November 24, 2007

VeganMoFo Survey

by IsaChandra

Here are my answers to the survey that everyone is taking from Liz at Food Snobbery. And also, a photo of our improvised long handle potato masher (patent pending.)

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?

Vitasoy Creamy Original. It’s the soymilk that made me like soymilk. And although I still have a place in my heart the size of an 80s healthfood store for Edensoy Carob, I usually have some Zen Soy chocolate around.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?

a – Golbki (polish cabbage rolls) for Ryan MacMichael

b – Polenta Rancheros, which I’ve made before I just have to write the recipe down because I lost it. I have to stop losing recipes.

c – Super fluffy pancakes. I love my basic pancakes but I’ve been craving super fluffy ones so I’m working that out. It’s tough to make them not mushy in the middle.

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?

Nooch and chili powder. Is there any other topping?

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?

I don’t know how to qualify most disastrous because there have been so many disasters. The most painful thing was being pissed at someone while chopping red peppers with a hatchet (!) and slicing off a finger tip. The most inedible was when I was 16 and tried to make this wheat gluten stuff from my favorite Chinese place without a recipe or any knowledge of cooking, really. It was basically vital wheat gluten and soy sauce with garlic powder that I fried. It was as nasty as it sounds. I’m surprised I ever cooked again.

5. Favorite pickled item?

Can I be a loser and just say dill pickles?

6. How do you organize your recipes?

In cookbooks. Ha!

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?

If it doesn’t go to my veggie broth stash it goes in the trash. I didn’t rhyme on purpose.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods…what would they be (don’t worry about how you’ll cook them)?

Olives, tofu and escarole but that’s just how I’m feeling right now.

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?

Not the time I got a perm and ate Steak-umz.

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?

The Black Label stuff.

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?

Tongs aren’t an appliance.

12. Spice/herb you would die without?

So many, but thyme if I had to choose one.

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?

Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?

Blueberry at the moment.

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?

Pesto is always a delicious safe bet.

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?

Tempeh – the odd man out.

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?

Brunch.

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?

Where to begin? What isn’t?

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.

Lima beans, peas, sorbet from a hundred years ago.

20. What’s on your grocery list?

Nothing! I did all my shopping yesterday.

21. Favorite grocery store?

This is the wrong answer because they sell foie gras, but I really love the Fairway in Red Hook. The right answer would be the Park Slope Food Co-op. I also love the Union Square Farmer’s Market.

22. Name a recipe you’d love to veganize, but haven’t yet.

Meringue. Not because I miss it or anything but because I’m sick of people asking how to veganize it. I don’t get it. Is anyone seriously missing meringue?

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa’s because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?

No one checks my blog, actually. Right now I’ve been liking Vegan Dad (even though he kinda disses me), Get Sconed (as usual), and Cafe Veg News. I also check Fat Free Vegan and What The Hell religiously. Oh, and my bff’s blog A Stranger In The Alps, but I just linked to it yesterday so I don’t wanna’ go overboard. Plus all the others I link to right there—->

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?

That rice milk chocolate. Dagoba, is it? Terra Nostra.

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?

My olive oil is really expensive. Oh, smoked pistachios.

26. How did you get so pretty?

I am really sick of this question! It’s genetic!

29 Comments
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  • November 24, 2007 at 7:00 pm: Liz

    “No one checks my blog, actually.”
    Now that’s just not true. I read your blog all the time.
    And Terra Nostra makes the most awesomest rice milk chocolate ever- Is that the one you mean? Thanks for taking the survey!

  • November 24, 2007 at 7:11 pm: Heather

    I second Liz. I have you in my blogroll, woman! Which means, of course, that I check daily, or if I’m really procrastinating, every time I check my e-mail. You know, JUST IN CASE. You’re the pulse to all things vegan. A Vegan CNN, if you will. Only cooler, and more punk, and – um – less likely to discuss Paris Hilton. Okay, bad analogy, but you get my drift.

