In between leaving Kansas City and arriving in Washington, D.C. (where I am now), I booked myself a couple of solo days in Austin, Texas. A brief few days just for me, days in which I could decompress, recharge, Think About Things, and steadfastly ignore the fact that my time in the U.S. is (for now) coming to a close.
I intended to do absolutely nothing blog-worthy in Austin. All I wanted was to stay in bed until late morning reading a book over multiple cups of coffee with hemp milk, meander out for slow walks with my iPod around the gorgeous Hyde Park area I was staying in, and explore the flagship Whole Foods store for hours on end before returning “home” to eat delicious things whilst watching the last season of Make It Or Break It (for the inner 8-year-old gymnast in me).
It was, of course, the “delicious things” part that tripped me up and compelled me to whip out my camera for the blog. What else is a girl to do when, immediately after lunch, she spots a wacky toy store and upon entering discovers vegan soft serve?
And not just any vegan soft serve, but vegan soft serve where the current flavour of the week is CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER?
Toy Joy, your chocolate peanut butter vegan soft serve (with a soy and coconut milk base), was beyond delicious in its rich, creamy, smooth and peanut buttery glory, and for a moment I understood why some people prefer ice cream to chocolate.
I didn’t even mind eating it from a plastic cup instead of the above bowl from my AirBnB abode. Dear me, I loved that bowl. I wish I could have kept it. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to celebrating Valentine’s Day.
But I digress.
After my soft serve experience of wonderment, I passed a tattoo parlour that so embodied the “Keep Austin Weird” spirit that I immediately walked in and got myself a tattoo of a potato on my ankle*^.
*Wayside School is Falling Down, anyone?
^Just kidding, Mum. It’s actually on the back of my neck.
FORT! FORT! THE MOST AMAZING FORT IN ALL THE WORLD! It also had a slide, a rock climbing wall, and many other exciting facets, but I feel I should respect my Air BnB host’s privacy a little bit.
Okay, so these snacks aren’t exactly “best bites”, but since when is it a bad thing to post photos of booty of any description, plus vegan caramels and spicy sauerkraut? Exactly.
Now, though, it’s time for me to unveil the best thing I ate in Austin (even though I don’t think it was actually made in Austin). The very best. The swoonworthy, the incredible, the so-good-I-bought-and-ate-it-twice-in-three-days.
I present to you Earth Café’s Raw Vegan Carob Mousse Pie. So light, so ethereal, so rich, so perfect perfect perfect in its silken richness and flavours of carob, caramel, coconut, maple, nuts, cinnamon, and a hint of salt in the crust… this dessert danced.
I miss this pie already, but I’m finding some small comfort in the fact that my Raw Vegan Carob Maple Brownies taste almost, almost the same.
And that’s all I’m going to say about Austin.
Question Time: Are you a fan of carob? If so, could you please reverse engineer this treat for me and then send slices every second day for the rest of my life? Ta.
I want that soft-serve! Oh, the creaminess…the creaminess…
And I haven’t had Pirate’s Booty in years. That stuff was awesome.
I see the Earth Cafe stuff at WF but have never bought it. Glad to know it’s delish!
Miss yooooo!
I thought of you! If you’d been there, I would’ve got us one of the extravagant sundaes to share. Sadface.
It was the Veggie Booty. You know, so I could pretend I was eating vegetables.
When I went back the last day for more pie, they also had a raspberry cheesecake. I was tempted, but didn’t want to risk being disappointed. So I think that it’s nor your duty to try that one
MISS YOU TOO.
Do you have the ingredient list still? I’m keen to try recreate!!! Always up for a recipe challenge!
I actually think it my not be too hard, as there was nothing wacky like irish moss involved. Hang on a tick, as I think I did take a photo… Yep! “Carob, distilled water, soaked almonds, coconut, coconut butter, agave nectar, dates, soaked pecans, soaked walnuts, vanilla bean extractive, cinnamon, lecithin, sea salt.”
Go forth, dear one!
Mmmmmm. Pie……I wouldn’t mind some of that
Vegan chocolate peanut butter soft serve?!?! I need some of that! Carob cream pie…Mmmm…. you know I have created a whole book on carob desserts! There just might be something similar in there.
Oh Heather! I do adore carob in all the ways. I see some late October carob shenanigans in our future…
It’s 30C here today so I would love some of that chocolate peanut butter soft serve. What a cute looking toy shop. That looks like a great place to browse as I’m sure they have some unusual things in there. A tattoo? Just make sure you don’t get one every town you visit – you’ll arrive home and your mother would have changed the locks xx
How funny; it was 30C here in DC yesterday too! Teehee, I think the locks will stay unchanged. I’ve never been interested in getting a tattoo fo’ realz.
Me wanty me wanty!! A slice of that cake please. It sounds like vegan/raw is easy to come by in the U.S.-well much easier than it is here!
