The Biggest Food Issue Ever!

VegNews‘ annual food issue is always packed to the brim with the stuff I love most- recipes, restaurant reviews, new products, and more- and the September/October 2011 issue does not disappoint. For this particular two-month stretch, I had the tasty task of photographing quite a few of the featured foods as well. Seeing my work in print a few days early at Vida Vegan, via the generous free magazines being doled out to entice new subscribers, I was especially delighted at how well these particular images were reproduced in paper and ink. On the menu for these two months are…

Kati rolls by Terry Hope Romero, otherwise titled Chile Potato Wraps for a more straight-forward approach when the relatives give you strange looks at the diner table. Consider essentially bundling up spicy and fragrant mashed potatoes in soft, freshly handmade flat bread, and it’s easy to imagine that this as an Indian version of comfort food. It may take a bit more effort than a pile of plain old buttery spuds, but the flavors and varied textures are completely incomparable.

Gobi Manchurian by Robin Robertson, a dish new to me this time around, proved to be the sleeper hit of the batch. Crispy-fried cauliflower dressed up in a mouth-tingling hot tomato sauce with Asian inspirations? Yes please, and leave room for seconds! Traditionally chopped up into florets, this version is served up as whole cauliflower “slabs” to make it into more of a meal or side dish, rather than a mere bar snack.

Classic but always welcome when done right, French Onion Soup by Allison Rivers Samson is incredibly rich for having such humble beginnings. The key, of course, is slow simmered caramelized onions to make up the savory base- Time is your most important ingredient on this heart-warming soup.

Time for dessert! What could be better than Gluten-Free Trail Mix Cookies by Beverly Lynn Bennett? Taking a more controlled approach to the “kitchen sink” concept, each bite brings new fruits and nuts into the mix, making every cookie unique and delicious. Although this particular photo was mislabeled, I assure you, I was the photographer (and baker!) of this short stack.

Finally, one of the simpler but more fun photo shoots of the bunch, I got to set a whole bunch of marshmallows on fire with a torch! Dandies marshmallows to be specific, all stacked up in toasty, gooey s’mores. If you haven’t gotten your s’more on over a summer campfire yet, VegNews is here to remind you that it’s never to late for some mallow-and-chocolate action come colder months.