​Columbus Taco Fest
Genoa Park, 303 W Broad St
Columbus, OH 43215

Written and Photographed by Doreen Dawkins

​Sidebar: Not too long ago I attended the COSI Fest. The COSI garage cost $5 during the time of the COSI Fest. I planned to park in the COSI garage until I saw the $20 event parking sign. It actually cost $10 for the paved lot across the street from the garage, but a golf cart was blocking the sign when I drove past. I parked in a grass lot for $10. The grass was about 6 inches tall. I am thankful that I wore hiking boots…. In my opinion the paved, lot across from the COSI garage is the best value to avoid itchy ankles if you wear shorts. 

​People were willing to wait in line…

Sami
Why did you come to the Columbus Taco Fest?
I got hand picked by my group to come to the Taco Festival.
Because?
It is an amazing event to come to and get a lot of Tacos.
Which truck did you try and was it any good?
We tried The Best Tacos in the city.  They are good!
Is there more to do than just eat at the Columbus Taco Fest?
It’s an event where people can come and try Latin culture and food. Some people aren’t even Latino, they just appreciate the fact that it is tacos.
Is it expensive?
It is better to come with a group.
 
Valentina
Why did you come to the Columbus Taco Fest?
I usually just come for the tacos. I like the vibe of everyone coming together around food. It is a chill space and to hang out.
What about the music is good?
It is really good music. 

​Why did you come to the Columbus Taco Fest?
It shows how Columbus is expanding its diversity and outreach to different communities. When you think about tacos, you think something Latino or Hispanic, but we have a salsa band here which is Al Son Del Iya. They are local. They usually perform the first Friday of every month at Brothers Drake Meadery, 26 E 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201. They are here supporting the community and giving people exposure and awareness of Latin American culture.
 
I played in a salsa band for 6 years. I am bilingual, but I am from the African American community. Their roots are African as well. We have things in common. We can come together instead of looking at differences. 

Sidebar: I was impressed with the talent level of a young man dancing. I was more impressed when he encouraged two younger boys who watched him dance. Then, they started dancing. Watching the interaction was priceless.

​Sidebar: I listened to the entire set. This group was AMAZING! Many times, a group has one or maybe two talented musicians but, in this group, EVERYONE was on point. Is it obvious what my favorite part of this festival was?

​Tell me about the group.
I been playing music since I was 7.  I migrated to the United States in 1991. To make a long story short, I came to Ohio. This band has been 5 years in the making. We started with some cats that didn’t stay. This guy from Puerto Rico came in and now we have been together about 3 years. This is a family thing. We all get along. There is no drama or fighting. We do what we do best.

What is your background?
In Puerto Rico I was around folk musicians, so I grew up in the folk scene. When I came to Ohio. I got together with other Hispanics like Tino who is from Peru. What we have in common is salsa music. I love salsa. That is what my mom brought me up with. I am really happy to be here, and I am really happy to share salsa with everybody.
Anything else?
Come check us out the first Fridays of every month at Brothers Drake Meadery. We have a steady crowd. People come to dance. Nobody cares how you dance, as long as you come and have some fun.
Do you have a CD out?
We are working on it right now. 

​This is a pet friendly festival.

Sidebar: I walked past the guy holding the sign a few times. I’m not sure if his microphone was working as I didn’t hear him screaming, yelling, talking loud or actually saying anything. I only noticed this on the way out because I had to walk right next to them.
 
My take: Park in the paved lot, or at a meter. Plan to chill and enjoy the live music. Get up and dance whether you can dance or not. This festival is a great opportunity to connect with people around music and dancing.

Categories: Festivals, Food

Written and Photographed by Doreen Dawkins

​Whetstone Community Center
3923 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43214

According to wwwcbusvegest.com, “The Columbus VegFest is a day of education promoting sustainable living, healthier bodies and a more compassionate society”.  It was a dreary day. During my visit, it rained buckets. The good thing is many of the vendors are inside; so, there was a lot to experience, dry.

​There was a tent set up outside where educational talks were given. I’m sure they were very informative; but, by the time I was ready to sit down for a presentation, there was a break in the rain; so, I left. 

