New Orleans in Green

Brunching!

2012-02-26T09:05:00.005-06:00

I'm going to brunch at O! Vegasm this morning - are you??

Purple, Gold, and GREEN!!

2012-02-18T08:12:00.001-06:00

Three cheers for Mardi Gras! Here in the crescent city we love carnival. Personally, I celebrate by baking a (vegan) king cake, hitting a few parades, and having a great time with friends and strangers alike. And what's great is that even during this festival of excess, we can keep our ecological heads on straight.

Santa Fe Tapas continues to host its Saturday Jazz Brunch right on through parade season, and is offering vegan lunch and dinner options as well for St. Charles paradegoers as well.
Wandering Buddha (Hi-Ho Lounge) and O! Vegasm (St. Roch Tavern) keep going strong with nightly all-vegan offerings.
The thrill is in the catch, but then what to do with all those plastic beads? The Arc of Greater New Orleans provides several bead recycling locations in New Orleans, Metairie, and the Westbank, and they can be dropped off in the bin at the uptown Whole Foods as well. And don't forget to take your refuse and recyclables (ahem, those new Abita beer cans?) home with you from the neutral ground!
You've already missed the Verdi Gras ball, but hopefully the group will grow. Check out VerdiGras.org and send your questions to info@verdigras.org for more information.
Also, be on the lookout for the Louisiana Bucket Brigade in Saturday night's Chewbacchus parade!

Have fun, be safe, happy Mardi Gras!!

Treat your Vegan Valentine!Fancy or Casual, Nola's got it all.

2012-02-13T16:59:00.001-06:00

Wondering what you and your vegan bebe will do this Valentine's day in New Orleans? Never fear. In addition to the usual gamut of awesome vegan options in New Orleans, there are a few special events to boot.

Santa Fe Tapas, the non-vegan St. Charles Avenue bistro which has nonetheless won over the Nola veg community, has done it once again. This Valentine's day, Santa Fe will be offering a three course prix fixe meal for you and your sweetheart, complete with complimentary champagne and all the romance you can handle. Check out the menu as published on their Facebook page:

*Glass of Champagne or Champagne Cocktail each on arrival

FIRST COURSE:
Saffron Roasted Piquillo Pepper Bisque, Chive Aioli, Herb Croutons
Or
Savory Tarte Tatin, Wild Mushroom Fricasee
Or
Tropical Fruit, Organic Green Nasturtium Salad, Aged Sherry Vinagrette

SECOND COURSE:
Vegan Vienna Schnitzel, Herb Spaetzle, Crisp Vegetable Medley, Herb Compound “Butter”
Or
Wealthy Beggar’s Purse, Truffled Root Vegetable Puree Stuffed Filo, Toasted Garlic Braised Greens, Grilled Asparagus, Sauce Arrabiatta,
Or
Braised Tofu, Sesame Soba Noodle, Tempura Market Vegetables, House Kimchi Rice Paper Roll, Ginger Carrot Reduction

THIRD COURSE:
The Passionate Couple, Passion Fruit “Crème” Brulee, Passion Fruit Sorbet
Or
Chocolate dipped Strawberries, Champagne Vanilla “Anglaise”

Prix Fixe, $49 per couple excluding Tax and Gratuity

Be sure to call ahead and ensure that you'll have a table for all that romancin' - (504) 304-9915.

Looking for something a bit more low-key (and significantly easier on the checkbook)? Stop by one of your two favorite Nola vegan restaurants, O! Vegasm, for a BLT with onion rings and avocado and a side of mac n' cheeze. Dateless? With the love of your life? One bite and you won't care either way. ;)

Juan wants to know!

2012-02-02T20:15:00.004-06:00

Inquiring minds want to know! That is, Juan's wants to know exactly what we've been trying to tell them for like a decade. Which is, what veg options are you looking for in your tacos / burrito / et cetera? Don't miss this opportunity to vote and speak your mind. Remember to keep it positive y'all - we want to get some tofu up in this joint! Check out the question here.

Vegan Drinks New Orleans and The Wandering Buddha: a match made in... nirvana?

2012-01-26T20:29:00.004-06:00

Wednesday night, The Wandering Buddha played host to the seventh monthly Vegan Drinks New Orleans. The Buddha, housed in the Hi-Ho Lounge on St. Claude avenue, is one of the only restaurants in the city to offer Korean food, and information around the global vegan community suggests that it is really the only restaurant of its kind, serving exclusively traditional (yet vegan) Korean food.

The first pairing of its kind, VDNO's January event was scheduled at the Buddha by special invitation of its proprietors, Christion and Colleen. As dedicated vegans, they are looking for every way possible to engage with the New Orleans vegan community. Bringing Vegan Drinks New Orleans to their doorstep was a great way to get them some face time with Nola veg*ns, as well as to get some folks out to the restaurant who hadn't quite made it by yet.

A fantastic time was had by all - friends were made, nametags were worn proudly, bi bim bap and scallion pancakes were devoured, and vegan cocktails and mocktails expertly slung by the lovely Lauren brought delight to the crowds which amassed throughout the evening. As happens occasionally, two out-of-town visitors from Dallas even found a home-away-from-home at the shindig.

If you missed it this month, never fear: as of now, the plan is to have February's Vegan Drinks New Orleans at The Wandering Buddha as well.

Please Join Us for the Vegan Drinks New Orleans Holiday Party!!

2011-12-28T08:05:00.005-06:00

Please join us tomorrow night at Santa Fe Tapas for the Vegan Drinks New Orleans Holiday Party! We'll have an awesome selection of vegan cocktails and mocktails (plus specialties only found at Santa Fe), small plates to order, and great company as always. Come hang out for half an hour or for the whole night - we'd love to see you either way!

Vegan Brunch in New Orleans: Options Abound!

2011-12-16T09:17:00.002-06:00

As the weather cools down, the vegan brunch scene in New Orleans is heating up! There are now three - count them, THREE - regular vegan brunches occurring across the Nola metro area. The region's veg*ns can now choose which brunch to attend based on day, neighborhood preference, or food style - or shoot the works and hit two or even three brunches in one weekend!

John Morales of O! Vegasm started the Vegan Brunch craze in New Orleans early last summer, with his weekly brunches at Grit's Bar. He has since moved on to serving up dinner five nights a week at St. Roch Tavern, but keeps the Sunday Brunch candle lit as well. Bywater and Marigny residents, as well as fans of scrambles and truly delicious pancakes, regularly rejoice for this new Sunday option.

Amie Havens of Magazine Street's Superfood Bar has taken up the Grit's Brunch torch and given it a touch of class, incorporating menu items such as individually spun servings of (you'd never know that it's) raw vegan ice cream and elegant reinterpretations of simple foods like beans and rice. Uptowners and fans of healthier fare masking as something sinful will enjoy the love Amie delivers on each plate.

As the newest arrival on the scene, Santa Fe Tapas provides an option for diners who are looking for a Saturday affair, or who just can't stand the idea of a potentially smoky bar. With only two brunches under its belt and a third soon on the way, chef Mario and sous chef Chris are wowing vegans and omnis alike with innovative vegetable and grain based dishes. While some brunch-seekers may shy away from the $21 prix fixee price tag, it should be noted that all items may be ordered a la carte! Guests are encouraged to come and stay a while - and it is most definitely a family affair.

With so many options, the vegan brunches in New Orleans provide something for everyone. Check each brunch's Facebook page for details on each week's menus. Hope to see you at one soon!

Vegan Jazz Brunch at Santa Fe Tapas! TOMORROW!

2011-12-02T13:07:00.007-06:00

Santa Fe Tapas on St. Charles Avenue continues to delve into the world of gourmet vegan cuisine with its latest venture: Vegan Jazz Brunches! Tomorrow marks the first such event, and it will no doubt be a masterpiece. We'll let the menu do the talking:

*Fresh squeezed Orange juice, Carrot juice or mix of the two ~ market price

First Course Choices:
* Truffled Vichyssoise with Seasonal Garnishes ~ cup/bowl $4/$8
* Sweet Corn Mushroom Tamale, Heriloom Tomato Pico de Gallo, Guacamole ~ $6
* Beet Carpaccio, Spring greens, Arugula, Pickled red onion, Fennel, Endive, Louisiana citrus, Candied pecans, aged sherry vinaigrette ~ $6

Second Course Choices:
* Wild Mushroom Ragout Stuffed Arancini, Braised Rapini, Antipasti style Cannellini Beans, Almond Roasted Pepper Romanesco~ $12
* Swiss Chard Portobello Timbale, Purple Cauliflower Peruvian Purple Potato puree, carmelized cauliflower, red wine reduction ~ $12
* Carmelized onion spinach Agnolotti, duo of sauces: spicy roasted tomato arrabiatta, arugula spinach pine nut pesto ~ $12

Third Course Choices:
* Parsnip panna cotta, beet gelee, candied beets, hazelnuts ~ $7
* Desert of the Day ~ $7

Choose a Prix Fixe meal with one selection from each of the three courses for $21, or order a la carte

Reservations are highly recommended - Santa Fe can be reached at (504) 304-9915. If you speak with Orhan, tell him Melissa sent you. ;)

I adopted 25 baby turkeys!

2011-11-23T14:31:00.003-06:00

A Vegan Thanksgiving Feast in Nola!

2011-11-22T11:29:00.006-06:00

You are cordially invited to join the Nola Veggie Meetup Group for a Vegan Thanksgiving Extravaganza! The meal will be served buffet style, and will include both raw and cooked foods - a delicious combo of fall delights like raw green bean casserole and autumn spice cookies from Superfood Bar Amie, as well as your old favorites of stuffing, mashed potatoes, and mac n' cheeze from Chef Tim. Can't wait to see you there, and don't forget to RSVP!

Full Buffet Menu:

Sweet and tart (can molded) raw cranberry sauce
Satsuma, bananas, pineapple, and cherry
*tossed in a sweet coconut yogurt
Jicama Mash
Green bean casserole, topped with onion crisps
Autumn spiced oat cookies
Apple pie tarts

Homemade Tempeh loaf, with brown cashew gravy
Southern style collard greens
Mac n' Cheeze 2 ways (one without soy)
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Traditional Stuffing
Yams
Pumpkin Pie

Vegan food at the Oak Street Po-Boy Fest!

2011-11-19T09:42:00.007-06:00

Dream a Little Green and O! Vegasm made an exciting announcement this week: they are teaming up to bring us vegan food at this weekend's Oak Street Po Boy Festival! Now New Orleans vegans can enjoy this New Orleans tradition to the fullest, thanks to these awesome entrepreneurs. Check them out at Z'otz Cafe, just two blocks in from Carrollton at 8201 Oak Street.

