Make this day a Food Revolution Day
1 Comment
Karen Hamilton
May 19, 2012
My favourite celebrity chef is Jamie Oliver. I love his home recipes, own most of his cookbooks, get a kick out of his Instagram feed, and follow his many social changes. The one that is nearest and dearest to my heart, now that I have a family of my own, is his Food Revolution campaign.
And today, May 19th, is Food Revolution Day.
- Follow @foodrev
- Twitter hashtag: #foodrevolution
- Instagram your #realfood
Around the world, local volunteers and organizations are hosting events today to educate children and families about “real food”. There are 4 events in British Columbia that are listed as official Food Rev events:
OYW Eat Fresh, Eat Local
at Richmond Country Farms in Richmond
Haney Farmer’s Market Taste and Try
at Haney Farmers’ Market in Maple Ridge
Organic Fair Food Revolution Day
at Organic Fair Farm and Garden in Cobble Hill
Urban Ag Book Launch Garden Tour
at Maurer Art Studio in Naramata
Buying tickets to these events online will send your proceeds to the Food Revolution Day coffers. Your funds will be used to support the programs run by the Jamie Oliver Foundation, namely to kick-start the Food Education Box program in the US and the UK. Canadians and global supporters will also benefit from this program in August once the digital Food Education Boxes are published.
Donations are being collected till May 31, 2012.
What am I doing for Food Revolution Day?
In honour of Food Revolution Day and the imminent strawberry season, I’ll illustrate a mother-daughter strawberry pie day from last season, when my daughter was 18 months old. Recipe, movie references, and pastry techniques from the amazing Eagranie Yuh. Watch for it at 10am.
Been meaning to check out Richmond Country Farms since we moved nearby, so I’ve got a hot date with my now 2-year-old toddler at the OYW Eat Fresh, Eat Local event this afternoon.
Post-nap, we’ll tend to our 3 vegetable gardens scattered throughout the Greater Vancouver area. The little one loves to help out.
Also downloaded the free Food Revolution “Home” e-book and donated $20 online.
What can you do for Food Revolution Day?
Here are just a few suggestions of the many ways you can have participate in the Food Revolution.
- Take your family to a Food Rev event (above)
- Host a dinner party in your neighbourhood
- Teach your kids a new recipe or make a meal together today
- Attend a cooking or gardening class with your loved ones and little ones
- Blog and/or share stories about real food and the Food Revolution online
- Download free Food Rev e-books and dinner party starter kits for more inspiration
- Make an online donation between now and May 31, 2012
I’d love to hear what you’re doing, so drop me a line to let me know. Thanks for getting involved.
Viva La Revolución!
Categories: Blogging for Social Change, Events, Food, Food Fun Facts, Going Green, Urban Gardening
It’s All Things Food at the 2012 EPIC Sustainable Living Expo
Leave a Comment Karen HamiltonMay 12, 2012
One of my favourite annual trade shows is happening this Mother’s Day weekend. Now that I’m eligible to be pampered as such, I requested that the family join me as I checked out opening day of the 2012 EPIC Sustainable Living Expo. This year’s theme is All Things Food – Local. Organic, and Healthy.
Here’s what caught our attention.
#1 – EPIC KidZone
This is a model kids’ activity centre for the eco-conscious, food-loving family. Children are invited to plant one of 500 seedlings in raised garden beds. Representatives from Growing Chefs! were on hand to help my toddler plant a snap pea in a biodegradable pot to take home. We also got a packet of sunflower seeds to add to the garden. It’ll help us lure bees to the strawberry and blueberry plants that have just begun to flower.
Don’t forget to enter your name to win one of the 16 raised garden beds that are on display. I had forgotten, and now I’m tempted to return just to be in the ballot.
#2 – Abeego Food Storage
Beeswax is the new cling wrap. No, really.
Abeego is natural, reusable, eco-conscious food storage created with hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts. The fluid-resistant coating keeps food fresh and is easy to clean. Simply hand wash Abeego in COLD, soapy water and enjoy the long life of this breathable, plastic free innovation. Three styles to choose from: Abeego Wrap, Abeego Snack and Abeego Square.
Even Abeego’s cards were made out of the fabric. As I took one to go, I was told that it covers your opened wine bottles in a jiffy. Haven’t seen a business card this food-functional since Meat Cards.
#3 – SpiceWorks’ butter chicken mix
I can’t be bothered to custom-blend Indian spices now that I’m running around after a toddler, but I’ve been reluctant to invest in a mix from a grocery without knowing what it tastes like first. There were other exhibitors peddling butter chicken and its kin. SpiceWorks won the taste test by a green mile.
Happy that the list of ingredients reads like a page from a recipe book, as opposed to a chem lab. Bonus: no MSG and gluten-free.
We are so making this for dinner this weekend.
#4 – 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Program
Whole Foods Market has committed to rating all their chicken, beef, and pork suppliers against the respective standards developed by Global Animal Partnership. It’s like the SeaChoice of livestock: each supplier is rated between Step 1 and Step 5+, with Step 5+ being the most “animal centered”.
Every chicken, beef, and pork product sold at Whole Foods carries a minimum rating of Step 1.
It’s another positive step (heh) towards transparency in our food systems.
