London vegan news, reviews & events
A fat, gay vegan must work hard at a couple of things to qualify as a fat, gay vegan. Obviously, you have to be same-sex attracted in order to fill the gay requirements. If you want to call yourself vegan, don’t eat or wear non-human animals. To stay on top of the fat moniker, consume as many gourmet milkshakes as humanly possible.
This blog entry is a thank you to Shakeaway for assisting this FGV to stay worthy of the name.
Josh has taken on guest reviewer duties once again following a recent trip to Glasgow. Take it away…
I am seriously impressed by Glasgow and it’s hard to know where to start.
When I found out that my job was taking me to Glasgow for four days, I immediately looked to HappyCow and was delighted to see that there was not one, not two… but FOUR completely vegan eateries located in the city plus several vegetarian places. How could I possibly fit them all in? Apologies in advance for the dodgy phone-photos.
We did it! We moved the London Vegan Potluck to a new Central London location and many wonderful vegans and friends came out to celebrate.
The night was a delightful fusion of food, fun and fabulous people. Located just off High Holborn, the event took place in a large room generously supplied by Syracuse University London Program. Much gratitude goes out to the program for affording us the opportunity.
Potluckers had extra reason to be excited as world-class dessert chef Fran Costigan was in attendance with copies of her book and a sampling of her delicious truffles. Much love and thanks go out to Fran for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit with us tonight.
The food didn’t stop with Fran’s truffles. There was plenty on offer and everything I tried was delicious. Before we get to the photos though, I must mention one thing…
One of the things I adore about living in London is the vast array of food readily available.
The city is such a remarkable melting pot of cultures and this is reflected in the styles of cuisine on offer. Vegans can dine on Indian food, pizza, Palestinian falafel, Chinese-inspired dishes and even cruelty-free cupcakes. But you don’t need to dine out to dip into this diversity. Supermarkets and grocery stores all over the capital reflect the eclectic population and vegan shoppers can take advantage of it.
I had to think for a while prior to writing this entry. How should I tackle the subject matter at hand? The product I am reviewing is not so unusual in itself but the name is extremely unique and conjures up certain… ahem, imagery. But I certainly didn’t want to be juvenile or crass.
I decided to take the mature and classy route as I talk to you today about the Bowel Benefit Bar. Let’s not make a scene.
In an ever-increasing market of vegan meats, there are a few definite standouts that always manage to find their way into my FGV basket. Redwood produce stunning rashers, roasts and sausages. Fry’s Vegetarian sell fabulous schnitzels, nuggets and strips. Rest assured, there are plenty of proteins out there and they keep on coming.
Now, I know I said there are plenty out there but plenty doesn’t mean enough. A range of vegan meats that has recently come to my attention is known as Wheaty and I couldn’t be happier that it is in my life. These succulent, plant-based deli meats are chunky, carve-able and oh-so-tasty. Produced in Germany, the seitan delicacies are among the world’s best.
During a recent trip to Portland to attend Vida Vegan Con 2011, I was overwhelmed by vegan food choices. Every restaurant appeared to cater thoughtfully to my type, no matter if they were a veggie establishment or not. The picturesque city was packed wall to wall with cruelty-free dining options.
By far my favourite dining experience was the Homegrown Smoker food truck. Actually, it was so stunning I dined with them three days running. Everything I ate was tasty like I’ve never known, the staff were incredibly welcoming and I adored the concept of ordering my meal from a mobile kitchen parked up on a city sidewalk.
I must warn you the following pictures could lead to growling tummies. I make no apologies.
If you missed out on September’s London Vegan Potluck 5, you are just going to have to take me on my FGV word… it was a fantastic event. Seriously.
There were well over 50 potluckers in attendance and many more dishes on offer. The food was never ending and you could find almost any type of cuisine. We had lasagna, fruit skewers, mini burgers, seitan, tofu, tartlets, cheese platters, raw spaghetti, mole, chicken alfredo, hand-crafted truffles, cheesecake, falafel, spaghetti bolognese, iced tea, vegan wines, fruit drinks, dips, crisps, home-baked bread and much, much more.
As a frequent traveler, I often rely on coffee shops for beverages, restrooms and internet access. Coffee shops can be your lifeline to friends, a much-needed hiding spot from the world outside or even just a place to replenish your bodily fluids. A coffee shop with vegan options is extremely common in 2011. You can increasingly find soy milk and other dairy alternatives such as almond or rice milk.
Having established that the humble coffee shop can be a sanctuary for the weary, vegan traveler, let’s move on to discuss how it can get better. Yes, I’m referring to a 100% vegan coffee shop. What was once a fanciful dream is now a fabulous reality in Philadelphia.
Camden is famous for a lot of cool, outsider culture that eventually works its way into the mainstream. The historical Camden Market is now a must-see for thousands of tourists every year, the underground music scene exploded out of the borough in the 90’s spawning the Indie craze and more recently, the tragic demise of Amy Winehouse has been inextricably linked to the area as her Back to Black album became the highest-selling release of recent times in the UK.
It is understandable when members of minorities bemoan their insider knowledge being shared with the world. To have something intimate blown up to a global scale can be extremely challenging and confronting. However, there is one alternative happening coming out of Camden that I hope continues its explosion into the mainstream… vegan dining.