ENTERTAINMENT REALM

Lust for Leaf by Alex Brown and Evan George. Publisher: Da Capo (2013).
Cookbook. Vegetarian & Vegan. 123 pages. 978-0738216973.

Beautiful cookbook devoted to vegetarian and vegan recipes for cook-outs, potlucks, picnics and “ragers.” The perfect cookbook for the social butterfly, frequent meetup goer or someone with a large family. Two guy with lots of cool ideas. Fun, easy-going tone. Before each recipe there’s a lot of explanation and contemplation. Each recipe gets paired with a tasty beverage and soundtrack selections. Examples: Oyster Po’ Boys: beverage—Brewdog, Toyko; Soundtrack—“Rebel, Rebel” by David Bowie. Mushroom Ceviche: beverage—Firestone Walker Pale, 31; Soundtrack—“Los Angeles” by Frank Black. Succotash “Stew:” beverage—North Coast, Prankster; Soundtrack—“Draw Your Breaks” by Scotty.

There’s a recipe for HK Dogs made with almonds, tofu and wheat gluten. “The idea that anyone would miss eating pet food-grade meat shoved in casing seems, frankly, insane. Now the feel of balancing a baby-soft seeded bun in one hand and that whiff of yellow mustard zig-zagging under your nose like a drunk driver’s skid marks—that we’ve craved.” Corn Porn is the vegan version of a Frito Pie with corn chips on the bottom, corn chile in the middle and a yummy salad on top. [“Alex grew up on the stuff and Evan’s an easy covert to anything involving the Frito, which with its three ingredients (corn, salt, corn oil) is vegan and relatively crap-free”]. Kaleslaw looks yummy and relatively easy.

The negative: I don’t have a steamer to make the HK Dogs. Some obscure ingredients. They do provide substitutes.

I’ll definitely try: Sunstroke Salad; Pea Pod Pesto; Pickle Jar Potato Salad; Kaleslaw; Falafel Salad

the authors: Alex Brown manages Gourmet Imports and is craft beer and cheese connoisseur. Evan George is a journalist and works as a producer at public radio station KCRW in Santa Monica.

Sections: Potlatches; Bro-tein; Pizza Pool Party; Wild Grub; Sweets; Taco Zone; BBQ Mosh Pit.