2011 in Review: Surprise Sellers
The holidays are by far our busiest time of year. And, as much as we’d like to say that we’ve been doing this for so long that we have everything completely figured out, each year is a little different. As our product lines and people’s tastes change, we’re always a little surprised by which items are our best-sellers each year, especially in the holiday season. 
In the lead-up to the holidays this year we introduced our new line of Artisan Chocolates, as well as re-formulated vegan peanut butter cups, peppermint bark and peppermint creme patties which we had been working on for most of 2011. And, as a bit of an afterthought, we also added a Salted Confections Gift Set to our offerings to showcase our newest salted caramels and salted chocolate brittle. While all of these new products did very well and received rave reviews from excited recipients all over the country, the surprise top seller in the latter part of 2011 was the Salted Confections Gift Set. We’re so glad to discover that there are legions of dessert lovers out there with palates as salty as ours!
Of course, after 15 years in business, not everything is a surprise. 
The other popular sweets over the holidays were vegan toffee, especially the chocolate-covered variety, and hot cocoa, both the classic and peppermint drinking chocolate varieties. Given their classic nature we weren’t at all shocked by their doing so well.
As I and my staff catch our collective breath before unveiling a new chocolate pleasure for Valentine’s Day in just a few short weeks, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks for allowing us the privilege of providing your compassionately decadent gifts for the holidays and throughout the year. It is my pleasure to delight and serve you. And I know everyone at AG shares my gratitude for you. Here’s to a fabulous year-ahead!
2012 New Year’s Gifts
I hope everyone had a warm and happy holiday weekend. I know I feasted on some really wonderful savory dishes, and indulged in multiple desserts including organic cookies, peppermint creme patties, and some vegan toffee topping on coconut ice cream! 
Despite all that decadence, I always feel a bit of a let-down after big holidays; getting up the next morning and it’s just business as usual again. Lucky for us, however, just when we think the holidays are over, there’s another one on the horizon!
New Year’s 2012 this weekend, gives us a little wiggle room in the holiday gifts department. Did you forget someone on your list, or maybe just didn’t get around to those last few presents? Ring in the New Year with decadent compassionate sweets! Whether it’s a corporate holiday gift for your boss or a sweet treat for your significant other, help those important people in your life start the New Year right!
New Year’s resolutions are always full of eating better, getting fit and staying healthy. You can help with all those things and give your colleagues and loved ones decadent treats they can feel good about enjoying. 
Although sending sweets may not seem like the best way to help someone achieve their fitness goals, my experience has been that I gain greater enjoyment from and eat less of high-quality, pure and exquisitely delicious desserts, than I would from cheaper or “healthy” tasting alternatives. Those imitations spur me to eat more, trying in vain to attain the satisfaction I’m craving. Encourage conscious and compassionate indulgence with a personal or corporate food gift that will nourish the mind, body and taste buds while encouraging less devouring and more savoring.
Fridays With Friends: Snarky Vegan’s Julia Moran Martz
We were so excited to have two featured guest bloggers last month making Allison’s “Veganize It!“ recipes for Vegan MoFo month! Julia Moran Martz, aka, Snarky Vegan was one of our amazing contributors and answers some questions this week in our Fridays with Friends episode.
Allison’s Gourmet: Were you always inspired to cook/bake or did that happen after you adopted a vegan diet?
Julia Moran Martz: I’ve been baking since I was a kid back in the mid-70s ”helping” grandma make grape jelly and complaining about having to help my aunts string beans from the garden. Back then I was also making Christmas goodie boxes for friends and family. They always contained soft pink peppermints, cookies, glazed lemon nut bread, turtles, Mexican wedding cakes, and one year I even made peanut brittle. 
I do remember becoming a much less picky eater after going to college and realizing how handy it was to make a huge vat of something cheap to eat throughout the week. That’s when I expanded to things other than candy and baked goods.
AG: What’s the biggest challenge in running a food blog?
JMM: Finding the time and energy after running my business all day, every day. When you own a company, as Allison knows, it doesn’t shut down for you at 5pm. This also poses an issue with photography because I do most of my cooking in the evenings after work. Natural lighting is non-existent at this time and my house is too small for professional lights.
