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Vegan
Love avocado and love chocolate, but never thought they'd play nice together outside a gelato cup — until we got our hands on the chocolate avocado cookies at Pure Fare (119 S. 21st St.). "I love manipulating fresh ingredients so that they still come out tasting like dessert," says Pure Fare chef Sarah Ginn, who takes fresh avocado purée and mixes it with garbanzo bean flour, chocolate chips and Succanat (an unadulterated cane sugar product) as a sweetener. The resultant cookie, which is both vegan and gluten-free, has a cakey, brownie-like texture, with a hint of avocado creaminess that does well taking on butter's responsibilities; you'll be a fan if you're into the off-sweet taste of proper dark chocolate. It's not the only treat of this type Ginn produces, either — she's also doing chocolate cookies using bananas as a base ingredient.
Photo: Drew Lazor
In this week's CP food section, we told you about Forks Over Knives, a new documentary opening this weekend at the Ritz at the Bourse that advocates for a wholly plant-based diet as a means for Americans to combat chronic, widespread ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. Throughout the film, director Lee Fulkerson's two primary subjects, Drs. T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., discuss in great medical detail the research that's led them to this conclusion, and we meet multiple individuals who've turned their health around for the better by cutting animal protein and dairy entirely out of their lives.
Meal Ticket touched base with plant-based diet advocate Rip Esselstyn, author of 2009's best-selling The Engine 2 Diet and a featured subject of Forks Over Knives (he is Dr. Esselstyn's son), to gain some insight into the film and the movement in general. Rip, a professional triathlete who up until last year worked as a EMT and firefighter in Austin, Texas, currently tours the country with Whole Foods, "spreading the plant-strong message." (He's hosting a screening at the Whole Foods location in Plymouth Meeting this evening.) We caught up with Rip on the phone last week as he ate lunch.
This week, refined small-plates spot Meritage (500 S. 20th St.) is making meat-free dining more accessible by once again offering its fully vegan Tuesday-night tasting menu. For you vegans, vegetarians and veg-friendly eaters out there: $35 will get you a four-course lineup of seasonally appropriate dishes from chef Anne Coll, including dessert (and usually a palate-prompting amuse bouche as a fifth element). Tonight marks the menu's debut, with dishes like roasted baby beets with rhubarb, mint, and citrus; a rich vegan risotto studded with swiss chard and fava beans; and a hearty chickpea cake with spinach, olive tapenade, smoky tomato chutney and puréed herbs. Menu items are constantly subject to change dependent on ingredient sourcing, and spring's abundance of bright and ever-changing seasonal ingredients is sure to keep what's offered in flux.
Rich Landau, who has run Horizons (611 S. Seventh St.) with wife/pastry chef Kate Jacoby since 2006, tells Meal Ticket he and his team will close their lauded vegan restaurant on or around July 4. It was both a business decision and a creative one — the owners have found a buyer (a pizzeria operation, according to The Insider) and were able to strike up an amenable agreement of sale, allowing them to move on to something new. "We have been wanting to streamline for a while now," Landau says. "Running a two-floor restaurant with our style of food has been a challenge. We have always said that if a serious buyer comes along that we will certainly entertain a fair offer — and this deal is pretty good for both parties. Originally, this new project was going to be a second space, but now with a buyer for our building it frees us up to go all out with our new vision."
That new vision will be birthed in the hugely hopping Midtown Village area — Landau says they've narrowed their search down to three spaces in the neighborhood, but are "very close to signing with one." It'll be a small, 50- to 60-seat liquor-licensed restaurant (no name yet) with a focus on small/medium plates, as opposed to the more traditional appetizer/entrée/dessert approach. It'll also mark a definite shift in cooking style for Landau, who's well-known for his elaborate treatments of proteins like tofu, seitan and tempeh — he wants to bring the focus back squarely on the great variety of vegetables available to chefs in the region."Beautiful, amazing vegetables are our passion and inspiration right now," says Landau, "and we want them to be centerstage."
That's not to say that he'll shrug off his old recipes altogether — he and Jacoby just want to reach out to a more mainstream brand of diner, one that can and should gain an appreciation for Landau's vegan cooking via his careful treatment of vegetables, and not merely preparing proteins to ape the feel of meat. So that famous barbecue seitan won't be an everyday staple, but it will make special, sporadic appearances. "That theme has worked so well for us for so long," says Landau, "but chefs need to cook from their inspiration these days, not their history."
Photo: Michael T. Regan
Yo, Irish veg-heads. If you're like me, this week might leave you feeling more blue than green — no corned beef, no lamb stew, mostly boiled potatoes and cabbage. This year, our luck is turning around, courtesy of Philadelphia's gourmet vegan oasis, Horizons (611 S. Seventh St.). Chef Richard Landau's Emerald Isle Tasting Menu debuts tonight and will be available through St. Patrick's Day on Thursday. For $45 per person, your party can enjoy a five-course meal, and, should you feel the need to tap into the true Irish spirit, for an extra $20 you can enjoy a special beer pairing. Check out the menu after the jump. For resrvations, give Horizons a buzz at 215-923-6117.
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This sounds like so much fun!
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| Photo | Rich Farnkopf |
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vegan Cooking, Vegan News. Vegan News said: Congo Bars and more from Nickâs Vegan Café :: Meal Ticket ... http://bit.ly/gchuGx [...]
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| missrachelspantry.com |
Rachel catered Thanksgiving for us. It was wonderful, and she's a sweetheart.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Vegan Cooking, Bobbie Johnson, CyG vegans, Spenser Villwock, Vegan Dream and others. Vegan Dream said: Vegan lunchtime delivery from Miss Rachel: This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bosewell Vandahmier, sdj, Rache... http://bit.ly/fszZb5 [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bosewell Vandahmier, sdj, Rachel Klein and others. Rachel Klein said: Thanks to Meal Ticket for this cute write-up! http://fb.me/TrdRxdmB [...]
The BBQ seitan sandwich is divine...as is the snickerdoodle. Thanks Rachel!
Actually met her a few weeks ago at a friend's housewarming. She was totally sweet, and she brought some food with her, and it was delicious.
Thanks for the lovely comments! Just a heads up... the URL has changed slightly. It's now: http://missrachelspantry.com/The_Lunch_Club.html
Rachel's food is amazing, and she's so cute! <3
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| Photo | Michael T. Regan |
Parsnip and Chestnut Bisque mulled wine spiced onion confit Pinot Gris, Iris Vimeyard, Oregon
Warm Maitake and Rutabaga Salad little leaves, grilled green onion, pistachio vinaigrette Viognier, Cline, California
Haluski shaved brussels sprouts and cauliflower, hand cut pasta, truffle sauce Pinot Noir, Chaddsford, Pennsylvania
Porcini Shepherds Pie grain mustard sauce, smoked walnuts, celery root, black trumpet mushrooms Petite Sirah, Eos, California
Pumpkin Spice Beignets ancho hot chocolate Gewurtztraminer, Valckenberg, Germany
check out Horizons on the jawn - http://www.thejawn.com/view/744/horizons
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| Click to enlarge | |
I can't wait to go back and try more!
[...] Blackbird, serving an all-vegan pizza and sandwich menu, opens in the old Gianna’s space. [...]
Everything I eat here is out of this world. 5 Stars! seriously.
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