Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Caribbean Vegan

©Jacky Gotin

Taymer Mason believes strongly in the ethics and the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet.

I don’t.

Seriously if it’s not threatened or endangered at no time would I ever consider completely eliminating animal products from my diet.

Sorry.

So, why then would I be interested in owning a copy of Taymer’s book Caribbean Vegan? Well Taymer ( such a cool name:-) and I do have something in common. We share a love for fabulous tasting food and in her book she will prove to you that going meat and dairy free doesn’t mean bland and tasteless.

Best of all I love that Taymer’s book introduces vegan food with a Caribbean sensibility. Many vegan recipes that I encounter are heavily focused on the nutritional benefits of the meals often to the detriment of taste. Not so Caribbean Vegan. In authentic Caribbean style Taymer 'seasons’ her meals as carefully as one would a meat dish.

Long before this book was published Taymer kindly shared with me her recipe for creole ratatouille (it’s in the book). A foreigner not accustomed to the subtleties of flavours imparted by the copious use of herbs and spices might find the ingredient list somewhat long and maybe even unnecessary. However the moment I read the recipe I smiled. I recognized it. I got it. The layering of flavours becomes even more important when a dish lacks a meaty stock as it’s base.

Taymer’s book came out and I was intrigued as to how she would ‘veganise’ certain traditional Caribbean comfort foods. I absolutely could not wait to try her version of saltfish accras ( a kind of fish fritter).  The use of fire roasted seaweed to substitute for the fish flavour was genius but would it pass the taste test of a non-vegan? Fear not, I put that recipe to the ultimate taste test and offered them to my daughter’s teen study group.
Nom. Nom, nom.
More please!

Want more of Taymer’s vegan delights? You don't have to be a vegan to appreciate it and many of the recipes would work just as well as a perfect side to any meat main dish. This book is available in book stores in  Trinidad and online at Amazon. You can also visit and chat with Taymer over at her blog Vegan in the Sun.

17 comments:

  1. I don't eat meat but I don't think the whole world should stop eating meat or any such blah-blah. Good veggie recipe books are welcome. I agree, the dishes can go well with other meat dishes.

    I'll have to check out her book, that roasted sea-weed has grabbed my attention.

    OMG! Look at her skin! OMG OMG!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hehe I love your honesty. I don't think I could ever give up meat too! But this cookbook does sound like a fun twist on vegan :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like to follow a semi vegetarian lifestyle but I am not ready yet for a vegan lifestyle but I might look into her cookbook.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We Indians are more vegetarians who can have milk products , going pure vegan lloks difficult but with all those soy and almond milk i think it can be fun .

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, she is very beautiful! I am heading over to her site, and will check out her book if I can find it here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm not vegan, but try to incorporate a few vegan meals in here and there. That book sounds AWESOME!!! Love your blog!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with you - I have no ethical issues with eating meat and have no plans to eliminate it from my diet. However, I do see value in being selective about which meats I buy (in terms of it being organic and free-range) and also in reducing the overall amount for health reasons. I therefore love books like this, that give me tasty options and ideas for cooking without (or with less if I choose) meat and animal products. Thanks for the tip-off!

    ReplyDelete
  8. i love carribean food and veggies so that could be for me !!Pierre

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm not vegan either but this looks like such a fun cookbook. The Creole Ratatouille sound so intriguing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. i'm with you, totally not interested in a meat free diet, but that being said, i do think its important to have some vegetarian dishes up your sleeves. There is always someone who is vegetarian that you end up having to cook for.
    *kisses* HH

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm an omnivore but eat mostly vegetarian. I feel better without too much meat. I grew up in the midwest where you had to have meat and a starch on your plate or it was not a meal, it was a snack.

    This recipe sounds delicious and that you for sharing what sounds like a yummy book with us.

    ReplyDelete
  12. She is gorgeous....and I like the sound of a Caribbean ratatouille!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have been off meat for 5 years of my life..it was a choice but if you ask me today..I can reduce the intake but cannot live w/o it.I tried a vegan burger once ..and dont even ask how I felt abt it .LOL

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for this cookbook review, a great recommendation for vegan dishes.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I do enjoy vegan dishes every now and then but I don't think I can give up meat completely!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm not vegan and probably will never be either, but I love vegan cooking because I think not being able to use many traditional flavorings pushes cooks to explore new and fascinating flavors. I'd love to check out her work.

    ReplyDelete