Food Flavored Album Review: Recharge by the Tambo Rays

The first time I experienced Larabars was at the finish line of a half marathon. The company sent someone to hand out samples. I grabbed a handful, scarfed them down, remember liking them and then moved on. Years later, those little bars began showing up in grocery stores. Every time I thought about purchasing a box, I'd look at the price and head the other direction. Those bars, in all their plant based and gluten free glory, were definitely not cheap. To combat the drain on my wallet, I did what most adventurous kitchen types would do, I started making my own version..

Then Larabar brought out a new line of products called Larabar bites. These were essentially the bars rolled into truffle like bites. So, I started making them too. Recently I've become enamored with the double chocolate brownie bites. These bites consist of just six ingredients: dates, cocoa, dark chocolate chips, coconut flour, almonds and sea salt. In my kitchen I added a seventh, coconut shreds. To make the bites just stuff all these ingredients into a food processor and pulse until they become tiny bits. Then add a little water, pulse a few more times and voila, start rolling chocolate snowballs. While working out the logistics of this recipe, I listened to the new Tambo Rays EP, Recharge (released on July 17th via OIM Records). Both the bites and the Tambo Rays EP had a lot in common.

Recharge kicks off with the upbeat, sun soaked, pop rock of "Yes and No." According to the band it is a song about letting go of old habits, the uncertainty of wandering through new territory and confronting the difficulties that arise from leaving behind the safety net of the status quo. Hmm...sun soaked, letting go of the status quo, releasing old habits. Sounds a bit like coconut flour if you ask me. Coconut flour is born and bred from a fruit that hangs out on a tree that is found in tropical, sun soaked climates. In the bites that I created, the coconut flour took the place of traditional flour. It can be tough to let go of white flour, and it certainly is the road less traveled, but sometimes it can be so worth it. These bites were one of those times.



Recharge's second track, "Always Down" embraces the same sort of glimmering pop as "Yes and No" but the lyrics hint at something a bit more melancholy. "Always Down" was written about being there and supporting a friend who is dealing with some dark days. The necessary support is most apparent in the lines "And I'll always be there for you, situations unknown, and I'll always be there for you, to take you where you want to go to." These lines are ambiguous in the sense that they allow the darkness to remain unnamed. When a friend says they need you, it doesn't really matter what the situation is, you go. And if they need you to take them somewhere, again, the destination isn't relevant, you drive until they are satisfied. Satisfaction, underlying darkness. Not only do these words describe, "Always Down" but they could just as easily represent the chocolate chips and cocoa powder found in this recipe.



"Wrong Turn" takes the adage go big or go home and makes it reality. This isn't just a pop song. It is a sonic, tilt-a-whirl of wavy synths, moody percussion and sexy guitars. These elements provide a stylized base to prop up Sara DaMert's emotive lyrics. "Wrong Turn" is the second most evocative track on Recharge. Long after the EP fades to silence, the lines and sounds of "Wrong Turn" remain in your brain like little earworms of enthrallment. The Medjool dates used for these bites are every bit as enthralling, moody and evocative as "Wrong Turn." Medjools, because of their elevated status in the date world are often referred to as kings, diamonds or crown jewels. Not sure you can get more enthralling than that. They have a rich, sweet taste that brings to mind differing food moods like caramel, honey or cinnamon.



What ties these chocolate bites together is the almonds. The "almonds" of Recharge is the closer, "Get It Right Now." This track is the most evocative of the lot because it combines aspects of each of the previous tracks. "Get It Right Now" features some of the same sonic elements as "Wrong Turn," the upbeat, sun soaked pop of "Yes and No" and the underlying melancholy of "Always Down." Its chorus seems to say that despite the fact that you are going through or have previously gone through some tough moments, time will heal those wounds ("To fall in love it just takes time"). Same with those pesky almonds. Pulse a bit and try to roll these bites and you'll be met with the tough almond exterior. But give it some time, pulse a bit more and you'll wind up with an easily moldable nutty treat.



Recharge by the Tambo Rays and Double Chocolate Brownie Bites have a number of things in common. Ultimately what stands out is the staying power of each. This staying power is created in both of these by combining catchy immediacy with a subtle and brilliant nuance.

Cook: Sesame Oats with Mushrooms

It's spring break baby! That means I can pull myself out of the work induced coma I've been in since New Years and spend a little time cooking (and blogging).

Since 2017 became a thing (you remember how Mariah Carey sent 2016 out with a complete meltdown right?) I've been experimenting with the idea that cooking should be more of a drawn out ingredient variation process that can stretch for weeks on end versus a stand alone one moment in time episode.

What this means is that I have been leaning more towards buying a pile of ingredients, prepping them on the weekend and then making them the star of several different dishes during that week. This saves time, money and really helps fight the fatigue of the work week. 

A recent ingredient variation process involved mushrooms. They were on super deep discount mode at my local farmer's market so I stocked up. They then starred in a number of fabulous meals including pasta, soup and a sandwich. My favorite "one moment in time" moment of that week was when I paired the mushrooms with sesame oil, soy sauce, veggie broth and oats. It was a savory masterpiece that was perfect for the rainy morning I made them. Better yet, after a long day of go, go, go, they made a great midnight slow down snack. 

Taste of Brooklyn

Back in April, an invitation arrived for J-Fur and I to attend a wedding in Brooklyn. We were stoked. We started making plans for a weeklong tour of the city. I bookmarked the sh** out of all the vegan restaurants in the area and began taking detailed notes about the different dishes I wanted to try. She scoped out tattoo parlors and laundromats (or whatever it is that she is into now-a-days). But then my job came calling, offering me a pretty unique two week summer gig. And Google came calling J-Fur, asking her to do a bit of technical support. Just like that our weeklong trip to Brooklyn became a two day one. That Brooklyn eating extravaganza I dreamed up? Reduced to a period of about four hours.

With only four hours to eat, I had to make my calories count. I sought out things that I can't get in Tampa. Our first stop was Dun-Well Doughnuts. Up until recently, there were absolutely no good vegan donuts in the Tampa area. With the opening of Buttermilk Provisions, and their one type of vegan donut, this might not be the case anymore. I say might because I have yet to give the vegan donut at Buttermilk a whirl. Anyway, Dun-Well doesn't play the whole regular donuts with one vegan option game. Everything at Dun-Well is vegan. This includes the lattes, ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, donuts, horchata and egg type things. I really wanted to try everything that Dun-Well had to offer. I wanted to come back six days in a row, sampling a different thing each time. The doughnut sundae caught my eye. So did the milkshakes and the lime doughnut. But having just a four hour window forced me to make a decision. I only had one go at this, I had to make it right. So I went with the one most recommended on Yelp, the Peanut Butter and Jelly doughnut. J-Fur ordered a straight chocolate donut. Because there was a ten dollar minimum for credit card usage, J-Fur also ordered a tea and I tacked on a lavender lemonade. Our bill...ten dollars exactly. One thing about Dun-Well's brand of doughnuts, they are certainly not cheap.

The chocolate frosted and peanut butter and jelly doughnuts.

