Small Bites

Little Vittles

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Published: Apr 9, 2008

Before tasting Danielle Davis' red velvet sandwich cookies, I believed no recipe could ever compare to my grandma's dark red cake. I was wrong. Working out of her Allentown kitchen, Davis sculpts gigantic deep-red cake rounds stuck together with an impressive buttercream cream cheese frosting. Soft and embarrassingly addictive, the cookies are available only from her online shop, The Sweet Spot (thesweetspot.etsy.com), through which she crafts and ships made-to-order confections — free samples included. She also offers various choco-covered choices in addition to her crimson masterpieces because, as she says, "there is nothing that cannot be dipped in chocolate." I'm sure her mastery of classics like peanut butter and marshmallow truffles and Italian Torrones are making her own grandma proud. —Amy Strauss

Jewish grandmothers and their vegan grandkids will schvitz nachas for mac and cheese from Gianna's Grille (507 S. Sixth St., 215-829-GG4U, giannasgrille.com). Elbow macaroni and an avalanche of vegan cheese are crammed into a Kugel-like colossus of a dish, then buried under a layer of zesty crumb topping. For $6.95, you get a rich, hearty portion that can feed three or stuff two. A side of stewed tomatoes blends perfectly with the cheesy flavor and lends the crumb topping a Parmesan-on-sauce vibe. —James Saul

If you're drowning in a sea of sugary vitamin-infused sports drinks, grab onto Ayala's herbal water for some welcome relief. Bottled locally in Bala Cynwyd and naturally enhanced with combinations of flavorful herbs and spices (cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, ginger, etc.), this agua tastes light and refreshing without relying on sweeteners, dyes, preservatives or artificial anything. The best bonus is the medicinal qualities of the herbs, whose high levels of antioxidants and phenol substances often trump those in fruits and vegetables. Our favorite Ayala's variety is the lemongrass mint vanilla. Learn more at herbalwater.com. —Nadia Stadnycki

Dining on towers of Yucatan spinach and chocolate peanut butter bombs can get pricey at vegan restaurant Horizons (611 S. Seventh St., 215-923-6117, horizonsphiladelphia.com), but luckily, owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby disclose do-it-at-home tips for these and about 80 other dishes in their second cookbook, Horizons: New Vegan Cuisine ($21.95, available at the restaurant). Equally influenced by Philly's ethnic foods and frequent travels to warmer shores (Mexico, the Caribbean, Florida), the couple gets creative without getting too complicated. They walk us through difficult undertakings such as the island mango BBQ tempeh, which requires TLC to inject flavor into the much-feared soy product. Also delicious-looking: Vietnamese bruschetta (a take on the ubiquitous banh mi tofu hoagie) that features smoked tofu and red chili mayo. Landau and Jacoby share some of their most prized secrets — except, of course, the recipe for their famous vegan cheesecake. You gotta eat out for that one. —Tami Fertig

 

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