More Cheese, Shaving Traditions & Work Horse

• I got a chance to taste the Punk Rawk Labs nut cheese the other day. It comes in a variety of flavors, and in a substantial 5 oz. metal can. The process is similar to that for making dairy cheese except that it uses nut milk rather than dairy milk. The milk is first fermented. Then, moisture is removed to arrive at a semi-solid texture. Finally, cheese is flavored with herbs or smoked salt. Learn how to make your own raw cashew cheese by watching this video.

packagecheesespepper crustscarborough fair

• Shaving with a brush and lather is a ritual not too many guys partake in these days. Over at Brave GentleMan we’ve got some Supreme Cream Triple Cushion Shave Lather with Macadamia Nut Oil and Soy, and a Pure Performance Shave Brush with cruelty-free, faux bristles that actually out-perform animal hair. 100% vegan, get the set for $105

** UPDATE** The ASPCA has finally admitted to a lapse in judgment around Hurricane Irene: “In retrospect we feel we should have imposed the suspension earlier on Saturday to better ensure the safety of the horses.” (source)

New York seems to lag in humane legislation regarding carriage horses. A perfect example of this lagging? Carriage drivers have once again broken the laws designed to protect horses , and according to the Blinders website:

…the law which states that carriage operators cannot work during “ice, heavy rain or other slippery conditions,” dozens of horse-drawn carriage operators were working until at least 4:45 p.m., many hours after the City was virtually shut down….While the NYC carriage horses have endured far worse than the intermittent pre-Irene downpours on Saturday, the carriage drivers nonetheless broke the law, and the ASPCA once again failed to protect the horses.Visit

For more info, visit the Coalition To Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
Sign the on-line petition to the Mayor and City Council

33 Comments

joshuakatcher, September 1st 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in vegan

Kale Cashew Cheese

The raw cashew alchemists behind Dr. Cow have struck again, expanding their selection of delectable, hand-crafted, gastronomic-goodness. Kale and Tomato varieties are now available, and I happily sank my teeth into some of the aged, raw, vegan Kale-Cashew Cheese this morning, brimming with active, healthy pro-biotic cultures. It’s greener, with a sweet herbaceous aftertaste, dark nutty notes and a a tangy-sharp finish. This soft cheese is definitely not for the weak-of-palate! Ten more wheels please…

7 Comments

joshuakatcher, July 25th 2010 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in food, Health, raw, vegan, vegetarian

Swedish Chic & Lucky Duck

I visited the Eco Chic showcase at the Scandanavia House in Manhattan to get a sense of what’s happening with sustainable fashion in Europe and beyond. There wasn’t a ton of menswear, but there were some gems, and below I’ll share the highlights. My favorite piece in the show was an organic, Japanese denim suit that had a hand-feel very similar to wool. It’s nice to find non-wool suits, now that we know that wool production is one of largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions (for example, New Zealand’s 40 million sheep constitute 90% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions). Julian Red, a sustainable Swedish clothing line, harnesses ecological textiles and fair labor, turning them into universally attractive garments. Over 60% of their entire collection is organic.

Bergman’s has the claim of being the first commercially available organic cotton in the world, beginning in 1986. With partners as big as Levi’s, their have their fingers in many pies. Bergman’s also developed the criteria for organic certification of cotton and textiles, which have been adopted globally. On a neighboring dress form was Zion, a street fashion label using organic cotton, fair labor, and water-based dyes free of heavy-metals. They also support a tree-planting initiative in Tanzania to reduce carbon.

• I was One Lucky Duck when I tried all these scrumptious snacks from the company of the same name. It’s hard for me not to nosh all day long while working or running errands. It’s helpful to have snacks that aren’t going to kill you (either by taste or lack or nutrition). My two favorites are the rich, dark chocolate macaroons and the cheese-y ‘quackers’. They are sophisticated, indulgent, and healthfully vegan, raw and locally made in NYC, like all their treats. One Luck Duck is has two locations in New York: the Chelsea Market, and Gramercy, but their treats can be purchased from anywhere on their website: www.oneluckyduck.com

No Comments

joshuakatcher, June 1st 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in vegan

Kale Chips

One of my new obsessions are Kale Chips! There’s a few people I have to thank for introducing these into my life. Primarily my sister, Joelle, who makes some serious kale chips from scratch. Recently, my roommate Alyssa brought  me boxes of “New York Naturals: Raw Vegan Kale Chips” from the Park Slope Coop. Holy crap. I was skeptical at first, but I swear they’re better than potato chips. Plus, there is nothing bad about them. They’re raw, so all the nutrients are intact and they are packed with iron, protein and other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Not in New York? No sweat. You can buy them on Etsy! They come in Spicy Miso, and my favorite, Vegan Cheese.

