Many thanks to Earth Balance for naming me their Member of the Month for January! They’re giving me a free Years worth of Earth Balance, too!

What should I make with it?!

In December 2011, I was featured in a wonderful short film by Christian Remde, about the Texas Cottage Food Law. You can watch it here, and let me know what you think!! :)

Photo Credit: John Anderson

This past week, I was interviewed by the Austin Chronicle about the Texas Cottage Food Law (SB 81). You can read the whole story here!

My classmate, Carson Nunez, was also featured this week for his new pizza shop Sauced! Check it out! Two ACC Culinary grads in one week! :)

I had a co-worker take some photos of me today! :)

Cookbooks- I’d be willing to bet that everyone has at least one. I have to admit, I’m guilty of collecting them and then neglecting them. Sometimes I rely too much on the internet as inspiration, and forget that there is a wealth of information that people have taken a lot of time to write down so that we as bakers, chefs, homemakers (etc.) may refine our craft and increase our knowledge. I’d like to take a second to talk about a few books that have taught me a lot, or inspired me to be better and challenge myself in the kitchen:

• How Baking Works by Paula Figoni- This book is essential to anyone who is interested in baking, and especially vegan baking. Why? Because baking is essentially kitchen chemistry, and if you’re making substitutions for anything (eggs, milk, etc.), you need to know the properties of what you’re replacing and what purpose it serves in each individual recipe. This book has more information than you’ll probably ever be able to retain in your head, but it’s a great reference… or good for recreational reading, if you’re a nerd like me.
• Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz- What can I say? Where would I be without the PPK? Isa is one of the leading vegan cookbook authors, and has been for as long as I can remember. Her cooking show spawned a huge online community where I have made many friends, learned a lot, and continually found myself inspired. Why this book, out of the many she has written? Because this is the best cookbook I can think of to sum up vegan cooking. It’s great for new vegans, but still has some great dishes to inspire even the old-timers.
• Chocolates and Confections by Peter P. Greweling- This book is just gorgeous. Anyone who has ever wanted to learn how to work with chocolate, this is the book for you. Many recipes are easy to veganize and there is tons of information on the tools you need and how to temper and work with chocolate.
• Baking and Pastry: Mastering, the Art and Craft by The Culinary Institute of America- This was actually one of my textbooks in pastry school, but I still go back and reference it a lot. There are tons of techniques to learn and great starting points with recipes.
• Sunny Day’s in Texas Cookzine by Texas Bloggers and Chefs! – my newest addition to my cookbook colection, but probably the most heartfelt one. Our favorite local farm sanctuary, Sunny Day Farms, has been in some serious trouble due to the drought this year in Texas. Several of us got together (myself included) and donated our time and recipes to put together this cookzine to raise money for the farm. I’m really impressed and moved by the response from our vegan community in Texas; everyone came together within a matter of days and contributed something. There are even recipes from Spiral Diner, and the coveted Wheatsville Co-op popcorn tofu and cashew tamari dressing recipes! HUGE thanks to Stephanie for organizing and putting this zine together, and Molly for promoting it like crazy. Please buy a copy if you can- the animals really need it.

Milo think’s you should check it out, too. :)