Since getting a diagnosis of coeliac disease, food has become a lot more problematic. Cooking without gluten-containing foods is actually fine as a vegan, but going out to eat has become a lot more work - it means a whole lot of questions have to be asked before I can be convinced the food is OK for me to eat. Is that gluten free, or just low gluten? Is it prepared on separate equipment? Is there a different frier? It feels like a lot of effort, so when there's a change to eat food at a properly, entirely gluten free place, I'll grab it with both hands. And what's the only thing better than a gluten free restaurant? A load of them in one place!
Earlier this month, I got to go to the Free From Festival in London - a whole weekend of entirely gluten and dairy free food. Alas, there are still stalls selling products with meat and eggs, but I'd say upwards of two-thirds of the food there was vegan, so I ate well.
One of the things I really miss since ditching gluten is dumplings! Ugly Dumpling has three restaurants in London which sell both gluten-containing and gluten-free dumplings. There's a separate gluten-free menu with enough vegan choices to make a full meal.
The stall at the Free From Fesitval had three vegan choices - I restrained myself to choosing the spinach and tofu dumplings, knowing I had a lot of eating ahead. Technically chilli oil is optional, but who doesn't want chilli oil?
The pastry was a bit thicker than I was expecting - it felt more like what you'd expect from Eastern European dumplings rather than Asian ones - but the filling was ample and they tasted great, so I was very happy to find delicious dumplings I could enjoy.
I made a beeline for Cream Dream, because how often do you find a vegan, gluten-free patisserie? I've visited them in London, and I've ordered postal pastries from them more than once, so I knew I was in for some good eating.
I ordered a Paris Brest, because I've never eaten one before (let alone a vegan and gluten free one) so I couldn't pass up the opportunity. It was sweet, light, crispy pastry and generous cream filling. Did I need to eat the whole thing in one go? No. Did I feel really stuff after doing it? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes, in a heartbeat.
I stopped by Creamberry Artisan later that day, because I'd seen on their Insta they sold tiramisu, which I think would be the dessert on my 'what's your last meal on earth?' menu. It's no surprise then that I really enjoyed the tiramisu, but I picked up a slice of Basque cheesecake and LOVED it - not sure how it managed to daintily pirouette along the fine line between rich and light, but it did. Creamberry Artisan also do postal treats - not everything is vegan, but the vegan choices I have tried were great.
The day of the Free From Festival was pretty much the hottest day of the year - the temperatures were over 30 degrees. Happily, Doughlicious had brought along three flavours of vegan ice cream in the form of their gelato bites - ice cream in gluten free cookie crumbs. I tried them all - vanilla, chocolate truffle and mint choc chip. Mint chocolate won hands down for me.
I also ventured over to see Poets Bakery to add to my rapidly-growing bakery products stash - there were so many really good vegan options, I had to sit and have a good think about what to take home with me, paralysed as I was by choice. I settled on a tiramisu muffin (you already know how I feel about tiramisu) and an apricot bakewell tart, because bakewell tarts are not far behind tiramisu on my list of desserts that would make it onto my last-meal list. Poets Bakery also do postal delivery and, best of all, they do a pick and mix option, so you can choose all your favourite vegan bakes for a bespoke box. Just don’t expect there to be any bakewell tarts left, because I'll have ordered them all.
Not all of my bakery stall visits were for sweet treats - I hit up Beaky Blinders (yep, like the TV series, but with a B) for some savouries too. I haven't had a sausage roll since finding out I was coeliac, so I fell on their pastries like a person lost in the desert falls on an oasis. They were so good. Would you know the pastry was gluten free? Yep. Would that be a problem? Nope - I fed some to a non-vegan, non-gluten-free friend, and they were highly complimentary. I can't wait to order these again too. (this whole post is reminding me how grateful I am to be able to get such beauteous things delivered by post!)
At this point, I was pretty laden with goodies, and ready to head home. But I decided to have one last treat - a vegan arepa, from Arepas and Cachapas. Arepas are naturally gluten free and vegan, and the choice of toppings is up to you - I went plantain, black beans and avocado, which are some of my favourite things in the world.
If you're in need of coeliac-friendly, dairy-free and/or vegan treats, and you missed this year's London Free From Festival, don't worry - there are Birmingham and Manchester dates planned for later this year. I'll see you there.
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