St Ives Farmers’ Market A chat with Alana Bates of Penzance Vegan Kitchen What led you to set up a vegan bakery?
I’ve been a vegan for about a year – I started cutting out meat and dairy because of their impact on the environment and animal welfare. I’ve always wanted to run my own business, and after going to some really nice vegan restaurants in the summer, I decided to leave my job as a cook at Pensans Primary School. I had been working there for six years, and I enjoyed it, but I wanted to cook vegan food. I’ve been involved with political campaigning, and veganism is something I really believe in.
How did you turn the idea into reality?
I live in Long Rock, and I thought I’d start with Penzance Town Market. I phoned the BID (Business Improvement District) office, and they said they were doing a market for the Tour of Britain cycle race, and they wanted a vegan stall. I had five days’ notice to do all the cooking, but I was really lucky that I had that push – the cakes sold out on both days.
What do you most enjoy making?
I do pizza, sausage rolls and pasties, but what I’ve found, as a vegan, is that you don’t get many treats, so I make a lot of cakes, so that vegans can have something special, which their friends and family can enjoy too. I’ve always made birthday cakes for my children, and a non-dairy chocolate cake for my partner, who has been a vegan for six years. My chai cake always goes down well. It contains cloves, cinnamon, ginger – and turmeric, which my daughter says tastes like joss sticks! Instead of eggs, I use vegan yogurt, which gives a nice cakey crumb.
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What are your plans for Penzance Vegan Kitchen in 2022? I now have a website, so people can order cakes for special occasions, and cupcakes, muffins and cookies. My dream is to have a van, but I’ll definitely keep coming to St Ives Farmers’ Market, as it’s such a lovely community. I’d like to run some vegan cooking classes, so more people can learn the skills and pass them on. Many people who’ve tried to make vegan cakes say that they don’t rise. Something I’ve learned is not to open the oven until the cake is ready!
When people ask you why you’re a vegan, what do you tell them? When I’m on the stall, I talk to people about the environmental impact of animal farming. Many young people are taking up veganism as part of a whole lifestyle. I read a study which said that if everyone swapped out a meat meal once a week for a vegan meal, it would make a real difference to the environment.
www.pzvegankitchen.co.uk/
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