vegan

Loco for Coco

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You don’t find yourself in the position of being a fat, gay vegan without knowing your way around a drop of chocolate or two. I love bars, coated sweets and anything containing vegan chocolate. It’s part of the territory when you are a FGV.

Imagine my delight a few weeks ago when I found myself standing in a cute-as-a-chocolate-button store in Southsea, surrounded by vegan chocolates. I was in heaven!

Coco Chocolate Boutique is a gorgeous specialist store crammed full of decadent, handmade delicacies just minutes from the seafront. Even though they aren’t exclusively vegan, the Coco shelves and cases hold an impressive array of animal-free fare.

Coco Chocolate Boutique of Southsea
Coco Chocolate Boutique of Southsea

There are vegan fondants, cherries oozing in brandy, dark chocolate shards in several flavours, chocolate covered Turkish delight and even solid dark chocolate skulls.

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Get ready to be happy

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Hey. You. Yes, you.

You sitting comfortably in your front room, eating baked beans on toast or a bag of salted crisps and feeling quite smug with yourself. You might be a fussy vegan but there you are eating tasty treats normally assigned to ‘the normals’ of the world. You can eat whatever you like because there are vegan options for most things now. You are such an accomplished eater and you don’t even have to think about it anymore. It’s so easy, right?

Well, hold onto your hemp hats. I make no apologies for blowing your tiny, vegan world apart with this next announcement.

Comfortably-numb plant eaters of the UK, I give you The Mighty Fork. Eating just became interesting again.

TMF_logo_yellowbg

The Mighty Fork is the brainchild of hot dog hero Rita Fontes and she is certainly going to make UK vegans more appreciative of their food choices.

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You wanna talk about Reading?

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I work hard to make London Vegan Potluck a success and stories like the following make it all worthwhile.

A few months ago I was contacted by a friendly person from Reading called Gemma. Gemma was planning a vegan potluck in her city and wanted some advice on how to get it together.

I am only too happy to help where I can when it comes to this sort of question. As I have said previously, vegan potlucks are invaluable when it comes to building social capital, supporting new vegans and strengthening the resolve of long term vegans.

Flash forward to yesterday and I received a lovely message from Gemma sharing the following information:

“So we had our potluck tonight and I thought you would like to see the pics. There were about 18 or so people I think. Thank you again for all your advice before. It really helped. Our next one is 5th August and everyone has said they will come to that one too, yaay.”

How fantastic. I tip my hat to Gemma and the Reading vegans for hosting the first of what I’m sure will be many potlucks. Hopefully I can make it along in the future!

Gemma has kindly agreed to let me use some of her photos from the Reading Potluck. Follow her Facebook page for further dates and details.

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Totally Lush!

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Thinking about attending London Vegan Potluck this July 3rd but need another reason? I have got a good one!

The wonderful management and staff of Lush South Molton Street are coming along to pamper and treat potluck attendees with lip balm and cruelty-free make up demonstrations. Attendees can chat with the Lush experts as they try some of the finest vegan personal products on the market.

But’s that’s not all. Of course there is a prize on offer.

Attend London Vegan Potluck, have a chat with the Lush crew, sign up to their email list and you will instantly be in the draw for a fabulous prize to be given away on the night.

And what a prize it is!

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Buy this bar

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Here’s a quick FGV recommendation.

Buy this bar.

Tasty goodness
Tasty goodness

Chocolate topped oats rarely get beaten in the taste and satisfaction stakes and the new Trek cocoa oat flapjack is staying true to this rule. Trek have mastered the perfect mix of chewy and sweet. I’m going to investigate buying these beauties by the box.

Find this product & enjoy!
Find this product & enjoy!

If you need further convincing to part with your money in exchange for a new Trek protein flapjack, be aware their parent company supports the crucial work of Animal Aid. Tasty and ethical. Talk about a winning combination.

Check out the full range of flapjacks online

Mystery writer Lomez tantalises

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I am thrilled to welcome Lomez to the fold as a guest contributor to Fat Gay Vegan. This post about eating vegan in the Netherlands is a fascinating and entertaining read that will leave you desperate to get to the land erroneously known as Holland.

Take it away, Lomez.

Ah, the Netherlands, more commonly (and incorrectly) referred to as Holland. Land of tulips, clogs, cycling, Gouda, Edam, Leerdammer… (for those of you so deep into veganism that dairy doesn’t exist, the last three are cheeses.)

My partner and I have been to the Netherlands a few times over the past year, and we’ve managed to eat vegan throughout. We’ve learned so much on our travels, and have so many vegan tips, that it’s difficult to know where to start!

So why don’t I begin with the best? If you only go to one restaurant in the Netherlands, go to Veggies on Fire.

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Keep on truckin’

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I need your help.

The unthinkable happened today. I saw a new vegan food truck located in Camden Lock Market and I didn’t buy any food. My stomach was beyond capacity following epic eating sessions at both Mr. Falafel and Cookies & Scream. I simply couldn’t fit in another morsel.

