London vegan news, reviews & events
I love a guest post. Not only do I get the day off (blogging is tiring), but I get to read about something fabulous I haven’t tried.
A regular reader named Malcolm reached out to me with this amazing post about a vegetarian butcher in Amsterdam. Thanks, Malcolm!
Read all about this unique business below:
Have you got £15 burning a hole in your pocket? Get into your nearest Hotel Chocolat for this gourmet vegan Easter egg.
Made with almond powder, this decadent dairy-free egg is accompanied by chocolate bites packed with fruit and nuts. I was tempted, but just couldn’t bring myself to part with that sort of cash for an Easter egg.
What do you think? Is that crossing a price line you would never step over?
You can see the egg via the online Hotel Chocolat shop.
If you do take the plunge and shell out for this vegan egg, please let me know how if it is fabulous. I could still be swayed!
This is probably the most thrilling, exciting and wonderful event I have organised in the history of being Fat Gay Vegan. I am beyond proud to announce Cucina Abruzzo, a week-long vegan cooking adventure in the stunning Italian countryside.
Join vegan chef Sara Mittersteiner (Facebook and Twitter) for an entire week of exquisite plant-based cooking instruction, sumptuous communal eating and fascinating day trips through Abruzzo, one of the most beautiful regions in Italy.
Cucina Abruzzo runs between 14 and 21 June, 2015 and guests will be left wanting for nothing. The price for the week-long vacation includes:
Our stunning accommodation is set on a 1000 tree olive grove, home to Mirabilia Organic Olive Leaf Tea. Mirabilia owners Bimbi and Spencer will be on hand, ensuring all guests have a truly unparalleled experience. They will escort our group on a tour of their olive grove and afford us a behind the scenes look at the fascinating process employed to create their organic olive leaf tea. You can follow Mirabilia on Twitter.
Situated on the plateau ‘Piano La Roma’ in the middle of the important archaeological site of ‘Cluviae’ between the hilltop towns of Guardiagrele and Casoli, the property has panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Being situated on the edge of an escarpment affords guests views to the south over the village of Palombaro, the lake and 12th century tower of Casoli, and on to the mountains of Roccaraso. To the east, a sea view, to the west, the majestic Maiella mountain and the Parco Nazionale, and behind the house, its own grove of olive trees. It is in a tiny hamlet of farm dwellings and barns, and the immediate area is completely agricultural and unspoilt.
This is the Italy many tourists have never experienced. Simply beautiful.
About the cooking classes:
A week in the Italian natural kitchen with Sara
Experience Italian food in its pure essence with Sara, a native Italian foodie who moved to London a few years ago to share her passion and love for the genuine comfort Italian food of her homeland.
Sara will transport you to the culinary beauty of Abruzzo where you’ll use the freshest seasonal herbs and ingredients to cook the tastiest Italian dishes. You will learn to make very simple (but mouthwatering) Italian recipes without using any animal ingredients, only what nature seasonally offers. This will include handcrafted pastas, freshly baked goods, vegetable main dishes and irresistible staples such as dips, sauces and sides to enjoy with your favourite dishes. Desserts are never missing when Sara’s wearing her apron and you’ll get your hands covered in flour between tales of her new London adventures and the funniest anecdotes from growing up in an Italian family.
About Abruzzo:
The unknown ‘green heart of Italy’ where one can still live the genuine Italian lifestyle
Abruzzo is one of the most historically fascinating areas of Italy, with much archaeological evidence dating back to pre-Roman times. Its earliest inhabitants were the Picenians, who along with the Sanitti, the Vestinians, the Marsians, Equians and Praetutions were ruthlessly overcome by the might of the Roman invaders and forced into submission in 90BC. Their hilltop settlements are still to be seen in Abruzzo’s many villages and towns, from L’Aquila and Sulmona in the Abruzzan uplands to Guardiagrele, Casoli and Roccascalegna facing the Adriatic sea over the littoral plains. The poet Ovid and Historian Sallust were both Abruzzan, as was, much later, Gabriele d’Annunzio, poet, playwright and hero of the Italian Risorgimento.
