Your Wedding Cake Can Be Eco, Too

Last night I attended a vegan cake tasting for event planners at Sticky Fingers Bakery in Washington, DC.


OMG it was fabulous! They had an array of 7 different types of cupcakes. A favorite of couples is the Vanilla Cake with Almond Butter Cream, but my favorite was Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Butternut Cream and Chocolate Ganache. The Gluten Free Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream was also amazing. I just started drooling thinking about it again. I took the leftovers home to my chocoholic boyfriend who also gave them a thumbs up.

I know that SOME establishments give vegan and gluten free food a bad name. Not Sticky Fingers. Everything I’ve ever tried of theirs – from the sweets to the savories – is fabulous. Don’t just consider them for your wedding, if you need catering for an office party, they can do the job just fine.

So why go vegan for your wedding cake or birthday cake or Hey It’s the Weekend Let’s Celebrate Cake? As I wrote here previously, pretty much anything that comes from animals is bad for the environment because of all the care and, uh, feeding that goes into taking care of animals. The water, the feed, the fertilizers, the poop, it all makes for a bad scene for Mamma Earth. That is why vegan options are your BEST option.

The ladies at Sticky Fingers are hosting another cake tasting for planners THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH at 6:00 p.m. at their store at 1370 Park Road, NW. It is just a five minute walk from Columbia Heights Metro on the Yellow/Green Line. They’ll also be serving organic coffee and tea (natch). If you want to go, RSVP to weddings@stickyfingers.com.

Coffee That is Good for You AND the Environment

I went to the ISES DC (International Special Events Society, Washington, DC Chapter) meeting yesterday at Longview Gallery. I saw cool artwork in a new event space and learned a bit more about social media. I think I’ve actually started to change my mind about Twitter…

Since it was a breakfast meeting, Travelling Bean – The Espresso Catering Company, was there to give us our morning fix of java. They are a small, family-owned company and really care about preserving the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. In fact, in addition to using glassware whenever possible at events, or paper goods from recycled paper, they dispose of their espresso grounds in their flower beds!

They use local suppliers whenever possible and one of those is the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company (CBRC). I first met CBRC when I was helping the Chesapeake Climate Action Network turn their annual Polar Bear Plunge green. What a cool company. Their coffee beans are Fair Trade Certified and USDA organic. They purchase and use 100% wind power and pledge 2% of gross sales to support community organizations and groups that make a measurable impact to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We all need to support companies like this. In 2010, CBRC coffee will be hitting more stores in our area. Look out for it and buy it!

Both Traveling Bean and the Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company will be at the Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland and serving complimentary coffee and espresso to attendees.