Josh is taking the virtual reins for this post by reflecting on a fabulous prehispanic vegan cafe we visited during our trip to Mexico earlier this year.
Sorry to do this to you, but you will be green with jealousy.
Take it away, Josh.
Vegan
Gimme that Pudology
If you missed out on September’s London Vegan Potluck, I am sorry to say you also missed out on one of the best vegan dessert products to ever be available in the UK. But don’t be too sad… Pudology tubs are spreading across the country like wildfire.
Dairy-free desserts are becoming increasingly common, but not much of the market can claim to be anywhere near as delicious as these creations. Pudology make their mouthwatering puds in chocolate, strawberry and banoffee flavours.
My personal favourite is the chocolate. You know when something is sweet, creamy, smooth and irresistible all at the same time? Enough said. When Pudology samples were available at the potluck, the banoffee flew off the shelves and many attendees were singing some fairly extravagant praises for the dessert.
Grab some of these vegan and gluten free wonders today from Goodness Direct and Selfridges.
Visit Pudology online
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Many thanks to Cookie Von Stir for the photosAll that jazz
When was the last time you did something interesting, cultured and worthwhile on a Tuesday night? Watching EastEnders doesn’t count as a legitimate answer.
If you are sitting there at a complete loss without an inkling of an idea when the last time something enthralling actually took place on Tuesday, I have some news you will most definitely be interested in.
On Tuesday October 2, 2012 (World Animal Day) at 7:30pm, a huge musical fundraising night is taking place in South London… and you could be a part of it for just £10. Take that, Albert Square!
Dr Had’s Jazz is an evening of live music and fundraising for the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research. This charity does invaluable work in the field of promoting humane research over animal research.
Vocalist Alex Carter will perform alongside the extraordinary jazz talents of Christian Vaughan on keys and Dave Chamberlain on bass. The night will be packed full of raffle prizes furnished by a long list of sponsors and vegan food and drink will be available to purchase from the venue.
For full details of sponsors, location and ticket availability, click here now.
Do it for the animals, do it for the music and do it for your very own Tuesday night memories.
Here kitty, kitty!
Yorkshire has given my life a lot of cool things.
This part of the world is often the punchline of jokes thrown around by smug southerners, but I for one have a special affinity with the northern region. My favourite book when I was a young child (with a fey manner) was the resplendent and camp A Woman of Substance, written by Yorkshire’s very own Barbara Taylor Bradford. I would read it alone in my room in a sort of secret lockdown, hidden for fear of being interrupted. I wanted nothing to come between me and the sheer outrageousness of the pages.
Flash forward several decades and I am not a multi-millionaire business tycoon as promised by Barbara, but Yorkshire is still a part of the world that keeps giving me delight.
However, this time around it isn’t the written word its inhabitants have gifted me. It is delicious vegan beer.
MEX-LHR eating
There is nothing more tragic and upsetting than a vacation coming to an end.
You know that sinking feeling, right? Having to pack and keep busy on your last day of holidays, with a mammoth flight hanging over your head. There isn’t enough time to go sightseeing and it is heartbreaking as you pile everything into a suitcase that has been doing nothing but gather dust for a month or so.
These feelings of depression are still sitting with me even after a fortnight back in London. I miss the weather, culture, people and friends of Mexico CIty… and the gay bars serving cold beer.
The only upside of having to get on that plane for 10 hours and be spirited away from my favourite city was the airline remembering my vegan meal and the meal being rather acceptable.
Guest review: Manna
I am a bad vegan. In all of my time in London, I have never made the effort to drag my ample frame to Manna in Primrose Hill.
What? You don’t know what Manna is?! It’s a good thing my friend Julie Hamill took a recent excursion to this world-famous vegan restaurant and has dropped by to tell you all about it. You would have been waiting an awfully-long time if you were depending on me getting there.
