Winemaking traditionally involves using animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin and fish bladders to filter out unwanted particles. There are now more vegan wines on the market - but where do you start?

The glug of a bottle of wine pouring effortlessly into a glass is a sound that echoes into the souls of millions across the globe. But is wine vegan?

Long, bustling days and stuffy commutes are often spent dreaming of a glass a wine at the end of it all. Indeed, whether a delicate Provence ros or a tropical Marlborough sauvignon blanc, wine brings relaxation, good feels, and so much more.

Behind eclectic bars lay bubbles eagerly awaiting an overdue catch up with a best friend.It is relief, the start of weekends, the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

However, there are complicated processes behind that perfect Pinot. Some of these involve animal products. Heres everything you need to know.

Wine is made from ripe grapes plucked fresh off the vine. Next, the production process begins:

So it would seem, based on those steps, wine is vegan then, isnt it?

What customers arent often told is that the winemaking process commonly involves several animal-derived ingredients including blood, fish bladders, gelatin, eggs, and milk protein.

Importantly, it is during filtration when this occurs.

However, despite this, vegan wines are on the rise. Additionally, celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Cara Delevingne have brought out their very own bottles with soaring sales.

There are several parts of the winemaking process that utilize animal products, meaning a vast number of wines red, white, and ros arent vegan.

Animal products are commonly used during fining, according to vegan YouTube sommelier Nicole Vranjican, also known as NikkiVegan.

The yeast from the grapes feeds on the sugar inside the grapes, which is when fining happens, says Vranjican.

Egg whites or fish bladders are often used to collect the dead yeast. But, there are vegan-friendly ways to do this too, Vranjican told Plant Based News..

Using bentonite clay is one example and many winemakers use these vegan-friendly ingredients for reasons that have nothing to do with creating a vegan product.

Eggs, casein, gelatin, and isinglass are common wine fining agents. As theyre removed before bottling, they dont have to be labeled.

Bristol-based wine expert and vegan Emma Stowell, who runs Vegan Wine Box, says the use of animal-based fining agents is debated in the wine world.

She says the process typically rids wines of unpleasant aromas and tastes.

Animal-based fining agents include:

Egg whites are used to remove sediment that slips through the filtration process. Sediment and tannins stick to the egg whites.

One barrel of wine can use several egg whites, theyre removed after fining is complete.

Casein is the main protein in cows milk. It removes unwanted sediment common in white and sparkling wines.

According to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), casein prevents oxidation and helps reduce bitterness. Additionally, it removes unwanted colors caused by sediment.

Gelatin is made by boiling pig and cow tendons into a gelatinous substance. Its use in wine is to remove bitterness from red varietals.

The AWRI says its the most aggressive of the protein-based fining agents.

Isinglass is another popular method for filtering wine. It comes from the swim bladders of fish. Isinglass helps prevent cloudiness in wine and beer. In addition, it removes protein and yeast.

In recent years, demand for vegan wines has skyrocketed, with Harpers estimating the market being worth 1.5 billion.

Many large retailers have separate tabs to make things easier for vegan shoppers, which reflects the plethora of more plant-based products now available on the market.

Supermarkets in the UK responded to the trend, with Tesco adding an array of vegan bottles as part of its Finest range. Additionally, SPAR rolled out its own affordable vegan wine range. The Co-op followed suit.

The Vegan Society explains it is becoming increasingly common for supermarkets to label their wines vegan.

The Vegan Society suggests plant-based customers find wine by looking for the vegan trademark a list of which can be found here.

A handy tool for finding vegan wine, including those without the vegan trademark, is Barnivore. The website contains a large database of different brands and informs users whether theyre vegan.

Vegan Wine Boxs Emma Stowell suggests asking at your local independent wine store, they will tend to have lists of which of their wines are vegan even if they arent labeled.

In the US, it is not mandatory for a winemaker to put much info on wine bottle labels, and that includes noting whether or not the wines have been made using animal-derived fining agents. However, in the UK, the government only calls for wine labeling to list allergens. Ingredients include eggs and milk. Unfortunately, this does not include gelatin or isinglass.

