Weekend Niceness
A mound of Fronch toast
I hosted a little brunch in my apartment yesterday. It was really nice to have my friend Amy in the kitchen with me. Even though she was supposed to come over a few hours earlier than she did (ahem), it was nice to have someone take the reigns and make the Fronch toast. I think it’s been a year since I’ve had any sort of soiree and the sad part was that I didn’t even realize it until yesterday.
Lately my cooking endeavors have been a little bit stressful. Twice this year I’ve cooked for 300 people, a few times I did huge brunches for 60, a handful of catering gigs and of course the countless weekends doing food photography for Veganomicon. It’s been awhile since I’ve cooked a nice relaxing meal with friends just for the hell of it. This is my reminder to do so more often.
It was also nice that the Sunday NY Times included Veganomicon in their holiday cookbook wrap up. Grace Paley? My friends are never going to hear the end of it. I’m going to be so annoying they probably won’t even want to come over and eat, so scratch everything.
The Times says:
Moskowitz is a tattooed 34-year-old Brooklynite with punk spirit and an old soul; spending time with her cheerfully politicized book feels like hanging out with Grace Paley. She and her cooking partner, Terry Hope Romero, are as crude and funny when kibbitzing as they are subtle and intuitive when putting together vegan dishes that are full of non-soggy adult tastes ? they throw a lot of capers and Dijon and spices and vinegar and shallots around. Don?t look here for bowls of vegan mush. Do look for an excellent roasted fennel and hazelnut salad, bok choy cooked with crispy shallots and sesame seeds, hot and sour soup with wood ears and napa cabbage and a porcini-wild rice soup they say is ?perfect for serving your yuppie friends.?
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:28 pm
thanks for the repeated cast iron recommendations in the cookbooks –
i just bought a griddle and a grill pan, and want to eat pancakes for every meal now!
chocolate chip pancakes on a monday morning? but, of course.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:28 pm
p.s.
have you ever tried to make french toast out of a quickbread like banana or pumpkon bread?
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:30 pm
i mean pumpkin.
pumpkon.
pshh.
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Just when I thought it wasn’t possible for your head to get any bigger……..
No really congrats on the awesome review!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Harmony, I haven’t made pompkon fronch toast, it’d probably be good though!
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
pompkon fronch toast.
now i have to say that.
mmm, with cinnamon syrup and candied ginger tofu whipped cream.
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
hey, isa, speaking of being a tatooed chef… I wrote the other day asking what your tatoos were of? The one on your shoulder is really interesting? I always like to ask when i see ones that i don’t recognize. Thanks! by th eway, the toast looks great.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Besides being high praise, the Grace Paley comparison is remarkably apt. (For those who don’t know, Paley was a Bronx-born writer and activist known for her down-to-earth way of saying important things.) But now, to live up to it, you’re going to have to live past 80, never quit being an activist, and say something illegal whenever you can.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Hey, what does the New York Times have against “vegan mush” and the soggy kid food we vegans have been eating for years? I love those old standards! Mmmmm . . . sweet, nourishing mush . . . .
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Wow, you’ve certainly been busy with all that cooking!! You deserve a break!! And hey, if you have any leftover Fronch Toast, feel free to send some my way, please :0)
That’s terrific about the NY Times featuring Veganomicon in their holiday cookbook wrap-up piece!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:15 pm
ZZzzzz.. Call me when the NY Observer gives you a write up!
I kid. Congrats!!
December 4th, 2007 at 12:03 am
I love the comparison to Grace Paley. It’s such a good (and well-deserved) compliment. Nice (and apt) description of V-con. If I wasn’t too impatient to wait for it, Veganomicon would have the top spot on my Christmas list. Last of all, that’s one exciting pile of fronch toast. Everyone will tsk me for sure, but I have yet to try it. Soon, though.
December 4th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Agree with Vegan Dad(: And I’m definitely getting Veganomicon while I’m still here in LA. It costs over 50 Singapore dollars back home.
December 4th, 2007 at 4:37 am
so. damn. cool.
December 4th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Just found you by accident. I am Grace’s daughter and know she’d love being mentioned here. Nora
December 4th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
To Nora Paley: Hey Nora! Welcome to the ppk. You rock!
To Isa: I guess when you put a note with the Jelly Donut Cupcakes about using store brand cheap jelly, “The cops down at the station will thank you for it.” you’ll get attention to the political aspects of the book, but I am so happy they also paid attention to the amazing cooking, too. I mean, if I were an evangelical right wing bush-loving person I would force myself to ignore the quips because the food is SO good. Luckily, I’m not that crazy, and I can laugh out loud at your comments, too.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
i know that this doesn’t really have anything to do with fronch toast, but
HAPPY HANNUKAH EVERYONE!
December 4th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
re: ny times: awe. some.
hopefully the holidays will bring you more opportunities for relaxed enjoyment!
December 4th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
congrats! what great write up - and that french toast looks amazing. yum!
December 5th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Hey, your new cookbook was listed in the Washington Post food section this morning as being a great book to get or give this holiday season. Congratulations!
December 7th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Congrats on the NY Times review! I was laughing at their closing remark- ?perfect for serving your yuppie friends.?
December 17th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Your fronch toast is amazing!! I lived off it for a while. Not that I had nothing to eat…. I just liked to eat it. I think it was the chickpea.
January 7th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Hey! So I met you in Prospect Park with Justin and Erica a while ago. We were talking about your new book, and I finally learned you were my cupcake girl! So of course they got me your book for christmas (as i wished and hoped on stars for) and I love it! Not only do I feel like you are the spokeswoman in my head, but the recipes are fucking amazing. I made the heart shaped gallettes (i’m sure i murdered that in spelling, but not in taste!) i used cherry preserves, but forgot to peel the apples so when you take a bite out of it the apple flops onto your chin. but STILL amazing!!!