over them because, let’s face it, pasta is pretty much one of the most gnarly (goal of the night: use gnarly more often) things ever, and the pesto sauce here was pretty damned good.

green bean, cherry tomato, courgette tortiglioni with a basil & cashew pesto.

Pea & potato smokey bean curd chimichanga at Manna

And my main, the chef’s special, which just happened to tickle my fancy (I’d just picked up a load of  goodies from the Taqueria, so Latin American food was on the brain). The avocado was a bit less than ripe, but it’s also ridiculously hard to find a good one in this country. Otherwise the dish was delicious, and the black bean and mango salsa was perfect. I’m also always happy when I eat out and the rice I’m served is minimal (far too often restaurants go the cheap route and serve more rice than anything, presumably as a filler). The chimichanga filling was thick and smooth, a creamy smokey portion of vegetables and tofu that would fill anyone’s belly substantially. If you like Latin food but no spice, this is perfect.

pea potato smokey bean curd chimichanga with lime basmati rice, red pepper chipotle sauce, mango black bean salsa, and guacamole.

Desserts

manna fruit crumble

Manna banoffe trifle

Clearly we went all out with the puddings, and the petit fours were a “trweat,” a complimentary extra from following Manna on Twitter. The banofee trifle and the chocolate mousse were the winners of the day in my opinion, so when you’re next there and staring that desert menu down, here’s a tip: just go ahead and order them both. The mousse is the best I’ve had; vegan chocolate mousse is both easy to make and make taste good, but this was simply divine. And the trifle, it was massive, and amazing, and gone before I could reach my spoon back into my friend’s quickly empty dish.

chocolate & green tea mousse

chocolate brownie and ice cream

manna petits fours

The other puddings were good as well (though I wasn’t expecting biscuits when the petit fours were announced). So sweetly, the kitchen added a happy birthday message to the plate of my friend’s crumble, a really nice touch. One thing I do wish, however, is that vegan restaurants would consider something more than Swedish Glace for ice cream. I know the commercial options are limited, but there must be an ice cream shop or gelateria out there who’d be up for the job?

Final Thoughts

Manna is a lovely restaurant in a choice location, complete with good food and more than amiable staff (something with which more British establishments could do). It’s not cheap, but then again I don’t think food should be. I’m of the opinion that a meal out should be a treat, and that’s precisely what you’ll get when (not if) you visit Manna. We’ll definitely be returning.

Darbster

http://darbster.com

So we, the “we” being the dude I married and I, just returned from a holiday to Florida. “Florida?!” you say? Yes, Florida. Not my ideal destination as my idea of fun isn’t spending $80 to wait in epic queues with pushy folk and their greedy offspring, but here’s the thing: Florida has some cool stuff. Science stuff. Space stuff.

I got to go to India for my 30th and this was Paul’s birthday trip. See, he got to see the first moon landings on telly; this made it just a little bit of a big deal to actually visit Kennedy. Plus we got to see a shuttle launch, to boot!

But all that’s just me gushing and being all “woo science” and all. What you want is to hear about a cool vegan restaurant, yes? Allow me to introduce Darbster.

Starter

Trees Wings

There’s no denying these are nothing more than Gardein buffalo wings, but I’m thankful we ordered them because it introduced us to yet another gorgeous Gardein product.

Buffalo style wings with ranch and celery.

Mains

Darbster Enchiladas

Paul’s dinner choice, the enchilada dish rated high in his books. Not spicy and with an authentic Southwest flavour, this is the sort of food Britain is missing from its menus. Served with rice and beans, this was an excellent and wholly acceptable meal!

Authentic cheez & onion with beans and rice.

Chille Relleno at Darbster

While I enjoyed my choice of entrée, despite it being served on the cool side, I must admit it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Before ordering I’d been advised it wasn’t very spicy, but the correct answer would have been “not at all,” since it was in fact a bell pepper rather than the traditional poblano. This didn’t stop me from stuffing the whole thing into my face though, and boy would I like Darbster’s batter recipe. I ordered the chille releno with a side of mac and cheese and coleslaw, both of which were very nice.

Fried, stuffed with veggies and cheeze served with sauce.

Final Thoughts

By the time we found Darbster we hadn’t really consumed a proper meal in a few days, so believe me when I say this restaurant put the greatest smile on this vegan’s face. Should I find myself in the area ever again, I will most certainly return. The mac and cheese side absolutely made my day.

222 Veggie Vegan

http://www.222veggievegan.com

This restaurant works extremely well with its allocated space, a small dining area and kitchen, but don’t be surprised with some repeats on the menu as a result. My partner once had a mushroom soup which was gorgeous, but was effectively the same sauce that came with his main (the stroganoff). Luckily, lover of mushrooms that he is, this wasn’t a problem.

Anyhow there are greater issues at stake, bigger soyfish to fry, like the fact that their avocado pomodoro starter is to die for and if you don’t try it immediately you will likely die.

Starter

Avocado Pomodoro at 222 Veggie Vegan

If for nothing else, this appetiser makes the trip worth it. Baked avocado is a real treat, and this creamy lovefest of joy on my plate definitely got my droolers going.

Sliced avocado with tomato sauce and vegan cream, straight from the oven. An ideal way to sharpen your taste buds before the main course.

Main

Broccolini Di Parma at 222 Veggie Vegan

Nothing extraordinary, but still highly palatable and definitely delicious, I’ve ordered this twice. It’s cute, fun, and very filling, and I’d definitely recommend anyone try it.

Fresh pancakes stuffed with tofu cottage cheese, broccoli, and pimento sauce, re-baked drawing out the fine flavour. Served with sautéed baby potatoes.

Dessert

222 Pancake at 222 Veggie Vegan

Remember what I said about the avocado starter? Scratch that because this is where it’s really at. The sauces are like a creamy pudding both in flavour and texture, something I’ve missed for years as a veggie. Go and get it. Now.

Vanilla ice cream wrapped in a wholemeal pancake, topped with warm vanilla and chocolate sauce.

Final Thoughts

I’d definitely return to 222 and would recommend anyone try it. While it’s not my favourite vegan restaurant, nor the best at which I’ve eaten, it’s a lovely spot with nice staff and good food.

A blessing in disguise or a fierce curse?

Just where does such a severe disruption in air travel leave us with regard to our imported goodies, and could it be a good thing to encourage us to eat local? It’s been nearly a week since flights were cancelled in much of Northern Europe’s air space, and it’s easy to see how our food imports are ready to be hard hit, but how does it affect the actual chain?

Farmers in producing countries are left with epic quantities of waste, food which can’t make money sitting still. Hence events such as this threaten the livelihoods of both farmers and their employed staff. They are directed impacted by our economy, which, combined with the many other puzzle pieces of these events, bring home a valid and terrifying point: food security as we understand it today rides a very fine line.

Before over-reacting, try something new

And, to think, our worry is whether or not we can ensure we’re able to consume our packaged pineapple chunks. So what if you’re left facing an empty shelf when you seek your weekly asparagus purchase? No one starved when snow kept deliveries away for a week and no one is going to starve as a result of Eyjafjallajökull. Think of it as a chance to try something new off the shelves, enjoy a new recipe!

I think I’ll wait another few weeks before I begin to worry too much.

Let’s just be grateful the British asparagus season is right around the corner. And Jersey Royals. And strawberries. I’m drooling.

Anyhow, below is a quick run down of my main uses for the prolific soya bean, complete with numbered pictures (hey, I love pictures).

1. Firm tofu coagulated with nigari and gypsum

Nigari coagulated tofu has by far the best flavour, but gypsum bulks it up a bit, so I tend to use a combination of the two in the process. I use a homemade tofu press crafted by my father, draining and lightly pressing the curd for up to an hour before removing the block, wrapping it in a tea towel, and popping it in the fridge.

If I want a more firm tofu, I press it further using the usual techniques. I use fresh tofu fairly quickly, so I tend to skip the step of storing it in water in a closed container (but I will store it this way if it’s going to be around for a few days).

2. Silken tofu coagulated with nigari

This is tofu which hasn’t been pressed, and the nigari imparts a lovely sweet taste which makes it ideal for simple pudding dishes and in light soups.

3. Soy milk

I make my soy milk with approximately 1.5 litres (6 cups) of water per 190g (1 cup) of soy beans (dried weight), or a water to bean ratio of 6:1. This makes a very thick and creamy soy milk which yields more tofu with less liquid (for those who use a soyquick machine, that’s two lots of bean per one lot of water).

4. Dried soy beans

This is the base product, dried and waiting to be transformed into soy milk. Pre-soaked they’re quite small, but increase in size by about a third or half when soaked overnight. Once soaked, they are ground with water and strained. What comes out of the stainer is soy milk.

5. Fresh okara

What’s left behind in the straining process is okara, or soy pulp, a highly nutritious source of fibre which can be used in a whole range of dishes. If you look closely, you’ll see some whole soy beans in there, to give an idea of what they look like once soaked.

6. Dried okara

And finally I’m often left with heaping quantities of okara, hence I dry it in the oven so it keeps. It can be reconstituted later and/or added to baked goods.

Please note Defensive Omnivore Bingo is originally by Brian VanderVeen, and he should be given credit where credit’s due!

1. The classic: “but where do you get your protein?”

A classic joke to start (is my sense of humour bad or is my sense of humour bad?): How many vegetarians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? I don’t know, but where do you get your protein?

Seriously? This one always amazes me, not because people are curious, but because they don’t seem to gear the grey matter up before the question departs their mouthbits.  Who taught you meat is the only source of protein? Some of the best sources of protein in the world are vegan, and they don’t contain the nasty saturated fat quantities associated with what people tend to consider one of the best sources of protein: red meat.

