London vegan news, reviews & events
With the release of my first ever book just days away, I am celebrating by sharing some short excerpt videos.
In this video, I briefly read from the Ethical Vegan chapter of the book and discuss the use of non-inclusive language by mainstream vegan activists.
You can click here to buy the book online. If you are in London on January 4, 2018, click here to discover how you can join me at my official launch day celebration.
You can also see my first video reading here.
Of course you all know I have a book being released in January 2018, right?
Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t is being published by Nourish Books and is available to pre-order via Amazon right now.
But…
If you are super keen to read what I am calling my ‘manifesto for living a compassionate life’ and can’t wait until January, my publisher has made a limited number of copies available for VegfestUK London on October 21 and 22, 2017.
I will have 300 copies of my first ever book to sell from a stall on level three of the VegfestUK venue and I will be on hand for most of the weekend to chat with you about it.
I am also hosting a presentation in the auditorium on the Saturday at 4:00pm to talk about the themes of the book and explain my approach to veganism, how I think we can expand our compassion beyond caring for animals and where I think veganism is heading in the future.
In addition, I will be hosting an informal discussion about the importance of running local vegan markets and offering some tips for anyone interested in starting one on their area on Sunday at 2:00pm.
You can read about my VegfestUK London talks online here.
Hope to see you at the show!
I was invited to be a guest on a radio show last week and now I’m sharing the online version with you in case you want to listen. You wanna hear me speak, right?!
My friend Tatum hosts a weekly show on Wandsworth Radio in London called The Social Hour with Tatum and she invited me along to discuss a whole big bunch of topics including my beer events, growing up in Australia, being an activist, and my debut book being released next year.
If the embedded player doesn’t work for you below, you can listen online here.
The show runs for an hour but it isn’t just me talking. I also got to pick a few tracks to play so it really is an enjoyable listen.
You can like The Social Hour on Facebook and follow Tatum on Instagram.
Super quick post to let you know that I am being interviewed tonight (Thursday July 13, 2017) on local radio here in London.
My friend Tatum hosts a show called The Social Hour and I have been invited to be a guest.
You can listen live online via the Wandsworth Radio website between 9pm and 10pm tonight (UK time), or follow up and listen at a later date via the Social Hour Facebook page.
I think I’ll be talking about London Vegan Beer Fest amongst a few other things. I might even get to play a few songs!
You should also follow Tatum on Instagram for gorgeous vegan food photos.
This post is kinda a chance to come up for air.
When I checked in on my blog statistics this morning, I noticed the all-time viewer count had passed the two million mark.
I know that number is not huge when some popular blogs are pulling those sorts of numbers in every month but for my little old blog, with just me behind the wheel, two million feels like a big milestone.
I started this blog almost six years ago as a way to keep self-publishing following the collapse of MySpace and as a platform on which to inspire people to go and/or stay vegan.
I was really inspired by the superstar blogs of the day such as Quarrygirl, Super Vegan and Vegansaurus. I wanted my blog to be fun, accessible and full of a very distinct voice.
The decision to launch my own blog has taken me on some unexpected paths.
I used the initial popularity of Fat Gay Vegan to help start the monthly London Vegan Potluck, a social event where people shared food and got to know each other. This event was much-loved and ran for four years and helped me develop another monthly party in the form of London Vegan Drinks.
The huge popularity of these events coupled with the demands of my blog forced me to step away from my job as a school teacher.
It was at this moment where I had to make Fat Gay Vegan pay.
Flash forward and you’ll now find me working alongside vegan brands, hosting vegan beer events, freelance writing, publicising vegan river cruises, and advising people on social and business matters.
I’m not sure how long this blog will continue, but the decision to start documenting my food and views on veganism almost six years ago has definitely been life defining.
Thanks for being part of this journey, thanks for improving outcomes for animals and thanks for contributing to that huge milestone of two million views.
You can support the making of these videos and get early access and downloadable PDF copies of the recipes by becoming an FGV patron – click here.
Here’s the recipe:
Makes approximately two cups/serves four
Ingredients:
*You can use tinned beans to save time but save some of the liquid when you drain them
** If you cannot find fresh epazote, used dried but see note below.
Method:
Serve in tacos, enchiladas, taquitos, tortas or simply with rice.
Recipe and photo remain property of Sean O’Callaghan and Julio Alcantara and may not be reproduced without permission. © fatgayvegan.com
If you haven’t booked your spot for my annual vegan Christmas dinners taking place on Thursday and Friday of this week (December 11 & 12, 2014), the finalised menu below should have you rushing to buy a ticket.
The Gallery Café team have been hard at work creating the 3-course meal that is set to satisfy.
Read about it below:
Welcome drink
A cup of hot mulled wine to welcome you in from the cold and get the party off to a fabulous start
Starter
White winter root vegetable soup – Celeriac and parsnip creamed and cooked to perfection, with extra parsnip crisps on top.
Main
Hearty roast dinner – succulent slices of handmade seitan, chestnut and cranberry stuffing, roasted carrots, crunchy potatoes, red cabbage sweetened with raisins, sprouts with facon and red wine gravy.
Dessert
Pudding – traditional Christmas pudding topped with irresistible brandy cream.
Tickets for the dinner are priced at just £25 plus booking fee.
You can book one of the final spots by clicking here.
The bar will be selling vegan beer, wine and cider all night plus other options including tea, coffee and juice. The entire venue will be 100% vegan for these events.
How did this come around so quickly again?
I am thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual Fat Gay Vegan Christmas Dinner.
This event was incredibly popular in 2013, meaning my event returns for two massive nights at The Gallery Café this December. Tell your friends, book your tickets and get festive.
Out tantalising menu is being fine tuned by Naomi of The Gallery Café, but I can announce that attendees will be treated to the following:
A welcome, warming cup of mulled wine followed by a three course vegan menu
Starter – expertly spiced white winter vegetable soup with crunchy parsnip crisps
Main – succulent vegan roast with all the loved seasonal trimmings
Dessert – a decadent traditional Christmas pudding
Stay tuned for more menu details!
The Gallery Café will be 100% vegan for this event and a selection of vegan wines, ciders and beers will be available for purchase. Your host FGV will be on hand all night to ensure you have a jolly time.
The cost per ticket is £25 plus booking fee. You will need to choose a ticket for either the Thursday or Friday sitting upon ordering. Tickets are non-refundable but of course you can privately sell or pass on your spot.
This event sold out within days of being announced last year, so do be quick if you want to attend.
Follow The Gallery Café on Twitter
I am heading up North this weekend for a bit of fun and sun at the Northern Vegan Festival being held in Blackpool. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I will be hosting a speed meeting event designed to let compassionate people meet compassionate people in a fun atmosphere. Also…. PRIZES!
The session will run from 5pm and is not only a unique way to touch base with other vegans, it is also a chance to win some fabulous cruelty-free prizes.
Check out this incredible list of prize sponsors. If you want to be in with a chance to take one of these lovely items home, come along and meet compassionate people rapidly this Saturday (September 13, 2014).
Now, the prizes:
There is so much good news to cram into this blog post, I can barely sit still due to my excitement levels.
I’m just going to have to give it to you in bite size chunks in order for you to be able to take it all in.
Here goes: