Stone Crabs: One Last Splurge

Happy 2009! Can you believe it?

Well, here goes: this year I will try to- be more frugal; stick to a diet; be more patient; listen; pour more love and encouragement on those precious to me; be a better friend. These are not resolutions but merely a little list for myself. I think I can manage to accomplish most of it. The hardest part for me is always dieting. Not so easy.

My daughter will be returning to New York City Monday.... I will miss her very much. She has a contemporary art gallery there (see "My Favorite Websites" below) and the art market has not been all that great lately. I am crossing my fingers that all the naysayers will be wrong in their predictions for 2009. This gallery is Tracy's dream and she works like mad to make it a success, which it has been for several years. I know, everyone is having problems with the economy and everyone is working hard to keep their dreams alive. But we mothers worry about all our kids, we can't help it and no matter how grown up they are, this will never change. I worry about my sons just as much. Little kids, little problems; big kids, big problems. Can't remember where I first heard that, but it sure is true.

So, in keeping with our diet promises (But our frugal promises? Not so much.) I decided to surprise Tracy on New Year's Day with her all-time favorite: stone crabs. Delicious and aren't the colors to die for? And best thing yet, no work. They are cooked and cracked and ready to go.

To accompany, we always use a recipe I found years ago in the Miami Herald for Joe's Mustard Sauce. The Joe I speak of is -need I say it- Joe's Stone Crab, the famous Miami restaurant where stone crabs are king. And the rest of their food is pretty regal too. Now I have no idea if this recipe is really Joe's or not. The paper claimed it was and we think it's pretty close to the real thing, so that's what we call it, with mea culpas to Joe's if it's not.

Joe's Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

3 and 1/2 teaspoons dry English mustard (like Coleman's)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon A-1 sauce
1/8 cup light cream
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method:

In a small bowl beat the dry mustard and mayonnaise until blended. Add remaining ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup.

We needed a salad as well, so I made some Broccoli Slaw. It's pretty, you can make it ahead, although it is a simple recipe to begin with, tasty and the perfect foil for the stone crabs. My friend Polly originally gave me the recipe so I named it after her. You don't need another thing- perhaps some white wine and for those who wanted dessert I pulled out what was left of my Apricot and Nut Cookies. Yum! What a great start for 2009.

Polly's Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:

1 pound broccoli slaw (you can find it in your market)
1 package cole slaw
6 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 packages ramen chicken soup mix
1 1/2 cups salad oil
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Method:

Mix the first five ingredients and refrigerate. Make a dressing with oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and 1 1/2 packages of the seasoning mix in the soup packet. Mix well. Just before serving, crunch up the noodles of both packages and add to the slaw. (I put them in a plastic bag and pound them with my rolling pin) Pour dressing over and serve.

Au Revoir, 2008

As we say goodbye to 2008, we have many things to be grateful for. Proposition 2 passing in California. Oprah Winfrey using her national platform to expose mainstream America to factory farming and puppy mills. Donna Karan finally agreeing to stopping using fur. Even small victories, like the pet shop going out of business at my local shopping mall. And yes, even the humble organic soy milk in my office refrigerator that has become so popular after I requested it.

With a new year ahead, the fight for animals must go on. Fur somehow seems to be socially acceptable again, with fur trimmed jackets all over. People are going to McDonald's and other fast food places as the economy dips...bad news for the animals, the environment, and our health care system. Many alternative energy plans are on hold, a victim of both the weak economy and dipping gas prices, worse yet for all the inhabitants of this Earth. I think Tori Amos had it right in her song "Father's Son" when she asked, "Can you blame nature if she's had enough of us?"

But it is we as individuals that decide the America and the larger world we want to live in, and not just on election day. Every day, with our dollars and our voice. Do we want a world filled with factory farms, or local, organic farms? Do we want chain restaurants with homogenized foods, or do we support the local restaurants? Do we value animal rights, workers rights and the environment when we fill our shopping cart?

And we must continue to spread the light of veganism in the most positive way. Judgement is not the answer. It was all a different journey for everyone of us to get to our current destination, and with habits so ingrained on our population, change can only happen step by step.

I love this passage from "This Low," by The Swell Season. While the song is about relationships, I always think of it in the context for continuing to learn and build our knowledge and wisdom as animal advocates, and then spreading the beauty, joy, compassion and peace that is veganism, and doing it in the most loving of ways.

"Shine the light,
Don't hide the light,
Live the light,
And give the light,
Seek the light,
And speak the light,
Crave the light, and brave the light,
Stare the light,
And share the light,
Show the light,
And know the light,
Raise the light,
And praise the light,
Thread the light,
And spread the light"

A happy and healthy new year to all. Let's make 2009 an even better year for the animals.

CNN to Showcase Animal Issues on January 1

Set your DVRs. PETA reported that Jane Velez-Mitchell will devote an entire show to animal issues, including puppy mills, shelter adoption, Prop 2 and more. It will air on Thursday, January 1 at 7 p.m. EST on CNN Headline News. It isn't even here yet, and 2009 is off to a good start.

Read the full story.

Year of the Dog...A Must-See for All Animal Advocates

Ingrid Newkirk said, "To rid ourselves of our biases takes effort, and sometimes it takes an experience." In Year of the Dog, a charming movie starring Molly Shannon as Peggy, it takes the experience of losing her beloved dog Pencil to open her eyes to the larger, unknown world of animal abuse. While we are nation who cherishes their companion animals, even fiercely debating where Barack Obama's puppy should come from, most give little thought to the animals they wear and eat.

When Peggy, a dog lover like so many, meets Newt, she becomes exposed to the horrors of animal testing, factory farming and the fur trade. Peggy even visits a farm sanctuary and treats her coworkers to vegan cupcakes (the latter with results many of us are accustomed to).

