London can you wait?

London Vegan Beer Fest tickets

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London Vegan Beer Fest is a boutique summer drinking event showcasing independent breweries making beer suitable for vegans. In 2013, the festival is taking place in the hall, chapel and grounds of the gorgeous St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green.

branding

Join a host of independent breweries serving craft beers and the kitchen staff of The Gallery Cafe as they serve mouthwatering vegan BBQ food. Doors open 1pm on Saturday July 13th, 2013.

The day will be a celebration of vegan drink, food, independent businesses and music.

Visit the London Vegan Beer Fest website for full list of participating breweries, latest news, BBQ menu updates, sponsor lists and more!

On sale time for tickets is Monday 17th June, 2013 at 9am.

Click here for the ticket page

Running time 

Midday:    VIP ticket holders welcomed

1:00pm    London Vegan Beer Fest 2013 opens to all ticket holders

8:30pm    Last orders in the beer hall

10:00pm  London Vegan Beer Fest closes

Ticket types

Hop Head – general admission//£7.50 plus booking fee

  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 1pm onwards

Golden Keg – limited VIP//£25 plus booking fee

  • limited to 50 tickets
  • exclusive early entry (midday)
  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn
  • access to VIP indoor beer garden & chapel seating
  • 1 London Vegan Beer Fest goodie bag featuring snacks
  • 1 complimentary beer (additional purchases not included)
  • 1 complimentary BBQ item (additional purchases not included)

Swift Half – walk up on the day//£10

  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 1pm onwards dependent on capacity
  • wait times for entry likely
  • cash payment only

Cheeky Half – late walk up on the day//£5

  • access to beer hall and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 6pm onwards dependent on capacity
  • wait times for entry possible
  • cash payment only

Tickets are extremely limited. Bookmark the ticket link and set a reminder.

Here’s the Scoop

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*A reader says Scoop advised chocolate is not vegan. They told me it was. Any other feedback?*

*UPDATE – OK. I just got an update from Scoops via Twitter. The brand of chocolate is Callebaut and the product they use is made from vegan ingredients (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, natural emulsifier, soya lecithin) and is labelled ‘may contain traces of milk’ as it is made in a factory with milk chocolate.*

Late night, tipsy walking around Soho can reveal special joys. Hidden surprises spring up but often disappear again as the fog of cider clear from your head the following day.

However, I experienced a glorious and accidental discovery last night I am certain will be etched into my memory forever. No amount of cider (mixed with wine and beer) could wash the wonderful thoughts away.

People. Hold onto you seats. Kip and I discovered hot, fresh vegan churros accompanied by hot, melted chocolate in a gelato store in Soho, London.

What a find!
What a find!
Delicious, vegan churros
Delicious, vegan churros

I won’t waste your time with witticisms and queen of the world retorts. I understand you are probably walking toward the door right this second, thinking of the quickest route to Soho.

Here are the details:

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Potluck love

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I want to take a moment to digress from my usual food rants to show my appreciation for London Vegan Potluck.

London Vegan Potluck came into being over two years ago when I had the idea to create a regular, monthly event that was as much about socialising as it was about vegan food. I wanted to create a safe and welcoming gathering that would always be there for (and because of) the vegans of London.

The event started as a tiny get together of 20 people in the arcade next to the Ms. Cupcake bakery in Brixton. I remember being terrified that nobody would show up, but almost instantly the sense of community surrounding the potluck came to life and we haven’t stopped growing since that first night.

After six months of hosting the event in Brixton, I had to say goodbye to Ms. Cupcake and move London Vegan Potluck to bigger premises. It was just that popular! Thanks to the immense generosity of the Syracuse University London Program and its staff, we were able to secure a huge central London space equipped with everything we needed to make the event a continued success.

We have now been celebrating the potluck in our Holborn location ever since and to say it is a runaway success would be an understatement. The attendance numbers have broken the 100 mark on several occasions and I am always overwhelmed by the number of new attendees I meet every month.

The list of vegan and vegan-friendly companies that have supported the event with samples is mammoth. I am grateful to the traders who have personally attended to not only share their products with us, but to also make connections within the vegan community. I am humbled by the travellers and tourists from around the UK and the world who go out of their way to make London Vegan Potluck a stop on their already packed schedules. We have enjoyed the company of visitors from Australia, France, the USA, Canada, Spain, China and many more locations than I can recall.

Tim & Ellen of Oakland, California meeting Ms. Cupcake at the June 2013 London Vegan Potluck
Tim & Ellen of Oakland, California meeting Ms. Cupcake at the June 2013 London Vegan Potluck

It is hard work putting the potluck together every month. I couldn’t even begin to calculate the amount of time I have spent moving chairs, washing dishes, arranging tables, liaising with sponsors, updating websites, answering queries, shopping for supplies and hosting the actual event.

