Another Survey!

Thanks to Jess, we have another Mofo filler post :) I'm nowhere near the 20 posts minimum, but I have good excuses (like getting excited about interviews ;-) oh, and work, life... chinchillas?!).

1. What was the most recent tea you drank?
Coffee-strong South Indian tea from denn's biomarkt. I go through those tea phases where I obsess about one brand. I realize black tea isn't the healthiest option, but I'm healthy enough already!

2. What vegan forums do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill!
I'm pavotrouge pretty much everywhere. I'm registered with the PPK and VFF but I barely post. I occasionally post on vegan.de. My home forum is www.veganforum.com, which surprisingly seems very unknown among bloggers.

3. You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first?
Pizza with tofu ricotta.

4. How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day?

It feels like there are billions in my reader, honestly there are about 60-80. I don't read them every day but skim them all once a week when I can afford to hang out online (read: weekend days).

5. Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read?
I can't really tell, see 4.)

6. If you could hang out with a vegan blogger that you haven’t met, who would it be, and what would you do?

I'd like to meet up with bazu now she's in England :) But I haven't met any vegan bloggers so I'd be happy to meet any at all!

7. If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trilogy – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be?

Seitan, because it's the easiest to modify and can be used in so many different cuisines. I love tempeh but it's hard to get your hands on here and I don't care too much for tofu.

8. If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be?
Tempeh, because I know many people who are scared of it.

9. Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice!
Tempeh cacciatore from Vegan Planet, Tempeh chili spring rolls and pizza with simple Italian marinated tempeh (seems like all I ever think about is pizza...)

10. What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing?
Two recipes have been in my bookmarks for the last couple of weeks, but I'm too lazy to get all ingredients together: Seitan bratwurst patties and Civet of Seitan.

11. Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them?
Loads. I have a herbivore sweater and tshirt (which cost me $$$ import taxes!), another black AR-themed sweater and countless tshirts.

12. Have you made your pilgrimage to the ‘vegan mecca’ yet? (Portland, duh)
Portland? London is the vegan mecca!

13. What age did you first go vegan? Did it stick?
Properly vegan, as in grasping the whole ethics? When I was 18, and it's been lasting until now.

14. What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it?
Christmas dinner from work, two years ago. The salad and dessert was better than the regular menu, but the entree was three roasted baby tomatoes, and a "ratatouille" of 2 slices of courgette and a bell pepper with some rosemary thrown onto it. I was endlessly bland and I grabbed some neat Thai curry on my way home because I was still hungry.

15. What made you decide to blog?
I had a blog before but somehow lost the incentive to post. Then I got excited about veganism, cooking and everything and decided I'll feel better if I am actually contributing instead of wasting time online. Also, people kept asking me to share recipes and I got tired of writing them down each time.

16. What are three of your favorite meals to make?

1.pizza 2. pizza. 3. pizza

just kidding- though I love pizza a lot.

My favourite things to make might be:

1. Thai curry

2. vegan Katsudon

3. Fattoush - Lebanese bread salad

17. What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck?
Apart from never having celebrated Thanksgiving?

18. Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it?

Simplistic pasta al' arrabiata at Vapiano. I know it's easy to make yourself but they have the best, freshest pasta in the world. I've probably eaten it 50 times in the last three years.

19. What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is?
I love Vapiano, an Italian cafeteria-style restaurant where everything is prepared fresh and right in front of your eyes. Plus, their prices (and wines!) can't be beaten. Half of their pasta dishes are vegan (if you tell them not to put parmesan cheese on top at the end). They're going to open their first US branches in early 2009.

20. My kitchen needs ………
Hum... I'm really self-sufficient and happy with the way things are. There are a lot of fancy gadgets but before I can fit any of these in, I'd need a bigger kitchen.

21. This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen…..!
Savoy cabbage. There used to be many veggies I didn't like when I first moved into my own place, and I love most of them now. But this thick icky-textured cabbage that tastes like dirt shall be banned!

22. What’s for dinner tonight?
Thai noodle soup.

23. Compose your perfect vegan sandwich, right now.
Ciabatta bread, red pepper hummus, lots of olives, Italian marinated tempeh, tomatoes and pickled zucchini.