​Are you local?
No, we are out of Lakewood, Ohio. We are originally from Cleveland, Ohio.
 
What does a Vegan donut consist of? Different flavors?
Basically, it is plant based. No animals are harmed. If you are Vegan, there are no eggs and no dairy. It is basically fruits. It is still a yeast raised donut. It is not gluten free. Everything you see here is all natural including the sprinkles (no artificial coloring).
 
Can you use sugar?
Yes. Organic cane sugar.
 
What are your different flavors?
We have bomb pop which is lemon icing with sprinkles, s’more, strawberry shortcake, raspberry with sprinkles, cookies and cream, and glazed twist.
 
What is a s’more?
It is graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow roasted.  This is our version on a donut.
 
I assume these are good.
Yes, we came all the way from Cleveland and our line of people was all the way back. 
 
Sidebar: I tried the donut, and it was good.  

​Smash Bowl is located in Nashville Tennessee area. We have been in business for about 3 years. We do special events all across the country. We got into this business for a couple of different reasons. (1) my wife and I have been vegan for about 25 years. (2) we are martial artists. This business started with our love for martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jisu. All our products come from the Amazons of Brazil. We are 100% dairy free. There are no animal products in anything that we sell. We don’t even use honey. It is considered animal products by many vegans. No milk and no dairy.
 
Smash Bowl. What is it?
Acai is a berry that grows on the palm trees in Brazil. They make the berry into a puree. We make it into a sorbet and add toppings such as granola, and agave. It is super rich in antioxidants. It’s a lot of super foods packed in one bowl. 

​Kombucha is a fermented tea. It has probiotics in it; live bacteria, organic acids. It is made from sweet tea. I use black and green tea and organic sugar. We add a live culture to it and let it ferment for about three weeks. The culture has yeast and bacteria that live in harmony. The live culture eats all the sugar and it turns into probiotics; amino acids, organic acids. It helps your digestive system. After the initial fermentation, I put it in a second fermentation with the fruits and the berries and whatever I choose to flavor it for another week. Then, we bottle it and it goes out to the stores. 
 
What are the benefits?
It is like a detoxer.  After drinking the tea, I have heard that people have been cleansed out thoroughly. 
 
Do all the flavors have the same benefits?
They all have common benefits. The lemon ginger is awesome for your stomach. The same with the blueberry cardamom.  The blackberry blossom has some flowers like red clover and elder flower in it that are awesome for the immune system. It is good to use in the winter time if you have a cold or feeling sick.
 
Are you local?
We have a shared kitchen space in Zanesville, Ohio. 
 
Anything else you want me to know?
I’m happy that people are finally catching on to how awesome kombucha is.
 
Is this a vegan product?
Yes. It is vegan and gluten free, very low in sugar.  It is awesome.  It is good for your stomach and has all the digestive aids.
 
Sidebar:
I tried the lemon ginger. It was pretty good. 

Is this Vegan Chocolate?
Yes. We are a 100% bean to bar company based in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
What is your claim to fame?
We take pride in using no animal products.  We use cruelty free products as much as possible and ethically sourced like a cow from sustainable cooperatives.
 
What are your flavors?
White chocolate, Raspberry White Chocolate, Peppermint white chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate (72% Columbian Cacao), Dark Chocolate (71% Belizean Cacao). Caffe Mocha Mile Chocolate, Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt White Chocolate, Mint Julep (Milk Chocolate), and Bourbon Dark Chocolate.
 
We use Bourbon from a local distillery called Rabbit Hole.
 
You can get fat eating this right? It has a bunch of sugar, right?
Yes. It’s animal free and its cruelty free but it has all the things that make it good.
 
What is your personal favorite?
It is probably a tie between the Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt White Chocolate and the Columbian Dark chocolate.
 
How much are these bars?
$6 each. The special during the Columbus VegFest is 5 for $25.
 
Sidebar:
I did taste the two Dark Chocolate favors and the Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt White Chocolate. They tasted ok to me; but, it had a slight aftertaste. Again, my disclaimer, I’m not Vegan.
 
They had a faculty representative from the School of Alternative Medicine giving free Reflexology. It was past relaxing and FREE on top of that.   

​What are you doing here?
I have my three different bars for a $1 donation. Almond Strawberry Rose, Almond Apricot Peach Saffron, and Intense Raspberry Almond. My top seller German Chocolate cookie is gone. I got up at 5 am this morning and made 8 dozen. I should have made more.
 
Who are we collecting for today?
The Columbus Veg community, Vegan shift, and Marysville Sunrise Sanctuary.
 
Anything else you want me to add?
Come and try it.  Consider going Vegan. It is good for the body, mind, and soul. Most importantly, it is good for the environment. 

​What product did I just eat?
I believe you had our Sunny Crunch. The leaf is called Crystal bell. It is a lighter cruncher alternative to iceberg or romaine lettuce. It has a lot more nutrients and is a lot healthier.
 
Did you say you will be in select Walmarts?
Yes, we will be in select Walmarts in the Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton areas in October. We are located in Wilmington. Our goal is to provide service to a 200-mile radius. We do have green houses in DC, Philly, and Chicago as well. We are new in this area. The biggest thing is we ask that you talk to your local grocery store produce manager or even post on social media and tell them you have tried Bright Farms and it is amazing. Going local is better than importing from California.
 
Anything else?
We are non-GMO verified, pesticide free.  We are 24-hour harvest to store, and we are grown hydroponically. We are cleaner than organic. A lot of organic products still use organic pesticides. Growing hydroponically is just minerals, greens, water in a soil free medium. We are a premium product with a standard price.
 
Sidebar:
This was really good. He told the truth! I would buy this again.  They also have other products; but, I didn’t try those.

​What is Vegan Shift?
It is a Vegan advocacy and empowerment organization. We focus on vegan education, vegan lobbying, vegan community outreach, and community events, such as the Doo Dah parade. Our goal is to spread Veganism.
 
We care about the people, and the planet as well as the animals. We feel that a change needs to be made to save the planet, environment, animals, and people. We are about an elevated consciousness and understanding the effects of our actions, and how we can live more sustainably for the entire planet. We don’t promote baby steps. We think it is time to make a big step. We are not about meatless Monday or reducing consumption. We are about Vegan.     Vegan is not just a diet. Veganism is how you care about every earthling.
 
Anything else?
Go to www.veganshift.org you can find the Columbus Vegan meetups. You can find a lot of great educational information there as well. If you are looking to volunteer, you can reach us at  www.veganshift.org or on Facebook’s Vegan Shift site. We always need extra help volunteering.

​Jamie Inks, Jinxi Chocolate and Wooster Chocolate Company, www.jinxichocolate.com
Tell me what you want me to know.
We are a Vegan, gluten free organic bean to bar chocolate. We used three ingredients to make our dark chocolate: cocoa beans, a little extra cocoa butter, and sugar. Our Vegan milk chocolate has the addition of coconut milk. It’s all soy free, diary free and gluten free.
 
How much do your products cost?
They are on the high end of the chocolate scale because we use pure ingredients and we make very small batches. Typically, the bars run $2.50 to $4. You get what you pay for.
 
Anything else you want me to know?
We have a boutique store and café in Wooster, Ohio.  We have Vegan soft serve and hot chocolate all day. It’s a fun place to come and hang out, play board games and be with your friends.
 
Is the soft serve free?
No, it is not. It’s organic and Vegan. It will be a little bit higher than the ice cream store down the street. Again, you get what you pay for.

​I had something that was amazing. What was it?
That was our Sriracha Vegan Bean Back Snack Strip. It’s a new product. I just got the labels two days ago.
 
There was a cheese looking thing on the top. What was that?
That is follow your heart vegan smoked gouda cheese. You can buy it at Meijer and Whole Foods.
 
Tell me what you want me to know.
I’m a comedian allergic to everything delicious. I was hungry and I needed to make something to eat. I found all these fake meats that have ingredients that I’m allergic to, like soy and gluten. I decided to make an allergy friendly vegan bacon. We are going on our second year of making this bacon.  We are from Athens, Ohio. We have five different products.
 
How much does one little strip cost?
You get two strips in a package. The original cost is $3. The Sriracha cost $4. But today, we are offering a mix and match- 3 for $10.
 
What’s up with the high prices?
It’s all organic ingredients. When you consider that only organic ingredients are used, it is not that much more than other things that are out there.

​Do you find that it is hard being an African American female vegetarian?
Absolutely! In our culture, we eat meat. When you go to family functions, or any kind of social function, there is always meat available. You have to go prepared.
 
Is it more expensive to be a Vegetarian?
It is not expensive. It is actually more cost effective. The truth is, you can grow your own vegetables and that is a very easy process.
 
Is it easy being Vegetarian eating out?
It is not easy, because we are in a meat-eating society. There are not a lot of options on menus other than salads and things which makes it challenging when you go out to eat.   
 
If a person is single no dependents and not trying to cook are you saying this is not for them?
No, I’m not saying that at all. I think it is a wonderful option. They just need to prepare themselves for being in a meat driven society. It is not impossible. There are a lot of Vegan restaurants opening.
 
Where are they?
Willowbeez has a pop up at Hills Market, Loving Hut which is located off of Livingston Avenue, and the Acre which is in Grandview. You have to go online and research Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants. There is at least half a dozen to a dozen restaurants.
 
Ok, what if a person doesn’t have deep pockets like you? Chocolate bars are $6 each.
First, that’s a festival. They have to recoup their money because that is a one-time thing. They are not a standing restaurant. Second, vegetables are more fibrous. They explode in your stomach., not like an explosion; but, they are more filling. Therefore, you eat less. When you have meat and other processed food, you are hungry more often. If you have more of a vegetarian diet, you can go longer without eating because what you eat is sustaining you. It is more cost effective. If you want to sit down and see your plate full, then that is a mental conditioning which most American’s have. You are not going to have that if you are vegetarian. Everything that you need will probably not fill up the plate.  It will be fibrous and hearty; so, you won’t have to eat three big meals and feel full. You will have one hearty meal that will carry you through most of the day.
 
Anything that I didn’t ask you that might be beneficial for someone that wants to follow in your footsteps?
Be kind to yourself. It doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process. You are going to want to eat meat. Start by cutting down your portions. Studies have shown that many can not go directly from meat eating to vegetarian. You may have a negative reaction. It is your bodies conditioning to want sugar, fat, and salt. Be patient. Introduce it slowly. If you were raised a vegan or vegetarian, it is much easier.
 
What is the fitness/healthy aspect of being vegan/vegetarian?
Sugar is sugar. Sugar if not metabolized as energy will turn into fat. 
 
Anything else?
First, research it. Consult with your doctor. Studies have shown that there are some ethnic groups that do not benefit from veganism or vegetarianism.
 
Wow it might not benefit folks?
Yes, it’s just like as African Americans, we should not be drinking milk. That’s why our bodies are lactose intolerant. Our bodies are telling us that we don’t need it. Some cultures do not eat meat by situation or religion. Their ancestors have established that in their DNA. Vegan and vegetarian might not be for every culture.
 
Vegan and vegetarians have to make sure they are getting all the necessary nutrients. If your fruit or vegetable is not in season or indigenous to where you are living, it is probably not going to help you. It is growing at a certain time to help you. If I am shipping in kiwi from Hawaii, my body is probably not going to metabolize it over the winter time.  My body is going to say- what is this?
 
Let’s say a person usually eats 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. You can start by having 6 to 10 of those meals be vegan or vegetarian based. The remainder “regular.”  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, Vegan/vegetarian ensures we have the proper minerals and vitamins from plant based.
 
I’m thinking about breakfast, Is cereal ok?
Some grain. Now we are talking about breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is very traditional. You should eat when you are hungry. It all depends on what your body is telling you.  It is good to have meals pre-prepared. But, that is with anything. Otherwise, you are going to put together trash.
 
If you are a true die-hard vegan, you do not put heat to anything, everything is raw. Most of the time when you see recipes, you are eating vegetarian. You can add heat and add oil in vegetarianism. For vegans, if you can’t pick it out of the earth and put it in your mouth, it’s not true vegan.
 
So those chocolate bars were vegetarian and not vegan?
Right.  Those chocolate bars were processed, they are vegetarian. They spin it as vegan because it may not have eggs and stuff like that. A true 100% vegan, everything is raw. It works with the bacteria in your body. A lot of the gut problems we have is because we introduce heat and oils. That’s why we have colitis. 

​My take:
I loved attending Columbus VegFest! I learned a lot. There seemed to be one vendor that was selling some type of wrap. They were the first vendor as you enter the auditorium. The line was very long. It made it difficult to get into the auditorium. I would suggest they have a different location that isn’t close to the entry and speed up their service. I wanted to try a wrap; but, I didn’t want to wait in the long line. In practice, I am thinking about April Tisby’s practical advice. Who knows?  One day, I might commit to the 6 to 10 vegetarian meals. I will look for the Bright Farm products because that was past good! As for me and my house, we are going to continue to have regular desserts. 

Categories:  Festivals,   Food

​                     Written and Photographed by Doreen Dawkins
                  Edited by Kyra Dawkins

​I arrived prior to the start of the shuttle service provided from Beechwood and Etna Rd.  Elementary schools. So, I took a chance and tried to find a close spot in the neighborhood. I was pleasantly surprised that there was ample free street parking within 3 blocks of the event. As a blogger, I wanted to interact with a few of the food truck owners to get insight on their claim to fame. As a foodie, I wanted to make sure that when I purchased my lunch I was getting the best of the best.

What is your claim to fame?
My jerk chicken. Anything really.  If you like jerk, you will like this.
Anything else you want me to include on the blog?
The name Twinado came from the fact that I have twin sons. And they are twin tornados.
So, you gonna tell me what’s in the special sauce?
No, no, no, no…
Sidebar: I had the jerk chicken, rice and peas, and coleslaw. I told Reana that I would just take the picture of the coleslaw because I rarely eat it. She insisted that I try it, and I’m glad she did. I ate every morsel. The meal was “da truth! ”

​What is your claim to fame?
I like to make good food for good people. If you look at my Facebook page,  I have won some competitions. I was proclaimed the Sugardale Grand Bacon Champion. I thought I needed to be out here making my food, giving it to the people. About a year ago, I started this food truck. This was the first festival I was at last year and now we are back full circle.
Hold up, you giving out free food. Do you want to clean that up?
Yeah let me clean that up. I have a menu here with many lovely things to eat. Nothing is free but everything is affordable.
If I buy one thing off your menu, what is it?
If you buy two things off the menu,  you buy the deep fried candy yam dumpling and the deep fried collard green egg rolls. If New York cheesecake and sweet potato pie had a baby and threw it in some grease it would be the deep fried candy yam dumpling. The collar green egg rolls are made from scratch using smoked turkey meat, collard greens, then wrapped in your classic egg roll wrapper.
Sidebar: I had both. Let me say that no words I use will be able to describe how wonderful both items tasted. In my mind I thought collard green egg roll would be good in concept but horrible in execution. Wrong.. “Da absolute truth.” The deep fried candy yam dumpling was like nothing I ever tasted before. If I didn’t think I would pass out from the combination of carrying my camera gear, the heat, and a sugar high, I would have purchased more.

​What is your claim to fame?
Jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtail, goat, Jamaican beef patty, rice and beans, and cabbage.
Come on now, you done told me everything on the menu. I’m asking if I can purchase one thing. What should I purchase?
Jerk chicken.
Anything else you want me to include on the blog.
We have been here since 2003. The first one on the block.
I asked for a non-spicy version of jerk chicken. I love spicy but spicy doesn’t love me. I was served jerk chicken, rice and peas, and cabbage. The food was good.  I wasn’t able to finish it due to all the other food I already ate. I don’t believe in wasting good food so I viewed it as an opportunity to bless someone with a meal.

