Truffleupagus Vegan Yums

16/12/2024

Good morning peeps...hope you have a fab week ahead .
This is hands down going to be the busiest week ever for Truffs and I've got lists everywhere .
The thing is,with food, you have to wait till the very last minute to make everything . So for example ,this morning I'm lounging under a pink furry electric blanket drinking tea ...because its too early to start making anything lol.
Got all the frozen stuff done for the Hampers and oh my goodness there was a bit of a panic it wasn't all going to fit into my new chest freezer ....but luckily it has and I can tick off a huge section of the list .

Apologies also to anyone I'm having to turn down at this moment in time. I know 9 days before Xmas feels like there is still lots of time , but I've known Ill be fully booked this period from the start on November . I had hoped to hire an extra pair of hands this year too but that didn't happen. So it's just me and Sean busily driving everywhere for ingredients .So once again,I'm so sorry that I'm unable to help on this occasion.

I've got a very exciting interview in the morning for a newspaper , and that will be coming out in January . And the last orders before Xmas are going over to Acton & Sons Ragin Ramen and Seven Coffee Wednesday/Thursday.

Ramen this week are going for the yuzu cheesecake which is also gf , banana and walnut cakes and a Chocolate macadamia cake with gingerbread filling . I'll also have that at my market at Little Fox Events this weekend

I've lots of lovely social events this week too ..meeting a friend today for a cuppa and my friend Mandy is coming for dinner tonight . Cuppa with another pal Danielle on Weds and then the theatre with Sean on Weds night to see a Christmas Carol which I'm very much looking forward to .And then I'll be on lockdown until Xmas eve under a mountain of pastry and Brussels sprouts .Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas Everyone
Sheena xx

14/12/2024

Got to try the new Jumon Dreams at Cs Lewis Sq tonight .

This has only been opened a matter of weeks and we had a very early booking 530...so the place was quiet . It did lack the hub bub of Jumon in town ...but like I say,it was very early .

We ordered the starter to share . Chips,pesto, vegan yoghurt and a ton of chilli . Very tasty .
And I got the Mallaccan Laksa and Sean got the Hungley for mains
The menu is a lot smaller than town with less options and those were the dishes that called to us.

I slso ordered a lovely cucumber spritz to drink

It's hard not to compare the two places ...especially when they have different chefs in each venue....but the dishes were familiar and taste exactly like the venue in town , so ten out of ten for that ,as if you like something you want it again and again .

The only negative I would say was the proportion of noodles to veggies was a bit off and after we had (in both dishes) eaten the few slices of veg on the top ...it was a plate of noodles in sauce and could have done with something crunchy to break that up . At one point I thought I had a little noodle man under the table stuffing noodles through a hole in the bottom of the bowl ...so no complaints on the portions size ...but it was, on this occasion, a bit noodle heavy ...and that's saying something from me .

The venue itself does lack a bit of warmth . And I mean that in terms of the atmosphere and the actual temperature . The seats are cold and hard ...but once again its very early days and some home comforts could be coming
It's not a deal breaker ..but if I was planning a girls night for example ,I'd like a little cushion ,perhaps.

And the toilets...omg ..they are lovely with the most gorgeous black embossed wallpaper ...but absolutely freezing . I know its a tin box we are in ...and will probably be like an oven in the summer, but honestly it was like taking a wee outside lol

Once again tho, I'm an old punk ,so this is not a deal breaker for me .

