Long before I was fat and vegan (gay always), I spent a lot of time in a seaside town that Australia forgot to close down. My friends and I constantly lived on the verge of adventure and despair as we dodged the equally-dangerous obstacles of local thugs and mediocrity. The main attractions were an almost-dilapidated pier, a skate park and many drive through liquor stores that asked very few questions of disengaged teenagers with a few dollars to spend. We would walk through the idling cars filled with older-than-us locals buying cartons of ice cold beer before boldly placing our orders for the cheapest drinks in the store.
Supermarket Bombscare
I find another beauty mark with every glass of red wine
I wanted to write a post with a long title and a short story.
Vegan red wine is available at UK supermarket chain Sainsbury’s in a plastic bottle. This pleases me immensely. The Cabernet Sauvignon is delicious and ridiculously inexpensive.
Over and out.
To infinity and beyond
I love a quality co-operative grocery store and that love turns to adoration when a grocery store is completely vegetarian.
If you are in Brighton and on the look out for vegan groceries, you couldn’t really do better than stopping by Infinity Foods on North Road. This 40 year old institution contains many of my favourite foods and several I had never seen before strolling through their doors. So what do they have on offer?
Grove is in the heart
Can’t decide between pizza and curry? Don’t know if you should grab a samosa or a plate of savoury rice? Eating can be a real dilemma. Well, one restaurant is making it easy for vegans to have all of these dishes and more.
Vegans often don’t get a huge choice when it comes to eating in the world of pizza, fried foods and home delivery. The Grove Cafe located in Headingley, Leeds is turning this upside down by offering a delectable range of dishes suitable for cruelty-free diets.
On a recent weekend visit to the city, I made sure I ate my fill of delicious rice, garlic bread pizza and Indian starters. I need to do each dish justice, so forgive me for taking my time here.
Not a difficult choice
Life is full of choices.
I chose last year to relocate (once again) to Europe instead of choosing to remain in Australia. I choose not to buy or consume dairy products due of the mistreatment of animals exploited within the industry. Furthermore, I often choose to overeat sweet food because I’m a greedy fat, gay vegan.
These three choices of European living, dairy-free food and sugar over-consumption have recently merged into some sort of holy trinity of choice with the discovery of a delicious chocolate caramel product called Choices. See what I did there?
Hammersmith and hungry?
If you find yourself walking the streets of Hammersmith (it happens, yes?) with a rumble in your belly, take the time to visit the good folk of Bushwacker Wholefoods.
Bushwacker is a quaint, packed-to-the-rafters convenience store with a difference. This long-standing King Street resident has a focus on Fair Trade and organic fare. Their shelves are liberally stocked with a huge range of products, many of which are suitable for the discerning vegan shopper. From vitamins, hair care and toothpaste to sandwiches, organic soda and vegan ice cream, there is plenty of everything in store to ensure you drop a few Great British pounds during a visit.
You’d better run egg
As an atheist I don’t partake in rituals, rites or celebrations based on religious beliefs. But I’m certainly not going to let a little non-belief get in my way of a vegan Easter egg.
Whilst trolling around Sainsbury’s supermarket on Cromwell Road in London for a snack, I stumbled upon a delectable-looking treat in the section reserved for food allergies and specialist diets. The freefrom Easter egg stood tall on the top shelf and beckoned me with its yellow wrapping, shiny bow and cheeky swing tag advertising its vegan status. I was so taken by the snappy appearance of this seasonal snack that I was on the verge of offering to buy it a drink. Gift-wrapped, vegan chocolate doesn’t fall into my FGV lap everyday, so I barely hesitated as I swooped it up and deposited it into my shopping basket.
I’m out of this world and I’m never comin’ back
Have you got a favourite retail outlet when it comes to vegan groceries? Somewhere that never lets you down and always ensures your basket is well-stocked? Me too.
Out Of This World is a small, comprehensive grocery store located in Leeds city centre. This ethically-minded outlet dedicates shelf upon shelf to products free of non-human animals as well as vegetarian specialties and organic, fair trade goods. If you want a few slices of pig-free bacon or a couple of vegan cupcakes to see you through a chilly northern afternoon, Out Of This World is the place to shop. You can snap up vitamins, shampoo, vegan fudge, cider, organic wine and so much more.
Leave the chilli on the table and nobody gets hurts
Want to enjoy a delicious bean chilli but time is limited? Co-operative supermarket has got you sorted.
I have always been strangely intrigued by chilli as a meal but have not encountered it often. Growing up in Australia, my closest encounter with this dish was the oft-repeated episode of the Simpsons in which Homer trips after eating a super-hot pepper. The whole concept of a cook-off filled me with wonder. As Homer strutted from stall to stall with his special chilli spoon, my fascination with the bean-filled, savoury goodness expanded. Sadly, chilli has only passed my lips a few times since I first saw that TV show but that could all change with the discovery of a chilli cook in sauce from Co-operative supermarkets.
Co-operative supermarkets have a fantastic track record of ethical policy, including a commitment to