Win tickets for VegFest

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I love a good giveaway. Don’t you? Of course, some giveaways are superior to others and the prize up for grabs in this competition is definitely at the higher end of the scale.

VegfestUKBristol2014PosterFinal2

You know all about VegFestUK. You are aware the Bristol chapter of this vegan lifestyle, food, education and music extravaganza has been a much loved event for over a decade. You know it is the biggest vegan show of its kind in Europe. Of course you are aware that people travel from all over the UK, Europe and the planet to attend. There isn’t a person reading this who isn’t already aware they can visit the official VegFestUK website here for all show information. I probably don’t need to tell you the event this year is spread across May 23, 24 and 25, 2014.

I won’t bore you with what you already know. Instead, here is some new information to arouse your interest.

COMPETITION

VegFestUK Bristol organisers are generously giving me the opportunity to gift two pairs of tickets to the Friday and Saturday night concerts taking place as part of this year’s event. That’s right. One lucky winner will score two tickets to the Friday night gig and two tickets to the Saturday night gig.

That’s a fab prize. Check out the talent the winner will be experiencing.

Friday May 23, 2014

VegFest UK is throwing a huge disco party featuring the Bristol Samba Band, ABBA Gold tribute band, the legendary Boney M feat. Maizie Williams and Gwen Dickey’s Rose Royce. There will also be musical action from DJ act Just a Couple of Mums.

Saturday May 24, 2014

VegFestUK goes punk on the Saturday night with live sets from Goldblade fronted by the awesome John Robb, Ruts DC and Peter Hook and the Light.

Here is how you can enter to win a pair of tickets for both nights.

Comment below telling me about your favourite musical act. Make it funny and interesting. Share tales of concert experiences, first records, obsessions gone wrong or anything related to your musical pick. Your favourite band, singer or performer does not have to be appearing at VegFestUK in order to mention them.

It is that simple. The competition will close midnight April 30, 2014. I will pick a winner based on how amusing/engaging the entry is but I’m sorry to say I can’t choose someone I work with or am friendly with already. The tickets will be sent to the winner via post from VegFestUK organisers. You will need to leave a way for me to contact you in the instance you are the winner. A link to your Twitter account would be fine.

Get entering!

Follow VegFestUK on Twitter

Like VegFestUK on Facebook

 

FGV meets FVC

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I met my cat equal last night and it was instant love.

I dropped by the house of my pal Pink Primate last night for food at a local restaurant, catching up with gossip and perusing the local stores of her neighbourhood. It was a lovely evening with friendly people, but the true highlight for me was meeting Sweeney the fat vegan cat.

We were instant best friends.

I’m hoping Pink Primate can jump into the comments below and let us know about the vegan cat food she buys. I would also love to hear from other cat-friendly people regarding their views on cats and vegan eating.

Can all cats be vegan? Is it expensive? Are there any vets that support vegan diets for domesticated cats?

Fat Gay Vegan and Sweeney the fat vegan cat

Killer Tomato

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Have you heard the one about the vegetarian food stall on Leather Lane called Killer Tomato? Sorry, there isn’t a punchline as this is no joke.

Get to Leather Lane.

UPDATE As of late 2014, Killer Tomato now serves meat. Read more here*

Do you like a hot sandwich stuffed with hearty filling and smothered in spicy sauce. Yes? Here you go, then. Killer Tomato food stall has got what you want. Owner/operator Matt serves up Mexican inspired, meat free handhelds during the working week on this bustling market street and if you ask him nicely, he will point out his vegan options.

I fell in love with his Drowned Sandwich during my visit. The baguette featured fresh avocado, delectable refried beans with chipotle, crunchy radish and lashings of chile de arbol sauce. Nobody in the UK does a vegan sandwich anywhere near this quality. I would eat it everyday.

It’s a shame the entire menu isn’t vegan (change the record FGV, huh?). Matt’s food is so incredibly tasty and inventive, I seriously doubt anyone would miss the cheese included in some of the sandwiches and salads.

