Veggie Conquest 6: Get Your Kale On

Since enjoying our first event, VM and I have made every effort to attend all proceeding installments of Veggie Conquest, which has been no small feat.  Tickets sell out in about 5 nanoseconds, so imagine my desk littered with reminder post-it notes for the date and time tickets go on sale, warnings to my co-workers that I'll be indisposed from 10:00 - 10:05, and VM texting at 10:01 to see if I've completed the transaction yet. 

As if we weren't excited enough at the prospect of another fun evening, imagine our thrill at finding out that the judges for Veggie conquest VI would be Chef Matteo of 4-Course Vegan, Danny Carabano of the V-Spot, and Chef Adam Sobel of The Cinnamon Snail! 

Chef Matteo, Danny Carabano, Chef Adam Sobel (& Jessica!)

And then, as if things couldn't shape up any better, the secret ingredient was revealed as kale.  Um, we love kale.  So needless to say, no matter how many VC's we'd attended thus far, we were more psyched than usual.  Plus, as an added bonus, my friend, a fellow kale-lover extraordinaire, attended as well.

Let the "Battle of the Kale Appetizer" begin:

#1 The evening got off to an impressive start, as the first entry was fantastic; Marilyn Mayers' Quinoa Kale Croquettes remained mine and VM's favorite throughout the tastes.  Kale, quinoa, toasted pine nuts, and parsnip cream = yum.

#2 VC II winner Steven Carpenter's Balsamic Kale Quiche with Caramelized Shallots was also impressive.  The sweet shallots alone deserved a prize.

#3 The Kale Brown Rice Cake with Scallion Miso Cream & Basil Oil Accent submission from Momo Kajiwara was just as good as it sounds.  This was a close second choice for both VM & I.

It was no wonder it wound up winning top judges' honors, as well as the coveted Taster's Choice award.

#4 Christine McSweeney's Kale Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce were gigantic and she gets extra credit for serving something that's meant to be cold since it's so hard to keep things hot in chilly DCTV.

#5 My favorite part about the Mushroom and Kale Bisque by Frank Ciulla was the sweet corn.

#6 Jenn Lynskey's Kale Tapas were like gourmet mini-pizzas.  It's hard to make out in the picture, but that little scoop of green in the back is kale hummus; why didn't I think of that?!

#7 Unfortunately, the last contestant, Jessica Gunter, did not make it to the event in enough time to compete.  Fortunately, she was kind enough to share her entry of Kale Flatbread Pizzettas in an unofficial capacity, during the second course.  The pizzettas were delicious (infinitely better than inferior pizzettes); I'm sure they could have been a prize contender!

If all this wasn't enough, guess who won the first door prize?  Yep, VM; she won a copy of Animal Camp by Kathy Stevens of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.  Timely, as we are planning our first trip there in the coming months.

All in all, a good time was had by kale all.

Veggie Conquest V: Anniversary, Basil, and Foodswings!

We missed the first one, but VM and I have been proud supporters of Veggie Conquest, the NYC vegan cooking competition, since number II.  Number III was a blast, and number IV was so much fun that I kicked back and relaxed, not even bothering to blog about it (sorry).  This latest installment was one of the best.

For starters, VM and I were lucky enough to have been invited to sit with Mr. and Mrs. M., co-creators of vegan socialite, entrepreneur, and VC founder: Jessica.  Much like a trip to Lula's, Veggie Conquest is a great place to meet new and interesting people; these dining companions were no exception.

Per usual, Joshua Katcher did an extraordinary job as emcee: effortlessly commanding the audience with his unparalleled charisma,  entertaining quips, and general swoon-worthiness.  Did I mention that VM is a big fan?   Actually, I'm a big fan: her fandom is cosmic.

The secret ingredient was basil and, per usual, the chefs' submissions were inventive and involved.  Not a pesto in the bunch, the creativity and variety of the "tastes" was further proof that I should never embarrass myself by being a chef; I belong in a taster seat indefinitely. 

