Tag: copycat

Pour Choices

Though I may technically be an 80’s baby, I just barely made the cut, and by all accounts, I missed the best parts. I was still in diapers when big hair and even bigger shoulder pads were already going out of style; my memories begin not with neon excess or synth-soaked rebellion, but with their faded echoes. Through cultural osmosis, I gradually inherited the decade like a rumor, absorbing it secondhand through Reading Rainbow reruns and “oldies” radio stations. What I never got was a taste of the food, and more specifically, the school cafeteria fare.

Pourable Pizza, now the stuff of legends, never made it to my lunch tray. Served for a fleeting moment in time, the most cited recipe dates back to 1988. Though it sounds like genuine slop, the worst part is the name, since it’s simply composed of a liquid, no-knead dough that can be quickly and easily distributed between sheet pans and baked en masse. Topped with tomato sauce and copious amounts of cheese, the crust offered little resistance, both to tiny teeth and picky eaters. Was it the healthiest thing? No, but did we care in that era? Not really. You could claim it contained grains, vegetables, and dairy, which was good enough for the USDA.

Now, almost 40 years after that legacy was established and driven by anemoia, I’m inexorably drawn to such a foreign yet familiar concept. Surely, Pourable Pizza could never exist like this again, not in its original form, and still it lives on in the minds of many. Spurred on by cravings, boredom, and frugality, I decided to revise the concept for my fellow adult children.

My rendition is fiercely loyal to the title, adding a layer of pourable vegan cheese on top to seal the deal. Shredded mozzarella? Nah, we can do one better, leveraging the inherent richness of tahini and nutritional yeast to whip up a liquid topping for our liquid foundation. Now that I’m writing that out loud, is this the liquid lunch of our generation?

Whichever generation finds this and takes it in as their own, may it feed their memories with equal measures of comfort and curiosity. May it taste like recess you didn’t quite have, a past you only half remember, and a future that feels less rigid than the rules we grew up with. This isn’t an attempt to recreate history so much as to make peace with it, to ladle something soft and sustaining into the gaps where experience should have been. Even when the decade is borrowed, the memories aren’t quite your own, and the pizza is poured, the comfort is real, and that’s enough.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)10 Comments

The X Factor

I know, I’m a cheap date, but one of my favorite things at Eldorado Cafe is completely free. The first basket brimming with tortilla chips arrives sometimes before you even secure a seat, no questions asked, aside from which type of salsa you want. From mild to wild, there’s not a single wrong answer, and it would serve you well to double down with an extra order or two. However, I can confidently say that Salsa X, which falls in the middle of the road in terms of heat, is absolutely at the top of the hierarchy.

What is Salsa X?

Salsa X could easily be overlooked. Rusty orange, emulsified to a creamy consistency, it’s smooth aside from some flecks of charred chilies and spice. Unadorned and unpretentious, the flavors speak for themselves. Deeply roasted tomatoes, ripe with umami, meet with a gradual heat that builds to a comfortable smolder. Balanced by acidity to cut through the richness of the roasted elements, there’s a subtle, natural sweetness that smooths out the edges, preventing any bitterness from creeping in. For something so simple, it’s remarkably layered in complex flavor.

Taking second place twice in the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival for the restaurant red sauce category, I know I’m not alone in my obsession. Still, no one seems to have quite cracked the code for a perfect replica, nor even figured out why it’s called “Salsa X.” I can’t help with the latter, but I’d like to take a shot at the former.

Making Salsa X at Home

To reverse engineer this Tex-Mex masterpiece, we need to start at the source. A bit of internet sleuthing reveals the base ingredients: tomato, onion, garlic, chile de arbol, chile morita, water, oil, salt. From there, it strikes me as having a similar construction as doña sauce, replacing the fresh jalapeño with toasted chilies, and roasting up tomatoes and onions for a bit more body. Could it really be that simple?

I would never be so bold as to say that it’s perfect replica. I would, however, say that it’s pretty damn close. Smooth, subtly smoky, and savory, with heat that slowly blooms, but never overwhelms.

Every ingredient, few as they are, carries incredible weight in the final blend. Technique is just as important too; this is no dump-and-stir recipe. Take time to properly roast the vegetables and toast the chilies, and your patience will be rewarded. Restaurants benefit from scale, equipment, and repetition that’s hard to match, but home cooks have the upper hand when it comes to attention to detail. You have the power to adjust to taste, either in the heat or consistency, until it’s just right. Maybe, you’ll end up with something entirely different, in a good way. Maybe you’re just a step away from discovering Salsa Y or Z.