  • November 24, 2007 at 9:13 pm: kimberlee

    Genetics really worked out for you.

  • November 24, 2007 at 9:37 pm: jd

    Isa, what olive oil do you buy? Tell us so we can judge yo…I mean upgrade ours. Seriously, it’s one of those purchases I know tastes better when its pricier, but I get cheap about.

    Thanks for bringing thyme into my life! (or making me realize what it was. I’m pretty sure I listed it on mine survey, too)

  • November 24, 2007 at 9:59 pm: IsaChandra

    jd – I’m not dedicated to any particular brand, but I’m trying to be! Of the cheapo brands, I like Colavita. Right now I’m working my way through the Fairway varieties, which actually aren’t that expensive. I’m using a fruity Californian one at the moment. I once bought Capezzana, and it sticks in my head as the best one I’ve ever tried, but I wouldn’t use it for cooking since it costs like 35 bucks for 16 ounces (!!) I just used it for dipping bread.

  • November 25, 2007 at 12:05 am: Kim

    “Is anyone seriously missing meringue?” – yes! My grandma used to make chocolate chip meringue cookies for the holidays, and they were one of my favorite cookies ever. I really really wish that there were vegan meringue cookies…

  • November 25, 2007 at 1:06 am: bazu

    yay, you picked tempeh, the underdog!

    p.s. I can make you super fluffy pancakes- come over for brunch! Seriously, I think I have captured the wily and elusive vegan fluffy pancake.

    p.p.s. don’t think I’ve forgotten that meringue conversation… and I used to absolutely HATE meringue, pre-vegan. But now I’m obsessed.

  • November 25, 2007 at 3:16 am: Evan

    “14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?

    Blueberry at the moment.”

    you are such a bisque.don’t be expecting a canadian hanukkah package.ever.

    and i know what’s ontop of yr fridge and it’s so not vegan.

  • November 25, 2007 at 3:17 am: Evan

    and i miss meringue.my mom used to make plain meringue all the time when i was young.oh those crisp little white clouds with the melt is yr mouthiness…

  • November 25, 2007 at 11:26 am: Cherie

    Meringue – you’re right. It’s a bizarre creation. Let’s just forget that someone made it, thought it was decent, and call it a day.

  • November 25, 2007 at 12:11 pm: foof

    I don?t understand? someone from the staff of vegnews cooks every day and feeds everyone else? And they all eat together at work off of real dishes?

  • November 25, 2007 at 3:27 pm: Village Vegan

    that potato masher looks like it means buisness!

  • November 25, 2007 at 3:59 pm: Vegyogini

    I miss meringue cookies and angel food cake, but not meringue all by itself. I’d love that to be veganized. :)

  • November 25, 2007 at 4:02 pm: VeggieGirl

    I love these surveys that everyone is filling out – glad to see that you like the EdenSoy carob drink!! I’m obsessed with carob (as anyone who reads my blog knows already, haha), but I wish that the EdenSoy carob drink and/or the RiceDream carob drink were fortified :0( Oh and I definitely can’t say that I miss meringue – it’s just a light mixture of sugar and whatnot. There’s so many better foods out there!

  • November 25, 2007 at 6:59 pm: karla

    i’m not missing meringue at all. i miss Nigella’s flourless nutella cake and my mom’s pumpkin custard pie…
    by the way, isa, you going to include biscuits with sausage gravy in your next cookbook? because that would be very spectacular of you…

  • November 25, 2007 at 8:33 pm: monique

    I just saw ‘Tofu Cookery’ at the thrift store for $2 but didn’t buy it because I told myself I would only buy a new cookbokk if I would acually MAKE some of the recipe’s RIGHT away and I flipped through and decided I wouldn’t. But- I DID buy Veganomicon, so that says something (although I’m sure her book was good too!) My first vegan cookbook was ‘The Farm Vegatarian Cookbook.’ I used it so much, it’s in 3 pieces and almost completely brown. To be completely honest, outside of you and Terry’s books and The Joy of Vegan Baking (which is very good!), the Farm is the only other one I’ve delved into head first. I just read an old magazine interview that you did, Isa, and saw that the original idea for Veganomicon was supposed to be like The Joy of Baking, by Julia Child. I had been reading your book for a few weeks and couldn’t put my finger on what it reminded me of, but that was it! I know you all have been hearing it from everywhere, but yes, the chickpea cutlets are the BOMB! Does Terry keep a blog too?

