Goodbye My Dear Friends

Tiki Dance and Bumba

Bumba and Tiki Dance enjoying the sofa

I have not been cooking lately.  In fact, I haven’t been doing much of anything these days.  I do not want to be creative; I can barely get out of bed.  My purpose for getting out of bed is gone.  My family, devastated.  On the 18^th of February, I lost two of my best friends in the world, Tiki Dance and Bumba.  I am having a hard time coping these days, which is why there haven’t been updates or new recipes on my blog.  I miss my friends, and I can’t seem to move forward without them. 

     Bumba was a very special dog for us.  When we decided to buy the house we are living in now, the first thing I wanted to do was adopt an old dog from a dog pound.  I found Bumba online through Ulmino, and she seemed perfect.  She was about 13-14 yrs old and had been in a concrete cell for 12 years at the kennel of Rieti, one of the worst and most hopeless dog pounds in the Rome area.  I honestly have no idea how she survived.  At one time this kennel was sequestered because it broke welfare laws and all common decency.  Dog were left exposed to die, to live with dog corpses,  feces, waste and to brave the elements.  Bumba survived this.  We drove up to Rieti on May 1^st of 2010 and took her out of the hell.  And what a gift she was!  Bumba was one of the most spirited souls I have ever known.  She survived hell, and then, within two days of having a home,  it was as if that life never existed for her.  She lived in the now and forgave us.  She was a hurricane, vivacious, loving and patient.  We got only 9 months with her.  And every day of those nine months was a complete joy of life.  When we would take her on walks she galloped as if she were the wind, as if she had channeled Zephyr himself.  She smiled, integrated with our other boys and was friendly with the cats.  I remember when I first saw her photo online.  It was her in a cage, there was shit all over the place, and yet, she was smiling.  That is Bumba.   Bumba, hurricane and life lover.  She was force to be reckoned with.  Whenever we tried to tell her, “no,” her attitude was, “I don’t think so, lady.”  We didn’t want her in bed at first.  She would get in bed and we would try to kick her out.  She would hold fast and not budge until we finally settled for the two inch corner she left for us.  If she wanted something, she took it.  She was a fighter, but also lover.  She was the soul mate of Tiki Dance.

     At the beginning of February, I took all the dogs on a walk around the vineyards.  It was sunny, and Bumba was running like the wind as usual.  When we got home, Ettore and I noticed that she had difficulty breathing, the vet advised us to bring her in.  She never came back.  She developed edema of the heart and lungs and fought for 8 days.  We visited her every day, and she was warm and happy to see us, but her tenacity was no longer there.   Unfortunately she developed lung cancer due to exposure to asbestos in the dog pound.  Apparently very common in dog pounds in Italy.  During those 8 days we still lived our normal lives with our other 3 dogs, Tiki Dance, Chardonnay, and Benny Boo Boo.  Out home felt empty without her, but I think especially for Tiki. 

     Tiki Dance was a very special Yorkshire Terrier we adopted 2 years ago from a horrible situation.  He lived his entire life in a mechanic's garage, was found wandering the Appian Way, “rescued” by a girl who threw him outside on a balcony to brave the elements and to live in his own feces and to live alone.      When we went to take him, he came down the stairs, into the living room and did a tiki dance.  It was love at first site for Ettore.  We took him home, got him groomed, as he was full of dreads and conjunctivitis, and eventually he became the prince of the bed.  Talk about a couch potato!  Tiki Dance lived to be next to us.  He was the sweetest and most vicious dog I have ever known.  He had two personalities, Tiki, the mean growling one and Dance the sweet couch potato that occasionally allowed us to rub his belly.  He had a lot of psychological problems and trust issues.  He wasn’t like any dog I have ever known, he was my brother.  We never treated him like a child.  He was our companion, and sadly, he was just so old when we got him. 

