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Pitxu’s Cakes and Bakes

November 18, 2016 by Tofu Temptress 3 Comments

Practical, pretty packaging
Practical, pretty packaging
Practical, pretty packaging

When there’s a special occasion, the centrepiece of many parties is the cake. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary or just having friends round for some cupcakes, everyone loves a sweet treat. When you’re vegan though, cakes can often be off the menu, which is disappointing to put it mildly.

Oreo cupcake
Oreo cupcake

 

However, help is at hand. The great news is that vegan bakeries are springing up all over the country, so if there’s not one near you, I’m sure there will be soon. See, it turns out that vegan bakeries are dedicated to making the most scrumptious, beautiful cakes so that non-vegans won’t ever notice the difference. There are so many people who are lactose intolerant (you know, those troublesome people who don’t think they’re baby cows) that it’s not just the vegans celebrating the arrival of this new wave of baking delights.

Double chocolate-yum!
Double chocolate-yum!

I discovered Pitxu’s Cakes and Bakes at the Scottish Vegan Festival earlier this year. The sight of the stall was enough to make my mouth water. I had a chat and discovered that this trip to the Edinburgh Corn Exchange was their first foray into the world of vegan festivals. They were really friendly and I sampled some of their wares (it would be rude not to) and found them to be super yummy.

Coconut bounty
Coconut bounty

Some weeks later I was having some friends round and thought they should sample the divine joy that is vegan baking, so I ordered some cupcakes. We got a fair few different flavours: Oreo; Double chocolate; Coconut bounty; Red velvet; Peanut butter; Biscoff; Vanilla & raspberry; Cinnamon & nutella. Now, the nutella of course is not the commercial kind, but a vegan version thereof.

Red velvet
Red velvet

Because we ordered over £25 worth we got them delivered for free (only available in the Edinburgh area). They came beautifully and practically packaged and were dropped off with a smile and a friendly word.

Peanut butter - double yum!
Peanut butter – double yum!

I can’t even describe how superb the cupcakes were. Full of flavour they not only tasted delicious but looked so attractive that it was almost a shame to bite into them (almost).  Pitxu’s don’t describe themselves as vegan bakers particularly, as there seems to be some sad reputation attached to the term (no idea why). Instead they see themselves as the standard, but I must disagree. They are far, far superior to the standard bakery.

Biscoff
Biscoff

A family member got a beautiful birthday cake made for her three year old daughter by Pitxu’s recently and everyone was thrilled, as the little girl can’t tolerate dairy and is not used to having such wonderful baked delights. All the guests were very impressed and I think a few minds have been changed regarding vegan baking.

Beautifully decorated Vanilla & Raspberry
Beautifully decorated Vanilla & Raspberry

 

If you’re in the Edinburgh area this service comes highly recommended and if you’re not, check out your local vegan baker. They might be closer than you think.

 

Cinnamon & 'nutella'
Cinnamon & ‘nutella’
Perfect cupcakes for an indulgent evening
Perfect cupcakes for an indulgent evening

Filed Under: Product Reviews Tagged With: baking, Cakes, Cupcakes, dairy free, Edinburgh

Scottish Vegan Festival 2016

October 17, 2016 by Tofu Temptress Leave a Comment

Locally baked cake
Raw delights
Raw delights
Arrive hungry
Arrive hungry
Locally baked cake
Locally baked cake
Beautiful cake
Beautiful cake
Cupcakes from Pitxu's
Cupcakes from Pitxu’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sizzling burgers
Sizzling burgers

When you go to a vegan fair, take my advice, arrive hungry. I mean skip breakfast and get down there with a proper appetite. If you don’t, you may regret it. There’s so much more to a vegan fair besides food of course (what do you mean, ‘is there?’) but there’s nothing quite as frustrating as that feeling of being too full to try that pie, that donut, that sizzling burger. So, do yourself a favour and make sure you at least get a decent run at it.

There's even vegan steak...
There’s even vegan steak…

As I entered the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh on a sunny October day, it was a great prospect to look at all the stalls and know that every single one of them was not only vegan friendly, but TOTALLY vegan. Oh, bliss. I mean, in this non-vegan world it’s a fabulous novelty.

...and vegan steak sandwiches.
…and vegan steak sandwiches.