While Peggy eventually takes things to the extreme, her love for animals - and her mission to expose as many as she can to their widespread mistreatment - is something we can all relate to. Despite the many vegans and animal advocates I've met, we are still small in numbers, and often our passion for animals can seem so mysterious to others. That is why I found what Peggy said so poignant as she tried to demystify her passion to her friends and family.

"There are so many kinds of life in this life. So many things to love. The love for a husband or a wife, a boyfriend, a girlfriend. The love for children. The love for yourself. And even material things. This is my love. It is mine. And it fills me, and it defines me and it compels me on."

After the holiday madness, this is a DVD for all animal advocates to enjoy in the comfort of their home.

Diets Etc.

We're on a diet around here, even before we make healthy eating a New Year's resolution. Enough is enough. The only things I have kept the faith with are my daily workouts and a healthy breakfast. The rest of the day goes downhill food wise. I don't deny I'm having a fine time sampling all the holiday goodies and imbibing in my favorite gin and tonics before dinner; we are eating out more than usual too. Moderation. There is fine word defining exactly what I should be doing regarding meals. It's easy enough when nobody is here and I'm not tempted by a new restaurant with an intriguing menu.

Haven't we all tried diets promising quick results? When I think of all the fad diets I have been on over the years I cringe. Do you remember the 3 day Model Diet? The Chocolate Diet? The Slimfast Jump Start Diet? Well, I must admit the three day diet worked when I wanted an emergency 4-5 pound weight loss to get into a special dress that was ever so slightly snug- but the pounds came right back on after the weekend. The food on that diet was pretty ghastly too. After many years, my nutritionist says the only answer is moderation and a well balanced diet. All the time. B O R I N G. Sorry, I just can't be good all the time! In fact, I can't be good most of the time!

So for a few nights this week in advance of the New Year's bash (one of my aerobics teachers calls this being pro-active- but is actually referring to fact we are working out this time of year when lots of people are ignoring their normal routines and being couch potatoes) we decided to eat healthy dinners when we ate at home and try to eat healthy salads every day for lunch no matter where we were. At least it's a head start on the dire morning of January 5th when I will wake up and stand staring at my scale in anguish.

Last night we had a lovely broiled yellowtail and some roasted brussel sprouts. While shopping at Whole Foods for fresh yellowtail we found some stalks of brussel sprouts in the produce section. It l00ked too good to pass by.

We doused them with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and stuck them in a 400° oven for 40 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then. They caramelized beautifully and went perfectly with our broiled yellowtail. So far, so good.

Next we started thinking about salads. Unusual salads, not just the lettuce/tomato kind. My friend Nancy came up with a nifty luncheon salad that fits the diet mode perfectly and is delicious to eat. We call it Nancy's Salad of course, and not only is it pretty and good for you, but it tastes marvelous.

Nancy's Salad

Ingredients:

1 small head cauliflower, in florets

3 carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 cup pimento stuffed green olives, sliced

1/4 cup salad oil (or olive oil)

1/4 cup vinegar (any kind you like)

1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt

Method:

Prepare the vegetables and olives. Make a dressing with the last three ingredients.

Mix and chill.

Serves 2
Another salad we love is one I adapted from Lee Bailey's Country Weekends; I call it Cottage Cheese Salad. Lee Bailey served it with a small piece of broiled chicken and some melba toast. I like it with a hard boiled egg, quartered, and a quartered tomato. Then I sprinkle a little Lawry's seasoning salt on top along with some freshly ground black pepper. It's divine.

Cottage Cheese Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fat free cottage cheese
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
3 radishes, diced
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup roasted pecans
Lawry's seasoning salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Mix the red pepper, radishes and chives with the cottage cheese. Sprinkle with the roasted pecans, salt and pepper.
Serve with the eggs and tomatoes.
Serves 2

Eliminating Animal Products from Your Wardrobe

Hope everyone had a festive holiday. I feasted on a cashew nut roast, sweet potato mash and broccoli made by the best un-vegan mother ever. I also hit the stores for some great sales. If you're in the market for vegan clothes, now is the time to buy. I picked up a cute vegan coat for under $50, and even scored $5 ballet flats at Old Navy.

In my nearly 20 years as a vegetarian, I never gave much thought to leather or wool. I would justify my purchase of a pair of leather boots or shoes by saying, "I don't eat animal flesh, which saves a lot of suffering." Truthfully, like most people, I just didn't think that much about it.

When I started to research veganism, I was horrified to learn about the cruelties involved in leather production and that I had, even in a small way, contributed to it. Most leather comes from India and China, where animal welfare laws are either non-existent or not enforced, according to PETA's Cows are Cool web site. These suffering souls face extreme crowding, deprivation, castration, branding, tail-docking, and dehorning, all without any anesthetics.

Wool is no better. Australia is the leading producer, accounting for 30 percent of all wool used worldwide, according to PETA's Save the Sheep web site. Animal welfare standards are atrocious for the 100 million sheep there. Lambs' ears are hole-punched, their tails are cut off, and the males are castrated without painkillers.

With so many man-made alternatives, both stylish and inexpensive, now widely available, there is no need for the suffering to continue. For vegan shoes, I recommend Payless Shoes for price and availability. Just beware: many of their sneakers do have leather, but the majority of their shoes are manufactured from man-made materials. Target also has a large man-made shoe line. PETA's Dan Mathews recommended both of these stores when I heard him speak at his book signing. Most people don't have money for Natalie Portman's vegan shoes at Te Casan, typically $200 a pair, and in today's economic climate, that just seems frivolous anyway.

Finding a vegan coat may be a bit more of a challenge, but inexpensive options are available at H&M, Forever 21 and Old Navy. Besides, it's worth the little extra effort to purchase products without any animal by-products. While no one can un-do their past purchases of animal products, we can go forward by making more educated purchasing decisions, and showing, not only how much healthier and better for the animals and planet veganism is, but that you can look great doing so.

