Have you ever been to the Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Festival Sale? The Ottawa Mennonite Church has hosted this shopping event for over 40 years. If you love food samples and giveaways you should mark November 13th on your calendar because it’s Foodie Friday at the festival. (!) Here’s what awaits you:
- A cookie-decorating station for kids – featuring gingerbread creations from Catherine Beddall, a pasty chef and owner of Catherine Bedall Edible Art. She is a gingerbread magician. Whether you’re already a Christmas baking tour de force, or would just like learn a few things and kick your skills up a notch, you are sure to benefit from Christmas cookie decorating tips, recipes and samples.
- Fairly-traded chocolate samples from Camino, one of the quality food product lines that sells at Ten Thousand Villages.
- A tasting station for Zatoun, a supplier of organic, fairly-traded olive oil and za’atar – an herb mix consisting of thyme, sumac and sesame seed – which is a common appetizer for lunch or dinner in Palestine and other countries. It’s delish.
- A chance to get a jump-start on your Christmas shopping at the Ten Thousand Villages Festival Sale itself, which features a wide range of unique handcrafted items including ornaments, pottery, brass, baskets and jewellery.
The Festival Sale runs every Friday and Saturday throughout the month of November, and the sale of all products helps families in Third-World countries create a sustainable livelihood. Do note that the Foodie Festival Friday is only on the 13th. I’ll be there, so please look for me if you go. :)
