Your Vegan Mom

Apple Cider Soda

 

One part soda water + one part apple cider. 
Serve over ice.

Cranberry Margarita

With a baby and a toddler in the house, there are no vials of homemade fruit syrup hanging out in my fridge waiting for cocktail hour.  There's not even a lime for squeezing.  If cocktail hour is going to happen around here at all (and it is), it's going to have to be really, really easy.  I have recently discovered that a bottle of cranberry juice cocktail is a great pre-made margarita mix  - you have the tart cranberry juice bit standing in for your fresh-squeezed citrus, the sugar and water in lieu of simple syrup and melted ice.  Now all you do is add some tequila and triple sec.  A wedge of tangerine is lovely too if you happen to have it around - plus it just looks so seasonally festive.  Thanksgiving margaritas anyone?        

Cranberry Margarita

 2 oz. tequila 

 4 oz. cranberry juice cocktail

 splash of triple sec

 ice

 wedge of tangerine or orange

For individual cocktails, pour over ice and serve with a wedge of orange.  You can also stir up a larger batch in a pitcher or cocktail shaker.  

Cheers to the vegan month of food (VeganMoFo) and all its participants!   

If you're looking for some more cocktail ideas here's the spiced apple - bourbon number that concluded my first MoFo.

And to all a good night.

My fridge is full of vials of various hues.  One is filled with a viscous pink fluid.  One is a pale gold.  Another is a rich amber, redolent of pear and ginger with a hint of cloves and lemon. That’s the one I wound up bringing to the party.

  

Last Saturday night was the first of, I hope, many Los Angeles Vegan Blogger Potlucks, and I was providing the evening's cocktail.  Clearly it had to be good.  All over Los Angeles, vegan bloggers were powdering their noses, grilling their sandwiches, battling traffic to the Valley, and swinging by Thai Town to pick up exotic party snacks.

 

The participants had been instructed to bring an appetizer to share, both with the evening's gathered crowd and then later, with the internet.  This was to be both a real life and a virtual potluck.

Back in my temporary kitchen, just hours before party time, pots of sugar and fruit and spices still bubbled away.  

All week I had been trying to concoct a pear-tinged gingerale to mix with bourbon for a very merry christmas, but it just was not working.  The flavors were too subtle.  I should have scrapped the concept days before.  But I just continued to dig myself deeper.  I made a last minute run for pear brandy.  With wet hair and tense conversation Paul and I tasted the final draft and deemed it good enough to serve, but it still wasn't my fantasy festive libation.

  

I would never be sharing the recipe with you today if I wasn't already woefully late to this computer clambake.  I figured that I better not show up empty handed to boot.  So here's the recipe, but don't make it.   If you have an inspired solution to its mediocrity, let me know.  I wash my hands of it.  I think I have a much better idea for a holiday cocktail.  Rain check?  

And to All a Good Night

2 oz. bourbon

top with soda water (4 - 5 oz.)

1 oz. pear ginger syrup

squeeze of lemon

dash of pear brandy

garnish with pear slice

Pear Ginger Syrup

4 c. water

about 1 c. sliced ginger

2 pear cores, slice the flesh off the core and reserve for garnish (toss it with a squeeze of lemon to keep it pretty)

4 cloves

yellow peel of 1 lemon

2 c. sugar

In a medium, heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the water, ginger, pear cores, cloves, and lemon peel to a boil.  Turn down the heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes, until reduced by about half.  Add the sugar, return to a boil, and let simmer about 10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and you are left with a thin fragrant syrup.  Strain into a glass jar and use for cocktails.  

By the way, I like making this kind of drink that can easily suit boozers and teetotalers alike.  If you fill a tall glass most of the way with ice and soda water and top with the flavorful syrup and lemon juice, then you have a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative that will be seriously appreciate by pregnant women, children, and those designated to drive. 

Fortunately the imperfect beverage was overshadowed by the zesty company and fabulous food.  You've got: 

Thai Balls from To Live and Eat in L.A. 

Miniature Panini from Cute and Delicious 

Potato Parsnip Laktkas from Hugger Food 

Mushroom Walnut Pate from Yo Soy 

Toasted Ravioli from vegan-la.com 

Doritos, Spinach Dip, and Chocolate Chip Cheesecake from Quarry Girl  

Brisket and Jelly Donut Twinkies from Veganize It...Don't Criticize It 

Miniature Cinnamon Rolls from the Vegan Collection

Popcorn and Ice Cream (and adorable little tiny cupcake charms that were not for eating, which is appropriate because this website focuses on pretty stuff as opposed to tasty stuff) from Vegan Beauty Review

 

San Diego

Eep.  My baby just left.  For three days.  With his grandparents.  I thought I was fine with this.  But then as that mini van went careening down the highway with my delicate little babe tenuously strapped to the back seat, I began to get a bit panicky.  But he's going to be fine, right?

And me too?  I think I'm going to be okay.  The grown-ups are heading to San Diego to celebrate Paul's birthday.  It's an annual tradition.  We have a very full roster of food and beer sampling, but I'd love your input if you know the area.  Here's the current plan:

Spread (Hannah's Boyfriend, the Vegan Pit Master, claims it is the best vegan restaurant west of the Mississippi.  We'll see.  At their brunch on Sunday.)

Green Flash Brewing Company (has tours and tastings on Saturdays from 12 - 4)

Stephanie's Bakery (I think we'll have afternoon coffee and strudel here, though I'm also told that their pizza is good.)

Pizza Fusion (I really like pizza.)

Pokez (Paul and I always enjoy this divey punk rock Mexican place downtown.)

All Vegan ("shoes, chocolates, and other necessities")

Sipz (If meals and time permit?)

Roots Kind Food (Same?)

El Indio (Reputed birthplace of the taquito and Paul's favorite restaurant when he was seven.  If I can get ahold of someone and find out if there's lard in the beans, and if the potato taquitos are vegan, there will be a meal here.)

Port Brewing Company (Tours and tastings Saturdays 12 - 6)

Toronado (50 beers on tap)

People's Co-op (Is their deli vegan?)

In addition to lots of between meal strolling, and a bit of movie watching, that's the plan.  Anything that I need to add, or delete?   

A Toast

to you MoFos.  If you find yourself in Los Angeles, and specifically Culver City, between the hours of 2:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon, I highly recommend that you spend your time with a cocktail and the food section at Akasha.   During happy hour they have half-price-ish drink specials, like this ginger margarita, and tasty little bar snacks, like that bowl of curried coconut cashews.  Cheers man.  I look forward to a month of meals together.  But first, where is your favorite place to spend the cocktail hour?  And what'll it be?