I’ve been doing some work to the different lists on the site lately and haven’t added any blog posts so here is a picture of Dinger at Pedernales Falls State Park on memorial day. He is super cute!
And check out the Austin Vegan Guide, I added, Capital City Bakery, Tutti Frutti, Schmaltz, Me Llamo Taco, and the new locations for Nomad Dosa, Moses Falafel, ZPizza and JuiceLand. So much to eat, I will never be able to get her done.
For weeks I have been trying to convince Kristen of Capital City Bakery that she should add an olive cupcake to the menu. It’s so NOT going to happen because I guess she has standards or whatever but she made me these adorable fondant olive cupcakes for my birthday! They were amazing because it turns out Kristen makes the best cupcake around. I am so excited that her new bakery trailer is opening TODAY with a cupcake filled Grand Opening Party at the Longhorn food court on Rio Grande & MLK. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to have instant access to her baked goods and that day is finely here! If you haven’t tried them yet, you are in for a treat (literally). Be there for the grand opening party or cry at home, it’s your choice.
This Saturday the San Antonio vegans are throwing a huge potluck out at Sunny Day Farms! If you want to meet some of the sweetest animals around, hold a Pygmy goat, or rub a giant pig’s belly this is the weekend to go! Sunny Day is super kid friendly so bring your small humans too, if you have some. If you need a ride check out Vegans Rock Austin.
Also, Counter Culture continues their soft opening and they have expanded their hours and added weekend brunch. I went last week and it was all I hoped it would be. The best part was that I didn’t have to get up early, it goes until 3!
This Sunday there will also be a book signing and dessert potluck for the new cookbook Sticky Fingers at MonkeyWrench books on north loop. On Sundays MonkeyWrench gives a free Red Rabbit Donut with ever purchase so if you’ve like some sweets with your anarchy you are in luck!
I’m really excited to work on a bunch of gardening projects, go swimming, hit the renegade craft fair and accomplish lots of things…really…it’s going to happen.
Wish me luck!
Last Friday I took the day off and had plans to have a picnic at Pedernales Falls. The day before I was looking at the hour by hour weather report and my computing machine was reporting an 80% chance of thunderstorms between 11 and 1. Since Perdernales Falls is prone to flash floods it seemed that the world was against me. But I was wrong. The world loves me. Or maybe it feels completely indifferent and I just lucked out. First my friend Kristen brought me some cupcakes.
Then I got some really pretty flowers.
And then I made some olive salad to go in a muffaletta sandwich ’cause olives are my favorite food.
We went to McKinney Falls State Park and there were wildflowers everywhere.
We saw a giant lucky lizard.
But we still found a protected spot for our picnic, just in case. There was no one around, probably because of the scary forecast but it was the most beautiful day.
Dan let me take as many overprocessed photos as I wanted, because it was my birthday.
And then we finally ate the sandwich.
I guess an 80% chance of thunderstorms still means you get a 20% chance of blue sky.
The other day I went a book signing party for Michael Natkin’s Herbivoracious at Icenhauer’s. I got into a conversation, about food of course, with a student from the Natural Epicurean who asked me what my favorite genre of food is. I couldn’t think of anything, we had just sampled some colorful and spicy Vietnamese food and that was very much on my mind. Michael had talked (briefly!) about mudardara and I was thinking about how I hadn’t had Lebanese food in forever. I panicked. I’m a spaz sometimes IRL.
I said “I like everything”.
It is a total lie, I definitely have a favorite food and without a doubt to anyone that has met me, read my blog, followed me on twitter, come to my house, seen me in the morning, or gone on a trip with me then you know I certainly have a favorite genre of food and that culinary tradition is the mighty taco.
There is are quite a few places in town to get a fabulous breakfast taco (which I wrote about here) but now we have a new cart on North Loop, the Vegan Nom, dedicated solely to bringing us the wide range of vegan tacos!
I finally got to try it last week, and I was pretty excited just to read the menu, they have 2 dollar breakfast tacos and 4 dollar signature tacos. Breakfast is served all day so that’s one star for me right there. The breakfast tacos are all the vegan combinations you would expect including, tofu scramble, tempeh bacon, vegan chorizo, refried black beans, caramelized onions, mushrooms, spinach, potatoes, and avocado. You can also add on from a long list of extra topping for an extra .50 cents. With the recent closure of Elsi’s I was saddened, but not surprised, to see the Vegan Nom doesn’t carry fried plantain. What can I say, it’s my favorite topping and it goes so well on a breakfast taco mixed with guacamole! Where am I going to get fried plantains on breakfast tacos now? The “signature” tacos include mostly these same toppings with the addition of vegan cheese and more toppings.
I was pretty happy with my choices. The tofu scramble and tempeh bacon was the perfect protein packed breakfast and the flavors were right on. I asked the person at the counter for a tortilla recommendation, and she told me to go with the corn. It was pretty good but I don’t think they are homemade. Hopefully in the future when they get the kinks worked out they will start making their own because a fresh tortilla makes all the difference. I also tried the refried black bean and vegan chorizo taco and was so surprised by the spicy-ness.
I love a spicy taco so for me it worked out great but if you fear spicy things I recommend sticking with the red sauce. Also note, that there aren’t any tables yet and the parking lot isn’t the best spot to enjoy your food right now with all the folks that like to hang out outside the convenience store and ask for change. But you can order your taco ahead of time by calling and they will have it ready to go when you get there.
And go there you should! I am sure it is just going to get better and better and for a trailer that just opened, they are clearly on the right track. Once the tables come they are going to be staying open for dinner too. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.
*******EDITED 8/30 2012
I wanted to note that they have totally fixed the outdoor seating situation, now they have some umbrella tables right next to the trailer and they have completely fixed up the back tables and it’s very inviting and super cute.
I wish I had more fruit.
Lazy Smurf's Guide 