I bit into the PB&J and did a bit of a mind gasp. I'm not a doughnut fan in the least, but this one, it was delicious. The peanutty glaze was not sugary, like I feared, it still had a strong peanut taste. The doughnut was fluffy, sort of like a dough pillow for the rich peanut topping to rest it's weary head. The jelly inside the doughnut was a nice sweet contrast to the rich peanut glaze and doughy doughnut. I offered a bite to J-Fur who remarked "It's way too sweet" after she tasted it. I shook my head in disbelief. I think her tastebuds have just been worn down by all the Dr. Pepper. J-Fur and I both agreed about the chocolate doughnut, it was too salty. Had it been a chocolate and sea salt doughnut, it would've been right on the money. But because she only wanted a chocolate doughnut, it completely missed the mark. I'm not sure if Dun-Well offers a salted chocolate version but, if they do, perhaps it was bartender error that led to the less than stellar doughnut.

My last foray into the world of lavender lemonade came at Kaleisia Tea in Tampa and I wasn't super impressed by it (don't construe this as a knock on the lavender lemonade, it is more a celebration of how awesome the matcha limeade is). The Dun-Well Doughnut version was just how I like it. The lemonade wasn't super sweet and the lavender offered a slight little flavor boost to the drink. It was very refreshing on a sweltering day. 

While returning the handcrafted pottery plate that our doughnuts were served on to the dish collection area, I overheard the bartender talking about Champs Diner. This was one of the places that I had bookmarked. I decided to approach him with my own take on one of those deserted island questions. I said "If you only had four hours in town, were vegan, and really wanted to experience what New York vegan food was all about, where would you go?" He replied, "Champs Diner" is really worth it. So we headed that direction. 

Champs is only about a block away from Dun-Well Doughnuts. Like Dun-Well, Champs is completely vegan. The diner describes itself as serving "Americana comfort food with a no-fuss, laid-back attitude." I contemplated filling the table with various dishes so that I could just sample a bit of everything. I wanted some mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings and seitan asada fries and a grinder and reuben and Philly Cheesesteak. S**t man, I wanted the whole menu. When I realized that Champs was a cash only joint, I had to temper my desires a bit. I had come with limited cash so I'd have to stick with one menu item for me, one for J-Fur and one for Z-Bot. I settled on the buffalo chick'n hero, J-Fur ordered an Awesome Bowl and we ordered Z-Bot the mac and cheese.

Buffalo Chick'n Hero

The Buffalo Chick'n Hero consists of spicy buffalo chick'n, greens, tomatoes, sautéed onions and ranch dressing on a hero. I've eaten a version of this at my house and I love the combo of spicy buffalo sauce and creamy ranch dressing. For some reason, and I couldn't place what it was, the Champ's version seemed overly salty. I remember having the same type of issue with a lot of the items on the Chicago Diner menu back in the day. While the sandwich was still good, it fell short of the perfection that I was hoping for. 

'

The mac and cheese

You know what didn't fall short of perfection? The mac and cheese. This dish was total bomb squad. It was cheesy and creamy without the weird texture or aftertaste that a lot of vegan cheeses seem to suffer from. My daughter only ate a few bites so we took the leftovers home. Later in the evening I pregamed for the wedding by eating the rest of it. About the only negative with the mac and cheese is that it is very oily. Be careful with it, especially if you take it to go. You don't want your three year old to swing it and hit you and ruin a pair of your shorts. 

The Awesome Bowl

The Awesome Bowl was full of quinoa, tofu scramble, bell peppers, garlic sautéed kale, home fries and hollandaise sauce. With that list of ingredients, it sounded like it should be one of the greatest things I've ever tasted. It was. But a large reason for that is because I ate from the side that was not drowned in Hollandaise sauce. Unfortunately, for J-Fur, she couldn't finish the dish because it had too much sauce on it. She loved the part that had only a smattering. Next time, she'd do it on the side.

By the end of our meal at Champ's, I was stuffed to the point of almost being uncomfortable. I knew then that I would be unable to hack a beet burger, New York style pizza or Chinese food. I threw in the white flag and headed home, satisfied, but not downright floored.

Check out my other Tastes of posts:
New Orleans
New York
Orlando
Savannah

Click (Food): Meat Extremists, Brooklyn Does Vegan Pizza, Link Eats Berries and Tigernut Flour

Happenings:

• The patrons at a Georgian (the country, not the state) vegan cafe were pelted with fish, sausage and other meat hunks by a group of meat "extremists." The disturbance carried over into the streets where one of the neighbors came out wielding a knife. He charged the cafe with breaking his peace of "watching TV and eating sunflower seeds."

• So I guess Starbucks' has this secret "pink drink" that is totally breaking Instagram and ruling the world right now. Unlike their fall drink that rules the world with a dairy filled fist, this pink drink can actually be made vegan. Just sub in some coconut milk. The drink is so top secret that I found out about it on Cosmopolitan's website. Yes, the Cosmopolitan that has a circulation of some 3 million subscribers (circa 2011). People use the word secret so loosely nowadays. 

• Screamer's Pizzaria, Brooklyn's first completely vegan pizzeria, is open for business. As all the commenters point out, if you are looking for authentic New York style pizza, don't go here. Daiya is neither authentic nor made in New York.

• There is a vegan lifestyle show coming to a television near you. Of course, if you happen to watch it, you probably aren't a true vegan. Vegan televisions anyone?

• There is a new Zelda game hitting the market soon, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game offers hardcore vegans a chance to make lead character Link follow in their footsteps. That's right, you can choose a vegan version of Link. Instead of hunting furry little creatures to restore his health, Link will forage for mushrooms, plants and nuts. A more health conscience Link, I like it. Of course, you can't appease everyone.

• Beyond Meat has created a vegan burger that bleeds when you cook it. This is a total game changer. I mean pretty soon waiters and waitresses at vegan restaurants aren't going to have it so easy. They'll actually have to ask me how I want my burger cooked.

• Rob Zombie recently lent his voice to an episode of Mr. Pickles on Adult Swim. He was, as he put it, the "douchebag leader of a vegan cult." Don't worry about authenticity. I gave him some pretty swell pointers about what it is like being a "douchebag leader of a vegan cult." *What do you want, I'm trying to writing? You interrupted me for that? Go out and find some carrots and make a house salad sacrifice to me. And this time don't forget the vegan mustard dressing.

• An LA vegan restaurant has started serving marijuana-infused cocktails. I'd imagine that post drink food sales have probably shot through the roof. 

Recipes:

Carrot Cake Doughnut by Purely Twins

What in the bloody f*** is Tigernut flour? Oh, there's a link? Sorry, I was too lazy to click on it. Probably that marijuana-infused cocktail I had earlier.

Kale Ice Cream by Vogue

In the description for this ice cream the author states: "Here, she shares her exclusive recipe for Kale Cookies ’n’ Cream Ice Cream—sure to win over any crowd, young or old." I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree. I asked my entire family, via Facebook, if they would be in to such a thing. They all immediately unfriended me.

Lilac Dream Cheesecake from Unconventional Baker

When it comes to eating flowers as a dessert, I feel that lavender is king. The role of queen, prince and court jester are still up for grabs. Where will you fall Lilac Dream Cheesecake?

