dehydrating in gas oven

[city]

Hi! I'm just starting out integrating raw recipes into my normal diet in hopes of it taking over my diet. I have eaten at a place in NYC called Pure Food and Wine and taken non-raw friends there and the food was so incredible that I had to get their cookbook.

However, much of the stuff needs dehydrating and I have a problem: I live in a teeny tiny NYC apartment with a teeny tiny kitchen. There's just no room for a dehydrator. Next year I'm moving out of the city and plan to buy that Excaliber dehydrator but for now can I just dehydrate food in my regular gas oven at low temperatures?

[VeganVixen]

not unless its under 118 (even less if possible) , I have heard that you can use the light bulb in the oven to dehydrate......

[Sweet lips]

Buy a thermometer to check the temp, and yes, if as VV says you can monitor the temp, go for it.

What is the name of their cookbook - is it only purchaseable through the restaurant? I always have Borders order for me - I wonder if it is on their website - off to google.

:)

[city]

The book is called "Raw food/ Real world" and the first Author's name is Mathew Kenney. The book is available everywhere and just became available this week. If you're ever in NYC you HAVE to go to their restaurant. We are non-raw people (now) and so are our friends but the food there was so flavourful that none of us can get over it. I mean, forget the way it makes you feel - the flavour is INSANE. I can't wait to try the recipes (just got the cookbook last night). I've tried other raw food places in NYC and they were good but this place is in a class by itself. And...no...I have no connection with the restaraunt or the chefs. I found the place because I bought their macroons in a health food store and they were so good I had to look up the website on the label.

I will definitely try the oven with a thermometer. It might be a pain to do it that way but I LITERALLY have no room for even a tiny dehydrator. Thanks for the advice.

[vegankristen]

I'm going to NYC for my birthday at the end of July and will definitely be visiting Pure Food and Wine (as well as Quintessence, Caravan of Dreams, & any other raw places I can find!). I'm definitely glad to hear that the food is as good as it sounds on their website. Especially with those prices!

The book is amazing! I went to check it out at Barnes & Noble as soon as it came out and i was floored. It's a big, thick hardback with great color photos throughout. The recipes are explained in very simple terms, and there's a great forward with profiles of the authors. I have a lot of pretty fancy raw cookbooks, and this looks like the most fun yet. I would recommend purchasing it on Amazon though- you'll save about $11.

City--have you been to Quintessence? If so, what'd you think?

Thanks! Kristen

[city]

I have indeed eaten at Quintessence, Kristen. That was my first brush with raw food. In fact, we ordered take away from there just last night. I think it's okay. It's very salty and the food is good but crude compared to Pure Food and Wine. The flavours are less "delicate" and much less complex. There's a weird after taste in a lot of their stuff and they got rid of a couple of things I LOVED before - the sun burger and the Mexican platter. I haven't tried Caravan but I will now that I know about it.

Pure Food and Wine is pricey (as are most restaraunts in NYC!) but it's worth at least ONE visit. The thing that FLOORED me there was the desserts. Do yourself a favour - order either chocolate "cake" or the raspberry sundae with chocolate sauce. Those are the two best items and they pop with so much flavour that I think about them for days afterward!! I had some ice cream a few days later (as I said, I'm transitioning and have no equipment for raw yet) and there was just no comparison. They are also very friendly and offered my friend and me a tour of the kitchen. In fact, I'm going to run downtown and pick up some stuff from their take away. Pure offers cooking classes in the fall and I'm definitely signing up. This raw stuff is very different for me and it would be great to get some guidance.

Have a great trip and please let me know what you think of the food you eat here. I'm looking for more good places. Oh, and you can get raw snacks in a lot ot he small health food stores and the Whole Foods in Union Square (it's downstairs at the end of the aisles next to the produce section). Just FYI.

[vegankristen]

City-you are just too lucky. I'm moving to Brooklyn next June, but I don't think i can wait that long!

I'll definitely be checking out Pure Juice and Take away too (as you can see, i've done my research!). It's at a different location than Pure Food and Wine, am i correct?

Caravan of Dreams is about 2/3 vegan & 1/3 raw. On the website, they show two seperate menus. God, I love New York!