Countries such as South America and Georgia traditionally use bentonite clay as a fining agent. However, they dont always print it on the bottle. This is an example of the confusing labeling process, Stowell explains.

Winemakers from countries where veganism isnt as popular, wouldnt even consider labeling their bottles as such, she adds. Thankfully, sellers including Stowell are working with winemakers globally to resolve this.

These wines suit all tastes and budgets, and most importantly: theyre all vegan. With a large market full of options, picking our favorites was a tricky task.

This award-winning wine producer stocks in the UK, and launched in the US in 2019. The brand proves there is no compromise on the palate with vegan wines whether a fruity Chilean merlot is your bag or a crisp sauvignon blanc.

To search for stockists near you, visit Proudly Vegans website.

UK supermarket M&S stocks a bulk of vegan wines. At the top of its vegan bestseller list for the reds currently sits the Las Dalias Malbec with customers branding it a smooth operator for its plum and bramble flavors.A bottle of this Argentinian malbec will cost you 9.

Order online.

Made in the vineyards north of Venice, Italy, Bellissima Prosecco is not only vegan but organic as well. In addition, the brand uses eco-friendly packaging.

Customers in the US can order online.

Given a high score of 89 out of 100 by Decanter, the German discount supermarket chains Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon wound up on a list of vegan favorites compiled by Which.

Order online via Lidl.

The UKs largest wine retailer, Majestic, lists the Definitions aromatic oaked chardonnay as a customer favorite. This could easily be down to its notes of peach and vanilla. Its from the Limoux region in France, which is where wines are more concentrated.

Its currently on offer on their website.

Juicy watermelon and strawberry flavors envelop this Argentinian chardonnay. Its one of NikkiVegans favorites and she assures us its incredibly delicious.

Order on their website, or from a range of retailers around the world.

Looking to order in bulk? The UKs widely renowned vegan capitol Bristol is home to a pair of vegan wine suppliers.

You can order a mixed box of vegan wines online.

Read this article:

Is Wine Vegan? What You Need to Know (Plus 7 to Try) - Plant Based News

At Xilonen in Greenpoint, a vegan-leaning Mexican spot by the team behind the meat-friendly Oxomoco, the carrot tostada is a $14 appetizer posing as an avant-garde Christmas ornament.

Five thin carrot spears lie parallel to one another on a crisp tortilla. The top and bottom slices jut out over the edge, their Fanta hue magnified by the golden chip underneath. Maple syrup slicks the delicate treat; it shimmers in the sunlight. Before the pandemic, food like this would sit on a shiny white plate; youd relish the colors while listening to a polite waitstaff sermon about the name of the farm that sourced the corn.

Xilonen, which opened in December, does not regale diners with tableside speeches. The owners do not source custom plates engineered for their commodious negative space. The tostada comes in a brown cardboard box that you retrieve from a window. It is, Id argue, the right serving vehicle for this particular dish, or anything else here. In a pandemic-stricken culinary world struggling with a separate plague of customer entitlement as Khushbu Shah argued in Food & Wine theres something subversive about a compostable container being the only way a tasting-menu-worthy dish is served, whether you seat yourself at Xilonens semi-enclosed shed or back at your apartment. This isnt a concessionary, second-class way for the chefs to plate a tostada; its the only way they plate any dish here.

And inasmuch as chef Alan Delgado puts so much care into the visual side of the gastronomic equation, theres something wonderful about opening up an opaque, anonymous takeout box and finding something inside that looks like a one-of-a-kind gift.

It doesnt hurt that the gift in question is a gustatory masterpiece. Xilonens tostada reveals its bright flavors in successive waves. The aromas of the salsa a sharp kick of mint hit me while I was still wearing a mask. Then, after a bite, the sugars of the maple and carrots asserted themselves, followed by the vegetal earthiness of the same root, the cream of a silky bean puree, and, finally, the popcorn toastiness of the crisp tortilla.