When we brought Bumba home, Tiki Dance fell in love.  Anywhere Bumba went Tiki Dance was by her side.  And being the patient lady that she was, she tolerated him, and I think loved him as well.  It was a glory to see two previously abandoned, neglected and abused souls bond like that. 

     5 days after Bumba went to the hospital, Tiki Dance also started breathing badly.  So, of course, we rushed him to the vet.  At first they thought that he had been poisoned, but his heart valve was destroyed.  He had treatment for one day to ease the pain, and we brought him home on Thursday the 17^th.  He had the worst case of panting I had heard.  I guess I was in denial, I thought he was just sick with a cold or something but he was suffocating.  He came home after the last check with the vet who discovered he had spots all over his lungs, lung cancer.  He came home, we all went to bed and I held him all night.  At 7am, Ettore woke up, and so held him on his chest and Tiki Dance took his last breath at home, not alone, not in a clinic, but with his truest friend, Ettore. 

     The loss of Tiki Dance was shocking, and honestly, I do not understand how the world did not stop with him.  I am having a hard time going outside and seeing that the world goes on, life goes on, but not for us.  Tiki Dance was part of my being.  He wasn’t a pet, but a dear and beloved friend, and I was lucky to get at least 2 years with him. 

     We buried Tiki by 10am, and I had a very strong desire and urge to get over to the vet at once to see Bumba.  She was calling to me, I knew, for some reason that I had to get there, right away.  So we went to the vet, I saw Bumba, I took her out for a small walk, and then we went back into the clinic to have her checked.  When I arrived, I could see she was waiting for me, she was so happy to see us, she wagged her tail, and gave me a soft kiss.  She was exhausted though.  When we took her in for the sonogram, she collapsed.  But before she did that, I called her name to calm her, held her head, she wagged her tail, looked into my eyes, and then the vets took her away to revive her, but she didn’t make it.  I know she was waiting for us to say goodbye.  She fought a good fight, but in the end, the canile lagher won.  However, she had NINE glorious months of happiness, love, family, and freedom.  She changed my life.  Both of them did.  And I can’t believe that within 4 hours I lost 2 members of my family. 

     We are grieving.   I want to hold Tiki again.  I need to know if he was happy, if he knew how much we loved him, that we lived for him, and that without him our family is incomplete.  Tiki Dance and Bumba are buried side by side.  Both of them taught me so much about how to live.  I don’t know any people who have had to endure what they both did, and yet, they survived, lived and lived well when they were finally able to.  I wish I could have a few more minutes with each of them.   I wish Bumba could come home and take over my entire bed.  I want to hear Tiki growl and sneeze because he is desperate for caresses.  I want to enjoy all the idiosyncrasies that made each of them unique, but they are gone, and I cannot cope.  I am not hysterical anymore, I am not in denial, and I know that they are not suffering, but only I am.  I am suffering because I deeply miss them and their friendship and the lessons learned. 

Tiki Dance

     Tiki Dance, rescue boy, thank you so much for being in my life and loving me and Ettore.  You are the brightest star I have ever known.  You were the sunshine in our lives.  You will always be the most unique once in a lifetime friendship and most cherished being I have ever known.  Each day without you seems like an eternity, I think about what I am doing and whether you would enjoy it.  I miss you, I just plain miss you, and I hope that whatever there is on the flip side it is a place of comfort and joy.  Please know that you were loved beyond measure.  Thank you for all of your nuisances, your personality, the lack of fear, your resolve, and your unabashed desire for love.  You took life by the horns, my friend.  I love you so much. 

Bumba

     Bumba, my hurricane, my tornado.  You are missed and loved, and as much as I know your last 9 months were good, I need for you to know that I have never experienced the pure joy of living until I met you.  I always called you my Buddha, because you released yourself from suffering, you taught the power to forgive, to let go, and to be a warrior in life.  Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. 

Tiki Dance and Bumba loved in life and left this world together.  RIP my friends.  You are forever close in our hearts. 