  • November 26, 2007 at 5:36 am: bunniee

    I don’t miss meringue at all, it was always my least favorite part of lemon meringue pie. also I hear the word “meringue” in my head as “marangoo” because that’s how it was said in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

    I just read the Vcon review on veganmaleparent’s blog and don’t understand what his problem is. Perhaps he is PMS’ing.

  • November 26, 2007 at 5:31 pm: raspberrycomplaint

    I never liked meringue. I do like the long handled potato masher.

  • November 26, 2007 at 5:43 pm: Vantine

    Dill pickles are sublime and perfect. All other pickled foods are just dill pickle wanna be’s.

  • November 27, 2007 at 1:45 pm: Sarah C.

    Hi Isa,
    I asked you a question like a week ago and didn’t get an answer – any chance you could tell me if the chickpea cutlet stuff would work as a loaf instead? (see my original question for why I have no idea how stuff made with wheat gluten works).

  • November 27, 2007 at 5:02 pm: Cherie

    I’m glad that Amazon worked fast to get that baseless review down – yay! I guess enough people emailed and reported it.

  • November 28, 2007 at 2:53 am: IsaChandra

    Sarah…sorry, I didn’t see it! I think it would need a few modifications to work as a loaf. Probably a higher chickpeas to gluten ratio. I can’t find your original question, sorry!

  • November 28, 2007 at 5:56 pm: VincentG

    Steak-ums…and a perm. :) I

  • November 28, 2007 at 6:13 pm: Sarah C.

    Thanks, Isa! (I asked it on the first day with cutie animals). Maybe I’ll work on the loaf concept. I just loved the cutlets, but never (ever) having worked with wheat gluten before (yes, gasp – a vegan who has never made her own seitan) I was not sure mine were as lovely (and sticky-together-y) as they could have been. So I wondered if perhaps a loaf would better (for me). In any event (no matter how unattractive) the cutlets were seriously one of the best things I have made in a long time. So thanks for the recipe(s- all of them!).

  • November 29, 2007 at 12:54 am: IsaChandra

    Sarah, what kind of wheat gluten did you use? I’m going to post some tips for the cutlets in the coming days.

  • November 30, 2007 at 12:47 pm: Sarah C.

    Hmm….good question, Isa. I went to WF and walked through the bulk aisle until I found a bin labeled “vital wheat gluten.” I didn’t read the rest of the label, so I have no idea if there were other identifying features or names. As I said, I’m a complete wheat gluten virgin (and not too bright, either). Sorry I couldn’t be more descriptive, but I would LOVE some tips for the cutlets in the coming days. For what it’s worth, I don’t care if mine were ugly and kinda fally-aparty: I made a double batch and froze a bunch, and have been loving them. Seriously yum-tastic.

  • December 3, 2007 at 11:35 am: Koalaborg

    why do most traumatic childhood memories involve a perm? I know mine do…

  • April 28, 2013 at 7:54 am: Grace

    Hahaha! That’s so true! Meringue was crap. The texture was the mouthfeel equivalent of stepping on chalk. No thank you, sir. And yes to the olives. Especially the juicy, flavourful kalamatas. Mmmm mmm.

    Also, my go-to recipe for pancakes is the Justthefood blog recipe for “buttermilk” pancakes (http://justthefood.blogspot.com.au/2008/08/no-fail-buttermilk-pancakes.html) I make it without the egg replacer, and with wholemeal flour, and it is a success every single time. I realise you wrote this list a long time ago and have since come up with your pillow-style pancakes, but for a change of pace, you could always give the recipe a try sometime.