My first entry. Hold the fanfare

Ever since I started getting serious about this vegan way of life for health reasons … not necessarily because I want to live to be a hundred but because I would like to watch a few more summer and winter olympics … I must confess that food is on my mind pretty much all of the time.  I miss it.  I miss Fettuccine Alfredo, Wiener Schnitzel, corned beef hash, Brie, shirred eggs, fried eggs, eggs in potato salad, eggs over easy …. I could write a book listing all the foods I'm missing.   But instead I'm focusing my energy on creating dishes that smell, taste and look good.  

With salt and oils permanently banned from my condiment shelf, I have been experimenting with spices and herbs, vinegars and citrus fruit, to give my dishes not just character but  have them taste good too. Occasionally I've come up with a dish that surprises even me with its intense flavors and pleasant texture.  How did I do that?  I was only experimenting, trying a bit of this, a bit of that.  Inevitably I can't remember exactly what went into the pot and this wonderful salt-free, fat-free, totally vegan dish of delicious sauerkraut (yes, salt-free sauerkraut!) with sweet smoky onions, creamy potatoes and carrots will never be recreated.  I tried, really I did, but so far have failed.

But this will never happen again.  This blog will be my recipe holder, whether it's a failed dish or a success.