happy. new, year?

Yes. Well, hi. Having missed the entirety of the holiday season and then some (but having taken a ton of pictures), I have nothing to show for last year's cold, rainy, but warm-hearted festivities but a deluge of photos.

Thanksgiving app: butternut squash spring rolls w/ chile-cranberry sauce (from Veganomicon).


Thanksgiving spread. Clockwise from top: Chestnut stuffing, pot pies, and mashed potato casserole.


Tempeh & delicata squash pot pies, filled with a pumpkin sage cream sauce.


Roasted brussel sprouts with pistachios and caramelized onions (from The Vegan Table).


Pumpkin Cinnamon-Swirl Cheesecake (from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes).


Dough; gingerbread biscotti (from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar).

Unfortunately, I was sick with a dreadful head cold as we finished the batch and developed somewhat of an aversion to the chewy, ginger-y, crunchy snacks. But they made easy, fantastic gifts!

Chai-spiced pistachio brittle, per Hannah's fool-proof recipe from the holiday issue of VegNews, all packaged up for cheapskate gift-giving!


The Dollar Store was my savior in gift giving. Maybe $10 spent on plenty cute Christmas-y tins and treat bags.


Feather (apparently baked) on Christmas morning.


Mom and I on Thanksgiving. (Pictured here are my favorite earrings, which proceeded to be lost - then found shattered on the sidewalk the next morning - New Year's Eve. R.I.P.)

I think perhaps why it's so hard for me to keep up with my most highly prolific and creative fellow bloggers (my god, people, how is it done?!) is that I am... lazy. Lazy. Sure, I feel like a busy bee 24/7, but when downtime shuffles along, I often can't find the interest to blog. Which is odd, because I spend all that time surfing other people's prolific, creative, knowledge-wealthy blogs. Which is not to say, I don't like blogging. I do. It's a somewhat self-indulgent, narcissistic activity. Which I love. Or that I don't bake or cook ever. Because, I do. This is all just... not a priority.

However - I have a lot to say. Really, honestly. In the interest of catering to most food-blog-followers (few of whom have ever visited here, having realized my blogging abilities are kind of a dud), though, I try to keep my personal life largely out of it, focusing on what I eat and cook. But, with the aforementioned laziness and not-prioritizing, I've not really produced quality blogging. You still with me? The rambling's coming to a close, pinky-swear.

So, soon (maybe) I think that I will try to blog more. But on a different playing field. It will probably involve more than just what I eat on a regular (bi-annual) basis. I live in a great city and know interesting people. I can go on a tangent about the time my omni friends gave me shit about wanting to try a new vegan bakery the last time we were in Seattle like no one's business. As self-indulgent as it is, as much as anyone outside my Facebook network couldn't care less, I think I'll be done with MamaVG's and just blog... or whatever.

I act like this is some Conan-worthy sign off. It's really, really not. But, I thought I'd ramble a little and let ya'll know. And, thank you dearly for ever having looked on over here! I appreciate every single one of your comments. I do, honest. To. God. I hope that if I've peaked your interest a bit, you'll follow me should I move along!

the thirty second cake.

This post is aptly named; thirty seconds is about as much time as I've got to post this. I know my lack of forethought has deprived the masses of pictures, and for that I send my due apologies. I really despise a retelling of food nary a single lighted culinary pose to tempt and tantalize, even if the resulting cross-section of a cake looks more like the cross-section of a carcass. And in all fairness, the thing just wasn't that pretty anyway.

I've been getting home very late this past week. In fact, I haven't been home much for the past two weeks, and it's taking a clear toll on my diet and mood. But alas, my complaints are for another day and have near wiped me out already. Only a few more days and a "normal" schedule will return...

But, I'm sure the claim that a cake can be made in the span of thirty seconds has intrigued. Of course, it is false; you cannot even open your cabinet and find the vanilla extract in under thirty seconds (perhaps that's just me and my disorganization...). But you can make a mini-cake - a CUPcake if you will - very, very quickly.

You remember Easy-Bake ovens? Of course you do, even if you didn't have one. They're the epitome of nostalgia, the crowning glory of kitsch! I had a Mrs. Field's oven. I fucking loved that thing. I went through the packages of sweets in mere hours, I'm sure, and insisted in keeping the lightbulb-powered convection in my room because although my room was barely a person's height away from the kitchen, it was like my own personal bakery. A year or so ago I wondered whatever happened to it and discovered my mother had sold it on eBay - not even a week before my inquiry! Needless to say a small fit was thrown then and there. After all I have a package of movie stubs from middle school - why wouldn't I want to keep my culinary passion's one tie to my childhood?! The poor schmuck of a children's toy never even saw the beauty of a cruelty-free brownie.