But I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Sure I get irked when people show up with no food to contribute or complain the event doesn’t suit their taste/schedule/sensibilities, but the positive contribution and social capital I see being paid back into my community on the first Wednesday of every single month overrides any negativity.

The immense interest surrounding the potluck led me to create and host the monthly London Vegan Drinks event which is even more successful and draws well over 100 people on the third Thursday of every month. I have received messages from people around the UK who have been inspired by the London event to create their own local potluck. The goodwill generated by that first-ever event in Brixton is infectious and continues to spread.

London Vegan Potluck works to support vegans on their journey to remain vegan, helps the curious and kind-hearted make the transition to a plant-based diet and creates a safe and dependable space for people to exist as compassionate eaters without judgement for two hours each and every month.

In my opinion, all of this improves outcomes for animals, people and the planet. What more could you ask for?

I think every city could do with a monthly vegan potluck. Don’t you agree?

Will you remember me?

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When you put a lot of time and effort into something, it’s nice to get some recognition. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy, right?

I have been plugging away at this blog and its associated activities for two and a half years. How time flies when you are guilt-tripping yourself into meeting self-imposed publication dates. Seriously though, I feel I have been consistent in sharing my thoughts on vegan food, products and events throughout the UK and the world. I’m proud of this little corner of the Internet.

My first FGV blog entry... EVER!
My first FGV blog entry… EVER!

It would seem the pride I have in my own abilities isn’t completely unfounded as my blog has been nominated for an award.

VegfestUK is a series of huge vegan festivals that take place in Brighton, Bristol (happening this weekend May 24-26, 2013) and London. Running for ten years, the events are a celebration of all things plant-based and are hugely popular outings for vegans and non-vegans alike.

VegfestUKBristol2013PosterPortrait

To celebrate their tenth year, VegfestUK organisers want to recognise vegan businesses, personalities and products with their own award show. Thankfully, they have included a vegan blog category meaning I was able to sneak in with a nomination.

Please visit the voting page and pop a little tick next to my name (if you feel I deserve it). If you do vote for my blog, please let me know in the comments section below. I would like to include you in my acceptance speech at the award ceremony taking place in London this October.*

*This might not happen in reality

 

A slice of vegan history

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Read to the end for a free Ms. Cupcake recipe!

I thought sitting down to write a blog post about the release of the Ms. Cupcake cookbook would be a simple process that involved reviewing the book, saying how much I adore her food and sticking in a few photos.

However, on reflection the idea of simply talking about the book as just another collection of recipes seemed beyond insufficient. This book acts as distinct marker in the timeline of vegan London and Mellissa Morgan is more than a mere cupcake maker. She has been one of the guiding forces in the veganisation of the UK capital and walks at the forefront of a plant-based wave sweeping the country.

No, this isn’t just a cookbook. It is historical evidence of how an independent baker helped change the way London and the UK think about veganism.

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Ms. Cupcake – The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town!

The story of the rise of Ms. Cupcake is especially poignant and personal for me. It wasn’t long after I started this blog that Mellissa moved her well-loved market stall business into her very own bakery on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton. It was the story about this move that went on to become one of the most read posts of all time on my blog.

When I had the idea of creating London Vegan Potluck, it was Mellissa and the Ms. Cupcake crew who welcomed my crazy idea with open arms. The potluck has since moved to larger premises, but I will never forget or take for granted what the bakery did for me and my event. Mellissa’s commitment to the vegan community in London helped me create one of the most enduring and loved social events in the country.

The Ms. Cupcake bakery is a focal point for vegan London. The rise of such a successful vegan business lit a spark that has grown to an inferno and inspired all manner of events, food providers and support networks. Many of the people who work or have worked in the bakery have become my dear friends. The cookbook tells Mellissa’s story and the recipes are testament to her creativity and persistence, but it also acts as reminder for vegans everywhere how we can change the world around us if we decide to act.

Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you would like to know how to create mouthwatering cookies, cupcakes, muffins and loaves. Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you want a invaluable guide to vegan icing, stockists and methods. Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you enjoy owning recipe books brimming with colourful and stylish artwork and photos. But most importantly, buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you want to own a piece of the story of how London truly became an international vegan city.

Order now online from Amazon.

Tracy aka The Vegan Butcher with Jaffa Cakes
Tracy aka The Vegan Butcher with Jaffa Cakes

As a special treat, Ms. Cupcake and her publisher have given me permission to include the following recipe taken from the new book. I followed the easy recipe to make my own batch of Nanaimo bars and the process was completely hassle-free, even for a non-baker like me.

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I know we’re cool

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One of my favourite places on the planet is Mexico. I adore the people I have met in Mexico. I love the flavours used to enhance food. The countryside is mesmerising and I am obsessed with the dynamic energy of Mexico City. It is one of the only locations on Earth where I feel completely at ease.

