Illustration by James Heimer To Eat or Not to Eat Meat? interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee Philosopher Andrew F. Smith wasn’t prepared for PETA and an army of committed fellow vegetarians to go on the attack when he released his last book, “A Critique of the Moral Defense of Vegetarianism.” But they did—and he’s still
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Create the ultimate, at-home veggie burger by Brian Ricci The veggie burger can get a bad rap—it can be bland, muddled or (worst of all!) a facsimile of its meaty counterpart. To avoid these pitfalls, let me suggest going for robust flavors and good texture. This you can easily achieve by blending beans, nuts and
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Serve up some sides by Brian Ricci It’s fun to blend hot and cold with summer food—the ephemeral nature of this dish asks that you keep hot and cold items apart until just before serving. Timing and patience are required. This dish translates well into a warm pasta dish—orecchiette would be my recommendation. Serves 4
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by Brian Ricci Crunchy purple cabbage and green cucumbers make for a bright and colorful slaw base. Made and served the same day, the textures will be firm and the flavors vibrant. As it sits refrigerated, the purple and green colors begin to bleed slightly—and the flavors mellow. This doesn’t make it worse, only different.
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by Brian Ricci Mushrooms are like sponges—they absorb moisture very well. When grilled, they release their moisture, leaving behind their inherent earthy flavors, enhanced by the heat of the grill. Also left are the flavors we impart in our marinades. They tend to become stronger and more concentrated as the water content of the mushroom
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Don’t forget dessert! by Brian Ricci In all the heat of grilling and last minute adjustments and mixing, it’s nice to have a finished, refreshing dessert in your “back pocket.” This should be prepared 1 to 2 days in advance so you can take it off the prep list and move on. Just remember not
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Photo by Chaucee Stillman Pledged to the Plant Life by Karen Chernick When LJ Steinig won her Grand Champion title at Philly MAC-Down 2016, the city’s first vegan mac and cheese cooking contest, she had the whole group of Philly Vegan Lady Gangsters rooting for her. The gang is a closed Facebook group of more
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Photo by Palette Group – palettegrp.com Serving the Community, One Espresso at a Time by Emily Kovach Consider the archetypal barista: too cool for school, perhaps tattooed, serving and pouring your coffee with no lack of mild disdain. But at The Monkey & The Elephant, a nonprofit coffee shop in Brewerytown, prepare for that image
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Photo by Jason Varney Four Walls and a Cup by Emily Kovach Backyard Beans Coffee Co.408 W. Main St., Lansdale, Pa.Since 2013, Backyard Beans Coffee Co. has been roasting high quality coffee in Lansdale for wholesale, always favoring responsibly sourced beans from small farms and co-ops. Owners Laura and Matt Adams began selling their beans
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Seeing Stars by Emily Kovach Maura Rosato, Lindsay Ferguson and Valentina Fortuna met the way so many chance encounters begin: at work. In 2013, they were all employed by The Farm and The Fisherman Tavern & Market, and all felt a natural connection with one another. A year later, Rosato and Fortuna kicked around the
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