Well Done Nut Roast - A Vegans Story......

Vegamatarians are an odd bunch, eh? Odder still are vegans, I mean what is their major malfunction? Veggies and vegans are just about the most difficult guests to serve. They are never happy with their choices and will complain before anyone else, if they have the energy to raise their meek little arms and voices that is. I mean only Guinness drinkers and people with nut allergies are more annoying to serve. (That's right I'm trying to alienate the whole of my readership.)

I cringe when I know I am getting a vegan in my section. And you pretty much always know in advance as they like to give you warning.

"Yes so that's a table for four on Saturday and I'm a vegan. So what are your vegan options?", they ask in a way which is part challenge part threat.

"Eh eh eh um er eh....", that's right I'm intimidated by vegans, "...we have eh stuffed peppers?"

There then follows a five minute diatribe about the rights of vegans in the modern society and about how Belfast is soooooo last century. So it would be fair to say I never relish serving vegans and their less enthusiastic cousin the vegetarian. They are right royal pains in the ass. But am I wrong? Are vegans right? Are they badly catered for? Do we owe them better? To answer these questions we need to understand the vegan. We need to know what makes them think, apart from soy beans and tofu obviously.

With that in mind I am passing, limited, control of Well Done Fillet over to the Voluptuous Vegan over the next few Saturdays to share with us her journey from mild mannered veggie to hardcore veganism. Can a vegan be voluptuous? Who knows? But lets find out...

the voluptuous vegan....
....seriously

"I had been happily vegetarian for a number of years before turning vegan a few weeks ago. If I’m honest, what sparked this transition was jealousy! I’d spoken to a friend of mine who’s been a veggie for years, after her girlfriend converted her (to vegetarianism that is!) and she told me of their past five months of successful veganism. I was surprised, impressed and then jealous, all in that order! I found myself protesting, not for the first time either, that it would be virtually impossible to be vegan in Belfast.

Then I had a think about it. Would it be? What did I base this hypothesis on? As a researcher, I am used to critiquing people who make claims that are little more than opinionated assumptions. I didn’t know any vegans in Belfast so I too was basing my claims on nothing. Thus, the challenge was born! I was to be vegan… for as long as possible! (Optimism was with me from day one, clearly!)

The first week went surprisingly well. I rediscovered the joys of baking bread (before I discovered that most bread is actually vegan, but by then I’d caught the baking bug!) and cooking in general. I have always liked cooking and baking, but had recently stopped given that I was living on my own for a few months. Somehow an evening baking muffins, cakes and cookies seems a waste of time and effort for one…

The first ‘challenge’ of my new vegan world was a wine and cheese evening. Given that it is hard to tell which wines are vegan and which aren’t, I’d taken an executive decision that all wine that passes my lips shall be vegan for the purposes of having some fun left in my life! So I happily indulged in all of the wines and none of the cheese or breads. Later on I had my first chip with no butty, which hurt a bit, but I survived. However, there were a few surprises in store…

Having booked into a conference, duly noting my ‘special dietary requirements’ on the form, I arrived to find that there was no record of either me or my form. Damn. With no ambitions for lunch whatsoever, imagine my surprise when, despite no records, I feasted on a sumptuous delight of foods there anyways! Cous-cous, bean salads, leafy salads, veggies, fresh, exotic fruits etc…. yay!

All in all, the past few weeks have been about even in relation to disappointments and surprises. In some eateries it’s been a ‘chips and salad’ jobbie whilst in others I have been well looked after with a vast array of choices. Whilst Belfast has a long way to go in terms of vegan friendliness, there are some good points. There is a Subway on every corner (by the looks of things!) and a new place in Castle Court shopping centre that does a mean pretzel and they’re vegan! There are a good few health shops too, selling all manner of vegan friendly foods and unfriendly – vegan cheese? Bleurgh!!! *Shudders at memory*. All in all, it’s an excuse for me to eat, so I’m happy enough!

So that’s a bit about my ongoing journey. Feel free to come along for the ride…."

Love,
The Voluptuous Vegan xxx

Next week the Voluptuous Vegan goes out for dinner with hilarious consequences!

"No! Chicken is not a vegetable!"

Stay tuned....