Life Update

www.islandlovegourmet.com

It has been many years since I wrote here and it is actually kind of exciting. When I created this site I was young and wide eye and life happened.

In 2014 I got a divorce and moved back to Barbados then moved to Toronto then moved back to Barbados…ughhh, I was so nomadic or according to my mother, “messy.”

Last year my life changed and I got remarried, “woot woot” and I created a quaint little vegan company in Barbados making all of my vegan food but there was something in me that felt like if I wanted more so I asked my husband if he would move to the UK with me to start a life here to stay and he said yes.

So here we are in a lock-down with this virus. I have a day job now as a research scientist but I have decided to do something I never did in my whole life; start a YouTube channel and have a cushy blog with all of the fixings.

So if you are nosy like me and you want to rejoin me on this long lasting journey, join me and my husband at www.islandlovegourmet.com

Yes I know I had a few sites after. Well…..taymermason.com got hijacked by someone selling cheap Nike shoes and tayskitchen.com was designed so poorly that I told the person to just stop.

Hmm I am proud…I caught up with everyone in a short post…Now follow me on a new space with my amazing hubby.

 

Tay

xoxo

Toronto Vegetarian Festival and a meaty review – This Site Has Moved

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A quick post from Canada just letting you know that yours truly will be at the Toronto Vegetarian Festival this year again.

My Demo TimesI will be doing Vegan Gourmet Food on Saturday at the Lakeside Centre at 4 pm and I will be having a session on Caribbean Street Foods on Sunday at 6 pm. This year I am throwing in a modest non sponsored giveaway from yours truly just to give back to those who came out to support.

Do come out to support this festival. It is the biggest of its kind in North America, this year they have more chefs, more exhibitors and more of everything. There will be lost of free samples a beautiful world style restaurant with lots of great plant based food to try…should i say more?

On Saturday time will be limited but I will make an hour after my demo to chat with those who want to talk.

Canada has been good as usual…the weather has been lovely..I took up outdoor jogging while I was here because I didnt want the hassle to find a gym. I have not eaten at any vegan restaurants yet but I will have an update for you on vegan eats from the festival itself.

I have been eating a lot of organic vegetables and I have been topping my salads with Gardien products.

Here I have my signature kale salad with cranberries and the Buffalo Wings. These are really good and you can make them spicy by squirting some hot sauce in the sauce packet. They char well and they hold on to the sauce good too. Their texture reminds me of chicken breast and they can be customizable or eaten as is.I liked the orange chicken but you must consume it right away or the sauce will soak into the veggie chicken and it is not so nice after that. I liked the light citrus flavour and this works well on rice or noodle based dishes.

The next time I will be writing is to review the Toronto Vegetarian Festival so keep your eyes locked right here and those in North America enjoy your last days of summer.

PROTEIN ICE CREAMS – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Within the last couple of months I have turned into a “gym- geek” /”gym- freak” . I decided a few months ago that I did not like what I saw and I had the will to change it. I work out constantly and I hope to take my body to a place it has never been before. What does that have to do with this blog ???/…well…everything.. I wanted to share with you what I have been eating and drinking and, I will be doing that in the next couple of post. I will also reveal my new body then with before an after photos. No I am not looking for an exclusive on Doctor Oz but of all the so called journeys I have been on this is the most significant because I am doing it for me for the first time . Ok enough of that melodrama..lets get to this Sugar- free, almost fat free, dairy free ice cream. Before I get to the recipe here are some uses for Protein Ice cream.

1. A breakup: consume this  ice cream through the tears but, the plus is you won’t gain weight. If you see your ex again you would have some sense of triumph.” Yeah I ate that ice cream but I still look great, take that”

2. After being fired from a boss that was intimidated by you because you had a degree and he did not. While you start to think of where you will be sending out CV’s next the comfort of this protein ice cream will pacify you without the guilt.

3. Finally for that night when you missed the sleep train and you watched a slew of Netflix movies and someone in one of those movies was eating junk and you wanted to do it too. Well grab a big bowl of protein ice cream and it is just a OK!

I use Nitrofusion protein. No this is not a sponsored ad, but I hope they would see it to be honest lol. I like this protein because it is soy free and it has 25 g of protein per scoop and it is vegan of course. Here is a photo of it.

For sweets I only use stevia but if I really want that luxury sweet taste to the ice cream I use a tablespoon of agave nectar and then pump up the sweeteness with a pack of stevia…no no I am not a health nut but there is no way I am going to let my good hard work go down the drain just because I want some icecream.

So the recipe is easy….

2 cups of  non dairy milk

1 1/2 scoop protein powder

pinch of salt

1 tbs vanilla extract

1 banana

sweetener of your choice

2 tsp xanthan gum

Method

Add everything except the gum to the blender and blend until well mix. Add in the xanthan gum and blend under the mixture is thick and creamy.

At this stage you can freeze by placing the mixture in a container and going back to it after 2 hours and breaking the ice crystals with a spoon and repeating the process again OR you can put the mixture in an icecream maker and enjoy.

Now before I get to the technical pros and cons of this type of ice cream I must tell you that if you do not do some add ins this ice cream can taste very health nutty but still decent enough to fix your cravings.

Possible add ins in this recipe ( will change the profile of it being fat free)  include 1/4 cup pecans, 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1 tbs agave nectar, cocoa powder if using chocolate protein powder and a tsp of instant coffee if using chocolate protein powder. This recipe is forgiving so go ahead and customize it to suit your needs.

Technical Cons of Protein Ice cream

1. the slight banana taste, if you hate banana on its own like me you may not like the slight banana flavour.

