fatgayvegan

Like it ain’t no thang

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There have been some fabulous vegan nights out in London during the last few weeks and The Vegan Butcher has dropped by to catch us up.

Time for a quick London Vegan Events roundup for the month of December!

The vegan community in London is growing larger and stronger each month. What December taught us is that we’re here! We’re vegan! GET USED TO IT! No, wait…that’s not quite it. What we learned this month is that London vegans love getting together to show off our mad kitchen skills/get drunk (depending on the event).

The December potluck was held, as always, on the first Wednesday of the month at the campus of Syracuse University London Program in central London. A lot of attendees kicked things into high gear because of the holiday season and the results were amazing. We had an Italian-style seitan roast, gorgeous salads, and delectable desserts, among many, many other things. Just take a look at some shots from the night.

Savoury cookies
Sweet vegan delights
Vegan pizza
Gourmet vegan delicacy
Stunning seitan with potato

The monthly London Vegan Drinks event was held this past Thursday at tibits vegetarian bar in central London. With over 100 RSVPs logged for this event, tibits showed us some cruelty-free love by making their buffet menu 99% vegan for the night. It was enough to warm any wind-chilled London vegan’s heart! It was yet another amazing night from the consistently fabulous tibits.

Vegan wine flowed at tibits
Vegan plate at tibits

January’s schedule for these London vegan community events will be a little bit off, but I’ll let my chubby, gay friend tell you all about that.  I wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday season. See you all in January! xx

Many thanks to The Vegan Butcher for a succinct round-up. As she mentioned, London Vegan Potluck is taking January off but will be back in full force in February. London Vegan Drinks is relentless and will be enjoying no such break. You can drink with compassionate people on Thursday Jaanuary 19, 2012.

Vegan popcorn chicken

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Have you ever had a dream about something so wondrous, you simply push it to the back of your mind because it would probably never come to fruition? Yeah, me too. One of my long-held food fantasies has been to taste the crunchy, savoury goodness of vegan popcorn chicken. My FGV nights have been spent tossing and turning, waiting for these mythical balls of compassion to materialise.

And you know what comes next, right? Yep. The wait is over!

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Raisin my interest

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The Redwood Wholefood Company is one of the true vegan megastar companies. The Heather Mills-owned business produces a staggering range of cruelty-free delicacies and has won numerous awards throughout their history. This FGV has been in love with their products for over a decade and some of my favourite Redwood items include Cheatin’ Roast Turkey, Cheatin’ Rashers, Breaded Pepperjack Style Cheezly Bites and Gourmet Meat Free Chicken Style Pieces. Oh yes, I’m extremely familiar with Redwood.

With a lustrous reputation for good-tasting and compassionate food, my life is spent in anticipation of new Redwood products. My appetite and interest have been temporarily satisfied by a tasty new item that is simple yet irresistible.

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99%

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London Vegan Drinks is a week away and this FGV couldn’t be more excited. Not only is it one of the biggest and best vegan nights on the planet, but hosting venue tibits has promised to go all out to make sure our event is one to remember this December.

The first news that should get the crowds in is the new dessert menu being unveiled for Winter. The menu is the stuff of vegan dreams. tibits will be offering the following vegan desserts during December (many appearing at London Vegan Drinks!): berry crumble, blood orange cream, Bircher muesli, dates, fig cream, fruit salad, gooseberry fool, Mandarin cream, mango mousse, papaya, quince cream, Sharon fruit, sticky toffee pudding and wild berry cream.

You’re coming along, right?! Still thinking about it, hey? Well, listen up.

As a special treat for London Vegan Drinks, the food boat at tibits will be 99% vegan on the night. Yes, that is correct. 99% vegan in honour of us. It is stunning news and proof that tibits is a compassionate business committed to strengthening our community event.

Join us on Thursday December 15, 2011 from 6:30pm for a night of vegan drinking, vegan eating and vegan socialising. It is going to be the event of the season. I 99% guarantee it.

For full event details with information on how to RSVP, click here.

 

The moment I got more than I could handle

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I celebrate things that make me happy but I don’t partake in organised celebrations. You won’t ever get a Christmas card signed “All my love, Fat Gay Vegan xx” and you certainly will never be expected to buy me a birthday present. Many years ago, I decided to opt out of societal shenanigans and I have never looked back. The atheist inside me was particularly chuffed and I have managed to save a lot of money for myself and my friends.

