The approach of summer really isn’t amounting to much here in the UK. The warm days are few and far between while the rain has been visiting more than usual. We are in dire need of a morale boost in these grey times and Tyrrells just might be the folk to dish it out.
chips
Legumes for me
Here we have a super fast post about a terrific snack on the go.
When it comes to snacks, one of my favourite companies is Tyrrells. Operating out of Herefordshire, Tyrrells produce a large range of gourmet potato crisps of which a significant amount are marked as suitable for vegans. I have long been a fan(atic) of their crisps and now I have an extra reason to sing their praises. That reason is Habas Fritas.
This packet of glory contains broad beans that have been covered in some sort of magical and irresistible coating before being cooked to crunchy perfection. Never before have I experienced such an urge to keep eating. Every time I have torn a packet open, the bag hasn’t left my hand until every last bean was in my belly.
Apologies for the short post but I’ve worked myself into such a Tyrrells frenzy I need to go shopping. You should grab a bag soon and let me know what you think.
Over the moor
Sometimes you have to go the distance for a quality meal.
When I lived in Australia, I would travel from Brisbane to the Gold Coast for stunning vegan pizza at Threeworlds Organic Cafe. My Los Angeles vacations don’t seem complete without a road trip to my favourite Native Foods Cafe in Costa Mesa. These meals are worth doing the miles for and now I can add another destination I’m willing to travel to for vegan dining… Glossop.
Glossop is a country town situated just over 20km/15 miles east of Manchester. It is steeped in history and evidence dating back to Roman and Saxon times can still be found. Windswept moors rise up around the town and a short trip by car will take you to the grim scene of the infamous murders on Saddleworth Moor. Visitors shop the local fresh markets while fans of dark comedy program The League of Gentlemen delight in spotting locations in nearby Hadfield.
There are plenty of reasons to visit Glossop, but I’m about to give you the only one you need. The Globe.
‘Til I’m fit to burst
What will you travel long distances for?
Some people will sit on a train for hours just to take in the wonders of an art gallery at the other end. Individuals will fly half way around the globe to spend time with loved ones. What does a FGV make the effort for? Music and food, of course.
It was these two top hobbies of eating and listening that resulted in me traveling to Brighton last week. Gene, one of my favourite bands of all time, disbanded many years ago and their former lead singer is only now returning to organised solo performing. Martin Rossiter was booked to appear at the Brighton Unitarian Church and I just had to be there. Josh and I packed up the car and made haste to the iconic seaside town.
We arrived to our destination with several hours to spare, so of course we hunted down the nearest food outlet serving vegan dishes. The Brighton Loving Hut supplied us with a feast consisting of a fry up, burger, chips and vegan candy.
I’d rather Jack
One of the best things about living in the UK is the copious amounts of vegan crisps (potato chips) on offer. Wafer thin, crunchy potato is everywhere and the flavours available are increasing at an amazing rate.
The East Anglian Crisp Company has joined the party and is now supplying this FGV with Jackpots, some of the most delicious vegan crisps on the UK market.
Not so amazing
I’m not usually one for disrespecting meat-free establishments, but neither will I pretend they are all fabulous havens of delectable and mouth-watering food.
If you find yourself stranded in Leeds for the day, places to eat vegan food are not easy to come by. If curry is your thing, make haste to Hansa’s and you should be satisfied with most things on offer. Feel like a quick snack or a tummy filler? Out Of This World stocks delicious vegan sandwiches, pizza slices and fudge to meet your needs. But if you are craving uninspired and uncreative dishes that are slightly overpriced, head on down to Roots and Fruits.
I know it would appear to some as slightly counter-productive for a FGV to ctiticise a vegetarian restaurant, but Roots and Fruits doesn’t make the grade in my book.
The winds blow all of my dreams away
When I stepped out my front door inappropriately-wearing canvas shoes and landed in a few inches of slushy snow, I should have turned back and climbed into bed. Instead, I forged on into the dark depths of a hideous northern town called Wakefield.
Simon and I thought it would be a fun adventure to check out the bars and pubs of Wakefield. This Yorkshire city is located roughly 8km/12 miles from Leeds and is easily reached by car or public transport. Whether people should attempt to reach it is another matter. The town centre is littered with closed stores and bankrupted businesses. Unemployment is higher than the national average and there doesn’t seem to be much of anything happening. Disillusioned with the grim first impression of the town, we decided to brace ourselves and delve a little deeper. Of course when prospects look down, I always head for vegan cider. This time I wish I hadn’t.
Meat is murder… eat falafel
Yes, I am overweight. Sure, I am a homosexual. Certainly, I choose to not eat animal products. For people who know me well, it also wouldn’t have been a surprise to see a reference to musical icon Morrissey crammed into my self-deprecating blog title.
Since my early teen years (and I have been around for a while), I have been comfortably obsessed with all things Morrissey and The Smiths. If you are a disciple like I am, there is no need for me to convince you. If you are anti-Morrissey (or worse still… indifferent!), I’m not in the habit of trying to convert you. For the purpose of this blog post, let’s agree that I love Morrissey and I exploit any opportunity to celebrate his contribution to popular culture and animal welfare.
I like my steak vegan
I have a problem. Potato.
Fried, mashed or even steamed. I cannot get enough of this most common of common root vegetables. Some people have joked it must be my Irish heritage compelling me to eat barrels of the stuff. I’m not sure there is much truth in that statement (but definitely some thinly-veiled racism), but I do know that potato makes me a happy FGV.
I was avoiding the sudden and spectacular snow shower in London yesterday when my eyes fell upon a glorious sight… a new flavour of potato crisp. Taking note of my aforementioned attraction to pommes de terre, you can imagine the length of time it took for said product to reach my mouth.