Milking Nuts

This is an original breadstix4six question right here and part of what got this crazy group rolling.

So there we were, cruising around wine country with our hired driver at the wheel and debating (or being a little tipsy ridiculous) about how exactly vegan cheese is made from cashews or other nuts. Insert here various uncouth hypotheses regarding the tiniest of hands milking the tiniest of teats.

But! Here is Rachel now with some more accurate info:

"the May 2011 edition Food and Wine mag. had a whole article on veganism and explained how vegan cheese is made.  Raw cashews are seasoned and pureed with water and flavorings, such as nutritional yeast are added to give it extra cheesy flavor.

mystery (well really just curiosity) solved!"

Thx to breadstick Rachel for the teat story and the real story :-)

Mount Everest

Not a Teenager Anymore:

Dear Breadstix,

Help! I have 3 blemishes forming on my face, one of which has been around for WEEKS and won't go away. What are your favorite blemish busting products/procedures?

xoxo,

Not a Teenager Anymore

breadstix4six: Dear Not a Teenager Anymore,

I've thought a lot about your post and unfortunately don't have that one thing that'll work great. A lot depends on your specific skin and your routine. Things that help: 1 - drink water. Getting clean on the inside will help. Also avoid sugar. 2 - don't moisturize over the area. Others may disagree with me on this point, but for me, it only makes things worse to put lotion over a blemish or developing-blemish. 3 - wash as soon after exercising/sweating as possible. 4 - don't overdry the area with all that oxy stuff you may have used as a teenager. 5 - the Desert Essence Blemish Stick works pretty well. 6 - destress. This is difficult-to-impossible, yes, but will help. 7 - if it's a major mountain and you have an event coming up, I hear a trip to the dermatologist for some special shot-in-the-hill will make it go away.

Best of luck! And report back on what ends up working, k?

Vegan What?

I don't believe you: What? Vegan condoms?

breadstix4six: Yes. And let me explain. Or maybe let someone else explain. There's a whole website called vegancondoms with a chart! Personally, I'm most familiar with Glyde. These aren't just vegan-flavored for oral (of course, they make those, too. all available at the link) but are vegan for other orifices as well (no animal products or testing). So far, Glyde only comes in latex, so those with latex sensitivities have to stick with my preferred latex-free option, the Durex Avanti Ultima (this seems to be vegan from the info I can find but it isn't certified anywhere that I can tell. anyone have more info?). Overall, my vote is going with Glyde. Oh, and yes, Glyde makes dams and gloves. I mean, of course.

Weddiquette

Bride2Be:

Dear Breadstix4six,

I was just invited (by a friend of the bride) to a bridal shower and bachelorette party for a former grad school friend.  However, I didn't invite this friend to my upcoming wedding (or shower(s), etc.). What do I do? Do I assume she knows I didn't invite her to my wedding since it is a month a way and she hasn't received an invite? Do I address the issue? Should I go to these events?

Help!

Bride2Be

breadstix4six:  I'm so glad you asked this because I saw BRIDESMAIDS this weekend and it was hilarious and I was looking for an excuse to include it here. Thanks, Bride2Be!

As to your question, there are a few things to consider. First, would you, were all other things equal, want to go the shower and bachelorette party? Second, even if you would want to go, are you free, what with all the ramp up to your own wedding?

But now I'll answer the main question: this isn't junior high (unless you are a child bride, in which case I have some other advice for you and some hotline numbers) and you don't have to feel weird about attending. People have all different sized weddings and fund their celebrations differently; some have a small party, some have a huge bash, sometimes parents pay, sometimes the couple pays, many times the venue only holds so many people, or one partner has more pull on the guest list, or, conversely, doesn't want to invite any of his/her cousins or something so it frees up more friend spots. In any case, you don't need to feel awkward. You can be happy about attending and don't have to hide your own upcoming nuptials. Yay, weddings!

And while we're on the topic of weddings, I'm proud to say that, while many folks will find many of my details strangely akin to Annie's in BRIDESMAIDS, I've never been kicked off a plane.

2 - Yogurt, Greek and All

curiosity saves:  any recs for yogurt type vegan foods?  i really like greek yogurt (texture more than taste) - anything comparable? thanks.

breadstix4six:  First, it helps to know how Greek yogurt differs from American yogurt and here it is: Greek yogurt is strained. Where American yogurt has a close to 1:1 ratio of milk to final yogurt product, Greek yogurt can have up to a 4:1 ratio. So we're talking a lot about consistency here, but not exclusively: the strained-out product for dairy Greek yogurt is whey, which has a bitter taste, so Greek yogurt is both thicker and a bit less bitter than American yogurt.

But enough backstory, right?? The thickest dairy-free yogurt I've found is Wildwood and it also happens to be my favorite. It comes in a bunch of flavors including plain (unsweetened). If this isn't the right thickness for you, there are some sites that tell you how to make Greek yogurt from American yogurt, so you can try for yourself with instructions here and here (I've never tried making Greek yogurt by any method, so let me know if it works for you).

For dairy-free yogurt overall, I prefer the soy options (over rice, etc.), namely: Wildwood first, Trader Joe's and WholeSoy next, Silk bringing up the rear.

Let's Go Right To The First Question

inquiring mind:  Can you recommend a good book about veganism that is from a mechanical perspective rather than from a moral or philosophical standpoint? A vegetarian friend of mine was just diagnosed with allergies to eggs and dairy and has no idea what to eat. Also if you know of any good product lines that you think she may be able to find out here.

breadstix4six:  I think any best book is going to have to be a cookbook. That combined with my list of favorite vegan things.

Books:
Veganomicon
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World

These aren't just for someone who cooks a lot. I think one learns a lot about how food is prepared by looking through these recipes. The authors also do a good job of explaining.

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breadstix4six's list:

-Earth Balance (for your buttery spread)
-hummus (really should learn to like this if you don't)
-sprouted breads (not just a vegan thing...)
-soymilk/almondmilk (trader joe's and whole foods both have house
brands of unsweetened soy and almond milks now (and I do recommend the
unsweetened for both taste and health, but you may find you have
different preferences). other brands that I recommend: westsoy for
soymilks, almond breeze for almond milks.)
-I'm not super into the vegan cheezy stuff. Some people love it,
though, and for someone who's new to vegan eating, it may be something
you're wanting. There are lots of options but the top on my list for
sandwiches and melting would be Vegan Gourmet by Follow Your Heart
(some people prefer Daiya for the melting so you'll have to try for
yourself). Top on my list for cheese to serve with wine and the like
is, hands down, Dr. Cow.