This is a super quick blog post to let you in on some good news.
Viva! Campaigns is of course a tremendously successful and loved animal protection and lobbying group that has been busy promoting veganism for many years.
How many years? The group just celebrated its 25th anniversary!
As part of their quarter of a century celebrations, Viva! has handed out a bunch of awards for people, groups, and businesses that they believe have done a great job in improving outcomes for animals.
And I was awarded one!
After almost a decade of running this blog and all the associated social media accounts, it is a real thrill to be appreciated in this way by a group that I respect so deeply.
Massive love and thanks goes to the entire Viva! team for everything they do to make the world a better place.
And thank you from the bottom of my chubby gay heart for this recognition. It is a wonderful feeling.
You can see all of the Viva! award winners online here.
Legendary vegan bakery Ms. Cupcake of Brixton are now stocking Mabel’s amazing vegan Yorkshire Puddings. They are the ONLY place in the country to get these for Christmas.
The Yorkshires come pre-made in a batch of four, which you can keep frozen until you need to bake them off.
In Mabel’s own words, these Yorkie’s “give you that authentic flavour, with a crispy top, a soft bottom, shaped perfectly for you to pour gravy into.”
As an added bonus they are palm oil free and use compostable bio-plastic packaging.
Get down to Ms. Cupcake quickly to pick up a pack or two for your festive meal. It’s the perfect excuse to get some cake in, too!
Follow Ms. Cupcake on Instagram and see their exact shop location thanks to Google Maps.
Shrewsbury. Are you ready to eat ALL the vegan food?
Okra is a vegan café located on the High Street and the food looks beyond tempting.
The café was previously known as güd and traded in Altrincham Market, however they have enjoyed such wonderful success they have now expanded and relocated to Shrewsbury with the new name.
Okra is all about fresh, flavourful 100% vegan food. It’s kinda like gourmet street food.
They make almost everything in-house from scratch, including all their sauces and vegan burger patties. All their flat breads are made by hand to order, every time!
The menu is small and changes often, but there are always classics like the Mexican black bean burger and tarka dal.
Okra also throw in weekly specials, too. The ‘chippy T’ being a recent favourite featuring crispy tofu fillet, salt and vinegar hash brown, and katsu ‘chippy’ curry sauce on a toasted bun!
Okra is open for breakfast and lunch and should be doing evenings soon.
London. Do you need more vegan pizza in your life?
Superstar vegan pizza makers, Picky Wops, have just announced they are opening a restaurant on Brick Lane in East London. Huge news!
Picky Wops have been wowing people around London with their gourmet take on pizzas for a few years now.
A recent kitchen takeover at a pub in Brixton has been a runaway success, as have all their appearances at outdoor markets and events around the capital. People can’t get enough of their unique flour mixes, gourmet toppings, and good vibes.
If you aren’t familiar with what Picky Wops do, read on.
Picky Wops pizza bases are all fully customisable and each dough has a different colour, texture and flavour. Available bases include burnt wheat and turmeric. Pizzas can be served cheeseless or with vegan cheese, and a mouthwatering variety of toppings are available.
If pizza isn’t your thing (really?!), classic Italian sides such as garlic bread, dough balls, and a variety of vegan pasta dishes are also featured on the menu. A firm favourite is their carbonara which comes complete with meat free bacon bits. Carb loving Londoners will also appreciate the innovative loaded fries, topped with Italian inspired sauces such as pesto and bolognese.
Ingredients used by Picky Wops are high quality and plant-based, while all dishes are made from scratch. Founders Cristiano Vitelli and Andrea Moro are both trained in the art of pizza making in their home country of Italy, meaning their food remains authentic.
Enough chit chat. Where is the new Picky Wops location?
You will be able to find the restaurant at 53 Brick Lane from their opening date of Friday December 13, 2019. You can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.
For December only, visitors can sample a festive white pizza aptly called The White Christmas. This special is topped with spiced sweet potato mash, roasted brussel sprouts and walnuts, seasoned soya, sweet cranberry jam, vegan mozzarella and a light sprinkling of parmesan.
Nut Milks is a new company bringing fresh dairy alternative milks to your doorstep.
The company is committed to supplying a low carbon footprint alternative to cow milk, therefore they only deliver within the London area. I absolutely LOVE this approach to their business.
The vegan milks are made in London and sold in London!
The milks are made freshly and locally. They contain no additives therefore last only five days. These products are old school!
Nut Milks flavours include:
Pistachio Milk
Chocolate Hazelnut
Hazelnut Milk
Almond Milk
Cashew Milk
Nut Milks currently have a stall at Borough Market but they are mostly an online business.