Fettuccine with Tomato Cream Sauce and Asparagus from Vegan Richa

Enough with the sweets, let's get to some savory joints. Before becoming vegan I made a mad asparagus, artichoke and white bean pasta with pesto on it. I used to miss it hardcore. Recently, I felt I had done a nice job of putting that dish behind me. But then Vegan Richa comes along and, not only tears of the band-aid, but adds an additional gash right below my jugular. It's going to be a rough night.

Cook: Vegan Blueberry Lime Donuts

On Friday I listened to Eddie and imagined eating some donuts. On Saturday I experienced half of one of Lolly's finest government conspiracies (the other half played out while I was sleeping). Those two nights merged into one crazy ass Saturday night couch dream. 

I don't want to bore you with entire storyline, so let me just summarize by saying Eddie Vedder joins forces with Michael Vale to figure out why aquafaba isn't more well known. At the end of the dream Vale and Vedder (or VV) are on stage bringing aquafaba's magic to the masses through a hit pop song they call "Aqua Faba." The lyrics went like this:   

Sheets of empty donuts, untouched sheets of dough.

Aquafaba spread out before me as her body once did.
All five metal whisks revolved around the bowl as the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has sweetened a bit
Ooh, and all she taught me was everything
Ooh, I know she gave me vegan donuts

As soon as I awoke on Sunday I set to work mimicking A Saucy Kitchen's aquafaba donut masterpieces. I didn't have the gluten free flours to mess around with so I did mine gluten full. For the original, gluten free version, go here. Here's how mine happened:

Vegan Blueberry Lime Donuts (adapted slightly from A Saucy Kitchen)
(printable version)

For the donuts:
-1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (210 grams)
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-6 tablespoons aquafaba (the bean juice that you drain out of a chickpea can)
-1/2 cup dairy free vanilla milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Sweetened Vanilla)
-1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

For the Glaze:
-1/2 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
-juice of one lime
-1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium sized bowl add you flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk everything together until it is well mixed. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour your aquafaba and beat on high for 2 minutes. You want the aquafaba to be frothy and its color should now be white. Add the milk and coconut oil to the stand mixer bowl as well. Beat for an additional minute on high.

4. Pour the aquafaba mixture into your bowl of dry ingredients. Stir a few times. Pour this mixture back into the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low speed until you have a batter.

5. Spoon your batter into a ziplock bag. Cut off the corner. Squeeze it into your donut moulds. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the donuts are cooked through.

6. Allow the donuts to cool. While they are cooling, make the glaze.

7. Microwave the blueberries for two minutes. Pour the heated berries into a food processor and process until they are smooth. Squeeze in the lime juice and pour in the powdered sugar. Continue mixing with the processor until there are no lumps. Spoon the glaze over the cooled donuts. Eat them!

Listen to these donuts here.

Food Pairing 101: What Goes Well With Future Generations' New Single?

The idea behind Future Generations' new single "Coast" is that there is a special girl that is looking to relocate to the coast. Lead singer Eddie Gore insists throughout the track that he doesn't want to lose this girl to the coast. Yet, he questions exactly what it is that is happening between them. I mean he knows that "it sparkles and it shines" but is it the type of thing that is "made of gold?" Or is it just that fake stuff that falls apart minutes after you pour out your soul and keep her from the coast? At that point, when she bounces to someone else, gets pregnant and becomes stuck almost as far away from Walla Walla as she can be, isn't it at least a little bit your fault? *Pardon me while I put that skeleton back in the closet.*

"Coast" is unique as far as Future Generations goes because it wasn't written as a band. The song came about when Eddie spent a few days in Nashville visiting family. He sat down for a collaborative session with his father and an amazing songwriter named Sarah Silva. According to Eddie, Ms. Silva brought out some "real emotion" in him and they wound up writing a "great song."  

So what would I pair with this track? I'm thinking something a bit fruity. More importantly, it has to have aquafaba. I say this because "Coast" winds down with a repetitive "the coast is calling your name, I don't hear a sound." Replace the word "coast" with "aquafaba" and really you describe the last few years of my life. I've heard of the wonders of aquafaba (bean juice) as an egg replacer but haven't yet gone for it. I've let it fall on deaf ears. It seems like such a hassle to deal with. But when you are turning down things like these Blueberry Lime Glazed Donuts (from A Saucy Kitchen blog) just because you are being lazy, eventually you get to the point where it comes time to reevaluate. Do you want to keep doing subpar vegan desserts? Or do you want to take it to the next level?

Nothing like "Coasts" and Blueberry Lime donuts and aquafaba reevaluation to finish off your Friday.

Joe Kruse Food Manifesto and Vegetarian Breakfast Tacos

Joe Kruse, bassist for progressive rock band Gone Quite Mad, has been living the vegetarian lifestyle since the age of ten. Previously his family had raised chickens and Joe, along with his brother, decided that animals should be treated with respect. So they both transitioned to a meat free diet.

Now-a-days Joe has a passion for cooking. In fact, each Sunday he invites friends and family to come over for an epic vegetarian brunch. Since I've become a bit of a bruncher in recent weeks, I decided to surprise Joe by inviting myself over for one of his gatherings. Unfortunately, before I was able to get to the door, I was headed off by a couple of mean old bouncers. I must say, I was utterly shocked. Who the hell hires bouncers for a brunch? Anyway, as those bouncers drug me away, I noticed some torn up pages on Joe's lawn. I grabbed the papers (I'm such a fanboy) and brought them home. After hours and hours of painstaking work, I was able to scotch tape those papers back together. What I held in my hand was like solid gold. It was Joe Kruse's manifesto, typed out on a creepy old typewriter and everything. Risking my freedom (there's a big ol' jail cell staring me in the face), I've decided to go ahead and publish this manifesto. Here it is in all its unauthorized (just kidding!) glory.

Joe Kruse's Food Manifesto

Most people are surprised to find out I’m a vegetarian. I don’t necessarily fit the description, though I’ve been one since I was eight or nine. It’s never been an issue of health but rather trying to preserve something I find special in my own way. Life, especially conscious life, is so crazy rare in this universe that I don’t want to flippantly end a life just so I can have some tasty nachos.  That said, and this might seem like a total 180, I’m not opposed to people eating meat. I just think many people have forgotten to respect the life they take to feed themselves.  This wasn’t always my train of thought. When I first started I was a kid and super idealistic.   I raised chickens and was horrified at the idea of killing something to eat it. If the world’s chickens were anything like my pets, then they all deserved to live.  But that’s just not the reality of what we are. So in my corner of the world I chose to avoid meat for now.  I can see myself eating meat one day, but I think I’d have to do the dirty work and kill the animal myself.  That seems kinda fucked up to write as a vegetarian, but I think the weight of that action is the appropriate price. 

