Last weekend I attended the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) Vegetarian Food Fair. This year, I sought out more engaging speakers and even more delicious food.
We were early to claim seats for Sarah Kramer’s cooking demonstration. Kramer complained it was “too hot” to cook, switching gears to an audience-engaging trivia game show called “Canada’s Next Top Vegan”. She gave away lots of prizes and was immensely entertaining; at one point she misread one of her prompting cards and quipped “Must be because I don’t get enough protein”. My friend picked up a copy of the new book La Dolce Vegan and had it signed by Kramer, who was kind enough to pose for pictures with her fans.
Other highlights of this year’s fair included a new product called It’s all good – a line of mock-meat main dish cutlets, filets, and strips in the style of chicken and beef. None were for sale at the fair, but judging by how fast the samples flew off the plates, sales for this company will be boosted by the event. If you are someone who truly misses meat, these are a must-try.
As always, food was central to the festival. An excellent Indian lunch was had by Zara’s Gourmet Kitchen (including curried okra, dal, and samosas) and samples of Tofu Cuties, Fresh Organic Coffee, and Spiced Carrot Cake and “Cream Cheese” Icing by Sweets From the Earth left us full to the brim.
The best part of annual Food Fair, however, is not the free food, demos, or speakers, but that for once vegetarians and vegans can walk around sampling foods and learning about new products that fit their dietary needs. There is no need to ask “Does this contain egg?” or “Is this soup made with chicken broth”? While most samples are free, I could argue that the experience is priceless.
