Vegan MoFo Day 17: Market day and more!

Today was our last day with our visitors. We've had a really nice visit and I'm sad to see them go... but if we had to choose a great day for a finale in Santa Cruz, Wednesday is it! Because Wednesday is market day, and there is nothing better than market day. NOTHING.

Here's our food!



What is it: Rebecca's Mighty Muffins carrot cake muffin (a day old, hence the plastic wrap) and Orchid Oolong tea at Asana Tea.
My thoughts: The muffin was good, though I think calling it "cake" is misleading. Definitely a muffin. I also probably should have sprang for a fresh muffin... but I wanted to save my money for the farmer's market!

The tea is good but I think I was confusing it with the Plum Oolong, which I like somewhat more.
Emperor's reaction: He ate three big bites of muffin. Then, one of our friends took the avocado slices off of his sandwich... and the Emperor proceeded to eat EVERY ONE of them. Like a quarter of an avocado, by himself. I guess the food strike is over?



What is it: RawDaddy's new cone, the raw vegan ruben!
My thoughts: Remember my surprised gushing about the polenta mushroom cone last week? GUYS. This one was even BETTER. Somehow, some way. I should have taken a picture of his sign... I didn't realize this was a new cone and it's not on the website menu so I can't tell you what exactly is in it. Sauerkraut obviously, and mustard on top, and there are mushrooms somewhere in it, but what else?

Something in it has been infused with lapsang souchong which sounds sort of... too intense and maybe yucky... but which is GLORIOUS and gives it just the perfect bit of smokiness. I am in love with this. I could have eaten twelve of them.
Emperor's reaction: He liked the cone and ate some of the sauerkraut quite happily. I have to admit I didn't let him have a whole lot of this because oh my word, it was good.



What is it: Persimmon!
My thoughts: This is my first persimmon of the season. What has taken me so long?? I ate it and immediately wanted another but I'll wait until we're back from Oregon probably. This one was so so ripe, I basically slurped it down.
Emperor's reaction: He was riding around on my back and didn't get a bite. I'm a meanie.



What is it: Scream Sorbet's concord grape (top) and peanut butter-chocolate (bottom) sorbet. (J has a second all concord grape scoop on the right.)
My thoughts: Today I had a really hard time deciding what flavor I wanted. Then in a flash of inspiration, I decided to ask the sorbet guy for a half scoop each of the concord grape and the peanut butter chocolate. Like a PB&J sorbet, plus chocolate, minus bread, totally amazing.
Emperor's reaction: He ate about half of a teeny spoon of the chocolate peanut butter. He probably would have eaten more if I had let him, but then we had some camera drama (I thought I'd lost it, but really it was just in my bag, ha ha) and he didn't end up getting any more. Probably for the best.



What is it: Sake-miso marinated tempeh stir-fried with bok choi, carrots, zucchini, shiitake mushrooms and Thai basil on a bed of brown rice.
My thoughts: Who would ever have thought we'd see the day when J would offer to cook tempeh for me? And then gleefully help me wolf it down? We have become vegan masters over the past year, we really have.

This was a really great stir fry. Lots of great stuff in it... fresh lemongrass, scallions, the above mentioned vegetables, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, limes, and heck, I don't know what else. Everything good.
Emperor's reaction: He ate like ten bites of tempeh. He wouldn't eat the zucchini or the bok choi. He was really tired so I'm surprised he ate as much as he did. He liked it anyway, though!

Guess what time it is? BONUS PICTURES. Today's bonus pictures are of our market haul.

Here's all the stuff we bought that went immediately into dinner:



Not all the scallions or lemon grass went in, but everything else in this picture has been eaten now. Alas.

Here's another week's worth of apples:



There's a pomegranate ($1 for a big organic pomegranate! sign me up!) nestled in there too. And onions and potatoes. And the same kabocha squash that I had planned for us to eat this week that we didn't get to.

And finally, the rest of the vegetables that go in the fridge. We've got dandelions (guinea pigs), kale (baby), dill (potatoes), broccoli, lettuce, and more zucchini. I didn't shop off of a list today... it just didn't happen... and I seem to have come home with almost entirely green vegetables. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just kinda funny.



I really can't wait to eat all this stuff. Market day is so good!