I’ve done reviews of vegan fairs before, so if you’ve read them you’ll roughly know the drill. There are loads of stalls – from charities, to cupcakes, from beauty products to t-shirts and jewellery. This particular fair was in aid of Farplace Animal Rescue, a no-kill shelter located in County Durham who campaign for the rights of animals. I bought one of their anti-badger cull t-shirts and spoke to some of their volunteers. They’re running a campaign at the moment to try and raise some money, see here for details. They also re-home animals, from rabbits to pigs!

Everything was in aid of Farplace Animal Rescue
Everything was in aid of Farplace Animal Rescue

One of the first stalls I stopped at was a charity called Pounds for Poundies who raise money in order to help rescue charities save more dogs from an uncertain future in the pound. Another t-shirt was purchased and they told me about their current campaign which aims to get people to consider re-homing a staffie, as there are so many in pounds at the moment.

Ponds for poundies
Pounds for poundies

 

I was pleased to finally meet the faces behind Humblestuff, the makers of environmentally friendly, vegan cleaning products. The fizzing sticks that are used to clean toilet bowls can also be used as a bath bomb! I’m pretty sure it’s the only loo cleaner that can make that claim!

Tyne chease
Tyne chease

I’m constantly amazed by the wonderful quality of modern vegan cheese. Both Tyne Chease and Nutcrafter Creamery were there, with some fabulous examples. They had firm cheeses, cream cheeses and even vegan butter. Gone are the days when an excuse not to go vegan was ‘I’d miss cheese’ thanks to companies like these. Bute Island Foods was also doing tastings and their range just keeps expanding. They’re the ones responsible for Sainsbury’s new hit vegan cheese (or ‘Gary’ as it’s been christened by the internet…) It does me good to see products like this filtering through to the mainstream.

The Spice Witch
The Spice Witch

There were some spectacular sauces and chutneys on display too. My particular favourites were The Spice Witch (the mango and chilli chutney I bought was as good as any I’ve had in an Indian restaurant, if not better) and MaRobert’s Taste of Tanzania (I only got the medium spiced sauce, as I’m obviously too wimpy for hot or extra hot. It was delicious though.)

MaRobert's sauces
MaRobert’s sauces

All this is to say nothing of the cake! I was so encouraged to see many local bakers there with stands. The interest in vegan cakes is always high and bakers have nothing to lose by catering for us. Believe me, I don’t know any non-vegans that would turn their noses up at these delectable offerings.

Marvelous macarons
Marvelous macarons

I could go on and on, but let’s just say I spent most of the day here and was not even slightly bored. It was a lot busier than many expected it to be and I’m so glad it was a success. As more and more people turn to veganism, I can only see these events getting bigger and better, and that is a very happy thought.

 

 

A selection of vegan t-shirts
A selection of vegan t-shirts
You can even get dog toiletries here!
You can even get dog toiletries here!
My haul.
My haul.
True...
True…
Hunt Sabs, doing it for the animals.
Hunt Sabs, doing it for the animals.

Filed Under: Vegan News Tagged With: Charity, cheese, Cupcakes, Rescue, vegan festiavls

Edinburgh Vegan Festival 2015

August 26, 2015 by Tofu Temptress Leave a Comment

Vegan sporrans
Vegan Lifestyle Association stand
Vegan Lifestyle Association stand

Edinburgh is a beautiful city. It hosts the biggest arts festival on the planet (The Edinburgh Fringe) as well as the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Comedy Festival, Jazz Festival, Film Festival, Storytelling Festival, Food Festival, The Edinburgh International Festival (or ‘the grown up festival’ as it’s known in my house) as well as many other smaller festivals, so it’s no wonder really that Edinburgh is known as The Festival City. Why then, has it taken so long for Edinburgh to host a Vegan Festival? Well, I’m not sure to be honest, as all the elements to ensure its success are here. Edinburgh has a cosmopolitan population who enjoy food and drink (Edinburgh has more restaurants and bars per square metre than anywhere else in Europe) and who have the open, artistic outlook that makes all the other festivals such a hit.

Banana shots, courtesy of Bread Street Brasserie
Banana shots, courtesy of Bread Street Brasserie

And so it proved, as when as I entered the inaugural Edinburgh Vegan Festival at the Roxburghe Hotel located in the West end of the city, they were debating whether to let anyone else in as the place was full to bursting. I’d wandered down there about an hour after opening and was lucky to gain admittance. The room I entered was crammed with people, all eager to sample the wares of the stockholders and generally have a good nose around.

