Hi All,

Even a snowy forecast couldn’t keep the crowds away this past Sunday at the sold out Long Island Food and Film Feast! We had an awesome event with great films, thought provoking discussions, and some really great food! As a natural foods chef, I love the opportunity to create dishes without animal products, and show how they can satisfy and replace some of our favorite animal foods. We started the evening with a sampling of some local, raw milk cheeses, served along side of two vegan cashew cheeses, and ended the evening with a triple layer of Banana, Raspberry and Chocolate Mousse, made completely dairy free! We also served two varieties of Turkish Meatballs, one made with local lamb from the East End and one made from lentils, millet and vegetables. (The veggie one is this weeks recipe!) Both varieties were served with the same sauce and guests were invited to try both. And then there was the Jackfruit! This amazing ingredient that can mock a BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich! All in all, it was a great, memorable evening, filled with lots of fun, love and community.

Now we get to look ahead to our next big event, which is the return of the Long Island CSA Fair. Save the Date: Saturday, April 13th from 11-3pm at the Sisters of St. Joseph Farm in Brentwood. This is a great opportunity to meet the farmers who grow our local food, and to compare the different CSA programs available. For those not familiar with a CSA, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it is one of the best ways to guarantee that you will have fresh, locally grown, vegetables, picked at the height of the season. Every farmer runs their program a little different, so that is why it is helpful for you to be able to compare them. Some programs are just vegetables, while some also offer eggs, dairy, flowers or meat as an option. With some programs, you need to pick up your share at the farm, while others have drop off points throughout the area. The cost of each program also varies, so come on down to the farm on April 13th, and meet the farmers. I hope you can make it! Refreshments will be served!

This event is sponsored by the Long Island Food Coalition, Slow Food North Shore, iEat Green, and NOFA-NY, and is organized by me, Bhavani Jaroff, founder of iEat Green and NOFA-NY Board Member.

Date: Saturday, April 13

Time: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Location: Sisters of St. Joseph Farm – 1725 Brentwood Road, Building #2, Brentwood, NY 11717