Photo: Sherpa in Tignes

We find chalet or hotel managers and hosts like help on what ingredients to buy and where from. Otherwise it can end up being a different arrangement of provencal vegetables every night, which isn't going to give enough calories, let alone satisfaction to cook or consumer.

Caterers anywhere in the world, and self-caterers too, will also find this a handy page.

Below are lists of ingredients you can get locally and ones it is a good idea for to bring over from the UK. Please do add in ideas, especially ingredients you can get in other skiing locations we haven't covered (due to lack of knowledge).

All these ingredients are vegan, and so work well for all kinds of veggies, as well as the dairy- and egg-intolerant. Since most cheeses are not vegetarian and eggs not free-range, committed veggies will certainly appreciate vegan options anyway.

Special notes for hosts

• Buying in the UK - this is a great idea for cost savings and some of those tasty and handy extras you just can't get elsewhere.
• Quantities to buy: Vegans often eat almost twice the volume of any other guests. We love food and burn it off energetically. So think big. If you get more than you think they'll ever eat they probably still will, and this food is great for everyone - so you can always use it up on later guests.
• Ask whoever does the shopping to start opening their eyes to what is available at your supermarkets at the start of the season, with the help of these lists. Then it will be so much easier to shop when your veggie guests are due.

Creating a fuller flavour

Sometimes non-veggies are stumped for ideas for creating flavour in savoury vegan dishes. There are many many options, so there's no need to fall back on tomato paste. For a start, look at the flavours & tasty extra ingredients listed for both UK & French purchase (you can get all the French ones in the UK too). Many other ingredients have a wonderful flavour all of their own, such as puy lentils or green lentils (neither of which have to be pre-soaked before they are cooked).

Buying ingredients

• In France
• In Switzerland
• In Austria
• In the UK
• Is it vegan?

Ingredients available in France

flavours

• herbs, spices and mustard
• fresh ginger
• dessicated coconut and/or tinned coconut milk for both sweet and savoury dishes
• fruit juice & puree, especially apple or freshly squeezed lemon, for both sweet and savoury dishes
• peanut butter* (particularly good in curries)
• vegan dairy products. Use them like normal dairy products in cooking.
• nutritional yeast (levure) flakes - we have found these in resort in Tignes - a sprinkling gives a cheesy nutty flavour
• olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato puree, etc

breakfast

• Marmite often available only in small jars
• peanut butter
• porridge oats
• breakfast cereals - watch out for honey and milk products though. Rice Krispies*, Cornflakes, Wheatabix, and some organic mueslis are good bets

vegan dairy
brands to look out for include: Sojasun, Bjorg (organic), Sol

• soya milk (be sure it is unflavoured - vanilla one is no good in cooking or cereal)
• other plant milks, such as rice milk
• soya custard (vanilla dessert), and chocolate dessert
• dairy-free margarine* - for brand details , read about French margerines and other vegan products
• soya yoghurt, both plain (nature) and flavoured. All are handy in cooking, including cakes.
• soya cream

high protein stuff - essential in every main course

• tofu and lots of it (also great pureed in desserts) - often in non-chilled organic or free from section
• nuts and seeds - lots of them. Cashews, pistachios, sesame seeds and pine nuts are most popular
• pulses - dry or tinned: pois chiches/chickpeas, flageolet, cannelini, etc
• lentils (half lentils and/or veggie mince makes a great moussaka/lasagna base)
• vegan meat alternatives* ordered from The Trading Post, such as Fry's products

fillers

• potatoes
• rice
• noodles and pasta (ones without egg)
• gnocchi (check ingredients)
• tacos and tortilla wraps (check ingredients - nearly always vegan)
• filo pastry* (made with olive oil)
• some other ready made pastries* may be okay too, as long as your knowledge of the French for dairy derivatives is good.

tasty extras

Grand Jury sorbet lollies
• sweet chestnuts (maroons/chateignes) - whole or puree, in sweet and savoury dishes
• sun-dried tomatoes
• artichoke hearts
• dried and fresh fruit in sweet and savoury dishes
• biscuits - some are made with vegetable fat and don't contain butter/whey, such as Hob Nobs and most brands of fig rolls
• chocolate: many brands of bitter chocolate are vegan, as long as they lecithin used is soya. Lindt Excellence is a good example. Cocoa powder is also vegan.
• sorbet - many brands are animal free, such as Casino sorbets
• fruit and veg of course!