Vegan sporrans
Vegan sporrans

The first items that caught my eye were a very handsome display of vegan sporrans, by Freerangers. Being Scottish, I have been at many a function where I’ve been quite repulsed and saddened by the amount of leather and seal skin on display. Once I even came across what appeared to be a fox’s flattened face as a sporran, so it was delightful to see stylish, lightweight sporrans which weren’t leather. There was even a big furry one (oo-er) and several kilt belts.

Something savoury
Something savoury at the Edinburgh Vegan Festival

There’s always plenty to eat at these events, although in the crush it was a bit tricky to find something savoury. If I’d wanted cupcakes for lunch I would’ve been fine. I’m not complaining you understand, but surely a wrap or something must come first before the cake tasting begins in earnest.

Nic's Vegan Kitchen boxed cupcakes
Nic’s Vegan Kitchen boxed cupcakes

It was a lovely day outside and I know for a fact that the supplies of vegan ice cream were exhausted long before closing. Every stall holder I met kept mopping their brow and declaring that they didn’t realise how busy it would be.

Viva! My favourite of their posters
Viva! My favourite of their posters

I’m so glad that the charities seemed to be getting lots of attention as well as the cake stalls. Viva!, a favourite of mine, was present, as were those intrepid types of Sea Shepherd.

Sea Shepherd - always eye-catching
Sea Shepherd – always eye-catching

Animals Asia were happy to chat about their work to end Bear Bile farming and protecting cats and dogs from the cruel meat industry. The League Against Cruel Sports had a stall, rightly focused on the welfare of foxes.

Animals Asia stand
Animals Asia stand

Population Matters is an ever increasing presence at these events and their creatively packaged birth control display had me chuckling. It’s a serious issue, but I’m glad they always seem to be smiling.

Safe sex = save the world
Safe sex = save the world

Several local businesses seemed to be well represented which was nice to see. Henderson’s was here (an Edinburgh vegetarian institution and owners of the only all vegan restaurant in the city) as well as the Bread Street Brasserie, who do a vegan evening once a month.

The Happy Pumpkin Bakery
The Happy Pumpkin Bakery

The Happy Pumpkin bakery seemed to be able to work magic, as not only were all their wares vegan of course, but many were sugar free, gluten free and most importantly, yummy! Their colourful stand was a real hit and particularly suitable for children.
Nic’s Vegan Kitchen were selling boxed cupcakes and are due to open a nineteen fifties style diner very soon, which I can’t wait to visit. Missy’s Vegan Cupcakes, a regular at farmer’s markets locally, had her delectable and imaginative cakes snapped up by many an enthusiastic punter.

I love a good pun
I love a good pun

The real drama however, was in the more open area towards the back, where pulled jackfruit resided, courtesy of local eatery the Bluebird Cafe.

Bluebird Cafe sold t-shirts too
Bluebird Cafe sold t-shirts too

Now, I’m not sure if you’re familiar with pulled jackfruit, but it basically imitates pulled pork (although I’m sure it’s much nicer, plus no-one, y’know, has to die) and the promise of having it lovingly toasted in a wrap along with some melty Violife cheese (currently my favourite vegan cheese) was simply too much to resist. There was, however, a problem.

Hands a blur as they struggled to keep up with demand
Hands a blur as they struggled to keep up with demand

The offerings of a Quesadilla, Wrap or Nachos had proved just too good. Coming up to lunchtime and they’d run out of jackfruit, the demand was so high.

My precious jackfruit quesadilla
My precious jackfruit quesadilla

An anxious queue formed as a sign was hastily made ‘Jackfruit Sold Out – Back at 1pm’. Not to worry, a courier was sent to their premises in Cannonmills and although it seemed like forever, in less than 45 minutes all was well, the toaster press was fired up and production began again.

Just one of the delectable offerings from Considerit Chocolate
Just one of the delectable offerings from Considerit Chocolate

As I sat on the ground (there was no room anywhere else) sipping my organic lemonade and tucking into my quesadilla, I looked around at the huge range of people milling about, eating, talking, laughing and my heart lifted. Here were people who were embracing veganism. Every talk and workshop was full; every sample was sampled and confectioners especially were simply cleaned out.