Delgado, his arms clad in polychromatic tattoo ink, isnt just putting together some of New Yorks most visually striking platings; his ingredient combinations put Xilonen on par with the citys top purveyors of high-end Mexican cuisine. And in an era when venues like Empellon Midtown and Cosme remain closed, the aesthetically inclined fare of this Greenpoint newcomer fills a serious gap in our modernist Latin American scene. Its takeout-forward ethos also suggests a path forward for artsy dining outside of actual restaurants.

Eating at Xilonen will eventually involve sit-down dinner service. For now, queue up, pay at a cashier, pick up your order, and eat. Come early, as the venue closes at 4 p.m.

Consider the quesadilla ($17). Two tortillas, slathered in a black-bean puree with avocado salsa, sandwich a cilantro-heavy meat filling. It was one of the lightest and most fragrant pork chorizos Id ever sampled. A few days later, Delgado, who grew up in El Paso, Texas, and Jurez, Mexico, told me that it was vegan sausage, forged from tofu and mushrooms.

That bean puree, incidentally, spills over the quesadilla and onto the floor of the cardboard container. Its so inky that it takes on the shade of a fake Acme hole from a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. I always like food to be hidden, to make something look as simple as possible, but more complex than possible, Delgado told me.

COVID-19 has changed the way we look at food. Indoor dining is verboten. Alfresco patios become dim, chilly, and unevenly lit affairs after a premature winter sunset. And the ascendancy of takeout has a flattening effect on our nightly meals, which can all feel strikingly similar when theyre consumed from the same ubiquitous containers on the same apartment floor while watching the same reruns on Netflix. Make no mistake: Were grateful these restaurants still exist, and that we can enjoy their pleasures from afar. But still, theres no getting around the fact that the olfactory or visual cues that make our food taste better in dining rooms the smoky haze at a barbecue shack, the lush overhead track lighting at omakase parlors, or that fancy curvilinear bowl that perfectly frames an elegant tartare are largely absent in cozy Manhattan studios.

And even though artful plating might not be a priority during a time when many of us are simply grateful to be enjoying a meal we dont have to cook ourselves, it feels all the more luxurious when a chef like Delgado jolts our senses with optically inimitable, tweezer-leaning takeout fare to remind us of the whimsies of yesteryear. The flourishes allow his food to be transportive regardless of where one consumes it.

Xilonen plates its tacos flat Alex Stupak-style placing a grate of purple potatoes over a paper-thin tortilla. Staffers then cover the exterior with griddled vegan cheese. I thought it would look nice if all you could see is the nice golden crust, Delgado told me. He dabs little circles of green salsa cruda on top for acidity and verdant contrast. The result is a hash-brown taco, an ode to textures that are alternatingly stretchy, starchy, and soft.

Delgado keeps things even more Friday casual with the breakfast tostada ($13), where eggs serve as a backup player to the main event: a messy crown of salsa macha, a blend of nuts and peppers thats as crimson and aromatic as Sichuan chile crisp. The condiment spills off the eggs, drips down your hand, and emits the raisin-y punch of guajillos and smoke of anchos.

Finally, theres the fresh masa pancake ($15), whose packaging constitutes a bit of a pivot. Xilonen hacks the single breakfast treat into five slices so it can fit into a small box. Its a style of plating that would feel casual even by the standards of a McDonalds at a highway rest stop. When I asked Delgado about his thinking here, he said he didnt want to rely on round, pancake-accommodating containers manufactured from plastic. Accordingly, he carves the pancakes into triangles, or pancake toast points, if you will.

The cakes are pillowy and salty at first, like a good omelet. Then, when the pancake points cool, they betray a whiff of sweet maize. They exhibit no less complexity than the polished gemstone of a carrot tostada, but the plating is more appropriate for eating in front of an open refrigerator. Its still a very good look.

