London vegan news, reviews & events
The Vegan Ice Cream Wars continue. Night and day I search for worthy contenders but new developments are few and far between in the UK.
We live in somewhat of a vegan ice cream wasteland. We are still waiting for the big breakthrough that will spread decadent tubs of gourmet vegan iced confection across the country.
But it isn’t all doom and gloom, as I found out yesterday.
I have seen a few mentions online of hard-to-find vegan products making their way into Tesco stores, so of course my priority was to get into a participating store and eat everything.
I succeeded.
Select Tesco stores around the country are taking part in a promotion billed as the Lifestyle Food Fair. I have to admit it is quite a slick gimmick capitalising on the huge surge in popularity of specialty food expos sweeping the UK. The promotion features attention-grabbing banners in store with colour coded shelving to help you locate what you after. (Hint: anything on a blue shelf in the Lifestyle Food Fair aisle is vegan-friendly)
Wanna see the haul I came away with from the Slough branch? Don’t freak out.
Quick news bite.
I was traipsing around Waitrose just off Holborn when my FGV eyes were drawn to the colourful packs of Coconut Collaborative. These super tasty (and very vegan) coconut-based yoghurts are slowly spreading across the country and I couldn’t be happier. They are the taste of happiness.
Have you tired them? Which is your favourite flavour?
You can follow Coconut Collaborative on Twitter
This photo originally featured on my Instagram account which you can check out here
You can vote for me in the Best Vegan Blogger category at the VegFestUK Awards by clicking here
If I already adored Cookies & Scream of Camden, how am I supposed to feel now they have created the finest vegan milkshake on the planet? I might just have to petition the Government to allow me to gay marry this vegan business.
My grasp of the English language is insufficient when it comes to doing justice to this drink. Let me just say it is fucking fabulous.
It’s a determined trickle in London. Slowly, but surely. Vegan food is taking a foothold as more and more compassionate people take chances on creating and selling plant-based foods. One such vendor is vegan baker Giancarlo Roncato.
A trained chef who decided to swap the animal based ingredients out of all his food, Giancarlo can now be found plying his wares on market stalls around London. Josh and I paid a visit to his Chatsworth Road operation a few weekends back and were delighted not only by the choice on offer from Giancarlo, but also the vegan-friendly vibe of the entire market.
So, what does Giancarlo and his Vegan Sweet Tooth bakery offer? Check it out below.
Imagine my reaction when an invitation came through to visit a vegan cupcake factory. I was like a larger version of that dancing baby that was a viral sensation a few years back, except a bit camper.
One of the most-loved cake companies in London, Trina’s Delicacies, asked me to drop in on their production premises south of the river to see how they go about creating some of the loveliest vegan cupcakes on the planet.
When you love vegan cake as much as I do, it can be a little overwhelming to find yourself in the centre of a commercial kitchen dedicated to baking huge quantities of the stuff. Trina (along with her friendly assistant Andy) made sure I stayed focussed by talking me through how each cupcake is lovingly handcrafted, where they can be purchased and what the plans are for the future.
I’m not sure how much more I can take of my favourite vegan food suppliers disappearing or retreating from public life. If I start losing weight, you will know who to blame. Come on vegan food makers, this FGV needs you.
First Saf closed up for good, then The Mighty Fork stopped trading and now I find out one of the best vegan bakers in the city is set to stop trading in Brixton.
Enough with the torturous posts about divine food half a world away from where the majority of my readers reside. I will stop teasing.
Well, I will stop after this post. I promise.
I have given you some decidedly convincing reasons why you should visit San Diego. The Southern California city is a gorgeous location bursting with attractions that will keep compassionate people on the delirious side of happy. See the vegan drive thru and the vegan market stall as examples.
And there is more.
Moncai Vegan is exactly what I see when I close my eyes at night. It is like the dream I have where the food is irresistible, the service is lovely and there are vegan donuts in a large glass case.
I have delightfully-good news for the vegan cake lovers of London.
Remember when I lost my mind over the fact Lujuria Vegana cakes were being sold in Whole Foods Market Fulham? Check this post for all the glorious photos.
Since that blog post, it appears Lujuria Vegana creations have spread to Whole Foods locations all across the capital. On tweeting about seeing them in the Kensington store, I have received responses from people telling me they had also seen them in Piccadilly and Camden.
Toni of Lujuria Vegana had mentioned to me the vegan desserts would be creeping across London later this year, so it appears later is now!
Get out and get the best vegan cake in Europe.