So much easier! Even in small towns, restaurants have vegan options marked. IN Canberra, vegan is still likely to mean a salad of cucumber, tomato, and red onion. Bleurgh.
That carob mousse pie actually looks pretty damn good!
Haha my friend told me to get into ‘Make It Or Break It’ (she used to do gymnastics in high school too) but aaah, so many other TV shows to get through first…
The plotlines are terrible (and just repeat over and over and over) but hot dang it makes my heart leap i n my throat to watch the routines. It’s more exciting than the Olympics, I find, because the camera work/slow motion/up close shots are intense. Seriously HOW DO PEOPLE DO THOSE THINGS ON THE BEAM AND BARS.
Chocolate peanut butter soft serve?! That just sounds amazing! I used to love the Wayside Stories books! And that fort looks totally amazing!
I love finding out other people who read those books! I’ve never met anyone in Australia who knows them, so clearly it’s more an American thing
Oh, potato on the back of your neck eh? I suggest a pumpkin next!
I do love Austin even though I’ve only spent one night there. It’s one of those places I’d love to visit again … but there are many such places in the US (as indeed elsewhere in this world of ours).
I’m actually considering a Brussels sprout on my left knee.
Remember, Canada should be on your list!
You know, it might not be such a bad idea to get a tattoo of a potato on the back of your neck. Call it a “conversation starter.” When someone asks about it you can make up a crazy story. You could break into tears and wail about how your “Pa was killed by a tater!” Or you could claim it’s a recreation of your lucky potato that eventually rotted away, and this is the only way you can keep it with you forever. Or you could really freak people out and say it’s a self portrait. “What? You don’t think it looks like me?”
There are no words for how much I adore you right now.
I totally want to lick that soft serve ice cream. Yum!! I don’t think I’ve had carob. Please still be my friend. I’m sure I’ll get around to trying it one day!
Don’t worry, that’s not something we could lose our friendship over. Really, I’d more likely expect people to drop *me* for liking carob
Stonewall’s Jerquee is SO good. i love the spicy chicken flavor. its not for everyone though – i gave a piece to my non vegetarian boyfriend and he spit it out on the sidewalk out of disgust. hope you like it!
I haven’t yet tried these ones, but I remember buying some back in 2009 and liking it. Have you ever followed the packet directions to microwave it?!
No I haven’t – sounds scary haha. Let me know if you do!
Vegan soft serve? wait, so not tasti…I don’t know how I feel about this, Hannah. I feel like you’re cheating on me. But I guess peanut butter soft serve is peanut butter soft serve, either way. So I still love you.
Heidi xo
Darling, you know that in my heart of hearts, no soft serve or ice cream creations could ever taste as good as that which is enjoyed with you, accompanied by the sound of your laughter and your lustrous, lustrous hair.
awe, lady!! & lustrous hair – you’re so sweet
Hope USA is still grand for you. Seems to be 
xo
So grand, so grand! I’m terrified of leaving. I’m scared I’ve used up my life quota of happiness.
P.S. It’s true. You’re a total Rapunzel.
That makes me so happy. I was thinking the same thing last night. So happy life is good. It’s too short for it not to be. Love xo
That’s because we’re heartsoulfriends. I’m just so scared of things slipping through my fingers. Life life!
chocolate peanut butter vegan soft serve (with a soy and coconut milk base) – pls
That Mousse Pie looks so sinful, I can’t believe it’s Vegan! What a fun and happy haul ^.^
Ain’t nothing sinful about deliciousness!
Now I really *have* to go to Austin. One of my non-vegetarian friends adores it and if she likes it and you like it and they have this food – not to mention vegan softserve in toy stores! – well, it’s shooting up my To Visit list. I am sad for you that you’re leaving the US soon though (but it’s not to come back to Australia, right? ‘cos that would be sadder)
Austin is a vegan, music, and artsy mecca. Very fabulous! You’d love it
And no, no plans for an immediate return to Australia. So only moderate sadness allowed.
Oh wow, such amazing foodie finds! Chocolate peanut butter soft serve, does it get much better??
It really doesn’t.
OMG WANT THAT AOFT SERVE
I’ve missed so many of your posts, what is it with this life of being “busy?” Busy schmizy. But now I’ve read them all, although time is short and thus so is my commenting.
I think that I should be the one getting a tattoo of a potato. It could have many eyes, staring out of my skin as passersby. Sounds fun.
Make It Or Break It!!!
I remember how exhausting it was when I first started full-time work, and how I didn’t know how I’d ever be able to fit everything into the day. It balances out, but rest assured I will always be happier for you to be working on your secret business than commenting on my silly old thoughts!
That description of your potato just sounds like my freckles.
Lauren was better in season three, though that could be because they made her character do a 180 degree turn and she was nothing like the character they’d spent two seasons creating previously…
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The world is looking after you if it makes the current flavour chocolate peanut butter isn’t it?