Resources:
Check out PETA Living's guide to vegan coats.
PETA's Cows are Cool
PETA's Save the Sheep
Payless Shoes
Vegan Chic

Apricot and Nut Cookies

We were among the lucky ones this Christmas: no nightmare travel stories to relate. It's all I have been hearing about from friends and family. My daughter arrived from New York City in between storms and was only a couple hours late.

My sister was not so fortunate. She had to worry about five children traveling to her Leland Michigan cabin and they were coming from both the east and west coast. The closest airport giving access to Leland is Traverse City but everyone traveling there has to make a stop-usually Grand Rapids, Detroit or Chicago. And the weather in those cities is always iffy in December and this year it was a lot more than iffy. Her daughter from San Francisco was stuck in Chicago for Christmas day. And if the photos of O'Hare are accurate, she had lots of company.

I don't like to brag (I'm going to anyway) but our Florida weather has been lovely so far this holiday. Not perfect, but really nice. Still, you can't get here if your plane is coming from an airport closed down by weather. So we sympathize because if affects us as well.

Lots of people can't imagine Christmas in Florida- but we really get into the spirit of the season; lots of lights, wreaths and outdoor decorations. I am in awe at some of the displays; the lighting has gotten so intricate. Of course in Florida we light up our palm trees rather than pine trees which is amusing the first time you see it. Deer, Santas, snowmen and snow globes decorate the lawns. Someone has a full size Santa descending from the roof on a rope; another has Santa on a huge swing.

And boat parades! I love the smaller parades like the one we have in Boca Raton; we missed it last year because the city just did not have enough money. But it was privately supported this year and back for us to enjoy. I find the larger cities like Ft. Lauderdale have boats that are somewhat more commercial- still fun to watch, but I like the down home look. Bridges are held open for the boats which of course causes problems if you have someplace to go other than the parade. Boat owners call on their friends to help decorate their boats- all sizes, large and small, and their enthusiasm is obvious as music is blaring and they are waving, cheering and hollering out Merry Christmas! as they pass by. Such fun to sit on the grass by the intercoastal waterway and wave back. This year someone set off a fireworks display that put the July 4th show to shame.

The boat parades put everyone in a holiday mood and to me that means planning holiday surprises in the kitchen. Now that I don't have small children at home and my grandchildren did not come this year, I did not make as many Christmas cookies as usual. But I do love using them as last minute gifts for friends so I tried some new recipes this year. I found an interesting recipe with apricots, almonds and pine nuts as ingredients and a frosting made with amaretto. Hmmmm. Sounded good to me so I made them. Delicious! They are rather nutty and chewy and have a very slight cinnamon flavor. But the frosting makes the cookie. My son was gobbling them down as fast as I could turn them out and my daughter was happy when I gave the last of them away as she said she would have eaten the entire plateful. Well, it's never off season for cookies so give these a try; make it a New Year's resolution: bake something new!

Apricot and Nut Cookies

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Icing:

1 and 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

5 to 7 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur

Method:

Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and stir until just blended. Mix in the apricots, almonds and pine nuts. The dough will be sticky at this point.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper and shape it into a log about 12 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter, rolling the dough in the wax paper until the shape is right. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.(After I rolled the dough in the wax paper and started to chill it, I opened the refrigerator door a few times to form it better.)Preheat your oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and place them on the parchment paper. Space them evenly apart. Bake about 15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

To make the icing: mix the confectioners sugar and Amaretto and beat until smooth. I poured the frosting into a small baggie and made a tiny slit in a corner and then drizzled the frosting over the cookies. Allow to set, about 30 minutes.

This recipe makes about 2 to 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Season's Greetings to all My Fellow Animal Lovers

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and cruelty-free holiday!

For those celebrating Christmas, don't forget to leave the cookies and soy milk out for Santa so he'll bring you cool vegan goodies!

Companion Animal Trust Fundraiser

Saturday, I dined on vegan chow with fellow animal lovers to raise funds for Companion Animal Trust, which rescues and places homeless cats and dogs in the northern New Jersey/New York City area into their forever homes. Run by a guardian angel named Carol, the group also feeds feral cat colonies, and is a strong advocate of a no-kill policy. The dinner was organized by Claudia, who runs my HEARTS for Animals meetup group and fights for various animal rights causes, including elephants abused by Ringling Bros. It never ceases to amaze me how many animal advocates there are. I also believe it is important to give my charitable dollars to local organizations such as this group, in addition to national organizations like Farm Sanctuary and the Humane Society.

Dinner was at Su Restaurant, a vegetarian restaurant in Edgewater, New Jersey. While I was disheartened by so much dairy on the menu, I'm still glad that another vegetarian restaurant is now open. I can still count on one hand the number of vegetarian restaurants in northern New Jersey, a stone's throw from New York City.

A sampling of some dishes. To start, yam and yucca fries. Delicious.

Baby spinach salad with battered onions, mangoes and tomatoes. The dressing needs work.

Pad Thai rice noodles. Hard to get this dish wrong, and Su didn't.

One of my dining companions let me sample his Malaysian coconut curry. It was divine.

Mango pudding with banana coconut tapioca pearls. There are only a few vegan options on the dessert menu. This one was very sweet.

A Plea to Give Up Fish

In his lively look back on his activist life, Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir, Dan Mathews, the senior vice president of PETA, describes a fishing trip he took in the ninth grade, just a few weeks after being bullied for being gay. He discovered, to his dismay, he had caught a flounder.

"'You've got a booby prize!' someone joked as he stomped the flailing fish to the deck and tore out the hook, causing blood to flow from the slimy creature's mouth to the beat of his racing heart. Everybody laughed, but I grew uneasy. I considered what the scene looked like from the flounder's point of view. Stunned, he looked up to see a collection of chuckling faces as he lay gasping for breath...I had become one of the terrorizing bullies I dreaded so much at school."

