Falafel Guy found
Don't get too excited. I haven't found a falafel cart yet for Joe Surkiewicz, who is pining for one near his City Halll-area office.
But I did find Falafel Guy, the JFX farmers' market vendor I've been missing since the market closed for the season last fall. Where I found him made me think there's more money in falafel than I'd imagined.
Falafel Guy is wintering in Vail.
It's not really as posh as it sounds. Falafel Guy, aka Adam Kandel, followed a friend out to Colorado. He's working as a ski lift operator.
The 29-year-old from Hamilton promises he'll be back in Baltimore before the Sunday market starts up again in spring. It will be his fifth season there.
Meanwhile, there is a way to get your hands on one of his wraps without flying to Vail.No, there are no strawberries in the sandwiches this time of year. But shredded beets, carrots, purple cabbage and local hothouse arugula keep the chickpea croquettes company inside a soft wrap.
Everything but the wraps -- those are purchased the day they're baked at a Middle East Bakery in Beltsville -- is made from scratch with organic ingredients. They even grind sesame seeds to make their own tahini. The sandwiches are vegan, unless customers take the optional honey condiment. As an animal product, honey is not vegan, Kandel noted.
(Am I the last one to learn that vegans don't eat honey? Don't bees make honey and live in cramped quarters in nature? I mean, the bee hive is the original factory farm, in a good way. But I digress.)
The sandwiches cost $8 at the JFX market, a little less in the off season at Waverly. How much less? Kandel didn't want to give me the price because he doesn't want the JFX crowd to expect the winter price.
I'll try to get over to his stand at the Waverly market to find out -- and grab a great lunch at any price.
Comments
How much less? Kandel didn't want to give me the price because he doesn't want the JFX crowd to expect the winter price.
I'm sure the internet will keep his secret safe.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | February 26, 2010 6:36 AM
If Kandel is concerned about the "winter price", why doesn't he just sell his falafels in Vail? I bet he could get away with charging really high prices to the chi-chi ski crowd out there.
Posted by: hmpstd | February 26, 2010 7:12 AM
You know what else vegans don't eat? JELL-O
Posted by: matt hudock | February 26, 2010 7:19 AM
But we eat vegan Jell-O, Matt! (It's made with fruit pectin.) Vegans don't have to miss out on the joys of key lime pie or Jell-O shooters.
Laura: The short answer is that honey isn't vegan because it's food for the bees, not for us (just like cows' milk is food for calves).
Posted by: Shannon | February 26, 2010 7:39 AM
If there's a buzzing-noise, somebody's making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you're a bee.
And the only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey.
And the only reason for making honey is so as I can eat it.
Posted by: Winnie-the-Pooh | February 26, 2010 8:04 AM
I didn't know about vegans not eating honey either, LV. Shannon's explanation makes sense though. I'm still thinking "nothing with a face". I need to broaden my thoughts evidently, b.c. I didn't even know about milk, although I did know about eggs.
Posted by: Joyce W. | February 26, 2010 8:38 AM
I know we are so over the whole captcha thing but when I pulled up the page the captcha is:
joyce cruelest
Obviously the captcha does NOT read the comments. ;-)
Posted by: Anonymous | February 26, 2010 9:50 AM
I had also heard that most honey actually contains tiny bee parts (often, dead bees get in the mix), which makes honey technically not even vegetarian.
Posted by: sean | February 26, 2010 10:02 AM
Eww, sean, really? "Waiter, there's a fly in my gazpacho!"
re: joyce cruelest - the captcha is just probably having trouble finishing Ulysses.
Posted by: Laura Lee | February 26, 2010 10:24 AM
Laura Lee, if your theory is correct, then it should be "Dahlink cruelest," shouldn't it?
Posted by: Dahlink | February 26, 2010 3:09 PM
True vegans would reject honey simply because it uses the labor of the bee, which they equate with slavery. That's why they are opposed to seeing eye dogs and Batman.
Bee parts in honey? I think that honey being regurgitated by the bees makes it an animal product anyway.
If you were a true vegan you wouldn't eat anything produced by the pollination of slave armies of bees either.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gurgitator | February 26, 2010 3:45 PM
Wanna talk veganism, OMG? ;) Alas, I fall short of the standard set on a memorable episode of the Simpsons: "I'm a fifth-level vegan. I don't eat anything that casts a shadow."
Posted by: Shannon | February 26, 2010 8:35 PM
My part time veganism is motivated solely by vanity; due to it being almost impossible to gain weight on a vegan diet. I'm a vain and lazy person, and i feel REALLY good about it.
Posted by: Meekrat | February 27, 2010 2:17 PM
Meekrat, when my nephew and his wife were vegans they were about as heavy as either one has ever been. I think it's a matter of choices.
I can say that looking at how great Joan Jett looks at 51 makes me want to be one though.
Posted by: Joyce W. | February 27, 2010 6:17 PM
Meekrat, if you want to gain weight on a vegan diet, I suggest eating lots of sugared potato sandwiches. That should do it.
Posted by: sean | March 1, 2010 11:14 AM