Letting the dust settle

I've found myself up a mile-high mountain in California.  Technically I'm still travelling as I am in the US but I'm staying here for over a month, so I'm kinda settled.  It's small... a mountain village of only 3500.  The restaurants are all geared up for tourists..traditional fayre and VEGAN options are not taking up space on the laminated menus.  I intend to use this as an opportunity to see what the chefs (if they are willing) can conjure up.  Fingers crossed they will extend their skills beyond a green salad or pasta with tomato sauce (yawn...).

What I am SO excited about in the next few weeks is my intention to reintroduce myself to the kitchen.  It has been six months since I was surrounded by all of my cooking equipment and shelves of glass jars full of cooking staples.  I left the UK and my house behind with the whiff of homemade hot chutney filling the air.  I've not really cooked since.  Not tinkered with new recipes or scratched ideas into my kitchen journal. I've got use of a full kitchen and I'm going to make the most of it.  Though, I'll be honest..I'm a bit scared I may of lost my flair.  Its been a long time.  But cooking is like riding a bike yeah?!, once mastered never forgotten.  Fingers crossed.

I have plans.  To recreate some meals that I've become OBSESSED with. Food that I dream of (thank God for being blessed with a TASTE memory) I've either had the good fortune to devour or have heard about but not tasted..YET.

What is on my list?.... Tamales.I have the help of a Mexican blog I follow. The Mija Chronicles...It is not a vegan blog but Leslie is a Mexican travel expert and a foodie.  She was all set to teach me how to cook vegan food in Mexico but alas my trip was cancelled., and is on hold until I feel it is a safer place (or I become more courageous!)...  Reuben Sandwiches. Oh the memories of Natural Frontiers in Sedona and the dreams of visiting the Chicago Diner one day. I found a recipe on http://www.food.com/   Tendollarwine . It looked the simplest recipe and seeing as I'm just warming up my cooking skills and am not back in my kitchen with all my gadgets and stuff, I'm going to start of with a trot and move to a canter.  I've also been munching on a sweet carrot dessert made with sultanas and Veganaise (I KNOW!) from this awesome chef called Carol who creates great dishes and sells it in Mountain Harvest Market..Idyllwild.  Chipotle vinaigrette to liven up a persimmon salad (from my beloved Gracias Madre in San Francisco...the list is just beginning...I've not even started to consider the raw stuff that the people for 105 degrees create...the are extremely creative. Almost Vegan..the new HOT RAW CHEF is a recent graduate.  The list is only at its conception and I'm just starting to get my pen flowing   I have missed cooking so much.  I cannot wait.  I've a VERY long shopping list to write....

Packed away in a box marked...PRECIOUS CARGO..all my cooking books.  They are all back in the UK.  So I'm going to use the Internet for recipe ideas and order The Accidental Vegan The Accidental Vegan cookbook
(am I the last vegan to order this?...better late than never!)
If you have any ideas to get me back in the kitchen let me know...  In the meantime I'll be checking out all the new and fabulous blogs that the The Vegan Backpacker, Quarry Girl et al, post.  We  seem to be increasing in number at an amazing rate!

India Abroad

I keep a budget, a feathery idea, a dollar or pound sign floating in the either.  I live by it when I can, to prolong my travelling lifestyle.... until I'm done.  Unfortunately, this does not allow me to eat out as often as I'd like.  Swanky joints are a rare treat.

A river of curry! Sweet & Spice at Atwater Village

I went to an Indian canteen situated right at the end of my street.  India Sweets & Spices.  Their menu listings go on for reams, the meal combo seems to be the most popular choice.  I opted for a dosa at $5.48  I peered at the glass cabinet for a few moments at the India sweets, before 'Dosa, Dosa', sounded out the arrival of my meal.  It was served on a paper thali plate.  My cutlery was plastic.  Lucky for me it is all about the taste.  The spicy potato filling was strangely mashed, the spices subtle.  Duo chutneys, one red one green.  The tamarind was good, the coconut was bitter...almost an 'off' taste to it.  I troubled with the latter no more.  The sambhar (the curry gravy) was excellent.  Dense with veggies and with a mother of a kick.  I dallied over each mouthful.  I was stuffed as I scraped the plastic fork into near unreachable corners of my paper plate.  All I left was an ochre stain. 
My laden tummy was in no fit state for anymore food..so I ordered the samosa against my better/slimmer judgement.  It was the shape of a teepee. 

