I was really lucky to be one of the bloggers selected to go to a special dinner hosted by Provamel at The Grain Store in London. This exciting event was the first of its kind and was put together to coincide with the launch of the new Provamel products and branding.
Believe it or not but I can get to The Grain Store in about 20 minutes but never knew it was there. It is conveniently placed just at the back of Kings Cross St Pancras on a newly developed square called The Granary. The day of the event was really hot in London so I guess I saw the area in all its glory but when I rounded the corner and arrived at The Granary I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely it was. There are water fountains, deck chairs and loads of families were just enjoying the sun and taking in the refreshments on offer, it really was a fantastic sight.
So right from the beginning I was really excited about the night and when I turned round I saw a welcoming restaurant and somewhere that you would happily dine. So far so good. On arrival I was greeted by the lovely ladies from Provamel and Healthy Magazine plus I was given a lovely drink flavoured with Elderflower which really got the night started well. At the event there were 5 Provamel staff, the deputy editor of Healthy Magazine, 5 selected bloggers and 5 competition winners.
After our initial drinks and chatting we were all beginning to relax and get to know each other and very excited about getting to sit down and see what we were going to eat. Seeing the menu just got the taste buds flowing and quite amazing that it was all completely vegan, it is a great example of just how creative you can be with plant milks.
Before the food started coming out the chef came to see us to tell us what we would be eating and his inspiration. Bruno Loubet, the chef explained that although he is French, his wife is vegan and that he wanted to create restaurant where vegetables are the focus. So although the restaurant does serve meat he has reversed the focus of a plate so the main event is the vegetable and the meat is on the side (baby steps!).
The menu however was really well constructed and brilliantly showcased the plant milks available from Provamel which is also a completely organic brand. The starter combined Provamel Soya Milk and white miso to make a wonderful custard that was served with an amazing selection of pickled vegetables and fruits. It was one of those dishes that you just wanted to go home and recreate yourself.
We were all really getting into the vegan food by now and just should not wait for the main course to come up which was a wonderful summer vegetable risotto. This dish was made using the Provamel Rice Milk and although this is not one of my favorite milks it really worked in this dish. Unlike many risottos this was not heavy and too much to eat but in fact it was quite light and satisfying and left just enough room for the dessert that I am sure we were all looking for.
For me the dessert was the real star of the meal with 4 different components all of which worked so well together I easily could have eaten 2 of these. The first part was an orange and chocolate mousse that was made using Provamel Soya Yoghurt, although a little runnier than regular mousse it did not matter as the flavor was amazing. That was served with some fresh mango and a chocolate and read bean cake and then topped off with an ice cream made using Provamel Almond Milk. Do I need to say anything other than it was totally amazing.
After enjoying this amazing plant based 3 course meal with our choice of red or white wine we were all presented with our own goodie bags which was a fantastic bonus. Inside my goodie bag I had a lovely recycled wool rug, a really pretty tiffin box set, a box of Health & Heather green tea, Dr Organic skin Lotion, a small carton of Provamel Macadamia milk (my favourite), a small pot of Malden sea salt and a copy of Healthy Magazine. This was a lovely little surprise and really topped the night off well.
All in all it was a really lovely night with great company, interesting conversation, amazing food all in stunning surroundings that I will need to visit again. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Provamel, Healthy Magazine and The Grain Store for a fantastic night and a great idea that I hope they do again.