You can visit their webshop to browse all milk products and place an order for London-only delivery.
There is a brand new vegan butter alternative made from macadamia nuts and it has just launched in Whole Foods Market stores across the country.
The new plant-based, 100% palm-oil-free creamy buttery spread is from dairy alternative company milkadamia.
This revolutionary non-dairy buttery spread replicates butter’s delicious creamy taste and texture while also allowing consumers to enjoy the taste of butter without the damaging effects on animals, the planet, the soil, and rainforest lands in areas like Indonesia where a lot of palm oil is farmed unsustainably.
As I stated above, the product is only currently available in Whole Foods Market stores but will be spreading to Sprouts and other USA retailers early in 2020.
There is no word yet on distribution outside the USA but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
London, here is your opportunity to take part in a super fancy and super exclusive masterclass led by one of the leading vegan patisserie chefs on the planet.
I’ll show you how to make exquisite plant-based versions of festive French patisserie classics that will wow your guests during the festive season. – Clarisse Flon (specialist vegan patisserie chef, food consultant and photographer)
Grab a ticket and get along to the Made in Hackney kitchen on Saturday December 12, 2019 between 10am and 5:30pm for this rare learning (and eating!) opportunity.
This Masterclass is part of the Made in Hackney ‘VIP Series’, working with experts who are renowned in their field.
The class will include:
How to make a show-stopping Pear and Chocolate Genoise Yule log
Make an exquisite chocolate cream patissiere and chocolate buttercream
Learn to make gorgeous iced sablé Christmas biscuits
Rolling and setting techniques
Piping skills
How to make stunning chocolate décor and caramel shard decorations
Learn how to enhance flavours, and how to pair textures and tastes
A delicious organic plant based lunch, and take home recipe pack
15% discount in neighbouring wholefoods shop, Food for All
Clarisse Flon is a specialist vegan patisserie chef trained in classic French patisserie. Clarisse has worked in many fine dining establishments around the world while developing plant based versions of her traditional recipes.
She launched The Sunny Spoon in 2013 (a French vegan patisserie bakery featured many times at Hackney Downs Vegan Market) and helped launch Cafe Forty One, a vegan restaurant in La Suite West hotel in Notting Hill. Clarisse now works as a food consultant and photographer, developing vegan options and recipes for businesses.
Fee: £160 (£118 Concession) includes delicious tastings and a recipe pack.
This fee is used to fund the Made in Hackney programme of free courses to vulnerable and low-income community groups. By attending a Made In Hackney masterclass you get a great day of learning AND you’re providing the charity with essential funds for them to continue their work with vulnerable community groups.
You can join Animal Equality at their Festive Fundraiser on Tuesday December 3, 2019 for an evening that promises to be packed full of merriment.
Entertainment at the Central London event (near Farringdon) will feature the always inspiring Christopher Sebastian and the hilarious Carl Donnelly. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to see them in action, then you definitely don’t want to miss this event.
You’ll also hear about the incredible work that Animal Equality has been able to carry out this year thanks to the generosity of their wonderful supporters, as well as enjoy a delicious plant-based, three-course meal and help the charity raise funds through a raffle.
The ticket price also includes a welcome drink and wine with the meal.
Christopher Sebastian is the director of social media for Peace Advocacy Network, he sits on the Advisory Council for Encompass, he is senior editor at Vine Sanctuary Press, he is co-founder of VGN, and he lectures at Columbia University in the Department of Social Work for the graduate course POP: Power, Oppression, and Privilege. He primarily focuses on animal violence and how it influences anti-black racism, queer antagonism and class discrimination throughout the global west.
Carl has been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award twice and has appeared on various TV shows including Mock the Week and Russell Howard’s Good News. He is a regular on the international comedy circuit, performing at pretty much every comedy festival there is!
Animal Equality look forward to seeing you next week. Click here to book tickets.
Extra note: The event space is accessible and Signing can be arranged on request.
If you have been taking notice of my ramblings lately, you’ll know that I have teamed up with a Seattle-based travel company to launch a brand new vegan cruise company.
Vegan Culinary Cruises is dedicated to luxurious 5-star travel. Everything about the cruises we design is for vegans and vegan-curious people and our adventures are 100% vegan.
The alcohol we serve. The toiletries in the cabins. The shore excursions we organise. And of course the cuisine. It’s all designed to be 100% vegan.
I recently teamed up with our chef Tobias for a week of workshopping our menus and I have to say it was not exactly tough work for me. I got to eat some truly delicious dishes.
