Veggie Awards

Every year, VegNews magazine conducts a survey. Readers (and non-readers) weigh in their opinions on the "best" vegan restaurants, products, websites etc. In order to make it onto the ballot, a nominee has to have received a significant number of votes in the previous year's survey.

Unfortunately, this tends to favor restaurants that are in large cities, simply because there are more people who have had a chance to visit. I often find myself thinking that I know of at least ten other vegetarian restaurants that have much better food than the ones that are nominated. The same goes for vegan products and websites. For that reason, I am assembling my own "Veggie Awards," based loosely on the categories from VegNews, for readers who are looking to try something new.

Disclaimer: I have nothing against Veg News and the Veggie Awards. In fact, the Veggie Awards issue is my favorite issue of Veg News and I think that having this rating system provides a great service. I just want to put my own opinions out there.

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Best Restaurant: Dragonfly Neo-V (Columbus, OH)
Inventive haute cuisine made with vegetables that come straight from Dragonfly's backyard garden.

Best Vegan Brunch: Great Sage (Clarksville, MD)
Lavender-cardamom pancakes, red pepper and caramelized onion tofu quiche, orange cinnamon buns... Greate Sage delivers sweet and savory breakfast items with a creative flair.

Favorite Vegan Bakery: Brunie's Bakery (Baltimore, MD)
More than 100 different vegan desserts, including cakes, pies, cookies, cheesecakes, brownies, lemon bars, whoopie pies, seasonal items, raw options... Brunie's does it all and does it well.

Favorite Vegan Cupcake: Oh Sweet Mama's Vegan Bakery (Northampton, MA)
Huge, moist cupcakes with a variety of fillings and frostings, artfully decorated.

Favorite Vegan Chocolate: Butterfly Bakery (Montpelier, VT)
Rich vegan truffles in four flavors: spicy apricot, raspberry orange, coconut and rich dark chocolate covered in cacao nibs.

Favorite Vegan Milk: So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage
Creamy coconut milk, available in "plain" and "vanilla." It's like drinking liquid ice cream.

Favorite Vegan Cheese: Dr. Cow's Tree Nut Cheese (New York, NY)
Tangy, raw nut-milk cheese, made from the same procedures used to make real cheese.

Favorite Vegan Cream Cheese: Bagel Rising (Boston, MA)
Tofu "smears" in 6 flavors, without any hint of soy aftertaste.

Favorite Website: Vegguide.org
Wiki-style database with over 9,000 restaurant listings from around the world. Allows users to create profiles, rate and review their favorite veg-friendly restaurants.

Vegan Vacation: Capri and the Amalfi Coast

I recently returned from a trip to Capri and the Amalfi Coast. Here are my recommendations for vegans planning to visit the area:

Accommodations

Capri

In Capri, we stayed at La Scalinatella. If you are looking for a 5-star hotel on Capri, this is it. La Scalinatella is consistently rated in the top three hotels in Italy. In addition to La Scalinatella, there are many more reasonably-priced hotels. Hotel Syrene, which is owned by Best Western, has breathtaking views and is located near the main piazzetta.

Positano

In Positano, we stayed at Il San Pietro Di Positano. This hotel was beautiful, but probably more ideal for a honeymoon than a family vacation. The hotel has private beaches, botanical gardens and extensive spa treatments. Because it is secluded from the public beaches, you have to take a (free) hotel shuttle in order to visit downtown Positano. Fortunately, the shuttle runs 24 hours so you don't have to worry about being stranded.

Vegan Cuisine


Although Italy is not intentionally vegan-friendly (i.e. there aren't many vegetarian restaurants and most of the restaurant waiters seemed to think I was telling a funny joke when I asked if a particular dish was vegetarian), it is very easy to find a vegan meal while there.

Italians almost always eat a pasta dish for their first course (primi piatti), while the secondi piatti is usually a type of meat. As a result, most restaurants will have a few vegetarian pasta dishes on the menu.

Many Italians are lactose-intolerant, so true Italian food doesn't tend to be smothered in cheese like American Italian food. Unlike Italian restaurants in the US, the restaurants that I visited in Italy never made the assumption that I wanted parmigiano cheese on top of my spaghetti (the waiter would always ask, after bringing out my food).

Salads are also a good option for vegans traveling in Italy. The "salad dressing" of choice in restaurants and most households is Olio e Aceto - olive oil and vinegar (usually balsamic). The salad is typically served with the second course (or in lieu of the second course if you're vegetarian).

The bread served in a restaurant in Italy rarely comes with butter. Instead, you have the option of eating the bread plain or dipping it in olive oil.

There are a few treats that vegans can enjoy throughout Italy. One is latte di mandorla (almond milk), a sweet, refreshing drink that is made from almond paste and served over ice. It is popular in some regions in Southern Italy.