I think we’ve forgotten to enjoy the experience and processes of life, and rather look to immediate solutions.  Hard work and creativity are overlooked for quick sufficient results. We lose something when we buy instead of create. We lose touch of what we’re capable of.  I love my kitchen and cooking for other people.  Experimenting with new ideas and recipes and serving them to a group of friends is my solo project away from the band.  When we’re out of town I don’t miss my bed so much as I miss my knives and my stove.  Putting in the work to make a good breakfast in the morning points me in the right direction for the day.  The next step is spending the afternoon in the shop building my guitars. I'll stop home to make a nice dinner for my girlfriend and I, maybe sit down for a second if I can and then it’s off to rehearsal for the night.

My 3 brothers and I took a vacation to Sayulita, Mexico last Easter. Every morning my Brother Dan (who is a hell of a cook) and I would make breakfast. I’ve always been obsessed with eggs for breakfast, so I would handle that while he cooked up some veggies. We’d sit down and feast to get ourselves fueled for a day of hiking through the woods to the next surf spot, or just to recover from a night of drinking tequila. The vegetables were honestly one of the most memorable things from that trip. They just tasted like nothing I’ve ever had even though it was something as simple as a bell pepper. I guess when it’s grown right down the street, it doesn’t have time to loose all its flavor or something. 

These tacos are my attempt to remember that amazing weekend away with my brothers. It’s best served to a group of awesome and inspiring people, or total lunatics…which ever you happen to have around! The ingredient list is really more of a list of suggestions. Any nice fresh vegetables will do (zucchini and mushrooms are particularly good in here as well), and the proportions are really up to your taste.  I also rarely cook with salt, or use it sparingly. It seems like a bandaid to me. If I want something that just tastes like salt, I’ll eat a cheap bag of chips. 

This whole recipe can be made in one pan if you’re just doing one serving, so use a big one to make some space.

Gone Quite Mad's newest single is "Neptune." According to sing Chris Gesualdi, "Neptune" tells the story of a future courtship. The protagonist of the track wants to take a partner to the Neptune Chariot Races, a futuristic take on auto-racing. The track is best served with a pile of breakfast tacos and a few placemats decorated with Joe's manifesto.

Click (Food): Jesse Eisenberg's Thanksliving, Football Players Need Their Protein, Speak Vegan in Any Language, Pumpkin Tots and a Sticky Bun Crown

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's what caught my eye in the land of food and agave leading up to this gluttonous holiday:

Happenings:

• Just in time for New Year's Eve, Duval-Leroy Champagne has announced that it's product is now completely vegan. Now more casein, gelatin or egg whites needed to fine the process, instead they just let it sit for an additional three months. I thought this simple solution would work on other things so I decided to try making meringue from vegan egg replacers again. I beat them vigorously for a bit and then let them sit for three months. My final product was definitely more solid than previous attempts. Unfortunately it was also more discolored and more attractive to the flies that were circulating around it. 

• So I am on a bus traveling to the airport the other day and these two fifty something, overweight men and their ladies were discussing football. Naturally Arian Foster comes up and all his injury problems. One of the guys says it is because he is "vegan." The lady who was not married to him suggested that it should be a requirement for all macho men, like football players, to eat meat. Get your protein boys! I'm wondering if she'd make that same statement staring down the barrel of whatever these men and women are packing. Go ahead lady, tell them they're soft. I dare you...

• My worst nightmare of the last three years featured me, stuck in Sri Lanka, surrounded by a bunch of bloody meat carcasses. A woman comes and serves me one of those nasty pieces of flesh. I try to tell her I'm vegan but I can't get the words out because I don't speak her language. Have no fear people, this nightmare will not be coming to a dream state near you. Thanks to the veganagogo app, we can all speak vegan in whatever language we need.


• Jesse Eisenberg's family just became the coolest ones on the block (not my block, of course, I reside in a much lower income area than they probably do). They celebrate Thanksliving instead of Thanksgiving, eat completely vegan and post pictures of the turkeys they saved by eating tofu? Sign me up.

• Oh lord, Vegan "extremists" petitioned Wal-Mart to stop selling toy livestock trailers. The Pork Network doesn't like it.

• I thought my two cups of water a day was minimal. This guy hasn't drank a glass of water since 2012.

Recipes:

Ginger Pumpkin Tart with Maple-Pecan Crust by Oh Ladycakes

Uncle Ned has celiac disease, Cousin Dagger is dairy intolerant, you are just so over the whole traditional pumpkin pie thing and your mother approaches you about making this year's family dessert. What are you going to do? Oh Ladycakes has the answer. Spice up that traditional pumpkin pie with some ginger and then plop it on a maple-pecan crust. Uncle Ned and Cousin Dagger will both be on board because this dessert is vegan and gluten free. Who knew that satisfying your family could be so damn easy?

Vegan Sticky Bun Crown by Emmy Lous Kitchen

There was this sportswriter for the Philly Inquirer who used to begin his Sunday articles with the line "When I'm king of the world...". He would then fill in his thoughts about what happened that week/night/day in sports. They were pretty boring reads, I usually skipped over the meat of his stuff, but I noticed enough to get the gist of what he was trying to do. That beginning line popped into my head when I saw these Sticky Bun Crowns from Emmy Lous Kitchen. Because when I'm king of the world, I want to wear a crown made of sticky buns. And when I feel the urge, I want to eat that crown. Then I want someone to bring me another. That sounds just about perfect. For those of you who aren't kings of the world (hey, there can only be one of us) maybe try these out for Thanksgiving morning. It'll make you feel a bit royal before dashing to the kitchen for a seven hour cook fest.

Vegan Mini Pot Pie Jars from the Colorful Kitchen

I'm a big fan of pies in a jar. Those little desserts seem to have just the right mixture of crust to filling and are already packed in single servings. They are super easy to freeze so that you can have fresh pie anytime of year. I never even contemplated that the same pie in the jar treatment could be given to a savory version like a pot pie. The Colorful Kitchen showed me that not only can they get that same treatment but they can also be topped with those criss cross pieces of dough that look so fancy. In hopes that I don't miss out on something so spectacular again, I've been sitting here generating a list of all the pies that I can think of and deciding whether or not they would work in a jar. So far, here's what I have: Magpie, Cowpie, Pieface

Not having much luck.

Homemade Pumpkin Tots from Savory Nothings

Never in my life did I utter the phrase "Man I wish I had some pumpkin that was cooked like a tater tot right now." I did come close, once, when I told a lady at the store, "Man I wish I had some vegan cherry turnovers right now." Yeah, once I said it out loud I realized how not close it actually was.

Enjoy your holiday! 

Click (Food): Human DNA in Hot Dogs, Strip Clubs That Become Homeless Shelters, Guinness Stops Using Fish Bladders and the Forest Green Rovers Football Club Goes Vegan

We've got entire football clubs pledging to follow the vegan lifestyle, a formerly vegan strip club that is now in the process of becoming a homeless shelter, a restaurant owner threatening to shoot any vegan that walks into his establishment and human DNA showing up in hot dogs. Yep, just a normal few weeks in the crazy world of food. Here are those stories...and a few others:

Happenings:

• The building that used to house Johnny Diablo's Black Cauldron, a vegan Strip club in Portland, is being transitioned to a 24-hour homeless shelter. I asked J-Fur what kind of funny joke I could make about this news. She said "Nothing."

• Quorn, the fake meat line that is made up of fermented mycoprotein, is set to release a vegan product line in the US in early 2016. Another total win for the vegan test tube food lovers out there.