Until Eldorado Cafe takes mercy on us salsa-lovers and bottles the stuff for sale nationwide, I’m reasonably content with my copycat, interspersed with visits for the real deal, of course.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments

Terry-bly Good Veggie Burgers

Few veggie burgers carry such mystique and acclaim as the patty from P. Terry’s. As a throwback to simpler times, it’s all substance, no style, and proud of it. It doesn’t try to emulate meat, yet regularly wins over proud carnists, at least for one meal. Many would say it’s the best veggie burger in the city, which is a tall claim for a $5 meal, fully loaded. Still, it bums me out.

Plant-Forward, Not Plant-Based

The veggie burger from P. Terry’s is not vegan. It’s not a matter that removing the top slice of American cheese can remedy; these legendary patties come with two additional types of shredded cheese baked right inside, enmeshed into the very fiber of that brown rice base. Vegetarian, yes; vegan, no.

Possibilities Frozen In Time

What’s more infuriating is that it doesn’t have to be this way. They’ve proven they have the technology! For a time span so short that it seemed like a fever dream, P. Terry’s started selling frozen veggie burger patties at select Whole Foods, including the original, AND a fully plant-based version using Daiya vegan cheese! Did anyone ever find them in stores? The records are lost to time. I certainly missed out on the opportunity, and they were never offered as a menu item in restaurants.

Deconstructing Ingredients

Though frustrating, the hype surrounding the dairy-filled classic has created a long paper trail of evidence for deconstruction. Their own website lists the ingredients as follows:

crimini mushrooms, heavy cream, black beans, brown rice, cheddar cheese, onion, mozzarella cheese, eggs, whole wheat flour, oats, parsley, corn starch, salt, garlic powder

Despite some conflicting evidence from a video posted to Facebook, showing the inclusion of bulgur, I believe the above to be true and accurate. Maybe they were just trying to throw us off the trail, because it’s otherwise too easy. I’m onto your tricks, Mr. Terry.

Starting From Scratch

Simple, comforting, and distinctly wholesome, this is a burger meant to taste homemade. For working people who don’t have the luxury of time to make their own, and would honestly rather not be eating fast food, that’s the whole appeal. Lightly crisped on the outside and soft on the inside, the standard array of crisp lettuce, tomato, onion, and “special sauce” create a satisfying contrast that brings it all together. Perhaps it’s special because it’s un-special, or vice versa?

As a vegan, it’s hard not to feel a little burned by the P. Terry’s veggie burger. With such thoughtful composition, respects paid to classic meatless patties of the 70’s and 80’s, and all that mouthwatering hype, it feels like a huge miss to keep dairy and eggs at its core.

Fast Food Meets Slow Food

For those of us on the outside looking in, there’s power in reinterpretation. The original’s legacy has created a clear blueprint, ripe for the taking. It may never show up on the P. Terry’s menu board, but some legends are best when you make your own.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments

Crunch Time

I love cabbage. I don’t care how weird or uncool that makes me; I will never hide my penchant for these leafy brassicas. Look, I get the stigma, having historically been the food of peasants, the tragically poor and déclassé. After centuries of disrespect, I’d like to think I’m seeing glimmers of hope on the horizon for the humble cabbage.

That’s where the Crunchy Cabbage Salad at Loro comes in. For a place that bills itself as an Asian smokehouse and bar, they sure do know their way around the produce department. I was instantly smitten with their oak grilled snap peas that graced the menu over the summer, but this salad turned out to be the real sleeper hit. Arriving at the table showered with lemon zest, fresh mint, and candied cashews, the interplay of sugar and salt, crunchy and creamy, is exactly what makes it so compelling.

Gossamer-thin strands of shredded red cabbage intertwine with lightly pickled cucumbers and bites of tender green cabbage, sweet and mild, crisp yet somehow juicy. Coated in a cashew-ginger vinaigrette, the dressing has body from just a roasted cashew butter, preventing it from becoming cloying or heavy. Brightened by the fresh, raw spice and citrus, it’s the kind of condiment you’ll want on hand at all times. Go ahead, start mentally doubling or tripling that recipe right now to save the rest for later.

Loro keeps their secrets well, so I couldn’t get the official formula out of them. No matter; nothing will stand in the way of my love for cabbage. This is my take on the concept, with the added benefit of making about four times as much for a quarter of the price. Going slightly off-script, I found that smoked cashews add an even more compelling dimension, but simple roasted cashews would be equally satisfying.

Above all else, the real star of the show is the cabbage. Standing tall like fragile, tender greens never could, it’s a salad that travels well, keeps well, and quite simply won’t let you down.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Oat-standing Granola

Great granola is a timeless staple.

Always humble, all it takes are some oats and creativity to make a treat that suits all cravings, needs, and constraints. When you hit upon a formula for thick, resoundingly crunchy clusters, gently kissed with sweetness, you won’t soon forget it. That’s why I still think of the granola by Belinda Leong from b. patisserie. Though not naturally vegan, I recall she created a special, secondary version to accommodate while working an event in San Francisco, so many years ago.