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Greenpoints Xilonen Bolts Out of the Gate With Stunning Vegan Mexican Fare - Eater NY

Watch: Piers Morgan and Pamela Anderson debate benefits of veganism

Pamela Anderson has hit back at Piers Morgans criticisms of vegans, claiming they make better lovers in a cheeky exchange.

Good Morning Britain host Morgan has made no secret of his disdain for veganism in the past, including a memorable run-in with a Greggs vegan sausage roll, so when he spotted a tweet from ex-Baywatch star Anderson claiming vegans were better in bed, he couldnt resist inviting her on the breakfast show.

But Anderson gave as good as she got, insisting her 30 years on a plant-based diet were all the proof she needed that vegans had a better sex life.

Asked about the subject, she said: Thats what I hear. Im vegan, Im fairly confident in that statement.

When Morgan pressed her about whether it had improved her sex life, she added: Yes, absolutely, but I think Ive always had a lot of fun in that department.

Anderson, a vocal promoter of veganism, had tweeted that cholesterol in meat, eggs and dairy causes hardening of the arteries (and not much else).

Morgan told her: The jurys out, Pamela. I did offer on Twitter to test this theory, Pamela, but I notice you didnt respond to my intrigue.

His co-host Susanna Reid cringed as she replied: No, because that was really sleazy.

But Anderson laughed it off, saying: Typical Piers!

Anderson also spoke about her battle to get her friend Julian Assange pardoned in the final days of Donald Trumps presidency.

She said: I know that he is debating and we will see what happens I hope he makes that decision.

Story continues

Read more: Pamela Anderson splits from husband after 12 days of marriage

That could add a positive to his legacy. Obviously he is against fake news, and WikiLeaks is against fake news.

She added: I believe Trump is going to pardon him. If that doesnt happen then we talk to the Biden camp.

Watch: Lily James and Sebastian Stan to play Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

Read more:

Pamela Anderson and Piers Morgan argue over whether vegans have better sex - Yahoo Sports

All-vegan grocery store and caf Vegan Fine Foods in Fort Lauderdale, FL recently announced plans to open locations in every major city in the United States by 2024. Parent company Vegan Fine Brands, Inc.which encompasses the 5,000-square-foot Vegan Fine Foods store, Vegan Fine Body product line, and Vegan Fine Cafeis currently hosting an equity crowdfunding raise on platform StartEngine to expand its retail arm across the country through both company- and franchise-run locations. Vegan Fine Brands has so far raised more than $105,000.

Plant-based for allI spent years living in food deserts with little to no accessibility to nutrient-dense foods and I see how damaging that can be for underserved communities, Vegan Fine Brands founder Steven Smith said. Im competitive and driven and my extensive business background has given me the tools and connections to see this through. My commitment to increasing access to quality plant-based products for everyone deepens my conviction.

In 2019, Vegan Fine Foods raised more than $1.4 million through equity fundraising platform WeFunder, which has been used to implement a new point-of-sale and inventory management system, create an ecommerce platform (which has not yet launched), hire key staff, and purchase equipment. Smith, a former engineer at Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo., launched his vegan company in 2016 to provide a one-stop shopping experience for vegan and plant-based products. The company currently has confirmed franchisee partners in Atlanta, GA, Washington DC, and Richmond, VA, a prospective franchisee in Toronto, ON, New York City, and Los Angeles, and is planning additional company-owned locations in Florida, starting with Miami.

Love the plant-based lifestyle as much as we do? Get the BEST vegan recipes, travel, celebrity interviews, product picks, and so much more inside every issue of VegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds #1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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This Black-Owned Vegan Grocery Store to Open Locations in Every Major US City by 2024 - VegNews

A serious step backwards

Dr Jeanette Fielding, Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer at Upfield makes an important point:

Food policy should be formed in the interests of consumers, environment and health. This amendment goes against all three.

Making it illegal to name, package and depict plant-based foods in the way we have done for over 100 years is a serious step backwards. Consumers are looking for strong EU leadership on climate and environment. That means tearing down bureaucratic barriers to sustainable and healthy eating, not building them higher.

Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International, told us: It is baffling to once again be forced to justify sustainability. Why would we sabotage innovation? Who will benefit?

Green energy is no longer being stifled or opposed, so why are we still suppressing and censoring sustainable food production, given the urgency of the situation? Who stands to lose here? We need to adapt across every part of our food chain if were to tackle the climate crisis. Genuinely sustainable food production must be enabled.

How will we reach our climate goals if we allow the influence of powerful but unsustainable industries to determine our collective fate?

Although the amendment was voted in by MEPs, it is not set in stone. The next step is trilogue negotiations, which involves a conversation between the European Parliament, the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission.

The European Commission is likely to reject the amendment based on previous voting records, and if we can get the EU Council of Ministers on side, there is hope for the plant-based sector yet.

Moreover, the amendment was passed with such a narrow majority (54%) that we hope there is enough doubt cast on the matter for the amendment to be ditched.

You can join the fight and sign the petition to stop amendment 171 here.

Do you think the climate crisis has been forgotten during the pandemic? Read our article to find out.

Continue reading here:

Oatly launches petition to stop plant-based censorship on vegan dairy alternatives - Vegan Food and Living

If you love BrewDogs buffalo cauliflower or chicken wings youll love this recipe from former vegan blogger Jess Smit.

When it comes to veganising chicken wings, nothing goes better than some cauliflower and batter.

Deep fry it and then drown the florets in some delicious buffalo sauce and youre on to a winning snack or side.

You can also add a dipping sauce like vegan mayonnaise or a blue cheese sauce if youre eating veggie to really get the most out of this dish.

Aberdonian Jess Smit, who has been vegan for five years, ran her vegan blog Earth to Jessica while living in Abu Dhabi. The blog, which attracted 35,000 followers, showcases some of her favourite recipes and is a great starting point for those looking for an array of vegan recipes to try out.

Put your skills to the test and cook up this delicious offering that will certainly rival BrewDogs much-loved wings.

(Serves 2-4 depending if served as a side or snack)

Vegan vs vegetarian: What it takes to make sure youre getting the right nutrients

As Asda opens vegan aisles, these are the Scottish food firms that are blazing a trail

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Recipe: Try these delicious vegan cauli-wings that rival BrewDog's buffalo version - Press and Journal

There are, however, a plethora of cruelty-free, plant-based alternatives that will leave your hair feeling silky smooth and rich in color without costing the earth. See: Bleach London, Aesop, Odacite, IGK Hair, INOAR, Virtue, Beachwaver, Made for Life Organics, Noughty, and Evolve Organic Beauty. Where possible, think of the oceans and opt for brands with recycled packaging.

Looking for instant glam? A set of false lashes will enhance any look. Unfortunately, though, most eyelash brands still use fur to make their products, taken from minks that are typically confined to small and inhumane spaces. Help end the cruelty now and opt for fur-free lashes from brands such as Huda Beauty, Velour Lashes, Charlotte Tilbury, Sweed Lashes, Jolie Beauty, and e.l.f Cosmetics.

When it comes to going vegan, skin careespecially your cleansers, serums, moisturisers and balmscan be a bit of a minefield. Double-check anything that promises to moisturize and hydrate, as it could contain animal-derived ingredients such as squalene (oil that is sometimes derived from the livers of sharks). You cant go wrong with Drunk Elephant, bareMinerals, some Glossier options, Sunday Riley, Votary, Tata Harper and almost all Dermalogica products.

Like hair care, most deodorants have been tested on animals and can contain animal-derived ingredients such as bee pollen, chitosan (from shrimp), propolis, stearic acid and urea. Luckily, there are plenty of vegan alternatives from brands such as Schmidts, Zion Health, Herban Cowboy, Habitat Botanicals, and Booda Organics.