More than 17 billion fish are killed for food in the U.S. annually, and sport fishing and angling kills another 245 million animals per year, according to PETA's Fishing Hurts web site. Much like their farm animal counterparts, they have no legal protection from cruel treatment. They are impaled, crushed, suffocated, or sliced open and gutted...all while they're fully conscious.

For whatever reason, fish is the one flesh many vegetarians struggle to give up. Perhaps because there isn't as much graphic footage available of their horrible treatment. Or maybe because we've succumbed to the marketing of the industry touting it as a health food. But did you know seafood is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S.? So many of our waterways are polluted with human and animal feces, and this waste carries dangerous bacteria like E. coli, according to PETA.

Mercury is in the news as of late due to actor Jermey Pivens' bout with mercury poisoning due to a twice-a-day fish consumption lifestyle. PETA noted a study by the Environmental Protection Agency that revealed that women who ate fish just twice a week had blood mercury concentrations seven times higher than women who had not consumed fish in the prior month.

Meanwhile, commercial fishers have destroyed the ocean's ecosystem to the extent that large fish populations are just 10 percent of what they were in the 1950s.

Please consider shunning fish once and for all, for the health of your body and of our oceans, and for the long-suffering fish.

Learn more about the health, environmental, and moral impact of consuming fish by visiting PETA's Fishing Hurts web site.
Check out Dan's book, available at your local library, or through the PETA catalog.

Veganize and Green Your Laundry Routine

Living a vegan life extends way beyond the plate. Animal by-products are hidden everywhere. Scarier yet, animal testing is still a routine practice. Did you know that Procter & Gamble, maker of the popular Tide brand, still tests on animals?

Luckily, there are more cruelty-free, affordable options than ever before. Trader Joe's Liquid Laundry Detergent is my pick. Biodegradable, non-animal tested and containing no animal ingredients, it has a pleasant, but not over-powering, lavender scent, and is reasonably priced at $8.99 for a one gallon container. It also has a built-in fabric softener. Not lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's nearby? Check out Method and Seventh Generation brands at Whole Foods Market and increasingly available in mainstream supermarkets.

Did you know that most fabric softener sheets contain animal fats? Fortunately, our friends at Method offer a vegan alternative with their squeaky green dryer cloths. Personally, I hang-dry most of my clothes, so I only need these for my towels and sheets. Hang drying is kinder on the environment than being dependent on the dryer, and of course saves money, always a plus.

Don't forget to wash in the cold cycle. A startling 90 percent of the energy used by a washing machine goes to just heating the water, according to Carbon Conscious Consumer. They calculate that if you wash four out of every five loads in cold water, you could reduce your CO2 emissions by 72 pounds in just one month, and save $60 or more on your annual energy spending.

Learn more eco-friendly tips from Carbon Conscious Consumer, including how to reduce your junk mail and breaking the bottled water habit.
Want to know if the products you're buying are tested on animals? Check out PETA's Caring Consumer search engine.

Milk Punch

We had some wonderful friends many years ago who had a New Year's Day party every single year. Talk about good buddies! We loved having someplace to go for football, food and the requisite rehashing of New Year's Eve, but let's face it: is there anyone you know willing to entertain after they have been up nearly all night? And in those days we drank; not wine either. Aside from champagne, I'm quite certain I don't remember wine being an available libation on New Year's Eve. How odd. Well anyway, New Year's Day Lynn and Tony would set up two large white crocks with overly-long ladles and served Bloody Marys in one and Milk Punch in the other. Didn't that go down

smoothly! (And way too quickly.) The Bloody Marys were ice cold and spicy with celery sticks in a dish next to the crock; the first time we were invited, Milk Punch was new to me so it was quite a surprise. When I glanced in the crock I thought at first it was egg nog and was about to pass it by, expecting it to be super sweet and on the heavy side as I think all egg nogs are, when someone told me to try it, I would love it. They were right; the Milk Punch was much lighter and not all that sweet. I was a convert. And as I recall, the group was about half and half- both crocks needed refills about the same time. After we served ourselves, everyone knew what to expect: football was on a couple of screens in different areas of their home, snacks scattered about and we settled in for a relaxing afternoon. How we looked forward to New Year's Day with Tony and Lynn!

Lynn was a lovely cook and always served a buffet late afternoon- invariably beef stroganoff- her specialty (she made the sour cream kind rather than the tomatoey kind which I abhor) along with any number of delectable side dishes. I remember it like it was yesterday; the men watched, cheered and talked football (sort of) and the women got laughing hysterically while discussing what went on the night before- or as a young friend of mine put it recently- we "deconstructed" New Year's Eve (don't you adore that expression?). I love memories like our New Year's Day party- they make me smile. It's not that we're not creating memories anymore, or enjoying annual parties, or laughing and having fun with our friends; it's just that these were friends from my young married life- all of us raising children together, most of us were stay-at-home moms and we did everything together. You never forget those days. What makes this particular memory melancholy is that Lynn is no longer with us and we all loved her; as well, most of us have moved from the area and we only stay in contact with a few of our dearest friends from those days.

After I moved to Florida, I invited everyone to join us at my house for dinner Christmas day. I always had champagne for my dad and an open bar for everyone else. But for me (and for a few discriminating members of my family) I always made a punch bowl of Milk Punch. Because I didn't have a wonderful old crock, I served my punch in a pretty glass bowl with a whole nutmeg and a grater next to it. Frankly, there were some years I don't know how I managed to get dinner served- I do so like this punch. Nowadays, my parents are gone, my relations have gone in different directions or have their own celebrations so it is just my immediate family and Milk Punch is really for a crowd, so I don't make it anymore. But in case YOU are having a crowd over the holidays, pass on your old standby egg nog recipe and try this one. It's easier to make anyway! This is not Lynn and Tony's secret recipe, but one I found many years ago in a newspaper. It's every bit as good, if not better.

