So many people ask me why I love zombies. Why? Have you noticed that even in their undead state, they still work together as a community. Well, they do. Yes, it sucks that their limbs will fall off and they stink of rotting flesh and they need to eat the living to keep going, but yeah for community! We could all take a lesson out of the zombie book!
My love of zombies started when I was quite young. One would think it was when I was introduced to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968), but in fact, it was much earlier than that. My first taste of zombies, was much more of a traditional zombie. Movies such as Nosferatu ()King of the Zombies (1941), I Walked With Zombie (1943) and White Zombie (1932), were often played on TV. I recall watching them over and over, being fascinated with what a zombie really was. Then came along a completely different type of undead being.
Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Zombi, Night of the Comet and 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead showed us a variety of possible zombie types. Slow, fast, rabid and ones who could become friends. To this day Shaun of the Dead is still my go to movie when I feel depression creeping in.
Day 17! Let your weird show. Seriously, never be afraid to be weird, which leads me to my photo for today.
I’ve always had a fascination with Zombies. My first introduction wasn’t actually Night of the Living Dead. It was in fact, White Zombie. Being a kid who grew up watching silent and pre-code movies, it was the first Zombie movie I recall watching. Next would be I Walk With A Zombie. I have a poster of that movie in my Hall of Horror!
Fast forward to the early 2000s and I am introduced to the Toronto Zombie Walk. Eventually, I became part of the group that ran it and in turn met and became good friends with the ghoulish and creeptacular Thea Faulds. Because of this, I got to meet George Romero twice.
Today is the day. If I don’t get a photo of the crows or the Raven, I will need to find somewhere in Toronto where they congregate. Why must they torment me? I can hear them and see them in other people’s yards. When I try to make my way towards them to take a picture, they take off. All I ask is you come visit our front yard and let me get some good photographs of you. What I wouldn’t do right now for my DSLR right now and a zoom lens.
My intention today was to sit on the covered porch to write, but the temperature suddenly dropped and big, gray clouds started rolling in. I moved to the kitchen table and can actually see a wall of rain heading towards us. Have you ever been outside when this happens, especially when you have nowhere to go? I have, it’s not always a fun experience. I’d much rather be watching it from the safety of inside.
I’ve decided to give myself permission to take a few days off. Not sleeping well due to the futon from hell, I’m tired. When I get home tomorrow, I will likely take a long, hot shower, throw in my laundry and then watch 1950s, sci-fi b-movies. Maybe I can convince my love to order in. I’ve been away from him for a week and a half and it will feel good to be with him again. I have to say I am incredibly lucky to have such a supportive partner. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes.
Blogging every day has been fun and a great way to wake up my brain each day, but I’m not sure I can continue to do it daily. I have realized that I definitely need to blog more often. I still have plans to vlog, but for now, will continue to blog. My priority is to get a solid first draft of my novel done, then I can figure out vlogging and the youtube channel I keep talking about.
The other thing that evades me are the books I am looking for. We checked a few places in town and was not able to find them. It looks like a trip to the Reference Library will be happening upon my return. In all honesty, I need to go there on a regular basis to research and write.
Because of the pending rain, the crows have disappeared again. Off to find shelter and to stay dry. They are intelligent creatures and I’m sure decided that the redhead isn’t going to capture their image. You just wait crows, I may not capture your image today, but I will one day.
Recently we had a house party for my boyfriend’s birthday. I made an array of hot h’orrorduerves. The table was filled with many delicious vegan dishes such as loaded nachos, complete with nacho sauce, guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Cauliflower BBQ sauce wings, spring rolls, blue cheese dip, spicy sweet chili pepper sauce, cheese ball with chives, veggies, dips, hummus, cupcakes… all homemade. Did I mention… all vegan?
The one thing that caught everyone’s attention was the Cauliflower BBQ sauce wings. Everyone thought they were actual non-vegan wings. Even after I let them know they were not, they still tried them. Loved them. You know that you were successful when everything was gobbled up. All of the homemade food was gone, platters cleaned off, with the exception of some dredges of sauce and a wee bit of the cheeseball.