BIG NEWS! Dream a Little Green will be teaming up with O! Vegasm and Z'otz Coffeehouse to bring vegan po boys to the 2011 Oak Street Po-Boy Festival! Named "the best food festival of 2010" by Gambit Weekly, this year's Fest will feature three stages with live music, arts and crafts, a children's section with games and prizes, panel discussions covering the history of the po-boy, and, of course, the best tasting {vegan} po-boys in New Orleans!

The event will be held this year on Sunday, November 20th from 10am to 7pm. Can't wait to see y'all there!

This Thursday: Six Course Vegan Tapas Wine Pairing!

2011-11-02T09:26:00.003-05:00

Hello New Orleans Vegans! I am excited to tell you about this event at Santa Fe Tapas, located at 1327 St. Charles Avenue (between Thalia and Erato). Beginning at 6:30 tomorrow evening, Santa Fe will host a six course all-vegan tapas and wine pairing. For reservations, call (504) 304-9915. The menu is set to include:

*Introduction- Sparkling Wine

*1st Course - Joel Gott, Un-Oaked Chardonnay
Artichokes Ottoman, Organic Baby Carrots, Petit Pois, Pea Tendrils, Dill Lemon Emulsion

*2nd Course - Joel Gott, Pinot Gris
Spiced Punmpkin Agnolotti, Herb Foam, Hazelnuts

*3rd Course - Lange Twins, Viognier
Orange Fennel Heirloom Radish Salad, Petit Potato Croquette

*4th Course - Lange Twins, Cabernet
Charred Corn Edamame Succotash, Duo of Purees (Parsnip, Edamame), Crisp Parsnips

*5th Course - Senario de Alange, Tempranillo
Roasted Tomato, Egg-Plant Bolognese, Whole Wheat Penne

*6th Course - Chemin De Terre
Asparagus Tempura, Crisp Oyster Mushrooms, Arugula Risotto, Truffle Oil

I hope that this will be the first of many vegan events at this location, and the beginning of a shift to more veg options on their menu. See you there!

Of note: before I put my support behind any restaurant that primarily serves animal products, I check the menu for any particularly egregious items. Upon scanning Santa Fe's online menu, the one listing that caught my eye was the Chilean Sea Bass. I inquired about this item and was told, to my relief, that it had been removed from the service menu three months ago.

Big Halloween Weekend for New Orleans Vegans!

2011-10-28T14:01:00.007-05:00

There is an amazing amount of activity happening in the New Orleans Vegan community this Halloween weekend! Check it out:

*By all accounts, Chef Anne Churchill brought down the house at Feelings Cafe on Wednesday night with her Karma Kitchen gourmet 5 course vegan meal. We here at NOiG would of course LOVE to see more of this kind of activity, and applaud all involved. I unfortunately could not be in attendance, and hope beyond hope that there will be another one soon.

*Sorry to say that you've also already missed October's Vegan Drinks New Orleans, which was a total blast. We had awesome food from O'Shea of Dream a Little Green, as well as a great raffle benefiting the Louisiana Humane Society. A surprise visit from Jasmine and Mariann of Our Hen House at the end of the night brought the event to a splendid conclusion.

*Saturday and Sunday, 10/29 and 10/30, you can find awesome brunch goodies from chef John Morales of O! Vegasm over at Hey! Cafe. Items will be on sale throughout the day until sold out - which tends to happen pretty quickly with John's food, so it's a good idea to stop by early!

*Sunday 10/29, 11am, Vegan Brunch at Grit's lives on! While we are all still reeling from the loss of Chef John, we bravely carry on and welcome Chef Amie Havens of Magazine Street's Superfood Bar. She'll be serving up the following fantastic-looking menu for $17 per plate:

Cajun spiced sweet potato Rosti
Seared Tempeh
Warm Seasonal Salad with a cashew cream sauce
Buckwheat Crepe with autumn spiced cashew cream filling, satusuma reduction with fresh satsuma segments
coffee included!

Our Sunday Grit's Brunches will be ever-evolving, but will continue for the foreseeable future. We hope to host a variety of the talented vegan chefs from around town, and continue to provide a central meeting time and place for Nola's veg community.

If you're hanging out in the Quarter / Frenchmen area for Halloween, don't forget you can stop by 13 for a bbq tofu po boy. And if you're over by the Marigny / Bywater, hit up Wandering Buddha!

Have fun and be safe kids. ;D

Vegan Drinks New Orleans HOWLOWEEN!

2011-10-26T18:51:00.001-05:00

...with food from Dream a Little Green! Be there and be square. ;)

Fine Vegan Dining in New Orleans: Feelings Cafe takes it up a notch.

2011-10-19T15:23:00.005-05:00

Feelings Cafe has lined up to be the next in a long line of New Orleans restaurants to offer a gourmet, multi-course vegan dinner. On October 26th, chef Anne Churchill will provide a five course prix fixe vegan extravaganza, complete with molten chocolate cake for dessert.

Feelings Café and Chef Anne Churchill
offer an evening of vegan fine dining

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Seatings at 6 and 8:30

Call 945-2222 for reservations

$60 tax and tip inclusive

Optional wine flight for seated dinner $15

Full bar, specialty cocktail and non-alcohol options extra
2600 Chartres Street

Amuse Bouches
Served at the bar and in the patio with pre-dinner beverage options
Cashew Cheese Fondue with roasted vegetable skewers and rustic croutons
Roasted Ginger and Carrot Mousse atop cucumber slices
Edamame Hummus atop zatar spiced pita crisp
Pizzettas of black eyed pea and garbanzo crust, red pepper basil pesto and vegan parmesan

Salad Course
Chiffonade of dinosaur kale, arugula, spinach, freshly sprouted mung beans, apple, cucumber with creamy macadamia nut vinaigrette

Soup
Khmer Pumpkin Curry Soup

Main
Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms atop Malaysian Rice, with a citrus chimi churri and tamarind braised greens

Dessert
Molten Chocolate Cake with sweet cashew cream

Vegan Brunch in New Orleans LIVES ON!

2011-10-10T07:59:00.005-05:00

GREAT NEWS! Though the details are still being hashed out, one thing is certain: Vegan Brunch in New Orleans will live on!

For the Nola veg community, the weekly late-morning gathering at Grit's Bar has become an institution. So when O! Vegasm chef John Morales recently announced that he may not be able to continue cranking out his breakfast hash, a shudder went through the crowd.

But as is so often the case, a problem has become an opportunity. Morales will likely rotate with other talented vegan chefs in the area such as Tim Moore of Naturally Naw'lins and Aimee from Superfood Bar on Magazine Street. Any way about it, Sunday morning at Grit's will continue to be a regular meeting spot for the vegans, vegetarians, and the veg-appreciative of New Orleans - now with different and exciting options.

Chris, the owner of Grits, expressed yesterday how pleased he is to have vegan events such as the brunch and the monthly New Orleans Vegan Drinks taking place at his establishment. He believes that it's important for people to have vegan options everywhere they go, and is happy to bring the veg element to the Lyons Street neighborhood.

Brunch takes place every Sunday at 11:00 am at Grit's Bar, located at 530 Lyons Street (at the corner of Annunciation, one block away from the river from Tchoupitoulas).

Vegan Brunch in Nola - On the endangered list?

2011-10-08T11:12:00.000-05:00

Join us Sunday morning (10/9) for what is possibly the last O! Vegasm brunch at Grit's Bar.

According to the most recent event invitation sent by John Morales, the enigmatic frontman of the Nola-based vegan catering and baking company, due to issues in his home life he may have to discontinue the brunch. Those of us who have been stalwart weekly patrons will be eager to see whether the brunches do in fact continue, and if not what might take their place.

The weekly brunches, which have occurred at Grit's every Sunday throughout the summer, have become a center for community activity in Nola's veg community. Regulars have come to depend not only on a weekly fix of tofu benedict and pancakes, but also on the connections and conversations that keep projects moving forward. If the O! Vegasm brunch is in fact on the chopping block, something will need to take its place - and fast.

But Brunch will have its last hurrah, at least - so come and dine with us, for tomorrow we may... have to reorganize. ;)

Happy Vegan MoFo!

2011-10-01T08:45:00.003-05:00

Happy Vegan MoFo 2011! Vegan MoFo - the Vegan Month of Food - is a great time of year, when bloggers all over the world take a month to post every day (or nearly so) about the wonders of vegan food. There are always tons of fab vegan blogs out there, but Vegan MoFo represents a terrific concentration of vegan food love! It's something you've just got to check out. Stop by the Vegan MoFo International Headquarters for a full listing of participating bloggers.

Sadly, this year NOiG isn't participating. (I just started working full time again people! A girl's gotta manage her time!) But we WILL be posting every day over on the Vegan Etsy Team blog, VeganEtsy.com. So check it out, and Happy MoFo! ;)

Vegan Drinks New Orleans #3!

2011-09-20T13:13:00.004-05:00

IT'S COMING. Are you ready?! RSVP here!!

See you soon. ;)

Satsuma hosts Irene Benefit:Serves up vegan delicacies, community spirit

2011-09-09T10:33:00.004-05:00

Here in New Orleans, hurricanes are old hat. Around the Gulf Coast, down in the Caribbean, and over by Florida, we expect these things - devastating though they may be. But when Hurricane Irene demolished half of Vermont last week, everyone was a bit shocked. Everyone including a woman named Story.

Story Adams is a barista at Satsuma Cafe in the Bywater, and is better known in the vegan community as co-owner / co-chef of Cashew Cheesus, an up-and-coming vegan food delivery service. As it happens, she grew up in the small town of Wilmington, Vermont. Wilmington was, sadly, one of the hardest hit towns in the storm. Story's mother owns a business which was destroyed in the disaster, one of many businesses and homes in the area which now share a fate with which New Orleanians are all too familiar.

As is frequently the case in a crisis, while many stand around with their mouths hanging agape wondering What To Do, a few spring to action and pave a path for others. So it was that Story and Cassi Dymond, co-owner of Satsuma, found a way to say "we love you, Vermont" the best way they knew how: with food.

Last Wednesday night, Satsuma sent tidings "From New Orleans to Wilmington, VT with love." While it is normally a warm and inviting space, on this night the cafe's interior was stunningly transformed into a chic and sparking dining room with elegant table settings. A gourmet prix fixe dinner was offered, by reservation, for a few dozen enthusiastic and supportive attendees.

Happily in attendance, I dined with a small table of non-vegans (one of whom was eating the vegan menu anyway, because he "likes to switch it up"). Conversation at our table and around the room was entertaining and good-hearted, and turned frequently both to Vermont's struggles in the days to come and to memories of Katrina. It was impossible not to notice that Irene came on Katrina's anniversary, making New Orleanians that much more empathetic to Vermont's plight.