I was amused and delighted to find that The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes by Kris Holechek includes a small chapter dedicated to "Lil'" this-and-that desserts fit perfectly for the kitsch-tastic, retro-kitchen-chic appliance. However, as my previous anecdote explains, I am without such a "toy" (if it can even be called that... it's a childhood necessity). Instead, I glanced at the ingredients, threw them together, and popped it in the microwave for one minute. When it looked done (after about 30-40 seconds), I tested for moistness with a toothpick and voila - personal ramekin cake! (I did indeed bake my sweet in a cup-size ramekin.)

The microwave makes it significantly gummier than baked cake, though you can certain bake it in a countertop toaster oven or even a regular-sized convection oven (though why would you and waste all that energy?). The center however is still fluffy and cake like, and when all you have are those thirty seconds to satisfy a dessert craving there's no real harm done. This would never be something I'd serve, but in a sweet-less pinch I'd make it.

Baby Cakes in Thirty Seconds

adapted from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes

More than 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

More than 1 tablespoon milk

A little pour oil

Grease one cup-size ramekin lightly with oil. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and sugar in the ramekin, create a small well, then add milk and oil. Stir quickly with a fork or small whisk. Microwave for 30 seconds, check, microwave for another thirty seconds. Center will be dry when done and a toothpick is inserted. The top should be spongy and will be a little gummy. Top with jam, ice cream, leftover frosting, whatever... it's your cake. All yours and none to share!

harry potter and the deathly {delicious} food of raw.*

Initially I was concerned about enrolling in summer classes. After a year of nonstop productions, theater and class was taking its toll on my social and academic wellness. I was burnt out in all aspects of my mandatory and extracurricular activities, and it was my grades as well as my close relationships that were taking the hit. Getting my two-year community college degree by the time I graduate this next spring is an ambition for sure, but could I really take on even three more classes without much of a hiatus in between?

Fortunately, there are only three weeks left and I've come to enjoy my schedule. Because this is not the school I've gotten used to over the last three years, it doesn't feel like the same old routine that drives us crazy kids, well, crazy, and turns us into those ruthless, stereotypical sadists whose only way to blow off steam is derived from malicious teenage antics.

I don't generally have more than one class a day, though, so I've been able to keep my contact with the non-scholarly world in check. There was that weekend trip to Veneta, of course, as well as some downtime to get back to some good old-fashioned cooking with friends.

And, well, maybe some UNcookin'. The thing I cherish most about the local library is checking out volumes and volumes of cookbooks so that I can browse recipes new and old without having to buy a single one. The system keeps up very well with newly published books, so I was able to request Ani Phyo's newest tome, Ani's Raw Food Desserts fairly soon after its release.

They ain't pretty, they ain't made with patience, and they ain't even made correctly. But the Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Blackberry Glaze sure were tasty (raw foods = TASTING EVERY FLAVOR) and fresh as can be. The blackberries were picked from behind the West Oly co-op and the blueberries from Jo's front yard.


Mirrah, taking a big raw bite.

But moving on from raw goodness, released in... oh, hell, there is absolutely no segue for this. I SAW HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE IN IMAX 3-D, MOFOS.

There are precious few things on this god-given earth that I love more than these series of books and movies that I, having literally grown up with them, hold very near and dear to my heart. If the flesh-and-blood Harry Potter told me that the only way that the Horcruxes would be destroyed, Snape would be revealed as good, and Hermione and Ron would finally knock boots was if I ate a hamburger, I'd probably do it. Whereas, given the same demand from Jesus, I would probably tell to fuck off.

Granted, the movies suck. I'm that Trekkie of the Potterverse who sits there, demanding fidelity to the series, clutching my forehead and sputtering, "You're climbing on top of a goddamn roof?! Shame you don't have some sort of magical object like, oh, I don't know - EXTENDABLE EARS or  an INVISIBLITY CLOAK!" And this wasn't the first time or even the second time I've seen it. This was the third time. And since only the first twelve minutes is in MIND-BLOWINGLY NEAT-O 3D, we needed something else to sustain ourselves throughout the rest of the movie. (It helps that Tom Felton and Rupert Grint are pretty.)

Being without an Ollivander wand and Molly Weasley's precise and harried abilities, we produced a batch of Pumpkin Pasties (from Dumbledore's Vegan Army) the Muggle way for some sustenance as well as some piping hot butterbeers (pictured in an ice bath). The empanada-like pasties turned out perfectly (not to mention adorably). The butterbeers - veganized from a recipe relying on cream soda and very nonvegan Werther's candies (anyone know where I can get my hands on or make some vegan ones, incidentally?) - will be tweaked in the near future as they were merely okay.



As a foodie, I have one more burning comment about this movie. I thought the Harry Potter franchise had somewhat of a multi-million dollar budget, so why are they eating Costco cream puffs tossed with Hershey's syrup in margarita glasses and why is every potion and drinkable substance except for (what I can only assume is) Crush soda and Cool-Whip clearly tap water?

