Pantry Stock-Up and Testing for Joni!

My pantry was hurtin' and I needed groceries, so today we did a monster Wegmans run (a mistake on any Sunday, but unfortunately necessary today) followed by an Asian Market run.  I just signed on as a tester for Joni Marie Newman's new book, Vegan Fusion, and I needed to replenish my sauces, vinegars, canned goodies, Asian noodles, frozen things, and to find some Jackfruit in brine!

I'm ready for you, Joni!  So psyched! 

Canned Jackfruit in brine: check!  Now I'm gonna do some gournet cooking, yeah, baby!

 Got some more agar powder, both for Joni's recipes and to make more vegan cheese from Artisan Vegan Cheese.  This agar powder is from Thailand, "Telephone" brand? We'll see about that...

Here is an interesting soda that has regular sugar and not corn syrup.  It's going into Joni's Spicy Korean BBQ Jackfruit!

Saw these Fresh Korean Noodles in the refrigerated section of the Asian Market and couldn't resist.  They look so gorgeous!  

Other finds...

Two kinds of "Vegetarian Mock Duck" (which is vegan, of course).  

I was looking for this last year and couldn't find it, but it was above the canned jackfruit!  I also got Chinese Roast Duck Mix, a spice mix to flavor that mock duck you see before you (also vegan, don't worry!).

  Who knows what will happen when I actually combine these entities, but I couldn't resist!  

A local tofu, Nature's Soy, which is made in Philadelphia, and another local tofu, made in Cherry Hill, NJ (the store's own homemade tofu).  I LOVE that homemade tofu.

These are frozen, vegan shrimp and they are REALLY good.

They are called "Healthy Food," I love it.

Because I bought SO many heavy things like cans and bottles, I got an awesome, free canvas bag!

And a free packet of these little envelope/pouch things...

I guess it's just an ad for the store?  What are you supposed to put in there??

Does anyone know? I can't read the writing on the front of the envelope (obviously), but I think that would help.

Oh! And I already tested Joni's recipe for Sweet Chili Sauce!

Ta-da! It's delicious.  I may make the Sweet Chili Grilled Tofu next, or start on the BBQ Jackfruit recipe...oh the choices! 

Hope you all had a great weekend.

BTW, here's what I made this morning, before all this shopping:

White Lightning Blend (I'll post the recipe soon) Isa and Terry's Basic Chocolate Cupcake with vegan Betty Crocker frosting ("Rich and Creamy Vanilla" appears to be vegan!). I think it worked to keep me going all day.

Go forth and prosper.

XOXO

Roast Duck

Just kidding! Did I get anyone? I'm just taking the night off from cooking from my pantries :-)

OK, so if you DID want vegan roast duck, you should get it from Singapore, a Kosher, ALL VEGAN restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown.   They do a pretty convincing mock-meat thing there.

We ordered the Sesame Herbal Duck (#147) and it was really great.  Per the menu, "vegetarian duck meat, shitake mushroom, ginko nuts, wolfberry seeds, carrots, seasonal Chinese green, cooked in sesame five spice sauce."

We also got the Dim Sum for Two, which had: crispy spring rolls (no big deal), pan fried scallion pancake, chicken drum stick (my favorite!), pan fried curry dumplings (also excellent), steamed vegetable buns, sesame noodles, leek dumplings (I think), singapore latkes, and probably a few I am missing (the list is at the restaurant, I only have the menu, so am trying to figure it out!).

My fave "chicken" drum stick.  I need the secret to their seitan!!!

We ate the other platter of dim sum (all the steamed stuff and noodles) before I could photograph it!

They have some sort of amazing secret seitan that they use for their mock meat dishes, and it is truly unbelievably delicious.  The only problem is that, from what I can tell, like seventy percent of their menu is deep fried, but I've only been there like two or three times, so I'm not totally sure.  Most of our food was deep fried, and honestly, it was a little much for me.

Oh, and these babies, seriously awesome:

Vegetarian Crab Meat Claw

(Everything is vegan but they call everything "vegetarian") 

What fun vegan vittles are you all enjoying on your Friday night?