By Kathleen Keene
HPR had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with the Minneapolis based saucy Showgirl Mistress Ginger upon the release of her cookbook “Mistress Ginger Cooks: Everyday Vegan Food for Everyone” .
HPR: How did you get into performing?
Mistress Ginger: I was made for the stage! I love singing, dancing, and making audiences happy. I had big dreams of being a cabaret diva, and that ambition has taken me to where I am today. I never set out to be a cookbook author, however. That happened by accident.
HPR: What inspired you to write a cookbook?
MG: My many lovers. No, really! So often I would make a delicious meal for a gentleman caller, and then he would ask me to take him grocery shopping, explaining that he didn’t know a thing about a red bell pepper. This happened so often that I thought geez, I need to write all the recipes down, put in some very clear instructions for the newbie to plant-based cuisine, and throw in an array of gorgeous pictures of myself – just to whet their appetites. Now when they call for a vegan cuisine tutorial, I just give them a copy of my cookbook. (I always have a few copies stashed by my nightstand. Very convenient.)
HPR: Does you specialize in vegetarian cooking? If so, what inspired your vegetarianism?
MG: I actually specialize in vegan cuisine – no meat, dairy, or eggs. I started eating a vegan diet more than a dozen years ago. At first I was motivated by health reasons. I just noticed that I felt better when I ate more of a plant-based meal. Then I learned more about the ethical dimension of vegan eating, about what animals endure in factory farms and I thought, I don’t want to be a part of that. You know, it’s the golden rule. “Do unto others, blah, blah, blah…”
HPR: Where does Mistress Ginger get her recipes?
MG: I’ve certainly taken inspiration from the non-vegan foods I grew up eating. Many recipes in my cookbook are veganized versions of things my momma used to make for me.
HPR: Can you give us a list a few of your favorites?
MG: Certainly! My Barbarian Torte is a veganized version of my mother’s Bavarian Torte. I replaced the heavy whipping cream with whipped coconut cream, I substituted the cream cheese with a nondairy cream cheese, and I used a simple egg replacer as a binder. That’s that! Just look at the photo, and I dare your mouth not to start watering.
Lip-Smackin’ Lasagna is another veganized version of something lots of us grew up enjoying. It’s great for special occasions since it’ll feed a big crew and impress even the most meaty of the meateaters. It’s cheesy, meaty, and sumptuous without any animal products. Believe it, baby!
The Call-Me-Anytime Scramble is the vegan’s answer to scrambled eggs. No eggs needed here! Protein-rich crumbled tofu is generously seasoned and infused with flavor. It’s a great complement to pancakes for breakfast, but I enjoy it any time of the day. Enjoy it alongside some Gorgeous Grains and Goddess Greens for a fantastically filling meal.
HPR: What inspired your passion for cooking?
MG: My recipes are a product of my desire to fuel myself as a singing and dancing showgirl. I needed sustenance to thrive and dazzle my audiences, but I also wanted the food to taste damn good. And so I found myself in the kitchen, concocting recipes that would satisfy my six-foot-showgirl appetite. That said, I don’t consider myself a foodie, and I sure as hell don’t spend all day in the kitchen. I’m leading a snazzle-frazzle life, singing, dancing, and lovemaking. That’s the message that I want to share: Even if you’ve got a hustling and bustling life in the fast lane, you can find ways to infuse your life with more plant-based cuisine, and it can be fun!
Signed cookbooks will be available at the Fargo-Moorhead VegFest for $20 each.
Signed books can also be ordered at mistressgingercooks.com.
Books are also available on Amazon, though they are not autographed.
For more Mistress Ginger check out her website: mistressgingercooks.com and junkyardtheater.com
IF YOU GO:
FM Vegfest
Sunday October 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Moorhead Center Mall
