Annual food festival shows alternatives to meat and dairy consumption

By Laura Finaldi, News Staff

Between going to class and finishing piles of homework, spending an entire day at the office on co-op and somehow trying to fit in a few hours of sleep, food can sometimes become an afterthought – until it’s 3 a.m. and the only thing that seems right in the world is a slice of barbeque chicken pizza from Il Mondo or a TKO from Chicken Lou’s.

With those easy options readily available and close to campus, the idea of quitting meat-eating cold tofurkey may seem like an effort, especially to older students who don’t make as much use of the dining hall. Last weekend’s Boston Vegetarian Food Festival proved there are ways to still enjoy the same flavors without eating chicken or steak.

The festival is an annual event sponsored by the Boston Vegetarian Society that brings some of the best vegetarian products, restaurants, bakeries, food retailers and chefs from around the country for a celebration of what it means to be a vegetarian or vegan.

Inside the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center at Roxbury Community College, there seemed to be no limit to the use of soybeans in the kitchen. One of the most striking examples of this was “Gardien,” a line of meatless and dairy-free chicken, burgers, wings, steak tips and even a turkey product for Thanksgiving.

At first glance, prepackaged imitations of meats may seem a little sketchy but the similarity in taste between them and the real thing is impeccable. The chicken wasn’t rubbery or bland at all, rather, it was extremely flavorful and had that perfectly-cooked texture that’s just the right blend of rough and smooth.

It was obvious everyone else was just as pleased. Upon taking a bite of the chicken, a woman bought a bag on the spot and, when she got her change, asked “so if I run out, can I just order it on the website through you guys?” Gardien employees assured her she could get her fix at Whole Foods.

Another satisfying and completely vegan entree was one of the festival’s most popular dishes – dairy-free pizza. It was almost impossible to leave the gymnasium without seeing someone holding a slice of Allston restaurant Peace o’ Pie’s gourmet vegan pizza, which they sold for $3 a slice. Peace o’ Pie is completely vegan-owned and operated, so they avoid all animal products, even honey and bone char-refined sugar.

All of their pizzas are made with a base of dairy-free, soy-free mozzarella or cheddar Daiya cheese and can be topped with anything from seasoned “chik’n” strips to “Canadian bacon” to veggies. Their menu has 12 specialty pies, including a Hawaiian pizza, barbeque “chik’n,” “the not-so-secret garden” which is loaded with green bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, and a specialty pie that changes every day. They also serve cookies and cupcakes. Peace o’ Pie delivers to all of Allston and Brighton, as well as parts of Cambridge and Somerville.

There was also a giant Whole Foods booth at the entrance of the gymnasium, where the grocery chain was serving wheat crackers dipped in a healthy, peanut-free alternative to peanut butter called “Sunbutter.”

Let’s not forget about dessert. Vegan Treats Bakery was selling some very pretty cakes in so many flavors it was hard not to stare. Outside in the courtyard there was a food truck from “Like No Udder” frozen desserts, a Providence-based company whose vegan product was just as creamy and delicious as real ice cream.

Although food was probably the festival’s main draw, there was also a vegan dietitian giving advice in five-minute sessions, representatives from CEASE, an anti-fur organization, popular body care company Lush and several different clothing retailers selling leather-free footwear. Boston Organics, a company that delivers fresh, organic produce to homes and offices, also had a table.

A volunteer was stationed at every trash can, telling unsure patrons whether to throw out, recycle or compost their trash, an indication of the festival’s commitment to the environment. In fact, Ellen Jaffe Jones, author of the book “Eat Vegan on $4 a Day: A Game Plan for the Budget-conscious Cook,” who also gave a talk at the festival, said the only way a person can be a true environmentalist is to also become a vegan.

“With all the negative effects factory farms have on the environment, it’s just not possible to be an environmentalist without being vegan,” she said.

Jones, a former television reporter and anchor who holds two Emmy awards in St. Louis and Miami, is now a Florida-based personal trainer who has been a vegan since 2004. Her investigative reporting led her to learn a lot of ugly truths about animal cruelty, including puppy mills and the treatment of circus elephants.

This, combined with a family history of breast cancer and a trip to the emergency room, during which the doctor recommended she have a hysterectomy, was enough to convince her to start getting healthier, she said. The first step was switching to a vegan diet and she wrote her book to help others do the same.

“I don’t want to see the kind of suffering I’ve seen my family persist in such a powerful way.”

Jones was one of many speakers who shared their experiences during the two-day festival. Many of the speakers were also authors, so there was a table where all of their books were on sale.

The variety of meat and dairy-free chicken and steak that are somehow equally as delicious as the real thing may seem hard to believe. But after a visit to this festival, it seems like it may be worth a shot. Especially if, like Jones’ book claims, it can be done on $4 a day.