New recipes have been getting road tested here like crazy over the last couple months. As I mentioned in my last post, we'll be at Expo Key West at the Stock Island Botanical Gardens this Saturday from 2p-6p. We'll be selling organic vegan lunches and snacks, among other goings-ons at our booth. Things are pretty "down pat" as far as what creations will be offered on Saturday, but I wanted a "something extra" "something special" kind of thing that I just couldn't put my finger on. Then this month's edition of VegNews appeared in my mailbox, with a whole section on vegan caramel. To me, caramel is another "holy grail" of vegan food. I don't think there's good vegan caramel out there, so I don't bother buying any. My own efforts into candy making are usually fraught with difficulties tempering chocolate (not so easy in Florida Keys heat & humidity) along with just a lack of training on my part. But, there sat the magazine, taunting me with caramel recipes. Mmm, I instantly thought back to my childhood days of Kraft caramels in the bag, and fighting my brothers to claim the stray "fudgies" that would mysteriously be mixed in.
I decided "I am going to make caramel," so I did. The vegan sea salt caramels are absolutely perfect taste-wise, but need to stay chilled otherwise the sticky-factor is too much. I made a whole batch of the sea salt caramels, and well, the gang at the health food store really enjoyed them what can I say. Couldn't sell them, may as well give 'em away. So, I was still searching for that "special" extra. I think I've found it in the chocolate drizzled caramel coated popcorn recipe in the same magazine. I followed the directions exactly for the "serve later" variety, meaning I had to dry out the caramel coated popcorn in my oven for just under 1 hour. After it came out of the oven, I drizzled it with some gorgeous (fair trade! organic!) dark chocolate. Its setting up right now on my cooling rack. I cheated. I couldn't wait. I tried a piece. I about died as the sugary sweetness melted in my mouth with just a hint of (fair trade! organic!) chocolate. Yes, I think I've found my "extra" "special" for the Expo. I'm going to trot this sample batch out to my peeps at the health food store for taste testing and move forward from there.
So, at Expo, we'll be offering pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, coconut cupcakes w/key lime buttercream, peanut butter chocolate chip chocolate cookies (yes, you read that correctly), my signature Vegan Dreams cookies, organic boxed "to go" lunches, chocolate drizzled caramel coated popcorn, and maybe even another surprise or two. I'm psyched. The offerings are going to be delectable, plus I love the looks on people's faces as they say "I cannot believe this is vegan." Score one for compassion!
In addition to Saturday's Expo, I will be supplying our wonderful local health food store (Good Food Conspiracy) with dozens of organic vegan goodies individually wrapped and packaged including vegan krispy rice treats, the amazing chocolate caramel popcorn, Vegan Dreams, gluten free cookies, and more, for their booth at the Lower Keys Expo set to take place on Sunday at Sugarloaf School. I gotta make sure the vegan angle is well covered, don't want to disappoint any hungry people out there.
So, what's the point of my ramblings today? The point is, why don't carrots taste like chocolate drizzled caramel popcorn OR pumpkin chocolate chip cookies OR vegan chocolate muffins OR well, whatever, you get the drift. I stand in my kitchen some days for HOURS chopping, sifting, stirring and baking but no matter what I can't get on board that I should be eating carrots or celery while I'm actually doing these experiments. No, I must actually TASTE this stuff. I have to adjust the ingredients. I need to be checking the consistency of these foods, the "crumb" of the baked items. Its torture for someone like me, a self-confessed chocoholic with an unabashed sweet tooth.
Among my dad's collection of funny shirts was one of his favorites which said "Give Me Chocolate and Nobody Gets Hurt." Pretty much sums up the genetics in my family. That said, hours, literally hours, spent every week at boot camp, running, and training to counter effect all the nonsense in the kitchen. Small wonder it took me 8 solid months to lose a few inches... a few inches which can be incredibly easy to put back on spending this many hours in the kitchen for a love of baking.
Yikes. Eeks. Gads and Zoiks. I sure hope folks enjoy the food we're bringing to the Expo. All these experiments lately are putting my hips at risk... no rest for the weary, meaning there's no end in sight to the daily running. I really could use a nap. And maybe just one more taste of that popcorn.
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