In fact many people actually get too much protein. I’m gobsmacked that someone who eats a fry up for breakfast (eggs + bacon + sausage), a burger for lunch, and a steak for dinner, has the nerve to say anything to me about my protein intake (a frequently encountered vision I witness on family visits to the states). Slow down, buddy, because Atkins generally forgot to mention all that fat in fact leads to heart disease. So, in short, meat is not your only protein source, period.

2. But cows need to be milked…

You’re right. An engorged breast isn’t a nice thing, so it’s a good thing those little baby cows are there to ease the mother’s burden.

Oh, wait.

Have you ever seen a cow nursing her young in a natural environment? The udders are nowhere near as bloated. The fact is, we force pregnancy upon the females and then take her young so we can drink her breast milk (what happens to the calves is a whole different story of course).  Cows do need to be milked, and it’s the process of breast feeding her young which is the answer.

3. Some sort of passive aggressive statement implying how vegans are such a nuissance and do nothing but argue their cause.

I do recall my 14 year old vegetarian self so I know this can be the case, but here’s the thing: most veg*ns don’t bring it up unless they have to.

In fact I’d go as far as saying most such conversations arise from a passing statement by the veggie which is then blown into a big bang style issue by the resident omnivore. I make a real effort to not boast about my ethical choices outside of my own home, but I can’t tell you the number of snarky comments and accusations I’ve encountered from people the second they find what what I don’t eat.

Who’s being the passive aggressive nuissance?

4. But what do you eat?!

I’ll admit that when I became vegetarian at the age of 12, my diet was ridiculous. But let’s think about this a step deeper: was my diet really any healthier before that change? If you want to argue this question in health terms, I think it’s fair to say if you don’t eat healthy as an omnivore it’s not surprising if you follow poor eating habits as a veggie too.

If you want to argue this question on flavour and variety, that’s a different story. It goes without saying that when you remove an item from an array of others then you have fewer options. Technically.

If you do question what we eat, however, please consider how often do you evaluate your own food choices. A lot of people don’t believe me when I say I can go a couple of months without repeating a meal. The reason I do this is because I choose to see doors opening in the face of change; most vegans I know eat a greater variety of foods and are more open to trying new dishes than anyone I’ve met who genuinely can’t fathom what I eat.

So if you’re really asking this question then I’d like to set you a challenge to cook a new meal once a week, and a vegan one to boot. It doesn’t have to be fancy, nor does it have to be epic in preparation. Broaden your horizons. I promise it won’t hurt much.

5. So that’s why you’re so skinny

Dude, don’t say this out loud. Think it and look up the possibilities because they’re there, but don’t say it out loud. Just think about it.

If you do, be prepared for, well, stuff. Real insert foot in mouth moments are a possibility. Right at that moment an overweight vegan partner will step out from behind the wall you hadn’t noticed was there until now. Or you will die a death of too much vegan cake because said vegan will need to prove to you that vegan junk food is beyond possible (I can’t tell you how many vegans I know who gained weight after ditching dairy, and they put it all down to learning to bake).

To the thin veggies this sort of statement can often come across as a cloaked “huh, no wonder you’re so waifish and pale” and to those who are dealing with weight issues it’s downright insulting. Don’t get me started on that PETA ad, either (and yes, I’m one of those vegans who doesn’t like PETA much).

Each Christmas Eve we partake in a family gathering at Mr MessyCook’s parents’ house, a meat-saturated event. To be honest my mother-in-law is very good about making sure I have absolutely tonnes to eat, and one year she even used soya mince in the main chili pot. Everyone ate it without complaint; the whining came only afterward when she announced it was veggie. Get your eyes rolling.

At any rate this is my first vegan Christmas and the MiL who’s spent the past eight years learning how to cater to a vegetarian is now left with most of those recipes unavailable to me, her daughter-in-law.  Consequently I’ve volunteered to bring my own food (plus I’m bringing a vegan friend along for the ride) and my partner’s kindly requested lasagna. My cashew-based smoky spinach lasagne has gone down well in the past and, besides, who doesn’t like lasagna?

If you’ve never tried a vegan lasagna, give it a try. It’s a much healthier alternative and, despite it sounding like a difficult task to achieve if you’re used to a dairy-filled diet, it’s well worth giving it a go. And I don’t care what anyone says about lasagna being hard to make. It’s not. Here’s a selection of vegan lasagne recipes from around the interwebs, some which I’ve made and others over which I’m still drooling prior to trying.

Spinach is king (plus other greens and veggies)

• Mushroom, Sausage and Spinach Lasagna
• Lasagne Love Potion
• Fat Free Vegan’s favourite lasagna recipe (spinach and mushroom)
• Presto Manifesto Pesto Lasagna
• Method’s Vegan Lasagna

Bean based lasagna recipes

• Lentil Lasagne (lots of yummy veggies in here)
• Dairy Free Chickpea Lasagne (uses chickpeas/garbanzo beans as a ricotta substitute)
• Lasagna Deliciousa

Mexican inspired alternative lasagnas

• Mexican Lasagna (or Enchilada Casserole)
• Fiesta Lasagna

Tips on veganising lasagna

• Creamy vegan sauces abound, and many of them make a great replacement for traditional cheese in lasagna.
• Try replacing mince (ground beef) with vegan mince or TVP, mushrooms, and/or other chopped vegetables.
• Some crumbled tofu adds to a good consistency, too!
• Instead of using butter to pre-cook any ingredients, use olive oil or a good vegan margarine spread.

Sesame Port Cookies

Isa and Terry have done it again. Made my life complete, I mean. If you’ve never bought one of their vegan cookbooks, it’s never too late to try, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. For anyone new to veganism, considering the lifestyle, or who simply wants junk food with less of the saturated junk inside, look no further than Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar (shelf sister to Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World).

The only problem I have with this book is that I’m so busy in the kitchen that I’m not getting any actual work done.

Luckily, the company answered my request in a way to give me hope.

We’re glad to hear you’ve discovered Daiya and are enjoying it while in the U.S.  We are in talks with several groups who are interested in supplying the European market so please keep an eye on our website over the coming year for updates.

Great, right?

In other news, my childhood home was the land of crazier. The kitchen was gutted and being refitted and all available cooking facilities had been relocated to the garage (read: mostly ineffective electric hob, microwave, and toaster oven). The bathtub became the kitchen sink and any available surface the counter space.

It’s nice to be home (but I can’t wait to see and use their finished kitchen).

Averaging about $15 for a main, $9-10 for a starter, and $6-7 for a dessert, the cost to me is not astronomical (even without converting it back to pounds). I’m quite happy to pay for skill and quality in both ingredients and kitchen hand.

And the food? Very, very good.

Grilled Vegetable Terrine

Truffled Polenta

Bacon Cheddar Burger

At any rate, my mother paid for dinner. Thanks, Mom!

The veggie offender here generally comes in the form of the fining agent, but can sometimes be directly related to the ingredient list (e.g campari is made with cochineal. See above).  It’s also possible that anti foaming agents used in alcohols may be un-veggie.

Non vegan fining agents include things like isinglass (from the swim bladders of fish), gelatin (extracted from the collagin of animal skin and bones… mmm cow hoof!),  casein (from milk), egg (whites or albumen), ox blood (rarely used these days), bone charcoal, or chitin (from lobster and/or crab shells). Alcohols, in order from least to most likely to be vegan friendly, are as follows: beer and fortified wines, cider, wine and sherry, and spirits. Beers and ales which have been cask conditioned are incredibly rarely vegan, let alone vegetarian, and the same goes for fortified port wines.

The question that follows is why these agents are used in the first place. The description that follows is vague and not at all detailed, provided as nothing more than a basic explanation. Essentially, when you produce alcohol (especially yeasty dark ales) you are left with of sediment which floats suspended in the brew. The fining agent helps to capture the sediment and pull it to the bottom, therefore improving the clarity. The sediment will settle naturally, but fining agents simply speed up the process.

A few tips:

• Legal purity law requirements mean alcohol produced in Germany and Belgium are vegan.
• Most US produced beers are vegan too.
• Actually, there are loads and loads of veg-friendly alcohols and an excellent resource for this information is available from Barnivore.
• If you’re in the UK, stores like Co op are very good about marking vegan products, including alcohol. Sainsbury’s too.

Cochineal (E120 or red #4), also labeled as carmine, carminic acid, is a red dye derived from the cochineal beetle. I’ve seen it in everything from candy sprinkles (hundreds and thousands) to savoury pre-packaged meal options. It’s a common ingredient, but other options are available. Products which use this may include, but aren’t limited to:

• Candies and sweets
• Commercial juices (e.g. Tropicana) and fruit bases (e.g. strawberry yoghurt, McDonalds’ strawberry shakes)
• Makeup (how do you think they got those lips so red)
• Lots of junk food (and I don’t just mean sweet stuff)

As a side, another vegan offender is shellac, which comes from the secretion of the lac insect (a relative of  the cochineal beetle). This is generally considered to be a vegetarian product as the secretion is a by-product. Common uses include, but are not limited to:

• Coating fruit in your local supermarket
• Varnish and polishes
• Lip salves
• Glazing agents for confectionary goods

Is Sugar vegan?

Sugar itself comes from a plant source, but the refining process for cane sugar may involve the use of animal bone char as whitening and purification filters.

There are two type of sugar, beet and cane, the former always being vegan and the latter about half of the time. Thus the ever-popular and common US based shelf brand, Domino, is not vegan.

Beet sugar = vegan

Cane sugar = sometimes vegan, sometimes not

This is always a tricky one because so many foods off the shelf contains sugar, and most vegans I know will go out of their way to purchase vegan sugar but realise the futility of double checking the source of all products containing this ingredient. Still, it’s nice to support a company which doesn’t use bone char if you can.