Milk Punch

Ingredients:
8 cups milk, very cold
1 pint coffee ice cream, somewhat softened
2 cups good quality bourbon
1 cup good quality rum
freshly ground nutmeg

Method:
Blend milk, bourbon and rum in a punch bowl. You can float the ice cream on top or, if you like a sweeter drink from the first, blend the ice cream into the milk mixture and serve. I like to float the ice cream on top; it melts quickly and sweetens the punch. Sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg and serve.

"All Living Beings Wish to be Free"

I first heard of PETA in my teen years, when I made the life-changing decision to become a vegetarian. I've never eaten animal flesh since, save a few years in my late twenties when I confusingly decided to dabble in pescetarianism. Why I thought consuming any level of mercury in fish, whatever amount of omega 3 fatty acids it contained, was an acceptable notion I have no idea. Let alone neglecting their feelings as living, breathing creatures who have as much a desire to live as any cow, chicken, pig or human. But I am now fully committed down the path of veganism, with no desire to look back.

Ingrid Newkirk continues to be a source of inspiration, particularly in her arguments on the moral issues of how we treat animals. Our society is so dependent on animals, as a food source (often poor), for fashion (which we tire of so quickly), for entertainment (to amuse ourselves for a few fleeting hours) and more. Yet they are such an after-thought to many, and to most, their treatment is not thought of at all.

On this snowy weekend, I took the time to listen to Ingrid's moving speech, "Non-Violence Includes Animals," and encourage others to as well.

"How we treat animals goes to the very heart of who we are."


"failure to recognize the us in them."


"They are treated like things, like commodities, machines and objects. They are treated like everything but as animals."

"There is no human nature. It is shared nature, for all animals laugh, and lie and cheat and love and breathe and are lonely and feel pain and wish to be free."


"There will be a day...when we will stop saying, we are human beings, treat us like human beings and start saying, we are living beings, treat us, please like living beings."


Check out PETA's official page on Youtube.

Tom Vilsack To Be Ag Secretary: Animal Groups React

As you may have heard by now, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is Barack Obama's choice to head the Department of Agriculture. Notably, two of the nation's leading animals rights crusaders offered a mixed reaction.

The Humane Society seemed pleased. Writing in his blog, Animals & Politics, Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said Vilsack was the top choice of head the USDA.

"As governor of Iowa, Vilsack advocated for bills to toughen the state's penalties for animal fighting. He stood up to the puppy mill industry and vetoed a bill in 2006 that would have weakened protections for pets by reclassifying dogs as "farm products." He also...vetoed legislation in 2001 that would have allowed the sport hunting of mourning doves for the first time in decades."

Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection group, was more critical in its statement, given by Gene Baur, president and co-founder.

"Vilsack has an uneven track record when it comes to farm animals and fighting factory farming. He has supported some animal protection measures and has at times stood up to Big Ag, yet he has also taken actions that are not in the best interest of farm animals or rural communities. During his tenure as governor of Iowa, the state saw a proliferation of massive hog farms, and we saw these hog farms first-hand this summer when we rescued pigs from the flooding in southeastern Iowa."

While a historic shift has come to Washington on a campaign that had a central theme of "change," we humans are creatures of habit, and change in practice is harder to implement than change in theory. That is why it is more important than ever to be emblodended by victories such a Proposition 2 in California, and keep the fight going. The animals are depending on all of us.

Silk Soy Nog, A Festive Addition to Your Holiday Menu

Break out the nog. Silk soy nog is here again! Hooray! Traditional dairy eggnog has 6g of saturated fat and 75 mg of cholesterol per 1/2 cup serving, enough to drive Santa's cholesterol through the roof! Silk's version...zero grams of saturated fat and no cholesterol, and of course, no chickens or cows have to suffer.

Any gatherings you attend are a great opportunity to introduce co-workers or loved ones to new vegan products. I plan on bringing a carton to my office pot-luck party. Best yet, Silk nog is becoming widely available, and I found it in my local Stop & Shop and Shop-Rite supermarkets. I've even spotted soy pudding at Shop-Rite. Change is happening every day, and with our help, we can bring awareness to others how delicious and heart-healthy these products are.

Another Loss for Shelter Dogs

The first word (and second, and third) upon hearing that Vice President-elect Joseph Biden bought a 3-month-old male German shepherd from a Chester County, Pennsylvania breeder..."Why?!?" He had a nationwide platform to make a more compassionate, humane choice, yet he chose the vanity of his breed over common sense. I have just never understood people's obsession with having to buy a puppy. One more dog has to wait for his or her forever home, facing likely death, due to this reckless decision. Read PETA's take.



Shelter dogs lose out any time people patronize breeders or pet stores, typically supplied by grizzly puppy mills. Check out PETA's undercover puppy mill investigation, narrated by Charlize Theron.







PETA offers some ways to help.



"Shelter Dogs" is a soul-churning photography book featuring 50 beloved souls captured by Traer Scott. Some found their forever homes, and some went on, hopefully, to a better world than the one they knew here on earth. This book is available through the ASPCA website.

Pay a Bill, Spread a Message of Hope

Bill paying is never fun, but writing out a groovy check that support your animal rights message is. Message!Products offers personal checks, checkbook covers, and address labels from Farm Sanctuary, PETA, Best Friends Animal Society, and a host of other animal advocacy groups. While a small royalty of your purchase goes to your organization, the best motivation is advertising our cause each time we write a check. Learn more.

Blinders: The Truth Behind the Tradition

Don't miss this heart-breaking look at the plight of New York City carriage horses. Sadly romanticized by many and patronized by legions of tourists, the horse carriage trade has a very ugly side.

