Vegan wine from London

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One part of learning to live vegan that comes as a surprise to a lot of people is needing to shop carefully for wine.

Yes, that’s correct. Wine is often not suitable for vegans.

Animal derived products such as egg albumen, casein and isinglass are used as fining agents to clarify the wine before bottling.

But there are more and more vegan-suitable wines hitting shelves all the time, including this boutique brand from London!

Forty Hall Vineyard makes a few varieties, including this Brut they are selling and shipping in time for Valentine’s Day.

A little about the vineyard: 

Forty Hall Vineyard is an exciting social enterprise which has established a new 10 acre organic vineyard in north London. Run and managed by local people, the vineyard is the first commercial scale vineyard in London since the middle ages. The vineyard produces and sells quality English still and sparkling wines.

A bit about the Brut:

  • Believed to be London’s first Sparkling Brut
  • Made in the traditional Champagne Method
  • ‘Single Estate’; Produced exclusively from grapes grown on Forty Hall Vineyard
  • Certified Organic
  • Natural and unfiltered
  • Vegan and produced using biodynamic practices
  • 11.5 % Vol

You can order your own bottle (or case) of the Forty Hall Vineyard Brut by clicking here.

You can also follow Forty Hall Vineyard on Instagram.

Vegan food trike in Sheffield

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This is some fabulous, old school vegan news.

Sheffield has a vegan food trike operating in the city centre, selling stacked burgers featuring potato waffles. Yes. Potato waffles inside your burger bun!

No Meat Today UK commenced trading in December 2017 but I’ve only just heard about it thanks to my Sheffield spy on the ground, Jez (who works at Incredible Nutshell and admins the Sheffield Vegan & Vegetarian Facebook Group and always has the best news for me).

The new burger trike takes me back to when this sort of trading was extremely popular for vegan businesses. Heck, there was even a vegan hot dog trike in my hometown of Australia about a decade ago.

For some reason, the trike gave way to regular street market stalls so I’m thrilled to see No Meat Today bringing it back.

The No Meat Today social media accounts seem to be just warming up so help get things kicking along by following them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdNVl-AHA6q/

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New vegan eatery in Sheffield

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Sheffield marches forward in its mission to become recognised as one of the vegan capitals of the UK.

Say hello to Just Falafs.

Located on Chesterfield Road just a few steps from legendary vegan food provider Make No Bones, the brand new Just Falafs has a gorgeous menu overflowing with irresistible delights.

You can see the exact location of Just Falafs thanks to Google Maps.

The images below show some of the tasty food being served in Sheffield’s newest vegan eatery, as well as the menu which includes falafel, shawarma and omelettes!

Follow Just Falafs on Instagram.

New vegan items from Ocado

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Supermarkets in the UK are falling over themselves to expand their vegan product ranges and that includes online retailer Ocado.

The online grocery store has always been impressive when it comes to plant-based eating, but this latest release of products takes them to the front of the pack when it comes to catering for vegan shoppers.

A wide range of meat alternatives and a few new cheeses can all be ordered online for home delivery right now, with some of the products available at a special price.

If the below photo is too small to see the details, click here to see the entire range on the Ocado website.

Why today is a big day for vegan London

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Today is a monumental day for vegan London and I want to share a few thoughts with all of you.

Only a fraction of us get a chance to really understand what it is like to open our own business. It is consuming and terrifying.

As Rebecca and Pat open the doors today of the second permanent location of their superstar vegan food business, Temple of Seitan, I want to send a very heartfelt ‘thank you’ to both of them.

For anyone who hasn’t been in the situation of launching their own business, start by imagining your ability to pay your bills, rent and food expenses being gambled on one of the most notoriously risky business models in our modern world.

Think of the feelings associated with risking everything. Now multiply those feelings ten times and consider what it is like to have that with you 24 hours a day. Yes, even in your sleep.

As Temple of Camden welcomes the crowds today, I send my deep and very real gratitude to Rebecca and Pat.

They have put untold energy (both physical and emotional) into securing the future of their vegan business. This business is not just a way for them to make money, rather it has captured the imagination and attention of the mainstream and is shaping the way people see veganism.

Their delicious food (and the carefully crafted cool image of their stores) is making a lot of people believe they can make the change to a vegan life. They are actually building a bridge to veganism over which hundreds of people are rushing.

They are making veganism seem achievable for thousands of people.

But Temple of Camden is more than just vegan activism. It is the safeguarding of jobs for their employees. Vegan jobs.

Rebecca and Pat have worked impossibly long hours to create a businesses that doesn’t just pay the bills and put money in their pockets. They have created a space where people are able to earn a living without having to be part of a system that abuses and mistreats non-human animals.

