Cookin' Crunk: A Book Review

Cookin' Crunk by Bianca Phillips

Cookin' Crunk: Eatin' Vegan in the Dirty South is the newest addition to my family of vegan cookbooks, and it is quickly becoming a favorite.  I flipped through the pages, last night, trying to decide what to make for dinner.  Having had the opportunity to preview the book before its actual release date, I have been salivating over the recipes for a while now.

If you follow this blog, or even know me just a little bit, you would know that I am a sucker for comfort foods, and this book takes comfort foods to a whole new low...and by low, I mean down to the Dirty South.  Bianca lovingly recreates childhood favorites and puts her own crunk into Southern classics.

Fried Tofu Chicken Wafflewiches with Maple-Dijon Sauce from Cookin' Crunk by Bianca Phillips

Last night I decided on the  Fried Tofu Chicken Wafflewiches with Maple-Dijon Sauce (page 64.)  I picked this particular recipe, because it contained a few sub recipes that I also wanted to try out.  Four in fact.  That way, I am able to give y'all a review based on 5 recipes out of the book, and not just one.

Let's start with that crispy delicious Southern Fried Tofu Chicken.  The Tofu Chicken Marinade, alone, is reason enough to buy this book.  It's rich, savory, and just the right amount of salty.  The batter is also flavorful, and the double dredge makes it nice and thick before hitting the frying pan, ensuring a thick, crispy coating all around that soft flavorful tofu inside.

Next, let's take a look at those Savory Sandwich Waffles!  Perfectly golden and crispy on the outside, while soft and pillowy on the inside.  The perfect "bread" for this sandwich.

Now on to that Maple-Mustard Sauce.  The picture above doesn't do the sauce justice, so here's an open faced shot:

That Maple-Mustard Sauce in Incredible!

I admit to eating a couple of pieces of that "chicken" dipped right into the sauce.  I couldn't get enough of it.  Tangy and sweet...just, mmmmm!  I highly recommend making a double, triple, or even quadruple batch of it, as the amount in the recipe just wasn't enough for my voracious appetite.

The sandwich all together was a huge success, and I can see myself making it, as well as many other recipes from this book again and again.

So go buy this book!  And if you can't buy it right now, well, enter the giveaway.  Simply leave a comment in the comments section below telling me your favorite childhood comfort food, and whether or not you've been able to recreate it as a vegan dish.  Who knows, maybe I will be able to take on a challenge or two!  I will select one of you at random on Friday, September 21 at 4 pm Pacific Standard Time to receive a free signed copy of the book.  Yes, I will ship internationally. 

The contest is now over.  Congrats to #18, T.M.!  (Randomly selected by my husband, Dan, who really, really likes this book, almost as much as me!)