Soup’s On (and a salad too)

Who doesn’t love a winter warmer on a cool day, even if it’s technically autumn (“autumn warmer” just doesn’t have the same ring, sorry)? Soup is a year-round favourite of mine, a meal in itself which encourages any amateur cook to improvise with what’s currently in season. And in case you didn’t know, pumpkins are all the rage right now.

Speaking of warmth, a bit of chili is always welcome in that department and Eat.Run.Do Yoga combines that with our beloved pumpkin in this recipe for Thai pumpkin soup. Pumpkin milk and pumpkin and/or squash are complementary, so I can only imagine this being a delicious fall treat! And shallots are in season, to boot!

Add an extra ‘l’ to chili and we’re left with a recipe offered by Method, where Ashley’s provided an easy guideline for pumpkin chilli. So now I face a dilemma: do I make chilli with pumpkin or this Rustic Tomato Pumpkin Bisque first? I’m a real sucker for a good tomato soup… but then again chilli’s an old school favourite. Life is hard.

If soup isn’t your cup of tea (people have insisted on calling stranger things ‘tea’) but you still crave smooth and liquidy goodness, then try this pumpkin pie smoothie on for size. I say that literally because I often chose, being the fashion expert that I am, to share that which is going into my mouth with any clothing I might be wearing at the time.

Oh, pssst, you should always eat salad with soup. Why? Because then you have an excuse to try this scrumptious autumn salad which uses pumpkin seeds and butternut squash. If you don’t have any butternut squash on hand, sub with pumpkin and you’ll be all set to go!

Spooktacular Sugar Coma

These Pumpkiningeradamia cupcakes are not only fun to pronounce (or try to pronounce); they sound good too! At any rate, how could anything involving candied ginger be bad? I’m also quite drawn to this tofu ricotta pumpkin cheesecake, a veganised version of a ricotta based dish. I love the idea of using light miso in a dessert! Q: why didn’t I think of that? A: because someone’s who’s a little more clever beat you to the punch. BOOYAH.

Janet, a 40-year vegetarian turned long term vegan, provides a recipe for delicious looking pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon and pumpkin marry so well, and who doesn’t love the gooey sweetness that’s a cinnamon bun?

Halloween Treats

Zombie Eyeball Crispies (photo by Janet Hudson)

Zombie Eyeball Crispies. I haven’t had a rice krispy styled treat in many, many years, but as soon as I get my hands on some vegan marshmallows I’m going to have a go!

Rolled Sugar Cookie Eyeballs. Allyson, of Manifest Vegan, never ceases to impress with her high contrast photographs. The thing is, I suspect everything’s just as good as the photos imply, these totally cute cookies included.

Homemade Candy Corn: an old favourite, only veganised!

Pumpkin Pie Infused Vodka. The verdict is still out on this one, but what a concept! I’m excited to hear about how the end result tastes.

So there.

It’s all fair and good to check the air miles on your organic roma tomatoes, but the animal industry is probably the worst food-related offender of the environment and the standards we all claim to want upheld. If you’re veggie for the environment, these shirts are for you!

Love the Planet Go Veg Shirts

Love the Planet Go Vegan T-Shirt

Healthy and Kind T-Shirt

Please keep in mind I haven’t personally tried all of these recipes, but they’re on my immediate to-do list (meaning ingredients will be purchase on my next shopping trip).

Singled Out

Ah.Mah.Gahd! Are these cupcakes fer realz?! These cardamom chocolate cupcakes with chocolate dipped pear have totally caught my eye, and I would like them to insert themselves into my belly right this instant. Seriously, lady, you’re my hero. These are gorgeous and they look like an explosion of delicious. If you are ever in South East England, I beg of you to come bake cupcakes for me.

Cardamom Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Dipped Pear (photo by Janet Hudson)

Vegan Pasta Roundup

Who doesn’t love pasta? The whole world’s a fan, or so far as I can tell anyway, and there’s just no need to use dairy when there are hip and hot dishes like these.

• Vegan Manicotti: not too tricky but very impressive. I’ve been craving this since I first saw it, and I can’t wait to get some of that vegan goodness in me tum!
• Broccoli Miso Pasta Sauce: perfect if you’re craving some greens with your carbohydrates.
• Daiya Macaroni Cheese: one of many delicious looking vegan macaroni cheese variations on a theme available on the ol’ interwebs (gah, I am dying to try Daiya cheese. Just dying).

Snacks and Sweets

• Lavender Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: not new, but seriously yumtastic. I’m secretly (as secret as public blog posts go) happy my husband doesn’t like lavender because it means the whole tub (what’s left of it) in the freezer is mine.
• Peach-Strawberry Dessert Soup with Vanilla Tapioca Sauce: does this not look like heaven? My husband also hates tapioca, so I’m sensing another selfish dessert endeavour.
• Maple Glazed Cranberry Walnut Cookie Bars: if the stunning picture is anything to go by then these cookies, once made, aren’t going to last long around here!

Soy Delights!

• Besan Tofu: while not in fact bean curd (and not in fact a new post, but recently brought up again on the ppk forums), who’d have thought of making a mock tofu out of chickpea flour?
• Crispy Tofu with Citrus Soy: also not a new recipe, but new to me, this delicious looking fried tofu can be veganised by omitting the egg (try corn flour and water instead).
• Vegan Okonomiyaki: this sounds so good it almost makes me want to cry.  These are savoury Japanese pancakes generally made with egg, but Ian’s managed to veganise the concept. I’m totally going to combine this with my current obsession with saurkraut.

Cuuuuuutttteeee, right? These vegan recipe cards feature a series of flowers in the corner, with each blossom represented by letters which spell “vegan.” Made especially for Vegan MoFo (vegan month of food), these cards are perfect for vegan kitchens (and for vegan recipes to include with those yummy cupcakes you bring to the office to make Mondays a little less hateable)!

The cards are available in pdf format below, in 3 different colour schemes. You can either type on the cards in your pdf reader or print and handwrite recipes (in which case be sure to delete the text already there). The text size in the pdf looks huge, but will adjust itself accordingly depending on how much you slap on the card.

Download Vegan Fleur 4×6 Recipe Cards

Download Vegan Fleur 3×5 Recipe Cards

Do you have an idea for an awesome vegan shirt or sticker slogan? Leave a comment and let me know!

The Vegan Shirts

Vegan Rocker Brown and Red by Veganista
Design custom tee shirts at Zazzle

Rocker Pink Vegan by Veganista
Make customized tee shirts at Zazzle

Buttons, Keychains, and More!

Red and Blue 1980s Rocker Vegan by Veganista
Design custom buttons on zazzle

Pink and Green Vegan by Veganista
See other Vegan Keychains

Rocker Blue Vegan by Veganista
Browse more Vegan Bags

Vegan Rocker Blue by Veganista
Browse more Vegan Mugs

Okay, okay, so my main point of this post is to encourage everyone (omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike) to purchase Isa Chandra Moscowicz’s latest book, Vegan Brunch. It just happens this very simple but also delicious recipe for a fruity chocolate smoothie goes great with brunch.

See the muffin in the smoothie picture? That’s a blueberry ginger spelt muffin from the book, and it’s good too. They aren’t too sweet like muffins often are, and the texture is both gooey and nutty with a sweet grainy mouthfeel (what a word, what a word…). Key ingredients include blueberries and crystalised ginger (though I’ll admit I added a bunch of powdered as an alternative). It’s a good one for anyone who likes some sugar in the morning but not in epic proportions.

More Vegan Brunch Recipe Photos

…but if you do want some seriously sweet heaven in the A.M. hours then the banana flapjacks (a form of pancake in the US as opposed to the rolled oat bar in the UK) are the treat for you. Served here with some non dairy butter and fresh blueberries, these babies are pretty fab.

And here we have the Vegan Vidalia (sweet) Onion Quiche, a tofu dish for even the most devout of quiche fans.

I’m pretty sure if this was thrown in with a random pool of food pictures, “this looks vegan” isn’t the first thing a random browser would think. Probably two of the greatest recipes in the collection (based on the fact that I’ve cooked maybe ten), the vegan omelette and the vegan sausages are pure genius.

Does the omelette pretend to be an egg? No, not really. It’s heavier and smoother, but the general taste isn’t that far off. Methinks this will be the foundation for some amazing vegan “egg” dishes in future. I’ve already got my imagination cells set on a few, so watch this space.

Do the “sausages” pretend to be sausages? Well, this one can be argued. Sausages come in a variety of shapes and textures, with a gazillion recipes for herb and spice mixes to flavour. In fact, it seems most of the flavour of sausage tends to come from what’s included with the meat as opposed to the meat itself. With that thought in mind it’s really the texture you’re after, and gluten is the vegetarian/vegan answer. Shown above are the cherry sage sausages from Vegan Brunch, in which a main ingredient is gluten flour (and almond okara- my own addition). I’m already planning a Cumberland version!

Oh, and the smoothie recipe.

“Could I please have a grande, sugar-free, soy, extra hot, caramel mocha with whipped cream and an extra shot?”

It’s understandable how and why an espresso virgin might feel confused upon his or her first encounter with a modern coffee shop. Just when you think you’ve got the local chain’s menu down, you hear what sounds like a foreign language from the bloke in front of you.

I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here; there are plenty of coffee resources out there which document just what every espresso drink is and what they contain. My intention is merely to simplify those lists a little, breaking them down into the basic drink components: straight espresso, milk based, and drinks which often straddle the two (enhanced). This is by no means an extensive list.

Espresso drinks, simplified: a classification guide

I like it strong! Straight espresso drinks with no milk.

Often claimed to be “too much” or bitter to taste, these drinks are for the true espresso lover. These are the drinks which involve ground espresso beans and water, with no other ingredient aside from the loving care and expertise of the barista who serves your drink.

