Cuisine-nera In America: We've only just Vegan!

Last weekend's DREAM LOVE FESTIVAL was absolutely amazingly awesome. Well there is no other word to describe it because at my age, I was able to stay up for 24 hours straight. No kidding and I wasn't tired until I hit the sack which happened to be almost 7 in the morning. Honest!

I got my exact assignment a few days before the event, which was making 2 sumptuous vegan dinners for both Friday and Saturday nights. Since I work during the week, I pencil pushed, while hubby did the leg work by going to some farmers and reserving some organic produce. By thursday, with my boss' permission, I got off work earlier for the weekend. I then proceeded to shop for groceries in my list such as herbs, oils, nuts and dried fruits, since our menu had to be vegan and gluten free.
Logistics wise for the off premise site but a few minutes from party venue, I borrowed my son and daughter in law's kitchen.

I recall my catering days back in the Philippines, when I had so much help. The driver would get the produce after ordering them, the helpers would bring out the bowls, knives, etc.. and since we had so many parties then, the help knew what to do with the menu they were told. I also remembered what my grandmother use to tell me, “Use your mouth, not your hands,” which meant, delegate, communicate and control.

But here in America it was different. Involvement meant using your hands, feet and brain with very few words out of your mouth and your butt never saw a flat seat until the last tray of food for the party was out the door. But you know what? It's not about having to slave away, it's having the fun of a team getting your goals done. And that's just what we did that Friday.

With 2 new friends who studied in culinary school helping out, my hubby and I were able to come out with food enough to feed a community. And here was our menu and how it was described by the organizers:

(Friday) PHILIPPINO LOVE ROLLS: crunch into fresh cabbages, rice noodles, carrots, fresh mint, basil, cilantro and ginger in lime dressing. Served with your choice of peanut dipping sauce or soy dipping sauce

BEET ME with LOVE :  Excite your tastebuds with the flavors of red beets and red onions roasted in coconut oil and a citrus-cinnamon sauce.  

SWEETY APPLEDISIACS :  Work yourself up a bit with a generous bite of sweet potatoes and gala apples roasted in coconut oil and flavored with rosemary, oregano, summer savory, and sesame seeds

(Saturday) APHRODITES GREEN FEAST : Indulge yourself as you delight in the flavors of arugula and spinach accented with cranberries, bell peppers, chickpeas, seasoned with a fresh basil, rosemary, and garlic dressing, wrapped in a springroll and served with hummus sauce 

While preparing the above menu, we did a lot of talking and laughing, while staying focused with our assignments. Amidst culinarian chats, passing the bowls, and wrapping the rolls, it was like a kitchen game in play. It took us 8 straight hours to finish what needed to be done.

When the staff left bringing the food for the party that evening, it was then time for me to breathe. Relaxing was not yet on my mind since I had to clean the kitchen. It was almost midnight by the time I sat on my son's massage chair. My day was over and I was exhaustedly happy.

The next day, I started bright and early with last minute trips to the organic store nearby. I was getting ready for my mis en place, when I got a call from the organizers of the party. There seemed to be a change of strategy and that we had to slow down on some preparations. Unlike yesterday's upbeat atmosphere, today, things were done liesurely. I cancelled my helping hands for the day, and just concentrated with the best I could do, eliminating some dishes and doing what had already been prepared for that morning.

VEGAN cuisine isn't as easy as we think. It entails a lot of research from scrutinizing the origins of produce from farmers and interviewing their methods of farming, to the supplements each produce can offer in terms of balancing diets. A person's eating habits or preferences are crucial in maintaining a healthy life.

But whatever we put in our bodies by way of food, will always manifest itself. An omnivores diet has many degenerative diseases particularly associated with heart diseases, which a vegan diet does not have. There is nothing wrong with having a vegan diet. In fact many people embraced it as more healthy and invigorating. Just look at the cows and horses – we need them to supply us but they don't need us to nourish them.

Embracing the vegetarian diet sans animal products does not necessarily automatically make us vegans, just like eating kosher food does not makes us Jews. There is a lot to educate ourselves in this kind of practice, and I am happy to say, we've only just vegan!!!!