What's growin' on?

Eary this spring I took a training class at Community TV in Hamden to learn how to use a digital camera and editing equipment in order to produce a show for public access tv. I had high hopes of doing a cooking show since everyone keeps telling me I should do one (peer pressure, ya know). Then I started digging in the garden, and became a little distracted...

That cooking show idea is on hiatus while I tend to my Chapelseed garden. I seeded my tiny plot back in April with radish, broccoli rabe, snow peas, snap peas, nasturtiums, tomatoes, stringbeans and basil. If you scroll down a bit, you can see how things looked way back then, a mere 3 months ago. The radish have now been harvested and eaten. The broccoli rabe was enjoyed for a couple meals until it bolted. I've picked an armload of snap peas and the snow peas will be sauteed in a stirfry tonight. I was even lucky enough to have adopted a patch of asparagus from a previous tenant.

Now, the nasturtiums have taken over, spilling past the borders and into my neighbor's plot, though we agree it's nice having their bright and cheerful presence while we water. And the bees love them. The flowers also make a pretty, peppery addition to salads.

Giant

There's a lot to be said about two-wheel locomotion. Mostly, I'm glad to be back in the saddle again.

About a month ago I had the misfortune of getting my bike stolen literally right before my eyes (well... almost). I thought the safety of my garage would be enough to foil the average petty thief, but alas, my landlady left her side wide open a few nights in a row and that must have been enough of an inticement for the criminal element to swoop in. When I walked around my car that morning something seemed amiss. "What the...??" Had someone moved my bike? (yeah, that was my brilliant initial conclusion.) Then it finally sunk in: OOHH, I get it, someone stole my bike! Well that sucks. Instead of riding to the garden I walked there, through the park, past a drug-fueled tete-a-tete, picking up the pace whilst humming a happy little ditty to myself in order not to fall into despair. I made it there in 15 minutes, but it just wasn't the same. So my mission for the past few weeks had been to get some new wheels.

I purchased my green Trek Antelope mountain bike in 1992 with the aid of my husband at the time. I knew nothing about bikes so he picked it out for me, being that he was a cyclist and could take it apart and put it back together while I tied my hair in a poneytail. I liked it, though. It was chunky and sharp, and made me feel invincible riding it through the park. I was looking forward to trips to and from the Chapelseed garden this summer, so I was crushed to discover it missing about a month ago. All that changed last week when I took some new bikes for a spin at the Amity Bike Shop in Woodbridge.

My budget was limited: basically, I have none. So I was looking on Craigslist for something cheap I could pay cash for, figuring maybe a Yale student might have something decent they're willing to part with at the end of the semester. My hopes fell short - I rode a couple that needed tune-ups or were just plain icky. And then my Economic Stimulus Check arrived in the mail (thank you, George Bush, though I still hate you). $398 - just enough for a bike and a new helmet, with about $10 left over.

I chose the Giant Cypress hybrid - a nice little road bike with fatter tires that make it suitable for rides on hiking trails and paths through the woods, which is about as adventurous as I get. It's blue and it makes me happy. And compared to what I'm used to, it's speedy, too. I like those grip shifters which make it so much easier to ride. I never knew which gear I was in before. So, in a way, whoever stole my bike propelled me into the modern age with this new contraption. All is well again.

Candle 79 & Babycakes

This weekend I had the pleasure of exploring two vegan hotspots in New York City. We began our journey at Candle 79, the spiffy uptown cousin of Candle Cafe. The meal opened with a delightful little amous bouche of avocado and tomato mole on sesame rice cracker. I could've dipped an entire bag of those chips into the kitchen's guacamole bowl, but I restrained myself to just the one. The flavors were incredible, perfectly melding savory with sweet, and creamy with crunchy.

It was tough to decide on an appetizer. I always try to go with seasonal, and I look for unusual combinations of ingredients that I might not ordinarily consider putting together on my own. My first inclination was to go with the grilled asparagus with blue cornmeal crusted onion rings, arugula pesto and red pepper coulis, but then the waitress read the specials for the day, which included an app of fiddlehead ferns, wild mushrooms, baby asparagus, wilted spinach and cauliflower puree. How could we not give that a try? Needless to say, it was fabulous. You can only get fresh fiddleheads a couple weeks of the year, and these were perfectly young, tender and sweet, not the often soapy taste you get from the supermarket kind that are past their prime. The rich creaminess of the cauliflower sauce enhanced the delicate flavors of the steamed veggies.

The entrees were equally difficult to select from. We were aided by an article in this month's Vegetarian Times which featured top recipes from vegetarian restaurants across the country. Coincidentally, they picked one from Candle 79: the seitan picatta. It's a customer favorite, so we figured we'd give it a try. I picked the Morroccan chick pea cakes with spring vegetables, coconut curry and apricot chutney. Bother were delicious (though we must confess our preference for the humble chick pea cakes - it was a gorgeous electric green and orange presentation and the spicy flavors melded beautifully with the sweet chutney).