So you see, you need to assist me in getting information out to the vegan masses.

Your task, if you accept it, is to get down to Camden Lock Market and locate Rupert’s Street Food truck. Once you have found the food vending van, buy vegan savouries, cakes and drinks before reporting back on this very page.

Can you handle it?

Rupert's Street Food
Rupert’s Street Food
Tempted?
Tempted?

Visit Rupert’s Food Truck online

Follow Rupert’s Food Truck on Twitter

Like Rupert’s Food Truck on Facebook

 

Maple syrup and jam

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One of the most popular recurring features on this blog is airline food. You people are mad for it. No other posts get as much instant attention as these airline meal posts. If you have any theories as to why this is, please let me know below.

While I wait for your replies to pour in, let me tell you about a recent eating adventure from above the clouds that was made a whole lot more enjoyable by music.

Recently returning from Philadelphia on British Airways, Josh and I were treated to a decent-verging-on-notable meal that appeared to be completely vegan. But it wasn’t just the inclusion of vegan spread and a salad dressing kit that made my flight enjoyable. I was also blown away by the staggering amount of super cool music featured within the inflight entertainment catalogue.

Let’s get the food over and done with and then we can talk music.

My main meal tray featured a tasty tomato dish with sides of mushroom sauce and steamed broccoli. I wasn’t running up and down the plane celebrating culinary greatness, but it was a solid dish that was consumed promptly. That’s about as good as it gets on a flight for vegans.

The salad was just a salad except for the little dressing kit accompanying the bowl. A small bottle of olive oil sat with a sachet of salt and herb called Mrs Dash. It was life-altering, but I don’t think I’ve seen ingredients to make your own vegan dressing on any other flight.

Toss in a bit of fruit and my meal was of a fairly high standard, but it was the music that made this the best flight of recent times. Check out the food photos mixed with shots of some of the albums I enjoyed.

Any of your favourites in there?

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London Vegan Beer Fest tickets

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London Vegan Beer Fest is a boutique summer drinking event showcasing independent breweries making beer suitable for vegans. In 2013, the festival is taking place in the hall, chapel and grounds of the gorgeous St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green.

branding

Join a host of independent breweries serving craft beers and the kitchen staff of The Gallery Cafe as they serve mouthwatering vegan BBQ food. Doors open 1pm on Saturday July 13th, 2013.

The day will be a celebration of vegan drink, food, independent businesses and music.

Visit the London Vegan Beer Fest website for full list of participating breweries, latest news, BBQ menu updates, sponsor lists and more!

On sale time for tickets is Monday 17th June, 2013 at 9am.

Click here for the ticket page

Running time 

Midday:    VIP ticket holders welcomed

1:00pm    London Vegan Beer Fest 2013 opens to all ticket holders

8:30pm    Last orders in the beer hall

10:00pm  London Vegan Beer Fest closes

Ticket types

Hop Head – general admission//£7.50 plus booking fee

  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 1pm onwards

Golden Keg – limited VIP//£25 plus booking fee

  • limited to 50 tickets
  • exclusive early entry (midday)
  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn
  • access to VIP indoor beer garden & chapel seating
  • 1 London Vegan Beer Fest goodie bag featuring snacks
  • 1 complimentary beer (additional purchases not included)
  • 1 complimentary BBQ item (additional purchases not included)

Swift Half – walk up on the day//£10

  • access to beer hall, vegan BBQ and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 1pm onwards dependent on capacity
  • wait times for entry likely
  • cash payment only

Cheeky Half – late walk up on the day//£5

  • access to beer hall and lawn (beer/food not included in ticket price)
  • entry to the fest from 6pm onwards dependent on capacity
  • wait times for entry possible
  • cash payment only

Tickets are extremely limited. Bookmark the ticket link and set a reminder.

Here’s the Scoop

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*A reader says Scoop advised chocolate is not vegan. They told me it was. Any other feedback?*

*UPDATE – OK. I just got an update from Scoops via Twitter. The brand of chocolate is Callebaut and the product they use is made from vegan ingredients (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, natural emulsifier, soya lecithin) and is labelled ‘may contain traces of milk’ as it is made in a factory with milk chocolate.*

Late night, tipsy walking around Soho can reveal special joys. Hidden surprises spring up but often disappear again as the fog of cider clear from your head the following day.

However, I experienced a glorious and accidental discovery last night I am certain will be etched into my memory forever. No amount of cider (mixed with wine and beer) could wash the wonderful thoughts away.

People. Hold onto you seats. Kip and I discovered hot, fresh vegan churros accompanied by hot, melted chocolate in a gelato store in Soho, London.

What a find!
What a find!
Delicious, vegan churros
Delicious, vegan churros

I won’t waste your time with witticisms and queen of the world retorts. I understand you are probably walking toward the door right this second, thinking of the quickest route to Soho.

Here are the details:

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