2. the slight heavy mouth feel from the protein powder especially if you are eating this as soft serve and not in hard scoops.

3. Being that it is fat free it freezes rock solid and you have to thaw for a few minutes before attempting to scoop

Pros

1.You can a lot of it without feeling guilty

2.It can be used as a post workout substitute for a shake

3. It is a new and exciting way to consume protein powder

Here, my add ins were peanut butter and pecans. It was further dressed with agave nectar, bananas, chopped peanuts and melted pure dark chocolate.

Here I added in 2 tbs cocoa powder, 1 tbs agave and a heaping tsp of coffee to enhance the chocolate flavour.

Ok now to drinks…

Now most Caribbean people like “juice” with their meals because of the types of flavours that are in our food juice goes well with the dishes. Juice is bad news for me since want to have a lean body so i resort to just water and on special ocassions, I pick a coconut from my tree and drink the water…OR, I turn to Crystal Light when things get really bad.

Recently, I have been making a lot of drinks at home that would we welcomed by someone who does not consume sugar.

I present the Lime Kiss/ Lime Ginger Kiss/ Lime Strawberry Kiss

2 limes juiced

1 cup ice

1 cup water

5 mint leaves

1 tbs agave nectar

1 small pack of stevia

Method blend well and serve immediately.

For the Ginger Kiss add 2×2 inch of ginger to the recipe

For the strawberry Kiss add two strawberries to the recipe

Finally ish

I just wanted to introduce you to the Shangobrand. They specialize in serving the vegan community with shirts with upbeat slogans and themes and their Vegan Farmer shirt is really cool. I love the font, the colours, everything. No they didn’t give me a shirt I just like to connect with brands that I would wear myself. The Vegan Farmer shirt connects people and being proud of preferring plants and growing them. Check them out!

I will be in TDOT…do people still say that for the 29th Annual Vegetarian Festival. In my next blog post I will divulge all of the juicy news about it. Until then……

Magnum Mini Temptation – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Sitting in my small student bedroom at home in Barbados I sighed. It was that time of the month and even if I wanted to shake it I was craving chocolate and lots of it. Never having a permanent sweet tooth I looked out of the airless window. The summers were getting hotter in Barbados and my sweat was sandy and I felt eternally parched.

That is when I saw him/ it. A small van cranking out an unfamiliar melody. This wasn’t the BICO truck. Who was he/ it. A smooth dark face with big eyes,straight nose and hair plait back in cornrow, held back with a stocking drove the mini van. “Is he selling ice cream?” I asked my mother who lazily lounged in the house. ” How should I know Taymer I never saw that van before!” He was parked about 100 metres from my house which was strange because there was no sight of children. Maybe he saw when I peered through the wooden louvers, maybe he knew I was craving a sweet chocolate treat, maybe he just had to stop.

“What you selling?” “Magnums” he  exhaled looking disinterested. “How much?” “Three fifty”

After the money was exchanged from my now sweaty palm I went inside and tore off the metallic wrapping and sat on my bed with my mother eagerly looking on. I bit in the hard chocolate segment fell on the ground and almost immediately started to melt under the hot Bajan summer. The chocolate coating was sugary sweet and rich and the ice cream in the middle was just as rich.

When I see magnums displayed in freezers all over the world secretly I feel for a split second to give up my veganism for that few minutes of that pleasure I first had  on that hot Bajan summer back in the 90’s. I never succumbed to this temptation of perfection in foil wrapping but I ended my cravings this summer  with four versions of my favourite ice cream bar. Yep I love them so much I made four different kinds and now you can make them.

Vegan  Chocolate Dipped Ice cream Bar Version 1

Makes approximately 10 ice cream pops

This version uses a 3/4 fat vegan ice cream recipe with vanilla extract that turns the cream slightly off- white. The ice cream is frozen in a rectangular Tupperware contained and sliced. The ice cream slices are then dipped in a hot chocolate topping and frozen three times to achieve an ultra thick shell. An optional caramel drizzle is added and then the bars undergo further freezing.

Ice cream section

1 1/2 cup soy- milk/ non dairy milk

1 cup soy creamer/ non dairy creamer

1/4 cup vegan butter

1/4 cup neutral oil/ canola/ g rapeseed

pinch of salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar (i do not like the flavour of white sugar, I am Bajan so…)

1 tsp of brown sugar mixed in with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsb arrowroot powder mixed in with 2 tbs non dairy milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Add soy milk, creamer, butter, oil, salt and sugar to a pot and bring it to a gentle simmer.

Slowly sprinkle in the gum and sugar mixture stirring the mixture. Increase heat and when the custard begins to bubble take  the pot off the heat and add the well mixed arrowroot milk mixture. Slowly drizzle in the  arrowroot mixture gently stirring.

Cool for a minimum of three hours

No Ice cream Maker ( Bummer, buy one! just kidding)

Place the container with the chilled mixture in the freezer. After three hours take out the ice cream and break the ice crystals. Stir vigorously until you are left with a frozen cream. Place back in the freezer. After two hours do the same thing again. After two hours repeat. Transfer into a rectangular or square plastic container and freeze overnight.

Ice cream Maker ( Yes I agree, great investment)

Follow the directions on the ice cream maker and churn until done.

Transfer into a rectangular or square plastic container and freeze overnight.

Next day….

Cut the ice cream in squares, mine measured 2.5 x 2.5 inches. Stick the Popsicle sticks inside and set aside on a line tray in the freezer.

Chocolate Coating

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup slightly baked slivered almonds, optional

Method

Clear your kitchen counter and freezer or any junk …this can get messy and you want decent looking pops.Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and nuke for two mins. Stir well until the mixture is hot and loose (that sounds like an insult).