At $40 a head the overwhelmingly successful fundraiser filled the house, and raised approximately $1500 to help Wilmington's Irene victims. Small though it may me in the vast scheme of things, all in attendance were happy to be making some small contribution to the town's recovery efforts. And many new ideas were sparked around the room as to how to help even more.

As for Story, it was obvious that the support of her friends and co-workers for her home town meant the world to her. Indeed, Satsuma and all of its employees who donated their time and effort to make the event come together must be applauded.

But what of the food?

When I inquired about the event, I was told there would be a "vegan option." Option my foot! The vegan and non-vegan selections were substantially the same, with non-vegan plates sporting small garnishing additions (a bit of cheese here, an oyster there). The notable difference came in the entree, where non-vegans received a dish featuring a fish filet. Every detail was accounted for, down to Earth Balance for the bread.

The full vegan menu, presented on parchment, was as follows:

*Sparkling Wine and Satsuma Cocktail
*Creole Tomato and Red Pepper Bloody Mary "shot"
*Carrot Coconut Soup with Basil Oil
*Roasted Beet Salad with Local Satsumas and Candied Pecans
*Hand-cut Black Pepper Tagliatelle with Basil Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes, Roasted Caramelized Whole Garlic Cloves, and Local Shiitakes
*Pound Cake with Alabama Peaches and Cashew Creme

The first food served was the "bloody mary" - this was truly more of an amuse bouche of gazpacho, and could be served in larger portions as a lovely light lunch option. (Dear Satsuma, that's a hint!) The carrot coconut soup is, I am told, a recipe of Cassi's. Sweet and spicy with just a hint of curry, this cold soup is perfect for a summer evening. It's hard to go wrong with a beet salad, and this one featured enormous slices of gorgeous ruby-red beets as well as candied pecans and satsuma slices, providing a cacophony of colors and flavors.

It's hard to say whether the real star of the meal was the entree or the dessert; each was lovingly crafted and expertly executed. We have Chris Smedley to thank for the delectable vegan tagliatelle, which was enough proof for anyone that pesto need not contain cheese to make tastebuds rejoice.

As for the dessert, a good peach is a good peach as Mother Nature intended, and all you have to do there is not get in her way. The skill comes here: never have I tasted a cashew creme so creamy and smooth! The pound cake as well struck a lovely balance between fluffy and dense, just sweet enough with a hint of warm vanilla. And no surprise: the dessert was created by talented pastry chef Ms. Christina Balzebre (with assistance from Story herself). Christina has made it her life's work to perfect gluten-free and vegan recipes; I look forward to seeing more of her creations at Satsuma and elsewhere.

Wednesday's event serves as a trial run for Satsuma's next phase: the cafe plans to offer dinners two to three nights per week beginning in mid-October. According to Cassi, who owns and runs the establishment with her husband Peter Dymond, offerings will be vegan and vegetarian friendly. Menus will change weekly, and meals will likely begin at 8pm following an earlier cafe closing of 5pm on evenings with dinner service.

All in all, it was an extraordinary evening, and with any luck a sign of great things to come.

TONIGHT: Vegan Drinks New Orleans #2!

2011-08-25T09:32:00.007-05:00

Vegans of New Orleans, you had to see it to believe it: Vegan Drinks New Orleans #1 knocked your socks off. Well, hold onto your hats people, because #2 is going to be even better!

John and Paige of O! Vegasm are returning to cook up a storm of vegan goodness. We've all been dreaming of their Gourmet Grilled Cheeze since last month - well, get out of my dreams and into my mouth! And their O! Lasagna! is the stuff happiness is made of.

Dogs of the 9th Ward will be out in full force! Come show your support at their merch table, and pick up some raffle tickets while you're at it. Why would you want to enter the raffle? Oh, I dunno... who would want to win a Hey! Cafe gift pack, a New Orleans Food Co-Op Gift Certificate, or $100 OFF A NEW TATTOO?! Nah, me neither.

And of course, the awesome Jason "chocolate squirrel" Thompson will be slinging the vegan cocktails and mocktails like a pro. There's a little bit of something for everyone - can't wait to see you there!

Is Hey! Cafe the next Vegan Mecca of New Orleans??

2011-08-13T13:09:00.004-05:00

Great news for vegan grilled cheese lovers - Hey! Cafe has added a gourmet grilled cheeze sandwich to its repertoire, thus doubling its vegan sandwich options. It's made with Daiya - what else - and includes tomato and onion. (I of course order mine without the onion. That's just how I roll.) Pressed on a sandwich grill with multigrain bread (Rudi's, I hear), it's a crispy salty treat for all ages.

Was Hey! inspired by the Gourmet Grilled Cheeze served by John Morales and Paige Vann of O! Vegasm at the very first Vegan Drinks New Orleans just a few short weeks ago? Given the team's close relationship with the cafe, it seems likely. Though it must be noted that O! V's creation was made with a lovingly crafted and AMAZINGLY creamy home made cheeze. Goodness knows when I'll stop dreaming of it...

But the sandwich at Hey! is mighty fine. Chase it back with their ruby-colored sweet Hibiscus tea, and if you're feeling crazy treat yourself to one of O! Vegasm's pastries. As had been rumored, the selection has vastly increased in past weeks, with chocolate donuts, pink-coconut-covered snoballs, and a variety of delectable cupcakes making fleeting appearances before being devoured by the hungry masses.

Vegetarian Delight: The Nola Veg Meetup and NOFC get Potlucky

2011-08-04T11:43:00.007-05:00

On Tuesday evening, members and fans of the New Orleans Food Co-op gathered together with the Nola Veg Meetup Group for a Vegetarian Potluck. The event drew a large crowd and an amazing array of veg dishes, ranging from simple raw fruit and vegetable salads to vegan casseroles like stuffed shells and shepherd's pie. The gathering allowed the attendees to make new friends, learn more about the NOFC, and celebrate great food. Best of all (for me), most of the contributions were vegan -I feasted like mad!

Beginning shortly after 6pm, attendees began to arrive with food (as well as reusable cups and plates) in hand. We were all eager to fill our plates, and with so many delicious options it became difficult to choose what to try first. Most of us went back two or three times in an attempt to try each dish - as the evening progressed, more and more potluckers flowed in, filling and refilling the tables with a never-ending supply of fantastic vegetarian delights.

All who attended seemed thrilled with the huge selection of food, and quickly got to the business of eating - and talking! The Co-op space became loud with the cheerful conversation of new friends getting to know each other and discussing veg eating options around town. Many folks had a chance to learn about the NOFC, which will doubtless be a boon to the entire vegetarian community of New Orleans. And a common refrain was, "When will we do this again?!"

The NOFC, slated to open late this summer, plans to offer a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan products for its shoppers. An emphasis will be placed on fresh, local produce as well as a large bulk section, making it easy to purchase affordable, healthful foods. At the potluck, suggestions were collected for specific brands and products that the veg community would like to be able to shop for at the Co-op. Popular items included Follow Your Heart products, Tofurkey products, Whole Soy yogurts, and Almond Breeze milks. The Co-op will be looking for suggestions throughout its opening process, so if you have ideas you should get in touch.

The NOFC is currently refining its product selection guidelines; though still in draft form, the guidelines provide a good idea of what packaged foods will be available. Ideally, the Co-op will not carry products that contain artificial ingredients or those known to be harmful, such as artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, known carcinogens, GMOs, or tobacco products. It will also not carry health and beauty products which have been tested on animals. The Co-op will emphasize products that are sustainably produced, minimally processed and packaged, and either regionally produced or fairly traded. It will also make an effort to carry specifically vegan and gluten-free products, in order to meet its shoppers' needs.

Personally, I am counting the days until the Co-op opens! Until then, I'll stay involved in any way that I can. With the popular demand, I should probably get to work planning the next potluck. ;)

The Kingpin has gone to the dogs! And they've brought (vegan) food...

2011-07-29T11:01:00.008-05:00

Fantastic vegan events are popping up right and left this summer in New Orleans, and now we've got one that benefits dogs in need to boot! This Saturday at the Kingpin, beginning at 7pm, the O! Vegasm! team will be serving up delicious vegan vittles at a benefit for Dogs of the 9th Ward. Other attractions at the event include drink specials, a raffle, and live music!

Details from D9:

Location: The Kingpin

Address: 1307 Lyons Street, just off Prytania (around the corner from the Creole Creamery)

Date: Saturday, July 30, 2011
From: 7:00pm to: 11:00pm

The Pitch: Mark you calendars! Head to the Kingpin on Saturday, July 30th for a really fun fundraiser benefiting DOGS OF THE 9TH WARD! There will be vegan food from O! Vegasm!, a beer special, live music, a raffle, prizes, and much more. Please spread the word - the more the merrier! (While this event is helping all the four-legged rescues at D9, its just for people - sorry pups!)

If you care about dogs and love vegan food, this is one event you definitely don't want to miss. RSVP here - and hope to see you there!

Vegan Drinks is coming to New Orleans!

2011-07-22T21:43:00.005-05:00

For Immediate Release:

Vegan Drinks, a phenomenon which has reached international proportions since its inception in New York City just a few short years ago, is coming to New Orleans!

On Thursday, July 28, the first Vegan Drinks New Orleans event will take place at Grit's Bar uptown from 7 to 10 pm. The gathering serves as an opportunity for the veg community to network and socialize in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. The evening's exciting features include vegan drink specials, vegan food from the O! Vegasm team, and a fundraiser raffle.

Thursday's event is to be the first of many - Vegan Drinks New Orleans is slated to occur on the last Thursday of every month going forward. "Like" the Vegan Drinks New Orleans Facebook page and follow the blog to keep up with any developments, see the bar food menu, get details on each month's fundraising raffles, and more!

SPREAD THE WORD! And see you there! :D

Vegan! Pastries! at Hey! Cafe from O! Vegasm! Pardon me, I seem to have run out of exclaimation points...

2011-07-18T09:29:00.007-05:00

There's a buzz going around vegan New Orleans: that the pastry case at Hey! Cafe will soon be much more exciting. The quirky coffee shop on Magazine Street has been carrying Chef John Morales' vegan cinnamon buns for some time, and vegans and omnis alike have coveted them as precious morsels. But of late, Morales (of O! Vegasm! fame) has been slaving away over a hot oven, and as usual the results are remarkable.

This week a genuine NYC Black & White Cookie made its debut on Hey!'s counter: the sample shipment sold out in two days. I hustled down there the moment I heard and bought two of them, of course. The verdict: that's a black & white cookie alright. For anyone who's spent time in New York (or watched too much Seinfeld), you understand that this is no ordinary cookie. It's more like a round bit of cake. It's a very difficult flavor and texture to match, but Morales has hit it dead on - a little taste of Brooklyn right there in the Garden District.

