Tuesday, July 22, 2008

a berry-copia, a watercolour garden, and yuba, OH yuba

So it's been 10 days, and I was all going to post this picture and be like, "well, dinners like this are pretty much the reason I haven't had anything blogworthy to mention all week. Simple and summery and involving a lot of corn, nothing terribly new." But then I realized I was sitting on a whole bunch of pretty photos! (It's funny, I also swear I've been living off of miso soup, but it's so perfect for end-of-term eating - quick and cheap and energy-giving for late-night drawing sessions).

Okay, okay... so at the beginning of last week I thought I'd recreate that magically fermenting sesame slaw I made before, to much success. And I managed to get a photo of it before all the colours bled and muted out, too! (and like my new bowls? I so do!)

They also came with an awesome rectangle plate that I fell in LURVE with and had to buy (so frivolous, and SO matching my grey spiral plate, it had to be done! :P)

And Pomme surprised me with freaking spring rolls! It was in thanks for her birthday dinner, and they're pretty much my favourite food ever, I ated so many of these it's a wonder I didn't roll around myself afterwards, but they were sooooo good, with mango and red pepper inside and peanut dipping sauce, egads. I even bought a thing of brown rice vermicelli to make them even healthier the next time I make them (and thus even more like a perfect food).

I love summer and farmers' markets! A big basket of random sumptuous berry-things! Plus ground cherries, teeny grapes, figs, flowers and tart little red dots-on-the-vine, all for $5. I made the oatmeal of kings from this basket.

I also made pretty awesome vanilla-vanilla cupcakes for my drawing group, 'cause waking up early on saturday to go downtown and muck around with pencils is just that much more enjoyable with frosting. :)

I love how R on the left spontaneously drew a garden, with a mole in it and everything, and a Mr. Potato head! He couldn't remember what radish leaves looked like, and I so knew exactly, having just eaten a salad of them the night before... so houray for the new kids knowing about their foodstuffs (there were discussions on the relative frumpiness of potato leaves and how appropriate that is to their taste, hehe).

And uh... I ran out of li hing mui yesterday, so I went to chinatown and picked some up for 85 cents..... and then totally couldn't resist buying a wack more goodies, cause that place is pretty much like my idea of culinary disneyland. This was all under $20, too! Clockwise from the left is some wakame, black rice, abalone flavoured wheat gluten in a can (can't wait to try that one!), yuba/dried tofu skin, cornstarch, brown rice vermicelli, regular rice vermicelli, mangoes, a mysterious package of some sort of pickled vegetable for 10 cents, wonton wrappers, assorted sesame/peanut/cashew brittles, sweet pickled radish, really cheap tofu, bean sprouts, and (of course!) the li hing mui that started this whole debacle.

I had to HAD TO experiment with that yuba, so stir fry it was, and WOW is all I can say - I love this stuff! It's so chewy and soaks up sauce like a chewy soyfood of long-pantry life and pure awesome! And for the record... pickled turnips are delicious but pretty much 92% salt, so serve with caution (or at least a lot of water).

And is this related? Oh, I dunno. Girls and bugs living in symbiotic vegan harmony sounds okay to mention! And plus one-shot zines are super cute and everyone should try their hand at making one, be it full of manifestos, sketches, goth poetry, bread recipes, or like... everything in your apartment listed alphabetically.

That, plus walking around across the city and back all day today made me totally and completely go into SANDWICH MODE. Gallery-hopping is fun but hunger-inducing, and I even took some extra detours to get the perfect soft baguette-bread to make the Vcon cornmeal-crusted tofu Po'boy and it was SO worth it. What a perfect damn sandwich, I mean seriously. Dude. DUUUUUUDE. Anything involving chipotle mayo has to be good, but this was a major synthesis of happy components making perfect lunch science in my mouth. Making this again! With even more mayo! Bwahahahahaha. So evil, yet so delicious...

I also hope next week is similarly uneventful so I'll have nothing to post about again.
/sarcasm.

I'm thinking of making bread with sprouted wheat berries soon!

29 comments:

Katy said...

Those cupcakes are so summery and pretty! I'd learn to draw if you would make me some!

Anonymous said...

That giant basket of fruit looks so amazing, and yes, so does the awesome rectangle plate :)

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS food, as always. You're so inspiring, Liz!!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Everything looks so delicious! Especially that basket of fruit (and the cupcakes!) Yum!

Ruby Red said...

Oh my gosh, I want chipotle mayo NOW! It makes sandwiches worth eating, seriously.

The berry arrangements is gorgeous! Your cupcakes are works of art. And the link for one shot zines! Ahh, what an awesome idea. Your girls and bugs one is realllly cool. Hahaha. I like it.

Little Miss Sunshine said...

*BREATHE* Okay, I'm going to make a comment on every single picture on this page - sorry, I just can't help but talk!! ;0)

DANGIT! That dinner of yours looks so darn good - so colorful and wholesome, YUM!! Btw, how did you make that breaded tofu thing, they look REALLY good to me *slurp*

Oh man, I love these type of slaw (i.e.: not the ones drenched in mayo) how did you do it?!! Amazing?!! Do you mind posting up the recipe - I really love these <333

Beautiful plates!!! I LOVE kitchenwares - I have to stop myself from buying any nowadays coz I spent wayy too much money on cookbooks already :0/

Man ... I <3 summer rolls - they taste so #@#$$# good ... my ~ they must have tasted SO SO SO good with that peanuty sauce *droooolll*

*EVIL EYES* YOU!!! YOU!!!! I'm so jealous - I NEED summer fruits - so colorful, yummy, full of antioxidants ... everything!! Nom nom nom nom ....

