Welcome to all of our new readers ~ very glad you are joining us. If you have any specific requests or questions, please let me know!
As many of you know, I was in New York last week for a few amazing vegan activities ~
I was invited to be a speaker at the Long Island Mind Body Spirit Expo, where I gave presentations on transitioning to a plant-based diet, and also led a discussion to answer individual nutrition questions ~
and then I taught 2 really fun vegan cooking classes, which included a summer veggie & herb tofu scramble, chickpea sliders on homemade pretzel rolls, kale salad with maple tahini dressing, and fresh coconut strawberry shortcake. Don’t ask what I was talking about at that moment… I think I was chopping :-).
and then for my final night, I went into the city for the most incredible meal at Pure Food & Wine. If you go to NY, Pure Food & Wine is a must-do – it’s an incredible raw vegan restaurant, where each dish is a perfect blend of flavors in the most beautiful presentations. (My photos don’t do them justice at all).
It was such perfection that I immediately came home to try to recreate it. So far I’ve created a version of the Tarragon Buttermilk salad dressing (following the photos). I had (and loved!) the:
Red and Green Baby Romaine with Tarragon Buttermilk Dressing, which included grapefruit, avocado mousse, and crispy shallots. The crispy shallots were like tiny little onion rings and tasted amazing!
Salsify Noodles with English Peas, Asparagus, and Ramps with pea greens, capers, lemon pine nut cream, and watermelon radish crisps. Salsify is a root vegetable belonging to the dandelion family, and it had a mild, sweet flavor. The red flower-like things on top were the watermelon radish crisps, and were amazing!
Cardamom Spice Layer cake with Rhubarb-Angelica Compote with creme fraiche icing, lemon balm syrup, blackberry lavender ice cream. This was phenomenal! As you can see, I forgot to even take the photo until after I’d started eating it! The cardamon layers had rhubarb-angelica compote in between, and the creamy icing dripped over it all… and the blackberry lavender ice cream – there are no words. That will be the next item to come from my kitchen!
But after returning, I set to the task of trying to recreate the tarragon buttermilk salad dressing, and I was able to get a pretty good version, and it was incredibly easy:
Tarragon Buttermilk Dressing
- 1 cup soaked cashews
- juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
- salt & pepper to taste
- water to reach the right consistency
And that’s it! Use enough water to make a light, creamy dressing. Not too heavy, but a silky coating for the greens. And it really surprised me, but the grapefruit used in the PFW salad was the perfect complement to this dressing and the fresh baby greens.
Kelli's Vegan Kitchen 
Congratulations for this great opportunity! Looks amazing…the photos, too. Inpspired by lavender blueberries and tarragon buttermilk dressing. That dressing is one of my faves, too. Tarragon pretty much likes to be on its own, don’t U think?
Thanks, MD – it was alot of fun! Yes, tarragon definitely has a flavor unto itself. Sometimes I love it and sometimes that anise-y flavor is too much for me, but this dressing is great!
All that food looks amazing Kelli and what fun it looks like you had at the event! Congrats on the opportunity. I definitely will remember that restaurant the next time I go to New York!
Thanks, Brandi. It was a really wonderful time. And yes, you must go to PFW – Sarma (the owner) has created a really spectacular experience. And the menu is constantly changing, so there is always something new and wonderful to try. I really wish I could get to NY more than once or twice a year.
Thanks so much for the inspiration! I’ll make the dressing first chance I get
It looks like a fun event! A tasty recipe with soaked cashews & your dishes look all amazing, tasty & just waw!