London

Ferments and Pickles

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Celebrate Veganuary’s Finale with Purpose and Flavour

Join me for an exclusive, one-night-only dining experience at E3 Vegan, a proudly independent and celebrated restaurant nestled on Roman Road, East London.

This special supper club is your chance to savour an inventive three-course plant-based menu created by Head Chef Marc Joseph, formerly of the iconic Vanilla Black, London’s first vegetarian and vegan fine dining destination.

Born out of a love for sustainability and a passion for exceptional cuisine, E3 Vegan’s hyper-local, seasonal approach has made it a standout on the culinary map.

This January, I’m bringing you an unforgettable evening to celebrate Veganuary’s close, with 50% of ticket sales going directly to support the impactful community work of Made In Hackney.

Details:
📅 31 January 2025
📍 E3 Vegan, Roman Road
🍴 Multi-Course Dinner: £40pp (plus booking fee)
🎟️ Only 20 seats available – reserve yours today!

Menu will include:

  • E3V Focaccia with cream sheese and mixed pickles
  • Beetroot Borscht with pickled gherkins, beetroot and dill
  • Pomme purée and grilled baby leeks with pickled purple potatoes, pickled shallots and a yeast cracker
  • Ginger cake with pickled rhubarb and E3V vanilla ice cream

Additional purchases available: cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks, and indulgent desserts like cakes and brownies.

Spaces are limited, so don’t miss this exclusive chance to indulge in an extraordinary menu while supporting a meaningful cause. Click here to book now!

You can watch/stream my weekly podcast Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on YouTube and Spotify.

Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, Blue Sky, and X(I know, I know!).

Best in show

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This was a cute and funny surprise.

Last night I attended an event hosted by Viva!, the incredible animal rights campaign charity.

They surprised me by presenting me with the award for Best Vegan Blogger… for 2019! It was a very funny moment.

I apparently won this award six years ago but I mentioned to the charity a few months ago that I didn’t have a memory of the event. So they kindly and humorously went out of their way to reprint the award and frame it for me!

I’d like to send huge love to the Viva! team not only for this kind and funny act, but more importantly for all the incredible work they do for animals.

You can discover more about the work of Viva! online here.

Clever girl

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If you need two middle-aged gay vegan men complaining about a film released a decade ago, you’ve come to the right spot.

In the latest episode of Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) podcast Josh and I cover diverse topics, starting with my journey with dentures and their impact on my self-image. Heavy stuff! We explore societal perceptions of body image, especially the stigma around weight, before shifting to Hollywood’s power dynamics and how appearance influences success.

We also delve into the Jurassic Park franchise, with a focus on Jurassic World. Our discussion highlights issues like sexism, the male gaze, and the problematic messages around motherhood and fat characters.

Such a horrible movie!

Additionally, we address themes of racism, toxic masculinity, and the appropriation of the term “woke,” critiquing how these elements shape the film’s messaging.

In addition to watching/streaming on YouTube, you can also listen on Spotify.

I hope you enjoy the episode. We have a new episode every Tuesday, so please subscribe over on those platforms if you want to be reminded when a new episode drops.

If you are looking for some vegan events to attend in London over the coming weeks, please take a look on my EVENTS page. There are a few supper clubs and of course London Vegan Social.

And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and TikTok.

Mini festive market 2023

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If you think it feels like a long, long time since I’ve posted on the blog you are completely correct.

The reason I’m coming back to speak to you all after all this time is because it’s the end of 2023 and I’m inviting you to a celebration!

To celebrate this blog being alive and well again, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m hosting a vegan mini festive market in conjunction with vegan food charity, Made in Hackney.

Please join us in The Redmond Community Centre on Saturday December 16th, 2023 between 11am and 4pm for festive fun, gift shopping with local traders, tombola, live music, and time to socialise with friends old and new.

Drop in anytime across the day and say hi… we can’t wait to see you! The market is in support of all the crucial work Made in Hackney does around plant-based food security and nutrition.

