Last Friday Wolfson College, Oxford held an entirely vegetarian formal.
Of course I was still the odd one out being a vegan, but the vegan options were very similar to the vegetarian ones. A fully vegetarian formal at such a big Graduate College in Oxford is a huge step in the right direction!
But wait, what is a formal?
Good question. When you first move to Oxford you’re bombarded with new words that make no sense whatsoever. It’s only after three years of living here that I fluently speak Oxford University’s language. So a formal, officially Formal Hall, is a served three-course meal that takes place three times a term. The dress code is smart.
On the menu
The starter was an anti-pasta plate (as you can see on the picture above). The vegan main was a polenta and roast vegetable stack with vegan cheese and a herb tomato sauce, with maple roast carrots and courgette. For dessert a chocolate and coconut mousse with raspberry coulis was served. The vegetarian version had goats cheese instead of vegan cheese. My table companions weren’t very keen on their starter – the vegetarian version had fried bread, whilst the slices of bread I had were fresh. The dessert had a gritty texture which didn’t make it very appealing. Overall I must say I really enjoyed the three-course meal, the wine, and of course the company I had. But secretly I’m hoping that the next formal will be completely vegan! 🙂
Kitchenoflion 