Also, I should note that my blog is really about both vegan food AND vegan gardening because as vegans, we often grow our own food. Ethical vegans are also concerned about the animal farming by-products used in regular organic farming (all the meals: blood, bone, feather and then manure). My goal is to bring awareness to the entire vegan food chain: soil to plate. There are veganic options for an ethical and healthy edible garden; it’s just an unpopular topic with media so it rarely gets any mention.
AG: What do you love most about it?
JMM: Getting feedback from people who try my stuff and then post photos of what they did. That’s sooo cool! So far my most visited posts have been the quick and easy White Trash Tater Tot Casserole and the higher-end, more time-consuming, fermented cashew cheese.
AG: What was your favorite ”VeganizeIt!” recipe you made for Vegan MoFo and why?
Photo by Snarky Vegan Julia Moran Martz
JMM: The Shepherd’s Pie hands down because DH liked it. He’s so picky and hardly ever eats anything but salad or peanut butter sandwiches but he really liked the shepherd’s pie. Obviously, I have to work on my mashed potato ghost technique.
AG: What was it like to participate in Vegan MoFo? Do you think you’ll do it again?
JMM: I try to do it every year but it always seems to coincide with some big trade show we have to do for work. So it’s a struggle to find the time.
AG: Are there any whole-food staple grocery items you can’t live without? (Favorite fruits, veggies, beans or grains?)
JMM: OMG there’s so much that I consider critical to have on hand. Stuff that we keep in large quantities in the kitchen are: vegan mayo! always at least 2 big jars in the fridge; jumbo Tupperware containers of flour, rice and pasta; huge tubs of raw oats, nutritional yeast, dried black-eyed peas and black beans, pecans, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries; unsweetened soy milk; lots of cans of garbanzo beans; a really good balsamic vinegar; and romaine, onions, potatoes, lots of bags of frozen peas and broccoli. I also keep a stash of homemade apple butter in the basement. Oh–I do keep some plant-meats in the fridge but it’s limited to just vegan sausages and also lunch meats for quick sandwiches and roll ups.
I did kinda go overboard this summer and grew enough garlic to feed 2 families for a year. Of course, I’m planting more this year. I plant a mix of early, mid and late-season varieties then keep them braided and hanging next to the bag of home grown shallots in the cool basement so they last longer throughout the winter. Storing home grown alliums at 55ºF max is the best way to make them last into winter. Store bought garlic has been treated so once brought above 32ºF won’t store as long. If you want to keep home grown garlic longer, peel, mince and freeze it double bagged and in small amounts that you can break off for soups or whatever.
There are a few things that can be harder to find and I snag several whenever I get the chance even though I don’t use them every week: vegan worcestershire sauce is a must have, organic chili sauce is handy, vegan cheeses (I like the ones that really melt), Ceylon cinnamon (from Penzeys), and vegan marshmallows of course. Whole Foods carries most things but are not always located in everyone’s neck of the woods.
AG: Do you have a favorite seasonal meal idea or recipe you’d like to share?
JMM: My hands-down favorite seasonal item is not one of my own unfortunately but it’s my most favorite recipe ever: Vegan Vanguard’s pecan pie. I grew up on traditional pecan pie and since becoming vegan, I’ve tried a lot of very bad vegan versions. VV’s version is the best I’ve ever had, including the ones I used to make in the 70′s with 6 eggs.
If you want one of my own recipes, it’s gotta be my version of black-eyed peas and collards for New Years good luck. By using chorizo seitan crumbles and a good veggie broth, it’s pretty amazing. Took it to an omni party one year and no one asked if it was vegan.
AG: Where do you find inspiration for new meal ideas?
JMM: I like looking at the food sections of news sites to see what trends would be fun to veganize and I try to stay up-to-date on other vegan blogs. I also have this really cool ancient 3-inch-thick cookbook that was my great grandmothers and it’s really fun to see what trouble I can cause with that. It’s falling apart of course but everything in it is the stuff our grandmothers and great grandmothers made. All traditional ideas just waiting to be veganized.
AG: Which Allison’s Gourmet goodie is your favorite or would you most like to try?
JMM: This year for our client presents, I’m ordering a testing box of vegan toffee, peanut brittle and caramels for myself. Of course she doesn’t have a testing box per se so I’ll likely be ordering “extras,” it’ll be my own little Christmas bonus. ;-P
Are you a vegan foodie or know one we should catch up with for the Fridays with Friends series? Drop us a line on Facebook and Twitter!
Holiday Meals: Dinner and Dessert
In search of the perfect centerpiece for a holiday meal? In years past we’ve done both Vegetable Pot Pie and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie for Thanksgiving at our house, each with great success. Other staples of our holiday tables each year include David’s outrageous cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, garlic brussel sprouts, greens, mashed potatoes with rich brown gravy and stuffing. 
For a complete gourmet holiday menu all in one place and with plenty of options, look no further than the VegNews Holiday eCookbook with everything from pumpkin soup to crispy latkes and my own special Roasted Vegetable Pastries. You’ll find delicious and festive recipes here to feed the whole family in scrumptious style. Planning holiday meals for the people you love can be stressful, but with so many decadent and delicious compassionate choices, it doesn’t have to be.
Finish off a big family meal with your favorite decadent dessert whether it’s a tray of organic brownies, a platter of gourmet cookies, or something more involved like a coconut ice cream and double chocolate chunk brownie Sundae topped with caramel sauce and vegan toffee. 
Complement your dessert with a perfect cup of organic fair-trade tea or fair-trade organic coffee. For holiday-inspired sipping, we like Peppermint Drinking Chocolate or Coconut Nog.
Now, for the other nights of the holiday week, or if you have kids who won’t eat anything green, these “VeganizeIt!” versions of classic pasta favorites (like amazing Mac ‘n’ Cheese) 
are cholesterol-free and even include some hidden veggies, but still have the rich and creamy flavors that everybody loves. For Italian-style family meals try Baked Ziti or Lasagna (available in the current issue of VegNews). Or, for an easy meal for kids or kids at heart, whip up some Alfredo sauce, pour over your favorite pasta and serve with a side of steamed veggies.
For those loved one too far distant to share a holiday meal, consider our many elegant and delectable holiday gifts for the season. Happy Compassionate Thanksgiving!
Friday with Friends: Chloé Jo Davis
Beyond being named one of the “Hottest Jews in the World,” by HEEB Magazine, Chloé Jo Davis is a bona fide green, vegan vixen. The editor-in-chief of The GirlieGirl Army, a green guide to glamazon living that boasts 12 years of archives and a fan base that includes major celebrities and many thousands of readers, you may also have seen Chloé as celebrity dirt’s host on RiverWired and in an Errol Morris-directed national commercial for Silk Soy Milk. An activist, writer, green expert, animal rescue warrior, radio host, online personality and ethical fashion expert, she’s also one of the celebrity judges for our Tee and Tote Design Contest happening right now. Chloé told all about motherhood (her son, Panther Britain, was born April 15th, 2010), glamazon living and her favorite vegan foods in a recent interview with Allison’s Gourmet.
Allison’s Gourmet: What items are always on your grocery shopping list aka the foods you could NEVER live without? And has anything food-wise changed since the birth of your vegan son, Panther?
Chloé Jo Davis: I was mainly raw prior to having Panther. Post birthing (and attachment parenting parents who breastfeed will totally get this) we still haven’t slept, so carbs are how I get through the day. I wish I could say I was exclusively green juice and kale chips… but I’m more like green juice, kale chips, roasted potatoes, corn, fresh coconut waters, kombuchas, 
Israeli pickles, cous cous, vegan jerky, vegan sushi, guac, roasted chestnuts, really well marinated tempeh or tofu, white sweet potatoes, avocados, hummus (homemade, of course! hint: a spice called za’atar changes the game), and obsessed with all fresh fruits and veggies, particularly those on the more exotic side. I live on jicama, and I’m mainly a salty gal. I love crackers and a good pretzel! I just love food. I could (and often do) eat 24 hours a day. Plus I cook a lot and I live in NYC, home to a billion vegan restaurants! I don’t stop with the eating. Goddess bless my appetite (shouldn’t we all applaud women who can EAT more? I’m so done applauding women who are proud to have eaten nothing but a side salad all day!)
AG: Your web site, www.GirlieGirlArmy.com spans the gamut with content, covering everything from travel to shopping. Which veg-friendly city is next on your list? What would you pack for the trip?