Bigger plans are in the works. For example: whole cakes (to serve slices from), Hostess "sno ball" style marshmallow coconut chocolate cake bombs, and that holiest of holy grails... VEGAN DONUTS. It's coming people. Get ready.

New Orleans Vegans are brunching again!

2011-07-16T18:57:00.005-05:00

For the sixth week in a row, the vegans of New Orleans will gather at Grit's Bar tomorrow for O! Vegasm's delectable Sunday Brunch. John and Paige have consistently brought us heaping plates of pancakes, vegan benedicts, jambalaya, scones, biscuits, and so much more - each week is a surprise, and at this point we're all addicted.

This week the menu is set to include:

*Vegan Benedicts, second version:
Marinated tofu, fried tomato, and homemade sausage, stacked on a warm biscuit and topped with creamy garlic dill Hollandaise sauce

*Chick'n and Dumplings:
A rich herbaceous broth with carrots, peas, chick'n, and seasoned dumplings (when was the last time you had that?!)

*Cinnamon Roll Pancakes:
Served with Orange Agave Butter and, by request, our Pecan Praline Sauce!

I have to say, I am SUPER psyched about all three of these offerings... it wouldn't be the first time that I'm first in line when Paige starts dishing out plates. If you haven't been to brunch yet, what are you waiting for?

See you tomorrow. ;)

Millions of peaches, peaches for me: A trip to the Farmer's Market.

2011-07-12T11:12:00.015-05:00

Today I finally had the pleasure of visiting the Tulane Square location of the Crescent City Farmer's Market. There I found visitors from all walks of life, perusing a gorgeous array of the freshest local fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Summer, of course, is a wonderful time for produce. A rainbow of edibles bursts forth from the vine, bush, and tree alike, just begging for inclusion on your plate. I've been terribly negligent this year in including seasonal produce in my meals, and it seemed to me that the Farmer's Market could be the perfect cure.

And indeed it was! I wasn't sure what to expect - most of my experience with these markets came in NYC, where they ran the gamut from the unbearably jam-packed Saturday mornings at the enormous Union Square spread, to slim pickings at a handful of tables on weekdays at Tompkins Square Park. What I found this morning at Tulane Square at the river end of Broadway struck me as the perfect happy medium: manageable crowds, plenty of produce to go around with a hearty sprinkling of prepared foods mixed in, and enough delightful sights and smells to intrigue young and old.

My first stop was at the Market's welcome tent, where I handed over my credit/debit card and for a mere $1 fee (and a voluntary $1 donation to the mother organization) I got back a stack of tokens that work like cash at the vendor stalls. You can, of course, just pay cash as well. But wooden coins are so much more fun! Thus armed, I was ready to explore.

The first thing I noticed was that tomatoes featured prominently at nearly every booth. And for good reason! Tomatoes are wonderful this time of year, and Louisiana excels at producing many varieties. Many summer goodies were on display: eggplant, squashes, stone fruits, leafy greens, and beautiful flowers among them. As you'll notice, I could barely stop myself from taking pictures of everything I saw. There was so much to choose from that it was almost impossible to pick!

But pick I did. I made a complete lap to get a feel for what was available before making any purchases - I'm far too prone to spontaneous purchases to let myself buy without scoping out the lay of the land first. Even so, the choices were almost overwhelming. The farmers do give a bounty of information on their products though, and the Market provides these helpful maps which show where your food is coming from.

My first produce purchases were (eventually) made from Oakland Organic Farm, who seem to have a sense of humor about their organic status. From them I purchased a bit of the most aromatic basil I've ever encountered, as well as three lovely rose-colored heirloom tomatoes. (I heard somewhere that tomato and basil go well together. Anyone know about that?)

This farm had a number of other lovely vegetables and fruits, including this picturesque okra, roma tomatoes, FIGS, mustard greens, and squash. I love me some okra, but I've never known quite what to do with it raw... other than pickle it. I should probably find out.

Next, I was drawn in by a heavenly scent. A farm from Alabama was also selling plums, tomatoes, and nectarines, but the fruit that created the only line at the market was their PEACHES! This is the peak season for those sweet golden-fleshed gems, and these were the best of the best. I can practically smell mine from the kitchen. It's possible that I may have eaten one before even driving home? I'll never tell.

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a fruit whore. It's not surprising - I do way more baking than cooking, because if I'm going to spend that much time in the kitchen I damn well better be coming out of there with cupcakes. The sugar... it calls to me. And with the fruit I think it's the colors as well. Just show me a blue vegetable? So you'll shake your head and say "it figures" when I tell you that the next thing I bought was a POUND of blueberries... for $4! Maybe I just don't know much about the pricing of blueberries, but this stuck me as quite a deal.

Of course I tasted them the minute I got home. PERFECTION. Extra fun: these beauties come from a u-pick farm, specifically Toft Farms in Carriere, Mississippi. The harvest is nearly over, but they told me it would still be worthwhile to stop by this weekend. Field trip anyone?

I thought I was done for the day when I noticed that the hydroponic lettuce man also had dandelion greens. Now, I know that some people eat these. While I myself am not a huge fan, my two rabbits simply can't get enough! Yes, I do spoil my darlings so - but they deserve it.

Now, I mentioned my first produce buy above. But what was my first actual purchase? Well. I tried to resist all of the amazing prepared foods, a surprising number of which were vegan. But when Paul's Palate proceeded to ploy me with his pesto, I was helpless to resist. The delightful mix of lemon and herbs will make a gourmet dinner out of some quinoa pasta tonight. You'll have to climb into my belly if you want to see the small serving of Paul's lentil salad that I purchased; it was the lunch that is now powering me through this mega-post.

On the whole, I can't imagine a more pleasant way to have spent my morning. The event holds a feeling of community as parents show their children what real food looks like, and families come face to face with the farmers who grow it for them. I couldn't be happier with my haul for the day, which includes:
*three heirloom tomatoes
*two bunches of basil
*six huge ripe peaches
*a pound of blueberries
*four bunches of dandelion greens
*a lunch-size portion of lentil salad
*enough pesto for a pound of pasta
*a refreshing cup of iced tea, in a reusable cup!
...all for about $30. To get the freshest and most healthy produce around while simultaneously supporting local growers, and know that none of it was flown in from another continent? A small price to pay, in my opinion. See you next Tuesday at the Market! ;)

New Orleans Vegan Action in the (virtual) Press

2011-07-09T10:22:00.006-05:00

New Orleans is fast on its way to becoming the next vegan hot spot, and the media is taking notice. We've got a few rockin' blogs around town, of course... ;) But above and beyond the community touting its own accomplishments, we're doing enough awesome work that it's become bona fide news.

The Gambit, for example, recently published a short online article on the opening of The Wandering Buddha. (I of course had covered this event the day before, but it's *possible* that the Gambit has more readers than my blog?) They had also been mentioned in the Gambit several days previously in a writeup of "Thrifty Feasts."

Then, just last night Examiner.com told the world about the vegan blogs of New Orleans. And not only that. Our numerous vegan projects were outlined and explored: Wandering Buddha, Vegan Drinks, O! Vegasm, the works. Friends, we're making it happen

To which I say, keep it up. Keep living the dream. Five years from now, no vegan will cringe at the idea of trying to find dinner in New Orleans. They'll all know that we've got food no other city even dreams of.

1003 words on what you should be doing tonight:

2011-07-08T11:43:00.003-05:00

That is all.

Fleur de Lis Photo Contest on 411nola!

2011-07-07T13:36:00.001-05:00

You know I'll be entering... :D

Win an 8×10 copy of this photo to frame in your home. Valued at over $100, this photo (taken of the gate surrounding Jackson Square) can be yours if you are the winner of the 411 NOLA Fleur de Lis Photo Contest. To enter, email 411 NOLA your name, your mailing address, and your own photo of a fleur de lis (of any kind from anywhere in the world) by July 24, 2011 at 11:59 p. m. CDT. Make sure to put “Fleur de Lis Photo Contest” in the subject line of your email. Limit two entries per email address. Your photo will be uploaded onto the site for all to see. 411 NOLA will pick the top 4 winners and then our readers will pick the first place finalist who will win an 8×10 print of this photo. The 3 runner ups will win a set of 4 photo note cards with this image on them. There is no cost to enter this contest. Questions? Email us here.

Buddha Buzz:The Wandering Buddha Finds a Permanent Home at the Hi-Ho

2011-07-06T10:22:00.003-05:00

Does New Orleans finally have its very own vegan restaurant? If you enjoy well prepared, traditional Korean food and don't mind eating at a bar, I believe it sure does. Over the course of June,the team of Christion Troxell and Colleen Cronin took root in the kitchen of the infamous Hi-Ho Lounge on St. Claude Avenue (just downriver of Elysian Fields). And after their Grand Opening party on Friday the 8th, they'll be open for dinner six days a week.

Their social media profiles proudly proclaim a simple mission: to show the people of New Orleans that "good food is universal, whether it's vegan or not!" As a huge proponent of delicious vegan food, I couldn't agree more. And if you're looking for authentic Korean cuisine, you're not going to do much better than this: Cronin has developed the menu out of the foods she knew and loved as a child, as cooked for her by her South Korean mother.

Before this place came along, I was never a huge fan of Korean food. And it's not very prevalent here in Nola. So I'm delighted to say that the dishes I've sampled at the Buddha thus far have blown my mind. Last night's offerings included a main course of dubu jorim (braised sweet-but-savory tofu cutlets), served aside lightly steamed spinach with a delicate sesame flavor, mildly spicy cucumbers, and of course the ubiquitous kimchi.

A word on kimchi. Historically, I have actively disliked and avoided the stuff. But I wanted to have the full Wandering Buddha experience, so instead of shoving it aside like my inner petulent child wanted to I gave it a shot. And it's amazing! Like everything they serve it's being made from scratch, and I believe that makes all the difference. I'm expecting big things at the Grand Opening on Friday, when the full menu will be unveiled and there will be free samples!

So as of this moment, I'm encouraging each and every one of you to come out on Friday and support this new venture! New Orleans now has one more place to find amazing food, to which I say hell yes.

To keep up with all the developments over at The Wandering Buddha, make sure to check out their website and Facebook page.

See you Friday!

You're joking. You haven't heard about O! Vegasm yet?!

2011-07-03T10:06:00.007-05:00

People, people! Keep your finger on the pulse already! Of the numerous exciting developments happening in Nola's vegan community right now, O! Vegasm's Sunday Brunch at Grit's Bar is definitely in the top three**. I'm getting ready to head there right now - I'd be devastated if I missed this week's vegan french toast.