I’ve picked my top 7 items Tobias and I developed (and my contribution was mostly tasting) for your viewing pleasure. I’d love to know your favourite:
First up in my cavalcade of deliciousness is this stunning omelette. I haven’t eaten a non-vegan omelette in more than 20 years so I can’t place myself as an expert, but this vegan version was incredible. It was so good, we are considering having an omelette bar at breakfast on our upcoming cruises.
Dense and sweet. That’s how I like my brownies and this one didn’t disappoint. The gooey topping was perfect.
If fried spring rolls are on a menu, I order them. I’m so happy Tobias put this starter together for me and the slightly charred bok choy was the perfect accompaniment.
When Tobias told me that he wanted to cook something for me that featured multiple types of beans, I was a bit suspicious. Beans aren’t that exciting, right? I was wrong! This casolette served with crunchy garlic bread and fresh radishes was one of the highlights of the week.
Moussaka is a little bit rare to come across when you eat vegan, so I was thrilled to be served this plate during our menu workshop week.
Here is my favourite dish from the week. Seitan strudel is now the love of my life thanks to this gorgeous creation. The flaky pastry was perfectly matched by the savoury seitan filling. Not shown were some crunchy roasted potatoes in a side bowl. I mean, come on!
I couldn’t possibly end this list without the inclusion of this delicious and decadent Crêpes Suzette. I am a sucker for fancy desserts and this knocked it out of the park. The ice cream you can spot in the photo was caramel flavoured and I fell in love with it.
There you have it. What do you think about these dishes we workshopped for Vegan Culinary Cruises?
You can see both of our 2020 cruises on the VCC website. First up is the LGBT-focused (although all are welcome) cruise on the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia in July, followed by a Rhone cruise through the South of France during the first week of November.
We currently have a huge special for early bookers of a US$1,000 discount per person for bookings before January 31, 2020.
It is a place to eat. It is a place to socialise. It is a space in which you can feel supported and celebrated, no matter who you are. It is a supportive space for independent vegan chefs to take risks with pop up events.
Black Cat is one a crucial component of the London vegan scene and an important supporter of local Hackney communities.
The food at the café is sensational and the people keeping it all running are even nice.
I hope you will join me in wishing Black Cat the very best as they celebrate their 5th anniversary. How incredible!
Black Cat is celebrating this huge milestone with an even huger party, including the launch of a new menu at their second location (yes, keep up friends!) kitchen takeover at Roadtrip & The Workshop on Old Street in Hoxton. This venue is a late night hangout with gorgeous cocktails and exciting events.
So much info to give you so let me start with the party aspect.
To celebrate 5 years of being awesome, Black Cat are throwing a fabulous party at their pop up kitchen venue at Roadtrip & The Workshop from 7pm on Wednesday November 27, 2019.
Entry is free with a suggested donation of £8 if you can afford it.
There is a super cool line up of entertainment across the evening including:
7pm Gaea
7:45pm Zek
8:20pm Immigranti
9pm Arboricidio
9:45pm Surya
10:30pm Awate
As part of the celebration, Black Cat is launching a new menu which you can check out below.
Grandma’s meatballs: house made sausage meatballs cooked in a rich white wine gravy 6.50
Croquettes : deep fried thick béchamel fritters with leek and mushrooms 5.50
Arancini: risotto croquettes with house made marinara and filled with vegan cheese 5.50
Dan Dan Cauliflower: crispy battered cauliflower coated in spicy sesame, soy and siracha sauce topped with pickled cucumbers and carrots and crushed peanuts 6
House wings : chicken style seitan tossed in our signature bbq spicy sauce, served with blue cheese sauce
Garlic prawns: vegan prawns marinated in a spicy smoked paprika, white wine and chilli flakes. Served with grilled sour dough 7
Burgers and sandwiches ( served in brioche bread and sour dough bread )
The roadtrip hot dog: moving mountains sausage, jalapeño jam, house sauerkraut, cheap mustard 8.50
The beef style burger: house made beefy patty, horseradish mayo, lettuce, grilled onions, burger sauce, gherkins. Black Cat best seller for the last 5 years, tweaked for the occasion 8.50
The Cuban: smokey tempeh, seitan ham, melted cheese, dill pickles, herby mayo in grilled buttered sour dough 8
Buttermilk corn crusted chicken style burger: tofu and seitan patty tossed in our very own scotch bonnet spicy sauce, blue cheese, lettuce, beef tomatoes and herby mayo 8.50
Get along to the Black Cat 5th anniversary part at Roadtrip & The Workshop in Hoxton on Wednesday November 27, 2019 from 7pm. You can see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.
Get along anytime after the party in the future to try the gorgeous new menu.
Be sure to visit the original Black Cat location in Hackney. See the exact location thanks to Goole Maps.