CJD: We just missed a family gathering in Israel, which I’m bummed about because the produce in Israel is next level, just the best. Between that and the falafel, do you really need anything else?! But Panther is too wild for long plane rides right now. The kid is a daredevil… he never ever stop! We’re planning on visiting our friends at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and Farm Sanctuary in September… but those aren’t exactly in large cities!
So, next real trip will be in October to the World Peace Yoga Jubilee which I have to say, is one of the most special, wonderful events I’ve ever been to. It’s held outside of Cincinnati and it’s the only all-vegan yoga conference that I’ve ever heard of… but it’s so beyond that. The food is sensational, the people beautiful (in and out) and the energy just quite magical. I highly recommend it! Oh, and me and my gf Alex Jamieson will be speaking again on a panel with some genius ethical icons. Lucky us! What will I pack? Probably a bunch of yoga clothes and a few good outfits that I’ll end up getting from one of my legendary clothing swaps. And I never leave home without a pair of OlsenHaus and Cri de Coeur heels.
AG: What’s your favorite summer recipe to share?
CJD: I don’t think you can beat a massive summer salad with fresh corn, chickpeas, berries, dandelion and spinach greens and tons of good olives and a really fresh crusty ciabatta (clearly, I’m not gluten-free though I find it an interesting next potential step!) and then a homemade sorbet (two minutes to make!) in your blender. 
I also grill tons of vegan sausages and make big stir fries with whatever is fresh and organic. You can’t beat Bragg Liquid Aminos, nutritional yeast, and some cracked pepper with ANY veg.
AG: What other vegan sites do you visit on a regular basis?
CJD: Yours, because it’s beautiful and I heart you. I have too many favorites to list, but the gist is – if I write about them on GGA, I mostly likely regularly visit them!
AG: You’ve been featured as an eco-beauty expert. What are some of your favorite finds?
CJD: Oy vey… too much pressure! It’s my job to discover the green and fabulous, so I’m up to my shnozz in favorites. But here are a few:
- Soy nail polish remover
– non toxic, vegan – and perfect to byor (bring your own remover) when hitting up the mani-pedi spot. - Heart of Darkness Shoes – love that my girls at Cri De Coeur launched a sub line which is more affordable for those of us on a budget, but still kept the amazingly cool and gorgeous design that we go to them for.
- Sugar-based Hairspray – it’s a revolution. It works and it doesn’t stink or give you cancer. Halle-fricking-lullah!
- Dalia Gowns – it’s not easy to find black tie worthy gowns that aren’t made from silk. Dalia MacPhee designs gorgeous and vegan gowns for us silk-free ladies.
- Tata Harper skin care line – the face oils are special. You notice a difference in your skin immediately.
AG: What’s your favorite Allison’s Gourmet product? Any product suggestions?
CJD: I’m not a big chocolate gal, though my husband Jeremy is. I tend to buy him your organic brownies, while your vegan toffee and peanut brittle blow me away. Seriously, how dare you. Generally though, I’m more of a tart tartin kinda gal, what about some more fruity confections – maybe with less white sugars and more dates for sweetness? Dare to dream! 
I’m loving baking with puréed dates lately!
Want to hear more from Chloé Jo? Check her out on Twitter and Facebook and at her blog: GirlieGirlArmy.com.
Providing the “How” in Living Vegan
You may have noticed that we stay mostly on the positive side of veganism around here. You don’t hear much from us about the torture and abuse of farm animals or the horrors of the dairy, leather and fur industries. 
We’re not, however, trying to gloss-over or ignore these issues. We care very deeply about animal welfare and a compassionate lifestyle, which is why we put most of our time and energy into providing the “how” to being vegan.
There are many amazing resources out there providing the “why” of vegan living from VegNews and Mercy for Animals, to PETA, The Humane Society of the United States and Farm Animal Sanctuaries around the country. They give you the reasons and facts behind veganism, from ending factory farming to the health benefits of animal-free eating. Then, when you’ve decided that you want to live an animal-free lifestyle but don’t feel like baking, or think that veganism means complete deprivation from all the foods you love, that’s where we come in. 
We’re here to offer you solutions, the answers to all your cravings from vegan toffee and gourmet cookies to veganized comfort food recipes. We’re also a great gift-giving resource for vegans and non-vegans alike. Families and friends of vegan enjoy giving delicious, high-quality desserts to their plant-eating loved ones and vegans themselves give Allison’s Gourmet treats when they want delectable, compassionate and fair-trade gifts that even a carnivore will love.
