Category Archives: Vegetarian/Vegan

Okja

We watched Okja this evening. Pretty moving, as expected. 

I may have a clear conscience in respect of ‘food’ (animal) production, but I found this film to be brutal reminder of the actions of my fellow ‘humans’. 

Today was a good day

Today didn’t start very well. I’d planned an early finish, but messy deadlines at work meant that wasn’t possible. My second in command had a similar problem, finishing even later than me. 

We did, however, meet our goal of attending the annual Gateshead beer festival. 

I’ll return to the beer festival in a moment; while on my way home from work, the internet informed me that, after a prolonged wait, Guinness is now vegan. Ok, so I can’t buy a can or bottle yet; that’s still work in progress. But keg is now good (I’d never buy cans anyway). 

With a half hour to spare before meeting my second in command, I ventured to my local. Where I enjoyed my first pint of Guinness in a very long time. 

Here’s the press release, by the way. 

You might need to zoom in a bit. After enjoying my Guinness, we walked down the road to the Gateshead beer festival. Where I was surprised that I enjoyed a sour beer (Great Heck – fishless beer). And some other stuff. We also had veggie chilli. 

Afterwards, we called at our local again for a nightcap. I decided on Guinness. I also had a very nice vegan pie. Well, it’s also the annual Gateshead international pie festival (in my local, the Three Tuns).

Where I enjoyed a very nice vegan pie. With peas and gravy. There was mashed potato, but that was consumed by my second in command. 

I’d already eaten, but the pie was free. I’d have bought one anyway. Tomorrow, I may buy two. They have six vegan pies. 

I recall the first pie festival; there were a few vegetarian pies. Now there are many. 

We live in Gateshead. It’s not exactly the vegetarian/vegan capital of the north. But my local always has (generous) veggie alternatives at all of their events. 

Born carnivores

A common argument I encounter from omnivores is that we have incisors, so are naturally designed to be carnivorous. I’ve always argued that those teeth had evolved to crunch insects and the occasional bit of rotten carcase, left over from a true carnivore’s meal. 

While it’s been around for a few years, I came across an interesting article about our ancestors’ diet. 

In short, it does back up my assertion that humans aren’t natural carnivores, but were instead mostly vegetarion; the truth is, for most of the last twenty million years of the evolution of our bodies, through most of the big changes, we were eating fruit, nuts, leaves and the occasional bit of insect, frog, bird or mouse. 

Vegan Bavaria

I have to say that I’m in stunned by the change in vegetarian/veganisn in Munich since I was last here, twelve years ago. 

I was a vegetarian then and I mostly ate pommes (chips), falafel (hard to find) and (once) an omelette. Being vegetarian was pretty difficult in Munchen then. 

But, I’m happy to say, things have changed. I was shocked to see vegan food everywhere in Nuremberg (past visits to Berlin showed that city to be very vegan friendly), but amazed at the extent of vegan food in Munich. I’m currently eating a very nice vegan pizza. With no cheese. 


The falafel’s still nice though. 

Bi Nuu

I have to say that I was very impressed with Bi Nuu, a really cool music venue pretty much underneath Schlesisches Tor metro station. 

We were there, of course, to see Mr William McCarthy. Despite some major technical issues, he put on a great show, with lots of Augustines’ stuff, some new material and a couple of covers. 

As always, he showed himself to be a true artist – and a gentleman. 

Before the gig, we briefly explored the area, finding a nice Indian restaurant with a pretty extensive vegan menu (and a huge vegetarian one). There was a vegetarian/vegan cafe opposite too. The whole area was packed with bars and cafes, and had a good atmosphere. We plan to return when next in Berlin. 

During and after the gig, we met a bunch of nice people, with whom we enjoyed some decent beer. 

A couple of short video clips from the evening. 

Bikes & trains & kip

Whenever I travel by train in Europe, which isn’t often enough, I’m reminded of the poor state of the UK’s rail network. Trains in Europe are more modern and, because they have no Victorian track legacy, larger. 

They’re significantly cheaper too. When recently booking trains in Germany, I found tickets to excellent value, with first class a lot cheaper than the UK standard fare. And then today, with a return from Ostend to Ghent costing only €10.80.

That’s €10.80 for a 120 mile round trip, on a shiny new train with tons of leg room. 

Another thing which has impressed me about our long weekend in Belgium has been the number of bikes on the road. And cycle lanes, lots of cycle lanes. Another thing in which the UK is deficient. 

Anyway, in Oostende, Brugge and Gent there were a lot of bikes. 

Moving on to a different subject, Belgium is something of a vegan desert. That’s desert, not dessert. I’ve eaten a lot of crisps in Ostend. People eat a lot of kip here (dead bird).

Ghent, though, was different. While we only found a few places, apparently there are more vegetarian/vegan eateries than in London. We found pizza in a mental converted church. 

The Holy Food Market was mad, but amazing. Imagine a huge old church full of eateries and bars. 

So today wasn’t about beer. The cultural stuff kept getting in the way. 

We did manage to stumble across Belgium’s only comic bar though. 

Also mad. 

I did love the emerging veggie revolution in Ghent. Here’s an example on a wall of a meaty restaurant.

Carnage

How could anyone eat a bird? The vegan comedy film Carnage is now available on BBC iPlayer. 

Beneath the humour, the messages are very real. It’s worth watching. 

Birdwatching

My feeble attempt at doing some shopping in Nottingham hasn’t exactly been productive. However, my (vegetarian/vegan) pint of Magpie Best in the Crafty Crow is quite delicious.

Apparently, this pub, run by the Magpie Brewery, is the big brother of the Doctor’s Orders micropub. 

It’s rare to find unfined beer on hand-pull, so I’m hoping I come across their beer at home. 

While I’m here, I may as well sample the cherry breakfast stout. 

Addendum: the cherry stout is smokey and fruity, very nice. 

Addendum II (is that allowed?): Following a filmed pancake interview, the pub staff took pictures. 

The Hop

Appearances can very much be deceiving. I’d noticed the Hop, but from a distance it looked nasty; all glass and neon. But the barman in the Cap and Collar told me I’d get a nice beer and something to eat there. 

I also had a conversation with said barman about how the bar (the Cap and Collar) resembled one in Town. He asked whether I was referring to the Split Chimp. To say I was surprised is something of an understatement. It transpired that he’d never been in the Split Chimp, but had heard of it because it was the first micropub in Newcastle. It’s funny how word gets around. 

Anyway, I’m now in the Hop with a very nice pizza. Thoughts of a fourth beer are quickly fading.