Heather Marlin
September 2018 was Hunger Action Month, and the Westerville community took action to feed the local area, regardless of the weather.
In 2013, the Great Westerville Food Truck Fest, a community-based event that benefits the Westerville Area Resource Ministry, began. But this past September, the event was canceled due to weather conditions. Instead, it turned into online orders for food, enabling the festival to continue on the web.
The festival was going to include a kid’s area, where children and families could spend time with police officers from the Westerville and Columbus areas. Originally scheduled to dress as superheroes, the police officers’ purpose was to educate kids about safety, help with arts and crafts, play games and do Taekwondo demonstrations.
Typically, the event features 32 food trucks, including Steamroller Bagel Sandwiches, Tortilla Street Food trucks, Schmidt’s Sausage Haus Und Restaurant, and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. The annual event is a gathering place for family and friends in the community to experience different street food from local businesses.
Other than laughs and fun, the overall purpose of the Great Westerville Food Truck Fest is to raise awareness and educate patrons on the issues of poverty and hunger in the greater Columbus area. Even though the 2018 event was still a success, hopefully, 2019 will see clear skies.
Liz Anastasiadis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Creamy Cilantro Sauce by Tortilla Food Trucks
Heather Marlin
Originating in central Ohio, Tortilla Food Trucks creates Mexican street food for the community to enjoy. At Tortilla, you can get a customized meal from one of their three food trucks or from its full-time restaurant in downtown Columbus.
This recipe combines two of our favorite Mexican staples, cilantro and avocado! This mild sauce adds a fresh finish to any plate and provides a great balance to spicy dishes.
- 10 tomatillos
- ¼ avocado
- ½ fresh jalapeno
- ½ fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- ½ lime, juiced
Prep ingredients by removing the skins for the tomatillos, seeds from the jalapeno and stems from the cilantro. Add all ingredients into a blender and mix on a medium to high setting until smooth. Refrigerate and store in an airtight container up to five days.
