Exceptionally good meal: Animal Aid 30th birthday

I love eating out but rarely am able to, and when I do, it is not so often that I get a meal that really makes me sing - last night I did at Woodruffs in Stroud High Street - they are vegetarian and the country's first fully organic cafe/restaurant and have been trading successfully for years in Stroud - in fact I'm a regular partaker of their coffee and cake - the meal last night was very outstanding indeed and was also accompanied by some local musicians from the band, Ceilidh Jo & The Fabulous Incredibles - they came and went during the evening as they circulated in the different rooms - some great, great music.

Food included: Asparagus and Shiitake mushroom sushi, spanakopita, Thai vegetable Red Curry, Skewered Vegetable Kebabs with Brazilian Sauce, Indonesian Coconut Rice Pudding with fresh mango, Aztec Cayenne Chocolate Cake and much more.

Last night the meal at Woodruffs was a special fundraiser Vegan meal to celebrate Animal Aid's 30th birthday - Animal Aid is the UK's largest animal rights group and one of the longest established in the world, having been founded in 1977. Animal Aid also had a stall in town during the day -I was able to catch up with Chris who was at a Cafe Discussion on animal rights last year in Star Anise.

Chris was keen to do another discussion in Stroud looking at the different approaches to animal welfare. He didn't agree with many of the organisations that advocate animal welfare standards. I am intrigued to hear more as there is some evidence to suggest improved standards can lead to people feeling better about the animals they eat and therefore eat more and not question more the ethics. It is also true that many of the so-called standards like Red Tractor and Freedom Food are little better than a waste of space - however I am still convinced that we should be trying to increase those standards and expose the nonsense of some of them. The Ecologist magazine has some articles on this - see here.

While talking about food I must also give my brothers restaurant a plug: if in Bristol another place that is amazing to eat is the award winning cafe - Cafe Maitreya - see more on 2nd April blog.