Celebrating Japan's Vegetarian Traditions

I loathe owning lots of stuff. Especially heavy stuff.

I love feeling as though I could pack up my essentials in a few bags and be on my way, anywhere, at the drop of a hat. Because of this, I always give books away. I only keep those which are precious to me.

Despite this penchant for material minimalism, I have a collection of cookbooks that I would carry across a desert in heels.

My latest prize is Elizabeth Andoh's Kansha .

Elizabeth Andoh, owner and operator of Taste of Culture was one of my esteemed teachers of traditional Japanese cuisine while I studied in Tokyo. From her kitchen, with a view of iconic Fuji-san, Elizabeth demonstrates the preparation of sumptuous Japanese fare and extoles the beauty of seasonality. For those unable to have the pleasure of joining Elizabeth in her kitchen, she also offers an online culinary classroom .

I'll admit that I enjoyed my torrid affair with
Pescetarianism while I lived in Japan.

Upon my return to Canada, however, I immediately ran back to the comforting arms of pure Vegetarianism.

At first I worried that I would miss out on all the wonders that Japanese cuisine has to offer. With it's liberal use of dashi and obvious plethora of fish and seafood entrees, what's a Veggie girl to eat at her favourite Izakaya? I embarked on a journey to discover what was still available to me, and to approximately recreate what was not.

Admittedly, having lived in Japan for 40 years, Elizabeth is much more adept at the task than I've been. Which is why I was overjoyed to hear that she published Kansha, where she lovingly displays the wealth of animal-free ingredients and recipes that do in fact thrive within the well-established walls of Japanese culinary tradition.

Kansha and the knowledge Elizabeth imparts is truly a gift to Chefs, Aesthetes, and Veggie people everywhere.

Food Fetish: Tea

Leave all images of Grandma's stuffy tea time at the door.

Shayla Williams will both reveal and embody the true nature of tea: wholesome yet sexy, exotic yet comforting.

Vibrant Fare loves passionate women, which is why we went out of our way to get Shayla to share her fetish with us. We managed to get photographer Trevor Adams back on board this project: with Shayla being his girlfriend, it was pretty easy to do. We lured this outdoorsy couple inside on a gorgeous autumn afternoon to document a love of all things steeped.

Tea is poised to uplift, soothe, and bring our mind and spirits in balance. The variety of flavours and colours makes one feel like a kid in a candy shop.
Here's what captures Shayla's interest in the beverage.

V: Why Tea?

SW: For me, Tea is more than a warm, delicious drink. It comforts me and soothes my soul. I can be having the worst day ever but if I take time out to make a cup of tea, all of my stress seems to melt away. My current favourites are Blood Orange scented Black Tea, Green Tea with Jasmin and, of course, authentic Chai. If you're belly can't handle milk, try your chai with almond or hemp milk and a touch of honey.

V: Your Passion?

SW: Surfing is my passion. There is nothing like the feeling of clear, crisp rushing water propelling you across space. Surfing allows me to enjoy this beautiful planet in a way I have never felt from any other sport, and the sheer power of the ocean humbles me to the core.

When I am in the water I'm perfectly at ease. I think of nothing except when the next wave will come and whether or not I will be on it. There is nothing better than getting to the beach before sunrise and drinking a warm cup of tea while waiting for there to be enough sunlight to catch your first wave.

Heaven.

V: Favourite dollar-stretching technique?

SW: Avoid buying lunches by making extra dinner the night before. Left-overs sometimes get a bad rap but when you add up how much you spend on lunches in a month it’s easy to embrace this cost-saving technique. And healthier too!

*Hair and make-up was styled by the very charming and talented Shalena Calvert.



Here's an indulgent classic re-thought.
The most charming little night cap you ever did meet.

BLUEBERRY TEA for TWO

1 T roiboos
1 C water
1/2 t vanilla
2 cinammon sticks
1/2 oz amaretto
2 oz grand marnier
orange zest

Steep tea for 6 minutes.
Remove tea leaves, add vanilla and boozy ingredients.
Pour into two snifters.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a strip of orange zest.