   

I can't emphasize enough the importance of adopting old dogs like Bumba and Tiki Dance.  The time together may be limited, but it is the most rewarding.  Please open your heart and home to an old dog, they deserve their last few months or years with a family.  

Super Yummy Aromatic Garlicky Green Beans

Maybe some of you are like me.  You love greens beans.  I love green beans.  They were always my favorite vegetable at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I love when they are fresh, but I will eat frozen.  I love their texture and when they freshly cooked but still crisp and the green, clean, and fresh flavors burst in my mouth.  They are quite neutral at times, and when fresh have a slight sweetness.  Unlike some of the other green vegetables I enjoy, they are not one bit bitter. 

My husband hates green beans.  I am the cook in this family.  I hate to make food that someone might not like, but I also do not want to deprive myself of one of the greatest vegetables on the planet.  Dilemma?  Yes.  Insurmountable?  No.  Unless there are allergies involved, with some creativity we can get our loved ones to share in our passion for green beans.  With this in mind, I had to get a little bit crafty.  I know that Ettore loves garlic and red Calabrian peppers.  I also happen to know that greens beans are one of the only vegetables his mom does not cook well.  That is saying a lot, I might add.  She is an excellent cook, and some of the best vegetable dishes I have had have been in her kitchen.  However, knowing this weakness and knowing that this is what Ettore is basing his prejudice on, I created these super delicious garlicky green beans.

Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans

5-6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

6-10 cloves of garlic, crushed

1-3 tsp of crushed calabrian red peppers (depending on how hot you want them)

½ cup crushed almond or almond slivers

1 vegetable bouillon cube

5 tbs olive oil

Splash of white wine

1/2 of Celtic sea salt

1-2 cups of water

Directions:

    In a large deep pan pour in the olive oil and white wine.  Add salt, garlic, and red peppers.  Sauté together on medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Then add the chopped sundried tomatoes almonds, stir and sauté well until the almonds become slightly toasted.  Add one cup of water and simmer all the ingredients together as water with medium heat.  As the garlic begins to soften and break down, mash it down into smaller pieces.  Now throw in the green beans and the rest of the water.  Makes sure to stir well and makes sure the green beans are moist and covered with mix.  Stir and sauté for about 2 minutes on medium heat.  Make sure water is not totally evaporated.  Turn heat to low and allow the beans to simmer for about five minutes, stir occasionally until water has evaporated and the sauce is more like a thick sauce than a soup.  It is important to not allow the beans to become soggy and overcooked.  Beans should stay crisp.  I like to serve this on a bed of farro (Spelt) or Quinoa, which I boil with a bouillon cube and some salt.  Enjoy with an aromatic wine like a Riesling. 

Buon Appetito!!

P.S. My husband said they were the best green beans he had ever eaten. 

   