• The Forest Green Rovers have become the "world's first vegan football club." Who are they? They are a team in the English fifth tier level. I think that is only a step or two higher than my high school team. Still, it is cool to think that if I'm ever in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire I can have a completely vegan football experience.


• Just because you are vegan, doesn't mean you can't enjoy some halloween candies. Here is a list of vegan safe halloween candies. Just remember to check the wrapper to make sure it wasn't fiddled with. You never know if one of your pro-beef neighbors might have tried to sneak some of their carcinogenic animal juices into your candy. Psshh, jealous much?

• A Facebook battle between vegans and Dublin's White Moose Cafe broke out this week. It escalated to the point that the owner finally decreed "Any Vegans attempting to enter our cafe will be shot dead at point blank range." A quick flight on Thursday told me that he is all bark and no bite. Not only did he not shoot me dead, he actually took the eggs, Parmesan and Hollandaise Sauce off of his grilled asparagus salad and served me a vegan version. He called it...Asparagus.

• A Vegan Culinary Academy is set to open in Florida. Of course it can't be somewhere close by like Tampa, St. Petersburg or Orlando so I can take night classes. Instead, it is way down in Miami. I guess my only option is weekend classes. The cool thing about weekend classes is that it exponentially increased the likelihood that I run into Kim Kardashian.

• The vegan beer drinking crowd goes wild as Guinness has promised to stop filtering their beer with fish bladders. That means it is now 100 percent vegan. My famous Vegan Irish Stew thanks you. 

• Tough week for meat eaters. First they found out that their hot dogs contain bits of human DNA. Then they found out that meat most meat is probably carcinogenic (while processed meat definitely causes cancer). I just sat there pointing my finger and laughing at all those silly meat eaters while I chowed down on a vegan hot dog. Wait...what? Oh shit!

Recipes:

Pumpkin Muffins With Pecan Streusel and Maple Glaze by Show Me the Yummy

My favorite muffins have always been the ones covered with streusel. It doesn't matter if it is blueberry, banana, strawberry or apple, just cover that shit in streusel and watch me sing. Show Me the Yummy ups the ante quite a bit with their version. Not only is there's pumpkiny and streusely but they make it all glazey as well. I imagine Trevor and Jennifer, the duo behind Show Me the Yummy, came up with the recipe while sitting at a poker table playing foodie poker against the likes of corporate entities such as Whole Foods, Dunkin Donuts and Panera. All three of those losers throw their streusel muffins in the pot and sit back with a laugh. We've got you their non poker faces seem to say. Trevor and Jennifer don't say a word as they reach into their bag and pull out this muffin. "Is that pumpkin?" Whole Foods asks. "That can't be streusel" Dunkin Donuts exclaims. "We'll fu** me," Panera gasps "you've got maple glaze." All three stand up without another word. They know they've been defeated.

Vegan Tiramisu by Crazy Vegan Kitchen

Thanks to Crazy Vegan Kitchen "there's (vegan) layers to this shit player, tiramisu, tiramisu." 

Lentil Burger from Contentedness Cooking

It wasn't the lentil burger that attracted me to this recipe, those are like a dime a dozen. It was that sweet, oozing mustard sauce. Any recipe with something so glorious, so runny, so yellow deserves my attention. Go away eggs, I'm not talking to you.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls with Apples from Vegan Heaven

Oh Sina. Sina, Sina, Sina. As she shares this recipe on her blog, Sina starts with a line about her grandma's cinnamon rolls and how unfortunate it is that she doesn't live close to her anymore. It made me think about my own grandmother. She passed a few years ago. The crazy thing is, despite her passing, I can still enjoy her cinnamon rolls anytime I want to. Unfortunately, they aren't vegan. Sina then goes on to talk about how her favorite bakery, which isn't far from her home, serves up vegan cinnamon rolls. I too have a favorite bakery that serves vegan cinnamon rolls. A quick check on Google Maps says that it is only 1,091 miles away (with tolls). If I want to go the cheap no tolls route it is only 40 miles farther. All of this is to say that I need Sina's recipe a lot more than she probably needs it.

Click (Food): Rotten Egg Board, the Pope Visits Philly, Cows Slaughter Humans and Cauliflower Everything Bagels

The US Government has it out for eggless mayo, my favorite vegan hip race car driving environmentalist, the Donald gets a food appearance and brown sugar covered tofu are just some of the things that made my week. Here are those stories, and more:

Happenings:

• Egg Raid on Hampton Creek: The American Egg Board, slimy industry professional lobbyists that they are, have been running a campaign trying to keep Hampton Creek and their eggless mayonnaise off the market. This included correspondence with Whole Foods, bloggers and Travel Channel Host Andrew Zimmern trying to persuade them to join their anti-eggless mayo crusade. 

• Five reasons the Pope should eat vegan when he visits Philly. Number five would be good enough for me (that and Blackbird Pizzeria)

• I am officially a disciple of CarbonFreeGirl, a vegan hippy race car driving environmentalist.


• Look out meat eaters, the cows have taken jobs. They are now foremen at a slaughterhouse. The beings being slaughtered? Humans.

• The Son of God shows up in tortillas and the Virgin Mary flaunts her stuff just about everywhere, why shouldn't the Donald showing up in Earth Balance Organic Spread.

• Vegans finally get their pyramid. Somewhere Egyptians are laughing at the inefficiency of present day food architects.

• Salmonella flavored cucumbers being recalled

Recipes:

Brown Sugar Tofu and Mushroom Spring Rolls by Sprouted Kitchen

I've sprinkled my tofu with a lot of different things during my years of vegetarianism/veganism: corn starch, salt and pepper, mole sauce, baby powder. But never have I used brown sugar. I like my sweet away from my fake meat. But this recipe, that was put together with recipe snippets from a Heidi Swanson cookbook, has me ready to try something new.

Oh, and don't ever cover tofu with baby powder. That was such an awful experience. 

"Everything Bagel" Cauliflower Rolls by Lexi's Clean Kitchen

I heard for years that the secret to a good bagel is to get one New York style. I finally did and I haven't gone back. Panera and got nothing on those guys. But then I started hearing rumors of something "even better than a New York style bagel." My pal swears by cauliflower bagels. Call me skeptical with a capital S. 

Vegan Banh Mi from De Groene Meisjes

My command of the Dutch language isn't what it used to be, I mean I did play soccer there for a summer, but I'm going to try to translate this blog post anyways. I believe it says "Seitan has invaded my sandwich. I keep trying to quit that gluten on gluten combination but resistance is sort of futile. Sort of like a teenager walking through Amsterdam's red light district for the first time. Meow!"

Sweet Corn Gazpacho from The Endless Meal

The problem I have with gazpacho is that it is cold. Soup shouldn't be cold. Even if you want to eat it in the middle of the day on the hottest day of the summer, it needs to be at least lukewarm. That being said, I'm willing to try out this recipe in order to test a theory. Maybe my problem isn't that gazpacho is cold, maybe it is that it is made from tomatoes. I'll keep you updated...