OH! ZOMG! When I first saw the cupcake, I thought they were store bought - they look SO FREAKING awesome, very professionally done!! You're one talented girl ya know that?! ;0) Oh, mind sending me some ... PLEASEEEEE?!

Seeing talented art students painting away makes me wanna paint my bedroom wall too! But I shouldn't coz things will turn ... UGLY ... I mean, I have NO artistic skills what-so-ever!

OH MY!! I love YUBA!! I love them in curries - like you said they soak up ALL the delicious stuff!! MMMmmmm ....

Oh my ... that sandwich looks SCRUMPTIOUS!! OOooo .... I'm bookmarking the recipe right now ... can't wait to get my hands on them one day!

LAST but not least, SPOUTED WHEAT bread?!!! YES YES YES!!! Can't wait to see your post on that!!

Ok sorry to spam your blog like this ... I just can't shut up sometimes ;0)

Lizzy said...

*dives into fruit basket* 5 $, I wish I could get this for that price here. Last night I wanted to buy raspberries and they didn't even look that fresh... and they cost a whopping 3.49 (about 4 oz), tsssk!
Beautiful cupcakes you made there, I wish we worked together ;)

And I love your style, the sketches look awesome!!

If you ever happen to be in Berlin make sure to give me a call and be my asian grocery store shopping guidy, mhkay? I never know what is what and how to use it in the first place =p

The spring rolls look fantastic! I bought rice paper a while ago, but only made 3 rolls because the paper kept ripping apart and wouldn't stick together. Boo!

Okay, now I must try this sandwich. I LOVE sandwiches!

Anonymous said...

I can't comment on my fave picture in this post because everything is amazing! I love your Chinatown stash! I used to have some of those same products. I had a bit of a... um... gross experience with something i bought in Chinatown and I think it will take me awhile to go back. Trust me, you don't want to hear about it. I find it hard to believe that the sesame slaw you made isnt restaurant quality--it sure looks like it!

Pink Theory said...

I lurve all your pics and food...it's all so beautiful and colorful! Those cupcakes looks so good and you make it seem so easy to whip up for your drawing group. My mouth is watering over everything!!

Lovely drawings too!

Erin said...

Oh my gosh, that berry basket is AMAZING! And you did them justice on those cupcakes. The Chinatown haul is sweet too, you're a very brave person for trying some of those unknown ingredients.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I was just going to comment on how good one meal looked...and then I kept scrolling down and seeing so much delish and eye-pleasing foos!! Amazing!

Anonymous said...

Your cupcakes are stunning! I still can't find any currants anywhere around here, so I'm completely jealous you got some of those little beauties.

Katy said...

I nominated you for a Brillante Weblog award! Check out the details on my blog!

Theresa said...

Wow, Liz, everything is totally freakin awesome. I barely know where to begin. I think the berry cuppers are the most beautiful mini-cakes I've ever seen!

tofufreak said...

oooooooooh! awesome! the sandwich looks soo good. jeez im hungry. did you soak your yuba before using it?

Carrie said...

I love your new plates!

I've been dying to make that sandwich forever now...still haven't tried it..it looks so amazing though.

That slaw looks so gorgeous...as do the cupcakes...everything does!!

Anonymous said...

Everything you make is so beautiful and colorful! I need some spring rolls right now...

I just went to an Asian grocery store by me and got wanton wrappers too. I have no idea what I should stuff them with, though-so I will be happily awaiting your use of them :)

Anonymous said...

Um, can I have a cupcake? PLEASE?

Also, I passed on the Brillante Weblog Award to you - hit up my blog for details!

Jes said...

Oh my goodness, abalone flavored wheat gluten?!?! I have to know how that is. It sounds both disturbing and delicious. (Not like I've ever had real abalone, but still.)

I love the colors on the cupcakes, gorgeous berries!

Carrie™ said...

Wow! You're a busy girl. I love the first photo. Looks scrumptious! So do the berries and the cupcakes. Well, actually, everything looks delish! Lovin' the new plate.

VeganCowGirl said...

Everything looks so yummy and so nicely put together! Your food and your art go so well together....The new plates rock! and who doesn't love corn in the summer, winter...spring...fall?? Yummy.

KP said...

Beautiful cupcakes! Those berries look oh so good!
And all that food for $20?! I guess I need to stop by my asian market, I had no idea they would be so cheap!

Anonymous said...

Your cupcakes could not be more beautiful! Seriously, the fruit looks like little jewels on clouds of buttercream frosting. Gah!

darkfaeriecreations@gmail.com said...

gorgeous pictures!!!! droooooooool!

BTW...I've been reading your blog for a while now and I love it - I was recently asked to nominate some great bloggers for a Brillante Weblog award and I thought of you. When you have a chance, visit my blog for details. Thanks for doing what you do!!!

aTxVegn said...

Since I can't eat tofu, I'm just going nuts over the springrolls and all those berries! What a deal! Your cuppers are amazing.

Anonymous said...

So glad to have found your blog via Dark Faerie!! - I love it - all that food looks awesome. Vegan food and art, so fabulous :) Gorgeous cupcakes, by the by, very nicely done!

Anonymous said...

wow, those cupcakes look insane! and so beautifully decorated! DAMN. thanks for all the delicious pictures. i am jealous.

Vegan_Noodle said...

Lots of prety photos indeed!! I am really lovin the cupcakes with the fresh fruit and your new bowls! And your zine is so cute! Maybe I'll make my own someday too :-)

bazu said...

you're right- you did have some awesome photos laying around! I wish I could be eating any of those meals right now (well... not the worms... but those are great drawings!)
I especially dig that third photo... mmmm