Grinded by the Light.

Lately I've been talking into my phone directly into Blogger. It works pretty well, and I was able to start expressing this post right after I walked out of Grindcore House, a new vegan coffee joint at 4th and Dickinson. The residents of Pennsport assumed (I hope) that I was having an ordinary phone conversation.

But I was just a blogging fool trying to maximize her time.

For a coffeeshop, the cost of offering additional alternative milk is minimal, particularly because many of these are available in shelf stable packaging, are cheap in bulk, and last longer than dairy milk.  Having a couple of options on hand is worth it - almond or coconut milk for those allergic to soy.  Or those that simply prefer an almond milk latte, like the small percentage of America that runs this blog. If only the rest of our nation had more familiarity with alt milk, or if a major coffee chain would give out samples of almond milk cortado or cashew milk chai. Bring 'em around to the healthier, animal-friendly side.

I'm just riffing, you lot.

I certainly don't expect most shops to carry anything other than soy (it's a shame for those that don't even stock that and a nod of respect to those that leave soy milk out at the fixings bar), but Grindcore House took the extra step and decided to lay out the non-dairy milk rainbow of choices for vegans and dairy sensitive folks.  Behold the lineup:

Soy creamer.
Coconut creamer.
Soy.
Almond milk.

And they have rice milk as an option behind the counter. They are currently experimenting with making coffee drinks with the different milks, but their espresso machine was not ready to go this afternoon.

If that isn't worth a round of keyboard applause, feast your eyes on the signature dessert, exclusive to Grindcore via Vegan Treats.It's a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Explosion.

Knowing how I feel about peanut butter, this $5 behemoth and I were quickly introduced. The barista told me that Thursdays and Fridays are the best days to come in for fresh goodies (no doubt that Vegan Treats Thursday delivery?) and pointed me towards the back, where more seating and PHL: Printers/Haters/Lovers 
 art eye candy was to be found.

My coconut creamed ice coffee was the yin to my choco PB yang. A mound of peanut butter fudge (painfully sweet) balanced over another layer of chocolate fudge, dense chocolate cake, and a bottom surprise of peanut butter cream filling surrounded by a thin fence of chocolate shell.  

There was a lot going on. I wasn't entirely smitten, but I was completely dominated by this treat, which is a really great mid-afternoon pick-me-up that I kept chipping away at. Halfway through, I sheepishly deposited the remainder of my attempt with the barista at the counter and she asked if I wanted to take it home. As I had errands to run, I had a vision of this as molten chocolate cake within the hour in the thick heat and left.

Empty, but full.

A 21-year-old me would have attacked any Vegan Treat with wild abandon, sending it inward with a tall glass of arctic temperature soy milk, and slammed the glass down in a meaningful shatter. Shards of innocence would have piled around me in a sharp puddle. There is Blog Proof that in 2007 I ate Vegan Treats brownies for breakfast because, even then, I was surrounded by vegan-loving coffeeshops.

Oh, times. They change, but do they really? Yes.

Grindcore House brings something new to the city: the first fully vegan coffeeshop. Hours are 3 - 8pm for now, but they'll be expanding that along with the menu in the weeks to come.  I'm hoping there's an almond latte with my name on it.

Change of Address

We moved. Again. 3 entire blocks.

Our upgraded digs have some excellent views (a must for my virtual office), a more open layout, a second bedroom that actually works as an office this time, and condo-quality finishings at rental prices (a rare, rare find).  The kitchen is spacious with storage for our accumulation of appliances from the wedding and extra counter space. We have peace, privacy, and neighbors that don't pass out in the hallway. The rent is actually less.

I cannot wait to get back to my cooking this week.

Gritty, bold-faced Philadelphia. The office view from both sides:

The last thing I baked before the move? Babycakes Pumpkin Loaf (from the Pumpkin Muffin recipe).  I can't go long without baking some kind of treat, though, so we made sure to unpack the kitchen first.

I'll be whipping up some Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from the Kind Life. Only because I found my stash of carob chips tonight.

Dessert Bar

The new Larabars are hard to track down, but the Carrot Cake flavor is currently at the South St. Whole Foods. I found the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip in New York. The new flavors taste more decadent, even though they are made with the same wholesome ingredients that we know Larabars for. You can easily reach for a chocolatey fix that is more than beneficial to your well being. Now if only these new flavors would reveal themselves in more locations.

The truth is, if you really want dessert, you are going to find a way to have it. While the new varieties do sound enticing, there is nothing wrong with a bar that sounds healthy - if they left out the cake or cookie dough part of the name, I'd still buy it.

