TakePart Exclusive: Interview with Spork Foods

Spork Foods is a Los Angeles-based gourmet vegan food company owned and operated by sisters Jenny and Heather Goldberg.  Utilizing organic, local, and seasonal ingredients, Spork Foods offers cooking classes, food consultation, and catering.  The Goldberg Sisters kindly took the time to answer some questions I had about the amazing work they are doing and we can all do to eat better for ourselves and the planet.

Danny Jensen: What inspired each of you to go vegan and when did you decide it was time to get other people excited about cooking vegan?

Spork Foods: We were both very motivated by the environmental and political statement that a person makes when they become vegan.  In college, Jenny got her degree in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz, and Heather studied Sociology with an environmental emphasis.  We were influenced by different friends of ours, and professors in college who introduced us to this lifestyle, and though we came upon this at different times, our paths quickly converged once we realized we love the same things!

We get along very well (which we know is rare for some sisters…) and we always wanted to be in business together.  Jenny went to culinary school in New York at the Natural Gourmet and has always loved cooking.  Heather has a wonderful business sense and has been working for an environmental non-profit organization for over seven years.

We have both been vegan for a decade, so we are familiar with the vegan restaurants and offerings in Los Angeles.  We realized that no one was offering vegan cooking classes in Los Angeles on a regular basis, so we thought  we would go for it and just start teaching and see what happened.  It has been wonderful ever since.

DJ: What are some of the benefits of eating a vegan diet?

SF:  There are numerous health benefits to increasing your intake of natural, whole foods like vegetables and fruits.  Scientific studies are published every day in regards to anti-oxidants found in certain vegetables or fruits, or the cholesterol lowering benefits of fiber.

Basically we feel that eating a balanced vegan diet, emphasizing whole grains and un-processed foods allow your body to function in a way that is much more natural than the standard American diet.  We see that the way in which we are consuming food on a mass scale is harming our bodies, the environment and it has many layers of political strife as well.

DJ: Give an example of a meal you would serve to someone who thinks vegan cooking is bland or “crunchy”?

SF: Vegan soul food is a great way to demonstrate the versatility and amazing flavors that vegan food has.
We would make someone skillet cornbread with a whipped maple lemon butter, creamy baked vegan mac n cheese with herb toasted spelt breadcrumbs, Chipotle BBQ tempeh skewers and a salad of fresh greens with a light ranch dressing.
DJ: What books and blogs would you recommend to someone curious about veganism?

SF: We love the blog toliveandeatinla.com because this girl knows her stuff!  We also love all of the books by Donna Klein, such as Vegan Italiano, or the Tropical Vegan Kitchen.  Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet is a great gift for the new vegan.  The recipes are delicious and there is a bunch of nutritional information in there as well.

DJ: What kind of changes would you like to see on a national level regarding how we eat, what we eat and where our food comes from?

SF: We always shop at our local farmer’s market to support eating more local and seasonal produce. That is one great and easy way to support your local environment and we do think people are already taking to this idea on a huge scale.
With regards to where our meat comes from, one only needs to see films like Earthlings or Food Inc to understand why we need to shift away from factory farms.

Ideally, on a national level, there needs to be a shift away from the notion of taking a pill to heal your ailments to preventing your illness in the first place through a diet of natural foods and a little physical activity.  If the policy being made rewarded individuals and health care providers for persistent preventative care, we would have a healthier, happier population overall.

DJ: What organizations do you recommend people get involved with if they’re looking to help create a more sustainable planet?

SF: Of course we love TreePeople in Los Angeles, and not only because Heather works there, but because they are focused on making Los Angeles a sustainable city.  One of TreePeople's main values is to educate and train people to care for their environment.

We are huge DIY people and we believe that any organization that encourages activism, gardening, planting trees or other hands-on activities, rather than just donating is great in our book.

DJ: Any plans for a cookbook?

SF: We definitely have a cookbook in the works!

DJ: What is your tip for eating a healthier, more sustainable diet?

Well, our first tip would be – come to a cooking class! But if you can’t make it, one of the best things you could do is make a habit of going to your local farmer’s market every week.  Just getting into your community, and out of the Supermarket, where most of the food is not even real, is a great step in a healthy direction.
The food is of a higher quality because it is not being shipped from long distances, or being grown on a massive scale.  Food that is more fresh has more minerals – and minerals are what make food actually taste good – so you don’t have to do much to your vegetables to make them delicious.  You also save on packaging if you bring your own bag or basket, so the environment will thank you.