Taste o vision would be a boon for this pic!

 The pastry was crisp, chewy and delicious.  The filling was less so.  Mashed potato and a few lonely peas.  A watery date and tamarind chutney livened it up and I scoffed the lot. A bargain at 99c Whilst eating myself to an uncomfortable state of stuffed I read one of the newspapers, stacked underneath the largest TV I have ever seen.  Statueque, over -made up Indians danced across the screen in formation.  India Abroad.  Flicking through a few things caught my eye.

Eye opening...parents rally for suitors for their 'talented, rich, successful, handsome,' children...shouldn't prove too much of a bother then!

A Jain (vegan Indian) headed for the Deutsche bank?!

So much to explore in this world...I know only a mere scraping from its surface.  I get cross at myself when fear or comfort holds me back from venturing more.  I bless the Internet, its only failing is my lack of imagination.  I curse myself for every moment I let slip by not researching rare chamelions or learning a floor shaking tribal dance.  Kick myself for playing it safe when vast deserts and steamy jungles remain a 1D image in a dusty encylopedia packed away in box somewhere waiting for my return.  I vote for 48 hour days, teleportation, and lottery wins!  Utlised, of course, with a humble respect for the planet and zero carbon footprint.  Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream...

VeganLifeatMyHouse: Sally Davies' Happy Meal Project

VeganLifeatMyHouse: Sally Davies' Happy Meal Project: "Sally Davies, a New York-based artist, has photographed the Happy Meal for six months to document its changes, and there is no sign of mold..."

Iydea Brighton

Sorry to be a typical English person and put the weather at the top of the agenda..... but with only one glorious day to be plucked from the sodden depths of a seaside winter I have been seeking comfort food.  Nourishing, warm and tasty, that's the Iydea.

Tucked away at the Northern end of the Laines in Brighton is a small vegetarian cafe called Iydea .  It's not huge, seating for about 30.  The windows steam up from all the hot enticing dishes laying side by side in a hot cabinet.  I've gone there nearly every day for their 'To Go' soups.  Only £1.90.  Filled to the brim in a recycled cardboard cup.  I've been rendered a contented and full bunny by their daily soups.  Roasted Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip, spinach and basil (my favourite)...topped with roasted seeds, carrot and ginger with a sprinkle of roasted carrot shavings and tomato and red lentil with a spoon of vinegared, grated beetroot on the top.  Taking advantage of each lunch time that has kindly held back the flow of precipitation, I've sat on a bench nearby and people watched as I sipped these thick heart warming lovelies.

Speaking of lovelies...it fits the description of the staff to a T.  All smiling sweeties...as diverse as their daily specials and guaranteed to leave you happy.

I also had a meal of their..'choose your own mains and salads'.  Rasam...a curried lentil stew type thing..perfectly cooked and spooned over tummy loving brown rice, greens, and pumpkin and parsnip smash....v.v.good.  Simple and good.  Alas, no picture of this but below is the garlic roasted green beans, butter bean & carrot salad, Indian potato salad, carrot & parsnip mash and hummus.....They know their comfort food at Iydea.

Its a cafe and not a candle and waiter service type place but for the wallet/purse conscious, those in a hurry or those needing to be warmed by nourishing food when the Sun is playing hide and seek....it is a winner...and that's without even telling you that at 4:30pm they put anything left in eco-friendly containers and sell it at a very pleasing price.

Terre a Terre Brighton

A friend was having a birthday.  I do not need an excuse to go out and eat but I thought, 'why not push the boat out?' (what on earth has that saying got to do with being extravagant?)....Anyway, so we took a stroll through the Laines to East Street in Brighton.  Destination Terre a Terre.


A vegetarian restaurant with boy, girl owners who like to create innovative dishes to challenge the tastebuds and the misconception of 'bland' veggie food (I cant believe that still exists either....)


There is a good selection of vegan dishes and gluten free options were clearly marked.  We opted to share (I hate sharing...what if she gets more than me!) the vegan, gluten free tapas.  

The picture does not do it justice....it was a smorgasbord of tastes, smells and textures (well not literally...not even slightly Swedish but you know what I mean). So creative!

It was such an experience...each selection offered such original flavours.  We really took our time to....savour.  No scoffing or wolfing to be done here.