Dip the naked frozen pops in the hot and loose chocolate. Immediately transfer them on the line tray in the freezer.

Freeze for a minimum of two hours before giving them to people because you won’t eat all of them right?!

I gave most of these to the workmen outside because I follow the rule when you make sweet share.

Thank you all for your comments. I have read them all and I will reply in  a few days. Thanks for waiting for me when I didn’t think I would come back, listening to my rants about recipe thieves who are still thriving, for the times I was lazy and just wanted to take photos with no recipe.

Tay

My Food Story Coconut Coleslaw – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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I now know why I never closed down this blog, how could I? It was the first place I shared my creativity with the world.

After Caribbean Vegan, life happened and, I wanted to get some professional and creative experiences outside of this blog.

I spent the last two years working in an airline catering facility as the HACCP Manager. I learnt a lot, more so about people. I got to hone in on my cooking skills and had the opportunity to cook for many private jets that landed on this escape island. Some of these invisible clients were vegan. I was able to extend myself in many ways that I couldn’t do at home.

I left that job seeking a new life experience and I decided to go into hair and beauty. Natural hair in persons of an African decent had become a hot topic to a point that it has now become a movement. I found that the only experiences that I was seeing in the mainstream media were that of black Americans or as they call themselves African American. I decided to form a Caribbean natural hair group with another young lady I met on the island and Don’t Break the Comb was founded back in 2012. It only started to pick up its momentum in May 2013. We went on to a successful hair workshop showing women on the island how to make their own hair products at home. I then began to dabble in creating my own natural hair line for Don’t Break the Comb. Currently this is an ongoing project and a work in progress with a lot of personal rewards like using ingredients that are found in the Caribbean. I am anxious about the end result of this project.

I wanted more, and even with Don’t Break the Comb building a strong following I wanted to cook again. I grew so much from Caribbean Vegan days with my new French status I was fusing my two worlds together in the kitchen and I was having these great food moments. I couldn’t share them with the world because I had suspended blogging and like that horse you fell from that you are hesitant to get back on, I was unsure on how my experience would be blogging three years later.

I later opened a small catering company called The Box Gourmet specializing in vegan catering. My first job I had three jobs on the same day. I had underestimated the planning and precision that goes into catering. With one friend in tow and two kitchens we worked feverishly during the day to cater to 300 plus people on the island. At my final gig for the night people asked my staff who was behind the catering. Someone called for me in the back and I spent the rest of the night pouring wine and talking about my Caribbean falafel to the attendees. I felt at peace with my new venture. Here is a crappy phone cam shot with my two friends that were serving that night for me.

 

I procrastinated until I came back here.

I don’t believe in one hit wonders…there is a special place in my heart for one hit wonders. A sadness that comes because I know there is so much more creativity where those one hit wonders came from. Like me I knew I had so much more in me post- Caribbean Vegan but, I was not creatively ready to show the world.

Present day….

I turned 30 this year….

I live by the sea now…my property has coconut and banana trees. There is a healthy tuft of lemon grass on the wall and a small herb garden. Looking at the sea creates a changing landscape that moves with me.

 

I am decorating the apartment attached to my house and preparing it for potential short stay visitors for the next tourist season. You see you can come here to St. Martin to my little bed and breakfast overlooking the ocean with food cooked by me. Yes that is right a Vegan B&B in St. Martin French West Indies!

I am aggressively writing a new book which will show my personal and culinary growth. I have a team of testers working on my recipes and I spend my day at home writing to you.

Here is a recipe from my new book but it has a story…..

Coconut Coleslaw and the Honest Plate of Food

 

Back in 2011 I was invited to do a vegan cooking workshop in Dominica, a small island just north of Guadeloupe. Approaching Dominica by plane is an awakening experience that had been hypnotized by the islands cool tropical forest charm.

 

The organizer of the workshop asked me to meet her in downtown Roseau. When I arrived the humidity and pitter patter of the sleepy town awoke me. It was a Caribbean city stuck in time, a time where all we wanted to do was to get what was needed for the day from the city and head back home. I was witnessing a period before my time that my birth country did not show anymore. I was intrigued.

 

She asked me to meet her in an ital restaurant that was her favourite on the island. I arrived with my documents in tow to an open style shack styled restaurant. The ice gold and green colours could not be missed but this was different. It was charming and unforgettable to the few photos of famous Rastafarians the owner had on display to the kind words from past visitors.

 

The owner was a young brown skin Rastafarian with a pair of honest eyes. He wore a garb with tribal print with the predominate colours of orange, blue, and red with a slice of green. The shelves of the kitchen carried the same material he wore. These shelves housed cracked coconut shells with the flesh still in tact and the other carried mangoes and limes.

The owner fanned a big boiling pot with a stem of bay leaf. The combination of the bay leaf, garlic, cilantro and coconut milk created a unique motor of flavour that was special. At that time in that place I have having a unique moment that could never be replicated anywhere. Small beads of sweat crept around the owner’s curly exposed hairline and he reassured me that my lunch partner was on her way.

 

The afternoon crowd started to arrive. I knew they were regulars because they came up to the kitchen table and conversed softly with the owner. Sometimes a laugh erupted and one man shifted in his seat. There was no rush from the clients even if the owner started to fan his big pot more aggressively. Again the melody of scent erupted from his pot and I too started to shift in my seat and became hungry.