#5 – Lunapads
If beeswax is the new cling wrap, then cloth menstrual pads are the new cloth diapers. While Lunapads does not at all fit under the All Things Food theme, I just had to include them in my highlight reel. It was the only EPIC exhibitor I was planning to throw dollars at before I even showed up. Got 2 maxi pads with liner at the show, with $14 worth of enclosed coupons for use at London Drugs ($2 off) or their online store ($5 off when you spend $30+).
I sincerely hope that it’ll be easy to surpass the mental block of what washing these items entails, because I am sick of having single-use plastic against my lady parts!
Visitor Info for EPIC Sustainable Living Expo 2012
Take the time this weekend to check out this great showcase of sustainable products, services, and initiatives. Buy online instead of at the door to save yourselves a few bucks, too.
EPIC Sustainable Living Expo
Vancouver Convention Centre West
Friday, May 11: 1pm – 8pm
Saturday, May 12: 11am – 7pm
Sunday, May 13: 11am – 5pm
Categories: Events, Food, Food Purveyors
Links and resources for the 2012 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival
4 Comments Karen HamiltonFebruary 28, 2012
I’m excited to check out this year’s Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival! 3 months’ gestation is not going to stop me from furthering my wine education, though my tasting notes will mostly be secondhand or drawn from the archives.
Watch this space for spotlights on the Chilean winemakers present at the Festival. Tell me what you want to ask them via comments here, on Facebook, or on Twitter, and I’ll make sure to pass your questions along.
To help you navigate this week-long affair, I’ve compiled and will continue to update my favourite Festival reports and resources below.
Official Festival resources
- Website: playhousewinefest.com
- Buy tickets online: http://tickets.vancouverplayhouse.com/winefest/calendar.aspx
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PlayhouseWinefest
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Playhousewine
- Twitter: @PlayhouseWine, or follow the official hashtag, #VPIWF
If you’re attending Festival events, consider downloading the official app to your iPhone to take notes and favourite the wineries that appeal to you in the tasting room.
Festival tips and etiquette
- Video: Anthony Gismondi’s 2012 guide to the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival [Vancouver Sun]
- Navigating the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival [BC Living]
- Who to meet and what to taste at the 2012 Festival [Daenna Van Mulligan, Wine Diva / Wine Scores]
- Printable list of what to taste at the 2012 Festival (3-pager) [Daenna Van Mulligan, Wine Diva / Wine Scores]
Festival highlights
- Video: 2012 festival preview with Anthony Gismondi [Vancouver Sun]
- Video: Executive Director Harry Hertscheg launches the 2012 festival [Playhouse YouTube Channel]
- 2012 festival launch tasting notes from The Wine Thief [Wine Thief]
Reports on Chile – 2012 Feature Region
- Chile cultivates a new image [Vancouver Sun]
- 15 great Chilean bottles [Wine Diva]
- Spotlight on Chilean Wineries [Wines of Chile press release]
- Chilean wines sparkle at week-long Vancouver festival [Globe & Mail]
- Best Chilean Carmeneres at the Fest [Vancouver Sun]
- From the Tiny Bites Archives: Wines of Chile Supertasting
- From the Tiny Bites Archives: Wines of Chile 2009 photo gallery
Reports on Cabernet – 2012 Global Focus
- 10 Cabernet Sauvignon Picks for Playhouse [Wine Access]
- Best Cabernets, the Festival’s Featured Grape [Vancouver Sun]
Wineries and Wine Media
Follow these personalities on Twitter for live commentary during the week.
Festival Reps
- @PlayhouseWine – official Twitter channel
- Harry Hertscheg – Executive Director, Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival
- #VPIWF – official hashtag
- #Chile2012 – Wines of Chile’s festival hashtag
Wineries
- Wines of Chile
- Wines of Chile [Western Canada]
- Anakena Wines [Chile]
- Viña Caliterra [Chile]
- Viña Canepa [Chile]
- Carmen Wines [Chile]
- Clos du Soleil [BC]
- Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery [Chile]
- Hahn Family Wines [CA, USA]
- Hester Creek Estate Winery [BC]
- Kim Crawford Wines [NZ]
- Nk’Mip Cellars [BC]
- Road 13 Vineyards [BC]
- Viña Santa Carolina [Chile]
- Sumac Ridge Winery [BC]
- Tinhorn Creek [BC]
Media and Oenophiles
- Anthony Gismondi – Vancouver Sun
- Daenna Van Mulligen – The Wine Diva
- Terry David Mulligan – Tasting Room Radio, Hollywood & Vines
- Kurtis Kolt – Cherries and Clay
- Jake Skakun – Cherries and Clay
- Rhys Pender – Wine Plus
- Andrès Caballero – Winemaker for Viña Santa Carolina [Chile]
- Bradley Cooper – Winemaker for Black Cloud, Township 7
- Sandra Oldfield – Winemaker for Tinhorn Creek
- Korol Kuklo – Tinhorn Creek
- Lindsey White – Tinhorn Creek
- Andrew Moon – Tinhorn Creek
- Mark Butschler – Tinhorn Creek
- Wine Access Magazine
If there’s a tip, link, or channel that needs to be added, let me know and I’ll add it to the list.
Drink well and be merry!
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Tiny Bites is a food blog that explores all things edible and imbibable in Vancouver, British Columbia. More >
Articles by Karen Hamilton
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