We love providing vegan lifestyle answers to everyday dilemmas, and, although we’re all about the food, we’re happy to be able to connect our customers to other vegan choices too, like donating and volunteering at animal shelters, purchasing animal-friendly attire, and reading the latest vegan books and blogs. We’re here to help. Have a vegan lifestyle question? Looking for vegan inspiration in some area of your life? Ask your questions here and we’ll see if we can dig up the answers.
Friday with Friends: Ari Solomon
This week we’re very pleased to welcome blogger and activist Ari Solomon to our Friday with Friends feature. Ari blogs at Ari on the Daily and is co-owner of the amazing vegan candle company A Scent of Scandal with his sister, Heather.
Allison’s Gourmet: The names of your candles creatively match their scents (ONE NIGHT STAND smells like margaritas, for example). When creating a new candle, which comes first, the scent or the name? And how do you come up with them?
Ari Solomon: Well, it starts with a bottle of wine! Joking! No, sometimes it’s the name. Like we knew we had to do a REHAB candle a couple years ago when it seemed like every celebrity was either checking in or checking out. 
But then sometimes we’ll get in a fragrance oil that just smells incredible and I know I’ll have to come up with a fun name to include it in the line.
AG: Does your working relationship with your sister ever extend into the kitchen? If so, what’s a favorite recipe the two of you enjoy making together? Do you and your husband Mikko enjoy playing in the kitchen together?
AS: My sister lives in New Jersey and I live in Los Angeles, so unfortunately, we don’t get much kitchen time. My husband and I, however, are constantly cooking and having dinner parties. We do a lot of middle-eastern inspired recipes. 
I’m half Syrian and a lot of the delicious Syrian recipes I grew up with happen to be vegan by default: homemade hummus, baba ghanouj, lentils with rice and caramelized onions. Yum! I’m also a huge kale enthusiast and prepare kale at least once a day either raw in a salad or slightly steamed.
AG: From FM radio host to animal- and gay-rights activist, you have had a varied and prolific career. How did you get involved in writing for animal and human rights? Is your family supportive of you on both those fronts?
AS: After learning about how animals are abused and tortured for “food” and other various commodities, I felt compelled to speak out. So, I started my own blog and began writing about these issues. From there I got asked to guest blog for other websites and that eventually landed me a spot writing for The Huffington Post. I only hope that what I write starts a conversation with people who have never considered animals before. Don’t get me wrong, the support from the choir feels great, but my goal is to reach the fur-wearing, meat-eating, circus-going crowd. As for my parents, they’re pretty supportive these days. But when I told them I was vegan, it was a hot mess! Gay, great! Vegan… not so much. It was definitely rough at first but they’re coming around. My mom has now read Skinny Bitch and The China Study and she’s watched Earthlings. She gets it.
AG: What’s next for A Scent of Scandal in terms of products, fragrances, and events?
AS: We have our summer fragrances coming up called The Boys of Summer: THE CABANA BOY smells like mojito, THE LIFEGUARD smells like dreamsicle, and THE POOL BOY smells like suntan lotion. They’re amazing!
AG: What are some of your favorite vegan sites to peruse?
AS: Oh! There are SO many!! OK, my favorites: Food Fight! Grocery is genius for vegan candy and hard-to-find vegan food items. I also LOVE Alternative Outfitters to find the most amazing gifts. Also, GirlieGirl Army. It’s SO much more than fashion. Chloe (the founder) takes no prisoners. Another fantastic website is Our Hen House — I appear on their podcast! And, of course, A Scent of Scandal!
AG: What’s your favorite Allison’s Gourmet product?
AS: The vegan toffee!! Hands-down the best thing you’ll ever eat in your life! Last year, my friend bought a bunch of it and took it to the movie theater with us. We were in heaven! I want that recipe! If I got to play with Allison in the kitchen, I’m not sure what we would create, but I know it would involve chocolate and lots of peanut butter!
Sounds great, Ari! If you like chocolate and peanut butter, have you tried out vegan peanut butter cups?
