Haus of FGV

Thai for best

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Wow. It is over. My mammoth month-long Friday night supper club event known as Around the World with FGV has come to an end.

What a food adventure!

We started with the gorgeously plated Caribbean cuisine of Vegan Peasant, moved on to the hearty Brazilian fare of Essential Vegan, were in awe of the technical skills of The Vegan Ronin during the Japanese dinner and finished up with the mouth watering delights of Thai street food made by The Messy Vegetarian Cook. 

Kip of The Messy Vegetarian Cook had a tough act to follow being the last of four world class food designers, but of course she pulled out all the stops for a decadent Thai meal that had everyone asking for more.

Check out the photos below to see the stunning line up of Thai delights and make sure you follow Kip on Twitter to see what she has planned next or to book her services.

starter

Starters – Miang Takrai (bite sized citrussy lemongrass parcels of minced coriander, aromatic mint, toasted sesame and fresh coconut, served with a tangy sweet dressing in wild pepper leaves) and Laab Hed Tao Hoo (cooked salad of spicy sour minced tofu and mushroom dressed with fresh herbs and lime)

noodles

table

Main – Kanom Jeen (coils of thin noodles served with two choices of coconut based sauce: nam ya (thick and spicy) and/or nam prik (rich and sweet), accompanied by an array of side dishes including fresh Thai herbs, vegetables, and condiments)

sticky rice

balls

milk balls

Desserts – Floating Lotus/Bua Loi (sticky rice balls in warm pandan infused sweet coconut milk and sticky rice with caramelised freshly grated coconut)

Japanese vegan food

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I am writing this post just half a day away from the final Friday night of my month-long Around the World with FGV series. Tonight my guests will be marvelling at Thai street food creations, but before we look forward we need to look back.

Following is a selection of photos from the vegan Japanese dinner crafted by Jhenn of The Vegan Ronin. Talk about handcrafted with love! Jhenn put just as much attention into the wonderful background stories she told for each dish as she did for making the food. It was highly entertaining and informative.

Follow Jhenn on Twitter to keep track of her diverse range of food events and do yourself a massive favour by buying some of her home made seitan. It’s lovely.

OK. Get looking at good food below.

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Clean kindly

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I understand that many people believe I do nothing but eat vegan food. I take responsibility for that perception. 99.9% of my blog posts are food related.

However, every now and then a non-food related topic will slide on in and demand a bit of attention. I have written about music, travel and personal reflections but what I am about to share might just help your house sparkle a little more.

Yep, it’s time for vegan cleaning products!

Josh was recently placing a grocery order with Ocado when he stumbled upon a range of household cleaning products that we had never seen before. Ecozone products are absolutely swimming in accreditation logos such as The Vegan Society and BUAV, so we decided to give them a try.

Actually, we bought a huge amount. Josh went a bit overboard but when you are ordering online, it makes sense to buy in bulk I suppose.

I am yet to put most of the Ecozone products to use but the few I have given a test run are certainly up to the job. I would love to hear from other people who have used this range.

Enough chat. Check out the haul of vegan cleaning products currently cluttering up my house.

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Brazilian feast

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To anyone who thinks they have eaten the most delicious food in the world, I respectfully inform you that it gets better.

Last week marked the second event in my month of Friday night supper clubs known as Around the World with FGV and Vanessa of Essential Vegan gave attendees a culinary experience they won’t forget in a hurry.

Vanessa started the proceedings off by serving an irresistible selection of Brazilian bar nibbles including cheese bread, polenta sticks and cassava chips.

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Photos from paradise

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The first Friday night of my month-long Around the World with FGV supper club series took place last week and it was a vegan meal of epic proportions.

Adrian and Diana of Vegan Peasant Catering came up with the vegan goods (and then some!) during their Caribbean themed dining event. It was a truly world class affair.

You only need to see the photos below to understand that Vegan Peasant are one of the finest catering companies on the planet. You don’t often get vegan food of this quality in the UK. It’s a rare treat, indeed.

Follow Vegan Peasant on Twitter and like them on Facebook to make sure you keep updated with all of their upcoming events and culinary adventures. I can’t recommend hiring their services highly enough if you are planning a special event that requires catering.

Your guests will be blown away. Mine were!