Follow Killer Tomato on Twitter for news of the rotating menu and feel free to ask Matt what vegan items he is serving. He told me he adores interacting with customers and answering questions about his food.

Now drool.

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For clandestine operators

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I have been writing this blog for several years and during that time I have always tried to stay on topic. Topic being food and overeating, of course.

But every now and then I like to slip in a little slice of information that means something to my heart and brain, as opposed to my belly.

If you love music and are impressed by other people who devote their lives to music, then you need to get your good self to Camden to check out a brand new store devoted to collectible vinyl. Vinyl Boutique Camden is the creation of UK rockabilly pioneers  and legends, Lyn and Boz Boorer.

Lyn and Boz know everything there is to know about rockabilly, psychobilly, neobilly and everything in between and outside the genres. I would feel happy saying what they don’t know about the scene is not worth knowing.

Boz also enjoys a much-celebrated and adored musical relationship with Morrissey, collaborating on some of his finest solo material and heading up stage antics as band leader, guitarist and backing vocalist.

I dropped by the new store in Camden Village Market (shop 231) yesterday to see how things were shaping up. Lyn and Boz were both hard at work putting the finishing touches to their store, while the signage was due to go up ahead of the grand opening this weekend. Mayor of Camden Jonathon Simpson is due to cut the ribbon across the front door at 1pm on Sunday (April 13, 2014) but the Boorers are keen to get proceedings moving faster than that and will feature live music outside the shop throughout the day.

Get down to Vinyl Boutique Camden this weekend and expand your knowledge of good music. You couldn’t ask for finer teachers than Lyn and Boz.

Lyn and Boz Boorer outside their new Camden shop
Lyn and Boz Boorer outside their new Camden shop

Best vegan cake in Europe

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I have been racking my feeble brain for a witty or whimsical way in which to announce this epic news, but I have been reduced to a quivering mess and can no longer think. I’m going to just have to come straight out and say the facts.

The best vegan cakes and desserts in the whole of Europe are now available in London.

If you have been loitering around these parts of the Internet for a few years, you should be able to recall this mammoth post I wrote about irresistible vegan cakes in Barcelona created by the magical company known as Lujuria Vegana.

Their cakes are absolutely peerless in Europe. I am a super fan.

Imagine then my sheer delight/shock/convulsions of hysteria when I was confronted by masses of Lujuria Vegana desserts sitting in the chilled fridges of the brand new Whole Foods Market location in Fulham. I almost fell over.

The range in Whole Foods is staggering in size. You can see by the photos below that I was completely unable to control myself and bought many varieties. I was overcome by a cake buying frenzy.

As far as I can tell, this particular Whole Foods Market is the ONLY place in the UK selling these gluten free and vegan desserts. I had heard whispers of them making inroads over here but this is the first time I have seen them on a store shelf.

Check out my photos (yes, I bought ALL cakes featured). Get to Fulham. Buy many cakes. Be happy.

Follow Lujuria Vegana on Twitter.

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In a swirl

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Finally. Oh, finally.

The Vegan Ice Cream Wars just got serious. Yes, we have enjoyed slurping away at chocolate, vanilla and other plain favours in the UK for years but what we desperately needed was someone to add a bit of excitement to proceedings.

Get the job done, Bessant & Drury’s.

I was waddling through Waitrose today when the familiar B&D packaging caught my eye as I passed the frozen food section. I almost passed without incident until I did a double take when I saw a magical word.

Swirl.

Yep, you got it. Vegan frozen dessert containing luscious fruit swirls all throughout. Mango swirls or coconut and raspberry swirl. Oh my!

The first photo shows the two flavours being considered while the second shows the fortunate flavour that made it back to my freezer. The raspberry is rich, decadent and lovely. I can’t wait to get back for the mango.