When it comes to animal-derived ingredients, the most commonly found among beauty products is, of course, ambergris, which comes from whale intestinesthough it is commonly collected on the beach rather than directly from whales. Its used as a fixative in perfumes, which can also contain musks taken from deer, beaver, muskrat, civet cat, and otter genitals. Fear not: a whole host of vegan-friendly perfume brands have sprung up over the past few years, including Le Labo, Eden, Laboratory Perfumes, and Chantecaille.

LABORATORY PERFUMES

When it comes to eyeshadow, the more shimmery it is, the more cautious you should be. The chances are that the pearl-like sheen thats brightening up your lids has been quite literally been taken from pearls, oysters or mussels. Swap these for vegan alternatives by brands such as CoverGirl, Ilia, Urban Decay, Morphe, Milk, and Lime Crime.

From beeswax to carmine (from a type of insect called cochineal), lipsticks can be particularly harmful to the animal kingdom. Luckily, there are vegan alternatives courtesy of Hourglass, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Too Faced and Illamasqua.

Like eyeshadows, many of the opalescent pigments found in nail polish come from crustaceans, whereas shellac is a resin derived from the female lac bug. Try Lola Makeup, Nails Inc., Peaci, Karma Organic, Lauren B. Beauty and Nailberry.

Read more here:

9 Ways to Build a Vegan Beauty Routine - Vogue

In January, Eat the Change Mushroom Jerky will launch in retailers across the country. Created by Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and chairman of the board for vegan brand Beyond Meat, and Chef Spike Mendelsohn, renowned restaurateur behind the PLNT Burger chain and plant-based food advocate, Eat the Change aims to educate and empower consumers about climate change. Launching with five chef-crafted flavorsSea Salt + Cracked Pepper, Hickory Smokehouse, Teriyaki Ginger, Maple Mustard, and Habanero BBQEat the Change partners with a family farm in Kennett Square, PA to source its organic portobello and crimini mushrooms, including bruised, oversized and usually discarded stems. According to the company, mushrooms are one of the most sustainable crops grown in the US.

We are thrilled to launch our first product linechef-crafted mushroom jerky, in a tasty range of flavorsfrom tangy to spicy, Goldman and Mendelsohn told VegNews. Our goal at Eat the Change is to provide delicious, climate-friendly foods so we can empower consumers to align their diets with their hopes for a healthier and kinder planet.

Eat the Change Mushroom Jerky is available through its website and will be sold through retailers, including independent natural food stores and supermarkets, across the country starting next month.

Lets get FABULOUS! Order your copy of the hot-off-the-pressVegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan filled with everything you need to know to live a super-fabulous vegan life(including our all-time favorite recipes)!

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Beyond Meat Exec and Top Chef Alum Partner to Create Vegan Jerky to Help the Planet - VegNews

In June 2019, Jewan Manuel, a sports model from Michigan, set up his first taco pop-up in front of Workshop Vintage at the Williams District Night Market; eight people showed up. A lot can change in a year, however: Manuels entirely vegan comfort-food pop-up, Plant Based Papi, has become an outright phenomenon. When the chef announces a menu on Instagram, customers set alarms on their phones to remind them when preorders go on sale. Online orders consistently sell out, sometimes in under 10 minutes. This summer, Plant Based Papi celebrated its one-year anniversary with a taco pop-up at Poa Cafe that drew a socially distanced line that wrapped around the block.

Now, Manuel is taking the next step: Plant Based Papi known for its towering jackfruit nachos, truffle mac and cheese, and spicy fried chicken will open its own restaurant on Morrison Street at the end of December. Taking over the former Floyds Coffee Shop space, Plant Based Papi will begin selling pasta, tacos, and everything in between shortly before Christmas.

The name Plant Based Papi started as a joke among friends Manuel has been vegan for nine years and is a big fan of Drake (whose Instagram handle is champagnepapi). Manuels food which ranges from pastas to tacos to vegan takes on seafood is definitely heavy on comfort, but Manuel doesnt see his food as soul food. When I say comfort food, because Im Black, people think soul food, Manuel says. Thats what Dirty Lettuce does, and I love that. Its one of my favorite places, but thats not what Im doing.

Just like the pop-ups, the restaurant menu will be ever-changing, but customers can expect to find certain foods on specific days. On Tuesdays, tacos loaded with truffle mac and cheese, spicy shredded jackfruit, and beer-battered portobellos will make an appearance. Vegan takes on seafood and pasta dishes like fettuccine in creamy white-wine alfredo sauce with seared king oyster mushroom scallops and house-made cashew Parmesan will take center stage on Saturday for late lunch and dinner service. On Sundays, the chef plans to serve brunch, including a vegan fried chicken French toast sandwich that he tested recently.

What sets Plant Based Papis menu apart from many other vegan comfort foods in Portland is that Manuel doesnt use faux meats. When I first started using meat alternatives, for me, my body couldnt process that, he says. Why not try to make everything out of plants? Jackfruit, chanterelle mushrooms, and banana blossoms are regular meat substitutes on the menu. The chef has been developing a house-made burger patty with mung beans and walnuts rather than using seitan, a typical base for vegan burgers. He makes as much as he can from scratch, using ingredients like cashews and tapioca starch, rather than buying vegan products. Never say never, but for the time being, Id rather just use plants, he says.

Plant Based Papi will join other notable vegan businesses on that block, turning Morrison into something of a vegan restaurant row. Im super excited to be in the community in that specific area, knowing that Fermenter was right there and coming from the same infrastructure as Thuy [Pham of Mama Dut], from pop-up to restaurant, Manuel says.

While Manuel attributes his success to his rotating menu of good vegan food Plant Based Papis slogan he speaks highly of members of the Portland community who offered guidance and opportunities along the way. Hosting his first taco pop-up in front of Workshop Vintage, with the support of owners Audra Santillo and Nate Moore, propelled the dream of sharing his food forward, despite the low turnout at that first event. Manuel is a regular at Akadi, where he learned the ins and outs of running a food business and how to navigate the challenges of the pandemic from mentors Fatou Ouattara and George Faux; he orders Akadis spicy spinach and okra stew at least twice a week. The chef admires Mama Dut, his neighbor on Morrison, as a business that paved the way from pop-up to restaurant. Thuy is a huge inspiration, to have her as someone to watch and learn from, Manuel says. To gather an audience first, then translate to a restaurant, its unorthodox.

The chef has popped up at several restaurants in Portland, but Manuel is especially grateful to Janice Grube of Poa Cafe, the venue for many of his most successful events. Poa Cafe felt like home, he says. It was organic, so divine. When I first met Janice, she immediately just trusted me. She was looking for her kitchen to be transformed [after the cafe closes at 2 p.m.]. There, Plant Based Papi thrived, as if the kitchen were Manuels own, not just a space that he was utilizing for a few hours. When Poa Cafe temporarily closed its doors due to the pandemic, another opportunity fell into his lap: Jessica Smith of Bushel and Peck invited Manuel into her kitchen, where he learned to adapt his food business for the COVID era. Grateful for all the support, Manuel plans to open his doors to others to host pop-ups in the space and establish themselves. Thats what got me here: people offering me opportunities, he says. Im excited to offer that to someone else.

As one of the few Black food creators in Portland, Manuel feels that he holds a certain responsibility to be a notable Black business, for other Black people to come and enjoy, in his words. Being Black in the vegan space, its very diluted in the culture, he says. Its comfortable to see someone who looks like you do something. I want to expand with the community and be my own separate entity.

Originally from Flint, Michigan, Manuel had his introduction to the culinary world in high school, when he started taking college courses at the Applewood Cafe culinary program. There, his capstone project inspired by The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was a restaurant named Santiago. He went on to work at restaurants, from fast food to fine dining, to pay for college classes; he never expected to enter into the food industry again.