The latest ThinkThin bars? All I could think about was how I wanted a Larabar instead.  The ingredients list yucked me out and I wished I had discovered the "maltitol" sweetener prior to my purchase.

Veg Out West: Local 44's Updated Menu

Drizzly weather is a prime opportunity for things. 1) Indian Food 2) Pub Grub

West Philly has both in number. We chose the latter and rode the trolley to Local 44, one of the smarter choices a person can make in a college-run part of town. The beer selection is adult, the menu is tenfold more creative than most wing and shot bars, and the crowd is relaxed and behaved. The playfulness comes out in the appetizers on the recently updated menu.

I spot the vegan symbol next to the Queso Dip and Chips and I have to inquire. It turns out the spicy spread is made with soy milk and nutritional yeast, which means we absolutely have to try it. It is thick and gooey and every bit as zesty as a serious queso should be. I always steer clear from bowls of cheese, and this is the first queso dip that gets my stamp of approval, because it's dairy-free. C'mon, there's nooch in it. It's gotta be worthwhile. I especially like the green onions and chili oil.

The vegan Seared Eggplant is on the oilier side and by far the greasiest item that we ordered. If I had known, I would have gotten the arugula salad with raw corn vinaigrette, another vegan item that sounded like a good way to balance out the fried food we were excited about digging into. Still, those crispy shallots on top were better than any potato chip I've had, and I like the risk here. Not many places will dare to put sizable hunks of eggplant on a plate with some peppers and capers and mark it at $10. Certainly not most bars. Given some restraint with the oil, this would be a nice alternative to the bar sandwich route. 



And finally one more vegan dish that we came for: the Pastrami Spiced Seitan Reuben.



I have had tempeh reubens before and they are always good. Now before you put your walls up, I remind you again that seitan is an ancient food and is certainly not trying to convince anyone that it is meat. It is already its own delicious and time-honored thing.

But this is one hell of a sandwich. Sauerkraut. Secret sauce. Rye. A pile of fries. Oh, and that spiced seitan, sliced out deli-style. Briny, peppery, diner-like.  It was significant enough for two and yes, we did introduce those fries to some queso dip. Like two old men who discovered each other and wondered why they were not friends before.


The battered zucchini and veggie burger are also vegan.  That's a good deal of the menu to get down with. And starting September 4, Local 44 will introduce a vegan-heavy brunch. We need no convincing.

Local 44
 44th and Spruce Streets
215-222-BEER | www.local44beerbar.com

Living on the Vedge Says: Buckwheat and Hemp Granola

The ingredient list on One Lucky Duck's Buckwheat and Hemp Granola reads like the condensed version of My Favorite Things. I'm a fan of most of the NYC raw foods company's products and I am always talking up their goodies. While a bit on the expensive side, I find that the cereals go a long way, especially as an addition to overnight oats or mixed with Kashi as a base. My order from NYC to Philadelphia shows up overnight, so it is super convenient if a craving strikes. As soon as I heard about this new granola, I placed a swift cereal-crazed order.

Did this raw breakfast cereal leave me glowing or glowering?

Starring...Buckwheat Hemp Breakfast Bowl

Spread

I collect nut butters like I collect shoes, but we've been through this. Just let me have it.

A quick peek at the PB aisle (nothing else in this aisle even exists to me) at Whole Foods revealed some new faces:

Barney Butter (peanut-free and almond-full)

Justin's Nut Butter, now available in 16 oz jars in Chocolate Peanut, Chocolate Almond and Chocolate Hazelnut. I've never see the jars before, but they are pretty. Justin is probably the hottest professional peanut butter maker out there. I said "professional", honey.

Also a treat in the squeeze packets. I picked up some of these to sample instead of splurging on the jars that I have not tried yet. These are great for vacation. While traveling abroad, I often have trouble finding peanut butter and am the weirdo who stalks the concierge desk and begs room service to deliver peanut butter.

What I've noticed is that the squeeze packets fit naturally in Lululemon hip pockets. I think the half ounce packets are more my speed. 1.5 oz is a bit much if you're just adding it to your morning oats.

Pomegranate n' Cashew Butter Sandwiches are a surreal combination. I also snagged some MacroBars that day, including the new MacroNutrient Cashew Caramel flavor.

Recently, I have been enjoying Maranatha Sunflower Seed Butter on EVERYTHING. This banana and carob chip pairing is disgustingly normal. I really love it with some soba noodles and a dash of shoyu.

What is the oddest thing that you do with nut butter?

