Vegetarian Food Fair: Loving the sunshine, avoiding the soy

The weather in Toronto last weekend was beautiful, a great weekend for the 25th annual Vegetarian Food Fair at Harbourfront. I went on Saturday intending to catch Meghan’s demo and got there in plenty of time to get a seat but the lure of the sunshine pulled me out of the room in which she was presenting. Anyhow, I figured that my parents and I may as well leave seats to those who don’t already know Meghan’s ideology, right? Those who don’t already read her blog (or her column in National Post but I rather give her blog the traffic) or belong to her Facebook group or occasionally chat with her online.  I’d been interested in the demo prior to hers (Marni Wasserman’s) but didn’t make it.

Lured out, we checked out the various vendors and marketplace. Attempting to avoid the vast array of fake soy products I had only a nibble of fake soy when my father got a plate from King’s Cafe (vegetable dumplings, soy “drumsticks”). Instead I noshed on kiwi, dipped into hummus and babaghanouj from Sunflower Kitchen (it’s my favourite line of hummus for its lack of preservatives and I know the owner), sampled and bought gluten free granola from In the Raw and savored gluten free daily free raw “cheesecake” from Living Sweets.

In the corner of the Brigantine Room I found Vita-Mix Corp.’s booth and inquired about price (show discount? tax free?), stating that I’ve wanted one for years. The lady beside me had just finished saying the same thing. The booth staffer stated that she’d wanted one for years and finally realized that “saving up for it” wasn’t going to happen (we agreed that people don’t put money away for purchases even when intentioned) sucked it up and put it on the credit card. Months later she went to work for the company. I’d suck it up if I hadn’t just bought this MacBook. Oh priorities.

I also sampled Mrs. Beans coffee (their website URL results in a 404 error but maybe that’s just right now). They serve fresh roasted, fair trade and organic coffee grown by small scale farmers in Guatemala, Ethopia, Rwanda, Mexico, Peru and Columbia, roasting small batches in an eco friendly hot air roasting system. I’ve heard that once roasted, coffee goes stale within a few days – less than a week. Mrs Bean’s weekly delivery service guarantees one fresh cup for coffee for 7 days with each serving individually vacuum packaged. Check their URL again to see if it’s up and get more information. (Here is where I’m glad that I take promotional material with me if I think I might read it.)

Was the coffee good? YES! And, I realized, for those who drink coffee regularly (I don’t) it costs less than or about the same as a Starbucks habit. A 14 day supply costs $1.50 per day. Of course, if you drink more than one cup a day or pour your coffee into a huge mug that’s a whole other issue entirely.  The coffee was also good paired with New Moon Kitchen cookies (my dad bought three bags because the were 3 for $10 – or in other words, he let himself be manipulated ).

Other offerings that I didn’t try included vegan truffles,  ice cream and vegan cupcakes, tea and Jamaican patties.

At last year’s event I discovered some cool products and found the fair to have a more diverse group of vendors. I also liked the selection of presenters better last year. Planning an event of this magnitude isn’t easy, though, and when you’re trying to please everyone you take your chances.

Whereas I only got a photo of the human pea but saw the human banana BlogTO‘s Jen Brailsford got photo of the pea, the banana and… whatever the heck that is. A carrot?

After wandering around I sat by the water watching the people and boats and the airplanes flying into the island airport. Then it was a quick stop back to the Sunflower Kitchen booth to buy our dips before going home.

Numerous people have criticized the festival saying that there was too much fake meat. I can understand that but here’s my take on it: There’s something to be said for playing it safe for the masses and trying to please more people. Usually, and despite the fact that I try to, I’m of the opinion that you shouldn’t try to please everyone. However, at an event like this  there can be something for everyone.

They could preach exclusively to the converted (the current vegetarians and vegans), potentially intimidating everyone else and giving off the vibe that the outdated notions of vegetarianism is true. Or, they can offer something challenging to those people AND also make it accessible to the rest.

If fake meat is what it takes to ease them in than it’s a start. That’s Vegetarianism 101. Vegetarianism 201, however, should be “Now that you’ve made the transition, let’s decrease the amount of soy and increase the amount of vegetables and grains”.  I admit – shamefully when I speak to some people – that I sometimes like soy meatballs on my salad. However, I cook a lot with my favourite grain, quinoa.

(I’ve also been eating vegan dinners all week because of the bounty of local produce and the fact that after a summer of letting vegetables from the CSA and farmer’s market go to waste I’m trying to make an effort to use them.)

An idea: Borrow from the conference model of presentations being rated beginner, intermediates and advanced.

What other bloggers are saying about the Vegetarian Food Fair:

• BlogTO: Vegetarian Food Fair Makes Me Rethink My 3am Greasy Cheesburger Hangover Habit
• Meghan/Making Love in the Kitchen: I knew she’d be criticizing the soy but I found samples of grains, dips and other non-soy products
• Ash/Dancing Through Life: Disappointed by the Lack of Vegetables at the Vegetarian Food Fair
• Evolving Wellness: Vegetarian and Vegan and Raw! Oh My!