There are as many as 68 horses at a time on the crowded streets of New York City, who must evade cars, buses, and emergency vehicles, according New Yorkers Against Horse-Drawn Carriages. Last year, a mare, frightened by a street performer's drum, died after going into shock when she broke her leg after running into a tree. Meanwhile, a second horse bolted into a car. That incident came just as a NYC Comptroller audit concluded that horses work without sufficient access to water and shade or oversight from authorities.

The list of accidents and deaths goes on and on. Horses, who are extremely sensitive to loud noises and unexpected sounds, should not be subjected to lugging tourists around, just so they can get some delusional New York City experience.


Blinders the Movie site.

Fortunately, people are banding together to put this cruel practice to an end. Learn what you can do: Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. Also visit PETA:'s The Cruelty of Horse-Drawn Carriages.

Cranberry Scones

The Christmas tree is up, decorated and magically alive with lights. Now I can sit back and enjoy my efforts. Honestly, it becomes more difficult every year; this year I couldn't find the lights and completely lost a box of my favorite ornaments. I am ashamed to admit I gave up and bought new lights but thankfully my daughter discovered the precious (some of which she hand carried from a trip to Germany) box of ornaments buried in a back corner of my storage unit. I knew I had put them someplace safe and out of the way, but in the back corner under a pile of old clothes? Then, for the first time, I had to ask someone to help me put the tree in the stand. Growing older: it sucks.

My mother, as I have mentioned, was a superb cook and handled any number of people for dinner until one Christmas Eve when she turned to me with a slightly frantic look in her eyes and said: "My cake has not turned out right and the salad didn't gel. I didn't put the meat in at the right time and everything is a mess. I have to admit I am getting too old to manage dinner for our family." It upset her greatly and from that day until she passed away, my brother and his wife took over our Christmas Eve celebration and I had everyone at my house for Christmas Day dinner.

The reason I mention this is because my sister called last night and complained she thinks she has forgotten how to cook. Just making some cookies was a problem: she burned them twice and when she got a good batch, they didn't taste right. I reminded her of Mother's comment years ago and she laughed and agreed it comes to us all. Of course, she has six children and they come for the holidays with their spouses and children; however, I don't ever remember her saying she had these cooking problems before. Frankly I think there is just too much on her plate: decorating the tree and the house, wrapping gifts, attempting to get some of the cooking done in advance and into the freezer, planning breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the holiday week and trying to keep herself and everyone else full of the spirit of Christmas. Once everyone gets there, her daughters help but there are always weather worries in Michigan- will flights be delayed? Will we be making airport runs in the middle of the night?
My Christmas will not be so hectic; I will only have my daughter and son here this year as my oldest son and his family from Michigan were here for Thanksgiving. My daughter will be staying here, but likes to make her own breakfast and lunch. My son lives nearby, works nights in the ER of a local hospital and will only be joining us for our traditional Christmas morning brunch, then he will go home and go to bed. His night is our day. A difficult way to live, but he seems to thrive on it.

I like to try something new each year for our brunch. One thing I cannot change is the egg/cheese soufflé dish my children insist upon- now a tradition. It's a simple recipe I found in the 60's in the old Make It Now Bake It Later series. (I don't have a photo of it but will take one this year and post it and the recipe after Christmas.) We start off with a White Peach Bellini. Yum, shades of Venice! I found a source in California for white peach puree; it arrives frozen in a 30 ounce container. There is a minimum order so I suggest you get some friends together to share the cost with you. You can order online at http://perfectpuree.com/ or call them at 707-261-5100.

A couple days before you are going to use it, just remove it from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. Get a lovely bottle of prosecco and you are set to go. We like a couple tablespoons of the purée in the glass, then fill carefully with chilled prosecco. Stir gently. Sip with pleasure.

For brunch this year I decided on a fresh fruit platter and some cranberry scones to accompany our cheese soufflé. I've had the scone recipe for some time and served them for the first time at Thanksgiving breakfast; everyone loved them. I adore scones anyway and find these to be light, not too sweet, a little tart and altogether very festive. They really don't need butter either, but it's hard to resist.

Cranberry Scones

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, cold
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Method:
Place the cranberries in a food processor and pulse until they are crushed. Set aside.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in food processor. Pulse once and then cut up the butter and add. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix in cranberries, nuts and orange rind by hand. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn out on a floured board and roll out to a 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut out with a cookie cutter and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake in a 400° oven on a lower rack for about 15 minutes or until browned. Serve hot with butter and be ready for seconds.

Rainy Day, NYC

Wish I was sleeping in today, like my friends Charlie and Allie at the C.A.T.S. Resale Shop...

...after devouring a bagel with tofu cream cheese.

Bagel Maven, my nearby bagel place, sells plain tofu and tofu with scallion 'cream cheese'. Does your local haunt sell tofu cream cheese? Why not ask?

Visit Bagel Maven at 362 7th Avenue at 30th, New York City.

Farm Sanctuary Book Signing

Booklist called Gene Baur's book, "Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food" a "life-altering read." For me it was, literally. I was influenced to become a vegan by various elements, including a speech by Ingrid Newkirk and books such as Fast Food Nation, but it was a passage in Gene's book that completely put me off from egg consumption for good.

When talking about witnessing the practice of disposing of unwanted chicks in a device used for processing grain or sand, which is alarmingly ordinary in the trade, he writes, "What stays with me most is the terrible irony of these newly hatched chicks, symbols of spring and rebirth, who'd been driven to fight their way out of their shell by the instinct to live we all share, only to be ground up alive and turned into manure. And all because, in the industry's eyes, they have no value."