Ethical make-up for sensitive skin from Bohemian Chic Minerals
Ethical make-up for sensitive skin from Bohemian Chic Minerals

I really hope that many attendees were non-vegans who came to experience for themselves just how diverse, delicious and delightful the vegan life can be. There were purveyors of ethical make up and skincare, support for older vegetarians, local restaurants who want to cater to us, charities who look out for our interests and those of the causes we hold dear, ethical jewellery and remedies.

Agharta ethical jewellery
Agharta ethical jewellery

The representation of something for almost every aspect of the vegan’s life at the Edinburgh Vegan Festival gave me hope for the future and I’ll be honest, made me feel a bit fuzzy inside. But perhaps I’m being too maudlin. Perhaps the warm feeling in my stomach was simply the organic ginger beer and the cake that followed my savoury treat, but I don’t think so.

Filed Under: Vegan News Tagged With: Cupcakes, Edinburgh, festivals, jackfruit, vegan festiavls

What on earth do you cook for a vegan?

November 20, 2014 by Tofu Temptress Leave a Comment

Vegan Junk Food
Vegan cheesecake I baked myself!
Vegan cheesecake I baked myself!

Hello non-vegan friends. Welcome. What’s that? You’re teenage daughter has decided to become a vegan just weeks before Christmas? You’ve invited the new neighbours over for dinner, but discovered they’re a couple of hippy vegans? Maybe you’re considering going vegan yourself, but don’t know where to start. Never fear, the tofu temptress is here.

The first question many people ask me on discovering I’m a vegan is ‘What do you eat?’ The easiest way for anyone new to veganism to think about vegan meals is to consider first what they themselves eat and see how it can be veganised. What did you have for dinner last night? Steak and chips? If so, veggie burger and chips isn’t that much of a stretch, is it? Most veggie burgers are fine for vegans, but do check the packaging as some will sneak milk in there somewhere. If they do, or even chuck an egg in the mix just to be awkward, it should be listed on the back of the packet under allergens. Or even better, you can make your own! Did you have spaghetti bolognaise? How about making it with soy mince, or lentils or just having penne al Arrabiata instead? See, it’s not that difficult really. The recipe selection is far too vast for me to list here, but try looking up some of these terms – bean burger, vegan sushi, vegan stir fry, vegetarian pasta, vegan mushroom risotto, vegan pancakes, stuffed peppers, vegan curry, vegan soup, vegan fillings for baked potatoes, vegan pizza – and you might find a few recipes that will become your vegan staples. Most pastry is vegan (like Jus-Rol) so puff pastry mains or short crust pastry tarts should be a breeze.

Vegan Junk Food
How about dessert? Well, the list is endless really. Believe me, once you get into vegan baking, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with milk and eggs at all. (For more info on milk and egg subs in baking, head over to my How to be Vegan section.) A vegan apple crumble is easy is you just substitute vegan margarine, like Vitalite, for the dairy stuff. Tray bakes and fridge cakes are just as easy. I have this book Vegan Junk Food and there are recipes in there that require three or four ingredients whizzed up in a food processor and voila, you have an instant sugar hit. I will say that where there’s melted chocolate, coconut oil often follows. You may look at the price of coconut oil in the supermarket and faint in shock. There is a cheaper way though. I get my coconut oil from Coconoil, where you can buy it in bulk. If you feel like you’re not going to be doing a lot of vegan baking, then you don’t have to bother, but do consider it, as when they’re not cooking with it, many people smear it on themselves for better skin! Win win. There’s also the legendary (in the vegan world) Vegan cupcakes take over the world. I took some chocolate orange cupcakes I made from this book into work last weekend and my non-vegan colleagues gratefully scoffed the lot.vegan cupcakes

What to remember when cooking for vegans is that they know they’re presenting you with a challenge. Many will offer to bring their own food, or maybe just one course, so don’t be insulted by this as they’re trying to be helpful. Also, don’t panic. If you’re having a group of people just substitute the meat item for, perhaps, something mushroom-y and delicious in pastry – I’m thinking of having this yummy thing at Xmas. And remember not to honey roast vegetables or cook them in butter or dog forbid, goose fat. Just think, you’ll be providing for a very grateful vegan at the table, while doing your heart a favour. I mean, goose fat, urgh…

If you’re not sure what to cook for a vegan then simply ask what they like. There’s no shame in it. Any vegan should be more than willing to help out, and who knows, once you’ve tasted what they’re having, you may never go back to meat again.

Filed Under: What can vegans eat? Tagged With: Christmas, Cupcakes, Desserts, Non-vegans, Sweets, Veganising

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