I wish I had some vegan friends. This, I suppose, is not something that everyone wishes for, especially those carnivorous dinner-party types who invite vegan friends to their soirees.

Nevertheless, there are so many awesome vegan and vegetarian cookbooks out there. I've been appreciating them lately, but only Mr Q and I enjoy the fruits of my labour. I made some vegan cupcakes a few weeks ago. They were delicious and rich and -- except for a slightly heavier texture because of the whole wheat flour -- they really tasted like any other cupcake you would come across. They were even approved by Mr Q, the resident cupcake expert. I brought some to the Slavs as a birthday treat. Funny how they were raving about how good they were ... UNTIL I uttered the V-word.

Damn Slavs. We're so different when it comes to dinner parties. While I like to serve something easy and flavourful and light, they're all about the seafood and roast beast. So when they come to my place, they're self-righteously disappointed by the pasta dishes and nibblies. Then, I'm wracked with guilt at their place when I see that they've spent the day in the kitchen.

All in all, I place the blame fully on the shrimp: either there isn't enough of it (because I'm not serving it at my place) or there's too much of it (because I'm not eating it at theirs).
Hence the wish for vegan friends.