New York Naturals Vegan Cheese Kale Chips 3.5 ozNew York Naturals Vegan Cheese Kale Chips 3.5 oz

Feeling adventurous and wanna’ make some yourself?

Check these recipes! Raw Food Kale Chips, Easy Raw Kale Chips

7 Comments

joshuakatcher, January 11th 2010 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in food, Health, raw, recipes, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian

Végétalien à Paris

One stop on my European travels was a little city called Paris. Ever heard of it? We found a little health food store that had some amazing vegan cheeses and spreads. Le Sojami is a french company that makes some ridiculously good herb cream cheese and veg pate. PURAL makes one of the best vegan cheddars I’ve tasted. Carlie and I had a picnic under the Eiffel Tower and made warm baguettes with fresh fig and three cheeses! “Get out of town,” you might be saying to yourself… well I did! I went to France and it was great!
ParisCheese

Rory Freedman and I ate at a handsome little veg place called Le Potager Du Marais (mostly vegan) and enjoyed a delicious, traditional French meal with a super-rich chocolate mousse dessert. See the menu below for a descripion of what we ate. We were so thrilled to be eating French food, as oposed to just typical vegan food. One of the many things I loved about Europe is that the sidewalk cafes and bars are all set up to face the street, which makes people-watching so much easier.

JoshuaNRory

LePortager3SuggestionLePortager2

Another spot we hit up was La Victoire Supreme Du Coeur. This was fine dining at its best, and if you go to Paris, this is a must. It is totally vegetarian with many vegan options.

LaVictorieSupremeDeCroer

In addition to eating out, we also cooked a few meals! I dumpster-dove those gorgeous sunflowers, and we bought produce at little markets in the neighbohood to enjoy with a breakfast of multi-grain banana pancakes that I made from scratch. For dinner, Joelle and Carlie made pan-fried brussels sprout-cakes, roasted chickpeas, and herb-polenta with gravy.

ParisBreakfast

HomeCookedDinner

Finally, we went out in search of dancing partners, bars, and booze.

JoshJoelleCarlie

8 Comments

TheDiscerningBrute, July 28th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in celebrity, fashion, food, green, Health, holiday, organic, restaurant, sex, travel, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian

Brown Rice Fusilloni with Cheesy Shiitakes

brnricepastshitake

I was skeptical of brown-rice pasta at first. I thought it would be pasty and have that ‘health-food’ taste. To my suprise, this vegan recipe cameVegan Cheese Sauce Mix by Leahey Gardens out so delish that I had to go back and make seconds! The pasta was firm and plump and could fool any Italian! For the sauce, I incorporated a new product that a friend gave to me as a gift. Leahey Gardens Cheese Flavored Sauce Mix. Wow! This stuff is the cheesiest sauce mix I’ve ever tried. The mix does contain wheat, so if you are going the way of the gluten-free, just use nutritional yeast instead.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED (serves 2)

  • 2 cups brown rice pasta
  • 8 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced
  • 1 tbs tahini
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 3 tbs Leahey mix, or nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened plain rice milk
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1 tbs Parma

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Bring the pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta
  2. Let pasta boil for about 8 – 10 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sautee the shiitakes and shallots in the tahini, and olive oil.
  4. Once the mushroom and shallots begin to brown, pour in the rice milk, and Leahey mix (or Nutritional yeast).
  5. Strain the pasta, and mix everything together!
  6. Top with some Parma ! Yum.

6 Comments

TheDiscerningBrute, May 1st 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in food, green, organic, recipes, sex, social responsibility, vegan, vegetarian

Chelsea Boots, Melty Vegan Cheese, & Crabs That Feel

1. What’s simple, classic, and not allowed to be worn with baggy pants? Check out this 100% synthetic Chelsea Boot from TOPMAN.  Hot, and only $100! Next, if your metal-head babysitter from 1985′s wardrobe got turned into an amazing, urban, hi-top – these gold ‘n black faux-snakeskin foot-prizes would be it. Dang! Only $70 at TOPMAN.

2. Dr Cow Cashew-Bazil Nut & Macadamia vegan cheeses now available online! They are not cheap, but they are insanely yummy.