Quite often I am asked for the recipes for the dishes I make. Either by those who have eaten them or by those who have viewed pictures on my Instagram account. I do often use recipe books or recipes from the YouTube channels or blogs I am subscribed to. More often than naught, I do make things by just tossing ingredients together. This is a skill I learned from my Grandma Betty. A skill that can frustrate others, when you describe a recipe as a handful of that and a pinch of this. It’s definitely time to start writing these things down.
Similar to knitting, I learned to cook when I was ten. Partly out of necessity (to help out my working parents), partly because I loved to experiment with food and cooking was the ultimate experiment. I have always loved cooking and creating recipes. The end results may not always be what was expected and it’s true that our failures, even in the kitchen, teach us to be better at what we are attempting to learn or create.
I was blessed to have two Grandmothers who were amazing cooks. I learned different skills from both of them. Their passion for cooking and baking also became my passion. I learned how to bake bread, tarts, shortbread and pies. I got to watch them smile as they rolled out dough or kneaded bread. Every once in awhile I still get a waft of baking bread and nostalgia.
A few years ago my Aunt Margie copied Grandma Betty’s cookbook and my mom gave me a copy of Grandma Carrie’s recipes. Over time I have been converting them to Vegan recipes. I think it is time to start sharing these recipes.
As I mentioned above, In the beginning, I didn’t have cookbooks to guide me along. I learned how to cook by watching how others cooked. This was pre-YouTube, pre-internet. I KNOW. A time BEFORE the internet! Once I learned the basics, I needed to know more, I wanted to expand my knowledge. This is when cookbooks came into my life. Very often, I would borrow cookbooks from the library. Eventually, I started receiving cookbooks for gifts and then began my collection. A collection that continues to grow.
When I was a child, I grew up in an omnivore household. As a teen, I started to experiment with being a vegetarian and became a full vegetarian when I move out at the age of eighteen. Eventually, I became Vegan. When I did, I purged my cookbooks. I didn’t give them all away and if you looked at my collection, you will still see non-Vegan cookbooks. I still use those cookbooks… and convert recipes to Vegan ones. I have the Betty Crocker Cookbook my mom gave to me when I was a teenager. I also love to collect vintage cookbooks. These can often be vegan recipe conversion inspiration.
My personal style has usually been a horror-themed dinner party menus. The last few parties we’ve hosted have been less on the ghoulish side and I think I need to get back to being more of the horrific hostess. In my collection of cookbooks, I have horror themed or dark themed cookbooks. My next food related blog post will be of that theme. I have also started a food-related blog. You will find all of my future food-related posts at www.notvegannowvegan.wordpress.com.
Sweet Chili Sauce recipe (one of those toss items together and see what happens)
Ingredients:
¼ cup water
2 tbsp vinegar
1 garlic (minced)
2 -3 red chili pepper or tsp of chili flakes
1.5 tbsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tsp cornstarch + 1.5 tsp water
In a saucepan add water and sugar. Heat and stir till sugar is dissolved.
Add garlic and chili pepper or flakes.
Add vinegar.
Add cornstarch mixture and stir till thick.
As it cools down it will get thicker.
YouTube Channels:
These are some of the YouTube Channels I watch. It is a beautiful mix of healthy and how to make Vegan junk food. For those of my readers who are from Toronto, I will note which ones are from Toronto (easier for getting supplies).
Hot For Food (Toronto)
It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken (Toronto)
The Edgy Veg (Toronto)
Buddhist Chef (Montreal)
Those Annoying Vegans (the first half of the video is the recipe, second half is about Veganism)
Cooking with Plants
Deliciously Ella — (also she’s got a cute British accent)
Raw Food Not Gross (she isn’t just raw food/she is super kooky and fun)
and here as well, though her own channel is way more fun
Vegetarian Baker
The Vegan Zombie (because Zombies)
Vegan Black Metal Chef (because fun)
Be Healthy Be Happy
Sian Brown (A very talented musician)
Cheap Lazy Vegan (Canadian)
Nikki Limo’s Tasty Tuesday’s
High Carb Hannah
Sweet Potato Soul
Websites and bloggers (most of these sites you can also subscribe to their newsletters):
We’re just inviting you to take a timeout into the rhythmic ambiance of our breakfast, brunch and/or coffee selections. We are happy whenever you stop by.
Lizzie Violet 