Just dropping by to share some fun news with you all.
I was the guest on the latest episode of Two Vs & A Pod podcast!
It was a great chat that left me longing for future travels and food adventures. I can’t wait until I can get back on the road.
Here is the overview of the episode:
Join Issy and Ben this week for all things Travel! Earlier this week it was announced that we should be able to go and visit some of our favourite countries this summer, and for some of you it might be your first time going abroad as a vegan. Issy and Ben share their travel stories and top tips for eating abroad. They’re also joined a real travel expert; Sean O’Callaghan (AKA @FatGayVegan) to discuss his vegan cruises and vast experience around the world as a vegan.
You Me At Six have announced an exclusive ‘SUCKAPUNCH’ vegan hot sauce in collaboration with Lou’s Brews. The sauce is limited to 200 bottles and available exclusively through pre-orders of the band’s forthcoming new album ‘SUCKAPUNCH’, due January 15th via Underdog Records / AWAL. You can pre-order here.
The ‘SUCKAPUNCH’ sauce is the hottest Lou’s Brews have ever made, and was spearheaded by bassist Matt Barnes who said: “We have always loved our hot sauce, especially when we are on tour. It is an absolute must to spice up the super noodles and microwave meals when travelling on the tour bus. The SUCKAPUNCH sauce is a Habanero based chilli sauce with distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. It starts with a big punch of spice, before the vinegar and sweetness come through and goes great with anything that needs a little punch of fire!”
Lou’s Brews founder, Lou, said: “I jumped at the chance to collaborate with the guys when I found out they’re all a bunch of spice heads. It’s been awesome working alongside the fellas, playing around with recipe ideas, and I’m stoked for the world to try our delicious little baby.”
The hot sauce follows new single and title track from the band’s forthcoming album ‘SUCKAPUNCH’, described as “transformational” by the Metro, “epic” by the NME and “absolutely huge” by Rock Sound. Their eagerly anticipated seventh studio album will also include ‘MAKEMEFEELALIVE’ and ‘Beautiful Way’, the perfect introduction to their shape-shifting new record, already tipped as “their most radical record to date” by The Sun with DIY confirming, “this is a version of You Me At Six we’ve never seen before”.
You Me At Six are one of the biggest and most prolific British rock bands of recent times. Their 15 year career has seen four UK Gold Records and five Top Ten Albums in the UK, including Number One record ‘Cavalier Youth’. An unparalleled 17 consecutive A-List singles on BBC Radio One, multiple sold-out US headline tours, and a Number One rock song in the UK & Australia, and Top Five Rock Radio track in North America, in ‘Room To Breathe’.
Undoubted heavyweights in the live arena, the summer of 2019 saw You Me At Six play their biggest outdoor headline show to date infront of 15,000 fans at a sold-out Gunnersbury Park. Their most recent UK tour saw 40,000 ticket sales, including three nights at Brixton Academy, selling-out four months in advance in just twenty minutes. May 2021 will see the band celebrate the release of ‘SUCKAPUNCH’ with a string of underplay shows across the UK, including London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum, with support from Saint Phnx. A series of intimate album launch shows across the UK will begin on July 6th at Pryzm in Kingston Upon Thames, preceded by a special socially distanced album release show at Pryzm on January 14th. All tickets are on general sale HERE.
I love getting products to try (for free!) and I love sharing them with you, too.
Take a look at this batch of goodies I was sent by vegan companies and PR people this week.
If you want to see anything more about the products, click through to the original Instagram posts as I have all the tags so you can visit the relevant pages.
Some of the posts have multiple images, so be sure to make use of the little arrows to see them all.
Potato Tomato are offering just that as a completely plant-based caterer based in Whitstable Bay, Kent.
I asked owner Niki for a bit of insight into what she does and why:
I started the business in May this year when I needed a new challenge. My first event was the Kent Vegan festival where I shared a stall with Compassion Cakes.
We advertised a vegan pop up for the end of May which was a big success. We did an afternoon tea and then a three course meal in the evening.
Potato Tomato now has a permanent base in the Harbour Market Whitstable. We’ve had a really successful summer selling salads alongside hot foods such as our double stack cheeseburger, pulled jackfruit and seitan skewers. We also stock brownies, blondies and lemon drizzle from Compassion Cakes.
I love chatting to the people who come to the hut. Having been vegan since I was a baby I’ve grown up feeling like the only vegan in the village (except for my sister) so it’s really great seeing how many people are now vegan. I definitely feel positive for the future of the business as the vegan movement is growing all the time. We now have seating at the Hut so I am excited about the events I can put on over the coming months and I am looking forward to expanding and developing the menu.
Sounds fab. You should follow Potato Tomato on Facebook.