Insatiable appetites for meat and milk may ultimately cost us the planet

GLOBAL WARMING
The United Nations FAO report,
Livestock’s Long Shadow, states
that: “The livestock sector is a major
player, responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2
equivalent.  This is a higher share than
transport.” (Transport causes 13.5%).
LAND
25% of the world’s land surface is
given over to grazing more than 1.25
billion cattle. Grazing is often said to be
the only use for such land but, in many
cases, a more efficient and sustainable
use would be to grow trees for timber,
fuel and food – such as nuts and fruits.
More than 1/3 of the world's agricultural
land suffers desertification through:
clearing forests for grazing; overgrazing; overcultivating croplands to feed
farm animals as well as people; using
poor irrigation techniques.  A vegan –
who eats only plant foods and products
based on them – requires just 1/4 of
the land needed to feed a meat-eater.
ENERGY
Farm animals convert only a fraction of
their food into meat, eggs, or milk. The
fossil energy input to produce a day’s
food for a vegan is only one-third that
for a meat-eater and half that for a
vegetarian.  Much of the land now
wasted in feeding farm animals could be
used to grow ‘industrial crops’ – for
example, to make renewable fuels and
fibre (hemp, flax, etc)
WATER
Farm animals are voracious consumers
of water. A day’s food for a meat-eater
requires over 5,000 litres (enough to take
100 baths) – compared with 2,600 for a
vegetarian and a mere 1,900 for a
vegan.
WASTE
Farm animals produce large quantities
of urine and excrement – 23 kilograms
per day for each cow.  The ammonia
and nitrates from this waste leach into
the ground and surface water, polluting
wells and rivers.  Such pollution causes
algal blooms, removes oxygen from the
water and kills fish.  Ammonia from
farm waste also contributes to
atmospheric pollution.
HUNGER
Nearly one billion people are undernourished or starving, despite the world
producing enough food to feed twice its
human population of 6 billion.  Yet 1/3
of the grain we grow is fed to farm animals.  Nobody seriously suggests that
animal products (eg meat, eggs and
milk) are essential for health.
Animal farming represents a
squanderous misuse of scarce natural
resources and is a major contributor to
environmental destruction.  Vegan diets
use less land, water and fuel and are
gentler on the planet.

Source:  The Vegan Society

The Wine Lover: A Wine Bar in San Diego

     One of my favorite wine bars in San Diego is The Wine Lover in Hillcrest.  I have been frequenting this place for years and have always been very happy with the wines I have tried and the overall atmosphere compared to places like Wine Steals or Wine Encounter.  Both of those places should be called bars that serve wine rather than wine bars.  The Wine Lover is very intimate, small, and offers a lot for both this discerning palate and the complete wine novice.  They have changed their wine menu and wine consultants many times over the years, but the ambiance always stays the same.  An intimate and quiet corner tucked away from sometimes noisy Hillcrest. 

     The last time I was in San Diego I made plans to have a glass of wine with an old friend, so we planned to meet at the Wine Lover for a glass of wine.  However, I was stood up for reasons of family emergency, but I barely noticed.  The latest, and so far best wine concierge at the Wine Lover, Serge Chablè, kept me on my feet while we had an interesting conversation about wine and wine styles.  He is making a huge effort to include natural and authentic wines on the wine list, but not always having the best results from clients.  Not everyone wants to smell rust in their wine.  Some people are just plain happy with oaky vanilla and cherries.  It is interesting to note that even if we have a particular style we adore  in wine, not everyone has the same taste.  Not everyone enjoys gamey barnyard wines like I do, but I am happy he is making an effort.  To boot, he had New Order playing through Pandora and so lots of other darker 80s music came through the soundtrack.  My kind of bar!

     I tried 3 different wines and came home with one bottle.  I tasted a very interesting citrusy and crisp organic Chardonnay, a California Trebbiano that smelled and tasted of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and the star of the evening for me, a Saint-Joseph, bottled by Equis AOC 2007 from the northern Rhône.  It was full of depth and character, and I fell in love with it.  What Syrah should taste like.  It was green and full of mustard seed, had a nice tannins.   Of course, the notes will come later.  The emphasis was that Mr. Chablè listened to me as a client about my love for natural and authentic wines, how I love to smell minerals and the earth the wine comes from and he said, “Hey why don’t you try this wine.” And it suited me. 

     Why this place is always half empty I can’t figure out.  It is a friendly and relaxed place that offers board games for those just interested in an after work glass of wine and time to relax as well as a weekly meet the Sommelier wine lessons for those who want to get more serious about wine.  Try the wine flights for an added bonus and then decide what is your own personal wine style.  There are tables, couches and an outdoor patio with heating in the winter.  You’ll not find a friendlier wine bar in all of San Diego. 