Was I the photographer? Prep cook? Stylist? Was this an awards ceremony? A press event? A cooking demo? I honestly can’t recall. The actual event has become lost in the morass of memories that blur and blend in my mind. What’s important is that I know this was the only vegan option there, so naturally, it captured my attention.

Exhibiting remarkable balance for such a simple breakfast treat, it’s the attention to detail that amplifies flavors and textures beyond their simple beginnings. Remarkably light, airy, shatteringly crisp, the texture is really what makes it so special. It’s otherwise a simple affair, accentuated by toasted sliced almonds, making it buttery like a delicate almond croissant. Notes of toffee, caramel, and malt intertwine, crafting a taste sensation that could just as well top an elegant parfait or sundae. Granola isn’t just for breakfast anymore.

Make It Your Own

Adapted from the recipe found on Food & Wine, this essential formula is ripe for experimentation.

Consider adding any of the following, to taste:

  • Dried fruits, like raisins, chopped dates, cherries, blueberries, or chopped apricots
  • Seeds, like pepitas, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or chia seeds
  • Spices, like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, allspice, or cloves
  • Chocolate chips or chunks
  • Coconut flakes or shreds

Some easy ideas for substitutions include:

  • Instead of almonds, swap out part or all for pistachios, cashews, pecans, or walnuts
  • Instead of brown sugar, use date sugar or coconut sugar
  • Instead of vegan butter, use coconut oil
  • Instead of maple syrup, use agave nectar or vegan honey

If this granola looks incredibly simple, even basic, you’re not wrong. As a celebration of quality ingredients and the skill it takes to bring the best out of each, that’s part of the appeal.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Green Evolution

Green milk is a symbolically loaded concept. As a kid, it was an indicator of St. Patrick’s Day, offering an artificially festive hue to the same old swill peddled by overworked cafeteria staff everyday. To those in the Star Wars fandom or Disneyland devotes, it’s a novelty drink paying homage to the supposedly nutritious green-colored milk produced by female thala-sirens. In reality, that manifests as a non-dairy frozen beverage with tropical citrus notes.

Neither of these are the green milk that I have in mind. I can clearly remember my first encounter as a new resident of San Francisco when it stopped me in my tracks. Scrambling to find a reasonable meal between classes, I had just stepped off a sweaty, overcrowded BART ride and into the attached basement food court of the Westfield Mall. There, front and center, was the most magical elixir my young eyes had laid eyes on.

Pale pistachio in color, pouring as smooth and rich as liquid silk, every sip was like a hit of pure dopamine. Sweet but not sugary, creamy but not cloying, subtly seasoned but far from bland, it sang with the floral flavor of vanilla while silently packing in the potent nutrition of dark leafy greens. For a brief moment in time it was also offered in soft serve form which allowed additional toppings like sea salt, almond butter, and fresh raspberries (my personal favorite combination) to further enhance the experience.

While the former green milks still exist in this world, my previous Brazil nut-based green milk does not. Even more infuriating is the fact that nothing else even comes close to it. How hard is it to blend up greens and dates in that same ratio to make it taste like melted ice cream?

Not hard at all, especially if you do it yourself. Eight years later, it’s now abundantly clear that my beloved green milk is not coming back to Pressed Juicery, no matter how hard I beg and plead. Maybe it’s for the best; making my own yields bigger batches for MUCH less money, available any time the craving strikes. It’s also a snap to give it a spin in the ice cream machine for a secretly healthy frozen dessert.

What makes green milk so great?

Aside from the irresistible flavor, this unique blend of whole, plant-based ingredients has a whole lot of health benefits to offer:

  • Brazil nuts are particularly rich in selenium, providing well over the daily recommended value for adults in just one nut alone!
  • Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are noted for their high iron, folate, calcium, and Vitamin C content, among many others key nutrients.
  • Dates are one of the best natural sweeteners around, boasting a low glycemic index, which makes them less likely to spike blood sugar levels in those who are sensitive.

Tips for success

If you’ve made nut milk from scratch before, you already know the drill. It’s easy to get excellent results without even trying, but there are a few tricks to making your best blend ever:

  • Soak the nuts overnight, whether you have a high-speed blender or not. You can skip this step to speed through the recipe, but it helps ensure a smoother texture while also making the nutrients more easily absorbed in your body.
  • Use a nut milk bag to strain the mixture. There’s nothing wrong with forgoing this procedure entirely to reap the full benefits of all that fiber, but it will create a thicker, grittier texture. A wire strainer lined with cheesecloth can also work for a more DIY rig.
  • Chill thoroughly for the best flavor. If you’re in a hurry, you can let it stand in the freezer for a bit to cool down quickly and/or serve over ice.

This drink will change your understanding of green milk forever. You might want to start buying Brazil nuts in bulk.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)2 Comments