Mood in Manhattan

As much as Sunday should have been filed under Excellent Days - I took a much needed day off to meet a friend in New York - I have to considering placing it in a stack titled Underwhelmed.

After arriving at Penn Station, it only takes minutes to hop to Union Square with Metro Magic and skip a few blocks to One Lucky Duck's Gramercy location. Which makes it my go-to lunch haunt. I fuel up for an afternoon of walking and potential carousing later on.

I stay light and refreshing with the Tortilla Wraps. I nibble an Orreo cookie for dessert. While both are very satisfying, I regret not getting a shake instead or the Hempseed Portabella Burger. You know how it is when you order something that is perfectly fine but by the time you get it you already feel like you ordered the wrong thing and want something else?

That's how I felt all day. Whiny and sullen.

What would it take to perk up my spirit? Trying on second-skin wax fabric J Brands? My first guilty iced coffee in ages? There goes my attempt to stay hydrated.

Doing my best "Forlorn" look in my favorite place

Finally I met up with Jason outside of Babycakes. His idea, not mine. The last thing I needed right now was people and their delicious cupcakes. He wanted a slice of iced chocolate banana loaf to go and I said FINE, I will clear the frosting off of this gluten-free red velvet and then toss the rest of it in the trash like a true brat who does not appreciate the kindest baked goodies in all of the world. Models glared at me for doing this.

After catching up and Jason yanking all of the smiles out of me that he could, we had Angelica Kitchen to look forward to for dinner. As much as I have looked forward to finally eating here, I was not impressed with the meal. We ordered the Curried Cashew Spread to start. It was like a savory nut butter but I just wasn't crazy about it. I ordered the Norimaki of the Day, which had seitan and cabbage. Jason had sweet potato soup and a half Tempeh Reuben. Both were okay for a post-gym lunch, but not for a night when you needed a wow meal.

I snapped a few pics with my new Droid X. The camera is the best I've ever had on a phone but even it fell short on Sunday.

The highlight of the meal was the Angelica Cornbread. It was grainy and rustic and I could put away quite a few slices of it. If I lived here I would live on this stuff.



A drink was in order and we ventured a few blocks away to Death & Co. The night could still bring good things, but I sent my first cocktail back. The bartender gave me an "Are you Kidding Me? I could mix drinks while undergoing brain surgery, you little speck of blonde over there." I used my facial muscles to communicate back to him with "I'm not in the mood for your Maraschino tricks, boy. Can you guys just open a bottle of champagne?"

The champagne cocktail gets half of my attention. There are two bad dates going on at each side of our table. 

We duck out to Brooklyn to a Sailor Jerry party at Brooklyn Bowl and all I am thinking is how much I want to be back home.

I am sorry, New York, I am usually better than this. I will make it up to you.

Creamy Coconut Cashew Cocktail. Spoon required.

Are you ready for this muesli? You'll still need a spoon, no sipping here, but sometimes it's more fun to eat oats from a goblet. If you have to get moving, then make it in a Pyrex container and you can and will intake this sturdy breakfast from the highest of city buildings or mountains.

Cheers.

Coconut Cashew Cocktail

1/2 cup oats

2/3 cup almond milk

1 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tbsp crushed cashews

dollop of cashew butter

drizzle of agave

pinch of salt

1/4 cup oats with One Lucky Duck Chocolate Crispies...

Regular Coconut Cashew Oats in a Pyrex bowl for on the run.

Remix

Sometimes the remix is worth a listen.

My father-in-law has James Beard's 1-2-3-4 cake every year for his birthday. This year would be different only in that someone else would take a stab at making the layer cake with citrus glaze and Grand Marnier soaked strawberries.

Me. I was honored with the task and nothing disastrous happened. I kept the eggs and substituted soy milk for regular. The guests approved. We did compromise with a vegan dinner.

We stuck with classic-style recipes like the Rosemary Focaccia and Pasta Sheets with Mushrooms, Red Wine, and Rosemary from the Horizons cookbook. The focaccia is generally a crowd favorite and we fashioned a rosemary infused oil and rosemary Earth Balance for any wanton dipping.

The meal began with a dairy-free Cauliflower Apple Soup from the latest issue of Vegetarian Times. Any time I get to use the hand blender, I am happy. It's that easy. I love and respect the apple on its own, but damn if this remix doesn't make me hesitate to juice them all.

Eggplant Penne Blossom Bowl

I've always wanted to cook with squash blossoms. If you've ever had the blossoms at Pure Food and Wine, then you know how interesting they can be eaten raw.

I never see them for sale and never know where to look.