Click (food): Marijuana Laced Pretzels That Are Dairy Free, Tel Aviv for Vegan Travelers, New Butcher Goes Vegan App and Chia Waffle Cones

In my blind taste test this week, here are some of the things I liked best:

Happenings:

• My Auntie Dolores disappeared when I was five years old. I distinctly remember the DEA rolling up to her farm about a week after she left it behind looking for her. I've always wondered why. I also sort of wondered, what became of her. (c'mob, she was weird okay). Now I think I finally have my answer to both questions. Auntie Dolores is that you in California making all those marijuana laced pretzels that are (gasp!) vegan and sugar free?                 

• A Brooklyn arsonist is caught on tape setting a popular vegan restaurant on fire. After perusing Yelp reviews, I think I've got a few suspects. Suspect numero uno? The girl who said "This place deserves to go up in smoke for serving me food like this."


• A pretty hilarious blind vegan vs meat taste test on Good Mythical Morning with Rhett and Link 


• The Daily Meal names their nine best destinations for Vegan Travelers. In a bit of a surprise, to me at least, Tel Aviv is given top honors.


• Could Google be entering the vegan meat market? I know some people might be scared off by this report but I see it as a total positive. Imagine the possibilities if Google Now were to begin updating cards based on what I've eaten. Or better yet, what Google's "meat" observes on the way down and out. Eat the meat one day, the next day your phone recommends all the top rated colon doctors in town. That's a win in my book.

• Hey gamer, the butcher goes vegan is now available for both iPhones and Android devices.

Recipes:

Chia Waffle Cones featuring Maple Peanut Butter Ice Cream by Vegan in the Freezer

Whatevs on the ice cream. Don't get me wrong, I like peanut butter and maple and all, but what really drew me to this recipe was the chia waffle cone. That thing is magical. I could see hauling a couple hundred of those cones along on my next 100k race. That would be a much more efficient way of getting my chia than my current one (dragging one of those red wagons behind with a keg full of chia and blueberry smoothie in it). Not last place, here I come!

Dessert Bruschetta: Caramelized Mango and Banana by The Lunchbox Bunch

If you are like me and you show up somewhere with bruschetta, it's over. Before you know it, you've eaten an entire tray and have no room left for the main course (which probably isn't vegan anyway). This problem is solved by The Lunchbox Bunch, it's called dessert bruschetta. Now you can fill up all you want on bruschetta because it is closing out the meal. Unless you are like me and always eat your dessert first...

Vegan Chocolate Blueberry Cake from Boards & Knives

For some good chocolate on chocolate action, with a bit of organic blueberries thrown in, might I suggest this cake from Boards & Knives. You'll only need your ingredients plus four strips of parchment paper and dental floss because, well, chocolate on chocolate action can get a bit messy.

Creamy Spinach Sweet Potato Noodles with Cashew Sauce from Pinch of Yum

My spiralizer isn't getting much work these days because my zucchini comes out frozen. What to do, what to do? How about spiralize something that doesn't even go in the refrigerator? Pinch of Yum's sweet potato noodle recipe fills this need perfectly. I can see the future and the future is spiralizing sweet potatoes two...maybe three nights a week. *Rummages in cabinet. Now where is that damn spiralizer, I just had it like three months ago. 

Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal from Mindfully Moni

How many of you out there have ever woken up from an awesome sleep and thought, 'Man, I'd really like to eat a peanut butter cup for breakfast but it isn't very socially acceptable so I'll just settle for this bland oatmeal instead?' No one? Really? I'm the only person who ever thought this. I must be...

Aw, I see what you people did there. Freaked me out for a second. Thank you Moni for raising your hand. Peanut Butter Cups for breakfast have now become socially acceptable.

Click (Food): Seaweed That Tastes Like Bacon, 7-Eleven Begins Serving Vegan Mayo, Frankenstein Meat and Cherry and Mango Cinnamon Rolls

At my local Sunday night sign language class I learned how to say bacon flavored seaweed, 7-Eleven is switching to all vegan mayo and the walls in San Francisco can now pee on you. I wish I had also learned how to say these things from the world of veganism:

Happenings:

• Men are from Mars, women are from Venus conversation I overheard in a Tampa food dessert last week:                          

Lady-Any idea why 7-Eleven's mayo taste like peas?                          
Man-Speaking of pee, did you hear the walls in San Francisco can pee on you?
Lady-I'm serious.
Man-So am I?                           

• PETA's youth division, PETA2, is having a "Coolest Vegan Alive" contest. One of the teenagers in the running...sixteen-year-old Sage Vermont. No s**t. A kid with the name Sage Vermont is a vegan? I wouldn't have guessed that. 


• Ever caught yourself dreaming about seaweed dipped in chocolate? What about seaweed topped burgers? Tofu eggs and seaweed? If scientists at Oregon State University are correct, vegans will be doing just this. They've discovered a seaweed they claim tastes JUST LIKE BACON. 


• Pulsating "Frankenstein meat" ready for your consumption. Arise. ARISE!


• I've come across a few people in my life who told me they don't enjoy eating. They can't wait until there is a shake that can completely replace eating they say. Well, British company Huel claims they've done just that. Oh, and it's vegan. 

Recipes:

Cherry & Mango Cinnamon Rolls from Morsels & Moonshine

I've always considered myself a traditionalist when it comes to cinnamon rolls. What is not to love about their soft, gooey, cinnamon taste? Why mess with absolute perfection? Leave it to Aileen at Morsels & Moonshine to force me into one of those tradition vs innovation dilemmas. I'll never tell which side I chose. *Hey Tender, is that a cherry spot on your crotch or did you just put your...It's cherry dude! Didn't you see my hand gestures telling you not to mention the stain my pants? You just gave away my secret to the world.* 

Easy Blackberry Ice Cream by Eat Healthy, Eat Happy

My fifth cousin once removed drove two hours to visit his fiance who is currently serving time in state prison. He was turned away at the door because he hadn't filled out proper paperwork. Dejected, he stopped on his way back home to get some ice cream. His roadside version required machine churning, dairy and lots of sugar. This Easy Blackberry version has none of these things. Wait. Can a substance technically be called ice cream if it doesn't have dairy or sugar in it? Didn't Wendy's get sued for something like that a few years back.

Veggie Muffaletta from Boards & Knives

Muffalettas are the sandwich version of the girl (or guy) who is super hot from a distance but totally turtle turning when you get up close and intimate. I'm going to give Board & Knives version a go since it just looks so f***ing incredible. If you happen to hear me shouting "stop talking sandwich, you are so much sexier when you don't say anything" then you know it isn't going well.

Creamy Coconut Porridge from Vanilla and Bean

The relationship between two of my closest friends is on rocky terrain because of this Creamy Coconut Porridge from Vanilla and Bean. She loves porridge style oatmeal, he hates it. She's been making this recipe for breakfast every day for the last week and a half. He's getting super fed (actually anti-fed) up by needing to make his own morning meal. He finally threw down an ultimatum this week. It's me or the porridge. She confided in me yesterday that she is "totally going to miss him."

Yikes!

