limoncello cupcakes

Friday, December 31, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 5:26 PM

Limoncello Cupcake, wearing a confetti sugar necklace and ready to welcome 2011.

I don't know about you, but I'm weary of omnipresent winter fare and creamy-chocolately holiday desserts. That's why, for tonight's New Year's Eve bash, chez Noah and Nadine, I decided to make my sunny new Limoncello Cupcakes [Recipe will be included in the new cookbook]. These cheerful cuppers are as light as the impending spring. The slight sourness of the lemon, liquor and zest balances the cloying sweetness of the icing.

Happy New Year, everyone. Bonne année et bonne santé!

12 vegabytes

paris part 3 :: photo essay

Tuesday, December 28, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 9:20 PM

Movement 3 of my Paris sonata: the food. I would love to share photos of all 42 meals (plus ubiquitous snacks), but sadly, there's only room for a few culinary highlights...

Crepe aux Champignons at The Loving Hut

Quiche du jour at the Loving Hut

The Loving Hut's Coconut-milk based Pumpkin Soup...divinely rich

Soy café au lait at the Loving Hut (It was just a few blocks from my house...
and when I find something I like, I stick with it!)

Veggie girls' nite out at Khrishna Bhavan.
From L to R, me, Otylia, Aurelia, and Tina.

Tina ordered the thali...

The rest of us ordered ginormous dosas like this one.

A few nights later, Tina and I ate at Tien Hiang, a veg Chinese joint with a menu
longer than the Great Wall. I opted for spicy tofu.

Dessert: banana in rice paper with coconut milk and sesame seeds. Sublime.

Aurelia and I make like Xmas ornaments in our
red and green as we share "un verre."

Virginie, Fredrik and I enjoyed a great meal at Le Potager du Marais and a
few days later, a healthful, tasty lunch at Bob's Juice Bar. Bob's salads
and juices absolutely sing – and they're nutritious!

As you know. Virginie is the author of Absolute Green. She was in serious
"branding" mode: she wore green and ordered a green smoothie.
Here, she reminds me of a little pea in a pod. Adorable!

Virginie and Fredrik brought me these cookies and lollipops from Sweden.
Check out the cute moose cookie cutter.

One day after walking for hours, I gave my feet a rest at a café in the Marais
and enjoyed this colorful Salade Végéterienne.

What would winter in any chilly Northern city be without roasted chestnuts?

You didn't expect me to leave Paris without a bona-fide food porn shot, did you?
The sign says "The Magic Baguette."

Enjoying Thanksgiving dinner on a boat on the Seine, La Baleine Bleu (The Blue Whale).
From L to R, Graham, Amelia, me and Otylia (Photo: The Discerning Brute)

I found truffles for sale at the market on the Boulevard Richard-Lenoir

I bought one and shaved it over pasta with garlic and olive oil. My friend Andrew said it looked like [and I quote] "a poo."

Just some of the stuff I consumed at home, "chez moi"

The first meal I cooked in my tiny French kitchen: pasta with chantarelles, salad and haricots.

I brought home so many of these vegan pates, so delicious spread on a fresh baguette.

I found an adorable little tea shop in Montmartre...le sigh.

Stay tuned for the Tofurky verdict.

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Labels: Trips

the great tofurky experiment

Friday, December 24, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 11:42 AM

Ok, I'll admit it: I'm a Tofurky virgin. The nice folks at Tofurky must have gotten wind, because they sent me a coupon for a free Tofurky Vegetarian Feast. I'm bringing it as my contribution to Christmas dinner tomorrow. My very large, very omnivorous family will weigh in. And like me, they tell it like it is...so stay tuned for the verdict, and for part 3 of my Paris trip. Happy Holidays, amigos!

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paris sonata style ::
movement 2, paris vegan day

Thursday, December 16, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 2:19 PM

A girl and her olive oil.

When former VegNews editor, the lovely Aurelia D'Andrea first asked me to speak at Paris Vegan Day, I must admit I felt some trepidation. A bunch of herbivores getting together to celebrate animal-free living in the home of foie gras, fromage and steak tartare? I knew at best it would be a tough sell, and at worst, well, at least it was Paris.

So imagine my surprise when, on the day of the event, more than 5,000 Frenchies showed up instead of the 2,000 we expected. Evidentally, word is out, even among chic Parisians, that vegan food can be exquisite and healthy; vegan couture is indeed "haute," and being vegan is a kind, peaceful and centering way of life.

The event itself was grand, as were the many festivities leading up to the big day. Once again, I'll let the photos do the talking.

Pre-Paris Vegan Day Events

Terry Hope Romero, me, and Isa Chandra Moskowitz at the tasty vegan Thanksgiving feast, held on a boat-restaurant on the Seine.

Another day, another party. Friday night was the Latin Fiesta held in honor of Terry's new cookbook, Viva Vegan. [As Terry said about this photo, "We look like we were out clubbing."]

Here I am with Robin, an American studying in Paris, and Franziska, of the well-established German blog, Veggie Love.

What would a Latin party be without salsa dancing? Look at that helicopter hair.

Un, deux, trois...un, deux, trois

The Big Day

A bit nervous before my cooking demo. Mon Dieu, was my French up to snuff?