The Wine Lover

3968 5^th Ave

San Diego, CA 92103

(619)294-9200

2010 and Moving Ahead

     2010 has been an interesting year.  So much has happened this year in my personal life, in my Animal Rights Activism, and in the world.  I think the biggest lesson for me this year is that I have finally learned to trust my heart and intuition when it comes to fellow human beings.  If my heart tells me someone is scum, fake, and not worth it, I now listen.  If my husband backs up this opinion, than I don't want to waste my time on people.  Often we can tell if a person is a backstabber by the company they keep, or what they value in life. I value nature, the simple life, amazing food, great wine, my family and friends and I don't value boob jobs, vanity, name dropping or social climbing.  I want my life to be guided by good deeds and good people with true hearts.  I guess it just takes awhile.  I jump into my 7th year of life in Italy with better prospectives, better language, and better friends...out with the old, in with the new.    This year has taught me I can be a gourmand without exploiting animals.  When people ask, "What do you eat?"  I have to laugh. 

In Rome, the Animal Rights community lost a true Angel, Miss Maya.  She was a colleague of mine, and whenever we saw each other we only spoke about animals.  She would always talk about her dogs and cats and we would complain about how violent humans are as corpse eaters.  She always said, "They are better than us."  She gave her life for a fellow sentient being, trying to save a cat from a train.  She taught me a lot about how to care for a feral cat community, and I will really miss our random meetings at the pizza spot near the Vatican.  Her death is a true loss, because we need more veg people and people who respect the lives of other sentient beings.  It is sad for those she leaves behind and a real loss for non human animals.  Maya was a glittery eyed firework.  I remember the first time I saw her at the Vatican she was putting her clients in a Taxi at a Taxi stand where there was a long line, and some priests just cut the line and got into the Taxi.  She had none of it.  She practically pulled them out of the Taxi so her clients could have it, after all why shouldn't they wait in line like the rest of us?  Maya lived her life to the fullest, and I want to as well.  I can no longer waste my energies where they are not needed, and I need to have a louder voice for all sentient beings.  I am dedicating my year of animal rights activism in 2011 to Maya.  I hope she works through me.

To honor her, I am going to do more for animals this year.  My activism is going to be peaceful.  I know that the only way to have peace on earth is to go vegan.  Veganism is the only way to love yourself, fellow sentient beings, and the earth.  If you love animals, and you still consume their bodies and products, please stop.  Get informed on why animal agriculture is violent, polluting and unhealthy.  Animal products are killing us and the earth.  If you support meat and dairy you support exploitation of both animals and humans.  The workers in these industries are exploited.  The industry is the most polluting of any on earth and produces more pollution than all transportation(cars, trucks, trains, boats and planes) worldwide.  Do it for the animals, the planet, and for fellow human beings.  If you believe in peace and a non violent future, GO VEGAN in 2011!!!!!!

Please do not buy pets, adopt at a shelter.

Here are some links:

The Vegan Society


Abolitionist Approach

Why don't  I eat meat, eat animal products, wear animals or exploit them?  They feel, have complex social lives, and deserve LIFE.   All Sentient beings deserve to live out their natural life in a way that is natural to them.  Not as our property, food, labor,  entertainment or clothes.  I don't eat meat, animal productss, buy animal skins like leather or fur, wear wool, go to Sea World (one of the most evil places on earth).  You are what you eat, so don't eat dead animals!!  GO VEGAN!  It's the compassionate choice. 

Which image is more peaceful?  Animals alive or animals killed so you can chew on them?

Gary L. Francione: The Abolitionist Approach to Animal Rights Make the world a more just and less violent place in 2011: go vegan and talk with your family and friends about veganism.

Bucatini al (non)Cacio e Pepe

Bucatini al (non)Cacio e Pepe

     One of the things I love about the Roman-Laziale kitchen is the use of simple ingredients that make amazing food that is full of flavor.  I could say the same thing about my own personal vegan kitchen.   I spend most of my kitchen time bringing out the best flavors of fruits and vegetables.    I don’t really do a lot of substitution cooking because I like to eat a mostly whole foods diet.  I do eat tofu, but that is because I really love the taste, texture and flavor of tofu, not because I am trying to substitute meat. 