• Single Shot: equal to about 30ml (1 ounce) of espresso
  
• Double Shot: equal to about 60ml (2 ounces) of espresso
  
• Ristretto (short): espresso equal to about 75% of a normal shot (above), using the same amount of coffee but brewed in the same amount of time as a regular shot. The water flow is restricted in order to achieve this.
• Lungo (long): the opposite of a ristretto, if you will, with around a minimum of 50% more volume in the espresso (using the same amount of coffee). More water is let through in order to achieve this.
• Americano: Perfect for the filter coffee enthusiast who wants to give espresso a shot (ha, ha pun intended), an americano is simply espresso with hot water added.

I like it milky smooth! Milk based espresso drinks.

These are the drinks about which everyone outside of Italy and parts of Europe talk. In fact, many in North America and the UK often seem to think of espresso as being synonymous with these drinks.

• Cappuccino: A beverage of thirds made with 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk foam.
• Café Latte: made outside of Italy with approximately (this can be argued) 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk (with a fraction of the steamed milk a creamy foam on top). The extra milk makes this drink milder in taste than the cappuccino. In Italy a latte is generally a drink which is far more mild and perhaps not even made with espresso.
• Flat White: Very similar to the above latte, but with little or no foamed milk on top.
• Mocha: Also very similar to a latte, but with added chocolate syrup or powder.
• Breve: Essentially a latte made with half and half (light cream) rather than milk. Very rich and quite American.

Enhanced espresso.

Think of these as espresso with something a little extra. It’s still a straight shot, with dairy or other ingredients to tone and/or complement the coffee.

• Espresso con Panna: espresso with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
• Macchiato: translates as “stained,” so is simply espresso lightly topped with very little milk foam or milk.
• Corretto: espresso “corrected” (spiked!) with a shot of liquor.

Clearing up Confused Terms and a primer on extras

Macchiato vs Macchiato: In Starbucks and many chains the machiato is a giant milky drink crafted for people who desire diabetes. Order a macchiato in a more specialised coffee house, however, and you’ll be most likely served a completely different beverage. What starbucks serves is a version of the Latte Macchiato, which is essentially a latte with a twist: instead of pouring the milk into a cup with espresso, the espresso is poured into a cup with milk (version emphasised because I don’t know if Starbucks actually makes their drink this way). The Café Macchiato, on the other hand, is simply neat espresso with a dollop of milk or milk foam.

Flavours: hazelnut, caramel, peppermint, and a thousand others. Good or bad? This is a choice down to the mind of the individual consuming the coffee, but in my opinion flavourings often exist to mask bad espresso. Why would you need all the flavours, super-sizes, and extras if you simply had a barista who could make a sublime cup of coffee? Find good coffee and suddenly those extras become unnecessary.

Milk variety: the less fat the easier it is to foam the milk, but full fat milk is completely doable and honestly better. Soy milk is also an option, but can be tricky to foam. Bonsoy brand, however, can be worked in a manner very similar to whole milk (if you’ve ever had a soy latte and hated it, try Bonsoy next time).

Variety doesn’t have to be difficult

I believe a lot of people don’t try espresso simply because it’s easier to drink a cup of “normal coffee” than battle with a new language. If/when you decide to give espresso a go, think of the drinks in terms of their ingredients. Don’t like milk? Ignore lattes and cappuccinos. Can’t handle it black? Then you’ll want to try those milky drinks. Want to try espresso but afraid it might be too much on its own? Try con panna!

Whatever you do, just find a good barista. Try some good espresso. Please?

All posts in this series

1. There’s No “X” in “Espresso” and Other Tales of Coffee Woe
2. What Espresso Isn’t: A Primer on Ghettopresso and more
3. Ingredients For Successful Espresso
4. The Coffee Shop Menu, Simplified

5 Factors contributing to successful espresso

In Italy there is a set of four basic elements which comprise the path to perfect espresso, commonly referred to as the “4 m’s”. Others tack on a fifth m, this one referring to maintenance. While I believe maintenance to be important I propose my own fifth element for the purpose of this post (related to the 4th, but in my opinion important enough to merit standing on its own). So the 4 m’s and a p.

1. Miscela: the espresso blend, the beans.
2. Macinadosatore: the dosing grinder and the grind.
3. Macchina: the machine.
4. Mano dell’operatore: the hand of the operator, including the tamp and that which is under the control of the barista.
5. Patience

1. The Beans / Miscela

Coffee beans are grown around the world and fans will argue their preferences until blue in the face. Origin can play an important role and it’s worth tasting a variety of coffees from around the world. The most accepted view is that Arabica beans are best, but most espresso is extracted from a blend of different coffees. Often these blends will include a small amount of the less favoured Robusta in order to ensure a good crema.

There are four different coffee roasts: light, medium, dark, and very dark, the latter two being what we generally conceive as best for espresso. It could be argued that the flavours of origin and bean are easier distinguished in a medium roast, the preferred espresso beans used by many Italians.

2. The Grind / Macinadosatore

It’s funny to me how most people would agree fresh is always better but many let this concept slide when it comes to coffee. Fresh is important if you want a good shot and, coupled with an even grind, you’ll really spot the difference between a shot made with pre-packaged or badly ground coffee versus a shot from a fresh and even grind.

There are two primary types of coffee grinders: the burr grinder and the more common blade grinder. The latter are what you’ll mainly see at the local shops and are not in any way suitable for grinding espresso. A burr grinder costs more, but if you are serious about coffee then this should arguably be your greatest investment. A good burr grinder can be adjusted to produce a variety of consistent grain sizes, an important factor when you consider your end goal, which is to produce a shot of good espresso.

To better explain that point, it’s important to note just what espresso is. It’s a drink made from 5-10 grams of finely ground coffee which, under 9 bar of brewing pressure and with water between 194-204 degrees Fahrenheit, produces a 30ml (approx) shot when extracted between 20-30 seconds.

This drink cannot be easily achieved with an uneven or too large grind no matter how hard you pack it down, and that’s the sort of grind you will get with a cheap blade grinder.

Buy a classy £1,000 home espresso machine without a good burr grinder and you’ll still only pull mediocre shots at best.

3. The Equipment / Macchina

I’ve already discussed the espresso machine to some extent (see point 3 in that post), but want to explain further why it’s important to buy a pump machine and also why the machine won’t ever be the solo star in your dream shot.

The definition of espresso I provided above is actually quite a basic one. You’re probably thinking “how is that basic?”

That’s my point. It’s not. While many espresso machines will come with just 3 basic switches: power, pump, and steam, espresso is a beverage which demands some seriously precise conditions. You need a machine capable of producing 9 bar of pressure, but that’s not enough on its own because the machine also needs to be able to maintain accurate temperatures on multiple levels (the boiler will reach different temperatures for espresso brewing and milk frothing, for instance).

And now, after demanding you find and pay for quality, I tell you the machine isn’t the most important aspect of the process. Consider a chef who is attempting the creation of a stunning meal using only mediocre kitchen tools. Sure, the style may be lost and it may be a more cumbersome task, but the end result still streams from two more important factors: quality ingredients and an experienced chef. The same applies for coffee, only the ingredients are the freshly burr-ground coffee and the barista becomes the chef.

4. Barista Skills / Mano dell’operatore

This element, combined with the grinder, are in my opinion the most important factors to consider in the espresso process. You don’t need to have a rack of barista championship trophies in order to make a good shot, but you do need some know-how.

The tamp (packing the coffee into a tight puck in the basket) is crucial in the espresso brewing process. People underestimate the importance of this step, one which ensures the water flow to extract your espresso shot under ideal conditions. Properly tamped coffee ensures the water is forced evenly through all of the coffee rather than through some of it, which is what happens when the tamp is uneven.

Think of it this way: you’ve got a powerful machine producing a whole lot of pressure and the water is trying to find its way down the path of lesser pressure (which in this case is out through the coffee). An even and solid tamp creates a resistance of sorts to the initial pressure, so instead of the water finding the path of least resistance (that is, the path of less densely packed coffee) it has to push evenly through the grind. The end result? You get a quality shot rather than just a measure of strong coffee.

The tamp really can make or break that shot.

5. Patience

There are always several parts to one whole, and this is perhaps one of the most overlooked. Unless you have a super automatic machine which does it all, you’re going to spend some serious time getting the hang of this. And after you get the hang of it you’ll spend yet more time making your shot better. That still won’t be good enough, so after that you’ll spend the rest of your days seeking absolute espresso perfection.

Don’t be afraid to mess up, because that’s how we best learn to do it better the next time. In fact I’d even recommend purposely going against all the recommended methods just to see how coffee shouldn’t be. Consume shots from the chains, local establishments, and other wannabe home baristas. Try everything you can and learn to tell right from wrong when you taste a shot so can apply better techniques to your own efforts.

Oh, and don’t do this for no reason other than to impress your partner’s boss or your upper middle class neighbours. Do it because you want to learn how, a must if you want to pull a better shot (see above about time dedication). A machine which sits on the counter to be used as a declaration of your bank balance when the mom of your kid’s friend collects them simply won’t do; you have to learn how to use the sucker regularly to get anywhere.

Stay Tuned: What’s behind the names: an espresso beverage guide

Espresso is complicated business, one which merits a constant education and never-ending practice. To further the confusion are the plethora of espresso based and other coffee drinks on the market, many of which are misrepresented by coffee shops. Stay tuned for the next post on coffee drinks and why Starbucks’ ballsup of a macchiato is actually just a bad latte.

All posts in this series

1. There’s No “X” in “Espresso” and Other Tales of Coffee Woe
2. What Espresso Isn’t: A Primer on Ghettopresso and more
3. Ingredients For Successful Espresso
4. The Coffee Shop Menu, Simplified

In my previous post about Espresso myths and tales of coffee woe I discussed a few myths about espresso and its process. Here are a few more morsels of information about what espresso isn’t and how to spot a cup of what I call “ghettopresso”.

