UK VegFest News 2012 - Part One

How wacky does that look?! Chipstix

I've eaten WAY too much food today.  A shocking amount.  My mind is feeling a bit 'removed'.  You know when you eat ridiculous quantities of food and then your body is so busy trying to digest it all that it hasn't got time for thought...academia..or practically any meaningful conversation?  Like, a game of scrabble or discussing politics would be way out of your reach?..well, this is how I am after a marathon gorging session.   I called it 'research' but  I was being a glutton and now I have 'food fog' in my brain.  A temporary condition, thankfully.
It was Day One of Brighton VegFest today!  I braved the seaside drizzle, rain mingled with sea mist, and cycled along the promenade with much excitement and enthusiasm for meeting some friends from the Meet UP group and seeing what is new and happening in the UK vegan scene.
I was not disappointed.  I came away pretty excited about how the vegan scene is progressing in the UK.  I encountered many new products and lots of developments within long established vegan friendly companies too.  My current state of 'food fatigue' may not render this the best run down of the day.  I put my hands up and admit I didn't try everything.  Many of the products weren't gluten free and after my lapse in Berkeley, California recently when I chanced a cinnamon bun, which was admittedly surreal in it's level of deliciousness, but has punished me for three weeks hence, I'm steering clear of gluten.  No more lapses, in the vain hope I might have miraculously recovered from my intolerance.  See!...I am rambling. TODAY..get on with it!
These are all the stalls I lingered at.

GREAT NEWS!  Goodlife are re-launching several of their products in a few weeks and they are going to be GLUTEN FREE!!!!  This is fabulous news.  Keep following me as I will be posting a review of their new GF range very soon.  THANK YOU GOOD LIFE, on behalf of all gluten-free citizens of the UK!  Also, they are currently hosting '70 days of summer' - 10 weeks of prize givings on their website. Go look. 

My lunch from Aunty Jee (though the terms of it being 'lunch' is a bit sketchy as I ate at ten minute intervals for much of the day....ooh my belly!)   This was v.good.  A chickpea flour battered and stuffed pepper. Perfectly spicy with a gentle heat. The pepper was beautifully al dente, sandwiched between the crispy coating, and the 'dosa' type filling within.  Nice, though not the prettiest pepper on the podium.

I LOVE Kara.  They've just launched a chocolate version of their coconut milk.  I am a sucker for the plain, unadorned variety.  So versatile and I use it in lots of my cooking.

Beet It make a really zingy and healthful beet and apple juice that is a perky pick me up that, according to studies, is great for purifying your blood.

Lunch take 2.  I couldn't resist.  It was plantain.  I've just spent weeks in California cooking up the stuff.  It was a happy trip down memory lane.  Tasty.  Thanks Titbit's

For those with a penchant for sweeter than sweet.  Sweetcheeks VEGAN & gluten free

The Brighton Superfood Co.  Really nice people, just starting out. They've been scouring the world for organic superfood berries.  They've got some exciting concepts for herbal infused smoothies in the pipeline too, so they are ones to watch.

There was so much going on.  I didn't manage to get to see Vegucated which was showing or any of the cooking demo's.  They have a full schedule tomorrow too, with sausage eating competitions, music and more.

  

Cheezly from Redwoods - now in Parmesan flavour

more feasties from Titbit's

That is it for VegFest 2012 Part One. - Honestly, I cannot think about food for another second...Tomorrow, as they say, is another day.  I've lots more to show you from Brighton VegFest Please come back and visit my biog tomorrow and see what other delights I discovered in the four hours I spent on my vegan food crawl!