     Most of my non-vegan friends in Italy tell me that the reason they are not vegan is because they love all the cheeses of Italy.  In fact there is an abundance of cheese made from the milk of sheep, goats, cows and even water buffalo.  Not for me, thanks.  In Rome, the cheese that is sprinkled on top of pasta is not parmigiano but pecorino and one of the most simple and tasty dishes is called Cacio e Pepe, cheese and pepper.  It is best with a long pasta like spaghetti, but if you want it to be really Roman, get some bucatini.  It is like tube spaghetti.  The word cacao is referring to cheese, even though in Italian, the word formaggio, is closer to the French.  Cacio is derived from the Latin word casio, which means cheese.  Cacio e Pepe is a very poor Roman dish, and it is VERY easily veganized.  All it consists of is olive oil,  pecorino romano,  and fresh black pepper. 

Ingredients for 4 people

For the( Un) Pecorino Romano

   200 g of blanched almonds

1 1/2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

1 teaspoon agar agar POWDER

1/2 tablespoon Celtic sea salt (NEVER table salt, not even cheap sea salt from the grocer)

3 tbsp olive oil

Black pepper to crush

One package of Bucatini or Spaghetti

Directions:

     In a food processor almonds, nutritional yeast, agar agar, and salt until blended very well with no chunks of almonds or salt.  In a large pot, boil water, add salt when water is boiled and add the pasta.  When the pasta is al dente, drain and place back into the pot.  Add the contents of the food processor, about 2 tbsp of crush black pepper and the olive oil, also about 2TBSP of the starchy water saved from boiling the pasta.  Stir all of the ingredients together until the pasta is covered in the sauce.  serve in small pasta bowls and add more crushed black pepper as desired. 

    Enjoy with a bottle of Lazio Malvasia. 

Buon Appetito!

The Food of Goths

I have not had much time to blog lately.  My house was struck by lightning and my internet and phone line were burnt out for about 10 days.  I have been busy with work, Thanksgiving, and planning Chanukah this year.  

     This blog is dedicated to three people, first of all,  Leilani Clark who  is a great friend and amazing writer of culture and literature.  She is also editor and co founder of a group of people who host writing workshops and publish a zine with a theme each issue.  This past issue, the theme was Dark, to celebrate the coming of Autumn and Winter.  Many different types of people collaborate including writers, artists, and photographers, so my contribution was dark and gothic foods.  The creativity workshops are run by Petals and Bones.  Thanks Leilani for having a place for creatives and helping me with my grammar.  She's also a college English teacher.  

     Secondly, Ms. Heather Hanson who was kind enough to come all the up to the boonies to share Totally Truffled Thanksgiving with us.  My favorite California girl in Rome and fellow wine lover.  She is also a wine educator at a University in Rome and leads wine tours.  Check out her great blog Italy Decanted and read her wine notes!

   And finally, to my favorite vegan food blog , Veganize it...Don't Just Criticize it by Ms. Jenn Shagrin.  A funny, beautiful and delicious vegan blog that inspires me everytime I read it.  I am now much more iinspired to take non vegan recipes and make wonderful veganized versions of them.  

The Food of Goths

By Sarah May Grunwald

    My partner and I suffer from “opposites attract syndrome.”  He is the dark to my light, appearance-wise, but his skin is about as deep as his darkness goes.  He is the sun to my moon, he is Cat Stevens where I am Diamanda Galas, his cup is half full to my cup is half empty, but he laments the passage of summer as if he is mourning a lost friend or relative.  As soon as the light turns to dark, he becomes embittered, whereas I welcome the short days and rainy weather.  Fall is the season of darkness. The days get shorter; we want to stay inside by the warm fire. It is perfect for gothic tunes about darkness. Tanorexics lament the passing of sunny days.