Aged Cashew Nut Cream Cheese

3. Speaking of cheese – I got to try the very-talked-about, soy-free, melty-as-hell Daiya cheese while mingling at a star-studded PCRM event last week. Yum! Not sure when it’ll hit stores, but it was stretchy and delicious when heated.

daiya

4. Has anyone tried the  So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage? I saw it on the shelves in Whole Foods,  but I haven’t tried it yet and want to know: how does it taste? Can you steam it or foam it? Does it curdle in tea? Tell me!So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage

5. Once again, the Canadian Seal Hunt is leaving a trail of blood. Please watch the video and click HERE to help.

6. A new study has found that crabs feel and remember pain. So that’s what a brain and nervous system do? It seems silly to even have to point this out, but unless scientists shock living things, the public thinks that brains and nervous systems are just for fun. As if you neeed one more reason to boycott Red Lobster? Duh, what’s trawling?

No thanks for the memories: The scientific study applied mild electric shocks to hermit crabs to determine if they could 'feel' pain.

11 Comments

TheDiscerningBrute, March 30th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in activism, animal rights, environmental justice, fashion, food, green, Health, news, organic, sex, Shoes, social responsibility, vegan, vegetarian

Fresh Friday Finds

1. Is My Whiskey Vegan?
Tuthilltown SprirtsTuthilltown Spirits

My favorite spirits are locally made here in New York State. They are Whiskey, Rum, and Vodka from Tuthilltown Spirits. Completely vegan, and although some are made from wheat, completely gluten-free. The Hudson Whiskey is the best whiskey I’ve ever had! Their rum is made from black strap molasses and aged in former whiskey barrels for a really distinct taste, and their vodka is made from New York State apples pressed into raw cider. Very discerning! You can find their spirits on this list of bars, restaurants, and shops!

For more info on vegan spirits, see The Vegetarian Society’s list on Vegan Spirits!

2. Girlie Girl Goes Live!
gg468x60.jpg

Chloe Jo of the Girlie Girl Army has gone live! Her new website is gorgeously designed by vegan web design icon, Lord J Davis. Go check out her amazing blog and tell your sisters, moms, girlfriends, and any ethically fabulous lady in your life. They’ll swoon over her fashion sense and her common sense! This week? The C02-output-of-your-diet-calculator! And dating tips for the tragically shy or unlucky!

3. Dr Cow Goes Nuts!Dr CowOur favorite cheese has a brand new website where you can order gift box assortments of vegan nut cheese! I might live solely on this stuff. If I am what I’d be eating, I’d be totally nuts! (ha…)

Nut Cheese Tower

Nut Cheese Tower

4. Splendid Mills Organics
Earn your organic stripes at Splendid Mills. If you don’t know why the United Nations has referred to conventional cotton as one of the “most staggering disasters of the 20th century”, WATCH THIS.

5. Is My Tattoo Vegan?
In certain tattoo inks, bone-char (black) and glycerin (derived from animal fats) are typically used. Make sure to ask your artist to check ingredients or to use a company like Stable Color, who claims their inks are vegan-friendly. My tattoo artist, Seth Wood is a vegan, so it’s also a good idea to get a vegan tattoo artist!

3 Comments

TheDiscerningBrute, August 29th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in activism, animal rights, art, fashion, food, green, Health, human rights, news, organic, social responsibility, trend report, vegan, vegetarian

City of Angels

I always thought of LA as a big, dirty strip-mall that extended for miles in every direction. Now, however – after visiting for a few days with an amazing tour guide, I think of LA as a big, dirty strip mall with tons of vegan joints for miles in every direction. I arrived in LA with a suitcase and a big bag of Dr. Cow’s Tree Nut Cheese to share with the west coast.

Here’s some highlights:

Vegan Spot

Vegan Spot, Silver Lake
3206 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Vegan Spot had some yummy sandwiches. I had the “Cheesy Roast Beef” and Zoe had the “Philly Cheese Steak”. They thin-slice seitan, and smother it in onions and melted-vegan cheeses. It was pretty scrumptious.

Wine and Cheese

We headed over to a wine and cheese party where we ate copious amounts of Dr. Cow’s Tree Nut Cheese with the likes of Skinny Bitch: Rory Freedman, Emily Deschanel, Ari Solomon of Scent of Scandal, Karen Dawn and Paula the pitbul of Thanking the Monkey, among other amazing veggies!