Now that I've got your attention, you should read my writeup over on 411nola. That pretty much says it all. And don't forget to check out O! Vegasm's FB page. See you next Sunday. ;)

hearts,
mb

**What are the other two? Don't worry, I'll be talking about them real, real soon.

Go to Juan's! Eat the Spicy Vegan Island Tacos! NOW!!

2011-07-02T14:45:00.006-05:00

Dear vegetarians and vegans of New Orleans, this is my call to you. For years we've practically been begging Juan's Flying Burrito to understand that vegans would just love to throw more business their way. But they make it kinda impossible, since we constantly have to be like, "oh, but can you leave off the cheese and the sour cream and the meat, and substitute avocado for the..." It *is* of course totally possible to have a good vegan meal there, but sheesh. Sometimes we'd just like to order off the menu, ya know? Why make it so hard?

WELL. They finally got the message - last month the Magazine Street store introduced the Spicy Vegan Island Tacos special, and they've been going strong ever since. Now, when they say spicy, they are seriously for really real. I order mine without the habanero salsa, because I am a huge spice wimp. The tacos stand alone just fine without: "Grilled Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Leaf Spinach, and Mango Salsa atop smashed Black Beans on Flour Tortillas with shredded Lettuce, sliced Avocados, and Cucumber". Umm... yeah! All that and then some.

And so, I implore you: visit good ol' Juan's. Order the vegan tacos. Tell your server how awesome they are, and how much you'd just love to see them on the permanant menu. BE SUPER NICE - this is crucial. And while you're at it, have a mojito... they're served in a pint glass. Happy Summer! ;)

Theo's Vegan-ator does not disappoint.

2011-07-01T12:42:00.002-05:00

Theo's Neighborhood Pizza
4024 Canal Street, 4218 Magazine Street
summary: good pizza with vegan crust, multitude of veg toppings available, casual comfortable atmosphere
rating: four of five fleurs

When I popped into the Canal Street location of Theo's Neighborhood Pizza for a menu, I really wasn't expecting anything special. Imagine my surprise when I saw a "new" option dubbed the Vegan-ator! I knew that I'd be dining at Theo's in the near future. That future became present on Wednesday evening at their Magazine Street location, a block off Napoleon and lucky for me just a short walk from my house. Have I mentioned I love living Uptown?

I was expecting table service, but what I found was something in between table and counter: you order at the small raised bar in the back, and then your pie is brought to you... eventually. As is explained on the menu, each pizza is baked for approximately 30 minutes. Meaning you will wait at least that long for your meal. So basically, if you're going to Theo's, bring someone you enjoy talking to. But hey, freshly baked pizza straight from the oven - who's going to complain about that?

So we ordered our Vegan-ator, got our Bootsy Collins table marker, and settled in to observe the scene. What we saw: girls' nites out, families having together time, office mates grabing a bite after work, and overall a steady but never crowded flow in the close but comfortable space.

The table markers themselves deserve comment: each is a colorful image of a notable character. As you can see, ours ROCKED. After posting this pic on FB, I received a number of entertaining comments, including the following: "Oh hell to the yeah! Sh*t! Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam!" and "I went to the Theo's in midcity and my table marker was a Magnum PI collage. Hawt! ;)" Clearly I am not the only person who appreciates this bit of flair.

But what you're really wondering about is the food, right? Well. Personally, I feel that the Vegan-ator lives up to its name. What was delivered to our table, fresh from the oven and piping hot, was a pie covered with heaps of fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes (properly rehydrated for once, thank you), yellow squash, mushrooms, jalapeños, red onion, whole roasted garlic cloves, pineapple (!), and what must have been an entire jar's worth of whole kalamata olives. Given that I'm picky about certain ingredients, I could have lived without a few of these. But I was impressed that such effort went into making a lovely all-vegetable presentation.

Now as for the eating. The sauce is just what I look for: straightforward tomato. No messing around, and just enough of it. The crust is, frankly, my least favorite kind, so thin it's nearly like a cracker. But that's a personal preference. And even so, I enjoyed eating it, AND it's confirmed vegan, so really I'm not complaining. Overall I was very pleased with the Vegan-ator experience, but next time I may go custom. Given their list of over twenty veggies there are a LOT of mix-and-match possibilities, particularly with two sauce options available (traditional tomato or just straight olive oil).

We asked one of the very nice and laid back servers whether, if we brought in our own vegan cheese, it could be added to our pizza. We received an enthusiastic "Yeah, sure!" in response! Honestly I wasn't missing cheese at all and I don't think this pizza needs it, but it *is* good to know.

One final note for those of you keeping it vegan and wheat free: while Theo's does offer a gluten-free crust for an extra $4 (small pizza only), it is NOT vegan. *sadface*

Theo's, you've won a place in my directory and in my heart. Let's talk about getting a few more vegan options on the menu, eh? A sandwich maybe, or, hey, a salad? I'll be back again, and I'll be bringing friends. After all, I'll need someone to talk to while my pizza's in the oven.

First Movie Night at the Nola Food Co-Op: All Hail the King

2011-06-28T21:44:00.006-05:00

Food Stories have begun at the Nola Food Co-Op! The first of a series of summer movie nights at the Co-Op was kicked off tonight with King Corn, a charming tale by two boys from Boston. They unravel for us the mystery of why there is not only corn in nearly every food product we purchase, but also in the very molecules of our hair. Weee!

Hosted by local nutritionist, food guru, and certified LEAP therapist Gary Granata, the night was a great success with a nice turnout. We did, in fact, eat popcorn - hey, it's the movies! - but also feasted on Gary's raw gazpacho, fresh seasonal produce, and home made limeade among other goodies.

Movie nights at the Co-Op will continue through July and possibly August, every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. The next event will be held on Tuesday, July 12 at 7pm, when we'll be watching Dirt! The Movie. See you then!

Hello all you visitors from 411 NOLA!

2011-06-21T10:48:00.006-05:00

So nice to see you! Thanks for visiting. You're awesome. I hope you enjoyed that article - it's really just the tip of the iceberg of what's available for veg*ns here in New Orleans. If you'd like to see what else is around, please check out my tab of Veg-Friendly Restaurants. It's getting bigger all the time!

Also, please follow the blog! :D

hearts,
mb

Not so slim.

2011-06-18T16:33:00.004-05:00

Slim Goodies
3322 Magazine Street
summary: typical diner food with some not-so-typical veg options; vegan options available if you ask to remove the dairy; try the Garden Slammer
rating: three of five fleurs

I'm not sure where the name Slim Goodies came from. If it wasn't for the flying fried egg on the sign out front, one might take this nomenclature to indicate a health food establishment.

Well folks, healthy it ain't. Slim Goodies (on Magazine, just off Louisiana) is a diner - no doubt about it. But they've got something a little bit special going on. You won't feel like you've stepped into Dot's, for example. A haven for the hip and to an extent the veg, Slim's will serve you up a tofu scramble any time of day. Not night though, because they close at three.

So what about the veg offerings? I couldn't get a clear read on what was there from the available internet info, so I had to go and see for myself. Here's a summary of my findings:

-The tofu scramble is vegan, but it is seasoned almost exclusively with turmeric and salt. I believe what popped into mind when tasting it was "turmeric-a-riffic!" This may have been the particular cook or the particular day, but based on that experience (as well as my second visit) I would say the scramble is a skip on its lonesome.

-The veg chili is vegan, and it is delicious. Get it. Eat it. Love it.

-The hash browns are vegan, and they are awesome! They are exactly what I want in hash browns. All too often what you get is something more like home fries: potatoes that have been cubed or diced. While tasty, that's a different dish. Slim's hash browns are the real deal, shredded and fried with just the right amount of salt and grease.

-The "fake soy bacon" is vegan... because it's tempeh. I'm not sure why they don't just say so. I'm not a big fan of tempeh, but this stuff is really tasty! Well seasoned and perfectly fried. Sometime in the near future I hope to ask them to make me a TLT.

-Soymilk for your coffee is no problem.

-The grits are technically vegan as the butter isn't added until after cooking. HOWever, there's no margarine in the house - butter only. Something to keep in mind. (Sneak in some Earth Balance?)

-I did try to find out whether the veggie burgers were vegan, three times now. Phone responses: "they might have eggs in them," and "I think they have breadcrumbs." When I asked my waiter, I simply never got an answer (it wasn't what I was ordering to eat). So if you're interested in a burger, I'd ask to see a label.

-There is NO vegan cheese or sour cream in house, which is really a pity as one or both of these feature in nearly every dish. Even so, I'd love to ask them to veganize a number of the plates in the "More Goods to Eat" section of the menu like the Guatemalan, the Tex-Mex Slammer, and the Popeye, and just omit the dairy.

The bottom line: you can definitely get a good vegan meal at Slim's. It may not blow your mind, but it will surely be ten times better than what you could scrounge up at, say, Camellia (a Coke and fries, for instance). My vote: go for the Garden Slammer. Mediocre scramble aside, the other components make the plate more than worthwhile, if not particularly picturesque. Enjoy the colorful, uber-hip atmosphere, and nevermind that foolish flying egg.

Saturday Night: Local Food Art on Julia Street

2011-06-03T14:17:00.003-05:00

I didn't make it to the May Art Walk on Julia Street; things were just too hectic. I'd only been in town for a couple of days. But now that I'm settled in, it will definitely be a staple on my events calendar. So I'm completely psyched that this Saturday night (June 4), Carmo will be hosting a truly special event. The New Orleans Food Co-Op has put together a Local Food Art Exhibition - doesn't that sound fantastic? Check out their Facebook event page about it.

Here's a brief description:

This Saturday night, Carmo Cafe, Cathedral Creative Studios, and the New Orleans Food Co-op present an important stop on Julia Street during the Art Walk. Indulge your senses with the delicious taste of the near future. NOFC will be working with as many local growers & producers as possible. Come see, taste, & learn about some of the locally produced foods that will be offered in NOFC's grocery store

The exhibit will include photographs from local farms, food for (fundraising) sale, and opportunities to learn more about the Co-Op. (I'm already a member. You are too, right?) I'm SO there. I'm tempted to just go there right now and wait. I haven't been to Carmo's storefront yet, but I had their food at the Nola Veg Fest a couple weeks ago, and Oh. My. God. I can say that I've literally never had anything like it. That doesn't happen to me very often.

But what is she EATING?

2011-05-28T13:07:00.001-05:00

So, I know, some of you are thinking, isn't this supposed to be a food blog?

