A Garden-Inspired Vegan Spring Dessert

Rie Akizaki at Inn by the Sea

Photos by Liz Caron

File this one under “Enchanting”. The miniature garden vignette that Rie Akizaki puts together is a detailed work of whimsy, full of tiny touches that delight all the senses. There are tiny flower pots, filled with a luxuriously smooth chocolate mousse, made with a coconut milk base, silken tofu and dark chocolate, topped with “dirt” of dark rye chocolate cookie crumble. A lemon balm leaf stands in for a newly sprouted flower. At the other end of the wooden presentation board, a diminutive silver water bucket contains a clown car full of ingredients - spheres of pear compote, raspberry sorbet and berries. It’s all topped with molded swirl of pale lilac-colored “water” , a pear compote gelée, its color derived from butterfly pea flowers, that turns purple when combined with citrus. But wait there’s more! A piping of pistachio pastry cream with chopped pistachios; a coconut ball that holds dark chocolate ice cream and candied hazelnuts, frozen then deep fried; maple syrup “rocks”; candied violets made with flowers from her own garden; and a petite popsicle made of that pear compote, dotted with berries. The presentation is full of fun, meant to delight with color, texture and taste. It’s reminiscent of the lush lawn and gardens at Inn by the Sea, where Rie is the pastry chef at Sea Glass, the property’s excellent restaurant.

The fact that the entire dessert is vegan is almost beside the point, with each component full of enough flavor to make you think butter and cream must be involved. But it’s not - Rie is simply an alchemist. “I like surprises,” she says. Sea Glass has always been good about providing thoughtful vegan menu items for guests, and they’re often so appealing, they’re often ordered by non-vegans too.

I recently watched her put this dessert plate together in the basement kitchen at Inn by the Sea. Rie works from a little diagram she’s drawn up, making sure that each element is present and accounted for. Components are created over a period of several days, giving them time to freeze or set up nicely. Creating desserts with many parts is something Rie does often for special occasions or diners that know to ask in advance. During Maine Restaurant Week this past March, I dined at Inn by the Sea and ordered a cookie plate for my dessert course, a name that turned out to be a huge understatement. Yes, there were three divine cookies, but the platter also contained a triangle of chewy meringue, a chocolate and pistachio dipped candied orange slice perched in a cup of caramel popcorn and chocolate bark. I ate every last bit. of this playground of sweets.

It was full of sheer joy, surprises, deliciousness and most of all, delight, Rie’s signature component.