Vegan Beer, Dr Cow Cheese, and Olvera St Market

Good Micro Brew & Grill
3725 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Casa de Sousa
213 703 5236
634 N. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(Located on historical Olvera Street)

We shared some Pinkus organic vegan beer over Hemp-Nut and Blue Manna Dr. Cow’s Tree Nut Cheese at Good Micro Brew & Grill. This appeared to be their only known vegan beer – and lucky for us – it’s a really delicious, light German beer. The Germans don’t use Fish Bladder (AKA isinglass) in their beer. Thanks Germany! This places serves meat but they have some decent veg options like the orange tofu. Ana loved the cheese! She works with Guayaki Yerba Mate, and gave me mate and a gourd!

Then we visited the historic Mexican district of Olvera Street and had vegan Mexican-chocolate lattes at Casa de Sousa, a vegetarian Mexican cafe!

5 Comments

TheDiscerningBrute, June 12th 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in dogs, fair trade, food, green, holiday, organic, restaurant, travel, vegan, vegetarian

Fresh Friday Finds

1. Watch Ellen today. Yesterday she confronted John MCcain(who couldn’t even make eye-contact with her)and rumor has it she may reveal something quite excting (watch out Oprah…)! Special guest and friend of DB, Rory Freedman (Skinny Bitch, Skinny Bitch in the Kitch) will be her guest.

Ellen DeGeneres Logo

2. For those that missed it, Oprah is vegan (for at least 3 weeks). All I have to say is wow…

3. Sign this petition to help call for a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary, and help end whaling!

Stop Whaling - A Better World for Animals and People

3. Don’t Teese Yourself! Ok, fine – Teese yourself. It melts!Teese Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

4. DB reader, MOR is a former employee of Whole Foods. He calls attention to Wholefoods’ not-so-socially-progressive policies. Read Wholefoods Breaks Their Promise.

.

5. Fujimori is being tried for Human Rights Violations in Peru. He is the first head of state to be extradited to his home country to stand trial for human rights violations. Praxis Institute for Social Justice invites you to visit their bilingual liveblog and follow current developments in the ongoing human rights trial of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.

“Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori served from 1990-2000 and is suspected of committing innumerable human rights violations during his decade in office. These allegations have been documented by the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in its Final Report, published in 2003, and the trial against the former president marks the fulfillment of one of the TRC’s most important recommendations for preventing future human rights violations by the state.”

For more info:

6. Non-leather belts can be more than a hemp braid – thank god.

City Belt by Vegetarian Shoes - Black

.

.

.

7. On Tuesday, the USDA made it official, implementing a no-downer policy for cattle in the United States. Read the article HERE. ‘Downers’ are animals too sick or injured to walk or stand, and are typically left to suffer – as veterinary care and euthanasia cost more than most farmers will make on the body of the animal – making it economically undesirable, and ethically disgusting.

http://www.chooseveg.com/LargePhotos/DownedCow.jpg

7. Cruelty-free, vegan colognes (thanks Peta2):

Abercrombie & Fitch and Fierce by Abercrombie & Fitch
Mesmerize Cologne Spray by Avon
California North for Men and O2XYGEN for Men by California North
Number Six by Caswell-Massey
Eau Dynamisante and Eau Tranquility by Clarins
Chemistry by Clinique
360° for Men and Perry Ellis m by Perry Ellis
Tommy for Men by Tommy Hilfiger
Aramis and Lauder Intuition for Men Cologne Spray by Estée Lauder
OP Juice by OP
REGENCY™Cologne by Merle Norman

8. RECIPE!

Joshua’s Vegan Baked Mac & Jeeeeze Casserole

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 Block Silken Tofu
  • 1 Block “Follow your Heart” Cheddar style vegan cheese (or Teese!)
  • 2 Tbs “Earth Balance” or other vegan margerine
  • 3 Tbs Nutritional yeast (more to taste if desired)
  • 1 Tbs sugar or other sweetner
  • 1 Tbs salt
  • 1/4 cup vegan milk (soy, almond, rice, etc make sure it’s plain and not “vanilla” falvored)
  • 1/2 cup Bread crumbs (make your own by putting crisp toast in a blender)
  • 1 – 2 cups of elbow pasta

Directions:
Boil pasta. Combine all ingredients aside from bread crumbs and pasta in a blender or food processor. Mix the “cheese sauce” with the boiled pasta. place in casserole dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake on 350 for 15 – 20 minutes.

Tip - for a cheesier dish, shred additional vegan cheese over the bread crumbs before baking.

1 Comment

TheDiscerningBrute, May 23rd 2008 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in activism, environmental justice, fair trade, fashion, food, green, recipes, social responsibility, vegan, vegetarian
« Older Posts