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Since we’ve travelled in the rural areas of France, mostly in Burgundy, our experience is not many people speak English. It goes without saying food packaging is in French. We’ve had to learn how to identify food names in French. Supermarkets like Carrefour have food labels in French and Dutch for the Belgian market. If the labels have Dutch we can figure out what the ingredients are, as we speak a bit of Afrikaans. Food in health shops is often better labelled including English and German. A mini English/French dictionary is handy. Or if you have data – use the Google Translate app.
French veggie recipe magazines
When it comes to paying, I have absolutely no idea how much money they’re asking for. They speak so fast, and it takes me so long to translate what they are saying back into English, that it’s easier to read the value that has been rung up on the till. Our favourite supermarkets are Monoprix and Carrefour. There are a few different supermarkets – E.LeClerc, Auchan, Atac, 8 a Huit, etc, but those two are the best ones to find vegan friendly foods.
There are some amazing health food shops in France. Happycow.net will list them. We top up when we find a health shop, and buy items such as flax seeds, agave nectar, gluten flour, chickpea flour, fake vegan sausages, fake vegan meats, nut cheezes, miso, etc. They are more expensive. It’s how it is. I buy unroasted and unsalted nuts at health shops to make vegan cheezes.
Our haul from a health food shop
I’m going to put a couple of my favourite recipes in here. I don’t like following recipes and only one or two of the recipes here need measuring. It’s about getting the texture right. Too dry? Add more wet ingredients or water. Too wet? Add more dry ingredients. You also want to get the taste right. Include spices or seasonings you love, leave out flavours that don’t appeal to you. Taste your food and add seasonings a little at a time. Adding more until you’re happy. You can always add more but can’t take out. For extra sweetness I usually use stevia liquid or powder. I try to use as little processed food as possible. And do my best to limit what’s known as the three white devils in our food – white salt, white sugar and white flour.
I also try to use as little fat as I can get away with. That said, sometimes you need fat for flavour. Opt for the healthiest versions possible. When frying, I use a tiny amount of oil and add water so I’m more sweating food rather than drowning it in fat and burning it. A few years back my other half and I did a couple of raw food courses and that completely changed how we prepare food. Before, I would cook the life out of my food. Now I will either place veggies like beans or cauliflower in a bowl and cover with boiling water for a few minutes rather than boiling it continuously. When making a soup, I’ll bring it to the boil and take my pot off the flame immediately leaving the soup to cook in retained heat. I pre-soak lentils and grains to reduce cooking time. And remove saponins, which makes them more digestible.
Fresh food market
Ah cheese! That one hurdle many vegans struggle with. They say you eventually get over cheese, but I never believed it. However, over the years people who have stayed on the boat with us have left a bit of cheese behind. I used to eat it, but no more. Now, I throw it away. My taste buds really have changed. Making your own vegan cheeze is not that difficult. Even with a stick blender. None of them have the creamy mouth feel and meltability of animal cheese so give up on that expectation from the outset.
Green pea soup, pasta and creme brulee
Block cheezes usually use blended nuts or a plant milk – and an oil – usually neutral-taste oil or deodorised coconut oil. Then you need one or more setting agents such as agar agar, tapioca flour, kappa carrageenan or corn flour. Plus, flavourings to get a cheese like flavour. Flavourings to think of are one or more of the following – nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, cider vinegar, mustard, liquid smoke, garlic and onion powders, white wine or miso. I’m not going to give recipes for block cheezes. You can find Facebook groups dedicated to vegan cheeze making and heaps of recipes and videos on-line. I will share what I have learned. The trick is to simmer them on a medium heat – not high heat – in a sauce pan. Cook them long enough that the setting agents are activated – around 5 – 8 minutes. Agar agar can be compromised by acids like lemon juice and vinegar. If you’re using them – add them last. These cheezes set fast, so have a steralised mould ready. I use a heat-proof plastic container.
More – on this link.