Independent traders and stalls will include:

VG Coffee – selling hot drinks and hand held nibbles
I AM NUT OK – award-winning plant-based cheeses perfect for your festive table
Pinkeens Prints – gift ideas including hand-painted mugs in support of London wildlife conservation
Ecotricity – chat with Britain’s leading ethically-sourced energy company
Made In Hackney – chat with us about or community classes and masterclasses
Citizen Cake – homestyle cakes and bakes
Con Pasión Perú – cook-at-home Peruvian tamales and snacks
Cake Cult – decadent cookies, cakes, and tray bakes
Canopy Indoor Plants – plants and pots for you to buy for loved ones… or yourself!
Copperhouse Chocolate – handmade artisan chocolates and chocolate drink mixes
POH Books – specialist in African and Caribbean books for all ages… including vegan recipes!
Singing Santa – the jolly old man will be on the mic singing your favourite pop songs

Extra note: FGV and Made In Hackney would like to thank Ecotricity for financially supporting this event. If you would like to find out more about this ethical energy supplier, click here for a quote. Ecotricity will kindly donate money to Made In Hackney for each new customer signing up via that link.

Special vegan Valentine’s dinner in London

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If you know anything about vegan food in London, you’ll be aware that Essential Vegan is one of the best places to get plant-based cuisine in the city.

Vanessa has established her vegan Brazilian food business as a real leader on the food scene over the past few years and now you can celebrate Valentine’s Day 2022 with a special set menu.

Tapioca dice with homemade sweet chili chutney
Palm hearts and plantain moqueca with basmati rice

The 3-course Valentine’s Day dinner is available for one night only at Essential Vegan, inside Dalston Superstore, on Monday February 14, 2022 from 5pm.

The menu is priced at £25 per person and includes:

  • tapioca dice with homemade sweet chili chutney
  • palm hearts and plantain moqueca with basmati rice
  • Brazilian donuts with guava paste

This is an incredible line up of dishes that is going to have you all loved up!

You can choose the time that suits you with bookings starting from 5pm. Click here to make a booking.

The full Essential Vegan menu will also be available on the night, as it is 7-days a week.

If you like the sound of the Valentine’s Day dinner but can’t get along, think about getting along to the Essential Vegan Dalston Superstore drag brunch that takes place every Saturday and Sunday between 12pm and 5pm. You need to book in advance (same link as above) as this event sells out most weeks.

You can follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

Dining at Stem & Glory

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HUGE thanks to @stemandglory for sponsoring me to try their current menu today.

This 100% #vegan restaurant is usually an eye-opening and tastebud-pleasing experience, with today being no exception.

The kimchi pancakes and Korean ‘fish’ tacos were packed with flavour. I especially loved the mini blue corn tortillas for the tacos.

The large bowl of Szechuan aubergine (with side of kimchi rice) was a fascinating mix of sweet and spicy tastes.

Before today I’d never heard of Swede gnocchi and I was impressed. The creamy sauce featuring roasted chestnut mushrooms, spinach, and spiced walnuts took it to another level.

The @stemandglory dessert game is no joke, either. Pick from sticky toffee pudding with custard or warm cherry crumble with ice cream. Or be like me and get both.

Get over to stemandglory.uk to book a table at the London or Cambridge locations of @stemandglory and watch for a second London location soon.

Take a look at the Instagram video below to see all the delicious dishes!

Vegan Quarantine: Day 96

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Welcome to Vegan Quarantine: Day 96. This daily video series is my way of keeping spirits high within the vegan community while also supporting independent business, charities, and musicians.

Links for everything discussed can be found below.

