Melbourne Veg(etari)ans

yesterday i read about this place in a vegan newsletter and so we went there last night:

www.eatpizza.com.au

they stock vegan cheese and vegan salami! as well as gluten free or wholemeal pizza bases!

it was seriously AMAZING!!!!!

check it out - theres a store in Glen Roy and in Maribyrnong! :)

Simple question - where in Melbourne would I buy vegan cheese slices?

Extra points if they melt well.

Also, any reviews of any of these?

Is anyone going to this?

I don't know anyone who's going, and it is arranged in "tables", but apparently the odd loner is welcomed, and I figure it's a good thing to be social.

Is anyone here planning on going? Or can you give me reasons why I should/n't go? Will it be all daggy old people?


From the linked web page:

COMBINED TRIVIA NIGHT AND CHRISTMAS PARTY!!!
Saturday, 1 December

Trivia night combined with the annual Christmas party. A night of fun, trivia, games, good food and good company.

3 course meal catered by Soulveg. BYO drinks and alcohol, there will also be wine by donation available.

We will also have a raffle with a range of fantastic prizes and a number of 'silent auctions' where bidders write down their bids.
There will be the usual fun games during intervals, bawdy rivalry between competing tables, and good natured heckling of presenters.

The first 20 people to sign up for membership on the night will not only receive their member cards entitling them to these dicounts but will also receive a free gift bag full of goodies!

Tables will again consist of ten people. If you'd like to come along but don't have a table, then book anyway, we'll fit you in.

Hey!
 A few questions:
1) Where can I get my hands on some soy-yoghurt that:
a)tastes as close to dairy-yoghurt as possible
b)comes in a fairly large container.
The only thing I can find in supermarkets is tiny tubs of 'soylife'. I've only tried the blueberry flavour, which while being perfectly edible does taste a little bit like medicine.  There MUST be something around better than this. please.

2) The only soymilk I've tried thus far and liked is "Vitasoy - Soy Milky ". I was a little concerned by the added sugar, artificial flavours  and flavours...can someone recommend other soymilk brands that have a milky taste/texture, or even tell me what their favourite is?

3)Soy ICE CREAM. I've discovered tofutti's 'cuties' and other things...but... where can I get a large tub of soy ice cream in vanilla?!  And is 'so good' the only brand doing this?! I remember the days when my vegan friends ate this amazing stuff called furrucio/ferrucio/somethinglikethat. What happened to it?! where have all the soy ice creams gone?!

4)Is there ANY vegan alternative to goats cheese?!

5)Is there a super market or speciality store around, relatively close to the city and/or westside that sells this stuff!? I know TOFWD in the city is great, macro whole foods, etc...but where else?

6)Is it my imagination or are all these soy goods ridiculously over-processed with a bunch of artificial colours and flavours thrown in? Has anyone used the make-your-own-soy-milk machines and had any luck? Is it true that these machines don't create soymilk with the same vitamins as store-brought soy-milk?! I'm so confused.

Thanks y'all!
x-posted.

I find it really difficult to get information on cruelty-free products. Most consumer information doesn't focus on anything other anything other than ingredients and perhaps product reviews (eg Choice magazine). Most cruelty-free product lists are less than informative, focussed on the US or UK, or contradict one another. Many products that are genuinely interesting are from small companies not considered important enough for large-scale investigation or review. over time I've wasted a fair amount of money on stuff that was poor quality, expensive and not-that-ethical-after-all. moreover, sometimes the definitively cruelty-free option is unavailable; if that's the case, what's the lesser evil? nobody knows! aaargh!!

is anybody interested in helping to prepare a reference? I'm thinking product reviews, pricing, information on companies (how do they measure up on other markers of corporate responsibility? are they subsidiaries of companies that do test?), availability in Australia, etc. We could have a section in the memories devoted to it.

thoughts?

Do any of you know of pet foods that are NOT tested on animals?
The following all test on animals:
Nestlé Purina/Friskies: Alpo, Bonio, Felix, Go Cat, Gourmet, Omega Complete, Proplan, Spillers, Vital Balance, Winalot.
Pedigree, Masterfoods (Mars Inc): Bounce, Cesar, Chappie, Frolic, James Wellbeloved, Katkins, Kitekat, Pal, Pedigree Chum, Royal Canin, Sheba, Techni-cal (US & Canada), Whiskas. Pedigree also manufacture Thomas rabbit food and Trill bird food.
and of course Iams and Hills Science Diet.

I need something to feed my cat and I'm having trouble finding food for him :/

x-posted melb_veg, australian_vega

Greetings all.

I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about gelatine. You see, I always avoid it, convinced it is animal product but a friend of mine argues that surely these days it would no longer bit made out of the less malleable bits of horses. Any thoughts?

And what of cheese? Is cow stomach still the standard theory or are they just trying to scare everyone?

Any one know the location of this mysterious 'vegan bakery' i keep hearing about?