Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse with no cholesterol? Hard to believe it could not only be possible, but also delicious.

Although I first tried it after watching it be made, and thus knew exactly what the ingredients were, if it had been served to me with no disclosure, I would just have thought it was a yummy, rich, dark mousse.

The benefits of making this treat vegan are clear - fewer calories, less sugar, less fat, and none of the cholesterol from the standard recipe's cream and egg yolk. Thanks to the soy, it does have protein, calcium, and iron - practically a health food.

My version:

• Silken (and only silken) tofu - one 12-14 oz block
• 6 to 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• A dash of vanilla, and a sprinkle of salt
• 2 Tbps agave syrup (optional)

1. Blend the tofu well, melt the chips and beat them in, adding final ingredients while mixing.
2. Spoon into serving cups, and chill at least one half hour.

A half cup serving will feel decadent to most people.

Green Views from the Peninsula

When I was invited to take over writing the Green Views from the Peninsula column for several local sites on Patch.com, it seemed like a timely opportunity to expand from writing about healthy food to exploring other environmental topics, such as renewable energy, green building, green business, and sustainable transportation and land use. A full buffet!

Since I know a little bit about many green topics, coming up with ideas and a general message is pretty easy for me. The next step - connecting a general concept to local activities and resources - is more challenging. But it's also deeply satisfying, taking the abstract to the concrete, the global to the local. In that way, it reminds me of the pleasing switch from writing big-picture on the Bite-size Green website to describing specific dishes and ingredients on this blog.

So far, I've covered topics like proper disposal of pharmaceuticals, wardrobe recycling, and local libraries. But the inaugural column, of course, was about food. How to Manage the Changing Seasons of Farmers Markets came naturally, an easy segue into this new journalistic venture.

Surely I'll work my way back around to food before long. But in the meantime, what subjects would you like to read about?

Floating Farmers Market

In Venice, one reason food costs so much is that it all comes to the islands via boat. Often from a big boat to a little boat, then by a handtruck to a cafe, hotel or storefront. In the case of items like canned soda, all that handling can drive the per-item cost way up.

When the process can be short-cut, food items stay much more reasonable in cost. For example, a boat that fits in the canals and only has to travel from the nearby farming area (such as San Erasmo) can offer produce at rates I would find a pleasant surprise in a grocery store in the United States.

People who live in cities with lots of tourists and inflated costs for basics must always find ways to adapt and manage. In the case of Venice, the best solutions also seem to come with the bonus of beauty. The floating farmers market by Campo San Barnabo fits the bill in every way.

Food Day Goals

Over the last few weeks, Occupy Wall Street has caused much bemusement, some irritation, and some admiration for its lack of a defined agenda. And for the last few decades, Earth Day has inspired a host of actions with no single to-do list driving it.

But Food Day?
If anyone asks, "What's this one about, now?" - the answer is clear and concise:

Gelato Artigianale

For me, the quintessential experience of Italy is getting 'un pallino' (one scoop) of gelato at every little neighborhood shop. Well, not every one. Just the ones with artisan - artigianale - gelato.
My favorite this trip was Il Doge, in Venice's Dorsodoro district. Tucked into a corner of Campo Santa Margherita, it serves a steady stream of locals and tourists from morning til night. Like all the best shops, it boasts 'produzione propria' (our own production, or homemade). And about a dozen flavors are offered each day, with many choices rotating through. If your favorite isn't available today, try tomorrow. I love the freedom to try new flavors, something I rarely do at home when it entails buying (and storing, then eating or wasting) at least a pint. Every day a new discovery - or two, on a particularly yummy day. Gelato artigianale makes an inexpensive, simple but delicious treat, an indulgence for every day. Yes, every day.

National Food Day

Today was Food Day in the US, an event simultaneously disheartening and encouraging.

On the down side, having to declare a day to focus on real food suggests just how far we've wandered from having a real food culture. Would France have a Food Day? Or Italy? No - they have agri-tourism, stores closed mid-day to facilitate long, sit-down lunches, cafes with sidewalk tables for the simple pleasure of lingering over a cup of coffee while people-watching, and protests when a McDonald's is proposed in any historic venue.

On the plus side, the event was well-organized and clearly articulates a manifesto for constructive change. In addition, the publicity includes a host of excellent resources for interested Americans.

The real tests of Food Day's success will be what we do after this inaugural year, and how many years it takes to make the exercise obsolete.

The Incredible, Italian, Egg

Having an apartment in Venice meant getting to cook 'at home,' as well as shopping for the ingredients.  Having not yet mastered the open-area markets or the speciality shops, we picked up basics on the first day from the local grocery.  Sure that we would want eggs for something, I choose the jumbo pack - 6. They were comparable in price to free-range, organic eggs in California.

And the label said (in Italian, of course), "specially for pasta!" Although I did not plan to hand-make any pasta, that still sounded promising.

Breaking the first egg was a revelation. The last time I saw a yolk that rich was from a friend's farm-raised duck. To make sure I didn't overwhelm the natural flavor, I made a very simple omelet with few added ingredients. Marvelous!
Not a mere binder or filler like its factory-farmed cousin, the Italian Egg is a food unto itself, worthy of full enjoyment.