Toronto Garlic Festival a Huge Success

After several months of  planning the Toronto Garlic Festival came and went, but it left a lingering smile on the faces of the thousands of visitors who came and tasted Ontario garlic. I was a little apprehensive as I drove down to the festival site in the dawn light. So many things to plan and think of over the last six months. What had I forgotten? What had I not thought of or planned for?

Morning greeting with Michael from Chocosol Traders

Stamping hands - no time for a break!

As the first farmers and food vendors arrived and got set up at their tables I could feel the momentum build.  Joe Mehevic, the city councillor came to cook breakfast for the farmers. A CTV cameraman arrived. The last of the farmers came and set up. Then the first few festival visitors trickled in. Within an hour of the 9 am start time the 30,000 square foot pavilion was filling up. Garlic farmers selling garlic were interspersed with chefs cooking with garlic, like a giant checkerboard, and a dream for the garlic lovers who came from across Toronto and the surrounding region. From 9 to 4 pm five thousand visitors came through the pavilion.


A garlic chocolate mob scene at Chocosol

 Kashmiri Saffron Rice with golden butter fried garlic by Chef Sanjiz... garlic chocolate mole tortillas with refried beans, goat chefre, fresh arugula, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds and maple-chili spice from the chocolatiers at Chocosol Traders... mini-garlic pasteured beef burgers by Chef Brad Long... bruschetta on olive oil and garlic rubbed baguette from Chef Anne Sorrenti. The only problem with these garlic inspired delicacies served up by the chefs was that they soon sold out.

My dream to create a garlic festival in Toronto had come true, and except for a few logistical items, like the need for improved bus transportation, and more volunteers, it was a great success.




Deborah and I with friends from Whole Circle Farm, where I interned
in 2010. I was proud to have them as a vendor at the garlic festival

 
 



Chef de Cuisine Jack Sobocinski from Canada's National Ballet School demonstrated how to prepare pork tenderloin
with garlic and herbs



Chef Rodney Bowers sold out of his meatballs



Professor Robert Litke, giving away garlic. Bob (and Paul Pospisil from the Garlic News) got me started in garlic




Garlic farmer and member of the Garlic Growers Ass'n, Al Cowan







A proud former  New York City digital media exec turned garlic farmer,
farmer's market manager and garlic festival organizer.