*So, the title needs some work; Scholastic and I are coming to an agreement.

the oregon country fair: a recap.

So here's a good story. This will be my 19th post. I know that's shameful; that averages to what, three-quarters of a post a month?! Anyway, the blog has been around for almost one year, one month. The funny part (besides the part where I haven't really bothered or noticed how long the blog's been around) is that June 26th, 2008 was the date of my first post, and June 26th, 2009 is the date of my last post just prior to this one. I hadn't even noticed!

...And by *good* story, I meant lame and sidetracked.

I mostly wanted to check in because I plan on making a solid effort in this blog's upkeep. Kind of like a really, really belated/lazy New Year's resolution. Yeah, kind of like a New Year's resolution - for the blog's New Year next eleven months!

Moving right along without the pretense of a segue, I had been camping a couple weeks ago in Veneta, OR for the 40th annual Oregon Country Fair (which I'd been excitedly updating with if you follow me on "The Twitter"*). The Fair is like... what my summer is for. One glorious, indulgent, free-spirited, worry-free, peaceful, open weekend in July. It's hippy-fest to the nth degree for sure, but nowhere else do you meet the most interesting, open-minded, friendly people. And I do mean "you do meet." You will have fun and be interesting and meet interesting people. I don't care if you were there for three-hours or the whole three-day shebang. That is what happens.

Of course, the ultimate experience is the campsite. Zumwalt, one of just a few campgrounds close by, is by far the best. It is the largest, the only one with a shuttle to the fair itself, a water-truck, and a waterfront for bathing and swimming. And the people? Oh, there will be partying. You will get to know your fellow campers. You will experience Camp Canada at the far end of Zumwalt. Have you seen Canadian hippies party?!

It should be noted that this isn't your typical fair. This is green-living, artsy-craftsy, extravagant-(VEGAN!)-food-vending at its finest. There are countless stages with a myriad of performers from bluegrass bands to flamenco dancers. Parades are, like, every fifteen minutes. The fair itself, after forty years of this, has worked itself into the scenery of the surrounding forest. I can't even imagine what the grounds look like when it's not that second weekend in July.

Besides the plethora of FAIR FOOD I CAN EAT?!, perhaps my favorite fair-going experience is the - and I'm going to go real greener on you - the freeness of the body. Body consciousness is quite forced out of you at OCF as is evidenced by the abundance of bare-breasted women, young and old, small and large, with elaborate chest paintings and the flowery, glimmering babies painted on the stomachs of pregnant women.

Until next year, OCF. Until next year.**


A particularly sentimental map of OCF.


Emma's (*my* Canadian) patriotic rub-on tattoo. It's pretty much just like a passport.



*Can I just point out that I am FULL-BLOWN TWITTER ADDICTED. CAN WE STAGE AN INTERVENTION OR SOMETHING?! I've been sucked in to the self-indulgence that is "tweeting," so follow me if you so desire.
**As the people, vendors, and crafts are so fascinating and lovely, I ultimately failed at photographing any of the many, many vegan delicacies I purchased. My apologies.

it's still alive.

I apologize for having abandoned my baby, Blog. It's the same old "busy" spiel - school, shows, and whatnot. Apparently I only make time when I'm on the verge of death sick. Illness - it spreads like wildfire among with the group when you spend no less than two months virtually living with your castmates. Unfortunately I will have much more free time starting next week (possibly the only time in my academic career that I will say "unfortunately") when our current production, Twelfth Night is over. It's been a great couple months and I'll be sobbing into my closing-night cake come Saturday when it's over. 

The above shots are of some of my most recent deals in the kitchen - a friend with my birthday cake from earlier in the month (I did indeed bake my own birthday cake), Vanilla-Hazelnut Cake filled with Mocha-Hazelnut Mousse, Chocolate Joe-Joe's, and topped with Chocolate Ganache and Toasted Hazelnuts, and buchty rolls from a magnificent bread book I bought at Border's on super-clearance.Valentine's Day was a treat as well - my "wife" and I celebrated with a Banana's Foster "wedding cake" from My Sweet Vegan. I baked, she got down on one knee with an enormous plastic keyring ring. All very romantic.

Also, I am very excited to be exploring photography more intently with the Nikon D60 I got for Christmas. More food porn in store, of course.

ch-ch-chia.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled food post (oh, who am I kidding - I don't eat anymore) to bring you an update in luscious faux fur.

Ok, so perhaps it's not an update. I remember seeing these hats in a downtown boutique quite a while ago. However, I just saw them again recently at Seattle's 4th annual Urban Craft Uprising. They are Chia Hats; totally faux fur, deluxe, partially-custom animal hats with bright, colored lining. In a moment of weakness, I went ahead and bought one. Too fucking cute.

Outside the Seattle Center. Bamf fauxfur hats: not just for scene kids anymore.