The More Things Change . . .

Happy November! When I was young, I never really understood how the adults in my life could complain so about how the time flew by. I didn't experience time like that. Now that I am older and have way more to do in my life than I can possibly find time for, I definitely have the feeling that this year has flown by. Another fall and so much and so little has changed since this time last year.

I was looking back at a menu from the final week of September last year, when we made several of the same dishes that are on this week's menu. That last week of September marked our debut at the Carrboro Farmers' Market. Shortly after that Radha and I took Govinda's to the Triangle VegFest for the very first time. Both of these venues, the Farmers' Market and the VegFest, have been great places to meet new people, get exposure, and receive confirmation that we have products that folks really like. Yay! It has also been an immense amount of work to add one or two markets to our schedule each month, which is all made worth it when I see happy people munching down on something we have made and exclaiming with surprise, "You mean it's gluten-free, too?"

(photo Carrboro Farmers' Market)

I hope you all don't mind taking this trip down memory lane with me. It is helpful for me to look back and see where we have come from, as a business and as a community, precisely because this work is so labor-intensive. It is just too easy to get lost in the weeds of the day-to-day exectution of things and feel that one is not making any headway. This year we became regulars at the Triangle VegFest mini-markets; participated in several large events, including the National Animal Rights Conference outside of DC; had a logo designed; made promotional materials; launched our website, complete with (functional) online ordering capacity; secured our first wholesale account (you can now find us in the deli counter at Friends Cafe on UNC's campus); and received local recognition for our work.

Last weekend our very own Radha won the Best Presentation award for her variation of our Vegan Mac n' Cheese. Get a load of her gorgeous plating!

This past Monday Govinda's Catering placed third in the 1st annual PFAP (that's the acronym for the commercial kitchen's gigantic name) Gory Food Contest. Radha suggested we make Witch Finger Cookies, and Guy and I tried our best to live up to her artistic standards. I have to say the results were pretty gory (and delicious)! And last but not least... For those of you who have not seen me in person in the last few months, our family is expecting a baby in March. Wha?! Yes, it was a surprise...yet a magnificent one that we are thrilled about. This new development, although wonderful, presents some new logistical challenges, to say the least. ;-) So far the plan is to continue our weekly menu as usual through the end of the year. Then come January, we will most likely have a scaled-down menu that we offer each week, so that Radha can handle most of the cooking by herself. We will keep you updated as the plan develops, yet rest assured that we are completely committed to continuing to make sure that we are able to provide all of you with nutritious, delicious, quality food.

Couldn't resist taking a promo shot with Hillsborough mayor, Tom Stevens, who was one of the judges at the kitchen's Gory Food Contest.

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