The Carracotta was a carrot panna cotta (I know!) with tiny pickled beets, a macadamia, lemon thyme soil (hmm, not sure about calling it soil but..) it was lightly chilled and slippery smooth.  The sweetness of the carrot being off set by the pickles.  OOh, yes.

Next, I played mum and we split the smoked Sakuri Mai Fun, it tasted like Asian slaw.  Crunchy, fresh and uplifting.  They gave us 3 Raw Maki sushi rolls...(hello, its for two to share...come on Terre, do the math)  The wasabi built a little fire in my nose for a few seconds and made me laugh.  Me being me would of liked these to be larger..... to get more of an idea of the flavours...not because I'm gluttonous!

The rectangular things were subtle arepa corn cakes.  Shaken in polenta and deep fried. smizzled (like drizzled but in teeny tiny slicks) with chilli chelly (not a typo).  Lovely textures.  Thumbs up.

The twin circular creations were Uttapam.  Indian crumpet with a coconut  and coriander seed butter, and a touch of ginger pickle jam.  These were lovely and tasty, the crumpets were dense and light at the same time....? I don't know either.

The shot glasses were tomato, vodka shots. Wow!  like a cold shower... in a culinary kind of way.  Alive alive oh! 

Wine for my friend was £4.50 a glass (I don't drink and I found this a shocking price...that's the cost of a slice of cake!) The tapas was £21.

Yes, it was delicious.  No, I wasn't full afterwards.  No, I didn't order a dessert (£8..a little cheeky).  Yes, I'd go there again.  The atmosphere was great, buzzing and welcoming.  Next time, I'd eat the Tapas for Two for one...all mine! 

The Prince George, Brighton

Pre cinema dinner at The George in Brighton.  High expectations for some tasty VEGAN pub grub.  They've been all veggie for yonks of years so it's going to be a wham bam taste party right?!......WRONG!  The atmosphere was the dressing that lifted the dinner a tad.  The food was ok.  But I wanted a full on...wrap me in Sunday, comfort feast.  Noooo...GIVE ME FLAVOUR!

My friend ordered the falafel burger and chunky chips and I opted to put the 'Sunday Roast'...Butternut squash and cranberry roast with red cabbage, roasties and gravy..on a high pedestal from where it fell.  The potatoes had a nice flavour and were of generous proportions and the cabbage was cooked well in a fruity sauce, but the ROAST was a bit like eating a packet of sage and onion stuffing.  I played 'hunt the BN squash' whilst my companion sipped water to appease the salty falafel and hummous and left me to nick his chips to see if I could find some satisfaction for my expectant taste buds....Nope!

It was ok.  Pub grub.  The atmosphere was nice.  If I wanted to indulge in food to make my taste buds dance a conga I'd go elsewhere.  But... for a pub being all veggie though....I take my hat off to them.

Just as well I had a contingency plan and had scoffed a HUGE slab of vegan tiffin earlier in the day! Phew!

Falafel burger, hummous and fat chips

Under the trio of humongous spuds lurks a vegan roast

Leon's London

Leon's is a bright 'fast food' eatery with a South American style interior.  It is not vegan but has a few tasty options.  I nipped in after a visit up town to the dentist (oh the heady thrills of it.....actually it was.  My lovely dentist was the barer of some good news).  He hadn't stabbed my mouth with needles so eating was top of my agenda, post dental appointment.

I'd been to Leon before.  Visited a couple of times before I flew to the US at the end of 2010.  It's a happy place. Family pictures (mostly dripping in 70's wallpaper and flares) hang on the walls.  

It is not a vegan joint but their menu is dutifully stamped with Vegan, heart healthy, gluten free dishes. All the non-v's I've taken along have given it the thumbs up.   Until 5 or 6pm meals are served in boxes at their 8 (to date) London locations.  After that plates and silverwear are placed beside flickering candles and dishes are served on wooden platters.



I batted in the safe zone and went to the sweet potato falafels (minus the aioli..not vegan), brown rice and crunchy vegan slaw.  It was a nice combo of textures.  The falafel's sweetness was balanced by the slightly acidic slaw.  The rice needed seasoning but had a nice chew. 

Leon's has a cook book or three.  Though they do have meat dishes they clearly are up on nutrition and offer good value 'fast food'.

Nothing to blow my socks off but good, filling and quick.  The Leon gobi looked good and I sampled the soup (cauliflower) which was lovely but a little under seasoned (for me).  They have quite a few locations in London Leon's and a fun Facebook page.   Leon's Facebook