I’ve been tinkering around with the eventual recipe for Division Street* Pho, which is traditionally identified as a pho chay, for months now. Tinker, tinker. I found myself on what became an epic quest for vegan pho chay in Portland last winter (which I’ll be compiling one of these days), and really studying the flavors in the bowls in front of me. Specifically, which broths boasted or lacked flavor, spices, development. I turned to google search and Vietnamese cookbooks to read up on just what makes traditional pho broth (Spoiler alert: charred, simmered bones), how to avoid the off-putting canned broths and salty flavor packets, the building blocks of the Buddhist vegetarian version (chay), the requisite spices and herbs, and ultimately, how I could achieve my own animal-free depth of flavor. Continue reading »
Tag Archives: vegan food
DIY French Press Cacao Nib Cold Brew (Hey Summer, You’re Welcome)
Cold brew has become one of the savings graces of warmer days in my life, and it’s ridiculously easy to make at home. You’re essentially extracting the coffee into more of a concentrate (which is why you’re typically see cold brew priced higher than coffee). The method I used comes from Cook’s illustrated’s Dan Souza, and is available on the website of America’s Test Kitchen. As if you could have any doubts now. I’ve combined a couple of steps, based on how I’ve been making at home the past two summers, and throw in the addition of rich cacao nibs, ripped off from my dear from Tom (who rules!). Continue reading »
Margaritas 4-eva & Goodies from Austin, Texas
I’m sure I’m not the first to have this epiphany, but I really think I get tacos now. And margaritas. As in….I could see the warmer weather beckoning both of these things vs. cold beers and tator tots. I seem to have lost a little bit of my inner-Portland this week on my trip to … Continue reading »