Given my acute fondness for the country and culture, you can imagine how distant Mexico feels from my current home in London. Thankfully, there is a company doing their very best to make sure I get an authentic taste of Mexico right here in the UK.

Please rise for the Cool Chile Company.

I was recently invited to visit the Cool Chile factory in North London and what I witnessed was enough to bring a rumble to the belly of even a well-seasoned foodie like myself. The premises were stacked floor to ceiling with the most mouth-watering spices and condiments this side of Xalapa. Chipotles were whole, diced, powdered, tinned, bagged and presented in almost any way you can imagine. You think of any Mexican ingredient and rest assured the Cool Chile Company have got you covered.

Cool Chile chipotle ketchup
Cool Chile chipotle ketchup

But surely the crowning glory of the company is the stunning piece of equipment they call El Monstruo. This wondrous example of engineering is responsible for the staple of all Mexican cuisine. The tortilla.

El Monstruo works like an independent tortilla factory. It takes the dried masa harina, mixes it into dough, presses and cuts the tortillas before cooking them on a long chain conveyor belt that loops back on itself inside the giant machine.

Workers collect the finished product at the end, weigh the bundles and shrink pack them for greedy consumers just like me. The machine works at the output of 3500 tortillas an hour and chugs away five days a week. That’s a lot of tortillas.

Mixing the dough
Mixing the dough
Cutting
Cutting
Coming out of the oven
Coming out of the oven
The end of the line
The end of the line
Shrink wrapped for sale
Shrink wrapped for sale

I have not been able to source any other corn tortillas in the UK and even with that fact aside, the Cool Chile Company tortillas are some of the best I have consumed anywhere. We use them frequently in my kitchen and they even took pride of place at my Mexican supper club last year.

Vegan jackfruit carnitas made with Cool Chile tortillas
Vegan jackfruit carnitas made with Cool Chile tortillas
Flautas stuffed with vegan chorizo & mashed potato made with Cool Chile tortillas
Flautas stuffed with vegan chorizo & mashed potato made with Cool Chile tortillas

If you bulk buy from one food company this year, I couldn’t recommend highly enough that you make it Cool Chile Company. From their corn tortillas to their easy black bean soup mix, the company has everything you need to make delicious and authentic Mexican food.

Shop online via the Cool Chile Website

Visit their stall at Borough Market

Follow Cool Chile Company on Twitter

We love it when our friends become successful

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Time for another guest post from Josh. He’s been savouring the delights from the new(ish) location of London vegetarian Italian restaurant Amico Bio.

Take it away Josh…

Amico Bio had been on my list of restaurants to try for ages but the original location near the Barbican wasn’t very convenient for me so I never made it there. Imagine my delight when I glanced out of the bus on my way to work and spotted a new location just a five minute walk from my office! It didn’t take me long to find an excuse to go to the new Amico Bio in Holborn. And not just once – I went twice in the space of a week it was that good. It’s a vegetarian restaurant but they have a very impressive range of vegan dishes and the staff are happy to talk to you about the items on the menu. They are one of the few London restaurants to use seitan and they are also using one of my favourite vegan cheeses – MozzaRisella.

Amico Bio in Holborn
Amico Bio in Holborn

Anyway, on to the important bit… the food…  

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Let me put you on my plate

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I get asked a lot of questions as a vegan blogger living in London. People want to know my favourite places to eat. Where they can get vegan cheese. The top three vegan ‘must-see’ attractions if they are in town for just a day. If I’ll I go on a date with them…

OK, I admit the last one NEVER happens but the number of queries regarding veganism in London is huge. Out of all the questions and emails, there is one request that has been asked more than any other…

Who serves a hot vegan breakfast in London?

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Down by the river

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There are some restaurants I feel you should do anything to get to, some I think you should avoid completely and others that are to be recommended only if you are passing.

The latter is how I feel about Riverside Vegetaria in Kingston.

Walking into this restaurant is like stepping back into the 1980s. The decor recalls an episode of The Golden Girls which saw the group dining out at a local trendy restaurant. Think lots of exposed brick and yellow-tinged lighting.

The step back in time doesn’t end with the decor. The menu is straight up old school vegetarian. Not to say that it isn’t tasty and filling, but there are certainly no fashion forward moments to be had. Food items in Riverside Vegetaria often border on camp, such as the lemon sorbet served in a hollowed out lemon.

A room with a river view
A room with a river view

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Animal talk

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Super fast post.

If you are in London, UK this Friday (March 22) and you are interested in matters of academia and animal testing, you should be no place else.

‘Bred for purpose – the inherent, situational and pathogenic vulnerability of animals in contemporary biomedical research’ is a lecture given by Dr. Jane Johnson of the Department of Philosophy, Macquarie University Australia.

I am assured everyone is welcome to attend.

Full details are in the picture below. The location is a brief four minute walk from Mile End Underground station.

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