 

A middle aged British expat walked in the restaurant looking like a forever tourist with a white pants and sandals. She gave me an elastic smile exposing her long white teeth and her blue green eyes lit up. She glanced at me in the next five minutes “first time here love?” With an easy smile I said “yes it is”. “You will love it I come here almost everyday day, Deschamps is fantastic you will love the food”. She turned her attention back to the other two regulars in their seats.

 

The first plate started to arrive to the man in a ‘shirt jack’ and sensible shoes. I didn’t want to pry but I was curious to see what was on the plate. There seem to be skeleton of a menu but quickly I learnt that there was no menu there was just food and you ate what was prepared that day.

 

Soon my lunch partner arrived frazzled from the humidity and her responsibilities. Our lunch plates landed like an on time transatlantic jet and this is what was presented to me….

 

 

This plate of honest food was not pretentious and for the first time I tasted the flavour of the starchy root vegetables, what we call ground provisions. In past preparations these root vegetables were always married off with Creole sauces a bit too early. I never got to taste them naked. A crispy fried dough and pea mixture was reminiscent of fried fish complemented this plate as these roots are only served with fish traditionally. What I really fell in love with the white creamy salad on the side of this plate. This was the Rastafarians answer to the heavy tiresome coleslaw recipes that had penetrated the region in the late 80’s. When we look at the coconut it can play many roles. It can play a nutty role in sweet preparations and it can take on a self dressing making vegetable in salads. When the milk from the fresh coconut is mixed with acid and garlic and agitated what you get is a savory dressing reminiscent of mayonnaise naturally.

 

I forgot I was eating coconut that day. It was so masterfully disguised in a role that it was destined to play. I was bewitched by coconut coleslaw and here is my humble interpretation of that honest dish that was presented to me on that humid afternoon in Roseau Dominica.

Coconut Coleslaw

Serves 4

1 cup of fresh finely grated coconut (packaged coconut will not do.you need that milk )
1/2 cup finely grated carrot
1 small onion grated (so it is like pulp)
1 clove of garlic finely grated
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt to taste or more
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro or minced cilantro and parsley
1 tsp lime/ lemon juice
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar or brown sugar
1/4 tsp minced Scotch Bonnets/ habeneros optional

Mix all ingredients well for 5 minutes until the milk starts to leech from the coconut. Set aside on tabletop. Chill lightly before serving.

This can be used on its own or as a burger topping.

Breadfruit Cake and Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Hi all

I am back from a long hiatus.
I have not been cooking much since I took off from the last post due to the lack of inspiration. I finally got back into the kitchen last week and started to work on my new book that is a departure from my first book Caribbean Vegan.
The new book is not vegan, it is not vegetarian and it is not omnivorous.

What is its is a celebration of fruits and vegetables of the region with modern takes and a bit of molecular cooking.

Imagine scotch bonnet caviar, breadfruit pasta, sugar apple wine…..yes see where I am going?

In the new book you wont find

1. seitan, tempeh tofu or any fake veggie meats.

2. fried flour

You will find

1. loads of new things to do with Caribbean fruits and veg

2. Recipes for homemade wines and spirits

3. Recipes for bottled sauces and marinades

and more

 

Here is a breadfruit cake recipe I have been working on….I may change it slightly for the book but so far breadfruit is showing some surprising properties that have not been explored in the region. This cake was the spongiest vegan cake I ever tasted. The flavour was new but still familiar and the pieces of breadfruit took on a nutty flavour when baked in the batter.

 

Breadfruit Cake Copyright Taymer Mason

Breadfruit Cake

½ cup of vegetable Shortening

½ cup light brown sugar

1 cup of cooked lumpy mashed breadfruit (mash with a little non dairy milk)

1 cup vegan butter milk made with 1 cup non dairy milk and a tablespoon of vinegar

2 cups of flour (1 cup cake flour and 1 cup all purpose flour)

2 tsp aluminum free baking powder

1 scant tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black strap molasses

1 ½ tsp vanilla essence

½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

½ tsp freshly ground cinnamon

1/8 cup agave nectar, optional

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C

Cream fat and sugar together until most of the crystals have dissolved. It is OK if you do not get all dissolved. Add cooled lumpy breadfruit to the mixture and mix well. Stir in vegan butter milk and set aside.

Mix flours, baking powder, salt, molasses and spices.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well and fast. You should start to see some air bubbles in the mixture. Stir in agave nectar and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked.

Here are some fritters that I made when I was working with cooked mashed breadfruit. These were the fluffiest fritters I ever ate but alas I want to limit the fried foods in the book…who knows I may change my mind.

 

breadfruit fritters

 

Speaking Events
1.Well as inactive as I was. I was happy to be invited to Toronto this year to take part in the 28th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival.

I am really honoured as this is the 2nd time I had been invited to an international event.

I spent summers in Canada as a child and teenager so going back there will be very good.

My demo will be on Saturday the 7th of September at 2 pm

Click here for more information.
My demo will focus on Caribbean Root Vegetables and the fundamentals of Caribbean cuisine.

 

2. I will also be a speaker and vendor at the 1st

Wake up community fest St.Maarten (soualiga)

from August 31st to September 2nd 2012.

I never sold food before but I have an exciting menu planned…I will update you on that late.

Click here to go on their Facebook page.
I must say I am happy to see this type of movement in St. Martin and I hope to make a difference and bring awareness to meat free eating.