Another vegan-friendly treat is gelato. Gelato comes in two types: milk-based and water-based. The water-based type of gelato is often called sorbetto and is available in a variety of fruit flavors. Sorbetto is the creamiest non-dairy sorbet that you will ever find. Most fruit flavors that you will see at a gelato stand are vegan. The only exception that I have found is coco (coconut), which is sometimes made with dairy.

Capri Attractions


Capri is an island off the coast of Naples. There are two towns on Capri: Capri and Anacapri. Most hotels and restaurants are in Capri. Capri is also home to one of the most extensive collections of haute couture shops in the world. Anacapri has a quieter, more-subdued feel. In addition to a few restaurants and small shops, Anacapri has a museum (Villa San Michele) and a chairlift to the top of the tallest mountain on Capri. The Villa San Michele was home to Axel Munthe, a doctor, author and early animal rights activist.

While on the island, you can visit the ruins of Emperor Tiberius' many homes. There are also a number of grottos (underwater caves) that you can visit by boat.

Positano Attractions


Positano is a small town that has been built into the ocean cliffs, which makes for some breath-taking views. There are rocky beaches, small shops selling work by local craftsmen, art galleries and outdoor cafes. The pace is slow. Expect to spend two hours enjoying a leisurely dinner. Positano is a popular destination for American tourists in spite of not having many "tourist" attractions.

Day Trip To Pompeii



It is definitely worth taking a day trip from either Capri or Positano to Pompeii, sight of the famed Roman city that was buried in lava after an eruption by Mt. Vesuvius. Pompeii has extensive grounds that you can explore for a small fee. Over 100 shops and homes have been excavated, some which feature paintings and mosaics that are largely intact.

Food To Avoid (if you're vegan)
Latte - milk
Burro - butter
Uovo - egg (not to be confused with uva - grape)
Formaggio - cheese
Pollo - chicken
Carne - meat
Pesce - fish (not to be confused with pesca - peach)
Prosciutto - ham
L'agnello - lamb

Vegan Fashion

Vaute Couture has created a line of cruelty-free winter coats. Right now, they are offering a promotion: 50% off pre-ordered coats (which will be shipped in October). All profits from sales of certain coat styles will be donated to Farm Sanctuary. Here is a picture of the one that I ordered:

Italian Dinner

Tonight I cooked an Italian dinner for myself and Ben. We started out with a chilled beet salad, served with aged balsamic vinegar. For the main course, we had homemade pesto sauce on orechiette pasta. I also made latte di mandorla (almond milk), a traditional drink from Sicily and Puglia. For dessert, we ate cannolis (see my previous post) and each had a shot of the Limoncello that I brought back in my suitcase from Italy.

Beet Salad

Ingredients:

4 large beets
aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze (you want it to be thick and slightly sweet)
olive oil
salt
pepper

Slice the green part off of the beets and boil for 30 minutes (until soft). The skin should peel right off if the beets are cooked properly. Chill in the freezer in a metal bowl for 30 minutes. Slice and drizzle with balsamic glaze, olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Pesto

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
4 TBSPS pine nuts
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp red sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.

Latte di Mandorla (Almond Milk)

Ingredients:
2 Liters of water
200 grams of almond paste (available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)
2 heaping TBSPS sugar

Cut the almond paste into pieces that will fit inside of a closed fist. Pour mineral water into a large bowl and immerse the first piece of almond paste. Knead the almond paste ball, occasionally removing it from water and wringing it out over the bowl. Add the next piece of almond paste to the ball and continue this process until the almond paste is mostly dissolved (it is very difficult to get it to dissolve completely). Pour the white liquid from the bowl into a pitcher, straining it with a cheese cloth. Stir in the sugar and refrigerate. Serve the latte di mandorla over ice.

Vegan Cannolis

I recently took a trip to Italy. Although I enjoyed many wonderful foods while I was there, I got a little sad when I realized that I can no longer enjoy my favorite Italian dessert: cannolis.

Natrually, when I got back to the U.S., I decided that cannolis would be my first baking project. The most difficult part is replacing the ricotta cheese. I was able to buy some pre-made dairy-free cannoli shells from the grocery store, which I covered in powdered sugar.

I'm still working on getting the soy aftertaste to completely disappear, but I thought that this recipe (based on a recipe found in Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler, with a few modifications) was pretty decent.




Ingredients:

1 lb soft tofu
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs lemon juice
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 bag mini chocolate chips

1) Press the tofu (by placing it between two plates and placing something heavy on top) for 30 minutes, until most of the liquid has been removed.*

2) Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.

3) Fold in 1 bag mini chocolate chips. Chill the filling for at least 2 hours.

4) Stuff the cannoli shells with filling and serve immediately.

