Guest Post for Manna by Natasha Burge

It has been said that when a man tires of London, he tires of life, and I must wholeheartedly agree. Out of all the cities I have visited in my life, and there has been quite a few, London is by far and away my favorite. There is something magical about London, with its mixing of grand tradition and funky modernism, and its irresistible quirky sense of humor that is displayed in the architecture, the clothing style, and in the dry, side splitting jokes of the people themselves. If my heart truly has a place to call home it is the city of London.

While technically I am an American, I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, as were both of my parents. Each year we were required to leave the country for 6 weeks at a time, and luckily my family chose to spend this month and a half trotting the globe. And whether it was due to the great shopping, the central global location, or the fabulous access to equestrian everything, we always spent a bit of that time in London. These yearly pilgrimages to London cemented my Anglophile tendencies and emblazoned London and all her dynamic glory on my heart forever. Whether it was boating down the Thames, gawking at the treasures in Harrods, laughing at the performers in Covent Garden, or imagining myself a princess in Buckingham Palace, it seemed that the wonders of London would never cease.

One of my favorite parts of every vacation was the freedom to tuck into traditional English food, bangers and mash, clotted cream on scones, fish ‘n’ chips, and a full English breakfast were always on my agenda. I could never understand why people mocked English food, I couldn’t think of anything better! As a little girl, walking through the throngs of foot traffic on London streets, I would look for any chance I could to drag my beleaguered parents into a pub so we could grab a bite to eat. I have the happiest memories of sipping fizzy lemonade, swinging my legs in the cushy soft seats of a dark and cozy booth, and waiting eagerly for the barkeeper to bring me a huge helping of chips, topped with extra vinegar, of course. I loved London for the museums, the history, the fashion and the fun, but I really loved the city for its hearty, humble, amazing food.

Many years have passed since those wonderful summers when I would try to perfect my imitation of an English accent while chomping on bag after bag of salt and vinegar crisps, but my love for the city has never faded. One thing that has changed, however, is my diet. 3 years ago I decided to become vegan, and remove all animal products from my life as best as I possibly could, including abstaining from meat, dairy, and eggs. As an animal lover I felt I could no longer pay people to hurt and kill animals just so I could eat them, and going vegan was the best way to make sure that didn’t happen. While I knew in my heart that this choice was the right one, my taste-buds were wondering if they would ever be happy again. What about fish and chips? A thick and savory Ploughman’s sandwich? Would I ever taste my old London favorites again?

Now, 3 years on, I have learned that anything I’m craving can be perfectly replicated using healthy and cruelty free vegan food. Yep, I really do mean anything, and it isn’t difficult at all. As I picked up more culinary skills and began my vegan food blog, The Voracious Vegan, I learned more and more about the versatility and adaptability of plant based foods. If only I had known 3 years ago that all of my classic English favorites would be so easy to ‘veganize’, I could have saved myself a lot of worry.

Nowadays, I don’t even need to book a plane ticket to take a trip to the tasty London of my memory. An authentic pub experience is only as far away as my kitchen! Here are my veganized London favorites:

Vegan fish ‘n’ chips so authentic that you will want to wrap them up in newspaper! I replicated the light and crisp texture of traditional batter fried fish by marinating tofu before dredging the cutlets in a wet batter that hides a sneaky helping of seaweed to impart that fresh from the ocean taste. Add a side of crunchy chips and lots of vinegar, and you’ve got a London classic that is easy to make anywhere in the world.

Vegan Ploughman’s Sandwich created from a base of chickpeas spiced up with lots of cheesy nutritional yeast and Branston pickles. I took one bite of this fresh and hearty sandwich and I was instantly transported to London in the summer time, sitting on a park bench, enjoying my lunch while soaking up the rare treat of sunshine.



Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes are my take on the classic English dessert. No proper English meal is complete without a sweet ending, and these cheery little cupcakes are an easy way to enjoy the traditional taste of strawberry shortcakes in one adorable little package.

These are just a few of my favorite ways to enjoy the taste of London wherever in the world I happen to be. I can’t spend as much time as I would like in my favorite city, but at least with these recipes I can remember the happy times I have spent there and dream about the next time I’m able to go. Whenever that time comes, I already know I will be making new culinary memories at Manna, feasting on all of their delicious vegan food and finding one more reason that London will always be the home of my heart.



Natasha Burge is a vegan, feminist, globe trotting political scientist, with four silly dogs, two spoiled cats, one mischievous horse, and one amazingly sweet husband.  The Voracious Vegan is her blog.