London vegan news, reviews & events
Just over a week ago I visited the Specialty & Fine Food Fair held in London Olympia and I am now only getting around to sharing photos of some of the fabulous vegan products I encountered.
I have included social media links for each company, so please feel free to reach out to them and let them know how keen you are to see their products in stores. Some of the products are even available to order online so make sure you do some investigating.
Here we go.
As the title says, I just can’t.
Before you read any further, get your credit card ready and make sure there are no obstacles between you and your phone. You will need to do these things in order to be safe as you RUSH MADLY to place an order for THIS AMAZING PRODUCT.
Don’t put a jar of chocolate biscuit spread in front of a vegan, tell them it’s vegan and then tell them it isn’t vegan. We will cut you.
Ever since I posted this story about a supposedly vegan bourbon biscuit spread sold by Tesco, my social media has been blowing up with folks telling me they had been informed by the chain that it contained non-vegan ingredients. I decided to dedicate a couple of hours of my life to finding out the truth.
Here is what I was told via a phone message left by a Tesco customer service operator:
Have you seen the range of vegan milks now available in Marks & Spencer stores all around the country?
I recently spotted the ‘Made Without Dairy’ packaging in the M&S on Chiswick High Road and was happy to see not just soya but also oat, rice and coconut varieties.
Check them out below.
If you have been following me on Instagram and Twitter these past few days, you would have seen I have been eating everything vegan I could get my hands on in Manchester.
One thing related to veganism that I didn’t eat was this very interesting poster hanging on the notice board of V Revolution.
If you visit my blog even occasionally, you will be aware I have been nominated in the Best Vegan Blog category in the VegfestUK Awards 2014.
The voting closes on Monday September 15th, 2014 and since I am posting this blog late at night on the 14th, you probably have only a few hours left to vote.
Here are some reasons I think my blog is worth voting for:
I would be thrilled and honoured to win the Best Vegan Blog award.
You can click here to vote now. Please share this post widely.
It appears the owner of Cakes ‘n’ Treats in Camden has been arrested along with her boyfriend following a violent altercation outside the vegan business.
Video footage has been posted online showing a man attacking another person on Pratt Street. The article on ITV refers to the man as the boyfriend of a local business owner who has recently been the target of an anti-fascist campaign. Even though the article doesn’t refer to the owner or her boyfriend by name, it is evident it is referring to the Cakes ‘n’ Treat owner following recent coverage of the topic.
You can view the full article here. Please be warned the article contains violent video footage.
The ITV article states that the man shown being violent has been arrested for possessing an offensive weapon while his girlfriend has been arrested for obstructing police.
The reader tips I receive are invaluable. As much as I try to eat every vegan item in the UK, a Fat Gay Vegan can only spread so far.
One of the longest-serving reader contributors to my blog is the wonderful Jeanette. She has often sent me little snippets of information and has been a solid contributor with comments as well.
The latest piece of news sent my way by Jeanette is all about the fabulous 1066 Cake Stand in Hastings.
Here is some wonderful news for the vegans and beer lovers of Leeds.
Wharf Chambers Co-operative Club has announced the return of its beer festival, showcasing some of the best in Yorkshire breweries. A hit in last year’s heatwave, the event is going ahead on 19-20th September at the club on Wharf Street, Leeds offering a selection of 25 beers across the spectrum.
Among those returning are last year’s favourite, the award winning Golden Salamander from Bradford, along with new offerings from the likes of other favourites Brass Castle, Marble and Two Roses. The festival is also including beers from in and around York, such as the Great Yorkshire, Rudgate and Harrograte Breweries as well as the York Brewery itself, with a few from further afield such as Wold Top from outside Scarborough. In addition to casks there will also be a selection of keg beers from Golden Owl, Northern Monk and Brass Castle.
There will be over twenty casks and several kegs in the selection with cider lovers also being catered for. All beer and food will be suitable for vegans so everyone can get stuck in.
To make sure all attendees are having the best time possible, local DJs will be spinning tunes throughout the event and into the night. I am upset that I won’t be able to make it to Leeds for this event but thrilled to see such wonderful vegan happenings in the Northern city that holds a special place in my heart (once you have lived in Armley, you never really leave Leeds).
Entry to the Wharf Chambers Beer Festival will be £4, which includes a free half pint and souvenir glass.
Get over to the Facebook event page now to RSVP and invite friends.
Vegan dining in the capital rises to a previously unseen level as Fat Gay Vegan collaborates with legendary Caffè Caldesi of Marylebone. Sunday 5th of October, 2014 is a date for dedicated food disciples.
Caffè Caldesi is located in London’s Marylebone and is the flagship of the Caldesi group of Italian restaurants and cookery schools. The restaurant is known for its un-comprising dedication to creating authentic Italian regional food under the watchful eye of patron Giancarlo Caldesi. Giancarlo, a Tuscan by birth, has been running Italian restaurants for 40 years in the UK and along with his wife Katie has written many books on the regional food of Italy. The couples latest book ‘Venice – Recipes lost and found’ is due to be launched in October 2014.
Caffè Caldesi is a favourite haunt of Italian ex-pats in London given that it truly is the ‘real Italian’ – you won’t find chequered tablecloths or packet grissini here. The restaurant is split into a downstairs bar/cafe and an upstairs fine dining restaurant, the dishes served in both are seasonal, regional and authentic providing the customer a choice of the classics and less well known.
When Giancarlo and Katie considered delving into the (for them) unexplored world of vegan fine dining they called on the experience of Sean O’Callaghan, known throughout the UK as blogger and event planner Fat Gay Vegan.
Sean has pulled together an exquisite menu utilising the skills of Italian-born vegan chef Sara Mittersteiner. Sara, of vegan supper club Pomodoro E Basilico fame, has lovingly crafted a selection of dishes perfectly matched to an autumnal fine dining experience in this stunning Marylebone setting.
The menu is as follows:
Primo Piatto – Main Course
Tagliatelle al Cacao con Crema di Noci, Fave e Fave di Cacao – Chocolate Tagliatelle with Walnut cream, Fava Beans and Cacao Nibs
Secondo Piatto – Second Course
Erbazzone – Spinach Quiche
Contorno – Side
Insalata di Finocchi allo Zafferano – Saffron Fennel Salad
Dolce – Dessert
Tiramisù al Caramello – Caramel Tiramisù
In addition to this peerless plant-based menu, diners will be treated to a glass of peach Bellini and an amuse–bouche on arrival as well as tea or coffee following dinner. A selection of vegan beer, wine and spirits will be available for purchase from the bar.
Caffè Caldesi, Fat Gay Vegan and Chef Sara are the ingredients guaranteed to bring London a night of magical vegan eating never before seen in the capital.
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets are priced £35 plus booking fee and are non-refundable. Seating is unreserved however we will endeavour to meet emailed seating requests prior to the evening.
Visit Caldesi online. Follow Caldesi on Twitter. Like Caldesi on Facebook.