OK, yeah, kinda. :P

I get it. You want to know what I've been eating since I've been back. And the answer is, everything! OK not everything. But dernit, I'm trying. There's so much here that I love. Even just in these weeks that I've been back I've been able to expand my list of vegan-friendly options in Nola. You've seen it, right? (Check it out here!!) I know it's just gonna keep getting bigger.

Anyway. So far, in the short four weeks I've been home, I've eaten at:
Jazmine Cafe

Frosty's
Mona's (about four times)
Surry's (at least twice)
Ninja
Reginelli's
Juan's (twice? three times?)
La Thai (at least twice)
Brocato's
The Creole Creamery...

I'm probably forgetting some. It's kinda nuts. It's kinda a miracle that I haven't gained about fifteen pounds, actually. It's probably only because all this unpacking and re-arranging is keeping me in shape.

What's that you say? I should be finished unpacking by now? I believe I cleared that up about two weeks ago...

Fest Success

2011-05-24T13:27:00.001-05:00

When I went to Jazz Fest and found vegan red beans and rice, I felt like I'd won the lotto. Well, multiply that by about a thousand and that's what it was like to walk into the Third Annual Nola Veggie Fest - the New Orleans Vegan Food Festival. It's really like a festival designed specifically for me, if you think about it. It's refreshing to be in a space filled with like-minded people who have come together to create this type of event.

My duty at the fest was to help the amazing KC of KC's Babycakes sell her delish vegan cupcakes. But before I settled in I just had to make the rounds through the enormous space of the Zeitgeist - which was filled to the brim with fantastic veg organizations and products. Notably, in under an hour I finally became a member of the New Orleans Food Co-Op and met Jasmin Singer of Our Hen House. Not bad eh?

I also sampled delicious vegan foods and beverages like a coconut water green tea cocktail from Super Food Bar. I do believe I'll be visiting him on Magazine Street for another one of those. Most. Refreshing. Thing. Evar! I'm also interested to check out Velvet, bravely located directly across the street from Whole Foods on Magazine. Vegan tea cakes? Yes thank you.

Wayfare Foods, Tofurkey, Whole Soy & Co., Coconut Bliss, and many (many, many) others were in attendance. There was so much to see and do and sample that I could barely keep up with tweeting it all for the Vegan Etsy Team and NOiG - Twitter is a big job when there's so much to take pictures of! Like, for instance, the amazing stacks of BOOKS!!

When I returned to my station, vegan cupcakes were flying off of KC's table. And why not - vegan cupcakes practically sell themselves! It was great chatting with fest-goers, who ranged from dedicated vegans to the veg-curious. That's the beauty of cupcakes (and festivals full of open-minded people): they bring everyone together.

As I was leaving the fest and thought my day was done, I encountered what may have been the most exciting part of the whole day: the food tent for Naturally Naw'lins Vegan Cuisine. This young gentleman, Mr. Timothy Moore, doesn't have a storefront yet. But I do mean yet. His food is amazing! Totally vegan, totally delicious "soul food" style cooking, he is sure to be a rising star in the Nola veg world. I'll be keeping an eye out for him, and keeping you posted!

It was a super fun day, and I made connections with people in the Nola veg community that I hope to see more of in the near future. Who knows, at Veggie Fest 2012 I may have a table of my own. ;)

Nola Veggie Fest! Cupcake Slinging! I, in the middle.

2011-05-19T09:17:00.001-05:00

Yep, it's the Veggie Fest. Veg*ns! In New Orleans! Festing! It's what we call festival season here in New Orleans, and we have a festival for pretty much everything. Jazz, Bayous, Tomatoes, Greekness, and what of course I think is the best one of all... vegetableness! Woot. All manner of tablers, speakers, and fest goers will be present, really living up the joint.

I will be present and accounted for at this particular Veggie Fest on Sunday, helping my dear friend KC sling her amazing vegan cupcakes. In case you were at my vegan wedding last year, it was KC who made those delectable little cakelets that everyone went mad for.

So here's my official cheery pitch, and I mean it!!

That's right! It's time celebrate all things veg at the Nola Veggie Fest! This year the fest is at the Zeitgeist, an awesome multicultural and multidisciplinary event space, big enough for one and all to enjoy all that the fest has to offer. So come Saturday, come Sunday, come both days! Be there and/or be square!

New Orleans: A Lovesong.

2011-05-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

I am living in the chaos of an unpacked house. My clothes are still in suitcases; my food is still in boxes. My books, while not unpacked, are of course easily accessible. Heaven forbid I should have a craving for my Hemingway short stories at 1am and not be able to find them.

It seems like a lot of this putting away should be done already. But it's just not. For this I can make many excuses, and even give some reasons, and a good part of it can be explained by sheer exhaustion. After all, I've been living like this, on one end or the other now, for over a month - it takes its toll.

But at the core of all the excuses and reasons and explanations there is something, some ephemeral thing, some object or concept that I have not yet been able to grasp. This thing called New Orleans.

Yes, New Orleans, I'm blaming you. You are in my heart and head and soul, and yet I don't fully understand you. Like a lover, I don't know that it's possible to know you completely. Just when I think I've got you figured out, you surprise me, thrill me, break my heart, and then turn around and stitch it back together again. Bordering on obsession, I never stop wanting more from you - even when you frustrate me to tears, even when I want to wring your neck. It is impossible not to forgive you, and our scrapes never last long. You are too beautiful not to love, too complex and mysterious not to investigate.

So I will breathe you in, smell you, taste you, listen closely to your every sigh and exclamation. Make you my own and become part of you again. Maybe in the process add something to your rainbow mosaic. And you, in turn, will continue to distract me from unpacking.

Great on everything!

2011-05-05T16:50:00.002-05:00

My husband believes he's from the south. The thing is, though, that he was born and raised in the mountains of western Virginia. It snows there. You know what I'm saying?

New Orleans seems strange to him. He claims it's not the south because you can't get sweet tea in the restaurant. And he's right, we're not like Georgia or Alabama or, for pete's sake, the Carolinas. But oh, it's the south alright. It's been said that we're really just the northernmost city of the Caribbean, and maybe that's the closest to the truth of the matter. What no one can dispute is that, while we are undoubtedly southern, we are also something other, something different. Something special.

There is much to learn when becoming a new New Orleanian. How to pronounce Treme, Calliope, Tchoupitoulas, and Pontchartrain. How to drive through a map where north and south become "towards the lake" and "towards the river", because two streets that supposedly run east-west can cross at a 90 degree angle. Where to go for the best Vietnamese, what the best coffee shops are, where to get the best sno ball, and what a sno ball is in the first place.

Having grown up awash in the vernacular, it's hard to realize how much that seems commonplace to me is realy regional, endemic. It started to dawn on me when I was excited to pass by the old Blue Plate factory and he turned to me and said, "What's Blue Plate?"

And then there's what to do with Tony Chachere's. First of all, it's pronounced something like "satcherie's". Why? he asks. You don't ask why. Because. Jonathan recently proposed that I start a blog wherein I actually try it on "everything" - ice cream, mango, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, what have you - and report the results. But that's not really the point of Tony's. The point is that you use it when you're supposed to use it, and you know when that is. He'll know soon enough.

He left two days ago, flew back to New York. It seems that the big bad city can't let go of him just yet; Chanel or MTV or some such big fancy mucketymuck just can't get their event off the ground unless my baby is there to make it all happen. And it's good for him to be needed, of course. I need him here, too, but he'll be here soon enough. Until then my heart will ache for him, and I'll daydream of all the things New Orleans will show him. And I can spend some time with my mama n' them.

We made it through that water

2011-05-02T16:49:00.002-05:00

The first time I lived here, I drove around listening to "my" music. This is because I was a silly little fool.

Now I know better. For the last several years, during visits and whatnot, I've listened almost exclusively to WWOZ while riding around town. When I get a car, I will have exactly two stations programmed into my buttons: OZ and WTUL. (Hey, shut up. I am so not too old to listen to "college" music.)

Our triumphant return this week has of course coincided with the 42nd Annual Jazz Fest - which I will go right ahead and call the most important music festival in the country. If you've never been, it's hard to describe the enormity of it. At any given time, there's at least eight or ten bands playing - for eight hours a day, for seven days over two weekends. You do the math.

During Jazz Fest, OZ broadcasts live from the Jazz tent, and also plays selections from the various performers of past and present fests. And one song that I am hearing over and over, that hits me in the heart in a way that's hard to describe, is "We made it through that water" by Free Agents Brass Band. Starting out with blasts of brass and a refrain of "I'm so glad to be back home," it captures the pain and the love and the near euphoria I'm feeling of finally being back in this place.

When I lost my city, almost lost my mind
I'm in and out of hotels,
Feel like I'm doin' time

The song addresses some of the far more severe suffering that went on in the city, experiences that I didn't even get close to - thank/but by the grace of (choose your deity). When they sing "we made it through that water, that muddy muddy water," they don't mean it figuratively. They mean up to the chest. But it also waves rebirth in the face of destruction. You can take our houses, and you can take our cars. But you can't take our music, or our love. YOU CAN'T HAVE OUR CITY. We will take it back. We will always take it back.

You know
Like I know
Ain't no city like
N O

Homecoming.

2011-05-01T10:10:00.002-05:00

I can see the streetcar from my kitchen. I can see my kitchen from the streetcar.

The rabbits don't know what to think. They're just glad to be out of the car.

Everything here is lush and green and ALIVE. Rich green carpets of trees drape over streets, providing much needed shade. The live oaks shelter us all. I've missed the camellias and azaleas, but not the gardenias. And who needs dogwoods when you can have giant magnolia trees, with their dark and glossy emerald leaves?

It's hard to believe I'm home. Or rather I know I'm home, but I don't fully know that I'm not leaving again. For years it's been easy to fully embrace being present here, and leaving has been excruciating. I'm overwhelmed with everything that has yet to be accomplished, but I need to embrace a time-honored New Orleans tradition: worry about that tomorrow. After all, it'll come whether you like it or not.

Go west, young (wo)man.

2011-04-29T19:50:00.001-05:00

Take off the parking brake
Go coasting into a different state
And I'm not looking forward to missing you
But I must have something better to do
I've got to tear my life apart
And go west, young man

And it feels like I've got something to prove
But in some ways it's just something to do
My friends turn me around and say,
You go west, young man.

The driving began on Thursday morning. The rental car is loaded with an almost incomprehensible quantity of possessions; this is not the first time I have performed small miracles of packing. I've been trained from an early age both to be an expert mover and to make cross-country drives quietly and without complaint.

We've done what we can for Harvey Harverson and Scamperton J. Rabbit. They are not creatures who enjoy movement or noise, so a 1300 mile journey cannot under any circumstance be a pleasant one for them. But they have their spaces each, and they're being tough little bunnies. We are proud of them.