The food is good, the area local and fab, prices around the £17 for mains and .. I will deffo be back .
With a hot water bottle and a cushion ###x

Oh no photos ....it was too dark to do the food justice ######

14/12/2024

Some lovely photos from Thursdays pop up by my friend Maria

14/12/2024

MENU FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Little Fox Events Portview Trade Centre and Banana Block

Friday night

Hot food all with a little festive EXTRAS

The Festive Gonzfather
Seitan burger (home made) winter slaw, cranberry and merlot chutney,house pickles, garlic sauce and a vegan piggy in blanket £7.50

Korean bbq tofu, aubergine and pak choi with spiced rice salad , chive and Kimchi pancake and garlic sauce £7.50

Snacks

Sage and onion sosage rolls
Xmas nut roast sosage rolls
Samosa rolls

Sweet stuff

Chocolate macadamia cake with gingerbread buttercream
Snickers truffle bars
Cookie bombs (gf)
Individual black forest trifle pots

Saturday

Hot food

Festive Gonzfather as above

Hot Sage and onion sosage roll with pan fried potato and shredded sprouts in garlic and parsley butter with a miso and rosemary Gravy £6

Salad bar ...the last time to get all the veggies in before the big day
40 plant ingredients, super high protein and delicious
Potato pesto and green bean
Indonesian rice salad
Herby beanies
Hummus
Garlic sauce
£7.50

Sweet stuff as above .

PLEASE NOTE . I WILL HAVE A LIMITED STOCK OF XMAS PIES . Unfortunately I have no more space to make things to order , but I will have a few individual nut roasts and beef Wellingtons to take home for your Xmas dinner. Once they are gone they are gone and will be available Saturday only . So please pop down and grab one if you are stuck on what to make.

See you there ###x

14/12/2024

Had a lovely day yesterday ...bit of a lie in after the pop up (bliss) and a cuppa in bed while Sean did all the hard work leaving equipment back to the respective companies . Yup...I'm spoiled rotten lol.

Delivered some yums to Acton & Sons and then got a bit of time in the gym. I have to say it wasn't the lovely relaxing stretching session I needed as the gym I go to is being turned into more of a boxing club/hydrox circuit type place. I used to adore that kind of training ...but now ...my body cries out for deep stretches and long relaxing gentle movement. Time to find another gym lol
After that I met a friend for coffee and then got my Christmas nails done
My little stumpy nails have been in and out of water so much that this was really the best they could do lol. But they are sparkly and will be covered with blue gloves from now to the 24th anyway 😉
Got home and had to start on all the orders going out this weekend . This entire weekend is going to be taken up making all of the orders of frozen items that people requested to go alongside their Christmas Hampers....so it's a busy one . Sean even bought me a brand new freezer as we just knew the two we already have was not enough space for everything. It's mad!! I feel like a wee vegan industry lol

So hat and blue gloves on (attractive) and off I go ...possibly never to be seen again lol

Have a fab weekend frenz xx

Love Sheena xx

13/12/2024

GONE

I have an extra 4 person Persian spice nut Roast up for grabs tomorrow

Collection East Belfast

Suitable for eating straightway or for freezing for Xmas day .

Comes with cranberry and merlot chutney

£20

Pm to secure ###xx

12/12/2024

Wow wow wow
Thank you so much to everyone who came to tonight's pop up
It was a huge success and plates were all licked clean .
Arms killing me from peeling spuds lol
We had a wee Christmas playlist in the background, wine uncorked and conversations flowing

It was an absolute pleasure .

I didn't have a chance to take any photos ...but my lovely friend Katie took this which I think looks like a French Bistro

Thanks to the team at Seven Coffee for being excellent wait staff too ###xx

11/12/2024

I absolutely love Christmas. I always have .
Christmas has looked a lot of different ways for me ...
From the traditional family Christmas with my parents,twin sister and Granny (she lived with us till we were 5 ,then moved 5 doors away)
Then as a bit of a party animal in my teens , staying out on Xmas Eve and being a bit hungover the next day
To being a mum at 21 and all the joy if having a little boy and the fuss that was made of the only grandchild.

Very very happy times .

As my parents began to age and my twin moved to America I took over the cooking on Xmas day and would plan the menu months in advance. I was vegetarian at the time and my parents would eat a lot of the things I created ...which was just lovely .