But just because I don’t wish people a Happy New Year or a pleasant Diwali doesn’t mean I don’t like to feast on some of the foods available around festivals. I’ve certainly eaten my fair share of vegan chocolate Santas. It is this decided ignorance of celebration but love of overeating that led me to a vegan Thanksgiving extravaganza of delicious proportions last week here in London.

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Raw is not war

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Wanna know how amazing Conscious raw chocolate is? I ate some a few minutes ago and I’m blogging about it now. I couldn’t wait to share my thoughts on this decadent product any longer.

Conscious is a company devoted to producing healthy and thoughtful treats. Trading since 2006, the gourmet chocolate manufacturer knows a thing or two about top quality sweet eating. Their raw, organic bars are handmade in West Kent and carry the Vegan Society logo. Each bar is free from pesticides, dairy, gluten and refined sugars (they are only ever sweetened with agave syrup).

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Chips, ice cream, cake & sausage

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The Globe of Glossop

I recently enjoyed the chance to return to one of the best vegan food providers in the UK. The Globe pub in the northern town of Glossop is as near to a religious experience a vegan atheist can get. The cosy inn delivers plate after plate of cruelty-free comfort food and my only regret is that it isn’t situated closer to where I live.

That said, I must admit location is but a mild irritation. Distance exists only to be laughed at when a FGV is hungry and let’s face it, when am I not at least peckish? So grab your warmest coat and wrap up tightly… we are heading into the windy wilds of Derbyshire for a spot of overeating.

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Make mine a gin & tonic

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It is well-documented across this site that I am more than partial to a spot of cake now and again. I am also known to enjoy drinking. For years I have dared to secretly dream of an unusual  combination of my two passions. Sure there are plenty of rum cakes being carved up around the world, but I had been longing for something fresh and creative.

Well, somebody must be on the same dream frequency as me as I recently enjoyed a delightful cake infused with a drinking spirit during my visit to the northern city of Manchester.

I was in town to attend a concert by pop/rock experts Ash when I decided to pay a visit to the upmarket restaurant know as Bistro 1847. This handsome vegetarian eatery is located in the centre of the city, just a short stroll from just about anywhere. I had sampled their wares once before, but that was a rushed visit and I was determined to delve a little deeper into their vegan options.

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Here I go, singing low

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Blackbird Pizzeria in South Philly

Let’s keep this short and sweet. Do you want to taste astonishingly-good vegan pizza? Yes? Then get your bag of bones to Philadelphia and dine on the tasty delights of Blackbird Pizzeria. It will amaze you.

During my trip to the east coast of the USA earlier this year, I was keen to pay a visit to a new restaurant that I had been hearing a lot of buzz about. Blackbird Pizzeria opened during 2010 and has been serving up 100% vegan delicacies ever since. The cruelty-free food outlet gives compassionate diners an opportunity to enjoy an impressive range of treats not limited to simply pizza. Enough chit chat… wanna see what I consumed? Let’s do this.

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London Vegan Drinks review: November 2011

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What do you get when you cram 100 people into a room in Central London, supply them with food and serve them alcohol? Why, London Vegan Drinks of course!

The London branch of the worldwide Vegan Drinks phenomenon is only in its third month but already has turned into a wildly successful event. Last night, close to (or over?!) 100 vegans and vegan friendlies descended on tibits in Heddon Street for  food, drink and a whole lot of socialising. Vegan wine, beer, cider and juice flowed all night, as did the stream of people enjoying an event that already feels like a London institution.

London Vegan Drinks

tibits made a tremendous effort supplying us with extra vegan options on the food boat. It was a gesture that was greatly appreciated. Special items included kale salad, vegetable gratin, pineapple curry, tiramisu, cheesecake, sticky pudding, blood orange cream and mandarine cream. Everything was stunning. Like tibits on Facebook and let them know what you thought of their hospitality on the night.

So many thanks to everyone who made the evening the fabulous night out that it was. A special mention must go to Ms Cupcake and her bakery crew for turning up en masse. Much love to you all.

See you all the the December London Vegan Drinks!

Ms Cupcake crew at Vegan Drinks
So many vegans & their friends

*Thanks & love to The Vegan Butcher for the photos