Love it or hate it, Christmas is coming and it’s just days away. With millions trying to juggle the huge rise in fuel and food costs, the extravagance of it all might seem a bit inappropriate. Last Christmas everyone was waiting to see if Boris could ‘save’ Christmas. And of course he did thanks to friends with ‘warp-speed’ PPE and other such solutions. But let’s not linger on that subject, after all it is Christmas.

This year any sub-standard masks have been swapped for jolly paper hats. Most can look forward to a good old-fashioned Christmas. For more than 70% of British households that means turkey and trimmings. Unfortunately, that might turn out to be beyond the means of many this year. The price of turkey like almost everything else has gone through the skylight. But as we shall see, there could be a cheaper alternative available. 

Tried and Tested Turkey?

Apparently Henry VIII was the first to sit down to turkey at Christmas, although in his case, it was probably surrounded by an entire aviary of swans and other feathered creatures. Turkey became a popular seasonal centrepiece in Victorian times. In Charles Dickens’ 1843 A Christmas Carol, Scrooge ultimately sends Bob Cratchit a huge turkey to replace his scrawny goose. This was quite a gesture; turkey was an expensive treat until the expansion of the railways. 

TURKEY BOOTS

Flocks of up to a thousand turkeys had to be driven on foot from Norfolk to London for the Christmas market. The journey took about three months, and the turkeys wore little leather boots to protect their feet. Seriously. Geese, however were not keen on footwear and they had to have their feet dipped in tar for protection. Unsurprisingly, turkey was not cheap. And even in the 1930s a Christmas bird would cost in the region of a week’s salary.

The rising price of turkey in 2022 has nothing to do with the cost of miniature leather boots and the long walk from Norfolk. It’s blamed on bird flu and Vladimir. Europe has relied to a great extent on Ukrainian corn and other crops to feed farm animals. Putin’s war has forced many countries including the UK to consider the worrying weaknesses in their food security. That, at least, could be a good thing.

Many remain unconcerned about the cost of poultry. Vegans and vegetarians are probably more worried about the rising price of nuts. In fact, a good nut roast can be at least as delicious as a slice of turkey breast and avoids concerns over animal welfare. 

CHRISTMAS FUTURE

So what can we expect from Christmas Future? Will people still be eating turkey in 2050? Will we be eating fake meat? Will most people be vegetarian? Or will we be tucking into roast crickets? There is a perception of the insect world as being somehow unclean and unpleasant. Which does make them a difficult sell as a food item. Insects have long been on the traditional menu in many parts of the world including China, so it’s probably just a question of shifting cultural bias. 

Mass production of insects for the food market is already well under way. They are used in some pet foods and fertilisers. They are also used to feed animals that will be eaten by humans. When it comes to chickens, turkeys and ducks, this is actually part of their natural diet, albeit pecked from the ground rather than processed in a factory. Another significant use of farmed insects is in feeding commercially farmed fish. We are currently dredging our oceans of small fish in order to feed the great containers of captive fish that end up on supermarket shelves. This is completely unsustainable and has a devastating impact upon populations of wild fish.

Farming of insects can be done in vertical fashion; housing the creatures in high rise accommodation. This means minimising the amount of land use. Insects offer very high levels of protein with minimal impact upon the environment. They are also a source of vitamins and iron. I’ve not yet spotted insect snacks appearing on the shelves, but I don’t think it will be long. As of last February, the EU had approved three types of insect for use as a food ingredient or snack. 

BREXIT LAG

Brexit has left us lagging well behind in this area. Last year a WWF report claimed that using insect protein in animal feed could cut the UK’s soya imports by 20%. Soy mono-crops are associated with deforestation and heavy use of agricultural chemicals.

I couldn’t help but wonder how much the TV show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here has influenced people’s attitudes to insects. Has the regular bombarding of well-known faces with showers of bugs made people feel more or less averse to critters that creep and crawl? And is the use of living creatures for shock value entertainment really acceptable? Some would say no.

Dan Wiltshire knows a thing or two about rolling with the punches. He opened The Hempist, a vegan restaurant-cum-specialist CBD hemp shop, 11 days before the first lockdown. “I had to switch pretty quickly from a restaurant to takeaways,” says Dan. These proved a hit with locals, who could often be seen queuing outside, and the restaurant stayed open throughout the pandemic. “I was suddenly an essential worker!” laughs Dan.

Before The Hempist Dan ran a couple of bars in South London and for 15 years organised the One Love festival. At One Love Dan says he had to cater for lots of Rastafarian festival goers, which is how he learned about the concept of ‘Ital’, a vegetarian diet with a focus on natural, pure foods, which also avoids cross contamination with non-vegetarian foods. It was this that spurred him on to open a food outlet. The word ‘Ital’ comes from the English for Vital, more of which later.

Once it was open again full time, The Hempist proved popular not just with vegans and vegetarians but people curious about plant-based ‘junk food’ like burgers and kebabs, as well as those interested in hemp in cooking (and the teas, oils and other products the restaurant stocked). 