 

 

 

 

 

Mini Mushroom Pies and my new writing gigs – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Mushroom Pie with Salad and Balsamic Dressing Copyright Taymer Mason

Editors note: The following recipe makes 24 mini pies that are meant to served as appetizers one each per person with a salad or a dipping sauce of your choice. It is not a main course or even something that is advised to be used as a snack everyday but something you can  truly enjoy in a small quantity. This blog is not a fat-free blog, soy free, or even sugar-free (something I do not really like anyway) but a celebration of food and the art of cooking. One day you would come here and see a salad, next day some strange ice cream. I think that people who write about food, sell food or market food have a public responsibility to not offer unhealthy options  often but this blog is not a healthy lifestyles blog it is a blog abt food that happens not to exploit animals and sometimes there is a pie in the mix, a salad or a drink. So to all you vegans out there that are vegans for health reasons good for you…this is not that kinda blog even if I  would have recipes that are useful for persons following a low-calorie lifestyle. I am a foodie and this blog represents that without the animal products and if you do not like that, do not read the blog.

Woody, rustic, rich and textured are the many words that people use to describe mushrooms. I remember mushrooms were never consumed when I was growing up in Barbados but one day my father bought a can at that time (as fresh were not available back then) and I was hooked and so was he. My mom …not so much. Since then I tried to introduce my peers to mushrooms by adding them to curries or in rice.

Mushroom Love Copyright Taymer Mason

A few weeks ago a client requested a mushroom pie at the company I work with and because of the volume of work that they had that day they were going to tell the client that it was unavailable. I overheard the convo and I chirped in I can make it. My boss said but you only have 30 minutes before they collect it. I cooly said ” I would have about 5 minutes left to let it cool” I left my desk full of my routine paper work and started to throw flour, fat, salt and sugar in a bowl. I ran down to the ice machine to get some water and the same time grabbed a tin of mushroom and the cooks started to open it for me. In 5 minutes my dough was finished in the blast chiller and I started to make my mushroom filling. My boss sauntered in the kitchen and looked at me and said “you only have 20 minutes Taymer are you sure you can do this?” I said yes it is going into the oven just now…” 10 minutes elapsed my mushroom pie creamy filling was chilling out in the blast chiller and I was rolling my pastry and baking it blind.  15 minutes pie in and covered, brushed and was baking. I washed my hands and went back to my desk. 15 minutes later I got up took out the most beautiful rustic pie I ever saw. Voila! I handed my boss the pie and he just looked up at me wordless. It wasnt one of the biggest moments in my life but doing that gave me a sense of I can do anything I put my mind to…something I needed at that point of my life.

Vegan Mini Mushroom Pies Copyright T Mason

A few days later the same client came back again and said they loved my pie so much they wanted it again but this time in mini portions. That time I did not rush the pie and today I am sharing my recipe with you.

Moral of the story…sometimes it is not your job to do something but if you know you can do it well …do it and do it well and do it because you want to do it.

Mini Mushroom Pies

by Taymer Mason

Makes 24 full pastry cups with lids

Pastry Dough

2 3/4 cups flour

2 sticks vegan  butter ( I am using Earth Balance)

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup ice-cold water

Method

Rub fat into flour and add sugar salt.

Add water and mix quickly and well.

Divide dough in 2 pieces and wrap in kitchen paper. Store in the fridge.

See tutorial for the rest of the method.

Mushroom Filling

2 heaping tbs vegan butter

2 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms chopped small

3- 4 shallots finely minced

heaping 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain soy or almond mil

100 ml white wine

2 green onions white and green parts finely minced

2 tsp fresh thyme pulled

1 tsp minced fresh tarragon

1 heaping tbs dijon mustard (the good kind please if you can afford it)

1 heaping tbs yeast flakes

black pepper and salt to taste

Extras

Reserve 1 tsb Dijon mustard

1/4 cup soy creamer and a pinch turmeric and paprika

fresh herbs for dusting tops

Method

Heat butter and add mushrooms , shallots and green onion until mushrooms start to go soft

Add flour and stir well, add milk , wine,Dijon and yeast flakes. Stir well and let mixture get thick.

Season with salt and pepper and cool in the fridge. The mushroom mixture will get very thick as it cools.

See tutorial below

Here is how you get them done

Step 1

Step one roll and cut the pastry dough Copyright Taymer Mason

Step 2

Place pastry disks in cupcake pan

Step 2 Make Pastry Cup Copyright Taymer Mason

Step 3

Step 3 Brush cups with Dijon Mustard Mixed with Tarragon

Step 4

Step 4 Prick cups to prevent dough from puffing up

Step 5

Bake Blind for 16 minutes in a 350 F / 180 C oven

Step 6

Fill cooled half-baked shells with cool mushroom mixture.Overfill them a little as you would cover after

Step 6 Fill up cups, Fill them High

Step 7

Make Pastry disk and cover mushroom cups seal well

Step 7 Cover filled pastry cups

Step 8

Let the cups breathe by cutting slits at the top

Step 8 Cut Slits in the tops

Step 9

Brush tops with soy creamer mixed with turmeric and paprika to enhance colour and give a sheen on the tops

Step 9 Brush Those Cups

Step 10

Bake for 30 mins at 180 C for about 30 minutes …brush periodically with more soy cream mixture. Sprinkle chopped herbs on the tops when they come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Step 10 Bake and Serve

Until next time…. read to find out which two amazing site I am the new contributing writer.

Announcement in the next post.

Breadfruit Ravioli with Calabaza Squash Filling (Extras: Vegan Brown Butter Sauce) – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Breadfruit Pumpkin Ravioli in Vegan Brown Butter Sauce Copyright Taymer Mason

I have been tossing around an idea in my head for a while about Caribbean food and I want to bring that idea into reality. I will not say much yet but let this post be a hint to what is coming from me in the future. I am going to create a modern Caribbean cuisine  that focusses on vegetable cuisine. Enough said.

