It's so nice having a mom that cooks as much as I do. I call her out of the blue and ask, "Mom, do you know where I can get some tiny brioche pans?" "Sure," she says. "I've got a few dozen, what size do you want?"I veganized a standard recipe for brioche (an eggy, buttery yeast bread from northern France) by substituting almond milk for milk and Earth Balance for butter. My favorite egg substitute in yeast breads is 2 TB mashed potatoes (per egg) and a pinch of turmeric (for color). I love the soft tenderness that mashed potatoes give to bread dough. In the thermos is some Broccoli Cheez Soup, one of our favorite recipes from Jo Stepaniak's Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. For dessert, an apple and half a Newman's Own Sweet Dark Chocolate bar.
Verdict: The brioche was so buttery, light, and soft! I hope someone is working on a vegan french cookbook (Mastering the Art of Vegan French Cooking? What would Julia Child say?) All but a few bites of soup were gone. 5 stars.
Fresh new lunch as always!
ReplyDeleteWill the brioche be in the cookbook?
It's a 10 oz. thermos -- just about a cup. I've found that's just about the right amount for a good serving of soup for a kid. The lunch jar that Laptop sells is about twice that size.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine what the French would think of a vegan cookbook. When I lived in France, I had to constantly explain that I couldn't eat any kind of meat -- usually, people assumed I was insane. One waiter told me that I needed to get over my narrow -mindedness and eat some kind of meat at least.
ReplyDeleteI have the original uncheese cookbook...How does the ultimate differ? Is it worth having both?
ReplyDeleteI think that, as long as everything tasted great, (which it would, of course,) Julia would give "Mastering the Art of Vegan French Cooking" two thumbs up! She always seemed game for anything!
ReplyDeleteI've made a vegan bechamel before -- I'd be happy to contribute. :)
Brilliant brioche. I miss brioche SO SO much.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of mashed potatoes as an egg replacer. I can see how that would work!
I think it's great that you're "veganizing" food so that Shmoo and yourself don't miss out.
ReplyDeleteJams59, comments such as the one that the waiter said to you are so common when you don't eat meat. However, in my readings regarding health and nutrition I have come across many Italians who don't eat meat because of health reasons. I think vegetariansism is more common then many people think.
Oh man, vegan brioche! That sounds absolutely fantastic! How do you mash the potatoes for the egg replacer? Just boil/cook, and mash? Or do you add something to them?
ReplyDeleteYep, just boil, drain, and mash with a fork. Although you could use leftover mashed potatoes made with margarine and nondairy milk, if you had some.
ReplyDeleteIts true the french would be horrified, but I, however, am not. The brioche looks delicious. I love that you put the little ball on top. I hope you will share this recipe with us. If not, please finish the book so I can buy it!!
ReplyDeleteJulia Child would be proud!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know vegans could eat yeast. What's the rationale behind that?
ReplyDeleteHey, let's not be so hard on the French! After all, they're the ones holding the Veggie Pride Fest every year in Paris. http://www.veggiepride.org/en/
ReplyDeleteThat brioche looks to die for! Thank you so much for making it Jennifer! What a great idea. I'm just proud because I made vegan scones for the first time today.
Yeast are a microscopic, single-celled fungi that rapidily reproduce in contact with water and sugar producing ethanol and carbon dioxide, so nothing animal related is in it at all.
ReplyDeleteLOL--Julia Child had nothing but disdain for vegetarianism, so I'm sure she must have thought that veganism was an insidious affront to everything she held dear. I say go for it! Rewrite her book in vegan form, and let's all listen closely for the sound of her turning over in her grave!
ReplyDeleteYou said it, Susan! Julia vigorously defended the production and use of veal, as well.
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteMy 13 year old daughter is a big fan of your blog. She discovered it while reading my blog and now she's hooked. She comes home from school and wants to see what Schmoo had for lunch. She says your upcoming cookbook is a must have!
Thanks for inspiring her.
You know there is a similar page out there to this one, I send the guy your link...
ReplyDeleteR2K
Broccoli? It's good food.
ReplyDeleteI like this broccoli salad
Lady t: in an interview in the September 2003 issue of Gourmet magazine, Julia Child described her likes and dislikes. Among the dislikes was "humanely raised veal." Ms Child didn't find the tenderness or milk-fed taste in humanely raised veal. To a person schooled in taste and texture, hrv doesn't make the grade, she said.
ReplyDeleteHere is a quote from one of her books: "Today, both in this country and abroad, top-quality professionally raised veal is nurtured on milk and milk by-products under carefully-controlled conditions..." Julia Child from In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chef's (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1995)
Of course, we know what those "contolled conditions" really are.... or if you don't, go to http://www.freefarmanimals.org/
Funny enough, I just signed up to take a French vegetarian class. Obviously not the same as vegan but interesting nonetheless!
ReplyDelete>>have you tried "a vegan taste of france"?? they have it on amazon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kara! I had never seen that before. It looks like the author has put out a whole series of books.
>>Will the brioche be in the cookbook?
No, I just picked a brioche recipe at random and veganized it in the way I described.
>>I have the original uncheese cookbook...How does the ultimate differ? Is it worth having both?
I only have "Ultimate", so I can't compare. I believe it's got some new recipes and improvements along with most of the original recipes.
I'm not vegan, but vegetarian, and I'm linking you Vegan Rockstar.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of French vegan blogs, there's Absolutely Green by Virginie, who lately has started providing English translations for her recipes.
ReplyDeleteI am an omnivore (though was vegan for a few yearsa dn vegetarian for many more). But, I look at your blog every couple of days because it is so gorgeous. I love to eat vicariously. And it's so wonderful that you lovingly prepare your child's lunches. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteMon dieu! Zees French feeling zat has come overr moi ees somezing else!
ReplyDeleteSorry, the Frenchness of the brioche hit me right out of the blue. What an excellent idea--I'd never thought of mashed potatoes as an egg substitute. Vive le difference!
[ahem] I'm all right now. I can hear the corny TV ads now: "Mom...do you ever get that not-so-French feeling?"
I just bought the Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook and was wondring what to try first. The broccoli-cheez soup sounds like a good one to start with.
ReplyDeleteI made the red lentil soup from Vegan Family Favorites last night for supper and my daughters absolutely raved (and it was so easy). They had it for lunch again today.
The brioche was so buttery, light, and soft! I hope someone is working on a vegan french cookbook (Mastering the Art of Vegan French Cuisine? What would Julia Child say?) All but a few bites of soup were gone.
ReplyDeleteI've met some vegan French cooking recipes, so it's really possible that someone will write such a book.
thank you
ReplyDeletechat sohbet muhabbet
just discovered your blog when googling "vegan brioche" and i'm quite done in by your way of handling it :)
ReplyDeletei was just wondering - as you served the brioche (what are they called? muffins?) with soup - ae they sweet?
because in austria, where i'm from, brioche is quite common as well, but solely as some kind of sweet bread - cake.
i want to try making them sweet with vanilla and sugar, but doesn't that clash with the turmeric?
thanks so much :)
Yes, this is definitely a sweet bread! But still so yummy with a cheese soup! And you really can't taste the turmeric at all -- it's only there for color.
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