London vegan news, reviews & events
Following years in the vegan cheese wilderness with little more than Cheezly to keep us alive, vegans in the UK are absolutely swimming in the stuff. A new dairy-free cheese seems to pop up every month. I don’t know where it is all coming from. I like to think of it as a cruelty-free cheese revolution.
Two brands that are new to me (but I’m already familiar with due to greed) are both found in the legendary London vegan boutique and grocery haven known as Vx.
A massive THANK YOU to everyone who came to the first-ever Pop-up Vegan Pizza Party on Saturday September 29, 2012. If you missed out, take heart in the fact we are doing it all again on October 13, 2012. Tickets available NOW and are selling quickly!
The evening was a runaway success from that moment a month ago when all tickets sold out within three days, right up until some attendees were shovelling their tenth piece of piping hot, cruelty-free pizza into their mouths.
In an ever-increasing market of vegan meats, there are a few definite standouts that always manage to find their way into my FGV basket. Redwood produce stunning rashers, roasts and sausages. Fry’s Vegetarian sell fabulous schnitzels, nuggets and strips. Rest assured, there are plenty of proteins out there and they keep on coming.
Now, I know I said there are plenty out there but plenty doesn’t mean enough. A range of vegan meats that has recently come to my attention is known as Wheaty and I couldn’t be happier that it is in my life. These succulent, plant-based deli meats are chunky, carve-able and oh-so-tasty. Produced in Germany, the seitan delicacies are among the world’s best.
If you follow me on Twitter, you will already know I am eating and drinking myself into oblivion in Los Angeles. I am having a fab time in my favourite city and have eaten in some of the best vegan establishments in the world.
Vegan life in London has kept trundling along while I have been living it up in SoCal, specifically the annual London Vegan Festival. I am a bit down about missing out on all the cruelty-free action but I do still get a small insight into the proceedings as Josh very kindly collected some photos of the event and has even written a few words about what went down.
Let’s get straight into it. Thanks, Josh!
The London Vegan Potluck is becoming something of a phenomenon. On the first Wednesday of each month, London food enthusiasts are coming together en masse to create one of the best vegan social events in the UK.
This FGV is incredibly proud that what started as a simple idea has blossomed into a thriving monthly night. I am even prouder to know the event this month was just as big a success as the first three potlucks even though I was busy eating the vegan treats of Barcelona and couldn’t be there.
Kip of the fabulous, must-read The Messy Vegetarian Cook blog has kindly written a review of the potluck. Much love and thanks for doing this in my absence, Kip. In addition, devoted potluck attendees Linda and Andrea helped run the evening with Andrea managing to capture a few images of the mouth-watering food on offer. Thank you!
I’m sorry to have missed this event, but nothing will keep the FGV from the next potluck scheduled for September 7. Take it away, Kip!
Every now and then something so revolutionary comes along, it turns the vegan world upside down. Vegusto is one of those things. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
During the last few months I have been enjoying a new vegan cheese range known as Vegusto. It isn’t easy to find in the UK but when you do get your hands on it, you won’t soon forget. The plant-based cheeses are made in Switzerland and are slowly working their way around Europe. I spoke with representatives at the recent Bristol VegFest who assured me they are toiling away with plans to get the range into health food stores around the UK as soon as possible.
How do you judge the appeal of a city? When and how does a location ‘arrive’ as an internationally-recognised destination?
Some people will hold a city up against an arts and culture criteria. It becomes relevant when it can be seen as a cultural hub. Natural attractions are a draw for many others. There is nothing like a stunning mountain range or miles of golden beaches nearby to pull the punters in. History is often used as a measuring device when considering the worth of a city. A long list of ancient curiosities will usually drive the worth of a city sky high.
But I have my own way to determine how world-class a city is… does it have a vegan boutique? Well, you can add London to the list of ‘made it’ cities based on the existence of the wholly-vegan store known as Vx.