But Dan found that the food he was making required lots of trips to the wholesaler, and he was buying more and more frozen stuff “with loads of packaging”. And while it was “fun and interesting what we were doing, I felt like we needed to change things up.” That change was precipitated a few weeks ago when The Hempist was broken into and much of its CBD stock was stolen. “It wasn’t just us – about 20 shops got done on the same night, including Judges bakery.” 

Rather than repaint the smashed-up door and bring back The Hempist, Dan saw the perfect opportunity to roll out the changes he’d been mulling over – renaming the restaurant and introducing more wholefood-style dishes with a touch of spice, what he calls “Indian vegan and vegetarian cuisine with an Indian twist.” The new name – A Taste of Vitality, nods back to his cooking experience at One Love. 

Another big change is the introduction of vegetarian options rather than offering a purely vegan menu. “It’s hard to be 100% vegan in a limited market,” Dan admits. While some of the new menu will be vegetarian, with some cheese, including paneer, and eggs in some dishes, the focus will still be on vegan cooking.

Food at A Taste of Vitality comes courtesy of “Lakshmi and Raj, two amazing chefs who used to run a restaurant in St Leonards”. Starters on the new menu include vegan chicken satay skewers, aubergine bhaji with coconut chutney, and Jamaican vegetable patty, with mains such as garlic curry, aubergine curry, egg curry, vegetable dosa and a thali of four curries and plain rice. Fans will also be glad to see vegan fish and chips (served with mushy peas and tartar sauce) are still on the menu, “Our biggest seller!” along with vegan doner kebab, chilli con carne, and Sunday roasts. 

• A Taste of Vitality, 3 Marine Parade, Hastings, TN34 3AH, 01424 425608 www.thevitalitykitchen.com

The choice on The Hempist’s menu blew our vegan’s mind (she’s 14). “But which options are vegan?” she asked, and had to be reassured that absolutely everything on the menu was something she could choose. She had never had that experience before and was delighted. 

Owner Dan Wilshire – DJ and founder of One Love Festival (which makes him huge in our estimation, we are not worthy!) – said the idea came from catering for Rastafarians during the festival. Not only is their Ital cuisine always vegetarian and frequently vegan (“Ital is vital”) based on what they consider natural for human bodies, but they are also concerned about the cleanliness of the preparation in kitchens that need to be free of meat, in essence. And that is the starting point for this new project, The Hempist, on Marine Parade.  

Dan explains that the experience of One Love made him quickly realise that the only way to properly cater for Rastas was by setting up a dedicated kitchen. The population as a whole has to change, he said: the more people move to a plant-based diet, the less pollution and deforestation, and the more likely that we can feed the global population. A higher price for meat as it becomes rarer would even benefit the remaining farmed animals as they would receive better husbandry.  

Dan said with a smile, “You can eat to help the environment. What could be better than that?” And eat we did. The omnis chomped down on burgers, bacon, cheese, hot dogs, donner kebab. I was curious about ‘Hastings-cooked bacon’ – what actually is that? Seitan, Dan explained, a type of wheat protein (there are also gluten-free options on the menu). Stylish tasty food, and none of the omnis complained about a lack of meat. 

The Hempist describes itself as a café and lounge bar, and prices are comparable to Half Man Half Burger and the Pelican Diner. It is larger than it appears from the street – once Covid-19 is over, it will be able to cater for around 40 covers – as there is an upstairs ‘lounge bar’, done up like a Caribbean shack. There’s a wide range of food, plus booze (the only place in Hastings that serves reggae-stalwart Red Stripe?), plus you can add CBD shots for health should you wish (and hemp oil is listed as an ingredient in some of the dishes as well). 

But, don’t worry, you aren’t going to get stoned and there’s nothing illegal going on. “What’s with the ‘hemp’ theme?” I asked.  While people associate hemp with THC, Dan claimed that it’s one of the few plants that can provide all of the vitamins humans need to sustain life. There is also its use for rope and cloth (and cosmetic products) and the amazing speed of plant growth. And, of course, the medical benefits of CBD are being more widely accepted. And, yes, there’s the reggae connection – and there was a great set of speakers playing a chilled mix of it while we were there. 

The Hempist has already served Hastings well. It opened ten days before the lockdown, really bad timing you’d think. However, Dan quickly switched to serving takeaways through the wide window and was pleased to help the homeless in particular. Learning to be flexible has stood the business in good stead, should a second wave mean returning to take-away only, and, through having built a loyal cliental. Take-away remains an option. He’s part of the ‘eat out to help out’ scheme on Monday to Wednesday, or “eat out to hemp out” as Dan styles it, which was a welcome help to our budget (half price on food and soft drinks up to £10/person). 

The food is fresh, tasty, vegan, but perfectly palatable for meat-eaters. My only comment would be that an option for chips as well as nachos would be good, or something like sweet potato wedges. But the hot dog was huge, and satisfied my sausage-loving son’s voracious appetite perfectly well. All were happy: it convinced us omnis that meat substitutes are perfectly tasty, and the vegan felt validated. Vital!  