Thanks for your reply!
Kristen

[city]

I love visiting NY but 10 years of living here has made me long for grass and an apartment that is large enough to hold ALL of my things (right now half our stuff is in storage as my hubby and I occupy all of 680 square feet for a price most people don't even pay for a mansion elsewhere). On the other hand, there is a lot of cool stuff here.

Pure Juice & Take Away is around the corner from Pure Food and Wine and is connected through the kitchen. It was really cool. We took a quick look into the kitchen and they invited us in to have a look around. I'm sure that if you go early enough - when they are not swamped - they will invite you in. I'm salivating already because we're going there for my Husband's birthday this weekend. YAY!!

BTW, as you know they are opening a website called one lucky duck and there's another website that sells pretty good raw stuff that is based in NYC live-live.com.

[Sweet lips]

I ordered the book and got if for 17 bucks - it should be here by Wednesday. I plan to be in NY in late August so we will be doing several of the raw restaurants with my parents. I am a former Long Island Girl.

[siempresam]

Pure Juice and Takeaway is great! It is an extension of Pure Food and Wine, so you'll get some similar things. Definitely try the chocolate tart with whipped cream on top. It is to die for (or as Alissa would say - to live for), and the brownies are good. It's expensive, but as a treat every now and then it's well worth it. Chocolate tart is something like $9.00 and you get 3 brownies for $6.

I ate at Quintessence, and I have to agree that it isn't as impressive as Pure Food and Wine. The flavors at Q are a little over the top or just too much. I haven't eaten at Caravan or Bonobos yet, but I'd like to try those at some point.

City - have you gone to any of the NYC raw food Meetups? My husband went to one and they ate at Pure Food and Wine. Another time I think they ate at Bonobos.

Oh and btw - Pure Juice and Takeaway is just around the corner from Pure Food and Wine. I forget what street PFW is on but you go around the corner that it is closest to and walk down a few doors and you'll hit PJT. It is a little hole in the wall (very small), so it's easy to miss, but you'll find it!

[vegankristen]

City-I have a huge house (with 4 other roommates) in Richmond-very cheap, renovated, 2 blocks from the river, and i love it. But the consistency here is killing me! I need a change, and where better to go than New York? But i definitely understand why your moving. I'd have to leave anyplace if i'd been there for 10 years. Hell, i hope i make it in NYC for 1 year! But i am very ready to to live extremely minimally; except for my raw foods of course.

Thanks for all of the feedback on the restaurants in New York!

What would you all recommend and/or discourage at Quintessence? I want to get make sure i get the best for my money!

Thanks!
Kristen

[city]

Kristen - are you kidding? I lived in Richmond for over 4 years ('90-94)!!! In fact I moved here from Charlottesville after graduating UVa. I really didn't like Richmond at all, although I'm told it underwent a renaissance after I left. I still don't like it when I visit for short periods of time. I do prefer NYC to Richmond, personally. However, I'm moving to western Connecticut - only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan. Just close enough....just far enough away.

Where in Richmond do you live? I used to live near Bon Air. South of the "Rivah"

[city]

Oh, got so excited about the Richmond thing that I forgot about Quintessence. The guac is great, the coconut cream is horrid. I hate the hemp burger and keep hoping they bring back the sun burger. The international platter is great. The mexican stuff is fantastic but they got rid of a lot of it. Don't know why. The pecan pie is great. Make sure you have some Ojas. The burritos are good. All the veggies are obviously great.

If you go to the Quintessence in the East village (10th street and 1st avenue - I think), make sure you visit the Live-Live store right next door. DO NOT miss out on Pure Food's chocolate macroons. They're pricey, but SO good. Have fun.

[vegankristen]

Whoa! That's crazy! I actually live IN the city. I lived in the FAN last year, then moved to Florida (hated it) and moved back to Richmond. Now i'm a little further down in the VCU area. I love it & I love the people, but i am itching for a change. This city is so small. It's ideal for kids my age. We just ride bikes around day, go to the river, see bands play, etc...but it's just to constant and familiar. I need something different and exciting! If i can't find that in New York, I don't know where I would! I have a ton of money saved up, I just hope I can find a job!

Thanks for the feedback!

Kristen

[city]

You'll definitely find that diversity in NYC. This is a fun place to live when you're young. But by the time you reach my age (35) you are sort of tired of the struggle. Good luck to you!!!