When I came across two packets hidden in with the herbs at the Farmer's Market, I had to snatch them up. I had no idea how to prepare them and did a little research. I decided to fry them, a cooking method I reserve only for the rarest of things.

Now this recipe might seem like a good deal of multi-tasking and well, it is. Pay attention.

Eggplant Penne Blossom Bowl
4 oz whole wheat penne

For alfredo sauce:

1 1/2 cups soymilk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced

For eggplant:

2 baby eggplants, any color
olive oil
sea salt

First, prep the eggplant. Slice lengthwise into thin strips and lay flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with seat salt. Let sit for an hour. Pat eggplant dry with towel and wipe off a good amount of the salt.

Prepare sauce by sauteing garlic in a sauce pan. Add milk, water, nutritional yeast, flour, and spices and whisk until clumps are gone. Let simmer over low heat while you prepare the pasta and grilled eggplant

Use oiled grill pan and tongs to cook eggplant 3 minutes on each side, aiming for nice grill marks. Chop grilled eggplant into pasta-friendly bites.

Next, bring water to a boil and cook pasta accordingly. Assemble pasta with sauce and eggplant. Sprinkle with additional nutritional yeast if you like.

Fried Squash Blossoms

8 squash blossoms
1/4 cup cashew cheese
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp flaxmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup water
salt, pepper
canola oil

Carefully remove the pistons from each flower. Insert cashew cheese into each blossom and fold it a little. Whisk flour, flax, baking powder, water, and salt and pepper to make batter. Dip blossoms into batter. You can prep these ahead of time and fry when you are ready. Fill a pan with 1/4 cup of oil or so. When sizzling, place blossoms in oil and let fry on each side fo 2-3 minutes.

Top your pasta with the piping hot, crispy blossoms and garnish with chopped herbs. The cashew cheese will be gooey and your sauce will be a nice thin coat of garlicky dressing.

Serves 2.

House Principles

We saw our wedding photos months ago, but the photo disc was given to us a few days ago. I wanted to pull out a couple of the finer details of the reception - the ultra hands-on touches that we had a swell time geeking over together.

The House Principles was Josh's set of bar guidelines - cheeky and worth reading while waiting for a drink at our 30's-inspired bar.



The drinks were creative updates on some of the classics, with a few untouchable throwback drinks that we just couldn't improve.

We named our tables after the drink menu. It seemed a lot more interesting than a non-memorable number. Eclatante Design used faux ostrich feathers and a mix of textured linens on the tables, with green velvet roses from Beautiful Blooms and napkins rolled up cigar-style.



We felt like we were at our favorite bar in a more noble, romantic, personal, and less confusing period in time. Dare I call it cinematic? Even the champagne flutes agreed.



Signs of 2010 emerged in the chocolate figs from Koo Zee Doo that were brought out to tables with Stumptown coffee for dessert. Our cake was Kahlua-infused dark chocolate with mocha buttercream frosting, dark espresso beans, and pearls.

Our napkins were printed with excerpts from our email conversations to each other when we first starting talking online. I would turn bright red if that were possible when I read them, but man, we were some pretentious lonely-hearted fools to start.

Just remember - a good drink takes time but your wait will be rewarded.

Soup Kitchen

Over the weekend, we  made a mango Indian-spiced soup for our Indian Feast, fantastically photographed by our favorite vegan couple Eric and Lauren, and a carrot ginger soup from Healthy Happy Life. The carrot soup, above, was served with a tomato salad with crumbled aged cashew cheese, balsamic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Soup is in my blood. Long ago, my grandparents worked at the Kensington Society Soup Kitchen in Fishtown, which served those in need of a hot meal in the neighborhood. My grandfather had retired, but since he loved being around people and being active in the community, he took on the gig.

When the giant soup kettles were not being used, I remember they let us climb inside to take our photo. I do hope they remembered to clean it afterward. Fishtown Sneaker Dirt should be a readily available spice.

I was never a lover of soup, though grandma would prepare trays of Campbell's soup with saltine crackers and half sandwiches for our lunch whenever she took care of us.

Lately I have a new interest in soup, mostly cold, hydrating bowls that helped us stay cool on our honeymoon and during the Philly heat wave. My favorite soups right now are the mushroom soup at El Rey (the only somewhat healthy veggie option I could suss out there) and Di Bruno's vegan carrot ginger. The avocado soup at Horizons is something I seek out every summer.

While my soup style is far from the bowls of my past, I did convince my grandfather to come to terms with my vegetarianism early on, and even though he isn't around these days, I think he would dig that Josh and I are mastering vegan soup.