Coffee Cake

You know how you have one or two family recipe's that are known by names like, "Aunt Clara's Jello Salad" and "Grandma's Sweet Potato Surprise"? Well, my family has "Aunt Linda's Coffee Cake."

My Aunt Linda made it once and and we all liked it so much, we named it after her. I grew up eating this on Christmas morning. About five years ago I found out the recipe is from a Better Homes & Garden's bread cookbook. I know because after weekend visit with cousin B (one of Aunt Linda's offspring) where the two of us polished off an entire coffee cake, B sent me a used copy of the cookbook for Christmas. I also found out the version my mom made was not authentic. She made it up based on what was in it.

Granted, it isn't a complicated recipe. It has Bisquick, cream cheese, butter, milk, and raspberry jam. Then it's drizzled with powdered sugar frosting. But it looks super complicated, and it impresses people.

Back in Ye Olde College Town I made Aunt Linda's Coffee Cake once a year for a friend's annual New Years Day brunch. It was always a hit. But my favorite memory was my granola hippie/tattooed friend who would hover over it, eating half a piece at a time. It's not something she would make at home because it was full of processed flours and such... but out of the house? Game on.

I thought of Aunt Linda's Coffee Cake often since going vegan. I wondered if I could just swap out the dairy for the vegan equivalent. After talking to someone who regularly converts Midwestern comfort food to being vegan friendly by doing just that, I decided to give it a try.

Bisquick is vegan, so that was all good. I used Tofutti "cream cheese" and Earth Balance for the cream cheese and butter and soy milk (the Organic Valley brand--it is organic and tastes better than Silk). The frosting is powdered sugar, soy milk and vanilla. And you know what? It turned out pretty damn good. So good I ate enough of it to give myself a tummy ache.

Veganized Aunt Linda's Coffee Cake. The blurriness at the top left is my fingernail.

Overheard on Campus

Female student: blah blah blah [something about food]

Male student: Do you want to eat it or have sex with it?

You know what I don't miss?

Cheese.

Really.

When I tell people I'm vegan one of the first things they say is, "I'd miss cheese too much." I thought I would too. Hell, the whole time I was in Mississippi I waxed poetic about cheese curds. And, honestly, cheese curds are pretty awesome just because only in Wisconsin can you get honest-to-god fresh cheese curds. (I'm looking at you local Washington dairy who told me their cheese curds were fresh... and then told me in the same breath that to make them squeak I would have to put them in the microwave for a few seconds.) But after almost two years, cheese kind of grosses me out. Even cheese curds.

I've been reading about Daiya vegan "cheese." My vegan friends have been raving about it. A local pizza place uses it for their vegan pizza. I tried it on their pizza and it was really rich, and I wasn't sure I liked it.

I met some local vegans for dinner last weekend where there was much talk about Daiya. So... On the way home, I swung by the Co-op to get some. I've used it twice: Once on tostadas and one in some spinach quesadillas. I will probably be scorned by vegans everywhere for saying this, but I really don't like it. Vegans have been waiting forever for a non-dairy cheese that is easily accessible, and that melts. Daiya does all of those things.

But... it tastes oily. And fake. Because it's fake shredded cheese that is made with a bunch of oil.

So, I think I am going to go back to my cheese-less pizza (seriously, it's good), and soft-shell tacos with avacados, veggies, and black beans sans cheese.

The Train

I love the train.

I wish I could say I took the train all the time, but I don't. Yet I probably take it more than many. Most often I take it to Seattle for the afternoon. For about $40 round-trip I have enough time to meet friends for lunch and do some shopping. It takes longer than the drive, but it is more relaxing, the view is better, and I don't have to deal with parking.

When they say the train runs right along the water, they mean it.

Twice I have taken the train to Portland. The trip is a little more than six hours--it's four by car, if there are no major traffic issues in Seattle. Despite the extra time, I prefer the train.

But, yeah, I love it. Everything about it. I love standing around in our little train station listening to the incredibly exasperated station attendant explaining over and over that baggage closes 30 minutes before the train leaves, that you have to sign your ticket, and that you don't need to get a seat assignment (in Seattle and Portland you do need to get a seat assignment). I love seeing the train pull into the station. I like the car attendants in their uniforms helping everyone on the car. It's laid back and borderline romantic.

