The Seed: Vegan Food Event in Soho

After spending close to an hour in a giant loft space in Soho where a boutique trade show called "The Seed" was being held to promote veganism, I found the general appearance of the event to be a lot more disheveled and untidy than its advertising suggested. That said, veganism has reached a new level of sophistication and some vendors at the show did represent that side of it. Here are some notable standouts at this event:

1) Café Blossom on Carmine
It's a shame that this upscale vegan restaurant brought its chef Jeremy Scullin but no food samples. I think a lot of people would have been surprised to taste how exciting vegan meals can be. The only reason I can actually vouch for this place is that I've eaten there several times. The food is rather pricey but if you think of it as a spa treatment for your digestive system then the prices are easier to swallow. I recommend the slow-roasted rutabaga and the sauteed fiddlehead ferns side dish if it's available.

2) Viridis Aurum, homemade sicilian olives



"Viridis aurum" means green gold. These olives, cured with love by a Long Islander are packed with flavor. They're also packed in their own oil, something I've never seen before. The result is potent and very tasty.


3) The Regal Vegan



Like the vendor above, The Regal Vegan brought samples. I tried the Faux Gras which is a nice alternative to hummus and is absolutely something that can enhance your party spread.

4) One Lucky Duck



Now this is the kind of vegan fare I was hoping to find at this event, good products even a carnivore would love. With these healthy and tasty macaroons, One Lucky Duck transforms raw ingredients into raw amazement. I sampled a chocolate macaroon and a blondie macaroon and they were both delicious. I'm now looking forward to sampling more from this company, starting with the Rawtella, which is their raw vegan version of Nutella.


5) PlantFusion



I don't use protein supplements, but if I did, I would consider trying this product. Each 30g scoop contains 21g of complete protein from plant sources that include amaranth and quinoa.