*Note: I've been told that blanching the tofu after pressing it helps to remove the soy taste even further. To blanch tofu, simply place it in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sauteed Apples

Ingredients:

Pasta:

2 TBSPS extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound silken tofu
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSPS water

Filling:

2 cups cooked butternut squash
3 TBSPS extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 TBSPS fresh minced sage
Salt
Black Pepper

Sauce:

1 stick Earth Balance margarine
1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
4 fresh sage leaves (whole)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup white wine
Salt

Pasta:

1) Combine tofu, oil, water, salt in the blender and blend until smooth.

2) Sift the flour onto a (clean) tabletop. Pour the tofu mixture onto the flour and begin to knead the flour into the tofu mixture. If the paste does not absorb all of the flour, add a little water and continue to knead.

3) When the pasta has a firm, elastic consistency (and is not too sticky), cover with waxed paper and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Filling:

4) While you are waiting on the pasta dough, slice the butternut squash in half (if you are using fresh squash) and place each half face down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

5) Remove the squash from the oven and scoop out the flesh. Mash the scooped-out flesh with a fork and set aside.

6) Warm the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and saute until brown (about 10 minutes). Add the pecans and saute for a few minutes more. Add the squash, mixing until it is heated through. Stir in sage and salt and pepper (to taste). Remove from heat.

7) Roll out the pasta dough and use a ravioli press to form the ravioli. Add one teaspoon to the center of each ravioli before folding a second square of ravioli dough on top.

8) Boil the ravioli for 3 minutes.

Sauce:

Melt 1 stick of Earth balance in a small sauce pan. Once the margarine is completely melted, add fresh sage (make sure that the stove is on medium-low so that the sage doesn't burn). Add the granny smith apple slices and pumpkin pie spice. Saute for about 3 minutes (until the slices become transparent but before they start to dissolve), stirring constantly. Add white wine, salt, pepper. Remove from heat after 1 minute.

Put the ravioli on a plate and pour the apple mixture over the ravioli.

Serves: 2

(The ravioli recipe comes from The Voluptuous Vegan. The sauce is my own creation)

Vegan Vacation: Providence, RI

Providence is a great place for a weekend getaway. Here are my recommendations of what to do:

Accommodations:













We stayed at the Providence Biltmore, which is on the more expensive end of hotel options. It's centrally-located in the heart of downtown Providence and has a Starbucks in the lobby (easy access to soy lattes sealed the deal on our decision to stay here).

One nice aspect of Providence is that the hotels are all fairly reasonably-priced (even the Providence Biltmore is less than $200 per night for a standard room) and most of the hotels are located within a few blocks of the capital.

Vegan-Friendly Restaurants:















Julian's: A hip restaurant that serves brunch on weekends. I've been to Julian's three times and I've never had less than a 45-minute wait to be seated. The food is well worth the wait, however. There is a separate vegan menu with items like cinnamon orange french toast, gingerbread pancakes and vegan "eggs" with hollandaise sauce. There is also an extensive drink menu - the strawberry shortcake mimosa comes highly recommended.

Nice Slice: A pizza restaurant near Brown's campus with a large selection of vegan pizza toppings and sandwiches. My personal favorite is the vegan buffalo chicken pizza, made with peppercorn ranch sauce and soy cheese. In the summer, Nice Slice has soy ice cream for dessert.















Garden Grille Cafe and Juice Bar: A small cafe in Pawtucket, located just 10 minutes' drive from downtown Providence. Garden Grille has a large selection of vegan appetizers, entrees and desserts, not to mention incredible homemade juice concoctions. Pictured above: a vegan sausage tamale, covered with mole sauce and pineapple corn salsa, served with dollops of cilantro lime sour "cream."

Providence Attractions:














In the winter, the outdoor ice skating rink is a popular destination. During the summer, the river walk lights up with torches and gondola rides on Saturday nights. The Rhode Island School of Design has world-class art exhibitions year-round. Brown University hosts a large number of performances and interesting speakers. The Cable Car Cinema offers a nice selection of independent and foreign films, shown in a cozy theater with faux-leather sofas instead of the usual fold-down movie theater seats. The concession stand even sells falafel sandwiches and soy lattes!

Other Rhode Island Attractions:















Take a day trip to Newport. It's only 45-minutes from Providence and it has a number of interesting attractions. Newport is home to the Newport Mansions, some of the most opulent homes in the US. For a nominal fee, you can tour the inside of mansions with an audio guide and wander around the grounds. Unlike many of the castles in Europe, the Newport Mansions still have their original furnishings. The gift shop at The Breakers even has vegan brownies!















Another popular Newport attraction is the cliff walk, a 3.5 mile walk along the rugged shoreline. There is a great view of some of the Newport mansions from the walk, in addition to the beautiful natural scenery.