As we embrace all things fall, we turn to our friends at Vedge in Center City. They've made an international mark as an upscale vegan eatery and they're sharing a staff favorite: their "sexy" pumpkin bread.
Their seasonal fall loaf stars with the star, the pumpkin puree.
"You can make it yourself if you want to get into it," says owner Kate Jacoby. "We break down the pumpkins and roast them. If you want to cheat, you can open up a can too. It's really what you prefer and how busy you want to be."
Meet the culinary couple behind the world-renowned Center City eatery Vedge
This recipe is vegan because that's the mission, the menu, at Vedge.
Jacoby and her husband Rich Landau made waves when it opened on Locust Street in 2011.
"Fifteen or 20 years ago, you could not get a vegetarian meal, a decent one, in Philadelphia," Landau says. "It wasn't just that we wanted to serve a need or fill a void down here, we wanted to be an influence."
Last year, the couple also put down roots in West Chester, Pennsylvania with their farm-to-table restaurant, Ground Provisions.
"It's adorable," Jacoby says. "We have a beautiful front porch. We've got a little sort of country market, and then this tiny, little dining room with a four-seat bar in the back. It's a totally open kitchen. We throw a little dinner party every night and it's been so much fun."
They marvel at how far the vegan food scene has come, especially over the past few years.
"It's so accepted now," Landau says. "It's such the norm. When we first started this, we had to offer so many explanations, even apologies, about what they weren't getting on the plate. We really had to explain ourselves. It was a lot of work. Now, we're the cool kids."
Vedge already has a cookbook and, this fall, they're taking us to cocktail class.
"While Vedge has become this iconic restaurant, it occurred to us that our cocktail game is strong," Jacoby says.
"We sort of chatted with the bar team and co-authored 'The Vedge Bar Book.' It's going to be out this November. It's a seasonal guide to bringing Vedge style drinks and snacks to your home entertaining."
Now, let's get to that pumpkin bread. Start by mixing together the dry ingredients: baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Then, add the signature spices of the season.
"In this blend, we have cinnamon, that's the star, and then it's got a little bit of ginger, a little bit of clove, and a little bit of nutmeg," says Vedge pastry chef Amanda Quinn-Kerins.
Whisk that up and move on to the wet ingredients.
"We're using a plant based milk," says Jacoby. "You could use any milk that you have in your fridge."
We used soy milk, then added vegetable oil and two kinds of sugar - white sugar and light brown sugar. Fold in some vanilla extract along with your pumpkin puree and whisk it up.
Now, incorporate the wet and dry ingredients and it's time to give our loaf a little sparkle.
"Now, we make it kind of sexy," Quinn-Kerins says. "Sometimes you want it to look a little sophisticated, a little bit sexy."
That means tossing in some chocolate chips, and two more touches.
"Just to kind of double down on the fall, we add cranberries," Quinn-Kerins says. "You could also double down on pumpkin if you wish. We use chopped, raw pumpkin seeds for extra crunch."
Line your loaf pan with parchment paper and pop it into the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until you smell it!
"When you can no longer resist the smell, it's done," Jacoby laughs.
Serve it as is or add a little more razzle dazzle.
"We have a bourbon caramel drizzle, smoked pecans and ice cream," Jacoby says.
Enjoy it warm!
"Sexy" Pumpkin Bread Recipe from Vedge
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. clove
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup plant milk (can substitute with regular milk)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seed
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line pan with parchment paper
3. Sift together dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk together wet ingredients in another bowl
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir together until just combined
6. If using any, fold in optional ingredients
7. Transfer batter to parchment-lined pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
8. Serve immediately or chill and store airtight for up to 3 days at room temp, up to 1 week in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer
Bonus: Fig Leaf Bourbon Sour Recipe from Vedge Bar Book
Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 ounces Fig Leaf-Infused Bourbon
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
- 1/2 ounce aquafaba
Directions:
1. Chill a coupe glass.
2. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds to achieve a foam
3. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for another 8 to 10 seconds to chill
4. Strain through a Hawthorn strainer set over a conical strainer into the chilled glass.
Fig Leaf-Infused Bourbon Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 fig leaves
- 1 and 1/2 cups Wild Turkey 101 bourbon
Directions:
1. Combine the fig leaves and bourbon in an airtight container and let rest for a minimum of 24 hours or up to 48 hours
2. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth