Vegan Food Swap – November – Thank you for the LPK Treats and please support local businesses

This month I was matched up with Carrie from 30×30, like me, she lives in Toronto. And like me, when I get someone local to my city, I wonder… what the heck should I sent them. She opted to send me stuff from her side of town, which I appreciated, because I never really get out there as often as I might like to.

Even more appreciated is that she sent me treats from the soon-to-be-closing LPK’s Culinary Groove. Lesia and the people at LPK founded the business on certified organic, fairly/horizontally traded ingredients, and certified local/sustainable ingredients whenever possible, and were conscious of their choices, environmental impact, and causes they supported. I loved seeing them at events and farmers markets, because it usually meant that I had something to eat (like when they were one of the few vegan/vegetarian food options at the Green Living Show…)

And I want to take this opportunity to share part of Lesia’s post on her blog (please read the rest of it) that I found especially essential to read, and take to heart.

• Please consider taking some extra time when it comes to making food choices, by really becoming aware of who and where your food comes from. Just because something is made from “natural” ingredients, what does that actually mean? Is it really better to have something that travelled halfway across the world rather than choosing something which was grown or produced right here in our own back yard?
• Shop at local, organic farmers’ markets, and get to know who and where your food comes from. There are markets going almost every day throughout Toronto, and they’re virtually one-stop shopping (produce, dairy, bread, baked goods, and even meat). There’s something very empowering about taking an active part in supporting our local food community. Make the connection.
• Shop with local, artisanal small businesses where, for the most part, food is still prepared and crafted by people, not machines. There is something to be said for the energy and sense of purpose that goes into something created by a human being, instead of a collection of well-oiled, well-timed, computer driven metal and plastic.

I live my life by these principles whenever possible, and I value the local businesses that we have, and the vast variety of choices we have here in Toronto, and in communities all around the world. Meet your makers, your growers, your next-door bakers, and your cooperative stores.

I’ll get off my local-made, vegan, soap-box and get on with sharing how much I loved Carries package.

There was a delicious peanut butter square:

And a package of cookies called “Mylana’s Poppers” that reminded me a little bit of chocolate teddy grams.

And finally, a delicious chocolate tart with a vegan marshmallow on top.

Thank you Carrie, and thanks to LPK’s Culinary Groove (718 Queen St E, Toronto, ON) for making such delicious treats. They’re open until at least December 31st, 2012, so check them out if you can.

So, Sign up for next month’s vegan food swap. You have until December 5th.

This is what people got in November. November Swappers, feel free to add to it!