Thousands packed the Metropolitan Pavilion on March 4-5, 2012 for the annual NYC Vegetarian Food Festival. The event, run by U.S. Veg Corp, featured multiple speakers, cooking demonstrations, and performances. Vendors offering food samples were popular spots for the enthusiastic crowd of attendees. Exhibitors included educational and advocacy groups, as well as companies selling vegan marshmallows (regular marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from animal collagen), jewelry made of vegetables, and books. One new product I had never heard of was Sacha Vida, an oil made from the seed of the Amazon’s Sacha Inchi tree, and is very high in Omega 3 oil (sachavida.com). This is a healthy, more humane alternative to fish oil. See nycvegfoodfest.com and USVegCorp.com for info on future events.