In January 2016, Manuel left a corporate job in Los Angeles and moved to Portland for sports modeling. On the side, he began developing vegan recipes. With sports modeling, even if you book four gigs a month, youre only working four days, he explains. I wanted to find something I was passionate about. I never want to work for anyone else for the rest of my life. As Plant Based Papi took off, he continued to bounce back and forth between the two cities, but eventually settled in Portland, where he had found a supportive community.

Before October, Manuel didnt have plans to open a restaurant, but it was clear that the pop-ups were a tremendous success. I had no more steps to go, he says. It was kismet the way the owner of the building offered this opportunity. With access to a full kitchen of his own, the chef is excited to ramp up production and cut wait times. Manuel intends to shoot content in the space, because customers often ask about his made-from-scratch techniques; he also has ideas for a cookbook. Although Plant Based Papi could have opened as early as December 1, the chef chose to invest some time into transforming the coffee shop into a commercial kitchen. I want to make the space mine before working out of it, he says.

Plant Based Papi opens later this month at 1412 SE Morrison Street and will offer takeout three days a week: Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Follow along on Instagram for opening and menu announcements.

Plant Based Papi [Official] Plant Based Papi [Instagram]

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Vegan Pop-Up Plant Based Papi Is Opening a Full-Blown Restaurant This Month - Eater Portland

Nice Cream is readying to deliver vegan milkshakes to St. Petersburg and the entire Tampa Bay area. The owners of the new ice cream truck concept are hard at work perfecting their menu of sensational vegan shakes for the public to enjoy in 2021.

Nice Cream was visualized during a meditation in 2019. The ownersvision is to bring to life a heart centered space for souls to gather together and enjoy cruelty-free deliciousness all while raising conscious awareness on the planet.

Nice Cream is ROOTED IN COMPASSION for the animals, the humans and the planet they just launched new Rooted in Compassion t-shirts ahead of their debut.

We are here to raise awareness for veganism and to show others that when you become vegan, you do not miss out on anything, especially dessert.

Nice Cream will be an all vegan food truck to begin..our vision is to open a store front but we would like to see how the city and surrounding cities enjoy this idea, Nice Cream owners wrote in a message to I Love the Burg. We truly believe this will be beautiful for many different reasons. We (the owners) are sisters, animal lovers and dessert lovers! Its been an idea for quite sometime and we finally felt the call to begin.

They will be creating vegan freak shakes for events such as birthdays, weddings, special events and we will also be doing pop ups around the city. They hope to see their truck/trailer up and running by spring/summer 2021 but we arent rushing anything.

we are enjoying this process and flowing with divine timing.

Follow Nice Cream on Instagram for updates on menu items, and an official opening timeline.

More festive events in St. Petersburg:

The St. Pete Holiday Gift Market Guide

Shop Small St. Pete: Local businesses you can support right now

Green Bench screening holiday movies in the beer garden

Miracle returns to Intermezzo, and its the wildest office Christmas party ever

Neighborly Care needs volunteers to help with meal deliveries to senior in need in Pinellas County during the busy holiday season

I Love the Burg launches holiday toy drive with RClub and Kahwa Coffee

Want to get away for the holidays? This Clearwater hotel may have the best rooftop bar and brunch in the region.

If you love what we do, please consider purchasing one of our brand new St. Pete inspired tees on our digital shop. We also just launched brand new Burg heart tees to show how much we love this city.

Weve also just launched a Toy Drive to benefit RClub Childcare, Inc. Consider dropping off toy donations at your local Kahwa Coffee. Full details HERE.

Do you part and help those in need in Pinellas County. Volunteer with Neighborly Careand help deliver meals to seniors throughout the St. Petersburg area.

Want to learn how to connect with non-profits in the region? Visit The Community Foundation of Tampa Bays website to learn about the work theyve done in the Tampa Bay community with countless non-profit organizations. Theyve also launched a new Mental Health First Aid initiative which aims to train 5,000 in the region. Learn how you can get involved HERE.

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Nice Cream Truck will deliver vegan milkshakes to Tampa Bay in 2021 - I Love the Burg