LAST POST 'TIL NEXT THURSDAY-- ANOTHER FRESH TOFU DISH, AND HEADING FOR VEGAWAKENING!

This will be my last post for a week because I'm off to the above vegan chef's conference (the first!)at the crack of dawn on Saturday, April 1st. (Tomorrow, Friday, I'll be at work at the library, and today is packing day!). I get to Grand Rapids, MI that evening, try to have a good night's sleep, and then prep all day Sunday and Monday morning for my seitan-making workshop Monday afternoon. Wish me luck! I'm in exalted company! Besides Chef/Instructor Kevin Dunn, who organized the conference and is amazingly calm (!!), there will be:

Ken Bergeron, first chef to win a gold Medal in the Culinary Olympics with Vegetarian Cuisine.

Ian Brandt, chef at Sages Cafe, Salt Lake City, Utah

Fran Costigan, vegan baking instructor and cookbook author, New York, NY, and, I'm honoured to say, a friend

David Lee, President, Field Roast Grain Meats, Seattle, Washington

Ron Pickarski, 7-time Culinary Olympics medalist (including gold), President and executive chef /consultant for Eco-Cuisine, Cookbook Author

Tanya Petrovna, Chef, Native Food Restaurant, Four vegetarian restaurants in California

Eric Tucker, Chef, Millennium Restaurant, cookbook author, San Francisco, California

Chad Sarno, Executive Chef/Owner, Counter and Vital Creations, New York City, NY

and me. (No wonder I'm nervous!)

The keynote speaker will be the great Howard Lyman, "The Mad Cowboy"

I'll be reporting on my experiences when I get back.

In the meantime:


Homemade Fresh Tofu with Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes

The following is a short description of a dish I did the other day, quickly using up the last of our fresh tofu. (The recipe will be in the next issue of my subscription newsletter, The Vegan Feast.) In case you missed that the other day, tofu eaten the same day it's made, or within a day or two of making, tastes lovely-- kind of like ricotta cheese--- and needs only minimal preparation and seasoning to please. Really! Trust me! Homemade is the best, of course, but if you can find out what day(s) the bulk tofu is delivered to your health food store (and you can ask the tofu makers if it's made the day it is delivered), you can make sure to buy some and use it that day for maximum tofu delight!

I have made this dish before, both with my own homemade tofu and fresh tofu from my health food store. This last time (photo below), I added Kalamata olives to the recipe. It's a quick dish to make and absolutely delicious. A little wine and fresh rosemary makes all the difference.

Have a good week!

Fresh (storebought) Tofu with Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes (with olives)