Today I present to  you homemade pasta with a twist. You know how pasta is mostly dependent on eggs well I substituted the eggs with Breadfruit which is a common starchy vegetable common in the Caribbean. For more info on Breadfruit click here. Do not get dishearten  as you can do the ravioli without the breadfruit and you would still get nice pasta but, breadfruit lends its starchy structure to making tender ravioli and tender pasta in general. I have been doing some research on breadfruit independently using my scientific background and  I will be sending proposals to governmental organizations soon to make use of this food in food processing as soon as possible. There is great potential in the breadfruit and the Caribbean people are sleeping as usual.

Breadfruit Ravioli

NOTE TO PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE THE CARIBBEAN: you can make this pasta without the breadfruit it would work, you can use local pumpkin where you live and  not Calabaza.

Calabaza Squash Filling

3 heaping tablespoons butter

2 bay leaves

2 shallots finely minced

2 cups of chopped Calabaza squash or pumpkin

1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1 1/2 tsp fresh sage

1 tbs nutritional yeast flakes

1 cup soy milk regular not too sweet

large pinch nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp arrowroot flour or cornstarch.

Heat butter up ( I used Earth Balance  soy free) and add shallots and  bay leaves. Add squash, thyme sage, nutritional yeast, milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir well and allow to cook on low heat until pumpkin is tender. When pumpkin is tender turn off heat and mash well. Stir in the arrowroot flour and set aside to cool. Take out bay leaves.

Breadfruit Pasta Sheets Copyright Taymer Mason

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cup semolina flour

3/4 cup mashed breadfruit

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup water or more as required

Combine all ingredients and knead well. If mixture is too wet add some more semolina flour. If the mixture is too dry  add some more water.

Divide dough into two pieces and cover with  plastic. Chill for two hours.

Then

Roll thinly with a rolling-pin and pastry mat…work in some semolina flour as you roll and try to stretch the dough by putting more pressure on the rolling-pin and  turning and flipping the dough often.

Step 1

Rolling

Rolling dough thin…you do not need a pasta maker Copyright Taymer Mason

The spoon mixture on to the pasta dough

Calabaza Squash Filling on Breadfruit Pasta Dough Copyright Taymer Mason

Then Cut

Cover with another sheet and use some flax meal with warm water strained to bind the two sheets together.

Then place on a lined tray with more semolina flour and refrigerate until ready to use

Then cook in vegetable broth. You can cook in salt water with celery and green onions

Now that was easy but we forgot the Sauces

Ravioli should be placed directly into the sauces and cooked for a few more minutes so that the sauce can absorb in the pasta.

Vegan Cheese Sauce for Ravioli Copyright Taymer Mason

Creamy Cheese Sauce for Ravioli Copyright Taymer Mason

2 heaping tbs butter ( Earth Balance)

1/2 cup soy milk

1 tsp fresh thyme

2 cloves finely minced garlic…could be less I love garlic

1 tsp fresh chopped sage or dried

1/4 tsp minced Scotch Bonnet pepper or pepper flakes

2 tsp good Dijon mustard

2 heaping tsp residual pumpkin filling, optional

1 tbs nutritional yeast flakes

salt  and pepper to taste

Add add ingredients in a pot and bring to a low simmer…stir and add in freshly cooked ravioli

Plate and enjoy

Do not feel like creamy? Here is this amazing Vegan Brown Butter Sauce made with Earth Balance.

Vegan Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Vegan Brown Butter Sauce Copyright Taymer Mason

3 tablespoons vegan butter

2 tsp chopped sauce

1 tsp chopped thyme

pinch of pepper flakes

1 pinch brown sugar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

small pinch of salt to taste

Bring all ingredients to a low simmer

Add cooked ravioli to the sauce and serve hot.

WOAH…writing this was like preparing for a birth or something or the other. I am open to questions or just drolls over this one. Shoot me an email or post it on the Facebook wall if  you need help.

This is the first published recipe using breadfruit as pasta…I searched for hours.  Here is hoping I do not see this as an entry in a contest or sans the fat floating around the place…sorry I just had to say it again….I am done now.

Enjoy

7 Flavours of Summer 5. Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

In Barbados and many other Caribbean islands we tend to use white fleshed sweet potatoes. The orange variety has more moisture and cannot be used in certain dishes that we do in the region. Personally I find the orange flesh too soft  and similar to butternut squash and I use it in recipes that would call for pumpkin. I know I know I am missing out on some serious beta carotene but  the white sweet potatoes are just as fibrous and sweet. One dish that we do in Barbados is a pie or casserole made with  mashed sweet potatoes, cinnamon, pineapple juice and butter. It is baked and topped with pineapples and cherries and served as a side dish along other savoury dishes especially during the holidays. I do not personally like this dish because it is sweet so I decided a NEW way to eat this dish in a setting that it would be most welcomed for me. Sticking the pie into an ice cream custard. As crazy as this may sound it worked and th starchy sweet potatoes lent to binding and thickening the custard and also gave a creamy mouthfeel. This is a very heavy ice cream due to the fibre content and can be served alongside West Indian styled baked goods like pone.

