Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Few of my Favorite Things

Lately, there's a few things I just can't seem to get enough of:

1. Coconut Sorbet 
Seriously guys, if you're not already on this train, you need to get on it immediately. I've tried a couple different brands: Sharon's Sorbet and Ciao Bella and they're both equally snack-tastic. Coconut sorbet is sweet, creamy and coco-nutty, but without any dairy. Totally vegan-friendly. And once it actually feels more like spring/summer, TOTALLY refreshing. Feel free to mix it into summer cocktails, and report back here with your findings. 

2. Soy Chorizo
I found this gem at Trader Joe's, and bought it before I knew what I'd do with it. Upon a friend's suggestion, we used it for breakfast burritos. (Sorry no pics! We were too hungry!) Ken crumbled the chorizo with some frozen, sliced peppers and scrambled in an egg, then wrapped it all up in a flour tortilla topped with salsa and some tofutti sour cream, and fried spicy potatoes on the side. NOM NOM NOM. (To keep it vegan, just leave the egg out. It'll still be tasty!) On a related note, Maggie, I'd like to hire you to be my snack advisor again pleaseandthankyou. 

3. Bananas
I'm serious.

4. Animal Shaped Sandwiches
You know you're jealous.

5. Asian Supermarkets
As far as I can tell, South Philadelphia has a larger Asian population than Chinatown. There's some areas down here (specifically on Washington, and some other spots closer to Oregon), that feel like little Saigon/Hanoi/Phnom Penh. Know what that means? Lots of Asian markets. They're the best. Cheap produce, cheap tofu, strange smells, more tea than you can shake a stick at, and Japanese Candy. Like Yan Yan. Which has become my favorite thing on the planet this month. Cardboard Crispy cracker stick with some kind of chocolate cream dip. Like Dunkaroos. But better. Much Better.
These things aren't vegan. They're not particularly tasty. So why do I love them so? For the "fun lines" of course! 
Any teachers out there? You might want to pick these up as an educational aid. Especially for that mole-in-a-hole lesson you had planned. 
I think they may have been watching Arrested Development when they made the chicken one. Seriously though, my favorite is probably: STAG BEETLE- LOVE IT. Is it a declaration or a command? My hope is that someone out there is really passionate that the stag beetle needs some love too, and finally found their platform. That's the explanation that helps me sleep at night. 
The moral of the story is: next time you're in need of a snack and some entertainment, head to your nearest neighborhood Asian market. You won't be disappointed. Pinky swear. 

That's what I'm obsessed with this week. What's on your list?

8 comments:

  1. 1. Cold-brewed iced coffee (recipe on smitten kitchen)

    2. The coconut shake at the Vietnamese place down the street from my apartment

    3. David Tennant as Doctor Who (I have found something else for my rabid fandom to occupy itself with) Some of the episodes are written by the guy who wrote for the series Coupling- and his gift for writing ludicrous scenarios and side splitting hilarity are still strong.

    4. Bike rides around ABQ

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  2. STAG BEETLE LOVE IT

    is definitely my favorite, its like some drunk joke i would make up

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  3. Coconut and rabid fandom! They're sweeping the nation!

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  4. "STAG BEETLE LOVE IT" needs to be on a t-shirt somewhere. Also, I think I'm going to use "PANDA GO FOR MORE" as my "I'm still hungry and need more food (to soak up the beer)" expression. Expect to hear it at a South Philly drinking establishment in the near future.

    What am I obsessed with this week?

    1. Colleen's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Awesomes.

    2. Bread Top House, the Asian bakery near my office, because a) they have thai iced tea with tapioca pearls, b) instead of using a lid, they seal the bubble tea with a Hello Kitty wrapper. (STAG BEETLE LOVE IT)

    3. Dogfish Head Pale Ale. No joke. I got a 6-pack (at the Wegmans in Dickson City!) and it's delicious.

    4. The blackberry jam from Green Aisle Grocery. (I think it's made by Baker-E?) A few weeks ago I brought home a jar of it and a loaf of Italian bread from Le Bus and I was the happiest toast-and-jam-eating girl in the world. Maybe I can bring some to the next Picnic???

    P.S. Your octopus-shaped sandwich made my day. I'm totally calling you to request one next time I'm sick at home with a headcold.

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  5. Sarah, please start saying PANDA GO FOR MORE on a regular basis. PLEASE.

    Also, obviously, we need to make octopus sandwiches using this blackberry jam for the next Picnicing club meeting. ADD IT TO THE LIST.

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  6. Okay, I stopped by Green Aisle after the gym tonight, and they didn't have any more blackberry jam. Baroooooo... I bought strawberry rhubarb instead.

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  7. I want sandwiches shaped like animals!!! Yan Yan is yummy. I worked at a supermarket when I was younger and we sold them.

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  8. The market I hit in Chinatown has the only soda I like... its in a clear can and apple flavored.
    That and a bag of the crab & shrimp flavored chips are a great snack!

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