Yesterday went as smoothly as a day's driving could; we hit the expected congestion in Brooklyn and paid half a dozen tolls before making it off the turnpike, but none of this came as a surprise. It seemed that the St. Christopher medal I'd remembered to carry with us in the front seat really was working its magic charm.

Until, that is, about an hour after our dinner break. We should have had about two hours left to go before making it to our Holiday Inn Express in picturesque Dandridge, Tennessee when it happened. One minute we were cruising along in the orange of the sunset. And then we just... stopped. Dead. Still. And didn't move again for about twenty minutes. Over the next two hours, we traveled approximately five miles. Due to some internal circumstances which increased the stress, this triggered a pretty major panic attack on my part.

Perhaps you've heard about a few pesky little tornadoes that have made their way though the southeastern states in past days? We'd heard tell of them in passing. But we haven't been following the news too closely. Perhaps we whould have perked our ears.

I've never seen tornado destruction before, and I can't truly say I've seen it now. What we saw was just an inkling. It had been hard to understand what could cause such a backup, but when we made it to the site of the problem things became somewhat clear. The highway was down to the left lane only, because in the right lane was strewn with box cars that had been crumpled like cardboard and then dropped willy nilly. More had been scattered on the surrounding grassy slopes, just visible in the early evening light. The images conjured of these enormous metal boxes spiraling in the sky were surreal - in an eerily and unpleasantly familiar way. God rest the souls of the 300+ who have died in these events - a tornado death must be one of pure terror, and the thought of it makes my heart tighten and ache.

This morning we reached northeastern Alabama, and saw more of the storms' effects. Upon trying to stop for gas, we came to understand that for miles and miles, there was no power. There hadn't been, and there wouldn't be - likely for days. Even if the pumps could have worked, it wouldn't have mattered: there was no gas for them to dispense.

The people we met at the three exits we tried before reaching Gadsden were friendly, and doing whatever they could to help each other. I saw a young girl dive purposefully into the back of the family SUV, only to emerge several minutes later with a large slice of homemade cake on a napkin. She handed it to a man who had been hitchiking along the road with his dog. The two smiled warmly at each other, as if old friends. The chaos and need of disaster seems to bring strangers together in much the same way that long estranged family members bond at funerals.

For Jonathan and I, today's driving was smooth and easy. Though we stopped in what should have been "the middle," we were only on the road for 2/3 the time today of what we spent yesterday. And in everything we witnessed this morning, we were merely passersby, unaffacted. We were never in any real danger of running out of gas. It's almost as if last night's incident and this morning's snapshots of strife were just a reminder: Yes, there will be problems. Yes, at times it will seem almost unbearabley difficult. But in the end everything will be alright, because you are finally back where you belong.

Officially Official.

2011-03-09T07:24:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I gave notice at work. Because the decision has been made - mother I'm coming home. As of May first, I will once again officially reside in the Crescent City. At work, they are sad to see me go. But I'm not sad. In fact, I can't remember the last time I smiled so much. :)

My First King Cake.

2011-01-23T20:32:00.004-06:00

Not the first one I've eaten, of course - I don't think even my mama could pinpoint when I first tasted that sugar-coated cinnamon-rolled baby-booby-trapped goodness. This, however, is the first time I've been brave enough to bake a king cake. (And a vegan one at that, of course.)

It's only the second yeasted thing I've ever made, and my first experience with "punching down" dough. There were many steps, but it wasn't difficult. And if I do say so myself, it came out gorgeous...

Housekeeping.

2011-01-17T11:13:00.000-06:00

Yes, there are two "New Orleans in Green" blogs. After years and years of being on blogger, I thought I'd see what all the "wordpress" hype was about. I can't figure it out - I don't like it at all. I may double post for a while, but I have a feeling that in the end my heart belongs to blogger... damn you googling bastards.

The Year of New Orleans.

2011-01-04T12:29:00.002-06:00

I arrived in Nola on New Year's Eve. And it was so good to be home, even if it was just for a minute. I'm looking at it through different eyes now - eyes that know that in a few months, I'll be back for real. Eyes that want to plan.

I was saddened to find that the Annual Orleans Avenue Christmas Tree Bonfire has been completely extinguished. As usual, leave it to a couple of jerks who don't know how to act (and a couple of bureaucrats who think they know how to make a point) to ruin something great for everyone. I harbor secret hopes that after a couple of years the cops will chill out a bit on their cruises, and the neighborhood will rekindle its longstanding tradition.

There of course wasn't any shortage of other illegal fireworks events, however. They were everywhere. But can anyone tell me what's up with Lakeshore Drive being barricaded and blacked out? Seems like a tragedy waiting to happen if you ask me, which incidentally no one ever does.

We were on our own - everyone else either already had plans or was sick by the time we hit town. So we had a drink at Balcony Bar and then just drove around, seeing what we could see. A quiet evening together. And that's just fine.

All in all, the trip was too short. When it came time to leave, the morning of the third, I did not want to go. I just wanted to stay, stay forever. I just wanted to be home.

The Trouble with Oil.

2010-06-04T12:12:00.001-05:00

The trouble all began on April 20... incidentally my first married monthiversary. Never mind that - it's been nonstop fun here anyway what with the fighting with the wedding vendors, the bouts of depression, and the oral surgery gone awry... and now the hospitalization... I tell you this spring has been a barrel of laughs. But really, this 5000 barrels a day thing is a bit like a knife in my heart.

This Routers timeline paints a pretty detailed picture of events. Just don't look at actual pictures. They're terrifying.

A New Orleans Wedding

2010-03-25T10:52:00.002-05:00

Jonathan and I were married at the Peristyle in City Park on Saturday the 20th. Lots of little things went wrong. (For example, it rained all day. Of course it did - it's March in New Orleans. Of course the days before and after were both beautiful.) We're still married. That's the funny thing about a wedding - the whole thing can be a train wreck, and on the other end, as long as you took those vows and signed that license, you're good to go. The rings and parties and cakes and champagne are all just a bonus...

Chocolate City: rediscovering coffee and chicory.

2010-03-03T10:49:00.000-06:00

My dad is a coffee purist, or at least he thinks he is – you should never keep beans in the freezer like that. But my mama, at home she drinks Union Coffee and Chicory. It’s a flavor I’ve known for my whole life, of course, since I was yea high and I’d get a coffee milk after being woken up too early in the morning at my grandpa’s house. And then there’s the cafe au lait at Morning Call – when I was real young I always opted for the chocolate milk instead, but by the time I hit double digits I was ordering “coffee and an order of donuts,” craving that caramel colored drink served up in heavy ceramic.

Once I became an “adult”, though, chicory coffee was just never something I adopted as my own. Hard to say why; frequently it was just a result of being too lazy to even brew coffee at home, opting instead for a medium sized medium roast from PJ’s or Rue de la Course, or the little coffee shop on Harrison that has now, seemingly inevitably, become a Starbucks. Chicory was something I knew about: a root, strong in flavor but lacking in caffeine, a creole classic, bla bla bla; just not something I imbibed. That it was conspicuously lacking in the city’s coffehouses seemed to reinforce my decision to drink “real” coffee.

Funny how leaving a place can make you nostalgic for things you never knew were important to you. On the third anniversary of Katrina, I released a zine called Anywhere I Lay My Head. I had a bit of a release event whereat refreshments were served. Alongside Brocato’s seed cookies, of course I served coffee. And what else would I serve but coffee and chicory? I had my mom send me up a few pounds of Union.

The event didn’t have the largest turnout, and my mom had sent far more than we needed anyway, so a year and a half later there was still a pound hanging around my house. Come this past Saturday, we ran out of coffee – for my fiance, this is a crisis akin to being without electricity or water. And so, on a whim, I offered up the Union.

Of course, at my mama’s house coffee and chicory is drunk with Pet evaporated milk. Jonathan and I do not drink milk. So how to approach the molasses-like brew? He prepared his like he would his regular coffee and got on with his day. For me though, it had begun to become an epiphanous experience, so I decided to go cafe au lait style.

What I’m going to describe next will strike some old school New Orleanians as something approaching sacrilegious, but just bear with me. I took down my oversized Cafe du Monde mug – also sent down by mom – and filled it not quite halfway with my omnipresent almond milk, which I then heated until a bit too hot to put your finger in comfortably. To that I added a small spoonful of agave nectar (I know, I know! I’m just avoiding refined sugars right now). And finally I topped my mug with the coffee.

The substance that filled my cup was a rich, incredibly dark brown color – Jonathan had used as much ground coffee as he would normally, not realizing that coffee and chicory is a different beast. It looked something like chocolate, and tasted something like chocolate too – though of course it has a flavor all its own. I spent the next half hour happily sipping as I prepared a huge pot of butterbeans and set them to simmer for the afternoon, giving myself a warmup every now and then. Late February snowstorm be damned – holding that cup, beans on the stove, my kitchen felt like home.

KC and her Magical Vegan Cupcakes

2010-02-25T11:30:00.002-06:00

The wedding is saved! Its savior? What else? Vegan cupcakes.

Remember all those issues I was having with trying to get someone to bake me a vegan wedding cake? I had practically resolved myself to baking my own when I got an email from a vegan-network-friend of mine who lives on the Northshore (New Orleans speak for the north side of Lake Pontchartrain). One of her friends opened up a bakery in Mandeville a few months ago, she wrote, and baked vegan cupcakes pretty regularly.

To which I said, YES PLEASE THANK YOU.

My parents are not so into the idea of a cupcake tower for the wedding, but they'll suck it up. I admit, I did have my heart set on a "real" cake for a while, but a delicious, gorgeous, vegan presentation is what it comes down to.

And after my meeting with KC of KC's Babycakes, I am absolutely convinced that it's exactly what I'll have. She came highly recommended from a trusted source, which is always good. But you just never know, particularly with vegan baked goods I think, until you sit down and sink your teeth in. This is precisely what I did last Monday. KC spent two full hours with me, and as those of you who know me are well aware, that is a LONG time to spend with me when I'm really excited about something. I sampled six (count them, six) different flavors of her vegan cupcakes. Somehow, each was more extraordinary than the last. You want to hear about them, don't you?

Cookies n cream: a crazy moist rich chocolate cupcake with just a hint of almond, topped with an intensely sweet vanilla buttercream speckled with crumbled oreo-style cookies, crowned with a whole cookie nestled in the middle for good measure. This is an excellent showcase for just how good a simple (but extremely well-baked) chocolate cupcake can be.

