I know people expect me to write about food. But this is related – because everything is. Honestly. This is a tale of how a jam-packed day starting with my son’s college graduation in one town was supposed to end with me hosting my youngest daughter’s pre-prom party at our home 150 miles away, and how I missed my own party. It’s also about my new and wonderful all-electric car, Tesla’s Model S. And my first “I knew-it-was-coming” moments of being an early adopter. You know what I’m talking about. The day before starting out promising. We opted to take the Tesla to Merced, a cow-poke town in central California where the newest University of California, in its 8th year ... Read More
Getting a Charge
May 19, 2013 By 2 Comments
I know people expect me to write about food. But this is related – because everything is. Honestly. This is a tale of how a jam-packed day starting with my son’s college graduation in one town was supposed to end with me hosting my youngest daughter’s pre-prom party at our home 150 miles away, and how I missed my own party. It’s also about my new and wonderful all-electric car, Tesla’s Model S. And my first “I knew-it-was-coming” moments of being an early adopter. You know what I’m talking about. The day before starting out promising. We opted to take the Tesla to Merced, a cow-poke town in central California where the newest University of California, in its 8th year ... Read More
To Chloe: Learning “Bark”
April 18, 2013 By 19 Comments
As I sat outside today sipping my red wine, watching the honeybees flit around the lavender in the late afternoon sun, all I could think was what a perfect day it was to die. Close by, she lay on her doggie bed, looking as if she was peacefully sleeping. The pool of blood that had collected under her bottom defied her otherwise dignified looks. She couldn’t help it that she was bleeding internally. She had held it back as long as she could. When it first started, she had licked it up so as not to cause worry. Then yesterday, it was too much. It just came pouring out. I guess that was the “sign” I had been waiting for. ... Read More
Tuscan Hills – My Oldest Appetizer
February 22, 2013 By 2 Comments
As promised in my last post, here is the second recipe in the appetizer episode of Miyoko’s Kitchen. Alas, I have no picture, so you’ll just have to see what they look like in the video! A quick description of their appearance, however, is a little reddish, round mound on a round croute. Descriptive, I know. This is perhaps the oldest appetizer in my repetoire. I don’t know why I didn’t include it in the first edition of my first cookbook, The Now and Zen Epicure, 23 years ago. It didn’t make it into the revised 2001 edition, either. Perhaps I thought it was too simple. But I have been making it for years, and it has been a fallback ... Read More
Mango, Daikon, and Avocado Spring Rolls with Ume Lime Dip
February 16, 2013 By 2 Comments
I promised myself when I updated my website a couple of months ago that I would start to blog regularly and fill my site with recipes. I am guilty of not keeping my promise. Part of the problem is that I am not a naturally inclined photographer, so that no matter how many dishes I may come up with, pictures don’t get taken. My teens bemoan the lack of photos from certain key moments in their lives when their Japanese mom, who due to her ethnicity alone should have a camera dangling from her neck at all times, forgot to bring the camera. Even with my smartphone, I often forget to snap a photo. Each time I see a another ... Read More
More Cheesy Tips
February 7, 2013 By 53 Comments
I thought I’d revisit in a blog post about some of the most common questions I keep getting from vegan cheesemakers all over the world. I keep experimenting and developing newer methods, techniques, and flavors, and while it’s not possible for me to send out an addendum answering the most frequently asked questions, I can address them here. So I’ll just jump right in… 1. Rejuvelac. I know, I know. Everyone seems to struggle with this (well, not everyone). But here’s the first thing to remember: it takes anywhere from 4 to 7 days, depending on the grain you use. I’ve found quinoa, rye, and wheat berries to be the easiest to sprout. Don’t mix your grains, and make sure ... Read More
Game Day Fare – BBQ Ribs
January 30, 2013 By 11 Comments
I hate being typecast. Because I’m Japanese, some people once thought I only cooked Japanese food, especially as I had written a Japanese cookbook. Now that I’m known for Artisan Vegan Cheese, people think I gorge on cheese all the time. But I don’t. I eat mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Fresh, simple, everyday stuff, from juices and smoothies to salads and stir-fry. Like a lot of other vegans. Still, when I cook for others, my leanings are Italian and French, and I’ll tinker in the kitchen creating the perfect repast. I’m not your veggie burger and vegan bufflao wings gal. But Super Bowl Sunday is coming up, and my husband likes his grub. Yesterday, smiling sweetly, he put in his order. To me, not the ... Read More
A Better Buffalo Mozzarella
January 28, 2013 By 81 Comments
I am forever experimenting, trying to emulate and improve upon my own recipes. After developing my first vegan buffalo mozzarella several years ago, I was thrilled and happily served it to countless people, who seemed as thrilled as me. Then came the person – an omnivore – who was brutally honest. “The flavor is good, very close to the real thing, but the texture is nothing like buffalo mozzarella.” My heart sank. Other omnivores had found it delicious, I said to myself, yet I knew deep down that this one discerning individual was right. The texture needed improvement. The article I penned for the fall 2012 issue of VegNews afforded me the opportunity to revamp the recipe. As often happens, I ... Read More
Buche de Noel or Just the Lightest Vegan Chocolate Cake
December 29, 2012 By 7 Comments
I can’t wait until next Christmas. With New Year’s around the bend, the holidays are about over, and the most glorious dessert I had all season is all gone. Lucky I took a few photos of it before it disappeared. I have been baking yule logs for years, but this year, I tried a new approach that yielded spectacular results. It’s a challenge to create a vegan spongecake that rolls up beautifully, as it is usually eggs that provide the architectural structure that allows for the rolling while maintaining a lightness and airiness. I’ve been baking vegan meringues all year, and decided to apply that principle to a sponge roll. Likewise, I wanted a filling and frosting that would be light yet ... Read More
Coconut Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Hint of Lemon
December 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
I know that’s a mouthful of a name for a soup, but I wanted to capture all of the flavors in it. I served this for Christmas dinner, and everyone loved it, including my seven-year-old niece who confided that she generally doesn’t like spicy things, but this was so good she was going to take small sips. Then she had a second bowl. Delicious enough for a special dinner, but easy enough to make for any weeknight, this soup is a real winner. Coconut Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Hint of Lemon Recipe Type: Soups & Salads Author: Miyoko Schinner Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 40 mins Serves: 8 This exquisite soup with layers of ... Read More
Duxelles for Everything – even Truffled Seitan
December 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Oh, dear. I fear that I rushed to post the Truffled Seitan recipe, and in doing so, left in a mention of the “mushroom juice from the duxelles” that I had meant to delete. Naturally, several people have already asked me about this. What are duxelles? They are among one of the most wonderful things in the world. And we have the French to credit for this. Finely minced mushrooms are squeezed dry, then sauteed with shallots and herbs, and maybe even a splash of brandy or sherry, to yield an intense mushroom flavor that will serve as a filling for all manner of things from crepes, lasagna, tarts, potstickers, or how about Truffled Seitan? The extracted juices also pack ... Read More