24. Add a question here!
Duh. Not again :) If there are questions, use the comment function and I'll gladly answer.

Another me me...

My weekend plan (i.e. no plan for the weekend!) worked out and I got some proper cooking, baking, cleaning and planting done, as well as recipe copying and other stuff.

Next week is going to be full of blogging events that I don't want to miss out on... so come on, camera, re-charge your batteries quickly...

Until then, I'll bore you with this year's mofo survey by
Food Snobbery is my Hobbery

1. Name a song that involves food in some way.

Die Banane - Die Ärzte (yes, a song called "the banana")

2. What criteria do you use when choosing a new cookbook to buy?

I don't go for the books with fancy covers or lots of pictures, though I like a certain DIY-look as with everything I buy. When browsing for books, it's important that the recipes match the way I cook. Buying Western-centered books is a waste of money for me as I never ever try things, or if I do, don't really like them.
There are a few exceptions, but mostly, I'll be happy with Asian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cookbooks.

Another thing that's probably odd is that I like books that have a certain touch to them, for example a cloth-bound cover instead of a paperback.

3. What did you eat today?

Thai rice and mushroom coconut soup

4. Name a vegan food that you know exists but you have never tried.

Fiddlehead Ferns

5. The Food Network just called and needs you to start your new show tomorrow. What will the title of the show be?

I beg you pardon, mainstream TV?!

6. Favorite hot sauce or other spicy condiment?

Asian "Sweet Chili Sauce for chicken" (best without chicken!)

7. How old were you when you became vegetarian/vegan?

after having tried different stages of vegetarianism and going back to an omni diet every now and then, I went vegan shortly before I turned 19.

8. Favorite vegan cheeze?

Veganwonderland's "Keehse", in fact the only one that I'll eat.

9. Cutest baby animal?

Guinea pigs, because they're just like miniature versions of the grown up piggies.

10. Favorite type of jam/jelly/marmalade/preserves?

Homemade elderberry... morello cherry... my own Bratapfel-rum jam... can't choose.

11. Do you take any vitamins/supplements?

I buy some VEG1 every now and then, but don't worry if I run out because I eat plenty of fortified food (making Alpro rich...)

12. What food/dish most embodies the Fall season?

Apple strudel, vegetable soups.

13. What food would you have a hard time living without?

Pasta, and I mean the real stuff. Gluten-intolerance would be so hard for me! Also a life without green tea, olives and red wine.

14. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
tea, mostly green and herbal teas but I enjoy some chai or a good cuppa black tea every now and then, too.

15. It's 10PM and you're starving. What do you eat?

that's what pasta was made for. It's strange buy I have to eat something after 10 PM or I'll wake up in the night, starving. So if I don't have any leftovers, I'll cook some spaghetti and have them with arrabiata sauce or olive oil, chili and garlic. Fruit or veg won't fill that nightly vegan eating machine up!

16. If you have an animal companion, what is his/her favorite food?

Raisins are crack to chinchillas. Seriously.

17. Worst injury you've gotten in the kitchen?

None... though people always fear I'll hurt myself and tell me I look clumsy in the kitchen.
Now that's the reason why I don't own a proper chef's knife!

18. When you have a food-related question, who do you call?
Usually the Internet, or my friend Dan or Yu who are both fantastic, yet omni cooks.

19. Summer is ending- What food will you miss most?

This summer's harvest was disappointing, so there's nothing I'm going to miss. Usually I'd mourn over the last lovely tomatoes and cherries.

20. What snacks do you keep in your purse/backpack/desk at work?

None, as shops are really close and I can go out buy something if I really fancy it. We're a health-conscious bunch so we usually have fruit and maybe even some salad ingredients in the office at all times. Plus, there's bento.

21. Favorite soup to make on a rainy day?

Dhal or minstrone. Any day!

22. What's your favorite combination of fresh vegetable and/or fruit juices?

Ew. I just can't have vegetable juices. I like mango-apple, though.

23. Favorite brand of root beer?
No root beer round here!

24. Make up your own question!

Favourite Breakfast?
Soup! Doesn't matter if it's leftover veggie soup or Japanese/Thai-ish breakfast soup.