Reader of the Week: Kelly Reiss

Move over Rachael Ray, Meet the Vegetarian Librarian

By Lindsey Underwood
Published: July 27th, 2009 | 12:00am

Mama always said to eat your vegetables and Reader of the Week Kelly Reiss, 28, can teach you cool things to do with them. She and her husband developed an online cooking show called The Vegetarian Librarian to be a resource for fellow herbivores by sharing recipes, giving fun party ideas, and entertaining with special guests! Listen up as Reiss tells us about the future for the show, good places to shop for vegan clothing, and being a librarian.

What is The Vegetarian Librarian?

The Vegetarian Librarian is a DIY online cooking show, created by myself and my husband, Jason Waclawik. Each webisode focuses on one veg-friendly recipe. We film most webisodes in the kitchen of our Chicago apartment and edit on our Macbook. This unique project gives us the opportunity to combine so much of what we like to do: cook, feed people, throw awkward dinner parties, create art, spend time with people we care about, promote music we enjoy, meet new people, disseminate information, make people laugh, [and] entertain.

How did you come up with the concept?

Two years ago after I graduated from library school and the phrase popped into my head. Along with the phrase came the idea to make it an internet based cooking show. The idea incubated until August 2008 when Jason and I gave it a try with Webisode 1, "Seitan". That was also the first time we made seitan!

Tell us about the process of making a webisode, and what is your favorite and least favorite part of that process?

Each webisode has been unique, but the general process is to come up with a food item to make, brainstorm, research, and test recipe, film, edit, post, blog, and promote! I'd say each webisode has an average of 30 hours behind it, even though they're only 3 minutes long. The recipes provide a natural script, but I map out what we're going to show on camera and focus on different cooking techniques with each recipe. The dialogue is largely improvised. My favorite part is working with Jason. My least favorite part is cleaning up the kitchen.

What is in the future for The Vegetarian Librarian?

Continue filming Season two webisodes featuring produce from our backyard urban garden, a dance sequence, and special guests including a fire juggler, a baby, and a poet! A New website, creating more Recipe Zines, and merch [are] also in the works. [We are] looking for on-location opportunities and to bring new guests into the kitchen, particularly touring bands coming through Chicago.

Tell us about your Recipe Zine.

The Recipe Zine focuses on one webisode's recipe. The zine gives added bonus material for the recipe, like 30 vegan ways to top an English Muffin. The zine is 3"x5", the size of a recipe card. The idea is that you can keep the zine in your recipe box for handy reference! We are aiming for six a year.

What was your favorite episode?

They are all my favorites! The most recent webisode, Master of (English) Muffins holds a special place in my heart because it features my neighbors Chris and Pat who spurred me on to give a performance that I would have never thought possible a year ago. It was the most hilarious, fun, and messy webisode to film so far. The webisode is a parody of a music video made by Eric Marsh for the song "Master of Profits" by Chicago band Hewhocorrupts. We reinterpreted it shot by shot, guided by the storyline of making English Muffins. Its debut was projected on the side of our apartment building during Film Night for Hewhocorrupts' record label to an audience of 60 people seated among our tomatoes and cucumber plants.

What kinds of guests do you have on the show?

All sorts! So far we have had musicians, artists, friends, vegetarian enthusiasts, and our cats.

What do you do for a living?

I am a librarian by day and night. I work at a resource center in Chicago that helps people learn about green building and design by day and as a reference librarian at an area college by night.

What do you like about living in Chicago?

I have lived in Chicago for the past eight years. I grew up in the near western suburbs with the skyline looming to the east. Chicago held a bit of an Emerald City-esque allure for me, especially after doing some exploring as a teenager. Once I took residence in Chicago, it did not disappoint! A few of my favorite things [are] the Newberry Library, sunrise over Montrose Harbor, Chicago Diner, Salon Miniscule, Taste of Chicago, Uncle Fun, Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Arts, gardens of native plants in unexpected places, It's a Wonderful Life at the Music Box Theater, Mikos Italian Ice, [and] walking to work. I could go on and on

How long have you been vegan, and what prompted you to make that change?

I have been vegetarian for five years and vegan off and on. Although, I eat a primarily vegan diet, my vice is the occasional cheese breakdown. I was prompted by health and environmental reasons to make the change. I was very inspired after a trip to see my friend Tyler in Syracuse and after meeting Lisa, my friend and fellow vegetarian librarian. When I went veg, I got very excited about cooking. Both the cooking and the eating have enhanced my life in many ways!

Do you have any tips for aspiring vegans or vegetarians?

Cheese pizza and potato chips are not primary vegetarian food groups. It's not hard to get enough protein, but watch out for neglecting your iron and potassium intake by eating something dark green and a banana everyday! Mix it up by trying a new fruit, vegetable, or recipe each week.

Do you wear vegan clothing too? If so, where are some of your favorite places to shop?

I try to keep it wool and leather free. Love Earth Shoes. I scope out secondhand shops and eBay for deals, as I am always on the lookout for a great vintage dress, sweater, or apron! [My] favorite places to drool over clothes I can't afford on a librarian's salary [are] etsy.com, Marc Jacobs and Anthropologie.

What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod (or CD on your shelf)?

Most embarrassing songs I've been listening to on a regular basis lately: "Final Countdown" by Europe and "What's Up with You" by Michael Jackson and Eddie Murphy.

You can check out The Vegetarian Librarian on Myspace, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.