1. Nescafe is not a Barista

Much like a cup of strong coffee cannot be equated to an espresso, those sugary packets of instant cappuccino mix you keep at the office also don’t fit the bill. That’s like comparing spray cheese with vintage cheddar or bringing Manischewitz to a wine tasting party.

Also consider the coffee you buy. You’ll notice on many pre-ground coffee packs an image or statement that the blend is appropriate for everything from a cafetiere (French press) to an espresso machine. This simply isn’t true; you use a different grind of coffee for an espresso machine than for a drip machine, another grind again for a cafetiere, and still another for Turkish coffee. And so forth.

Yes, this means the espresso blend you used in your French press isn’t in fact espresso. It’s just as it sounds: finely ground coffee beans in hot water. It’s a cup of coffee, a cup of inefficiently brewed coffee.

2. Some things were never made to be super-sized

…and good coffee is one of them. Sure we all like to indulge from time to time, but with most things in life I find I will both remember and savour something more if the portion is sufficient and the product is divine.

My personal thought is that you lose out by super-sizing espresso drinks because the proper ratios are thrown out the door. A cappuccino, for instance, should be 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk froth. Using double espresso shots, that’s 2 ounces (60 ml) each of espresso, milk, and froth. With those proportions in mind, Starbucks should use 6.6 shots/ounces of espresso in their 20 ounce drink. They use two.

And I don’t think I would want to drink nearly 200ml of espresso in one sitting anyway.

Do yourself a favour and find something more authentic, just to give it a try. With good coffee, less genuinely is more.

3. When an espresso machine is not an espresso machine

There are several types of espresso machine, but for the purpose of this post I’m breaking them into two basic categories: those which make real espresso and those which don’t, my focus being on the latter.

My first gripe is with the stove top moka pot. Sure they may have roots in the original process behind the drink, but don’t expect its end product to mimic the shot your local [skilled] barista pulls. It’s another producer of strong coffee and nothing more. I have a feeling most people realise this.

Then there’s the steam powered espresso machines. These operate on the basic principle of boiling water (and espresso is not in fact made with boiling water) and using the steam to push out the coffee. Keeping that process in mind, the drink produced by steam powered machines will be closer to one from a stovetop espresso maker than to a modern day shot. True espresso is crafted using a pump process, one which doesn’t boil the water first and one which uses a minimum of 9 bar pressure.

While it’s maybe a bit snobbish to say the steam powered machines cannot produce espresso, it’s certainly reasonable to say you simply cannot obtain professional results using one.

But don’t despair. If you love your venti caramel latte and what comes out of your Delonghi ghettopresso machine then that’s what really matters, right?.

I am by no means a professional, so I’ve only touched on the very outskirts of machines. If you’re interested in reading more, the topic of machines is explained in detail elsewhere by people who really know what they’re talking about and with good espresso machine advice to offer.

Stay Tuned: Ingredients for successful espresso

It’s clear to most people that espresso involves the use of a coffee bean (no, there is not an espresso plant) coupled with equipment of some sort. Stay tuned for the next part in the series to learn why the espresso machine is arguably one of the least important tools in the process.

All posts in this series

1. There’s No “X” in “Espresso” and Other Tales of Coffee Woe
2. What Espresso Isn’t: A Primer on Ghettopresso and more
3. Ingredients For Successful Espresso
4. The Coffee Shop Menu, Simplified

Three Espresso Myths

1. Espresso has more caffeine than “regular” coffee.

Many people are surprised to learn espresso generally has a much lower caffeine content than a cup of filter coffee. One possible (read this Roast Magazine article for a differing point of view) reason is most espresso consumed is brewed from dark-roasted beans. Very generally speaking it’s thought the darker the roast the less the caffeine.

A more plausible reason surfaces when you note the water content and time in preparing a cup of filter coffee. Filter coffee uses more water and this combined with a longer brewing time often means more caffeine in your cup. In the end you’re looking at about half or two-thirds the content of caffeine in a latte versus a cup of drip coffee of the same size.

2. Where’d they get that “x” from, anyway?

That letter has never been, nor ever will be, a feature in espresso. There’s nothing “express” about the process of espresso; it’s an incredibly refined and skilled technique. Good baristas spend years of their lives acquiring and furthering this complicated skill.

On a side note I can think of a few coffee chains who’d do well to hire less 17 year olds and more dedicated career baristas. In Italy this is a respected profession with an average age seemingly double that of Starbucks’ equivalent. This is for good reason.

3. Espresso is just really strong coffee

No, no, no! By all means enjoy your cafetierre, but you will never ever make an espresso by simply adding a dark roast in extreme quantities with less water than you would normally add for a standard cup.

Think of it like this: cheese and butter are both made from the same base ingredient, milk, as espresso and filter coffee are both children of the humble coffee bean. Each takes a completely different process down two separate paths in order it get to the final product, however. You don’t make cheese by churning milk in a butter churn just as as you don’t make espresso by coupling excessive amounts of coffee grains with a few millilitres of water.

Espresso is made from a very specific grind of coffee combined with an equally specific method. Coffeegeek.com sumarises it appropriately below.

The coffee beverage produced by a pump or lever espresso machine. This Italian word describes a beverage made from 7 grams (+/- 2 grams) of finely ground coffee, producing 1-1.5 ounces (30-45ml) of extracted beverage under 9 bar (135psi) of brewing pressure at brewing temperatures of between 194 and 204 degrees Fahrenheit, over a period of 25 seconds (+/- 5 seconds) of brew time.

Stay Tuned: What Espresso Isn’t

There are all sorts of arguments for what makes the best shot, from blend and grind to machine and individual barista skills. Nevertheless one thing is certain, and that’s the fact that there are solid facts behind the highly skilled process that ends in that shot in your cappuccino.

I always find it useful to think of what something isn’t in order to understand what it is. Stay tuned for the next part of this series to find out more of what espresso isn’t, plus why that £50/$75 Krups machine Granny bought you for Christmas can’t really make true espresso.

All posts in this series

1. There’s No “X” in “Espresso” and Other Tales of Coffee Woe
2. What Espresso Isn’t: A Primer on Ghettopresso and more
3. Ingredients For Successful Espresso
4. The Coffee Shop Menu, Simplified

The cost of heaven comes at a premium, but what can I expect when my pearly gates exist as the doorway into any shop in Switzerland? Similar to the French macaron, but lighter, a trip to the city of Zurich cannot be complete without a visit to Confiserie Sprüngli for a taste of their divine Luxemburgerlis.

At 10.30 CHF per 100g you will easily spend your daily travel allowance in one go, but after one bite I promise you won’t regret your decision. A shame the recipe is a secret kept close to the heart of Sprüngli.

The oldest vegetarian restaurant in Europe

Opened in 1898, Hiltl claims to be the oldest vegetarian establishment on the continent. When in the city of Zurich I inevitably find myself here enjoying a selection of perfectly cooked seasonal vegetables and moorish treats. Is it the best food I’ve eaten? I won’t lie, because I can turn out similar flavours and presentation from my own kitchen, but it’s really a lovely place and well worth a try.

They have both a sit down menu with service and a buffet (price by weight), the latter a process of serving yourself and weighing the end result for the price. The portions from the buffet versus the menu seem to come out at similar prices (between 25-35 CHF) so don’t try to dupe yourself into saving money. Just sit down and enjoy a treat! The rösti is good and my friend swears by the madras banana.

Pure vegetarians beware as they do use rennet in some of their cheeses. This is evident and marked on the buffet bar but not on the English sit-down menu. Also note there is a special daily menu in German that doesn’t feature on the English menu.

…and of course chocolate

To many people the idea of Switzerland is synonymous with a luscious indulgence in tempting chocolates, and I will agree they do have a way with cacao. But, like any other place associated with a fine food, you can substitute quality for cost or embrace those establishments worth remembering (your wallet never forgets). Teuscher is one such institution, one which will cost you more than you’d ever think to spend on chocolate but which will leave you considering brands like Cadbury’s and Hersheys to be anything but chocolate.

Americans might enjoy Teuscher’s US based stores while the rest of us have to wait for a trip to Switzerland or Germany. Try anything. Everything! Something?

In Switzerland I remind myself, oh I have to, that I must listen sometimes only to what my mind desires. Every once in awhile, it’s okay to ignore that voice of reason in your head and opt instead for sheer ignorance of the fact that you could remortgage your home and still only just afford a meal out. This is what I tell myself. My Luxemburgelis and me.

It’s not unusual for me to call life off for a few weeks and just get out of here. That combined with weekends away, short trips, and visiting my family back in the US means my lazy arse doesn’t get a post up for a brief time. Oops, sorry. The thing is, I love travel. My excuse this itme? A week away in Salcombe (which is in the county of Devon in Southwest England if you don’t know), followed by a few days in Brussels with my visiting mother.

Why am I telling you this? Because when I travel I always find food related things which inspire me, make me warm and happy, and often cause me to drool on my last set of clean clothes. I always say to myself, “write about this! Post the recipe you created as a result!” and clearly I ignore myself most of the time. This time, however, is different because I banned myself from eating my finds until I photographed them… and once they’re photographed they may as well be posted!

Belgian chocolate.

This is almost a buzzword in the foodie world, isn’t it? The truth is most of it’s worthless, factory produced piles of goop which can make Hershey’s chocolate seem authentic. I tried and even enjoyed a fair amount of such choc, so don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a junk food fest as much as the next person, but at the end of the day I believe in paying a lot for a little of something good rather than a little for a lot of something under par in quality. Hence I looked out there chocolatiers with a good reputation for making their own quality product: The Chocolate Line, Dumon, and Sukerbuyc.