Double Black Bean Tofu Cheeseburgers from The "V" Word

These burgers remind me of the song "What Would Brian Boitano Do" by DVDA. Probably because the band does a nice job of capturing the idea that two of something can be better than one. I'm thinking a nice helping of bacon flavored seaweed would go perfect between these two patties. Why are you looking at me like I just made some sort of weird sexual reference. I'm serious about the bacon flavored seaweed.

Click (Food): Mother Ordered by the Court to Cook Her Child Meat, Prison Food Weekend, Aquafaba and Vegan Macaroons

I've got questions people. Like wasn't aquafaba the name of one of the movies that helped solidify Vince's career on the television show Entourage? And don't "prison loaves" fall into the same category as punishing kids by making them read. Shouldn't we try to foster a love of nutritious eating (and reading) rather than use it as a punishment? Or how do I make a pie with those little crisscrosses on it actually look and taste good? Here's the answers to those and many more questions I've pondered this week:





Happenings:

• Mother ordered by the court system to cook her son meat at least once a week (she's a macrobiotic vegan)


• Good Long Read: I accidentally started a vegan bakery that turned my life upside down


• Fourth Generation cattle rancher transitions his ranch into an animal sanctuary


• Veganism takes over the Tampa Bay Times for a week. I have some new recipes to try out as a result


• My fourth of July just got 21 times better


• Philly Voice shares six fabulous vegan cheesesteaks that can be found in the Philly restaurant scene


• Prison Food Weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary allows you to experience punitive foods served to prisoners called "prison loaves". Don't worry, at least some of them are vegan. 

Recipes:

Garbanzo Balls from Vegan Dad

Are you up to your eyeballs in chickpeas because you have been experimenting with aquafaba? Have the kids been begging you NOT to make any more hummus? Vegan Dad has the solution, garbanzo balls.

Raspberry and Elderflower French Macaroons by Morsels and Moonshine

On the first day of kindergarten, two kids walked into the room at the exact same time. The teacher inquired about their names. The one kid, who had a bit of an accent, said he goes by Macaroon. The other kid, a scrawny kid who wore sunglasses even though they were inside, said his parents call him Vegan. The teacher processed these two responses for a moment and then sat them on complete opposite sides of the room. She figured there was no way they could ever co-exist. The two remained separated for years until a fearless lady named Aileen (of Morsels and Moonshine) decided it was time they got to know each other. Of course, none of it would've been possible without aquafaba playing the role of arbitrator. 

Raw Strawberry-Macadamia Nut Porridge from Oh Holy Basil

My first few years of teaching I had migraines nearly once a month. I always chalked it up to lack of water, sleep or food but eventually I realized that the migraines usually came on after a snack of mixed nuts. I blamed the poor innocent macadamia nuts for my misfortunes and I boycotted them. I swore there would be no more macadamia nut cookies for this man. But a vegan bake sale prompted me to give them another go and, wouldn't you know it, I came through fine. Turns out it was the Brazil Nuts doing me in. 

Vegan Plantain Brownies from Feasting on Fruit

Plantains are so cheap at my local farmer's market. If only I knew what to do with them...

Blueberry and Basil Love Pies from Gratitude and Greens

I had a dream last night where I was a gorgeous homemaker from the 1940's. I was also a closeted lesbian. I locked my deepest desires so far down into my repressed self and had no one to talk to. My only outlet was that I could make beautiful pies with crisscrossed dough pieces baked beautifully golden on top. As an amateur dream interpreter I know exactly where that one came from. I am such a failure when it comes to crisscrossing pie dough across the top of a pie. I've had absolutely zero success. Maybe this Blueberry and Basil Love Pie is where my luck turns. Or maybe I'll be back here in a month retelling the same dream.

Where We Eat: The Corner Store

I have to admit that what initially drew me to The Corner Store, located in historic downtown Plant City, was their bold and memorable motto and their brand new brunch menu (only four weeks old) which has consistently included vegan biscuits and gravy.

The motto, EAT WELL OR DIE, represents a number of The Corner Store’s most important philosophies. First and foremost, it signifies the emphasis that The Corner Store places on healthy eating. The shop embraces a slow food philosophy that supports local agriculture and offers fresh alternatives for eating and living. This means that their menu is full of gluten free, vegan, fresh, sustainable, organic and eco-friendly food items. Another philosophy of the shop is their belief in environmentally friendly actions. The Corner Store uses recycled materials, practices composting, cleans with natural cleaners, and hosts guest speakers and events that are designed to promote a healthy earth. EAT WELL OR DIE, if you aren’t responsible in the way you eat, the chemicals you clean with and how you dispose of your waste, we all die. A third philosophy of the store is their belief in fair wages and safe working conditions. If you pay your employees appropriately, they have the opportunity to eat well. You pay them poorly, they eat poorly which can lead to a whole slew of health-related problems later in life.

J-Fur, Z-Bot and I visited The Corner Store last Saturday because that’s the day they serve brunch. Aside from being a small cafe/restaurant The Corner Store also serves as a coffee/tea shop, bakery, specialty grocery store, deli and caterer. We skipped all of that, as well as the paper menu at the register, when we entered. We just went straight to the ordering window in back. No offense, but we came for the brunch. This week’s brunch included biscuits and gravy, both vegan and regular, and mixed berry waffles. J-Fur ordered a waffle and I purchased the vegan biscuits and
gravy. From the kid's menu, we ordered Z-Bot a grilled cheese sandwich.

The first to arrive was the grilled cheese. Immediately I noticed the pride that the staff takes in their work as the sandwich was beautifully presented. The grill marks were perfectly arranged, the bread flattened in a way that only an expert bread flattener could manage and the cheese filled right up to the edge of the bread spilling just slightly over. The sandwich was served alongside fresh oranges and grapes.

Next to arrive were my biscuits and gravy with chunks of seitan sausage. I’ve had some really awesome experiences with seitan and some not so pleasant ones. On this day, I had neither. The seitan sausage didn’t make me oogle with delight nor did it make me cringe. That, to me, is the true sign of a nicely blended dish. If it doesn’t stand out, that is a good thing. The gravy and sausage was layered on thick atop a few biscuits. How was it? Pretty good. It was better than about 85 percent of the food that is specifically labeled vegan in the area. My only complaint, it could’ve been a bit warmer. The fresh fruit that was served alongside (watermelon, cantaloupe, orange) had a lot of flavor. It definitely didn’t seem like the kind of fruit I leave the grocery store with. It had too much taste for that.

              Biscuits, Seitan Sausage and Gravy

Our final number was the waffle. The waffle itself was vegan although it was to come with a homemade whipped cream which most likely was not vegan. J-Fur isn’t into the cream thing so we
didn’t even bother to inquire about it, just asked it off. I thought the waffle tasted fine and all but it wasn’t until I added the berry mixture that it really seemed to dazzle. A nice blend of sweet and tart, the berry mixture tickled quite a few of my various tastebuds. J-Fur detected a hint of lemon and she
isn’t that much of a fan of lemon and berries (although she detected lemon tonight in a loaf of sourdough bread so I’m beginning to wonder…).

