Green Tease

Yesterday, we went to see the solar eclipse at Caltech, where they have a solar telescope. For this reason, we were in Pasadena, a lovely city that we almost never go to. I had read on So Cal Vegan Gal's blog that there is a vegan restaurant there which serves Green Tea Cheesecake. Since "green tea flavored treats" is on my list of things I don't like, I figured I would take advantage of my time in Pasadena to eat something questionable.

Here's my husband, with a strange and unusual plant he found after the solar eclipse. I hope it can handle a vegan diet!

 We went to Green Earth Vegan Cuisine. They have a very eclectic menu, with lots of Asian foods, but also, Mexican, American, Italian and other styles of cuisine. There were a LOT of things on the menu that looked good to me.... so, of course, I decided to order the 1 thing I could find that looked bad to me: The Spicy Lemongrass Tofu. I really want to maximize my meals out! :-)

The Spicy Lemongrass Tofu was fine. There was nothing wrong with the flavor, and I know it's just my personal preference that makes me prefer many other kinds of food over Asian food. But specifically, I didn't have any problem with the lemongrass, like I expected to. It made me examine what exactly was my issue with lemongrass to begin with. And I determined it was never really about the flavor of lemongrass, but more about the fact that lemongrass is, IMO, a horrible pain in the ass to try and cook with! I've tried it before, with fresh lemongrass, and that didn't go well for me. Later, I tried it with dried, and that went even worse. So, it's just my own failures as a chef that made me turn my back on lemongrass and decide I "didn't like it." Shame on me! Hence, if I leave lemongrass to the more capable cooks, I should be able to get along with it just fine. I will no longer put my own insecurities upon the innocent lemongrass!

However, I did regret not getting a burrito or lasagna.

 And as it turns out, I sure am glad that I used dinner to make peace with lemongrass! Because, remember that Green Tea Cheesecake? The only reason why we came to this particular restaurant? Well, they no longer have it! It's still on the menu, but alas, it has been replaced with a delicious sounding Oreo Cheesecake! Which, of course, I didn't order, because I know damn well that I like Oreo Cheesecake! ;-)

Oh, and one more note. I went through the entire meal and I didn't fling the lemon slice out of my water and into my husband's glass! Yes, I think water tastes better without the lemon slice in it, but really, it isn't so awful that I always needed to be so dramatic about it! How many billions of people don't have clean drinking water *at all* and are content to strain water out of a river or a puddle and here I am, being a big baby about a harmless lemon slice. Pathetic!

 So, I consider Lemongrass to be officially conquered! And if anyone ever spies any vegan, green tea treats at any other places around LA, please notify me immediately!