Dumon Chocolatier

This is the chocolate maker I would recommend to a serious chocoholic. Dumon’s chocolates are the creamiest, smoothest chocolates for which one could hope. It’s melt-in-your mouth good, and the staff are helpful; they have to be as the chocolates are not labeled. I was at first put off by this, but I left feeling more knowledgable about what I bought as the shop staff really engage with customers to explain. In the end I felt confident in trusting their own choices and took away a box of their picking. I wasn’t dissapointed with a single one.

Chocolaterie Sukerbuyc

Katelijnestraat 5, Brugge.

A sign on the door asks for only customers to come inside in order to preserve quality. A few years ago I’d have passed this off as an act of snobbery and would have huffed away to the cheapest shop I could find. Yes, I’d show them! Now, not so much. Are they snobbish? Perhaps. Does the attitude make their chocolate better? Probaby not.

The thing is, I get it. There are so many chocolate shops in this small city, enough to spend a full day going in and out and only seeing half. They are mostly all the same, and many with staff who don’t seem at all interested in what they sell. I understand why a shop who makes their own would get frustrated with yet another pack of tourists bursting in the door only to leave and, as I said, head to the cheaper place down the road (something they would do anyway). Plus Sukerbuyc has a great window display, one which allows the browsing public to see all they have on offer without entering the store.

I entered the store, because I knew I wanted to buy. I knew they had something different, and I knew I needed to buy some of the Advokaat (avocado); I’d sampled a white chocolate truffle with avocado in Brussels but this was the first I saw in dark. Others I sampled include dark chocolate and violet, coffee, and more which have long since come to rest in my stomach.

My opinion on Sukerbuyc? For lack of better words, this chocolate is less rich than that which is sold in Dumon. Not that it’s untoothsome, just less creamy and with less milk used in the recipe. I could handle no more than one or two silky pieces from Dumon in one sitting; my body could survive slightly more from Sukerbuyc no doubt. Their avocado was quite possibly my favourite find of the trip.

The Chocolate Line

Simon Stevinplein 19, 8000 Brugge

Fried onion, cola, violet, caramel coriander, cabernet sauvignon, lavender, lemongrass, vodka-lemon, and earl grey. Chocolates.

I thought I would save the most interesting for last.

One thing that frustrates me most with people, even self proclaimed foodies, is their willingness to dismiss a flavour simply because it sounds bad. Think of all the things we ingest now, combinations which at some point in time didn’t exist. Once upon a time there was a person with an original thought to use curdled milk to make cheese, to mix flour and water and bake it, to combine tomato with herbs to create a sauce… You get the idea. Why not combine onion and chocolate? From a species which enjoys a wide range of fermented foods and wholly unordinary culinary practises, chocolate and onion seems positively straight forrward!

So yes, those are the flavours I chose, and I’m not at all disappointed with my selection. The chocolate and fried onion combination was quite interesting and subtle; it worked well in my opinion. But my favourite thus far has been the vodka-lemon, imparting a series of changing flavours as it rests on your tongue. Cola has been my least favourite, though not overall. That distinction would have to go to the sickly false banana flavoured chocolate I regretably purchased elsewhere.

When in Bruges, eat these

Dumon is perfect for serious lovers of rich milk chocolate. Try anything with their chocolate ganache.

From Sukerbuyc I preferred the dark chocolates, and the avocado filling is highly recommended.

If you’re interested in trying something different and wholly inspirational, head to The Chocolate Line. Be sure to try the vodka-lemon white chocolate!

I think it would be fair to guess most people know you can find tofu in both firm and soft varieties, but what’s the meaning behind these differences? What’s the difference between these products and why do they exist? Let’s first look to two important countries when it comes to bean curd production: Japan and China.

The textures of tofu

Chinese tofu is generally what is being referenced when someone is talking about extra-firm tofu, while regular tofu is more in line with Japanese tofu. The main difference is that the Chinese variety has more water pressed out of it, so it is dryer and more meaty in texture. It’s also very easy to cook with in Western cuisine because of its consistency. Japanese style tofu, on the other hand, is generally a little softer and can be enjoyed simply on its own (this would normally be a medium-firm tofu). Both of these types of tofu are fairly common in the West and both have their benefits.

The ways in which Japanese tofu (regular) and Chinese tofu (firm) are made differ slightly. Chinese tofu is generally coagulated with calcium sulfate while Japanese tofu is usually made using nigari as a coagulant. This isn’t necessarily a hard and solid rule because it’s mainly based on geography. China’s in-land mountains provide the calcium sulfate (also known as gypsum in the West) while Japan’s coasts allow them the sea water needed to extract nigari (also known as bittern). Coastal Chinese also make tofu with nigari.

Recipes and ideas for firm and extra firm tofu

Medium (Regular) Tofu Recipes:
• Matthew’s Delicious Tofu
• Stir-fried Tofu with Zucchini

Firm and Extra Firm Tofu Recipes:
• Caramelised Tofu Recipe
• Sesame Baked Tofu
• Thai Coconut Tofu Recipe

What about silken tofu?

Silken tofu is produced by coagulating a thick soy milk and it is a different process altogether. Regular and firm tofu are pressed in order to remove excess water, but silken tofu never goes through this process. Instead it is simply poured into a container and allowed to become firm on its own. This means, unlike in tofu traditionally used in the west, the curds and whey don’t get separated. Essentially silken tofu is so silky because it has a lot of water left inside.

Recipes and ideas for silken tofu

• Vegan Butterscotch Mousse Pie
• Mini Tofu Quiches
• Silken Tofuand Carrot with Soy-Ginger Sauce
• Grilled Tofu Salad

Did you know…?

An interesting fact: the more water a block of tofu retains, the less flavour it will soak up in cooking. That’s why a lot of recipes tell you to press bean curd first! So if you’re buying the crappy supermarket stuff and want to cover the stale taste more, buy the extra-firm and press it even more!

To save these recipe cards, do the usual right click –> save as.

Same applies. Right click –> save as.

One Less Plastic Bag Totes

One Less Plastic Cup Mugs

Everyone could use another coffee cup, right? I just lost another one last night when I set it on the floor from the height of my waist. Clearly a the surface I expected had vanished. Imagine an entire world of people like me, combined with an environmental push to reduce waste, and you must realise the gift giving potential in these great mugs!

Still, I think Mother’s Day is a tough holiday in terms of shopping. While I am not against the typical stuff, if I am to give a gift to anyone I want it to be unique and suited to them personally. Otherwise I would rather not give a gift at all. That’s why I thought I would make a list of some unique and unusual Mother’s Day gift ideas for mothers who enjoy time in the kitchen!

1. T-Shirts for cooking moms

Here are some great cooking related t shirts, a perfect and unique gift idea for any chef in your life (especially the ones who either have all the coolest kitchen gadgets already, or the ones who are so darned picky that you wouldn’t dare try to buy them any new utensil or machine). A tee is something that appeals to just about everyone, and on Cafepress you will find a huge selection of shirts beyond anything your own imagination could have cooked up in a million years! Here are a few favourites:

Peace, Love, Bake Raglan Tee. Perfect for the mom who loves to bake, this girly raglan features a hand giving a peace sign, a heart, and an oven, all in hip brown and pink colours (I must admit I’m really into that scheme).

I Should Be in the Kitchen Retro Ringer. This reminds me of a completely inappropriate joke a friend shared with me a few years ago, which goes something along the lines of “Why doesn’t a woman need to wear a watch?” The answer, in all its political correctness, is “because there’s a clock above the stove.” Not able to believe that anyone could possibly say something like that and be serious, I found humour in the audacity of it, that anyone could ever find it funny for any reason other than how bleedin’ stupid it is. Needless to say, that joke actually has a good connotation for me because of the feminist who told it and because, yeah, my arse does belong in the kitchen!

Beware. I’m a Kitchen Nightmare Women’s T-Shirt. This one describes me to a tee (har har), and I’m sure it would suit a lot of moms out there, too! My suggestion, however, is not to give this to any mom who doesn’t have a good sense of humour… Boy does this design describe why the “messy” exists in the title of this blog.

2. Make your own mug set for mom

Edamame is my Homeboy Coffee Mug. Show your love for soy with this awesome edamame coffee cup, perfect for veggie moms the world over!

Tofu Buddies Mug. Featuring a distinct Japanese illustration style, this adorable tofu mug will suit any playful mom who loves her daily dose of soy!

Lots of Donuts Large Mug. Ideal if your mother is a police office, I suppose! This mug is the perfect accompaniment to something sweet!

3. A gift basket of baked goodies..

This is a cool idea for a Mother’s Day gift basket, a very cool idea. The baking diva behind this fabulous concept lets you choose from a selection of different goodies for inclusion. You would of course have to contact the seller to ensure that all ingredients met dietary requirements, but what a cool Mother’s Day gift idea! There’s only one available, so be quick…

4. All messy cooks need an apron (or 12)

Veggie Lover BBQ Apron. The perfect gift idea for a mom who’s keen on her veggies and wants to inspire the family, by force or not, to also enjoy vegetable-goodness!

Kiss Me, I’m a Vegetarian BBQ Apron. This is so much better than “kiss the cook,” by a long shot!

Vegetarian Revolution BBQ Apron. If you’ve got a veggie mom who’s stylish in the kitchen and out, this trendy Russian styled vegetarian revolution apron is fab!

5. Make your own cookbook for mom

I’ve blogged about this before, but I think it’s so cool that it’s worth another mention. You can read my other post about making your own cookbook here.

So there you go, a few ideas for something other than flowers for mom on Mother’s Day (not that I have anything against flowers, mind you. They are very nice). Cafepress is a mine field of great gift ideas, so go have a look around there if you’re still not feeling inspired!

Thoughts?

In essence, I believed (and still do to a certain extent) that the concept of organic was a sham. This doesn’t mean I’m against organic. Quite the opposite, in fact! I just wish the standards were higher and regulations were strict, that it wasn’t up to private organisations to set different standards.