That Old Chestnut is a vegan bakery in Leeds now offering a pick up service. Order online for collection:
https://that-old-chestnut-ltd.square.site/

DoppioZero Pizza Romana is a vegan friendly pizza and pasta restaurant in Mexico City. Look at the photo of my dinner from last night:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBtctkKJQ_T/

Do you wanna help save the Rio Cinema in Dalston, London? Sign this petition:
https://www.change.org/p/rio-members-and-supporters-save-ou…

Recipe of the day. Easy vegan gravy:
https://www.noracooks.com/easy-vegan-gravy/

Music recommendation of the day. Because of You (Quarantine version) by Kelly Clarkson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzVfo33ldrk

You can support these daily videos by donating to my PayPal:
https://paypal.me/pools/c/8oikSipsfP

You become a monthly supporter of FGV on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FatGayVegan

Vegan Quarantine: Day 79

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Welcome to Vegan Quarantine: Day 79. This daily video series is my way of keeping spirits high within the vegan community while also supporting independent business, charities, and musicians.

Links for everything discussed are included below.

Bandcamp is waiving fees this Friday June 5. Here is a huge list of independent bands you might consider supporting on this date, with many of them donating funds to racial justice groups:
https://tinyurl.com/ycns7btz

Donate to the Justice for David Dungay Jr fund:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/d9qkb6-justice-for-david

The Glasvegan is open for takeaway in Glasgow. Follow them on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theglasveganfastfood/

Vx Bristol is open again and you can follow them on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/vxbristol/

Recipe of the day. Vegan Irish stew:
https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-irish-stew/

Music recommendation of the day. Roslyn by Dan Sultan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Z6_8sZ89M

Read an overview of The Stolen Generation:
https://www.sbs.com.au/…/expla…/explainer-stolen-generations

Read about and donate to Sisters Inside Inc, a group supporting criminalised women and girls in Australia:
https://sistersinside.com.au/

Vegan Quarantine: Day 73

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Welcome to Vegan Quarantine: Day 73. This daily video series is my way of keeping spirits high within the vegan community while also supporting independent business, charity, and musicians.

Links for everything discussed can be found below.

Essential Vegan Cafe is serving again from June 3. Follow them on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/essentialvegan/

Oumph vegan meats announced a 400% increase in UK sales. Follow them on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/eat_oumph/

Morissons supermarket chain in the UK has a vegan essentials grovery box you can order online:
https://www.morrisons.com/food-box…/box/Vegan-Essentials-Box

The Allotment Vegan Eatery in Manchester is teasing a delivery service launch. Follow them on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/allotmentvegan/

Recipe of the day. Raspberry vegan cheesecake with walnut crust:
https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-cheesecake/

Music recommendation of the day. Listen to the new Lady Gaga album Chromatica for free on YouTube:
https://tinyurl.com/ycs9p5f2

If you would like to financially support this daily video series, you can make a donation via my PayPal account:
https://paypal.me/pools/c/8oikSipsfP

You can also support the work I do as FGV by pledging a monthly donation via my Patreon page:
https://www.patreon.com/FatGayVegan

Vegan Quarantine: Day 59

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Welcome to Vegan Quarantine: Day 59. This daily video series is my way of keeping spirits high within the vegan community while also supporting independent business, charities, and musicians.

Links for everything discussed are included below.

PickyWops pizza restaurant in London (Brick Lane) is serving food delivery and collect:
https://www.instagram.com/pickywops/

Happy Maki in Brighton & Hove are raising funds for a new location:
https://www.indiegogo.com/…/happy-maki-pay-as-you-feel-rest…

There is a vegan book giveaway on the Dirty Ginger Vegan Instagram account:
https://www.instagram.com/dirtygingervegan/

Truffle Pig in Sheffield has a new vegan chocolate and caramel bar for UK delivery:
https://www.trufflepigvegan.com/

Recipe of the day. Two ingredient chocolate frozen banana ice cream:
https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/two-ingredient-vegan-choco…/

Music recommendation of the day is from 1976. You Give A Little Love from the film Bugsy Malone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA_0cvd1EUM

If you can afford to donate to my PayPal to help keep these daily videos going, here is the link:
https://paypal.me/pools/c/8oikSipsfP