 For my own part, I celebrate the coming of fall.  Fall gives birth to the darkest of Mother Earth’s gifts, the elusive truffle. They grow under oak trees deep in the soil. In fact, light is not their friend. For a gourmand like me, dark days mean delicious days. What is darker and more gothic in the world of food than a black or white truffle? Once you’ve had the occasion to have the perfume of one linger in your nasal cavity or palate, an addiction will be born. They are sweet-smelling, like old roses; hormonal, barnyardy (a word often used in the wine community), and a known aphrodisiac. They are humble and ugly--a fungus, nothing more.  But they are the most coveted of the fungi family. During the White Truffle festival in Alba, Piedmont, people who own these darlings must have a body guard. In divorce proceedings between couples who are perhaps in the food industry, when the proceedings turn to custody, they aren’t speaking of children. 

Yes, a simple fungus has driven many a woman or man insane.  I know I have my own anxieties the few weeks before I am to go to a truffle festival. I squander money, hide it around the house, plan elaborate menus around the truffles I am to buy, close my eyes and imagine that sweet aphrodisiac perfume. It is the food of the goddess. Surely the milk of mother earth is a white truffle.  I cannot imagine anything else as divine.

One of my favorite recipes that I have veganized includes the friend of the truffle, the porcini mushroom. I took the recipe from a favorite book on the Umbrian kitchen in Italy and adjusted it to make it vegan and still delicious:

Sformatini di Ricotta con Funghi Porcini e Tartufo Nero

Baked Ricotta with Porcini Mushrooms and Black Truffle

200g of raw cashews

300g of firm tofu (about one small/medium package)

2tsp of course Celtic Sea Salt

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

1-2 large cloves are garlic (go by your love of garlic)

Equivalent of 2 eggs Egg Replacer (Ener G works best)

Juice of half a lemon

1 large handful of dried porcini mushrooms(make sure they are well rinsed so as not sandy)

1 bay leaf

One sprig of fresh rosemary

Extra virgin olive oil

Black or white truffle, or, if not available truffle paste or truffle oil (make sure no dairy is added)

Day old rustic Italian bread, cut into soldiers (like lady finger size) and toasted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180° C.  Soak the mushrooms in warm water for at least half an hour. Mix the cashews, tofu, sea salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, egg replacer, 1-2 tbsp of olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until totally smooth, with absolutely no nutty chunks. If you need to add a tbsp or so of warm water, if you have problems blending.  Keep aside until ready for use. 

Drain the mushrooms and keep the dark water on the side for later use.  If the pieces are large, cut them into about ¼ to ½ inch pieces with scissors.  In a small pan drizzle about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, a splash of white wine (I would use whatever wine you are serving this with), salt to taste, one spring of rosemary, the bay leaf and mushrooms.  Sautee with medium heat and slowly add 2-3 tbsp of mushroom water.  Sautee until it has dried out and the mushrooms are done. 

Now, in aluminum panna cotta cups/molds(which are similar to cupcake cups, or in a cupcake cup if you can’t find panna cotta cups), scoop up a large spoonful of mushroom mix, making sure there are no sticks from the rosemary and the bay leaf has been removed, and put it at the bottom of the cup.  Fill the rest of the cup up to the top with the cashew ricotta mix.  This mix should make 4-6 depending on the size of the cup.

Put each cup on a cookie pan, and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are toasted and golden brown.  Make sure not to let them go dark.  Once cooked, reverse the molds onto a small plate, grate the toasted bread over it, and serve with toasted bread that has been brushed with olive oil.  Grate black or white truffle over the mushrooms and dish.  Or, if using truffle oil, drizzle the truffle over the mushrooms, letting it drizzle slightly over the sides. 

If you are serving with black truffle I suggest a light bodied Riesling from Germany, or Alto Adige in Italy.  With white truffle, bring out the more aromatic whites like a Gewürztraminer from Alsace, or, strangely enough, a buttery California Chardonnay

Buon Appetito!!

Play the Black Celebration album by Depeche Mode