I had the pleasure of hearing Gene speak on his book tour at Borders Columbus Circle. He reiterated that sadly, 'bad has become normal' in the farming industry, but presented a message of hope. He raised our spirits, reminding us that change is incremental. Proposition 2 in California, a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters last November that bans the use of veal crates, gestation crates for breeding pigs, and battery cages for egg-laying hens, was an enormous victory, and it is just the beginning.

And he writes, in a sentiment we all need to be reminded of, that "animals show us the enjoyment of simple pleasure and of being in the moment. They teach us that we are of the world. And they tell us that, beneath the skin, we're all bodies together."


Order the book, and follow Gene Baur's blog.

The stars shined in Columbus Circle, and on Gene and the activists...

Not lucky enough to have caught Gene on his book tour? You can listen to his inspiring speech here.

Also, check out Gene's Post-Prop 2 Victory Interview:

Fundraiser for CAT at Su Restaurant in Edgewater, NJ

Meetup.com is a great way to network with other animal activists. Simply search by keywords such as "vegan" or "animal rights," enter your zip code, and you'll find groups with a common cause.

One of the meetup.com groups I belong to, HEARTS for Animals, sent out an invitation for a dinner to raise funds for Companion Animal Trust (CAT), a rescue group for strays. With all the gluttony that occurs in December, it certainly might as well be for a good cause.

Here are the details:
Where: Su Restaurant, an Italian and Asian-influenced vegetarian restaurant in Edgewater, NJ
When: Saturday, December 20 at 7 PM
Cost: $15-$20 (pay via individual checks)
Bring: a cash or check donation for CAT or one of the following most-needed gift items: cans of wet cat food, dry bag of cat food, toys for cats
BYOB: Bring your own beer, wine or other drink.

FLOW: An In-depth Look at the World Water Crisis

Yet more evidence that humans, nudged along in part by powerful corporations, are destroying the planet. FLOW (For Love of Water), Irena Salina's documentary, investigates the matter of the world's dwindling fresh water supply. Move this straight to the top of your Netflix queue.

Winter Wonderland

Last Thursday, animals lovers around NYC dined on vegan goodies, bid on artwork, and rubbed elbows with the likes of Corey Feldman, Tatum O'Neal, and Ally Sheedy at the Winter Wonderland fundraiser held by Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization.

I had the honor to work as a volunteer for the day. My reward, vegan pizza from Viva Herbal Pizzeria.


A silent auction featured everything from jewelry and cookbooks to original artwork.

A cool pig mosaic

Blackwell's Organic coffee gelato was a hit.

I finally got to sample some treats from Babycakes NYC. I taste-tested a chocolate chip cookie, a mini chocolate cupcake with mint frosting, and a mini-brownie. I was underwhelmed. Sweet Avenue Bake Shop in Rutherford, NJ is much better.

Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheese. A disclaimer: as a person of Swiss heritage, I have pretty high standards. This is a descent substitute. I did find it to have an odd fudge-like consistency, but some people swear by this stuff.

Party goers were given a bag of vegan loot for the road. I can't wait to try the Road's End Organics gravy mix, and to hang up my 2009 Farm Sanctuary rescue and refuge calendar.

Of course the reason for it all, to raise money for Farm Sanctuary residents.

A bit of Paris at Metro Marche

I am a true Frenchie at heart. I adore learning the language, enjoying the music and films, and the savoring of simple, rustic cuisine at little bistros and brasseries. Fortunately, NYC is filled with dining opportunities for those who can't make it to Paris. While I no longer work near Le Grainne Cafe, where I often lingered over a satisfying lunch of ratatouille, soup and salad, I recently got my French food fix at Metro Marche. Who knew a cute little brasserie was tucked away inside Port Authority of all places?

My favorite cocktail, a kir royale. Champagne with creme de cassis, a blackcurrant-flavored liqueur.

Tahini hummus with grilled pita. Who needs cheese? I could live on hummus alone.

Organic mesclun greens with oven roasted tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette. So simple, but so good.

Raspberry sorbet. A sweet ending to any meal.

Visit Metro March at Times Square, Port Authority, 625 Eigth Ave. at 41st St., New York, NY. Update: this charming establishment is now closed.
Visit Le Grainne Cafe at 183 Ninth Ave., New York, NY

After dinner, I went home and threw on some music from my favorite French chanteuse, Vanessa Paradis.

St Germain.

Society, you're a crazy breed

Environmental and animal exploitation, greed, materialism... all themes covered in this video that seems so appropriate for today's climate. Created by a user on Youtube, the video is set to the song "Society," performed by Eddie Vedder and written by Jerry Hannan for last year's haunting Into the Wild soundtrack. So many are just simply not heeding the warnings about what we are doing to our planet.


It's a mystery to me
we have a greed
with which we have agreed

You think you have to want
more than you need
until you have it all you won't be free

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me

When you want more than you have
you think you need
and when you think more than you want
your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place
'cos when you have more than you think
you need more space

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

there's those thinking more or less less is more
but if less is more how you're keeping score?
Means for every point you make
your level drops
kinda like its starting from the top
you can't do that...

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

society, have mercy on me
I hope you're not angry if I disagree
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

Fruit Salad

Fruit Salad with Limoncello
Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

7 ounces Greek yogurt (recommended: Fage Total)
1/3 cup good quality bottled lemon curd
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sliced strawberries ( 1 pint)
1 cup blueberries ( 1/2 pint)
1 cup raspberries (1/2 pint)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoon Limencello liqueur
1 banana, sliced
Fresh mint sprigs

Method:

For the lemon yogurt topping: stir together the yogurt, lemon curd, honey and vanilla until smooth. Set aside. You can leave it at room temperature, or make it ahead and refrigerate; but bring it to room temperature before serving.

Carefully toss the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sugar and Limencello. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 5 minutes. Fold in the banana just before serving.