All in all, I was quite pleased with what I ate at The Corner Store. I’m not sure that I would visit at
any time other than brunch considering a lot of their sandwiches have meat or just don’t inspire
me. But I will definitely be back for the brunch. I’m hoping that over time it continues to be a popular endeavor and maybe expands to a few other vegan items so I can leave feeling even more stuffed than I did this week. The nice thing, for those of us who live far away, The Corner Store has been posting their brunch menu on their Facebook page a few days in advance so you can make necessary
arrangements. This week’s vegan option is a breakfast enchilada with vegan cheese sauce. If it wasn’t for Tampa Veg Fest, I’d probably be making a return trip to give those little Mexican bad boys a whirl.



If “River” by Bay Uno was a restaurant, it would definitely be something like The Corner Store. The track’s laid-back, swooning sound and folky lyricism make it seem perfect for nature hikes in the woods or strapping oneself to a humpback whale in order to protect it from the fishing industry. In short, it seems perfectly at home with matters of the Earth. “River” comes from Bay
Uno’s first album which is due out in 2015.

Where We Eat: The Old Spanish Sugarmill Grill and Griddle House

“From the death of the old the new proceeds, and the life of truth from the death of creeds.”
-John Greenleaf Whittier

In 1961, a once illustrious sugar mill standing adjacent to Deleon Springs was at the brink of

demolition. The “old building” had been vacant for some time and many people were ready to see it go. But, as John Greenleaf Whittier suggested above, out of the old comes the new. Peter Schwarze, a fifth generation grist miller, recognized that. He envisioned the mill being restored and serving as a place to grind his flour. He also saw it as the perfect location for a restaurant and bakery that uses his
flour.

Peter was granted permission to lease the mill and he began restoring it. He outfitted the building with a gristmill of his own design. It wasn’t long before Peter’s vision was realized. It is a vision that has lasted for fifty-five years. One that has become known as the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House.

The Old Spanish Sugarmill Grill and Griddle House is probably the most unique place I’ve ever eaten. Each of the restaurant’s tables is fitted with its own personal griddle. Here you, the patron of the restaurant, are able to cook your own pancakes and eggs. The restaurant brings you all the ingredients you need, be it batter, eggs or pancake toppings (which include blueberries, bananas, peanut butter, pecans, chocolate chips, apples or applesauce). You then pour them on the griddle and flip them yourself. It is like being a chef in your own kitchen without all the prep work (or cleanup). The restaurant also serves breakfast meats (including vegetarian sausage), sandwiches and salads that are prepared behind the counter in the restaurant’s kitchen and they offer take out. But what is the fun in all that?

The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House website suggests that you should arrive early because it is both small and popular. We rolled up to the restaurant at 9:15, just a quarter hour after it opened, and there was already a thirty to forty minute wait. We entertained ourselves for a bit on the nearby playground and in the spring. Time flew and before we knew it our names were being announced over the loudspeaker.

We were seated next to a big window that looked out on the spring. It was such a beautiful setting. The waitress came by and quickly gathered the orders of everyone in the group: one pitcher of homemade batter (regular), one pitcher of the stone ground mixture (which includes five different flours), one vegan/gluten free pitcher, two fresh squeezed orange juices, blueberries and two eggs.

The Griddle and the toppings (molasses, honey and maple syrup)

The batters arrived and we were instructed on how to best make our pancakes. Pour in the middle of the griddle (the edges aren’t sealed so the hot batter could wind up on your foot) and when the edges begin to bubble flip them. Of course the most important instruction was skipped. TURN ON THE GRIDDLE FIRST. Because we failed to do that our initial batch of pancakes was quite a mess. But the next four pancakes (that’s about how many you get per pitcher) all cooked in about two minutes
and were a nice golden brown color.

                     Pouring on the batter

                      The final product

It is hard to argue with what you get here. I mean you are the cook. I was very impressed with the vegan/gluten free batter as it tasted a lot better than some of the recipes I’ve tried at home. It was clear that someone had worked for a while to get the recipe right. It wasn’t something that was just
thrown together to appease the vegans/celiacs. Even though I didn’t order any, I loved that this place, way out in the middle of nowhere, offered metropolitan fare such as vegetarian sausage. You just don’t find that at many breakfast places. The orange juice was fresh squeezed (and pulpy) and tasted that way. My only complaint, a minor one, was the blueberries were frozen. I would’ve preferred fresh. Unless of course fresh blueberries don’t cook as well on the hot griddle. In that case, I’m ok with frozen.

Vegan/gluten free pancakes, five of them, for 5.95 (plus the fee for entering the park) that didn’t taste like cardboard and had you stuffed until well into the evening? Fresh squeezed orange juice that lived up to the billing? A chance to cook over your own, private, hot ass griddle? What’s not to like? If you are ever in the remote vicinity of Deleon Springs, Florida (and by remote I mean within 100 miles), I suggest you visit the Old Spanish Sugarmill Grill and Griddle House and see what one man’s vision of the new can do for the old.



Also a place where old becomes new? A yard sale. Yard Sale happens to be the name of the new Neon Hitch single. It is a track that is about leaving the past and letting go of all the emotional and physical things you don’t need anymore. Neon Hitch said that for the past few years she has been drowning in emotional baggage. This is her let go liberation anthem. Neon was recently emancipated from long-time record label, Warner Brothers, and plans to release her upcoming new music via her own fan-powered label, WeRNeon. The #WeRNeon movement is raring and ready to go. You can learn more about the movement and join the fun at www.neonyardsale.com.

Artist's Cookbook: Date and Orange Muffins and Chai Tea Courtesy of You and Me

It wasn't long ago that any thought or mention of pronouns would instantly bring on the cold sweats. Memories of Mrs. M and her "grammar patrol" came to the surface after years of being suppressed. With the rise of pronoun rich bands such as She and Him I have been forced to meet these anxieties head on. It has been a slow process but I think I am finally getting over the trauma.

That's great news, especially since I recently was introduced to another pronoun driven band, You and Me. You and Me is a Montreal based folk blues band spearheaded by Valerie Giroux and James Lemay. These two have been making the rounds since 2001, playing in places as varied as Santa Monica, San Antonio, New Orleans and Key West. Along the way they nurtured a fan base that includes the likes of Jeb Brien a producer/director at Sony. It wasn't long before a demo was requested. The two took the DIY approach and turned their Westfalia van into a solar powered recording studio. Ultimately they weren't signed to Sony but the experience of completing every part of the recording process on their own opened their eyes to talents that they didn't necessarily know they had. You and Me have just completed their debut album all on their own taking great pain to make sure the producing, engineering, mixing, arranging and performing are exactly how they want it.

"Head Up High" is the second track on their album and it features bongo drums, sexy grooves and some quiet attitude. None of this takes away from the happiness one feels while listening along. While it isn't my favorite track on the album (that would be "Today is Gonna Be a Better Day") it is the one that demonstrates what You and Me can be the best:

You and Me - Head up high by write.click.cook.listen

Check out the rest of the album via bandcamp (you can also download "Head Up High" for free there):

With all this going on it is amazing that the band still finds time to bake (let alone eat). One of their specialties is Dates and Orange Muffins. Pair it with their Home Brewed Chai Tea and you've got, just like James and Valerie, an amazing and complimentary duo.