Amazing animals...

I'm not sure if its fanciful thinking but I seem to recall as a kid that at the end of the news every night there would always be a little 'feelgood' story - something to warm the cockles after the doom and gloom of the main news.

Well, it seems the beeb have perhaps been told that they need to revise this tradition - (as for a while there it got pretty stark and bleak) and I've noticed lately that the 'awwww'-smiley-inducing end stories are making a bit of a comeback. AND a lot of them focus on animals and their 'amazing' behaviour.

And so for the subject of my weekly 'Amazing animals' post, yet again:

Mariska, nicknamed the 'houdini' horse, has learned to unbolt her stable door and indeed that of others. They didn't discuss whether she had made a break for it (presumably she might have done if badly treated) but she's clearly got an independent streak.

See more, read more here.

 

Animals are so underestimated for their intelligence and logic but their ability to reason and solve problems is well documented by scientists and by so many people who have regular contact with animals.

Yet humans consider themselves to be superior to horses and all other living things. It strikes me that a true sign of 'superiority' (I hesitate to even call it that, as it sounds negative) would be to recognise that ALL species are equal and have equal rights - rights to live in peace, without pain, fear and the threat of abuse.

So well done Mariska - for trying to get your voice heard in a world full of humans, most of whom aren't yet listening.

Chantal xx 

have a great weekend x

Animals as sentient beings...

Animals are capable of so much more compassion, love, bravery, and ingenuity than most people realise. 

This link is to a collection of 14 incredible stories that reveal their hidden depths. 

I'm not sure I would have titled it in the same way - but it's one to watch / read and pass on to friends, and should just make us all think about our fellow creatures on this planet.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/stories-that-prove-animals-have-souls

Veggie food review - Chalfont Dynasty (Chinese)

Family gatherings...

Whatever your feelings on the good ole family 'gathering' - one thing's for sure - going to a great restaurant is a real bonus for a more harmonious night out!

Whenever we are in Bucks' visiting family a visit to the Chalfont Dynasty is always a little treat. Having found that eating out  can be somewhat of a challenge when you're vegetarian, in actual fact Chinese and Indian restaurants make a great choice, as they usually offer lots of vegetable dishes and are usually very willing to create dishes especially for you.

This restaurant is no exception and on every occasion that we have visited they have been consistently friendly, welcoming and helpful. 'Ni Hao' (hello)

What we were eating:

To start - vegetable spring rolls and tempura.

In between - vegetarian crispy 'duck' - yes really!

Main event - veggie singapore noodles, salt and chilli bean curd, dry shredded four vegetables (taken from the set vegetarian menu below).

A 'rude not to' dessert - banana fritters with syrup and ice-cream.  

[no pic - I was too busy scoffing!]

From the menu:

£16.50 PER PERSON

VEGETARIAN PLATTER (WITH NUTS)

* * * *

L VEGETARIAN SOUP

* * * *

VEGETARIAN SINGAPORE RICE NOODLES &

CHOICE OF ONE MAIN COURSE FROM BELOW

* * * *

L BUDDHA MIXED VEGETABLES

DRY SHREDDED FOUR VEGETABLES

SWEET & SOUR BEAN CURD

BEAN CURD WITH SPICED SALT & CHILLI

SZECHUAN YU-HONG BEAN CURD

CHINESE LEAVES & NUTS IN CREAMY SAUCE

Although there is a set veggie menu here the main menu doesn't list many vegetarian dishes. However, you can ask for whatever veggie version of a dish you like and they will happily make it for you. They are also aware of detail such as not using vegetable stock or shrimp powder on crispy seaweed etc and they will warn you not to eat the prawn crackers.

And a real bonus is that they will prepare all foods without the allergen / carcinogen / neurotoxin - MSG (you will taste the difference and not be insatiably thirsty all night!).

The starter was really hot and crispy, although it would be better with a dipping sauce - but again they supply something if you ask (we had sweet chilli).

The crispy vegetarian duck is a revelation. I think it's crispy fried tofu - served with the usual accompaniments - and as the main flavour comes from the sauce anyway - its delish and the ideal way to continue eating something that I'll admit that I used to love, but simply cannot eat any more.

Two main dishes and a noodles are plenty for two people - the portions aren't huge but with 4 courses they don't need to be! The veg were tasty, full of texture and served nice and hot.

Dessert was a simple treat. Freshly cooked, crisp, sweet and as it should be.

Despite serving a table of 11 - all of whom ordered different foods - things went very well and the owners of this restaurant managed to strike the right balance of courteousness with a homely welcome . They are patient and attentive. The restaurant itself is a nice size, tables are adaptable, toilets are clean. It's never too busy week nights - although in my opinion this is a shame, as it really is consistently good.

At 27GBP per person it did, at first, seem a little expensive - but then I think the flowing drinks may have had something to do with the cost!

So - as family get-togethers go - this was a great one. Much lively chatter was had over the lazy susan while we tried to not spin it so fast that uncle chris never could get his rice, mum (83) expanded her repertoir of asian foods and got to grips better with chopsticks (the only person who did, I might add) and 2 of my nieces wanted to try the the salt and chilli beancurd - which, they liked! (A veggie conversion pending one day?)

All in all a lovely evening. 'Xiexie'. [thank you]

We'll be back.

Chantal xx

Chalfont Dynasty

 Address:
9 Nightingales Corner
Cokes Lane
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP7 9PZ

Telephone:
01494 764038
01494 765419

Opening times:
Lunch: 12.00pm to 2.15pm
Dinner: 6.00pm to 11.15pm

Dear Mark Price - MD of Waitrose...

Letter #1 to Waitrose MD

Dear Mr Price

Thank you for your second email regarding the current issues with British beef products.