Good job, Bessant & Drury’s. You are winning the UK league of the Vegan Ice Cream Wars.

bandd

swirlClick here for more tales from the frontlines of the Vegan Ice cream Wars.

 

Tonight is alright

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It’s Tuesday. Don’t pretend you have anything interesting on. Luckily for you and your early week malady, I have news that will inspire you to leave behind EastEnders as you scuttle into the London night.

There is an incredibly inexpensive vegan supper club taking place in Dalston.

Here is the lowdown.

Vortex Downstairs Café is hosting a pop-up vegan night with guest chef Kate Abildgaard. Kate usually works at the Wild Food Café in Covent Garden but has decided to showcase her food preparation skills slightly further afield for one night only.

140408 Veganista

Wanna know what is on the vegan menu for tonight?

  • Courgette Cannelloni with tomato jam, amaranth and fresh pesto
  • Butternut squash and beetroot melanzane with spring greens and salsa schiaparelli
  • Sweet avocado mousse on crunchy coconut and cashews with raspberry coulis and delicate caramel.

The pop up dining event runs from 7pm and you will need to phone 020 7923 9532 to make a booking. Oh, I almost forgot about price.

The three course vegan meal will set you back only £12. Yes. You are reading correctly.

Support vegan events. Eat cheaply. Get out of the house!

Need chips?

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Chips. Fries. Pommes frites. Papas fritas. Frieten. Whatever name you give to it, sliced potato cooked in scalding oil and dusted with salt is my favourite food of all time. I can’t get enough of it. No seriously, I cannot get enough of it in London.

I need your help.

Where can I buy freshly cooked chips that are vegan in the capital? I don’t want fries that have been reconstituted with lard. I am not interested in thick cut chips that have been fried in the same oil as fish. Please don’t tell me about potato that is covered in chicken-flavoured salt as soon as it comes out of the basket.

I need more vegan chips in my life.

Here are some photos of my favourite chips and fries in the UK. I will be eternally grateful to anyone who can point me in the direction of any London cafes, shops, restaurants or market stalls that will do right by me and potato.

Suggestions below!

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Nothing to eat

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Is it completely unrealistic of me to expect something vegan to eat in a vegetarian cafe? I know I’m not going to get full run of the menu but I should be able to eat at least one item, right?

People, meet Orchard Vegetarian Kitchen.

During the week just passed, I agreed to have a business meeting at Orchard on Sicilian Avenue in Holborn. I had never heard of the location even though it is just around the corner from where I have been hosting London Vegan Potluck for more than two years.

Even though the few people I asked about Orchard told me it wasn’t much good for vegans, I approached with an optimistic spring in my step. When I reached the front door and started to read the menu, my spirits deflated.

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More cake

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Can you remember a time when finding vegan cake in London was a struggle? Now it seems you can’t walk down the street without tripping over a piece of dairy-free sponge or accidentally eating half a dozen cupcakes. OK, that last one might be just me… and you can take out ‘accidentally’.

It seems the more cake vendors we get in the capital, the more up-and-coming bakers are inspired to get in on the act. It’s a fabulous win/win situation for fat, gay vegans and other cake aficionados.

The latest cake maker to catch my attention is the super friendly Kirsty of Garden of Vegan. Kirsty is a home baker turned business person looking to impress London with her cruelty-free cakes. She generously hand delivered a bag of her goods for me to sample and asked me to let you all know about her new business.

Here is what Kirsty had to say about getting your hands on some vegan cake:

“We began as wholesale but in an ideal world we want people to order directly from us. We are working on an online order form, but at the moment if people want to order they just email us at gofvegan@gmail.com or contact us via Facebook or Twitter and they can request a menu. Once they decide on what they want, they send us an email, we send them an invoice and they can pay on delivery.”

Kirsty also assured me she is proactively searching for cafes to sell her cakes. If you are a cafe owner or have a local hangout that could benefit from vegan cake, get in touch with Garden of Vegan.

Check out some of their creations below.

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