If you go to Southampton Pride this weekend (Sunday August 28, 2016) you can buy and eat vegan hot dogs.
Even better? The vegan hot dog stand is being run by volunteers who are all vegan and all the proceeds from the stall are being donated to Southampton Pride.
I’m a bit teary knowing that kindhearted people do things like this. I adore that they are supporting the LGBTQ community without contributing to animal harm.
This is resisting oppression without resorting to another form of oppression!
I asked Hannah of Hannah Banana Bakery(who is one of the volunteers) what is on the menu and she told me:
We have homemade salsa, mayo, mustard, homemade coleslaw, fried onions, and ketchup. 100% of the money goes to the Pride event as we are all unpaid vegan volunteers on our stall. General event info is on the Pride website. We are on the stall outside “The Stage Door” bar on West Marlands Road all day until we sell out!
People, get along to support this wonderful initiative and eat up!
Did you know about this place called Old School Vegetarian Restaurant in Hounslow? Knock me over with something other than a feather because feathers are usually obtained through cruel means.
I can’t believe I just found out about this place when I’ve often lived less than a 15-minute drive away.
The restaurant is on a well-known thoroughfare called Hanworth Road, just a little further west than the Hounslow Bus Garage (if you know, you know).
The restaurant is brightly decorated and, for a vegetarian restaurant, there is quite a significant number of vegan or able-to-be-vegan meals to select. Obviously there is nothing they serve that couldn’t be vegan so here’s hoping they are on their way to being completely plant based.
Josh and I indulged in a burger and wrap, both accompanied by the most delicious coleslaw and seasoned fries. We also snuck in a caesar salad while I made short work of a creamy almond butter shake.
Top notch food that was very tasty, however it should be noted that all the vegan meats were Fry’s Family Foods. I know it annoys some people when you go to a restaurant and they are using brands you can buy and use at home.
If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Orpington this Saturday (July 30, 2016) you need to make time to get along to this wonderful event.
The Orpington Liberal Club is playing host to a fundraising night called Flap 4 F.R.I.E.N.D.S., with money going to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Animal Rescue.
The venue always has an amazing selection of quality vegan ales on offer and my friend Alternative Chef Steph sent me a preview of her special food menu for the night.
By attending this event, you will be directly helping animals like Gary the goat (pictured below). If you are unable to attend this event but would like to support Gary and his friends, you can donate online.
A friendly Twitter follower named Marie-Anne just gave me a tip that quite a few people will be interested in.
There is a Bavarian-styled pub and restaurant in London with vegan food on the menu. Check out these options:
NÜRNBERGER BRATVÜRST’L £5.90 Starter – Three grilled vegan sausages served with Sauerkraut and a pretzel
CURRYVURST MIT POMMES £7.90 Snack – Grilled sausage served with curry sauce and chips
BAVARIAN BEERHOUSE ‘VURSTPLATTE’ SPEZIAL £13.50 Main – Special Bavarian Beerhouse sausage platter: ‘BratVurst, spicy Merguez and ‘Wiener’ sausages served with Sauerkraut and chips
That grilled sausage dish with curry sauce and chips is the sort of thing I write poems about. It sounds incredible.
The staff at Bavarian Beerhouse certainly look the stereotypical part.
You can visit Bavarian Beerhouse online and make plans to visit either their Tower Hill or Old Street location.
If for some reason you find yourself caught up in the drama of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race this weekend (Sunday 27 March, 2016), you must ensure you take the time to stop in at the Old Ship W6 pub.
I’ve written about how vegan-friendly this pub is previously and the boat race weekend is going to be no exception.
Check out this GORGEOUS baked potato menu that will be available on the day.
Can you see the deliciousness on that menu? Have you been astounded by that unicorn potato riding a rainbow? Did you notice that the menu is 100% vegan? This is all too much!
I would definitely opt for a baked sweet potato with olive oil, smoked tofu, beetroot and spicy sweetcorn salad. How lovely would that be?
How would you combine the ingredients listed above to create your dream potato?
What’s in store for the vegan and vegan-sympathetic who venture down to the beer specialist this Tuesday (February 23, 2016)?
Here is a short description of the event:
Weird Beard hero and affirmed beardless veganist Natasha will be joining us to drink beer and talk veganism for an evening of fine foods and cracking ales. To say this will be a guilt free event would be a lie, as the days of the prototypical emaciated vegan are long gone – and we welcome the rise of the sleazy vegan, the sporty vegan, the greasy vegan, the gluttonous vegan, the sneezy vegan, and the intoxicated vegan.
Tickets are priced at just £15 and can be bought online here.
Have a ridiculously-good time if you decide to go along!
South west London, you don’t get a lot of vegan events but this one will make it feel worth the wait.