ali-cat Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I'm moving over to France next year & wonder how I will get on as a very strict vegetarian. I'm not vegan - I do eat butter, cream, eggs etc (& of course, chocolate!!) but I don't eat any meat, fish, chicken or any animal based products e.g. meat/fish stock, geletine or anything with red food colouring (usually chrushed beetles, if you're wondering!).I do most of my own cooking from scratch, but somtimes feel like a chilli etc. with soya mince. Does anyone know if you can you get veggi mince or any other "meat" subsitutes in the Poitou Charente area? Will I be living on vegetables & crepes for the next 30 years??!!Other veggies - please let me know how you survive or am I the only "weird, tree hugging hippy" in the area!! Thanks, Ali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridgeman Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Hi AliFirst of all I am NOT a veggie! .....But I don't have a problem with anyone, each to their own, and I love vegetables, I also cook a LOT ...... I see you don't eat fish which has shot down some of my favourite dishes ....... no problem as there is plenty more things to cook..... as I don't live in France YET (soon hopefully) not too sure about soya mince but I am sure I have seen it mentioned in other posts (try doing a search for soya mince).......... Yes vegetables are good and so are crepes...... and pizza ......... and fritters ..... and aubergines in curries are a good meat substitute ........ well there are a few things to get on with ..... there are quiet a few veggies on this site and I am sure you will get plenty of replies that will point you in the right direction and all will be helpful If you want anymore info just ask Bonne Chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agenais Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Hi, not veggies either, but after buying meat or chicken that was "off" (yet still in date) living in a ruin for a while, eating tinned beef casserole day in day out[+o(], we have become increasingly vegetarian over the last 3 years +. We had friends who were veggie and lived here, I think their local Intermarche stocked soya mince from time time. If not, there is a v good expat shopping site, run by the Co-Op, with reasonable delivery prices to France, so you should be able to stock up easily once you are here. We have noticed that there is a small increase in veggie alternatives in the supermarkets ie lasagnes, pies..........bonne appetitehttp://www.expatshopping.coop/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chel in the cher Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Hello- I am also a vegetarian who eats a similar diet to yours, and it is not impossible in France! Being American, I'm not familiar with the term "soya mince", but I have been able to find some acceptable meat substitutes. Ask around town or check the phone book for a marche biologique. We have one outside of Nevers which isn't a huge city, so I think most areas would have one nearby. They carry all thing organic- what we call a health food store in the states. They have about 10 different varieties of soy based products- provencal flavored croquets, faux sausages, etc. I even saw unflavored tofu at the Atac supermarche in Bourges. That being said, it is still not easy. I was looking for canned lentils and had to make 2 trips to find ones that weren't made with goose fat. Label reading (and a good knowledge of all French meat based products) is a necessity. I certainly end up eating way more eggs and cheese for protein that normal when I am in France! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 We share similar veggie diet and have lived here for nearly 2 years.Bio shops seem to be the nearest thing to wholefood shops - they sell soya products although they are not cheap.Best to bring packets of dried sausmixes etc from UK as they are light and keep well.You can stock up by post in UK from The Daily Bread in Northampton they are on www. They sell excellent yeast extract at very good prices.Grand Frais sell good vegetables, sprouting soya beans and exotic fruits. Though ordinary stuff better from the local market or farmers shop.I now make my own peanut butter it is tastier, cheaper and salt free made with walnut oil. I buy the 1kilo packs of shelled un roasted peanuts from an Arab shop cost aroun €3. Just lighly roast them and bung them in the liquidiser with a bit of oil.Cannot find molasses at the moment as I want to make my own veggie Worcester Sauce.I have not yet found tinned refried beans but dried Coca Rose beans after soaking make a good alternative refried bean.Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fridgeman Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Hi DogTry this ...............400g dried beans soaked over night1 Onion chopped1 Bay leafSalt & Pepper to taste1 Green chilli chopped fine1 Bouquet garnie (parsley & thyme)Put ALL ingredients into pot add water to cover, bring to boil partially cover and simmer until beans are cooked about 1 hour.You now have Mexican Beans .........................Put oil or fat or Bacon fat into pan add a chopped onion and cook for 5 mins add garlic to taste and a chopped chilli and cook for 10 mins on a low heat then add your Mexican Beans mash them down, a little more oil / fat add some ground cumin and oregano and mash again and keep stirring, taste and adjust seasonings and fat as necessary, when they are hot and sizzling and have become crispy underneath tip them out onto a large plate ........... mmmmmmmmmmmm ........yummy ............Mexican Refried Beans. Bonne Chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 http://www.allianceveg.org/VisitFrance/index.htmlhttp://www.allianceveg.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lautrec Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Without wishing to advertise, there is an English shop in Ruffec that specialises inVegetarian food called The Cockleshell. It has a wide range of Linda McCarthy soya products! It is well worth a visit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Thanks - I have no problem making refried beans but I will leave out the bacon fat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 I made 2.1 litres of Worcester sauce yesterday after finally tracking down molasses and tamarind paste. It is pokey old tackle if you are around the Perigueux area and want some let me know. It is free to veggies and vegans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 [quote user="Lautrec"]Without wishing to advertise, there is an English shop in Ruffec that specialises inVegetarian food called The Cockleshell. It has a wide range of Linda McCarthy soya products! It is well worth a visit![/quote]Which Ruffec is that - it seems there are three; Charente, Indre or Haute-Vienne? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polycarpe Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Some of my best friends are veggies! (Nothing like a tired old cliché to raise a smile)We have begun to eat more and more 'bio' (organic) veg which we find to be more competatively priced than in the UK. We don't live in Charente but if your area is anything like ours, you're likely to be well served BIO shops which seem to have increasingly wide ranges. Our veggie friends eat well with little apparent difficulty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battypuss1 Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 try www.epicerieanglaise.com if you get stuck; they sell veggie stuff. And no, I don't work for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Which Ruffec is that - it seems there are three; Charente, Indre or Haute-Vienne? Dog, I think Lautrec means the Charente one above Angouleme, from where he once mentioned he lives.(I didn't know there were three Ruffecs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lautrec Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Thanks Christine, you are right! This Ruffect is in the Charente. I forgot to mention that they also have a wide selection of English cheeses and the new Branston baked beans! Scrumptious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Hi - a friend of mine - not veggie, but does have a very sensible diet, and bulk buys all her pulses, etc from http://peteralice.cox.chez.tiscali.fr/ . Not tried them myself but might be worth looking at their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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