Upgrade Your Party with Allison’s Gourmet
If you’ve planned a party, you know the prep work involves much more than simply announcing a date and waiting for the guests to arrive. You’ve got to consider decorations, music, invitations, and most important of all – menu! To help, we’ve compiled a list of time-saving suggestions featuring our favorite Allison’s Gourmet goodies to help make an elegant and memorable impression.
Coffee Talk: Whether you’re hosting a bridal brunch or a late night fête, coffee is a must. Our blends are organic, fair-trade, shade grown (for wildlife habitat preservation), freshly roasted, packaged in a one-way valve bag and delicious. Try our Organic Coffee Sampler to offer your guests a variety.
Bag, You’re It: Send guests home with a sweet send-off. Prepare little goodie bags with a few of our fair-trade chocolates tossed in to thank them for their attendance.
Sundae Funday: Try a sophisticated take on the make-your-own trend with a tray of our organic brownies. Let guests customize their treats with a variety of sauces, ice creams, and candy toppings, like our vegan toffee (hint: crush it up!) and peanut brittle.
Tell us: what do you like to eat at parties?
New Feature: Fridays with Friends
Welcome to Fridays with Friends, our new series featuring interviews with inspiring and inspired vegan bloggers. And, welcome Chocolate-Covered Katie, our first awesome blogger and recipe-whiz-extraordinaire! Hi, Katie!
Allison’s Gourmet: How long have you been blogging? Where did you get your start? Which blogs do you love to read?
Chocolate-Covered Katie: I’ve been blogging since September of 2007, and it started as simply a way to keep up with old friends when I went off to college at Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania. Honestly, I don’t read many food blogs… I’m not really a foodie, and I just don’t have time to read blogs!
AG: Where do you come up with all the amazing and decadent recipes that you feature on your blog?
CCK: Ack! I have too many ideas floating though my head and not enough time to write posts for them all! Sometimes I literally cannot sleep at night; I’ll have to turn on the light and write down an idea. I also get a lot of ideas when I’m out running in the mornings.
AG: Pack an imaginary picnic. Which dishes from your blog would you include?
CCK: Hmmm… well, if it’s a breakfast picnic, I’d bring my Baked Oatmeal for One… because it’s easy and portable!
AG: What is your hands-down, impress-everyone, signature, contest-winning-worthy favorite?
CCK: My absolute favorite right now is Raw Chocolate-Fudge Cake. It’s life-changing!
AG: Which Allison’s Gourmet products would you most like to try?
CCK: Oooh for sure, the vegan toffee!
AG: If you were in the kitchen with Allison, what recipe would you love to collaborate on?
CCK: Anything with chocolate!
AG: In a dream world, you’d eat [BLANK, BLANK, and BLANK] every day.
CCK: Chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate…
Thanks, Katie! For more of her delicious and healthy recipes, check out Katie’s blog Chocolate-Covered Katie.
Springtime Toffee Talk
We know the winter weather has the potential to influence our moods and wardrobes, but what is its effect on our palates? 
I know I crave richer, warmer foods in the winter, especially comfort foods like mashed potatoes and Mac ‘n’ Cheese. But I’ve found that in the last few weeks I’ve started looking forward to spring in my meal planning. Do you find yourself fixing simple salads and fresh fruits in lieu of heartier fare after Daylight Savings Time or do you wait until the warmth of Summer hits? 
If you’re feeling like some Summertime foods in anticipation of warmer months to come, you might like Allison’s Grilled Tempeh Reubens and Tuna(less) Salad Sandwiches from her column “Veganize It!” in VegNews Magazine. What’s your favorite springtime meal?
If you’re also seeking a sweet snack in sync with the springtime season, nothing tops our Vegan Toffee. The buttery, breakable treat makes for the perfect post-lunch or after-dinner bite when you’re craving something decadent but not too heavy.
Our toffee is available in two luscious flavors: Classic Almond Toffee, flecked with toasted organic almonds, and Chocolate Almond Toffee, crested with a layer of dark chocolate.
Feeling adventurous? Try…
Breaking off a piece and dropping it into your morning cup of organic coffee.
Adding it to your favorite baking recipes.
Crushing it up as a topping for your favorite non-dairy ice cream.
Or, tell us your favorite ways to enjoy Allison’s Gourmet vegan toffee!