White Fleshed Sweet Potatoes Copyright Cynthia Nelson Photography

Let us get to the ice cream profile

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Heavy and rich

Extremely Very low ice crystal detection

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: extremely high taste exactly like sweet potato pie

Kid Friendly Low to spiced for the average child

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright TAYMER MASON

White Sweet Potato Mash

1 scant cup puree cooked white sweet potato should be a small sweet potato

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

1/2 cup pureed pineapples or tidbits

1 teaspoons freshly grated cinnamon it does something

Mix all ingredients  together and set aside

 Spiced Ice Cream

1 cup soy creamer

1 1/2 cup soy milk

3 heaping tablespoons vegan butter

1 teaspoon pineapple extract, optional

1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum, gum is optional

1 tsp fresh nutmeg

1 tablespoon fresh cinnamon

1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 scant teaspoon ginger powder

1 very scant teaspoon all spice

1 scant teaspoon clove

1/4 cup soy milk plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot optional

Mix soy creamer soy milk, butter and cook on medium heat until it starts to bubble

Add in well mixed xanthan gum with sugar and reduce heat. Stir well.

Add nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and salt.

Add ginger allspice and clove. Add optional thickener of arrowroot and milk. Take off heat and stir.

Add puree into the custard and get all the lumps of potato out.

Cool and chill overnight.

Place into ice cream maker and let it do its magic

Schrreeechhhh….. hold up. Those pineapple tidbits really F ed up my ice cream maker. Make sure you grind them well or add in chunks at the end. You can add chopped cherries in at the end too.

That is it for this week …two more to go.

It may be mango tango,passion fruit bliss or vanilla with shell topping.

Barbadian Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

7 Flavours of Summer 4. Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Mint Chocolate Chip Copyright Taymer Mason

When this request came in I have to admit that my digestive juices did not begin the flow. You see I never liked the combo of mint and chocolate and I did not think I would enjoy this flavour. I LOVE THIS FLAVOUR now and I would like to eat it everyday if my body allowed it to pass by undetected. You get it. I love the fresh minty flavour the creamy nature of this ice cream with zero ice crystals and the intrusive chocolate chips that make the ice cream more fun to eat. I do not have peppermint extract here so I used fresh mint from my garden or what is left of it; steeped the leaves in hot milk then finished off the custard. Here is the ice cream profile.

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Rich and creamy scoops directly out the freezer

Extremely no detected ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: medium high…can be more pronounced with pepper mint extract

Kid Friendly Yes if they are like me lol

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 cups fresh mint

1 1/2 cups soy milk

1/4 cup vegan butter

Pinch of salt

1 cup soy creamer

Scant half cup light brown sugar plus 1/4 heaping tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 teaspoon peppermint extract optional

2 drops green dye optional fresh mint will turn custard light green as seen in the photo

3/4 cup chocolate chips to add after ice cream has churned

Heat soymilk on medium heat and add roughly torn mint leaves. Bring mixture to a boil and turn off heat. Press mint leaves with  back of spoon and leave mixture to absorb flavour for 30 minutes. Strain of leaves and put back minty milk in pot, add soy creamer, butter and salt and let mixture come to a low simmer add in sugar mixed with xanthan gum reduce heat and stir. Mixture should start to become thick.  Bring back mixture to a low simmer and add milk with arrowroot. Take the pot off the heat and stir well it should  become more thick. Add extracts or essence, optional colour and allow to cool. Put into fridge overnight and churn in ice cream maker following instructions of manufacturer. Take out ice cream and add chocolate chips and integrate well. Freeze well and serve.

Next weeks flavour is Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream using real sweet potatoes the white ones 😉

7 Flavours of Summer 3. Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Pineapple Coconut Vegan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Water is an enemy in ice cream making. When making fruity flavours it is important to drive out the excess water in the fruit as this creates  an icy ice cream. This ice cream’s base is full fat coconut milk and binders are xanthan gum optional and arrowroot flour.  I used canned pineapple tidbits  pureed it and cooked out 75 percent of the liquid from the pineapple. The result was slightly sweeter than my low sugar staples and both flavours were pronounced.  So lets look at the ice cream profile shall we?

Base: Full fat coconut milk and soymilk

Result Light texture with a fatty mouthfeel

Extremely low in ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredients: perfect balance of coconut to pineapple

Kid Friendly: Very can be served with extra pineapple and toasted coconut

Additional Info: If using both thickeners the ice cream the custard will be very thick. The recipe is for smooth ice cream, if you like chunky flavours add some cooked out pineapple chunks inside the ice cream after it came out the maker or before serving.

Pineapple Coconut Vegan Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

 Vegan Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream

Serve 6

2 cups regular coconut milk (only the white creamy part not the liquid at the bottom of the can)

1 tablespoon coconut essence optional

1 tsp vanilla extract or 2 tsp for essence

1/2 cup soy milk

1/2 cup coconut oil (not the smelly rancid kind nice smelling oil)

1/8 cup neutral oil

1/3 cup light brown sugar( ie the one that does not colour stuff)

1 tablespoon pineapple essence , optional

1/8 cup sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum(optional as u can use just the arrowroot if using arrowroot only make that a heaping tbs)

3/4 cup pineapple puree

1/4 cup soymilk plus one tablespoon arrowroot

Generous pinch of salt

Additional toppings toasted coconut and you toast coconut by putting it in a dry pan with a little brown sugar

Method

Add coconut milk, optional coconut essence, vanilla essence, oils, soymilk and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat whilst watching until the mixture starts to bubble slightly. Reduce heat and add in the sugar mixed with xanthan gum and stir well. The mixture should start to get very thick. Increase the heat slightly again until the mixture starts to simmer slightly. Take off heat and mix in the WELL MIXED milk and arrowroot mixture and stir until thick. Do not forget the salt. Cool for one hour. Cook the pineapple puree in a frying pan for 20 mins on medium high heat or until the mixture starts to look dry. Add the puree to the ice cream mixture and chill overnight. Process ice cream as per instructions on ice cream maker.

Top with toasted coconut or pineapple chunks.