I serve it in pretty glass bowls with some lemon yogurt on top; put the sauce on the table as well as everyone always wants more. Garnish with fresh mint sprig.

Vegan Gems at the Chelsea Market in NYC

Vegan delights are aplenty at the Chelsea Market in New York City. I worked right near the market for more than two years before we relocated to mid-town (sigh). Housed in the old Nabisco factory, the market is now a delightful collection of bakeries, restaurants, and other shops. Vegans will not go hungry!

Here are some of my favorite finds:
Amy's Bread
I loved their Parisian Breakfast with Cafe au Lait, which transported me right back to my trip to Paris. A half of a crusty baguette (hold the butter, bien sûr), served with a choice of Bonne Maman jam and a steaming bowl of Cafe au Lait (make that soy). They also have a great selection of vegan breads, as well a white bean sandwich and chickpea, roasted beet and quinoa salad, among others.

Ninth Street Espresso
No bitter tasting beans like you'll find at Starbucks. This is how espresso drinks are supposed to taste. Visit them for your soy cappuccino or soy mocha fix. The chocolate syrup is vegan (I had them check).

T Salon
A purveyor of teas and related accessories, there's a pleasant seating area in the back to enjoy a cup of tea and vegan baked good. Their selection varied greatly in my experience, and I was told they have a very small baker supplying them. I sampled the mixed berry scones and the divine red velvet cake.

The Green Table Restaurant
Menu varies daily, and always had a vegetarian (often vegan) entree and usually had a vegan soup. Expect to pay $5 for a cup of soup ($7 for a bowl) and about $16 for an entree. This was a wild mushroom hot pot with tofu.


L'Arte Del Gelato
Who needs gelato, when you've got refreshing, cruelty-free sorbet? Tucked away in the back of the market by Bowery Kitchen Supply, you'll find a few rotating flavors each day. Favorites include pear, peach, grapefruit and mixed berry. Ask for a small with two flavors, and you'll get a sample of a third flavor on top.

The Market also houses Hale & Hearty, a popular soup and sandwich chain which offers many non-dairy, vegetarian soups; the Manhattan Fruit Exchange; and is home to the Food Network headquarters. Maybe one day we'll get a vegetarian cooking show. Hey, one can dream.

Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue (Between 15th and 16th Streets), New York, NY. Open Monday-Saturday, 7am-10pm, Sunday, 8am-8pm.

An Action for Change at the U.S. Department of Agriculture

"What do you plan to do with all your freedom?"
the new sheriff said, quite proud of his badge
"You must admit the land is now in good hands"
yes, time will tell
Scarlet's Walk, by Tori Amos


One month ago, the future was still uncertain, and people were abuzz with personal and political activism. Now that major change has come to Washington, we cannot sit on the sidelines idly and miss this opportunity to lobby for a drastic shift of how farm animals are treated, or more appropriately, mistreated. Farm Sanctuary has a simple form letter you can fill out, urging the Obama administration, in the letter's wording "to appoint a Secretary of Agriculture who supports humane agricultural policies and will guide the Agency in a new direction, one that includes sustainable, organic farming and healthy, plant-based diets available to all Americans."

Armchair activism has benefited widely from the World Wide Web. Simply fill out your name, address, and e-mail, and your voice will be heard. What are you waiting for? Visit today.

Bread Pudding

My mother was a fantastic cook- not the C.I.A. trained chef kind, but an old fashioned, traditional home cook. Her mother once owned a bakery with her sister when they were young marrieds and years later, during my childhood, my grandmother lived with us for half the year. We never knew what delight would greet us when we walked into the kitchen-something different every day. Often homemade noodles (hanging over kitchen cabinet doors to dry) which she would boil briefly and then fry in butter with some shallots and Swiss cheese; another day we would find her scrumptious potato pancakes waiting for our lunch; the kitchen was always warm with the heavenly fragrance of whatever treat she had cooking: long johns, breads of all kinds, jams, cakes and pies to die for- the list goes on and on.
So my mother came by her cooking abilities naturally and she was inventive to boot, so when I got around to writing a family cookbook, I used many of her recipes. Those that were not hers were either her mother's or recipes from the many talented cooks she had as good friends, or gleaned from magazines and cookbooks (of which she had an enormous collection) as well as a result of the cooking classes she constantly took. But even then, she would alter the recipes in some way to make them even better.

Mother had been making bread pudding for years- the kind everyone made back then; it was delicious and it was comfort food. So simple to throw together: torn bread, a mixture of eggs, milk and vanilla poured over it and baked. We loved it. Poured cream all over it.

In the 80's, Mother read a book by Nora Ephron called Heartburn; somewhere in the book there was a recipe for bread pudding that intrigued her. Nora Ephron referred to it as caramelized mush. My sister and I were with her at the time and after hearing her read aloud the ingredients, we talked her into making it that very day. Ambrosia! How can I describe it best? It is a heavenly, fattening, gooey/crunchy bread pudding. We have never made any other kind of bread pudding since. Haven't even been tempted. It's so rich it really needs nothing on top (but we pour cream on it anyway) and it is impossible to stop opening the oven and breaking off the crunchy pieces on top while it is still baking. And it's actually good cold! Now that I'm drooling just thinking about it, here's the photo and recipe. Don't ever say I didn't do you a favor!

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 loaf good bread, torn in chunks (I use challah)
1 cup raisins
6 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla

Method:
With an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well mixed and add the eggs one at a time. Add the milk with the mixer on low then add all the remaining ingredients except the bread. Remove from the mixer and and then dump in the torn bread. Mix briefly and carefully.
Pour into a large buttered casserole. Bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours.
Stir thoroughly from bottom to top, including the sides, after the first hour.
Serve with cream, although it is rich enough to eat all by itself- the cream actually breaks up the sweetness.
This is really rich so serves perhaps 8-10.