My big son has moved out,my parents are both passed and my sister still lives in America ...but I still adore Christmas time and the new memories I make with Sean and my friends . New traditions ...New happy times.

Nothing ends ....it just changes .

Obvs this is my busiest time of year in terms of the business so I don't really get a chance to do a lot of the out out things I enjoyed when I was living a different way .

There is one tradition that epitomises Christmas for me ....and one sadly I've not been able to replicate with any satisfaction since being vegan
And its a wee sherry and shortbread at exactly 11 am (yup....we were even allowed a wee sip as kids)

What is your fav family tradition that just feels like Christmas for you and your family . And what vegan traditions gave you brought in to make new memories?

I'd love to hear?

Sheena xx

10/12/2024

So excited for the Pop up on Thursday .....and filled with gratitude it's fully booked and people are going to have a lovely festive time .

Behind the scenes there's not much can be done today (bar the hand made chocolates for one of the desserts)

We will have a fun festive playlist and lovely tea lights on each table.

Huge thank you to Seanity Seven Coffee for letting me loose in her kitchen and lending me her lovely staff for the night . Tomorrow starts the prep in earnest and we also need to pick up the tableware and do deliveries to Ragin Ramen and Actons .

See you on Thursday to anyone who has booked ###x

09/12/2024

This will be the last market of the year, and talk about going out with a bang
Friday night and Saturday afternoon, fab food, creative gifts, the best live dj playlist and acts and a bar. If i wasnt working it Id be there with bells on .
Weekend before the Big day
Menu tba ....but it will be EXTRA!!!!

09/12/2024

Appreciation post.

It's time for the annual Christmas review of the man behind the scenes .
Sean is very secure in himself and doesn't really need praise and awards for doing kind things...but I honestly am the opposite and so it's time to scunder him , publicly lol

In all seriousness tho....no matter how much he says I could , I couldn't do all the things I do without him as my rock
From sensible advice to lifts every place to 15 hours a day listening to me talking about Truffs , this man needs a gold star .
He is genuinely 100 pc there for me and these last couple of weeks , when the pace has upped , he has been just brilliant. Like really doing all the crappy things like dishes and making sure the cats are well cared for while I'm out gallivanting
I mentioned I had a sore head at the market yesterday and even tho he had made plans to be somewhere else,next thing he arrives back with painkillers and a cup of tea for me. Like you can't buy kindness like that,that is just in someone !

So I'm just putting this out there to let him know how much he is appreciated and me and the boys absolutely adore him

Here he is mediating between my two cats who hate each other lol

08/12/2024

TABLE BOOKED THANK YOU XX

GOOD NEWS ..BAD NEWS ....
Sadly due to one of my lovely customer frenz being ill ...there is now a free table for 2 or 4 at Thursday the 12ths Pop up in Seven Coffee
Menu is included in the post

First to pm secures your place

It's the 6 pm to 730 slot

08/12/2024

IGA BAkAR
Indonesian seitan Grilled and spiced
Pineapple slaw and rice salad
Tomato sambal
Peanut and coconut
Vault Christmas Market 2024
Today 11 to 5 pm xx
Truffleupagus Vegan Yums

08/12/2024

Feel good moment

At Yesterday's market , a lady I know from the Vault had had a new baby girl.
She had on a little soft white furry snowsuit and was so tiny, she looked like a little snowball.

I had gone over to say hi and get a wee snuggle and went back to my stall

When I next looked up there was a huge line at the next stall to me and I thought 'wow' ...look how busy they are .

When I realised it was a queue to hold the baby!!

So cute !!

07/12/2024

Totally sold out today guys...Will be coming in strong with hot hot food tommorow ###

Storm Daragh who??

07/12/2024

07/12/2024

Goodness me markets getting cancelled left right and centre..I really feel for the traders xx

Good news Vault Christmas Market 2024 is still going ahead today and tommorow
Come down and get cosy with warming food,drinks,great music and atmosphere ###xx