Even I am skeptical of creamy dressings made with tofu, but Terry has won me over completely with this Caesar Salad. Capers are the star here, and almonds give it a creamy but slightly grainy texture, similar to hard cheese. And of course there's garlic, too, and a little lemon to brighten things up.  I haven't even mentioned the roasted garlic croutons. What I am trying to say is that I love Terry, and you should, too.

And did you know that Caesar Salad isn't named after the Roman guy, but by some other guy named Caesar working at a restaurant in Mexico in the 20s?

Earthday cupcakes from Madness Rivera in the Vegan Cupcake Pool

On Earth Day 1990 I awoke to my best friend telling me that my grandmother had just died. The day before my cat had died and my boyfriend had cheated on me with a green haired girl who was always at every punk show.

But Earth Day that year was a big deal. It was the 20th anniversary of the holiday, and although the day wasn’t really on the radar in the 20 years since 1970, the 80s were over and I suppose people were thinking that it was as good a time as any to stop snorting cocaine and go green again. So I went to Central Park with my anarchist youth collective as I had planned, there was no point sitting around in Brooklyn crying when I could be in the park with my friends. Crying.

One of our first orders of business once on the Upper East Side was to go cardboard box surfing. That is, you flatten out a cardboard box on the sidewalk, run towards it as fast as you can, jump on it and see how far you can slide. Depending on the sidewalk and the slipperiness of the box it was usually only a few feet, maybe 10 if you were really little and really lucky.

A woman with an expensive baby stroller and big sunglasses shouted at us, “You are doing this on Earth Day?” Of course, these boxes were destined for the garbage dump, any amount of surfing on them wasn’t going to make the environmental situation any worse. In fact, kudos to us for finding fun with garbage instead of sitting home, playing video games and using electricity.

Once in the park, a comfortable distance from where the B-52s were playing, we lay in the grass and did whatever teenagers do on the grass. I rolled over onto my back, away from my friends and looked up to the sky through my purple tinted sunglasses (can anyone but a teenager appreciate the world through colored lenses?). I thought about my grandma and my cat. Since that time, my first instinct whenever a loved one dies is to look up at the sky and wonder “Where the fuck did you go?”

The last time I had spoken to my grandma she had asked me to bring her mirror and make-up to the hospital. I thought of how she wasn’t just able to say that she wanted to see me one last time. I felt guilty because I never did bring her make-up and mirror and how I should have known that what she really meant was that she loved me, even if I did paint my face white and dye my hair purple. I thought about how I don’t want to grow old that way - afraid to tell people I love them.

Garbage was accumulating all around us, and it wasn’t ours. Hoards of people were making their way through the park, dropping McDonald’s wrappers and Budweiser empties and whatever else they didn’t want to deal with. I picked up a McDonald’s Earthday napkin and read the missive on it. It talked about how McDonald’s was committed to the environment and how the napkin was whatever percentage recycled material.

Did you ever make a promise to yourself that you will never forget? I can remember a few. For some reason when I was walking up my elementary school stairs in second grade I stopped, looked at the building and thought, “Never forget this day.” And I haven’t, it was March 9th. I have no idea why I wanted to remember it, other than that I was catching on to the fleetingness of life. But on Earth Day, April 22nd 1990, in the grass in Central Park, I thought it again and this time I do remember what I was thinking.

Don’t believe the lies that napkins tell you, don’t grow old and afraid of love, don’t ever stop looking up at the sky and wondering.

I had some sense at the time how hard these things would be, but 17 years later- exactly 2 times the age I was then- I’m trying to get back on track. I don’t want to disappoint that 17 year old because I feel like she’s the wisest person I know. Also, she might kick my ass if I don’t follow through.

I have a confession to make. I am sick of cupcakes. Now, don’t go burning your VCTOWs (unless you intend to replace it and line our pockets with another 98 cents). It’s just that we spent a year baking, decorating, writing and breathing cupcakes. It was bound to happen. So it’s not that I don’t appreciate all the amazing photos and cupcake love, it’s just that I needed a break from thinking about my enemy, the cupcake. Which is why you haven’t seen an update here for awhile.

Also, we’re finishing up out next cookbook, the Veganomicon (queue thunder and smiting). And although there are two cupcakes in the book my mind has just been elsewhere. Take a look at this blueberry brownie, you’ll see my mind reflected in the blueberry.

So I’m going to use the blog to just shoot the shorts about vegan baking in general and if a cupcake sneaks it’s way in…so be it!

Seitan O Greatness, from Let's Get Sconed

Not since Jennifer Schmoo invented Vegan Twinkies have I seen a recipe make the blog rounds like this. Starting from one little post on the PPK forums, Lachesis' seitan has captivated our hearts (and farts) and minds.

Driven by some peculiar obsessive desire that must stem from having no toys as a child and instead resorting to collecting twigs*, I decided to document every instance of this seitan on the internet. But then I got lazy. But here is what I have so far.

Jess of Let's Get Sconed mentions it a lot. In this instance she uses it in a recipe for Asparagus, Almond and Basil Fried Rice.

Vivacious Vegan makes an Indian flavored version for a Tikka Masala recipe.

Okra Mary at Picked Treats takes only one bite! But she plans on using it for taco filling. Stay tuned.

Vegetation veganizes her mum's Beef Stroganoff recipe, and cuts down on the spiciness a bit.

Squirrel's Vegan Kitchen tweaks the spices a bit. Also check out that Kahlua pie!

Utopian Kitchen pays homage to the double threat; Lachesis' recipe in LoLo's Crispy Sweet And Sour Seitan.

A lil mention from Frytopia.

Susan of Fat Free Vegan Kitchen bakes hers in the toaster oven, plus tweaks the recipe Susan style.

Have Cake Will Travel tries the log method out with the PPK recipe and in the same post pays homage to the Soy Not Oi! Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie.

First lindyloo sings the seitan's praises and ends things with a very important public service announcement of the flatulated nature on Yeah That Vegan Shit.

Try to check out as many of the links as you can, since discovering new vegan blogs is like striking gold.


*I really did this. And then I wrapped them in lanyard and taped a piece of paper onto them detailing where and when I found the twig. The fork is wrong with me?

I can't believe this. For the first time in ever I 1) Read an email that my mom sent me and 2) Am actually going to post it. The reason being that a vegan Haggadah is mentioned at a little after 3 minutes. It's a cover of Margarittaville, as the title implies.

Manischewitzville

And mom, this does not a set a precedent for you to send me more emails! I don't WANT the Bergdoff's cookie recipe!

Because, like, what does non-dairy really mean, man? I'm just so sick of these labels. Why can't we all just be juice?

From consumerist.com:
“Jamba Juice says it won't tell you upfront the ingredients in its 'non-dairy blend' because of 'trade secrets,' but perhaps the real secret is that it contains milk products and an ingredient known to give some people explosive diarrhea.”