We interrupt this series for CHOCOLATE CAKE

If you know me or if you've followed this blog, you know that I'm always in search of the "perfect" chocolate cake. My taste buds appreciate a dark, moist, subtly bittersweet chocolate cake, which is rich, but not overly dense. And for a good piece of chocolate cake, I do make exceptions in my vegan, and now, my raw vegan diet.

Though I do enjoy chocolate cakes that use animal products, for me, the "perfect" chocolate cake is one that meets my standards but is also raw and vegan. A futile search? No longer. I've found THE recipe. After my personal taste tests and three rounds of "non-baking," with slices enjoyed by a handful of my guinea pigs, I am interrupting this blog series on Globalization and Food to share my recipe of the "perfect chocolate cake" with you!



THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE: raw & vegan
3 cups walnuts
20 medjual dates (pitted)
2/3 cups carob powder (cacao or cocoa powder also work)
1 t vanilla extract
¼ t sea salt

1. Process walnuts with salt in food processor. Pulse to mix, but do not over process as walnuts will get oily. Consistency should be larger than a grain of sand but smaller than a pebble.
2. Add carob powder, dates, and vanilla.
3. Continue processing as the mixture becomes a cake-like consistency, slightly granular, like sand. When pressed together, the mixture should hold its shape.
4. Place mixture on a plate and form into shape. (It will feel like you're making a cake out of sand!)
5. The cake may be cut into slices and enjoyed as is, or you can top with shredded coconut and/or sliced fruit (like strawberries or bananas), or you can frost it with soy whip cream or a cashew nut frosting.

My taste testers have been surprised at how intensely rich this cake is in terms of its texture, color, and flavor. And who would have thought that chocolate cake could actually be good for you as dates and walnuts have wonderful health benefits? With no added processed sugars, this yummy dessert actually satisfies those afternoon craving for sweets.

Though vegan-me has been getting all the credit for this cake, it comes from Andrea Primm, raw food chef and instructor. Check out her YouTube video and watch her create this 10-minute or less recipe.

NOW BACK TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED SERIES
Next week:
Global Food Movements making a difference
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Restaurant review: CAFÉ GRATITUDE

"There's something wonderful about going to a restaurant and being able to order anything from the menu."
Those were the words of delight from my cousin the other day as I treated her out for a much belated birthday meal at Café Gratitude, a raw vegan restaurant. This was my first time at Café Gratitude, and her first time at the original location just blocks from her and her husband's new home in the Mission.

After Mother's Day dinner with my parents this weekend, when my selections at the very nice Italian restaurant were extremely slim, my cousin's words ring especially true. I thoroughly enjoyed the total splurge at Café Gratitude with drinks, appetizer, main entrée, and dessert. And though the $50 I spent felt steep, it was definitely worth it in comparison to the $75 I spent on Mother's Day, for a salad and soup, which left my taste buds longing for something more.

I am grateful for places like Café Gratitude, which I am discovering. Actually, on my first visit, I was not only "grateful" but I was also "insightful" (with spring rolls), "graceful" (with Indian Bahraini), "youthful" (with fresh almond milk) and "adoring" (with tiramisu). My cousin found herself "insightful" and "adoring" also, but in addition she was "accepting" (with a sushi bowl) and "effervescent" (with house ginger ale).

Just reflecting on our meal after my Mother's Day dinner "rations", I am reliving the taste bud sensations. Aha... It was a divinely delightful experience. There is little to critique, other than I wish there was a location near my place and that the meals weren't so expensive. Yet, I recognize the fresh tastes, the organic ingredients, and care given to ensure quality, especially during challenging economic times, so I understand the prices. I just wish my employer would understand that too when it comes to my paycheck!

While the food feeds the body, the café is also intended to feed the soul. Each item on the menu is named "I am ____", followed by a positive attribute to reflect the philosophy and lifestyle which gave rise to this "movement", now in four locations -- San Francisco in the Mission and Sunset, Berkeley, and the newest location, San Rafael.

Based on their life journeys, Matthew & Terces Engelhart developed the Abounding River board game in 2002 to share their experiences with others. The purpose of the game is to help people transform from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. It's about "being abundance", training people in a day to day practice as well as discovering a spiritual foundation that opens up to a whole new way of looking at money and resources. The Engelharts want people to experience themselves as being the source of unlimited supply.

After leading workshops based on the game around the country, the couple felt that the next step was opening a gaming parlor that served food - a raw food gaming parlor. Café Gratitude was born, with original recipes developed by Terces, vegetarian and raw with no wheat, dairy, or sugar.

As the website, which features the beautiful artwork of the board game, states: "Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love."

You can literally taste the love while there, as well as play the game. While my cousin and I really didn't know about the gaming parlor aspects while there for nearly 2 hours, we did feel the love as we enjoyed good food, encouraging conversation, and friendly wait staff who answered questions, and even let me look at a recipe book to see ingredients in the desserts! It was sweet, and I am "thankful" as I eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to get there again, to not just enjoy the food, but to play the game and to be "abundance" as well.