Add 1/4 cup white rum for pina colada flavour and some chopped cherries.

Ok this week I owe you a flavour so it would be either chocolate chip mint or Bajan Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream.

7 Flavours of Summer 2. Lemon Poppy seed Ice Cream and Lemon Pepper Ice Cream – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

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Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream Copyright Taymer Mason

Before I proceed I must say something is wrong with my camera. Anyone that knows how I can change settings to get rid of this horrid white wash on my photos (which makes my blog too soft) let me know.

I love lemon poppy seed anything..I love the light citrus flavour and the non intrusive bite of the poppy seeds. When I took up the offer to do lemon pepper ice cream I wanted to see if a lemon poppy-seed would have the same flavour profile as the lemon pepper..it did not. It was totally different even if they were made from the same batch of lemon ice cream. The lemon poppy-seed ice cream tastes like a rich but light comforting lemon cake which pairs well with a red fruit sauce. I had raspberry jam( not shown in photo) which I  drizzled over the top but it ended up looking like ketchup! I usually do not care for sweets but, when I tasted this flavour I really wanted to finish the entire bowl. Fortunately I did not but I could have as this ice cream is low in sugar as you would see in the below recipe but it satisfies the sweet tooth. How did I do it? I used a little agave nectar to bump up the sweet and paired it with low sugar fruit sauce.

Melting shot Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Ice Cream Taymer Mason

I am still playing with xanthan gum this week and hope to put it down for next week flavour pineapple coconut with chocolate shell topping. Xanthan gum with the combo of arrowroot really gives a nice mouthfeel and the ice crystal formation was really low with this flavour. My hunch is that when you add lemon to soy milk you make a buttermilk and that is what really made this ice cream light yet satisfying at the same time. In comparison to last weeks pumpkin pecan this is very light.

Again, sorry about this photo. Hopefully next week I would have back my bright eye-popping photos again. I am having heart palpitations with this one. Everyone who follows this blog knows I am a big fan of black pepper ice cream which I usually serve alongside  Caribbean desserts so when I was talking to one of my followers on Facebook I said I would do my black pepper ice cream recipe but they suggested I add some lemon to it and wow..really you have to try this. This ice cream is walking on a thin line of sweet and savory and I kept it on the line by pairing it with a basil mint coulis. To make this I grabbed some basil from outside and added some brown sugar and olive oil and blended it well and added a little fresh mint and blended it again and put it in my squeeze bottle. It can last for a good week and a half and it pairs well with the lemon pepper ice cream. I added some extra pepper on the top of my ice cream to increase the “back throat” burn one gets from eating pepper ice creams. This is a really fine dessert even if my plating did not portray this but if you want a sophisticated flavour and you are a big foodie do the lemon pepper with the basil coulis.

Vegan Lemon Pepper Ice Cream with Basil Mint Coulis Copyright Taymer Mason

Ice cream Profile

For this ice cream I used two thickeners xanthan gum and arrowroot flour alternatives arrowroot alone or cornstarch alone

Base: Soy creamer full fat  with full fat coconut milk  alternatives full fat coconut milk or soy milk with 1/2 cup vegan butter

Result Light creamy ice cream. Ten minute wait to scoop

Extremely low in ice crystals

Sugar sources: West Indian light brown sugar, agave nectar alternatives only agave or only sugar

Flavour profile of star ingredient: medium high…did not have a tart overkill it was just right

Kid Friendly: Lemon poppy-seed (Medium High) Lemon Pepper with Basil Coulis  (Low)

Lemon poppy-seed pairs well with fresh red berries or any red fruit jam would work well in a sugar cone. Lemon Pepper works well with extra pepper on top and basil sauces

Additional Info: Cook this ice cream on low heat as you are cooking acid and any high heats can really change up the flavour profile to something unpleasant..watch that HEAT! The ice cream will curdle slightly dont panic.

Recipe ( I made one batch of Lemon custard and split it in half and added 1 tablespoon poppy seed to one and 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper to the other)

If you want to do full batch of one flavour just double your pepper or poppy seed.

Vegan Lemon Ice Cream

1 cup soy creamer

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or soy creamer

1 1/2 cups soy milk plus 1/4 cup soy milk (to mix in with arrowroot

2 heaping tablespoons vegan butter

Juice from 4 lemons ( meaning an extra lemon with the 4 you already have)

1 tsp vanilla extract or half vanilla bean

Zest of 3 lemons (1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 heaping 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 tsp arrowroot flour

1 tablespoons of agave

a few drops of vegan friendly yellow food colouring ( since you are not using eggs you wont get that light yellow hue), optional

1 tablespoon for split 2 tablespoons for whole recipe black pepper (after ice cream has churned)

1 tablespoon for split 2 tablespoons for whole recipe poppy seeds (after ice cream has churned)

Method

Make custard by combining soy creamer , coconut milk, butter, lemon juice vanilla, zest, and sugar.

Cook on medium low heat until there is a faint simmer then reduce heat to low and add in the xanthan gum mixed with sugar slowly whisking carefully but well.

Mix 1/4 milk with arrowroot flour and bring back the mixture to a faint simmer, take the mixture off the heat and add in arrowroot mixture. Stir well and you would feel mixture getting thick. Add colouring and agave nectar and let cool.

Add mixture to fridge and chill for up to 6 hours.

Add to ice cream maker .

Split Recipe

Split mixture in half and add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds plus 1 extra tablespoon agave for poppy seed ice cream

Add 1 tablespoon black pepper plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar for lemon pepper ice cream.

Remember to join the facebook page to request a flavour.