The multi-talented Deborah Brown Pivain of the Gentle Gourmet B&B introduced me...

And I was off, yapping up a storm and gesticulating wildly, as I tend to do. I decided to first demonstrate a dish from my home city: the vegan Philly Cheesesteak. The large screen behind me allowed the audience to easily see what I was doing so they could replicate it at home. About 8 vegan chefs did cooking demonstrations.

Terry got this shot of me making my easy mousse au chocolat [with Cointreau, bien sûr].

My friend, the lovely Virginie Péan of Absolute Green, spoke about vegan food and the French culinary tradition. Virginie is French but now lives in Sweden with her sweet vegan boyfriend, Fredrik. She's also the author of several fantastic cookbooks. If you read French, download her FREE ebook.

Terry was an engaging and funny speaker. She showed the crowd how to make empanadas. [God, I would kill for those cheekbones!] That's Tina to the far left, who was also my sous-chef.

But Paris Vegan Day wasn't just about the food. Joshua Katcher of the Discerning Brute MCed a fashion show. The models were all gorgeous – and all vegan. [I need that outfit, btw].

Melisser and I meet yet again!

Check out her amazing new tattoo. The model is her teacup chihuahua Strummer, and Melisser says the ink is life-sized.

Here, Melisser tells the audience how to be a hip, young, traveling vegan, while Helen translates.

While we were cooking away on the ground floor, the upstairs area was crazy-crowded. People were clamoring for tasty vegan chow. clothing, products, etc, They even had vegan speed dating!

We were all mystified by the vegan gyro...

The lower level was full of all things animal rights. There truly was something for everyone at Paris Vegan Day.

I finally got to meet so many people I had "known" only virtually, like French "blogueuses" Mamapasta, Virginie of Absolute Green and Pauline.

Finally, check out this adorable make-up bag that Jelly Bean Lupin made for me. What talent! She also graciously took shots of me while I was doing my demo.

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breaking news :: second cookbook in the works!

Saturday, December 11, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 10:02 AM

I interrupt my regularly scheduled Paris blog posts to deliver some breaking news. My second cookbook deal is official, via Globe Pequot Press/Fork, the folks who published my first cookbook, The Urban Vegan! The new book, which will contain at least 200 new recipes. will be printed in late 2011 or early 2012. More on the title and content later.

Help! Need Recipe Testers ASAP!
My manuscript deadline is March 31, 2011 [Crazy, huh?]. I need about 30 recipe testers to help me out pronto. I would like a random sampling: men, women, vegans, vegetarians, non-vegans, experienced cooks, and newbies. Every tester who tests 25 recipes will get a free, signed cookbook once it's published. And every tester who tests at least 5 recipes will get a tout in the cookbook. Only requirements: you must have an established blog, a Flickr account and agree to post about recipes/photos you tested regularly. Interested? Please email me at theurbanvegan@yahoo.com and tell me why you would make a fabulous tester. Also include your blog address. If you're in, you'll hear from me.

Thank you in advance for your interest!I apologize in advance if I don't answer your email personally. Last time, I got such an overwhelming response to my request for testers, that answering every email was impossible.

And now back to our regularly scheduled blog posts...

11 vegabytes

paris sonata style ::
movement 1, the sights

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 7:55 AM

Arc de Triomphe, adorned with fresh snow

Two weeks in my own apartment in the center of Paris. Paris Vegan Day: an extremely well-attended celebration of all things herbivore. Scrumptious, animal-free food shared with friends, on the go, at gatherings, and alone in my apartment. Obviously, there's lots to tell you about, so I've decided to blog about it sonata style, and break my trip recap into three movements:

Today, I'm sharing a photo essay of the sights, as well as a few shots of my day trip to Brussells.
Paris Vegan Day was such a successful, well-attended event that it deserves its own post; and finally...
I'll tell you about--and show you-- my vegan culinary adventures in the City of Lights.

I've been visiting Paris since I was 18. I've lost count of my trips, but I'm pretty certain this was #12. I've been to just about all of the tourist attractions, sometimes more than once, so on this trip, I really wanted to live each day according to its own rhythms. I spent my time just wandering, buying my produce from the markets, cooking, writing, drawing, and watching bad French TV [I really got hooked on "Fais Pas Çi, Fais Pas Ça]. Generally speaking, I spent about 6-7 hours each day just walking and wandering. Days went by when I didn't speak a word of English. But since a picture is worth 1,000 words, I think it's better to show you my trip.

Notre Dame at night

Rue Oberkampf, around the corner from my apartment, all gussied up for Christmas.

Though not as famous as many Parisian churches, St Paul's is my favorite. I love the light and how it exudes such a large sense of space for such a small church.

Place des Vosges, where Victor Hugo lived.

These eco-friendly, inexpensive rental bike stands are dotted throughout the city and people really use them. You just swipe your card, ride to your destination, then park the bike at the next kiosk. Only drawback: they don't take US credit cards.

Galeries Lafayette, one of Paris' biggest department stores, all done up for the holidays. I found the contrast between this opulence, and all the street people and their blanketed pets depressing.