Coconut and Coffee: a subtly flavored caramel brown coconut cupcake, slathered in rich coffee buttercream then rimmed with a ring of toasted coconut shavings. Gourmet, doubtless; this cupcake is somehow simultaneously exotic and extravagant while also being comforting and homey. It may be KC's favorite of her vegan creations; me, I am having a very difficult time choosing a favorite.

Vanilla Chocolate Swirl: a basic made fancy, two moist and delicious cakes marbled in the cup and topped with a generous helping of vanilla buttercream, finished with miniature chocolate chips. It's hard to describe how decadent this cakelet is as it sounds so simple, so you'll just have to believe me.

Lemon Macadamia: a lightly lemon cupcake punctuated with chunks of real macadamia nuts, topped with a pungent, bright frosting made with real fresh lemon juice, and finally rimmed with colored sugar for a look that is both sophisticated and fun. (This one happens to be modeling the cupcake wrapper I've chosen - "Aloha" from Paper Orchid. Many thanks to KC for cluing me in on this new cupcake trend!)

Banana Split: here's where we really start getting crazy! A cupcake with a banana bread like consistency - because it's made with real banana, making it ultra dense and moist with true banana flavor - but sweeter and with mini chocolate chips in it. Then topped in a lush twirl of delicately banana flavored buttercream frosting. The cupcakes I tasted were sprinkled with pecans and then topped with a cherry, which was a great finish. However, to be more friendly to my nut-allergic guest(s), for the wedding they'll be drizzled in chocolate ganache before being cherried. Too divine!

Wedding Cake: a flavor that I *believe* was developed just for me! In case you don't know, in New Orleans there is a flavor actually known as "wedding cake flavor" - you can order it at any good snowball stand. It's generally a creamy almond flavor, and it's been a tradition at Nola nuptials since anyone can remember. This cupcake did not disappoint. A perfectly dense, moist, rich, creamy lightly almond and vanilla white cupcake, topped with wonderfully rich almond buttercream, and finished with the most darling candy pearls you'd ever wish to see. Simple and elegant, this is the flavor that really made the set for me. We'll also have a 6" cake atop the tower that will be baked from this batter. I really couldn't be more pleased with how this one came out.

I'll stop killing you with cupcake descriptions now - except to say that we actually haven't decided between doing the cookies n cream described above, or a classic red velvet. I didn't get to sample KC's red velvet, but based on what I've seen and tasted, I have zero doubt that it is exquisite. And I can't help thinking of some kind of chocolate-and-strawberry concoction... Maybe a small groom's cake? What can I say? Life is full of so many difficult decisions.

Some day soon I'll tell you what happens when you take a dozen of the fabulous cupcakes described above over to the only vegetarian restaurant in town (Cafe Bamboo), have a couple of Abitas, and start getting generous. But that, loves, is a story for another day.

Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi... Confessions of a Zulu Coconut.

2010-02-15T10:39:00.000-06:00

Now it’s time for my ugly confession.

I spent my first several-to-many years in New Orleans just hating the hell out of some Mardi Gras.

I know, I know! I am a big fat stinking joykill. I am an uptight loser. I don’t know what’s good. In sum, I suck.

I have just never been one for crowds, or noise, or drinking in uncontrolled environments. And if you had to roll up the event in a little nutshell, well… yeah. I am also a sore loser and a pout, which combines poorly with the fact that I am a bead repeller. On the rare occasion that I *would* venture to a parade and get into the “throw me somethin’ mister” spirit, everyone in my proximity would be pelted with beads and medallions and moon pies, and I’d leave with one little pitiful broken strand of something ugly.

(Incidentally, it’s great to go to a parade with me if you’re really into catching throws. And who isn’t?! When you’re standing next to me fate guarantees that you will catch about twice as much as anyone else in the crowd. Zulu coconut? Yours, all yours.)

OK, but none of that is an excuse for being a griping lameass, right? And of course as time went on I realized that much of the problem sprung from my neuroses. Sure, Nola is crazy during the season. But flipping out about it doesn’t actually help in the slightest. It in fact makes things significantly worse, and also makes people inch slowly away from you in coffee shops. Like most other inevitable things, it is far better to simply accept it on its own terms, and then try to have some fun with it if you can.

Now, given what I’ve told you you’ll enjoy this: one year for Mardi Gras I was living in the Lower Garden District, half a block off of Prytania. And indeed, I went and saw some of the Uptown parades that year. It was either that or not leave my apartment at all that day, and even I am not that much of a curmudgeon. I definitely went to Zulu... the person standing next to me got a coconut.

For the last few years that I lived in the city I lived in Lakeview, and thus Endymion became my favorite parade. I discovered that I could actually have fun going to the starting point up by the park, where I could wander around and get a good look at the floats. The Orleans Avenue events just have something special to them. You know what I’m talking about.

OK. Fastforward. I’ve been up in NYC for a bit over four years. In 2008, when Endymion returned to the Midtown route, I cried – literally, at work, I sat there with tears of joy and nostalgia and hope and I don’t even know what all else streaming down my face. Last year it didn’t faze me so much; I think I was caught up in work and didn’t even know what else was going on.

And then we get up to this week. What am I doing? Junking out on Nola.com’s ParadeCam, planning on trying to bake a vegan king cake as soon as I can get rid of this godforsaken headache, and wishing like hell that I had flown down this Friday instead of going next Friday like I’m going to. I want to be there! I want to have cheap beer spilled on me by the pudgy thirty-something dad with the four-year-old on his shoulders who’s kicked me a few times! I want to only catch three strands of crappy beads! I want to see the guy next to me get a coconut!!

And oh sweet jesus, I just remembered about the cups. I WANT ME SOME DAMN PLASTIC CUPS.

Instead, I have a handpainted purple, green and gold cat mask from Italy. Hey, at least it’s something. Ten years ago I would have decried it as tacky and awful. Today I say: it’s tacky and awful, and I love it so.

Happy Lundi Gras everyone. If you’re in New Orleans, I hope you’re having a ball.

Fake French: it's not just for Le Tigre.

2010-02-11T10:37:00.000-06:00

Geaux Saints! 31-17 + Lombardi Gras = the Saints ain’t the Aint’s neaux meaux! Yeah you right.

No one is more surprised than me that, given my lifetime of avoiding sports of all kinds, I’m really enjoying all of this Saints-win-the-Superbowl stuff. Hell, even my parents are excited – my parents, who gave me my aversion to all things athletic in the first place.

There’s just such a purity about this particular celebration. There’s no “in your face” or smack talking about whatever the hell team it is that we beat. It’s all just, “We love the Saints, we love Drew Brees, we love New Orleans!” (How amazing was that photograph of Brees and his son?) For a people who not even five years ago were brought to the lowest they’ve ever been, I can’t tell you the good it does my heart to see shot after shot of crowds of New Orleanians exuding true joy. One of my friends was in Miami for the fateful event, and of course was back in town for the parade, and has been tweeting about it regularly. His posts are hilarious. “To the rest of the country: sorry about the snow. It’s a side effect of hell freezing over.”

New Orleans has always been a place with such a great appreciation for its own culture, its own greatness. Not in a boastful way. Just in a “New Orleans: Proud to call it home” way. Or “proud to crawl home” way. Or even “proud to swim home” way. These people have a fierce love for their town that is utterly unrivaled. It’s kinda beautiful.

New Orleans, the place where I wasn't born. (An introduction.)

2010-02-09T10:22:00.000-06:00

Actually, I was born during a blizzard in Akron, Ohio. Go figure. Meanwhile, every single other member of my family including my sister and the vast majority of my cousins (first once removed, second, third, second once removed – what have you) was born within the bounds of Orleans Parish. My family has always used the anomaly of my erroneous birthplace to account for my dislike of spicy foods, olives, raw oysters, hot weather, and many other things that are supposed to be in my blood. At least I’ve warmed up to olive oil and onions.

I also didn’t grow up in New Orleans. After a dizzying succession of moves that I can’t quite list, we settled on the Gulf Coast of Florida for a while. There I developed a proper appreciation for large trees and larger bodies of water. But in an attempt at full-on culture shock, when I was eleven we moved to the D.C. Metro area – Silver Spring, Maryland to be specific. My laid back, laissez-faire southern parents were not ready for the East Coast. It made them miserable, and they spent the next seven years spreading it around.

And then, finally, in 1996 we moved “back home.” Whose home? I kept asking. Not mine, for sure – I’d never lived there. At 18, I did not take well to being uprooted once again, and was of a temperament that didn’t take well to much of anything at all. But of course New Orleans was familiar enough. My whole extended family was there, and I’d been visiting the town at least twice a year for my entire life. Indeed, my Grandpa’s house on Oaklawn Drive was the single most stable location of my childhood, the only place I’d spent time as a baby where I could still spend time – and, in fact, where I spend time now. Still, it took time to adjust.

Like six years.

But at some point, well, I just stopped being such a twat and realized that I shouldn’t be fighting the city, trying to make it something it isn’t, trying to make it work in ways that it never will. It’s true of anywhere really: learn how to live in the city as it is, don’t decide how you want it to be and then try to force it to behave that way. It would behoove many people to learn this. Ahem.

Given this roundabout way of finding a home in New Orleans, I’ve ended up with a unique perspective on it. I’m both an insider and an outsider. I lived there for nine years (and left rather unexpectedly in 2005 – want to guess why?), and I may live there again someday. I’ve been visiting there since… I’ve never not visited there. My parents were born and raised, as were some of my closest friends. And yet I, of course, wasn’t. I do feel like I missed out on some experiences – when people ask me where I went to high school, what to say? Well, my mom went to Ursulines…

But then there’s so many things I have done. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade with my aunt and uncle at their house on Severn. Coffee and beignets at Morning Call. Dinner at Mandina’s, Liuzza’s, Liuzza’s by the Track, Cassamento’s, Tujague’s, Jaques-Imo’s. 3am french fry po boys from Verti Marte. Late night breakfast at Camellia Grill. Way too much liquor at Turtle Bay and Molly’s. Way too much coffee (and far, far too many hours) at Kaldi’s, and then PJ’s, and then Rue. Brass bands at the Maple Leaf. My Grandpa’s dixieland jazz band playing at Jazz Fest. Endymion. Zulu. The New Year’s Eve Christmas Tree Bonfire, before it got ruined. Crazy thunderstorms on the lake. Hell, I went to University of New Orleans for eight years – that’s about as New Orleans as it gets. :P

I do believe that being able to be on the outside looking in lets me appreciate the city in different ways. Maybe even more than that, being away these past four years has strengthened my love and enhanced my understanding of the place. So I do, in fact, know what it means to miss New Orleans.

Some day I hope to come back to the city, to do it right – be on the inside looking in again. To have full time vegan New Orleans adventures! Until then I’ll visit, and I’ll write about it. And I’ll cook.