Dessert was equally challenging. My first inclination was to avoid the typical chocolate default and opt for something fruity. We made a compromise and ordered one from each category. The seasonal special was a lovely little strawberry rhubarb tart with triple cream ice cream - a winner. We also sampled the brownie sundae which was adorned with fresh strawberries and bananas and a chocolate chipotle sauce. YUM! What an incredible meal. And I don't want to forget the rich and creamy drink that could've been a light meal on its own: coconut, avocado, pear, agave syrup and mint frappe. mmmm...

The next day we headed down to Babycakes to pick up breakfast and some snackies for the train trip home. This is an all vegan bakery near Chinatown. It was cool to see the many Fallun Gong practitioners on our walk there, and there was also an Asian American parade with hundreds of people marching down Mott Street. This was my first visit, so I didn't know what to expect, but I was happy to find a place selling gluten-free vegan baked goods (not that I need them...). We shared a sticky bun and blueberry buckle for breakfast, then packed up a slice of banana chocolate chip bread, lemon cupcake and chocolate cupcake for the ride. It was a challenge resisting the temptation to inhale everything all at once. I was happy that my non-veg companion was delighted with his iced coffee and sticky bun, and we were both pleasantly surprised by the tender texture and light sweetness of the blueberry cake. My attempts at gluten-free baking always turn out dense and grainy. I guess I just don't know the secret yet. Needless to say, I'll have to do some experimenting this summer when it's blueberry season.

Superfoods, Healing Foods

Last week I had the priviledge to teach a workshop at the Mercy Center for staff members from the Yale Children's Medical Center. The location is gorgeous - right on the ocean in Madison with a sprawling campus landscaped with lush greenery and blooming shrubs and perennials. Even with the rain, it was a pleasure to be there. And what a great group of women! They were there for their staff retreat and wanted to do something special to de-stress from a hectic work environment. I was happy to help by providing a customized lecture and cooking demonstration about foods that heal. The menu for the morning included Gingered Vegetable Saute with Baked Tofu, Curried Chickpea and Quinoa Pilaf and an amazingly decadent nearly raw Chocolate Mousse with Nut Crust and Fresh Strawberries (you'd never guess that the secret ingredient was avocados!). I hope they had as much fun as I did.

Thali, too - Now OPEN!!

Ever since moving to New Haven in November, 2006, I've made a point to sample all the chat, chana masala and saag I can find from the many fabulous Indian restaurants within minutes of my apartment. I was in heaven when I discovered Thali on Orange Street. Their delectable dahl and rich and delicious chat are enough for a full meal, but they'll also accommodate us vegans with an off-menu order of coconut curry (just ask). I couldn't believe my eyes when I read recently that the owner of Thali would be opening a vegetarian-only version of the restaurant down on Broadway, tucked into that little corridor next to the Yale Bookstore. You can't see it from the street, but it's there - trust me. As of May 7, Thali, too is now Officially OPEN!! Please go and support them!

It was a warm, breezy evening last night, the perfect weather for outdoor dining. We decided to take a stroll by Thali to see if they were open and were pleased to find a gorgeous and bustling little patio set up with tables and big red umbrellas, so we happily took a cozy table for two. We started the meal with a fantastic masala dosa appetizer; eaten alone, it would have been a hearty meal. We fought each other for the last crumb, it was so yummy. The huge rolled up crepe arrives on an elegant silver tray with 3 pretty little vessels of accompanying sauces. I wasn't sure about the coconut chutney which may have been made with yogurt, but the sambal was a delicious tomato based spiced stew that was hearty and warm. There was also an accompaniment of chili oil with fried Indian spices that was hot, but not too hot. They have an interesting little concept going here: rice and noodle bar. You start with a base of either basmati rice or rice vermicelli ($5), add on some vegetables of choice ($2 each), and any of 5 sauces. We tried the Manchurian (which I'd highly recommend) which had garlic, onion, chili pepper and cilantro, that was actually more subtle and flavorful than you'd imagine, and the Sesame Peanut, which was good, however I detected no sesame or peanut and I'm wondering if I got what I ordered. Considering this was only the second night they were open, I allowed some leeway in working out the kinks. Our server was not very familiar with the menu and needed to bring the general manager over to our table to answer a few questions about dairy in dishes. He assured us there was no dairy used in the rice, noodles or the accompanying sauces. The rest of the menu is filled with creative interpretations of standard northern and southern Indian cuisine and I'm already dying to make a return visit to give them a try. They also have Take Out!! This is a fantastic little addition to New Haven's already plentiful dining scene, but it stands out for its affordability, creativity and pleasant atmosphere. I know where I'll be spending my summer...

From the garden

I love a good spring rain. Particularly on days after planting. The birds are happy, the plants are happy, and all that makes me happy, too. It's Week #3 at my Chapelseed community garden and already the fruits of my labor have been realized. Snap peas, snow peas, radishes, broccoli rabe, broccoli and nasturtiums are all popping out. I just transplanted some basil, and in another week I'll add a few tomato companions. If I can manage to squeeze in a couple mounds of Italian zucchini in my little 6' x 10' plot, I will be doing that, too.

The place already looks beautiful, and it's so nice to be serenaded by mockingbirds while laboring away in the warm sunshine. Today is a day of rest as plants soak up the moisture and grow big and strong.