Автор кулинарных книг Тимоти Пакрон представит новую книгу о веганской кухне и домашнем огороде

When Mississippi native Timothy Pakron moved to New Orleans seven years ago, his first priority was to create a lush edible backyard garden. The cookbook author, food stylist and photographer had just published his debut, “Mississippi Vegan” focusing on plant-based versions of Southern staples, and he’d always been drawn to the diversity and creativity of the New Orleans culinary scene. Growing ingredients quickly became the inspiration for his follow-up cookbook, “Garden Variety,” which comes out Sept. 1. The book is meant to be a roadmap for anyone who is curious about plant-based cooking, along with growing produce or herbs, with tips on how to incorporate seasonal ingredients and maximize flavor. “If I can do anything with this book, I want to show people that vegan food can be exciting and cool,” he says. “I’m trying to inspire people, and I’m trying to get you in the kitchen.” Pakron grew up gardening with his dad and cooking with his mom. When he got to college in Charleston, South Carolina, to study fine art, concentrating on photography and painting, he learned about the horrors of the factory farming industry, swore off animal products and never looked back. He also began experimenting with ways to “veganize” dishes, including the Southern staples he grew up with. He moved to New York City after college, where a friend encouraged him to share his culinary wisdom and photography on Instagram. His account, @MississippiVegan, quickly took off, and today he has nearly 190,000 followers. Among his fans are his favorite musician, Tori Amos, who was inspired during the Covid shutdowns to start cooking plant-based meals and whose praise appears on the book’s back cover. Pakron also curates a weekly newsletter in addition to maintaining a blog and website, mississippivegan.com. He’ll host a book launch event with Mosquito Supper Club and Saint Claire's chef Melissa Martin at the Hotel Peter and Paul on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6-8 p.m. Admission is free, but RSVP is required at mississippivegan.com/garden-variety-book-tour. Gambit: How did you merge your green thumb and love of cooking with your background in fine art? Timothy Pakron: After I graduated college, I was showing my art at a couple galleries in the South, and I moved to New York City, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. But I ultimately realized the gallery world wasn’t really for me. I’ve always been a passionate cook, and because I went vegan early on, I had started to veganize a lot of dishes that I grew up eating. I was able to combine everything I learned from making art with food ingredients. I started going to the Union Square Farmers Market and getting exposed to really cool produce items, like interesting peppers, curry leaves, heirloom vegetables and wild-foraged ingredients. I started posting my food on Instagram, and it blew up ... There weren’t many people sharing elevated vegan food at the time, so I had great momentum. I was also serving at two vegan restaurants and doing side gigs. After two years I started doing pop-up events in New York, doing four-course meals, and a literary agent reached out to me. I realized doing a cookbook combines everything I love: curating a body of work and a collection of images — I felt like I’d been working on it my whole life, veganizing the food I grew up eating, and having this passion to celebrate produce and plants. (Writing cookbooks) is merging so much of my life, the inspiration from the garden and the inspiration of living in New Orleans and being in the South ... What started early on in my life, thinking I needed to make art and show in a gallery — I’m still making art, it’s just a different medium, and it’s more personable, because people get to bring the recipes to life in their kitchens. When people hear the word “vegan” food, they might have negative associations. How do you hope the book helps people re-think that? P: My goal is to be open, welcoming and enticing. What I’m trying to show people is, you're already eating vegan ingredients. When you eat a slice of sourdough bread, or take a bite of a delicious apple or eat a perfectly sauteed vegetable, you’re eating plant-based ingredients. It doesn’t have to be a wild, bizarre thing. Vegan food is a celebration of plant-based and mushroom-based ingredients, and I feel like it’s my duty as someone who has been vegan for this long to showcase this in an exciting way, and to shed a positive light on the movement. I always tell people, I’m about peace, love and seasonal fruit. If I can inspire you to try some of the dishes I like, and inspire you to get into the kitchen, or inspire you to have an herb garden, then I’m doing something good, and that makes me happy. How is New Orleans reflected in the book? P: New Orleans taught me truly the beauty of fusion cooking. Look at gumbo: it has African, Spanish, Italian, Cajun, Native American (influences) — it truly is this beautiful blending of so many cultures and cuisines and that’s what makes New Orleans’ cuisine dynamic and special. I feel like it’s my duty to continue that tradition and also find new expressions — and also give a tribute to where dishes and flavors come from. I'm inspired by fresh produce from the garden, but I'm also inspired from traveling and my life experiences. My mom was a passionate cook when I was growing up. On weekends she’d make gumbo. It's the best dish to learn — it teaches you how to layer flavors, with seasoning and spices at different times, and it teaches you how to create a really strong foundation. There’s a garden gumbo in the book. Gumbo’s always made with oil and flour, then you add celery, bell pepper and garlic and spices — and so you have a (plant-based) foundation. That’s necessary, and it makes gumbo taste the way it does. So instead of animal products, add roasted okra and mushrooms ... I’m trying to show people: it’s not that far-fetched.