​Several hours later I had my first beef patty for dinner. It was pretty tasty. I ate the whole thing. I ate it even though I was still full. Pray the spirit of gluttony doesn’t overtake me…

​Yes, we have been doing this for two years. We offer Argentine flavors and Empanadas (chicken or beef). On our paella, we can do what the customer wants (chicken, chorizo,  veggies, vegetarian, gluten free). We have Churros with caramel and chocolate.
 
If I can only buy one thing off your truck, what should I buy?
The sampler because many people don’t know our food. For festivals it is one rib, 1 empanada, and a paella. And it comes with whatever you want on it (all protein, or exclude pork, or vegetarian, etc.)
Is this a family business?
Yes, my father started when he was 13 years old. He worked in a bakery for 15 years. After 15 years he started his own bakery where we served Empanadas and everything. At that time I was about 7 years old. I grew up in the business. We moved to the United States. For two or three years we had a home baking business. Then we started doing festivals. In 2016 we got a food truck. In one year we won the best food truck in Columbus, Westerville, Whitehall and third place in Springfield Food truck competition.
 
Anything else?
We do a lot of work to make this possible. We consider our clients our boss. So whatever they want, we are here to make them happy. We want to satisfy them with our flavors. This is our purpose.

​This is a business that the Lord gave me. I have been doing it for 20 years. Homemade Italian ice. I make it like they do on the East coast. It is called water ice there,  but Iccees or Italian ice here.
What is the best flavor?
There is no best flavor. It’s all good.
If I can buy one thing, what should I buy?
I tell people to get what they are in the mood for.
Sidebar: As a youth,  I would put fruit flavored drinks in the freezer,  go outside to play, then return to munch on our flavored treat. Eating this Italian ice brought back memories of that time. This new and improved version probably doesn’t have the high sugar content that our Hawaiian punch or Koolaid did.

​If I can only buy one thing off your truck, what should I buy?
Chicken wings.
Why a food truck?
It’s my passion. It’s what I wanted do my whole life. I want everyone in the public to know what I experience in my house.
Sabrina Wilford
I’m here for my husband to support him and everything he does. He cooks at work he cooks at home, and he cooks on the truck. We move the truck around. We have a Denny’s on wheels. This is basically a breakfast food truck, but we do have some lunch items.

​What is your claim to fame?
We specialize in Angus beef brisket. We have been around for 8 years. We are pioneers in the food truck industry. Look us up on Street Food Finder.
 
If I can only buy one thing off your truck what should I buy?
In my opinion, the Billy Club. It has applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, romaine tomatoes, organic greens, with our signature 5 0 sauce. It comes with kettle chips.
 
Anything else you want us to know?
Columbus food trucks are on the rise. You better jump on now or you gonna miss the ride.

​What is your claim to fame, if I have limited money what do I buy?
Everything we have is good, but you would have to get the bourbon chicken. But, I like the fish sandwich myself. It comes with lettuce, tomato, onions, and our special Cajun tartar sauce.
 
Anything else you want me to include on the blog.
We have been doing this business for about 13 years now. We do most of the events around Columbus. Up until this year, we were the only people selling fried fish, chicken, and shrimp at the Columbus Rib and Jazz Festival.

​What is your claim to fame?
Just serve out good food fast.
If I have limited money, what do I buy?
A hot dog or sliders. 2 sliders are $6.
I’m trying to figure out what your signature item is?
Some good home cut fries.

​What is your claim to fame?
Our fish boat that is what we are known for. It is a boneless fish on a whole wheat bun, our special tartar sauce, shredded cabbage, onions, and tomatoes. We also have daily specials like the fish and fries. We have tenders and fries, wings and fries, we have delicious creamy coleslaw, fried okra.

​A few pictures to show that more goes on than buying and eating food:

My take:
This festival is great! It packs a lot in a small space. They had two stages where bands performed, and lawn areas where people can sit, dance, play, etc. There appeared to be ample places to sit and eat. The food was excellent. I had a great time connecting with new people and reconnecting with those blasts-from-the-past folks. This blog is pretty long so I included the pictures on our 614whats2love youtube channel:https://youtu.be/KoIG_QdjNUs
​

Categories: Festivals, and Food