Yet again Waitrose leads the way in proving to genuinely care about its products and its customers. Your ethics are the reason that I prefer to shop in Waitrose over any other supermarket.

I note from your informative letter that you are intending to establish your own 'facility' that will supply and create your frozen beef products.

In my opinion, this is an important move that will allow you to retain far better control over these aspects of food production.

I would however, like to offer two suggestions:

1. Include CCTV in the setting up of the 'facility' that you mention.

There has been a campaign highlighted to me recently (following the horsemeat situation) urging an EDM to be heard in parliament discussing the issue of enforcing abatoirs to install CCTV. This is to ensure that workers treat animals as humanely as possible (as sadly, horrific stories of animal abuse, and even deliberate torture, are routinely uncovered) and that products are what they say they are.

Transparency in our food production is a must in my view - particularly if big business continues to mislead the general public. You can differentiate yourselves and regain public trust.

2. Offer a wider range of meat-free food options.

Scientific research indicates that meat production is contributing more detrimental greenhouse gases than traffic polution! And the massive increase in meat production over recent years simply isn't sustainable. It takes 3 times the amount of resources to produce meat as a food over vegetables, salads, fruits and grains etc. People wouldnt go hungry in this world if we all agreed to eat less meat. Sounds simplistic - but its true. Health would also improve (it's long been recognised that too much red meat isn't good for humans) as would customer budgets and the ability to buy more for the £ - perhaps attracting more people into your stores?!

As the head of a company which appears to care more strongly than others about important issues, I believe these current meat scandals provide you with an opportunity to set an even higher standard. You could demonstrate that, unlike most big businesses today, you still care about the welfare of humans, other animals and our planet.

Hopefully

Chantal

If you would like to email Mr Price as well you can do so here. 

Waitrose reply [from Customer Services]

Thank you for your e-mail.

Firstly, please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you which is as a result of the high volume of e-mails being received at this time.

At Waitrose, traceability and animal welfare go hand in hand.  We know precisely where our food comes from, that it has been produced to the highest standards, and that each of our suppliers respects their livestock.  Waitrose is committed to providing the best conditions for animals at all stages of the supply chain, and to combating cruel practices.

Our dedication to animal welfare earned us the 'Compassionate Supermarket of the Year' title from leading animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) twice in a row, in 2010 and 2011.  It has also helped us win the supermarket category in the RSPCA Good Business Awards in 2005 and 2007.  Waitrose gained a 'Good Egg Award' from CIWF in 2007 and 2008; the most recent following our conversion to 100 percent free range egg as an ingredient in all own label products.

Waitrose know every farmer who supplies every pack of our British pork, bacon and sausages.

Where possible we buy British: all fresh pork (including that sold as sausages), beef, bacon and poultry is British.  All of our turkeys come from the UK or Ireland.  Our organic pig farmers raise their animals outdoors with access to well aired shelters full of fresh straw bedding, and feed them an organic diet.

We own our own farm in Hampshire, the Leckford Estate, which supplies food to our Waitrose shops.

We know the parentage and history of the Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle that supply our beef.  All Waitrose beef comes from animals born and reared by a select group of British farmers who are committed to keeping their cattle happy and healthy.

Our lambs, supplied in season from Farm Assured sites in England, Wales and New Zealand, are reared in open pastures.

Waitrose are leading the way in promoting more sustainable fishing practices.  By having full traceability for all our fish we can be certain we do not sell any illegally caught fish, preventing the undermining of fish conservation measures.  We have switched to line fishing for supplies of cod and haddock and also introduced initiatives to make it easier for customers to identify and buy sustainably-sourced fish.

All Waitrose chickens including Waitrose Essential, Free Range and Organic are UK-hatched and reared.  We know all our farmers and can trace each bird back to its original farm. We do not sell standard intensively reared chicken and our entry level chickens (Waitrose Essential Chicken) are reared to a high standard of welfare.  Waitrose Essential chickens are reared in purpose built houses with big windows which let in plenty of natural light, and at night the birds get six full hours of darkness, 50 per cent more 'rest time' than the industry standard.  Waitrose Essential chickens also get plenty of air via high levels of ventilation and, because they are stocked at a 20 per cent lower level than the industry standard, have the freedom to move around with access to straw bales for environment enrichment and stimulation.

We know the origin of every own-label free-range egg and pint of milk.  All our own-label eggs have been free-range since 2000 and a third of these are organic.  We include only free-range eggs in all our own-label products.  Waitrose were the first supermarket to refuse to sell fresh eggs laid by hens kept in cages in 2001.  All Waitrose yogurts are made from British milk.

I hope you are reassured of Waitrose's commitment to animal welfare.  More information on our policies can be found on our website:

http://www.waitrose.com/home/inspiration/About_our_product_ranges.html

I would like to assure you that the feedback that you have provided us with has been noted and forwarded to the departments concerned, for their information.

Thank you, once again, for taking the time and trouble of writing to us.

Regards,

Dean Baker

Waitrose Customer Sales and Support.


Letter #2 to Mark Price and Customer Services

Dear Dean

Thank you for your detailed email reply.

It certainly is reassuring (to an extent) to know that Waitrose has such close links with its suppliers, but I'm afraid that your reply (which I suspect is probably a standard response that you send to people concerned about animal welfare and traceability) does not answer the two issues that I have raised in my enquiry.

My first was to suggest the installation of CCTV at your new beef processing facility - please can you advise on your plans for this.
(NB 'knowing' suppliers is no guarantee of animal welfare standards and certainly no guarantee of 'humane' treatment at slaughter.)

The second was to offer a wider range of non-meat products in your stores, as it seems to me that they are in decline.

I appreciate that you are probably extremely busy at this time of particular consumer concern - but would welcome your responses to my specific points please.

Many thanks.