Cinnamon spiced plantain
Cinnamon spiced plantain
Toasted nori, thyme & aubergine accaras
Toasted nori, thyme & aubergine accaras
Spicy potato & callaloo corn empanadas with Trinidadian coconut chutney & hot Bajan chutney
Spicy potato & callaloo corn empanadas with Trinidadian coconut chutney & hot Bajan chutney
Chiffonade savoy, daikon & scallion salad with ginger miso dressing
Chiffonade savoy, daikon & scallion salad with ginger miso dressing
Christophene ratatouille, cajun sweet potato fries, coconut rice with pigeon peas & avocado aioli
Christophene ratatouille, cajun sweet potato fries, coconut rice with pigeon peas & avocado aioli
Candied mango frangipan & piña colada cream
Candied mango frangipan & piña colada cream

Taco flavoured kisses

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I have left Mexico behind (for now) but vegan versions of the cuisine are alive and well in our London apartment.

Josh conjured up this gorgeous dish you see below, reminiscent of a meal we gobbled in an organic restaurant in Mexico City. It was rather simple to make, looked fabulous and most of all, tasted like one hundred million pesos.

Recreating this dish is simple.

Sesame smoked tofu tacos topped with salsa verde, avocado & diced red pepper

Thinly slice a block of smoked tofu before searing it in a heavy pan. Lightly steam corn tortillas (can be warmed in the pan). Place the tofu with filling of your choice (we added BBQ sauce and vegan cheese) inside the tortillas and fold over. Arrange on a plate and cover with salsa verde. Dress with slices of avocado and diced red peppers.

That’s it!

The tortillas and salsa were from the Cool Chile Co. and the tofu was Taifun brand.

Around the World with FGV

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Four nights in central London. Four visiting chefs. All vegan. This multi-night food event is a celebration of vegan cuisine from all over the globe and something food lovers certainly do not want to miss.

Spread across Friday nights in March 2014, Around the World with FGV is a collaboration between London’s leading vegan event planner and four of the finest vegan cooks in the UK.

Each night will be an intimate affair accommodating only six diners. The menu for each event has been personally created by the visiting chef, who will also handcraft the meal on their corresponding night. The dining experience is to be hosted by Fat Gay Vegan (that’s me!) in his home.

Who is doing the cooking and what are they making? Hold on to your hats!

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Hash browns

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I am passionately in love with potato and firmly believe the humble hash brown is one of the finest achievements in the long and colourful history of this vegetable.

The photo above shows a simple snack that had me feeling joyous a few days ago. Sainsbury’s own brand hash browns with yellow mustard created the perfect coupling. Amazing.

Do you have a favourite brand of hash browns? Suggestions below!

FGV guide for single men

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Hey! Yes, you. Single, straight vegan man. Come over here for a moment. I have something I would like to talk to you about.

You know how tough it can be as a single vegan, right? It is difficult to find time and situations for romance. You want to be in a relationship and you can’t imagine fostering intimacy with a non-vegan.

You might be thinking the answer to this situation is to go to as many vegan social events as possible and approach as many women as you can.

Wrong. Treating vegan social events as your own singles hotline leads to women feeling harassed, annoyed, objectified and unsafe.

But maybe you have no idea what I am talking about. Well, good news follows below.

I have taken time out of my intensive eating schedule to lay down some common pointers on how you can be a valuable and valued member of your local vegan community. The tips detailed below will help you rise from the ranks of creeper and sex pest to the lofty heights of respected and respectful member of your social group.

Fat Gay Vegan’s Guide for Single Straight Vegan Men

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Reward for you

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What’s better than a gorgeous vegan meal in a convenient central London location?  A 10% discount off your total bill at the end of your meal, that’s what!

I had the pleasure of working with Saf Restaurant & Bar to help deliver a memorable dinner party on New Year’s Eve and now I get the thrill of offering a special discount to all my readers.

Saf reached out to ask if my readers would like a discount to dine with them until February 28th, 2014 at a 10% discount. I said, “Of course!”.

The restaurant has an attractive menu featuring raw starters, hearty mains, irresistible desserts and an impressive selection of vegan drinks. I truly believe it is the leader of the pack in London at the moment for vegan dining.

How do you get the discount?

Gorgeous, unique dessert of white chocolate dumplings with vanilla ice cream in cinnamon broth
White chocolate dumplings with vanilla ice cream in cinnamon broth

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