• The Hempist, 3 Marine Parade, Hastings; 01424 425608; Facebook: HempistCafe

The interior needed some refurbishing, mostly overseen by Trisala, before they could launch their revamped vision. They finally opened again on their 10th wedding anniversary, just before Matt spent two months away as a music tour manager. Trisala kept the business running smoothly in his absence, cementing the philosophy that they both agreed for the pub. The intention was not just to provide a source of income for them, but also to be supportive of the community as a whole. They have only ever offered cask beers from local breweries. They have also taken steps to keep down waste overall, refusing plastic pump clips and sourcing all of their supplies as locally as possible, with even the most distant supplies being from no further than mainland Europe.

Matt and Trisala Tassell-Dawson
PICTURE: Steve Brown

The coronavirus pandemic has put plenty of challenges their way, but has also provided unexpected opportunities as well. They had to switch from offering drinks on the premises to providing a takeaway service instead. Keeping with their aim to reduce needless waste, this has been offered in returnable glass bottles instead of disposable containers. A small hatchway in the side of the building leading straight into the area behind the bar has made this possible. As the lockdown has eased, they have kept this open to provide easy service to outside drinkers.

They have also been supported by other local businesses. Brewing Brothers (brewingbrothers.org) have provided them with a regular supply of a TPA/IPA to sell to their thirsty customers. This has been especially satisfying as the brothers’ success in their redevelopment of The Imperial provided inspiration for the Prince Albert project. Closer to home the mortgage and financial advice firm T J Oliver (tjoliver.co.uk), situated opposite the pub, have provided free use of an outside seating area behind their offices. In return the Prince Albert simply needs to keep the area in good order.

But the unexpected benefit of the coronavirus was how it enabled them to fulfill a future plan earlier than expected. As with many other small businesses, they received a rates grant as part of the government’s support schemes. This allowed them to bring the pub’s kitchen up to scratch, allowing them to offer food as well as drink.

 The intention was not just to provide a source of income for them, but also be supportive of the community as a whole

To provide food they have teamed up with the No Bones business of another Hastings native, Dave Brady, agreeing a split of the profits between them. No Bones is an entirely vegan food offering, with a focus on the under-served area of providing vegan junk food. Dave himself has been vegan for about 6 years, and had been running pop-up kitchens in pubs and other venues for some time beforehand. The food offered is all based on recipes Dave has created himself, including the spicy Chickn, a pseudo-fried chicken made with mushrooms.

The original intention was that the food would be offered from when the pub reopened, but the cost of fixing up the kitchen made that impossible at the time. By thus providing support for not one but two businesses, the coronavirus grant appears to have been especially effective in this case. The food business has followed the same ‘no waste’ ideal as the pub. The trays and napkins the food is served in are both from recycled material and are recyclable themselves. Even the crisp packets are compostable.

• If you want to sample the fine craft beers and excellent vegan food at the
Prince Albert, you can find it at 28 Cornwallis Street, TN34 1SS just off Queens Road.

A few years ago, Nadia El Hafiani noticed the lack of vegan or halal street food. Most people’s reaction to this would be to sigh, perhaps brand it as ‘a shame’; but Nadia, equipped with her passion and catering skills, decided to address the problem. In June 2019, she pitched up a stall outside Debenhams (after planning of course) and began to make falafels. She grew up in Morocco, so can guarantee her falafels are authentic. When she moved to Italy, she was unable to make use of her diploma in marketing, so she fell back on her hobby of catering and turned it into a career. 

PICTURE: Nadia El Hafiani

Her stall is open every Thursday from 10am until 4pm, and I can say, hand on heart, that she sells the best falafels I have ever tasted. I tend to find these chickpea-based patties a little dry, but at Falafel and More this issue doesn’t even cross my mind. They are moulded into little doughnut shapes on site and dunked in a hot fryer. After a few minutes of sizzling, Nadia loads them onto a wrap with a generous scoop of homemade hummus and babaganoush, then seasons them with harissa and pink pickles. You cannot complain that these falafels are dry. And, as the name promises, there is more on offer. If you don’t fancy the falafel wrap, why not try a box of bulgur salad? – a delicious blend of bulgur wheat, courgette and peppers which prompted the comment “I’d go vegan if all the food was like this” from my companion – or a sample of fresh babaganoush. There is a vegetarian version with yoghurt or a vegan one without. In my humble opinion, they cannot be ranked against each other as they evoke very different tastes and they most definitely both have their own merits.

If you have a budget, look no further: the wraps are a bargain at £5 and the salads are even more economical at £3, though you would happily pay double that for the quality.

PICTURE: Jasper Williams Young

Nadia also takes her cooking talent to Home Ground Kitchen *every Saturday and Sunday, making a selection of Moroccan dishes including tagine (fear not meat-lovers, there will be a lamb and chicken option as well as vegetarian). Nadia says: “I thank this city for giving me the opportunity to start [my stall]”. On behalf of the people of Hastings, I thank her for her wonderful food.

* Home Ground Kitchen is a community kitchen run by Kate and Savannah, near the Printworks.