Jewish S’mores and 2 Pound Chihuahuas
I’m not sure if a more vegan day could be had. My friend Melisser took me shopping at Rainbow Grocery with her chihuahua Strummer. I guess I could just end this post right here and we would all die happy.
But, OK, whoever is still alive let’s soldier on.
The plan was to make matzoh balls for my goyem antisemites friends in San Francisco who had never had that ball which is a matzoh. We also wanted to try out our new Dandie vegan marshmallows. See? Could we get any more vegan?
From the bundles of fresh greens to the overflowing bins of dried berries, Rainbow was mind blowing. You could hardly dream up a dish with the beautiful trumpet mushrooms before sensuous tendrils of enoki caught your eye. We settled on a menu of roasted root vegetables over baby arugula and hunza berries, cauliflower leek kugel, sauteed trumpet mushrooms with grilled red endive and toasted walnuts, roasted red pepper and kalamata hummus and of course the aforementioned matzoh balls.
We didn’t want dessert to be too fussy since we had so much going on. I remembered the salty sweet chocolate covered matzoh that I used to sneak before dinner at my grandma’s house (is there anything Jews won’t cover in chocolate?) and Melisser really wanted s’mores (well, who doesn’t?) and it seemed as if the clouds parted and we both shouted JEWISH SMORES! although I doubt it happened exactly like that.
So picture laying in the grass on a beautiful spring day, just warm enough that you can use your hoodie as a pillow rather than wear it. A big fluffy cloud passes overhead and you think “I want to eat that.” There you have the Dandie experience. I love these marshmallows. They’re firm enough to sink your teeth into while still being soft. Just the right amount of vanilla and a sweetness that isn’t cloyingly so. To make the Jewish S’mores, we dipped broken up pieces of matzoh in dark chocolate, placed some chopped ’shmallows on top, drizzled in even more chocolate, then sprinkled with some coarse flaked salt and placed them on parchment to set. Perfection.
So 2 pound chihuahuas, vegan marshmallows, San Francisco, and friends not letting friends never have matzoh ball soup. Not a bad start to my spring.
April 15th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
i laughed a lot at goyem antisemites. and i also want a jewish s’more next time we hang out!
April 15th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
yay for Dandies! I just got mine in the mail today, and to be totally honest I couldn’t even be bothered to relight the stove… I just poked some with a fork and held the lighter underneath. It was indescribably delicious.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:57 am
oh my gosh i want to be invited to all your jewish holiday parties.
all the pictures are great. the dog is adorable, especially the name strummer! so cute. matzoh ball soup vegan style, i’m lovin’ it. will have to follow your recipe next time as i have no clue how to make vegan matzoh balls. and matzoh s’mores = rockin’. fantastic.
April 16th, 2009 at 5:15 am
i think i went to rainbow with a 2 pound chihuahua everyday for 2 weeks when i was in sf a few months ago.BOOORING.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:33 am
That pup is so freakin cute!
Those s’mores look awesome, I’ll have to try those marshmallows!
April 16th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I’ve never had matzoh ball soup, hint. Maybe I’ll just have to come to SF because I don’t have a two pound chi. A fifty pound black lab, but thats not quite the same.
April 16th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Your dog is so cute! I was so happy that you posted a Matzoh Ball soup recipe! My son has been wanting me to make it but I didn’t know how to.
Now I can.
April 16th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
i don’t think i’ve ever posted to your comments before: hello. i’ve been reading for a bit now, i think i found you through victory gardens…
anyhoo, *love* rainbow grocery. that’s probably the one thing i miss the *most* about living in sf {i’m from there, living in la now}.
secondly, yum on the smores & the matzoh ball soup, vegan style.
April 16th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Oh, THANK YOU for linking to the marshmallow-y goodness. I have been LOOKING for vegan marshmallows, and since I’m currently schoolin’ it in Glasgow, Scotland, every time I come home to the Bay Area, I’m scouring for some to drag back. If you ever get any info on what vegantastic things they have in the UK to fill that need, please let me know. Yum. S’mores for All! Whoo!
PS - LOVE the matzoh! Glad at least that I am not an uneducated gentile.
April 16th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I think this is my favorite blog post of yours of all time.
April 17th, 2009 at 2:52 am
I need to make your matzoh ball soup and try it for the first time!
April 17th, 2009 at 11:50 am
omg those smores - genius!!!!
April 17th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I’m jealous that you were able to bring that cute-as-hell chi with you grocery shopping. I’d get chased out with a (noun) if I did that in LA.
p.s. that matzoh ball soup looks delish!
April 17th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
omg. jewish smores and strummer. NICE!
April 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Hey IsaChandra, are you still in SF? Will you sign my book?
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
i made the s’mores! they were delish (:
and just in time for american idol too! (coincidentally)
you’re so lucky you got to go!
April 29th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Jewish S’mores! Jewish S’MORES!!!!
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
I made your vegan Matzoh Ball Soup from your online recipe and your Spinach Kugel from Veganomicon for my family back on Thanksgiving weekend (none of them are vegan not even vegetarian) and they LOVED IT. Nothing like making dad happy saying it’s as good as my Bubbe made when he was a kid. Can’t wait for your next book, you’re my favorite chef btw.
June 20th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I wanted to comment on one of the photos above. I love the french horn tattoo. I am a vegan horn player and I thought that was just awesome!
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