But c’est la vie. People don’t seem to care about what’s going into their bodies enough to really give a rat’s arse.

So. Abel and Cole.

The veg box

I ordered the small deluxe organic box, a box which features a variety of 8 or so different vegetables. At the time of writing this cost £12.50, a little pricey but not completely beyond affordable. You can see, in the picture above, the small deluxe organic box in the upper left corner. The other box is full of additional goodies which I ordered.

The other goodies included blood oranges (A++), bananas, free range eggs, and bean sprouts. I also tried the peanut butter, Sojasade blueberry soy yoghurt, and some soy sausages. The entire order was in the £25 ballpark, far more than I’d pay for the same stuff than at Tesco, but it just felt better. Cheesy, I know.

I wanted bananas and avocado

Two of my biggest complaints in this country are the quality of both bananas and avocados in store. They are unpredictable at best and less flavourful than cheap buffet food, errr, also at best. I have little positive to say about the matter. Abel and Cole at least was able to offer me an improvement on one of them items, that being the avocados. They’re not perfect (nothing is like a fresh avocado in Chile or New Zealand, where they grow), but after a few days’ ripening they are very yummy. The bananas, on the other hand… well, they’re just bananas. They’re not terrible, but after eating them fresh in SE Asia, no one’s going to feed me a banana that can even compare to superior banana-dom.

Everything else? Very good. The quality of the fruit and veg which I received were great and I have since received two more quality deliveries from the company. My only complaint is that they are out of peanut butter for a few weeks, something which actually made me decide to try Riverford’s vex box next week (not the primary reason, but I wanted to try Riverford anyhow).

The good and the bad

The good:

• Attention to detail (you can say what fruit and veg you dislike and they won’t include it).
• They stock peanut butter that rocks (too bad it’s now out of stock, because it’s hard to find non-crap PB in this country).
• They gave me a free bottle of olive oil for joining, and my friend £10 for referring me.
• They sell soya yoghurts which I can’t get in a shop close to where I live.
• Free delivery with order of £8 or more.
• Very clean and informative site, along with a fun newsletter with recipes and facts (delivered with your order and also viewable online).
• They offer some foods I’ve never found in Tesco (like salsify).
• They focus on seasonality.

The bad:

• A little on the pricey side.
• You can’t choose delivery day nor time.
• They are out of peanut butter.
• Doesn’t seem like they are marketing to the masses, but to a small group that’s already converted. I’d love to see companies like this really push on a national scale with a national advertising scheme.

Conclusion

Will I order again? Yes, more than likely. I’m still going to try Riverford out next week to compare, so we’ll see. But Abel and Cole sells some stuff that Riverford doesn’t, so are already ahead of the game in that department.

Abel and Cole is pricey, but in a way that’s something I like. I don’t believe price necessarily dictates quality (hey, I run a business so I know there’s a wee bit of psychology behind this stuff), but I believe it does dictate how you treat what you buy. If you buy an expensive t-shirt, you’re going to make sure you don’t wear it when you’re deep frying. If you buy expensive food, you’re going to make sure you don’t let it go to waste and you’re going to make sure you bloody well enjoy it. This forces me to eat not what I’m craving at the time, but something that will take thought and effort. And I believe effort in the kitchen is important because your food should be a creation of which you’re proud and you respect.

That’s not to say I’m not still topping up with the odd off-season goodie at Tesco to make that special new recipe idea I’ve had floating around in the grey bits…

The last set of free recipe card templates I posted was very popular, so here are a couple more free printables to help organise your collection of sweet recipes! If you’re looking for great gift ideas from the kitchen, how about jotting down a few of your favourite cookie recipes on these printable recipe cards and binding them together with a bit of ribbon?

Now Available in PDF format

That’s right, now you can download these cute recipe cards in Adobe Acrobat and type on them before printing! Simply tab between the different text areas (they’re necessary because of the shape of available writing space- don’t worry, the purple highlighted area won’t print).

I really enjoy making these free recipe card templates! They give me a little break from the normal routine and it’s nice when you see something you’ve made being used and/or talked about.

What is a TasteBook? It’s a high quality, hardback cookbook which you can personalize with your own recipes and pictures. It makes a cool housewarming gift and offers a new take on homemade gifts from the kitchen. Whether you want to add your own recipes or search from a selection of over 20,000 other awesome recipes for your TasteBook, you’ll never run out of ideas!

This is the coolest idea. Seriously. TasteBook gives you, the amateur chef without a publisher’s printing budget, the ability to make your own cookbook. This is a fabulous thing, whether you’re looking for cool housewarming gifts, gifts for a cook, or a way to catalogue all of your own personal favourite recipes in a more organised manner than, say, a pile of scrap paper in the corner. The only downfall I can see at this point in time is that they don’t yet ship outside of the United States.

What if you’re less of a practised chef/recipe writer and more the type of person who likes to find the perfect recipe in the never ending field of recipes already out there? No problem! TasteBook has partnered up with the delicious epicurious.com to offer over 20,000 recipes, including ones from Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazine. TasteBook allows you to search and add recipes from a huge catalogue of well-known chefs, magazines, and recipe websites. As mentioned these include, but are not limited to, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and a whole host of celebrity chef personalities. You can even connect to your epicurious.com recipe box and import recipes to your TasteBook.

So what is the final product like then? Your TasteBook will come in a 26 ring binder measuring 11 x 8 1/2 inches, inside of which can be up to 100 high-quality printed 10 1/4 x 7 inch pages of recipes. There are ten tabbed chapter markers (e.g. vegetables, desserts, etc…), which makes finding your recipes that bit easier.

Each TasteBook comes with up to 100 recipes, which can be ordered at any time. This means, for instance, if you order your TasteBook with only 50 recipes then you will still have 50 more pages to order whenever you want (the only additional cost is a small shipping fee of $1.95 for up to 25 pages). Since the ring binder that holds the TasteBook pages can be opened easily, you can simply pop the new recipe pages in where you deem fit. The other benefit to this binder format is that you can take the recipes out whenever you want… so if you’re messy like me then you can just take that single page to the counter to ruin decorate with food stains specimens, rather than the whole book.

If you’d rather choose a TasteBook with recipes pre-selected by the TasteBook team, you can still create your own title for the book as well as choose from one of over 50 different cover images. You can even add some of your own recipes to a pre-selected recipe book and include your own photos for your recipes as well.

So how do you make your own cookbook?

The process couldn’t be much easier if it tried, as it’s all based on a simple drag and drop process (find a recipe you like and drag it into the category you’ve created). You simply search their catalogue and select the recipes you like, or add your own and upload photos to match. Once you’ve added the recipes you want included in the final product, you choose a cover and title for the book. That’s pretty much it, really!

I love the part about being able to include your own photos for the recipes you’ve personally written and and added. This leads me to images of family picnics and holiday dinners from the 1970s, when Grandpa used to wear that silly hat. Talk about a cool and somewhat homemade kitchen gift idea for the whole family, filled with both great memories and recipes!

You can even share your TasteBook online with friends and family and they can then add their own recipes to your book online! The whole concept is just a really cool idea, whether you’re looking for the most cool housewarming gift on the planet or just want to make your own cookbook to house the recipes which currently live in that aforementioned pile in the corner. But (hey, am I sounding like an infomercial yet?) TasteBooks aren’t just for cute housewarming gifts! If you’re thinking about how to make a church cookbook or that sort of thing, a TasteBook could be the perfect solution. Why not give a TasteBook to a chef as a gift (they’re impossible to shop for)? Be creative and you can come up with a whole bunch of cool ideas for these easy to make cookbooks…

Interested? Check out the TasteBook website for more information (and even video tutorials on how to make these personalised cookbooks).

A lot of the work I do involves graphics and design, most of which ends up filtering over into my real, day-to-day life and its arrangements. That means I have all sorts of printed goodies laying around my flat, some of which is used (most of which is in the “really husband, I will do something with this stuff” pile). I made these free recipe card templates on a whim, thinking some of you might get a kick out of something bright, modern, and not a boring and typical 4×6 lined index card in your recipe catalogue. All of these cards are 4×6 inches, so will fit nicely in that aforementioned catalogue box thingie, or whatever it is you use (organised chaos, perhaps).

Now available in pdf format!

Based on feedback I wanted to both create a higher quality format and all the cards to be typed on for printing. The result is a pdf document, in which you can add your own text. Please be aware any text you type beyond the realm of the visible card will not show when printed. This seems like common sense but hey, you never know. You can type in and save this format to disk, too.

Some foods are difficult to translate once you lose the dairy, so it’s always great when you come across an old dinner friend that’s been made vegan or vegetarian friendly. This tofu enchilada recipe, an adapted Paul McCartney recipe, is completely vegan and even includes a recipe for tofu sour cream.

If you’re after a simple meat substitute, perfect for when you have those picky meat-eating guests over, this recipe for tofu meatballs is a unique veggie way to dress a pasta dish. This tofu meatball recipe is also completely vegan. This recipe for Tofu Balls comes from one of the Moosewood cookbooks and features the use of eggs, so is not vegan.

The Vietnamese have a real way with tofu, so if you’re after a Southeast Asian tofu recipe then I’d highly recommend checking out some Vietnamese tofu recipes. This Vietnamese Tofu Salad recipe is both simple and nutritious. If you want something a little bigger, try this recipe for vegetarian pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup which generally contains meat. You can use either tofu or a mock-meat substitute instead. If you want a real Vietnamese food treat, try this quick and easy recipe for Dau Hu Xa Ot, or deep fried tofu with chilies and lemongrass. This tofu recipe is both easy and tasty, and will shock your tastebuds into a desperation to try more Vietnamese vegetarian food.