Visit Julie online to read some of here fabulous Morrissey-related interviews and of course follow her on Twitter where she runs the weekly MozArmy quiz… that’s right, a weekly Twitter quiz about Morrissey.
Tell us about Manna, Julie.
Guest review: London Vegan Potluck September 2012
The London Vegan Potluck stormed back into the capital this week and the food was on another level of awesome. New vegan dessert champions Pudology were on board as sponsors to add to the enjoyment.
Because I was too busy eating on the night, my dear friend Cookie Von Stir has kindly dropped in to show you what you missed.
Follow Cookie Von Stir on Twitter
Visit Cookie Von Stir online
Take it away, Cookie!
Help a vegan business!
There is one thing I have discovered during my chubby, queer life. If we do not shop at (and support) independent vegan businesses, they will disappear.
Business life is tough enough for small businesses and even harder for the vegan variety. You have got to be extra resilient when you are cruelty-free. You sell to a niche market (admittedly getting larger) and you often have all sorts of accusations and prejudices fired your way, some sadly even from within the vegan community.
One of the true champions of the do-it-yourself vegan scene is the decadently-delicious Ms. Cupcake of Brixton. This one-of-a-kind compassionate bakery pumps out glorious sugary treats and has gotten to the point where it is today through the sheer grit, determination and ferocious hard work of founder/owner/Chief Cupcaker Mellissa Morgan.
In just a few years, Mellissa has moved from humble beginnings selling her homemade wares at London markets to owning her own bakery that employs multiple staff members. Mellissa is a huge contributor to local animal charities and her surrounding communtiy. She has time and time again proven herself as an award-winning business person and highly-decorated baker.
But like every hardworking, independent business owner, Mellissa sometimes needs the help of her supporters and the broader community to get over hurdles as they present themselves. Namely financial hurdles.
The next stage in development for the Ms. Cupcake bakery is to offer frozen goods such as pre-packaged vegan ice cream, cheesecakes and their own frozen creations. The problem with frozen food however is that is requires a freezer to be stored in…. and there isn’t a freezer in Ms. Cupcake.
This is where you come in.
Ms. Cupcake is taking the fan-funded route to raise enough money to make the much-needed purchase. Mellissa is asking for donations from supporters in order to get her freezer and is even offering incentives to people willing to help out.
For a £5 donation you get a kiss from Ms. Cupcake herself. £10 will get you a cupcake and a kiss. Or you could splash out and show your commitment to helping small business with a £50 donation and be rewarded with a kiss, a cupcake, a tub of vegan ice cream AND a £10 voucher to spend at the shop!
Get behind this fundraising drive if you want to support a local business and help keep them away from nasty bank loans. Get behind it if you want to help a vegan business grow. Get behind it if you want to help Mellissa to be able to keep employing a large number of staff. In the long run, your donation will ultimately help Mellissa carry on with all of her charitable and community interactions that she is loved for.
And finally…. get behind this campaign if the thought of cupcakes topped with ice cream makes you do a happy dance.
Go the the donation page NOW and help a vegan indie business grow. Say hi from the FGV while you are there.
Heather my dear, there’s a new flapjack in town
Isn’t the word ‘flapjack’ a bizarre thing? Where on Earth does it come from? I would love to know the etymology of the word flapjack. Answers on the back of a Morrissey postcard, please.
While I sit back and wait for the mountains of mail adorned with pictures of the Mancunian poet, I might as well inform you of a delicious vegan flapjack I discovered on a recent food expedition.
Vegan & vegetarian festival in Berlin – guest post!
This guest post was written by Rachel Cousins from hungryhouse, the UK’s leading online takeaway platform that features restaurants across the country including Glasgow, Birmingham and Nottingham. I’ve used this service in the past to order from the vegan menu at The Grove Cafe in Leeds.
Rachel gives a fantastic overview of the recent Vegan & Vegetarian Summer Festival in Berlin. It sounds like a lot of fun and only increases my desire to visit this city.
Take it away, Rachel!