I get a lot of searches on this site from across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for vegan-friendly wines. Many people land on my post about vegan wines from Asda, which is now five years out of date and is hence unreliable. Asda no longer provide a vegan wine…
Food Facts
Art of Curry: Thai Curry Primer
Thai curries are made up of a pounded paste and a liquid. Personal and regional variations mean there are as many curry pastes as there are people pounding them. There are three major components to any Thai curry, including the paste, the method of cooking, and the final added ingredients….
All You Will Need To Know About Metric
On page five of the November 9, 1976 edition of The Crofton Courier (Crofton is a small-ish town in the American state of Maryland, about 30 miles from Washington D.C.), a full page feature about metric conversion was printed. A brief history of conversion in the U.S. This slightly-larger-than-a-clipping piece…
Eyjafjallajökull and the food supply: what now?
In the midst of the ash cloud produced by Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano, the Guardian’s Word of Mouth blog asks “Can fruit and vegetable shortages turn us on to local food?” This is of course referring to the amount of food shipped in from abroad; your pre-packed Marks and Sparks fruit…
Milking the bean: the many faces of soy
Many of my readers are aware I make 99% of all tofu I use, and much of the soy milk I consume as well. I store massive quantities of soy beans under the sofa so I can enjoy some of my favourite foods cheaply and conveniently (really, making tofu is…
Five Ridiculous Things People Say to Vegans
Vegans and vegetarians alike understand the absurdity of some statements which certain individuals somehow deem necessary to not only process in their questionable minds but then actually say out loud. Not that I’m in any way skilled in the art of saying things that make sense, but I do like…
Is It Vegan: Alcohol
Is Alcohol Vegan? The veggie offender here generally comes in the form of the fining agent, but can sometimes be directly related to the ingredient list (e.g campari is made with cochineal. See above). It’s also possible that anti foaming agents used in alcohols may be un-veggie. Non vegan fining…
Is It Vegan: Red Colouring
Is red dye/colouring vegan? Cochineal (E120 or red #4), also labeled as carmine, carminic acid, is a red dye derived from the cochineal beetle. I’ve seen it in everything from candy sprinkles (hundreds and thousands) to savoury pre-packaged meal options. It’s a common ingredient, but other options are available. Products…
Is it Vegan: Sugar
A friend asked me yesterday about a bag of sugar at her local Whole Foods which was labeled as vegan. What could make it non-vegan? Is Sugar vegan? Sugar itself comes from a plant source, but the refining process for cane sugar may involve the use of animal bone char…
The Coffee Shop Menu, Simplified
Too much choice over what should be good solo “Could I please have a grande, sugar-free, soy, extra hot, caramel mocha with whipped cream and an extra shot?” It’s understandable how and why an espresso virgin might feel confused upon his or her first encounter with a modern coffee shop….
Ingredients for Successful Espresso
After a brief background on espresso myths and what espresso isn’t, it’s time to get down to business. Just what makes espresso happen? What do you mean there’s more to it than the machine? Let’s discuss what I consider to be the five most important ingredients of espresso making. 5…
What Espresso Isn’t: A Primer
A few more common misconceptions about espresso In my previous post about Espresso myths and tales of coffee woe I discussed a few myths about espresso and its process. Here are a few more morsels of information about what espresso isn’t and how to spot a cup of faux espresso….