Temple workers get to work in an environment that aligns with their worldview. They don’t have to partake in exploitation to pay their bills.

And then there is more.

Temple of Seitan is a certified Living Wage employer. What is that you ask?

Living Wage is a guideline that outlines what workers would need to be paid in order to meet the cost of living in the UK. Temple of Seitan as a business has committed to paying wages in accordance with these guidelines.

To put it basically, they want to champion animal welfare while paying people fairly.

If you visit Temple of Camden this week, month, or year, I would love for you to take a moment to look around and feel thankful.

Feel thankful that we have such hardworking and decent people on our side, putting everything on the line in order to make the world a better place.

Bec and Pat. I couldn’t be prouder or more in awe of all you do.

Thank you.

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

Vegan bar and restaurant in Newcastle

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Try to stop this vegan revolution sweeping the UK and you will not be successful.

The northern city of Newcastle has enjoyed eating at vegetarian restaurant The Bohemian for a while now, but they have even more reason to fall head over heels in love with the place.

The Bohemian is now 100% vegan.

The kitchen serves a whole range of comfort food, with their pizzas getting a lot of attention on social media.

Unlike some pubs that launch vegan food menus but forget about the bar aspect, The Bohemian has also converted their drinks menu to be 100% vegan.

As if all of this isn’t cool enough, there is also a record store INSIDE the restaurant. Yep, you can shop for vinyl after you fill up on tasty food.

Click here to see the exact location of The Bohemian.

Follow The Bohemian on Facebook and Twitter.

Vegan deli in a UK seaside town

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Do you know the location of a town called Leigh-On-Sea?

If you don’t, grab a map and get familiar with this Essex town because you are going to want to be there soon.

The Acorn Veggie Deli of Leigh-On-Sea is a companion eatery to the nearby vegetarian bistro, The Oak Tree.

The recently opened deli features a huge line up of tasty and nutritious vegan menu items, as well as take home deli and grocery products. You can eat AND shop in the same place.

Check out some of the photos below and be sure to follow The Acorn Veggie Deli on Instagram.

Oh yeah, if you are not familiar with the area you can click here to see the exact location of the deli thanks to Google Maps.

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Family owned vegan café in York

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If you read my ramblings around these parts often, you will know that I love to sing the praises of independent vegan businesses.

I believe it is crucial that we not only use our consumer choices to help reduce harm to animals, we also need to spend our money (when we can) with independently owned vegan businesses in our local areas.

Instead of our money being swept away by multi-national corporations with little or no interest in our neighbourhoods, the money we spend with independents is then put back into the community.

These business owners buy local as well. Their families spend local. The money stays in the town, city, and region.

With all of that said (again), I want to tell you about a fabulous vegan café in the northern England city of York.

True Story is a family-owned vegan café serving up tasty, nutritious vegan food to their community. The café has a stunning view of the Minster and is even available for private hire and functions.

Follow True Story on Instagram and Facebook, then check out the photos below.

Support independent local business. Eat here when you are in York.

Vegan pizza tasting in Cardiff

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I’ve got two questions for you.

Are you in Cardiff this weekend and do you like vegan pizza?

Get along to the gorgeous vegan store known as Simply V on Sunday January 28, 2018 from midday to sample the amazing One Planet Pizza.

This frozen vegan pizza is taking the UK by storm and this is your chance to try it out.

The pizzas are now available in over 150 stores around the UK (see all the locations here) and the company is spreading so rapidly that if they aren’t in your town yet, they soon will be.

But back to Cardiff.

Click here to see the exact location of Simply V thanks to Google Maps and follow the store on Instagram.

Say yes to vegan pizza and say yes to independent vegan stores!

Vegan mayo made from aquafaba

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Here is some news that might just float your boat.

Rubies in the Rubble is a condiment-making business focussed on making use of fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be headed to the waste chute.

Yep, they use ugly or unwanted produce to make world-class preserves and chutneys, which in turn they sell on to hungry people like you.

The product I think you will be most excited by in the Rubies range is the aquafaba mayo they make.

Am I right?

In case you don’t know, aquafaba is the term used to describe the water/brine leftover from a tin of chickpeas. Traditionally, this would be thrown away but crafty vegans have found ways to turn this into edible foodstuff.

This includes meringue, buttercream frosting, and mayo. The aquafaba aerates when whipped or beaten.

Rubies in the Rubble now sell their original aquafaba mayo and a chipotle version. Check them out below.

You can buy your own jars of this unique product via the Rubies in the Rubble online shop.

Make sure you check out the rest of their range as well. It is all vegan! Follow Rubies in the Rubble on Instagram.