* starred items are not so often available in resorts, but may be found in the large supermarkets in the big towns, such as Moutiers or Bourg St Maurice. Some large towns also have good health food shops. If your chalet or hotel only shops in the resort you will have a smaller range of ingredients available locally, unless they make a special trip. We suspect the must be wholefood wholesalers in mainland Europe just like their are in the UK, who can deliver.

Ingredients available in Switzerland

In our brief experience of Switzerland, such as in Verbier and Wengen, most of the basic ingredients you'll find in France are found here too, such as soya milk and soya yogurt. Tofu may even be available.

Ingredients available in Austria

We have not skied in Austria for many years, so please tell us if you know more about vegan ingredients shopping there. We are pretty sure basics such as soya milk are widely available, and there are so many dishes including cakes you can cook from simple ingredients, you should be fine. Do use our Recipes and Catering Guide to help you.

Ingredients from the UK

Listed here are items it is easier or cheaper to get hold of in the UK which will make your special diets catering more interesting.

flavours

• spices, smoked paprika and curry sauces - there is very little availability of authentic indian spice mixes in France (S,H,V)
• miso or vegetable stock for rich savoury sauces (S,H,V)
• nutritional yeast flakes - essential for cheezy nutty flavour in any savoury dish or sauce (H,V) - now also available in some French resorts
• tamari is more tasty than standard soya sauce, and good for your gluten-free guests too

savoury items

• yeast extract, such Meridian, Community, Crazy Jack, Natex and Vegemite although Marmite is available in small jars in France
• peanut butter and other nut butters - expensive in resorts, but important for vegan breakfasts and teas, as well as great in curry and satay sauces.
• mango chutney & lime pickle
• popadums (easy to fry up or microwave from uncooked state)

high protein stuff

• tofu - probably cheaper to buy long-life version (cartons or jars) in bulk in the UK - lots needed for desserts and savoury dishes (S,H,V)
• soya / TVP mince - dry, cheap and lightweight - get lots, unflavoured preferably (S,H)
• tinned or jarred gluten, mock duck, braised tofu, seitan (just chop and heat/fry with your dish)
• tempeh - long life version is in jars - fun one to try and great on kebabs with satay sauce (H,V)

other handy items

• vegan margarine - this is getting increasingly difficult to find in resort, so easiest to bring from the UK. If guests are bringing it they can pre-freeze it, wrap it up well and bury it in their luggage to keep it cool for the journey. Pure is the most widely available brand.
• egg replacer - really not necessary but it makes for easy conversion of cake recipes (S,H,V)
• bicarbonate of soda
• baking powder
• Bird's custard powder, which is vegan if you make it up with soya milk
• vegan Christmas puddings, mincemeat and mince pies (S,H,V - the Co-op is the best supermarket for these, as they mark up which are vegan)
• tacos shells and tortilla wraps (S,H,V)

where to buy in the UK

But where can you buy these? Many places in fact. The places we know sell the more unusual ingredients are coded in brackets, and this is what the code means:

• S = most major supermarkets, Sainsbury's is usually the best bet, followed by Waitrose and Tesco. The Co-op and Sainsbury's label their own brand items as suitable for vegans if they are.
• H = local health food shops. Independent ones tend to be better than Holland and Barrett or GNC, but these still stock some items.
• V = the Vegan Store (mailorder)
• If you are considering buying a reasonable amount, you should get the best deal from wholefood wholesalers like Infinity, Lembas (Sheffield), Green City (Glasgow), Community Foods and Suma, who can all deliver to your UK door.

Is it vegan?

If an item says it is suitable for vegans it will be, but it is not so certain that the French "vegetal" has quite the same reliability, though it is a good starting point.

If in doubt: ask your guests to read the ingredients to check if you are not sure - this saves you a lot of bother. Guests always appreciate care and honesty, which builds trust and good feeling.

The handy thing about veganism is that it is more clear-cut than vegetarianism, so once you get the hang of it, it is pretty straight-forward.

what does vegan mean?

Vegan food contains no animal products, that is no flesh, fowl or fish, eggs or milk products. Honey is also considered an animal product. For a listing of such products, particularly the more obscure ones such as E-numbers, see the Vegan Society's page on animal products.

Much alcohol, particularly many wines, are manufactured using animal products. To be on the safe side, do not use alcohol in vegetarian catering. If you supply wine with meals normally, try offering fruit juices instead, or maybe some of these beers.

---

Recipes and cooking

When you're ready, take a look at our hearty skiing food recipes. Also take a look at our veganising recipes page, for simple conversion of your non-veggie recipes to vegetarian and vegan versions.

Please contact us if you have any suggestions for this page, or any others.