So what’s next? Everyone with any sense of food decency knows there are a billion and one things you can do with tofu to make a meal, but what about pudding?? What about a great vegan tofu dessert recipe? If you’re after silken tofu recipes then these desserts using tofu might be just perfect for what you’ve got in mind. For a quick and easy tofu dessert recipe, why not try this Raspberry Tofu Dessert, courtesy of the UK Vegetarian Society. Equally as easy, you could always try a classic chocolate tofu pudding recipe. Finally, here’s a tofu cheesecake recipe to tempt your tummy!

Tofu has an insane number of uses, and I’m glad to see that people are experimenting with it in their diets, vegetarian or not. I hope the trend continues to grow and more great recipes come out of this fantastic soya protein.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ve found something to keep you busy in the kitchen!

After a lengthy holiday in Southeast Asia, I’m back and ready to cook (well technically ready to sleep, but I’ll get around to both at some point). Sorry for the lack up updates being lazy and not updating while I was adventuring away.

The easiest country in which to be Vegetarian in Southeast Asia is easily, for me, Vietnam. A lot of people assume that since these countries are Buddhist, they are veggie-friendly. This is not the case, especially in Thailand where things like fish and oyster sauce are used in just about everything from sweet chilli dips to curries. In fact, the “vegetarian” sections of menu will often list things like “vegetables in oyster sauce.” Go figure.

I won’t dwell on that much, because having been there before I knew this was to be expected. But there is one thing I will dwell on, and that’s the quality of bean curd in the region. In Vietnam I ate it nearly every day, sometimes more. Very early on I made the decision that as soon as I got home I would order a SoyQuick soy milk maker and a tofu press. Now the trip has come and on, I’m back home, and have received my new toy. This morning was my first attempt at its use, and with the first batch of soy milk I decided to try to make some home made tofu.

Using the SoyQuick was dead easy and it really makes the soy milk in a speedy manner (the beans, of course, have to be soaked first), but I thought the clean-up was a bit tedious (but then again it was before sunrise — hey, I’m jetlagged). I followed the instructions (*gasp*) to coagulate the milk and poured it into some muslin in the tofu press, along with a tad of salt and some liquid smoke flavouring. The instructions instructed (fancy that) to press for only 15-20 minutes, but I left it for a couple of hours. I’ll admit this was mainly due to laziness over anything else.

The end result is pretty good for my first go, I think! I’ll be sure to experiment with lots of nifty flavours and such over the next weeks, so stay tuned!

Recipe link:Classic Chocolate Cake from Baking Bites

The last time I was visiting my mom and dad in the states, my mother sent me home with a couple of those fancy silicone cake moulds. I gave one to my mother-in-law and the other sat in the corner of my kitchen collecting dust for two months. The recipe I used only filled half the mould, but in the end that was better as there were only 4 of us (and even still the cake lasted for two puddings).

Needless to say, I did not use the chocolate ganache recipe for icing. Instead I made a simple pourable (icing sugar + milk) icing and then decorated that with a tube of freshly melted dark chocolate. Topped with a few dozen yellow and blue marzipan balls, this really was a glorious hit to the tastebuds.

My step-son, a tried and true chocolate lover, found this decadent cake to be a treat and a half. So did the rest of the family. American style cakes sit on a pedestal of moist goodness (and please understand this is a huge compliment because I detest using that particular m-word). That’s not to say that English cakes aren’t good; they are certainly lighter and hence do not cause me a full day’s bed rest after a single slice. American cakes just tend to use a higher quantity of fat, whether oil or butter, and end up far more dense and moist. The upside is they are incredibly rich and delicious. The downside is, as mentioned, more than a small slice is too much for my body to handle. That’s why, on a special occassion like a birthday, I make sure to seek out a recipe that’s really special, and this recipe certainly is that. It was chocolate heaven. Enough said.

Recipe courtesy of Baking Bites

Simple foods like breads and fruit juices should not contain 101 ingredients, most of which I’ve never heard of. When I see something in the ingredients list I’ve never heard of, that product goes back on the shelf so I can look it up on the internets when I get home. Nine times out of 10, it’s a wacky preservative cooked up in a lab somewhere. I will not buy that product. In the US (save havens like Whole Foods and Trader Joes) it is increasingly difficult to find products that are simple and not choc-full of preservatives and other crazy things.

And don’t even get me started on the difficulty of being vegetarian, especially since the FDA doesn’t require dairy manufacturers to list whether or not rennet is used (all they require is “enzymes,” which could of course be vegetable, microbial, or animal). Combine that with the desire to eat foods without a million unnecessary ingredients (I mean, come on, who puts gelatin in yoghurt?! That’s just lazy manufacturing) and suddenly my dinner plate gets more empty and/or my grocery bill sky rockets (groceries are actually far cheaper in the UK, believe it or not).

Needless to say, I am feeling happy to be back home. I’m happy to be back in a society where “I’m hungry” translates to heading back home to get dinner started, rather than an immediate need to feed on the closest available snackfood. I generalise heavily I know, but there’s something to be said for it. How can a person have a healthy relationship with food and their body when it’s all based on instant gratification and no knowledge (nor care) of what’s being put into their body?

To be healthy and happy with your body is to have respect for it, and that respect entails an understanding of the foods you eat and a healthy relationship with that food. I think people forget this, and hence comes the inevitable self-loathing in relation to the body, leading then to the roller coaster of fad-diets which again are another example of instant gratification.

I don’t care what the British say about the French; a healthy relationship with food is the one thing they have down pat, and I wish Americans (and also, increasingly, Britains) could somehow follow their lead.

I’m afraid I’m going to have to hold back on the recipe for this one, since it’s not my own. Want it? Subscribe to Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast newsletter and get the Jul/Aug/Sep 2006 issue. It’s not Bryanna’s own recipe (it’s one of the fabulous Debbie from Spice Island Vegan). I topped it with onions, parsley, and tomato.

I was never a big fan of seafood (it was the first thing I gave up when becoming vegetarian), but my husband loves it. The thing is, he doesn’t eat meat around me (isn’t that sweet?) and we don’t have any in our flat. I thought I’d give this recipe a try for him and he seemed to think it was okay, so… Go Debbie!

Anyone who knows me will know I’m a huge fan of Starbucks (yeah, yeah, I know). Their coffee is 98% of the time completely reliable across the globe. The problem I have with a lot of coffee places is that their standards change constantly. I’m sure when you’ve got the quality of an espresso machine as afforded by Starbucks then it is perhaps more difficult to draw a bad shot of espresso, but most places I’ve been would be well advised to ship their baristas off for a bit of training. When I go somewhere for a cup of coffee, I expect the barista to be able to replicate the same flavour as the last time I was in that same shop. I cringe when I see a shot of espresso drawn in just 10 seconds, or a shot that was drawn ten minutes ago being used in the next latte order. I’m no barista myself, but I do have some standards (which is why I’ve always stuck with the seemingly, but not really, reliable Starbucks).

A few months ago a friend tried to take me Monmouth Coffee on Monmouth Street in London, only it was closed. I’d forgotten about it for awhile, despite the great things I’d heard about this coffee. A few weeks later I was with some different friends in London and it became necessary that we ingest some caffeine. Remembering Monmouth, we found our way to the Monmouth Street branch once again and embarked upon a coffee experience I could only describe as perfection. I have since had the coffee at the Borough branch (equally as great) and decided to purchase some ground espresso to try out at home in my Baby Gaggia.

A member of staff recommended the Monmouth Espresso Blend, which I happily purchased (and which made my bag smell delightfully of coffee for the rest of the day). Monmouth describes this blend as follows on their website:

MONMOUTH ESPRESSO BLEND
Smooth and nutty with balanced fruit and acidity
We constantly taste and re-taste our espresso blend, making slight adjustments to the blend components and ratio, always looking to improve the balance and complexity. We are currently using Fazenda Rodomunho (Brasil) as the base of the blend, adding Cooperativa Quebradon (Colombia) for high notes and complexity, Finca San Francisco (Guatemala) for caramel notes, and Bibi Plantation (India) for dark-sugar sweetness.

Surprisingly, at home I was able to come close to what was served up in shop (only a little less strong). Perhaps this is in part due to the quality of the coffee? I can make a fair espresso, but I’m certainly no trained barista. At any rate, I’ll certainly be returning to Monmouth for future beans and future brews (this stuff is on par with Iceland’s espresso abilities, and that’s saying a lot coming from someone who’s still determined that Icelandic people are naturally gifted with the barista touch)!

A few years ago I tried to make these myself, and they were okay, but certainly not brilliant. When I found these vegetarian goodies at Wing Yip in Croydon, I was delighted. I was even more delighted when I tasted them! They’re dead simple (just boil for a few minutes) and taste like heaven. I’m a huge fan of sticky rice and the gooey joy it brings, but my husband is not, so this meant I had a few days of yummy all-to-myself lunchtime treats with no guilt for not sharing.

Available in 3 flavours (peanut, sesame, and red bean), I opted for the red bean because this is what I once tried in the past (and loved). Next time I’ll certainly give the other flavours a try, too!

Thank you Tee Yih Jia for these treats!

Experts advise us to eat more fruit and veg; boost protein and fibre intake; make sure we get the optimum levels of vitamins and minerals.

But what actually happens to these nutrients once they are inside the body?

Anyone who’s been vegetarian for ten or more years, and possible some of you who aren’t, will remember the mix-craze, where it was recommended that vegetarians mix certain foods to obtain proteins and other important foody nutrients we were otherwise supposedly losing out on. Those days have pretty much passed, with the realisation that vegetarians do get mostly what they need in terms of nutrition, provided the diet is a varied one. This article reminds me of those days, only on a far more logical scale; there’s no matter-of-fact statement that in order to be healthy, you have to combine this with that, etc…

Instead, the article provides a brief but informative look at how our body takes in certain minerals and nutrients, and what cooking processes and combined foods may or may not increase this absorption.

Read all about it!