So, what to make for our New Year’s Eve party? That is the dilemma of the day! I always feel pressure hosting gatherings because I would hate to disappoint my guests. Our friends have had some of my vegan food and luckily they have all enjoyed it. Now I feel like I have to keep impressing them so they keep coming back AND maybe it will even convince them to add a meat free meal to their weekly menu. Of course, this is self imposed pressure, but pressure none the less.
The Back Story
We visited my Dad in Phoenix a few years ago. He is very conscious of Kelly and I being vegan and always wants to find local restaurants that are either vegan or have great vegan options. He lives in Surprise, Arizona which caters to a slightly different crowd so the vegan options are few and far between. But, within the greater Phoenix area there are many great vegan choices. We have found many great vegan restaurants over the years and each time we go back there are more and more options. On this particular trip, my Dad found a restaurant in Glendale that is owned by the renowned vegan chef, Jason Wyrick. Jason opened Casa Terra which was a plant based restaurant focused on authentic Mexican cuisine. We were lucky enough to get a reservation and what a great meal we had. Everything was so good, I bought one of Jason’s books while we were there – Vegan Tacos. This is not your average, Americanized Taco book. This books takes a very in depth dive into all aspects of authentic Mexican tacos. From the history, equipment needed, foundational ingredients and techniques and of course, tons of different and unique tacos. The recipes can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you spend some time reading and getting comfortable with everything, it starts to simplify itself. At least it did for me!
Get to the Point
Which brings me back to “What to make for our New Year’s Eve party?”. And yes you guessed it – An Authentic Taco Bar. I am taking the leap and attempting something I have never done before and serving it at our party – not always the wisest choice. I am making salsas, sauces, fresh tortillas, vegan chorizo and tacos. To ease the stress, I will be making the salsas and sauces in advance. The plan is to have 3 proteins (beans, vegan chorizo and mushrooms). With the 3 salsas, 3 sauces and then a spread of toppings, our guests will be able to create many different tacos of their liking. I will create some direction on a couple of the more unique tacos – The Baja Style Taco and Durango Stew Taco, but after that, have at it and have fun! And that is what this is about about. Having fun, trying new things, learning and sharing. And if I can change the perspective of someone who thinks vegan food is dull and boring, all the better. Bonus points if I can convince them to at least consider adding a cruelty free meal to their weekly menu – and maybe even Just Do It (sorry Nike).
Focus, Focus, Focus
I am inspired by the passions, knowledge and focus of great vegan chefs. Their drive to develop great flavors with locally sourced ingredients, their desire to serve food that is cruelty free and their never ending pursuit of continual improvement is something we can all marvel at and enjoy. I am inspired by Jason Wyrick and I hope to bring some of his great food to a new group – wish me luck! I will let you know how it goes.