The train pulling into the station

I grab a cup of coffee, some breakfast, and hop on the train. If I'm going to be on the train for a while, I eventually grab a beer and watch the scenery. One of my favorite things to do is to stand in the vestibule and drink a beer. I have a view out both windows. I am usually by myself, and I can get lost in both the scenery and my own thoughts.

Coach car, taken from the vestibule.

Some things I noticed this time:

• They now have a vegan food option. They have always had a vegetarian item, but it was nice to see a vegan choice. I usually take my own food (Trader Joe's Spicy Lentil Wrap has yet to let me down), but it's good to know they have something if I can't bring my own food.
• I've read that ridership is up something like 20%. I know ridership at our station is up, but ridership is up nationwide. This has become evident over the last few months, because the cars are often filled. Around here, a lot of that is due to having extended service to Vancouver, BC. They did it because of the Winter Olympics, but looking at how full the train cars are, I doubt they will get rid of the extended service.
• Amtrak shows some decent movies. I saw most of Up in the Air on a trip back from Seattle in March. This time they showed Sherlock Holmes and Young Victoria. I didn't watch Sherlock Holmes but I listened to Young Victoria.
• The attendants on the train are incredibly amusing and self-deprecating. They make the trip a lot of fun. I'm beginning to recognize their voices and accents (at least one of them in French Canadian).

Taking the train really makes me realize how lucky I am to live here. First, I have the option to take the train, it has a decent schedule, and it's convenient. Second, it reminds me how amazingly beautiful the Pacific Northwest is. My one complaint: I wish we had a commuter train to Seattle. Given the terrain, I doubt we ever will. Vancouver would be nice, though. Real nice.

Portland, Again

As part of my birthday present to myself, I went to Portland for a weekend. There was some work-related stuff involved, but it only took a day, and it was just another reason for me to take myself to PDX, do a few work things and then see some friends.

I've been to Portland several times. The most recent trip was a little over a year ago. It was so great it was worth three posts: Here, here, and here.

I stayed with my Recently Found Facebook Friend. I got to meet his wife and their baby. We hung out, drank, ate, and just had a good time. There is much more to say about the weekend, but let me leave you with this:

IPA in a Mason Jar: The Portland version of the Go Cup.

My weekend, so far.

Friday: Leave the library early to attend a thing I was invited to for some odd reason. Introduce myself for what feels like the millionth time as "new faculty" when I've been here for two years. But, when there's an ongoing hiring freeze... two years is new. Pick up some Thai food to go and some groceries. Have a minor fender bender in the parking lot. No one is hurt and the damage is minor, but feel stupid. Almost too upset to eat. Almost. Call insurance company. While eating fried tofu with peanut sauce, spill peanut sauce down the front of shirt, pants... and the cat. Almost burst into tears out of shear frustration.

Saturday: Walk to farmer's market. Buy cupcake for my hairdresser. Buy a chocolate thing from the place with the vegan bakery (it's awesome that she has a booth, but her baked goods are hit and miss). Talk to some friends. Get my hair cut and colored (loooove the new color my hairdresser recommended). Buy new sterling silver bracelet--it's one more thing to take off before going through airport security.

New bracelet

Sunday: Turn a year older, not just any year... 40. Plan on having a day of sloth, celebration will be later in the month. Decide to go to Target. Followed by Kohl's and Macy's where many sales were found. Watch The Breakfast Club, a movie as good now as it was in 1985. Seriously. Think about how much John Hughes is missed, even if he was a recluse and hadn't made a movie in years. During the scene when Carl (janitor) and Vernon (principal) are drinking beer and discussing these "kids today," think how our slacker generation didn't turn out that bad. Take that, Vernon!

************

It was a low-key birthday. It was one of those things I have been obsessing and thinking about for so long that it is almost anti-climactic. I had nothing planned. I decided I didn't want to do anything today, but a spa day is being planned for later this month. I'm going with birth-month, not just birth-day.

And after all that obsessing, turning 40 was kind of a relief, almost liberating. Kind of like turning 30, but different.