February
2002
Editorial: Vegans Just Wanna Have
Fun
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“Because vegans are fa-na-ti-cal about desserts,”
co-owner Steve Lynn answers when asked why New York’s Veg-City
Diner switched their dessert menu from the sinful dairy-infused concoctions
to the simply astounding vegan creations now on display. He’s right.
Vegans are fanatical about sweet stuff.
There’s this pesky idea floating around that, along with dairy,
vegans abstain from sugary stuff, are unable to laugh, and are intolerant
of anything that inspires joy. Well, it’s not that difficult to
illustrate how false this assumption is.
Let’s face it. The last few months of 2001 were a real downer.
So, as the year dragged to a close, the Satya staff looked around for
subjects that were a little on the brighter side. That’s when it
hit us: What better way to make someone happy than a little sweetness?
The problem is that vegan desserts are stereotypically pretty dismal—at
least in my mind. But we quickly discovered that people have been coming
up with all sorts of yummy new stuff. So, off we went in pursuit of
the holy grail of vegan sweetness.
Go Ahead: Indulge
One of our first discoveries was Desserts by Rebecca (www.vegan-desserts.com),
which boasts that the stuff is so great, you’ll think, “I
can’t believe it’s vegan!” The roster of goodies includes
all sorts of cakes and cookies, but what excited us was something ever-so-rare,
vegan fudge. Plus: peanut butter chocolate balls! Surely one of the
most divine combinations known to humankind.
Over the past few months, I’d also been hearing rumors about the
amazing cheesecakes from Delicious Choices (www.deliciouschoices.com).
My Mom makes the most wonderful cheesecakes, something I haven’t
had in a very long time. Vegan cheesecake? Naturally, we were intrigued.
When the samples arrived, the Satya staff congregated around the desserts—eager,
but skeptical. Well, let me tell you, Rebecca’s stuff simply blew
us away. The Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls (or “truffles”
as I call them) are handmade candies: a sweet, creamy peanut butter
filling in a dark chocolate shell ($8, dozen). Heaven. And the fudge
(2 blocks, $6), once refrigerated, was fabulous. It has the traditional
grainy texture of fudge and a deep chocolate taste. It packs a wallop.
Rebecca also makes yummy, moist cookies ($9, dozen) and peanut butter
Rice Crispy Bars (when’s the last time you had one of those?) topped
with a layer of chocolate ($12, dozen). I must confess, we pacifists
kind of fought over this stuff. (Ahimsa only goes so far, you know.
When it comes to chocolate, it’s every girl for herself.)
And the cheesecakes? Out of control. Their taste is exquisite, but the
cheesy-ness is the incredible part—that hint of sourness that characterizes
real cream cheese. We tried the sampler of six flavors ($28), but we
were honestly at a loss to choose a favorite. The Chocolate Cheesecake
($24.50) was very popular—silky-smooth with a rich flavor, like
a decadent French mousse cake. The traditional New York-style with Graham
crust and the Key Lime Cheesecake ($29.75 each) with sweet raspberry
topping had us wowed as well.
And then there’s Chocolate Decadence (www.chocolatedecadence.com),
which makes the most luxurious European-style chocolates, including
a Chocolate Espresso Bar ($2.55 each) that is to die for. They’re
not kidding with their motto: “For serious chocolate lovers.”
Their Truffles are really something else ($3.50 per pack). Handmade
by Michael Pierce, they’re rich, with explosive fillings—raspberry,
cherry, amaretto, rum, espresso, and double chocolate. Irrational behavior
over chocolate most certainly isn’t limited to women, as we discovered.
For example, the ultra-healthy husband of one of our staff members,
who pooh-poohs chocolate mania as a girl thing, found himself uncontrollably
devouring a Chocolate Almond Bar. The whole thing.
What about brownies? Simple Treats (www.simpletreats.com)
make them moist and chocolatey, like their classic Double Chocolate
Fudge and out-of-this-world Mint Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies (pack
of 9, $18.50). Don’t ask me how, but their vegan Blondies are nice
and “buttery.” They make cookies too—delectable variations
on chocolate chip: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip,
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, etc. ($16, dozen). If you can’t make
up your mind, there’s a sampler (18 cookies, $24).
I’ll never forget the night I had the Candle Cafe’s vegan
Tiramisu with my best friend several years ago. It literally brought
us to tears. I’m not joking. Sadly, it’s no longer on the
menu, however, they’ve added something that tops even that (and
nearly kills me), Decadent Double Layer Chocolate Cake ($5.25). It’s
precisely that: two rich cakes lathered in velvety dark frosting. What
makes it so great is that the chocolate isn’t overly sweet and
its flavor is robust, not flat and beany. But be careful. This one’s
a real knock out. It’s so rich, you might find yourself unable
to move. Truly death by chocolate.
So, back to Steve Lynn and his observation that vegans are “fanatical”
about desserts. The guy has hit pay dirt with Veg-City’s menu of
vegan cakes and pies ($4 to $4.50) created by the innovative Danielle
Konya of Vegan Treats. I mean, when’s the last time you had German
Chocolate Cake? Of course I have indulged in the Chocolate Peanut Butter
Bomb, an over-the-top explosion of chocolate, peanut butter and whipped
cream. It’ll blow you away—literally. But my favorite is the
slightly less outrageous Banana Chocolate Mudslide. Creamy and not overly
sweet with strips of banana. What a combo!
Sisters Are Doin’ it for Themselves
During our quest, we noticed right away that the majority of the businesses
we came across are owned and run by women. This is in marked contrast
to the people featured in our December/January alternative media issue,
which, by default, was dominated by men. Desserts by Rebecca and Delicious
Choices are both one-woman bakeries: Rebecca Steinmetz and Sefika Sayood
personally invent, prepare, sell and ship their sweet wonders. Simple
Treats is a Maine-based sister duo, Jill and Ellen Abraham. And the
creative baker for Veg-City, Danielle Konya, is also a one-woman wonder.
They are all fledgling businesses which deserve wide support.
It is interesting that the cruelty-free confections these women create
inspire such decadent delight in a world where most women feel guilty
about indulging in such sinful treats. It may signal not only a shift
in the ways we perceive vegan desserts, but also a welcome change in
the outmoded worship of the hyper-skinny body ideal. Sweet stuff, indeed!
Who says a few food fanatics can’t change the world?
Catherine Clyne
For a range of vegan sweets, visit Vegan Essentials (veganessentials.com).
Our thanks to them and to all of the businesses who provided samples.
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