The second course was so extraordinary, it may have even surpassed the one we enjoyed at VC II when a lentil dish prepared by a volunteer (not Susan!) bowled us both over.  We haven't stopped talking about it since, but have been too lazy to make it ourselves never attempted it.  This time around, in addition to the volunteers' submissions, Foodswings donated the world's cutest double decker cheeseburgers: each identically and artfully presented with like-sized accoutrements and the requisite party pick to hold it all together!  They also brought along Daiya mac & cheese with smoky bits of mushroom.  I really wanted to go back for seconds on both of these scrumptious eats, but even I was too full.  Suffice it to say that they were even yummier than they look.  Obviously, another trip to Foodswings is in order.

As if that wasn't enough, there was also a pasta & vegetable salad, sweet potatoes with pumpkin seeds, quinoa & veggies, and a kale salad with avocado dressing: a plateful of vegtastic goodness.

In addition to their company and conversation, our dining companions treated the entire crowd to a ridiculously fortuitous bonus: an incredibly huge and gorgeous Champs' cake in honor of VC's 1 year anniversary.

No mere "sheet cake", this rectangle of beauty boasted fluffy, moist, crumby vanilla cake with a just-sweet-enough berry center and cream cheese frosting: it was startlingly and absolutely delicious, even to this unapologetic chocolate lover.

If you're looking for a fun, delicious way to spend the evening with like-minded people, sign up for Veggie Conquest's mailing list so you don't miss out on the next event.  Or don't, because if I get shut out from buying tickets VM is not going to be happy!

Veggie Conquest III; Yes We Cran!

I attended another wonderful installment of Veggie Conquest III this month. Please read my post here on Supervegan.

Veggie Conquest II - Squashing the Non-Vegan Competition

A belated posting for my attendance at the incredible Veggie Conquest II. This event could not be improved upon unless the secret ingredient was a chocolate/peanut butter combo.

But seriously, I thought it was just going to be a nice evening with some yummy tastes. Instead, it was an event- literally and gastronomically.

The location in Chelsea was convenient and the space was decorated elegantly and appropriately for the seasonal secret ingredient (fall/squash). The hostess at the door was welcoming and friendly-- even when I almost stole two pins (they should put a sign there for those of us used to the adorable freebies at Vegan Treats)! There were plenty of friendly peeps to mingle with, including representatives from nearby NY state animal havens: Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen and the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties.

When things got underway, the inimitable Joshua Katcher (aka The Discerning Brute) took control of the evening: effortlessly entertaining and simultaneously moving the event along seamlessly. Three judges: the well-spoken and equally kind and candid Michael Parrish DuDell from Ecorazzi, creator of Indiana's The Bake Easy: Amy Lynn Herman, and an extremely quiet Deborah Gavito, owner of Counter. I had wanted to take my frittata florentine issue up with her, but she didn't seem to be in the mood to mingle with the crowd, let alone hear me lament the removal of the incredibly praiseworthy dish from her brunch menu. So, unfortunately, it is not looking good for my frittata.

In any event, everyone was presented with tastes of the entries and then had the opportunity to vote. There were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd chef prizes presented (one donated by the wonderful Lula's), and even door prizes were bestowed upon a couple of lucky tasters who got to choose between vegan mac & cheese or white chocolate chips from Cosmo's.

NEXT, the tasters were treated to a ginormous smorgasbord prepared and presented by the very talented volunteers of the evening. And, as if those delicious and varied creations weren't enough to satiate, the generous Sara- of the infamous Sweet & Sara marshmallow line- donated platters upon platters of all of her scrumptious creations (toasted coconut marshmallow and rocky road bark are still my household's favorites!). Apparently the modest Sara was even in attendance, but since she didn't introduce herself she wasn't able to receive the praise she so rightly deserves to have bestowed upon her. I'll take the opportunity here to give her a resounding handclap; if the vegan corn dog deserves one (and it does), so too does the vegan marshmallow.

Eventually, the evening wound down with most everyone chatting happily about just about everything vegan. A hardy thank you to everyone responsible for the terrific evening: from founder Jessica Mahady to all of the selfless volunteers. Not a single detail was overlooked; the care is obvious and appreciated. From the ambiance (lighting, music, room prep) to the entertainment, to the generosity of the goodies: this is an evening not to be missed.