GRILLED PEACH, CORN & TOMATO SALSA
This stuff was so good. As Amanda (fellow tester) pointed out, it's nice to have a salsa recipe without onions. I mean, I love onions. I really do. But raw? Damnit, why the hell would anyone eat raw onions? Between the eye pain and sniffing, the fact that everything tastes like raw onions for six hours (no matter HOW hard you brush yer teeth) and also that you become a walking human repellent (ok, I'm something of a misanthropist, but I don't want to alienate the few people near and dear to me with my disgustingly potent stinky bulb breath), I really can't see what's to be gained from eating raw onions. THEY DON'T EVEN TASTE GOOD. Anyway, rant aside, I hate raw onions, and it causes me endless dispair that almost all salsa recipes ask for raw onions (I always end up cooking them beforehand anyway). But Lolo's recipe was onion-free, and GORGEOUS. A perfect balance between hot from the chilies and the sweetness from the corn and peaches. Lush.
AFRICAN YAM STEW
Yummeh. Nice n spicy and warming, but also sweet thanks to the raisins. So comforting that it felt like junk food, despite being insanely healthy (so I scarfed it down in large amounts, oh yeah). Also the perfect balance between sloppy + chunky - exactly how I like my stews. I actually had to say to my dad "you don't know what you're missing out on by not being vegan" (of course I didn't share it, don't be stupid).
HERBED LEMON BUTTER SPAGHETTI WITH ASPARAGUS
As Pumbaa + Timon would say, "slimy, but satisfying". Lolo is actually reviewing the recipe, since a few folks (including me) found it just a wee bit too slimy. But it was still relaly nummy. Gorgeous combination of citrussiness, "butteriness" and herbiness. Mmmmm. And also the contrast between the squidgy slimy pasta and the fresh n crunchy asparagus was a real sensory treat. Me likes (but with slightly less oil).
CINNAMON RAISIN SWIRLY WHIRLY BREAD
Heaven. In. My. Mouth. I know I say this all the time, and yer all sick to the little bit of gum behind the wisdom teeth of me saying it, but I am seriously IN LOVE with Lolo. Is there anything she can't do? (Answer: no) The taste was nice and subtle - not too cakey (because it was bread, duh). I liked the fact that the sweetness came more from raisins than sugar. And it was amazing toasted, speshly with some soya marg on it. So fucking delicious. Gorgeous texture, too. Really soft; exactly how freshly baked bread should be, but with a proper krusty crust, thanks to a genuis tip from Lolo.
KNICKERBOCKERFUCKINGGLOREEEEEEEEEEE!
Last Saturday I went up to Hackney to meet up with some Brit PPKers at Pogo Cafe. And I have so much love for this place. It's fucking amazing. Totally vegan and mostly organic. With a great playlist (they were playing The Cure while we were there, and they play a whole range of punk, post punk and other punk-related stuff), really cool artwork (the stuff up at the mo is meat-related images/graffiti on chopping boards) and a great atmosphere too; you can just walk in, order a burger and milkshake and fuck off afterwards. Or, if you're us, you can sit there for 3 hours and not get any dirty looks from the waiting staff like you do in a lot of restaurants.
But OH MY GOD the menu! There were about six types of tofu burger (cheezeburger, bacon burger, mex burger with jalapenos and shit...), pumpkin + spinach lasagne, risotto, soup and loads more. And a kiddies' menu. About 16 flavours of milkshake. But the dessert menu really takes the cake (HAR!). Cheesecake, chocolate biscuit cake, brownies, ice cream, banana split and... knickerbockerglory. Three flavours of ice cream (choc, strawberry + vanilla), two types of custard (plain + choc), whipped soy cream, mango sauce, strawberry jam, crushed digestives and nuts on top. Fucking amazing. I just cannot stop ranting. As you can see. I'm sorry. I'll shut the fuck up now and post a delicious picture to make you really jealous. Suckers.
