The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » vegan cheese http://www.thediscerningbrute.com fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:51:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 More Cheese, Shaving Traditions & Work Horse http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2011/09/01/more-cheese-shaving-traditions-work-horse/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2011/09/01/more-cheese-shaving-traditions-work-horse/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 05:20:52 +0000 joshuakatcher http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/?p=7295 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 [...]]]> 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]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2011/09/01/more-cheese-shaving-traditions-work-horse/feed/ 33 Kale Cashew Cheese http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/07/25/kale-cashew-cheese/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/07/25/kale-cashew-cheese/#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:51:52 +0000 joshuakatcher http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/?p=4832 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 [...]]]> 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... ]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/07/25/kale-cashew-cheese/feed/ 7 Swedish Chic & Lucky Duck http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/06/01/lucky-duck-swedish-chic/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/06/01/lucky-duck-swedish-chic/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:03:19 +0000 joshuakatcher http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/?p=4437 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 [...]]]> 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
]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/06/01/lucky-duck-swedish-chic/feed/ 0 Kale Chips http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/01/11/kale-chips/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/01/11/kale-chips/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:43:07 +0000 joshuakatcher http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/?p=3094 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 [...]]]> 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 ]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2010/01/11/kale-chips/feed/ 7 Végétalien à Paris http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/07/28/vegetalien-a-paris/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/07/28/vegetalien-a-paris/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:40:33 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.com/?p=1879 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 [...]]]> 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]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/07/28/vegetalien-a-paris/feed/ 8 Brown Rice Fusilloni with Cheesy Shiitakes http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/05/01/brown-rice-fusilloni-with-cheesy-shiitakes/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/05/01/brown-rice-fusilloni-with-cheesy-shiitakes/#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 19:45:48 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.com/?p=1430 Brown Rice Fusilloni with Cheesy Shiitakes
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 came 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 [...]]]> 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.
]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/05/01/brown-rice-fusilloni-with-cheesy-shiitakes/feed/ 6 Chelsea Boots, Melty Vegan Cheese, & Crabs That Feel http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/03/30/chelsea-boots-melty-vegan-cheese-crabs-that-feel/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/03/30/chelsea-boots-melty-vegan-cheese-crabs-that-feel/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:41:20 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.com/?p=1188 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 [...]]]> 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.]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/03/30/chelsea-boots-melty-vegan-cheese-crabs-that-feel/feed/ 11 Fresh Friday Finds http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2008/08/29/fresh-friday-finds-15/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2008/08/29/fresh-friday-finds-15/#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:03:53 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.wordpress.com/?p=388 Fresh Friday Finds
1. Is My Whiskey Vegan? 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 [...]]]> 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 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! ]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2008/08/29/fresh-friday-finds-15/feed/ 3