The countryside is stunning in its magnificence – on the west the Apennines and the huge National Parks of the Gran Sasso, the Maiella and the Sirente Velino. Here are vast tracts of forest (oak, beech and chestnut) populated with golden eagles, chamois, lynxes, deer and wild boar. There are wolves and even bears to be found in these silent glades. Above them the mountains, almost lunar in their bare splendour. There is much here for the keen hiker or climber, with huts and refuges for overnight use. Skiing has also developed into a major sport, with over 22 resorts round Aquila in the north alone, and also Roccaraso, the southernmost resort of the Apennines, much favoured by Neapolitans and Romans alike. To the east, miles of fabulous beaches on the Adriatic, ranging from the sophistication of Pescara to the untamed Vasto peninsula, reminiscent of the wilder reaches of the North Cornish coast.
Cucina Abruzzo is set to be a vegan adventure like no other. Food, sunshine, fresh air and stunning countryside.
Be quick to secure your place.
Email sean@fgvpr.co.uk to reserve one of the following options:
Main villa
Adjoining barn
All prices are per-room for the entire week regardless of one- or two-person occupancy.
Extra notes:
Email Sean at sean@fgvpr.co.uk if you have any questions.
Do you ever buy the Dairy Free Sunflower Spread from Marks and Spencer? I wrote about the awesome vegan labelling of this product a year ago, but things seem to have changed since then.
It is no longer labelled as vegan. What gives?
My partner Josh reached out to the company via Twitter to see if he could get some answers. This is what he was told:
Are you up early on this fine Saturday morning with no idea how you can get the most out of life?
I have the answer.
The story of a pop-up owl cafe in London’s Soho has been everywhere this past week.
More than 60 000 people have apparently registered for one of the limited spaces during the temporary venue’s week-long run and a huge number of concerned individuals have voiced their concern for the welfare of the birds involved via social media, newspaper editorials and an online petition with 5000 signatures. Even I got in on the act with a blog post.
One of the more surprising parts of this drama was the statement by the organiser that they had the support of registered charity and bird rehabilitation organisation, The Barn Owl Centre. I was not alone in being shocked that a bird protection group would give their blessing to, and agree to receive proceeds from, an event that is far from being in the best interest of owls.
Here is where the story starts to unravel.
The Twitter account for The Barn Owl Centre was inundated by countless tweets ranging from surprise to condemnation. Their response to this onslaught was at first confusing, muddled and aggressive. It didn’t make sense or clear up if they were involved or not.
Fast forward a few days and you’ll find the founder of The Barn Owl Centre featured in an interview with the Gloucester Citizen, the local paper for the area.
In the article, founder Vincent Jones states he wants nothing to do with the pop-up event and feels persecuted by social media activists. You can read the full article here.
Curiously, the Annie the Owl pop-up cafe website still lists The Barn Owl Centre as a partner and fund recipient. This goes against what Vincent stated in his newspaper interview.
I wanted to set the record straight about where the birds for the event are coming from and if the owl centre was still involved. I just ended a 45-minute phone conversation with The Barn Owl Centre founder Vincent and following is some of the information I discovered.
Here is some exciting news for our northern neighbours.
A classy restaurant in Edinburgh is offering a three-course vegan menu tonight and then once a month going forward. How fabulous!
Check out the menu from last month below:
There is a series of events and talks relating to dogs during wartime and I think some of my readers might very well find it interesting.
The Bishopgate Institute located in the City of London (you all know what I mean by that, right?) is host to this fascinating collection of presentations and conversations about canines during the First World War.
Topics covered include:
I don’t just write nonsense about overeating and drinking gallons of vegan beer. Sometimes I attempt to write meaningful text for other platforms.
One such diversion, and one I feel particularly proud with which to be associated, is T.O.F.U. magazine.