The Triangle Vegetarian Society (TVS) will have its annual Thanksgiving feast and generous raffle at one of Dilip's favorite Triangle restaurants, Cafe Parizäde in Durham (directions are below). Parizäde is one of the Triangle's finest restaurants with a gourmet flair for fresh ingredients with Mediterranean influences, and this will be TVS' 6th consecutive Thanksgiving there (and 11th annual Thanksgiving Feast at an area restaurant).

A list of frequently asked questions, a flyer, and a press release are available for the event.

Reservations are no longer being accepted. Please call Cafe Parizäde at (919) 286-9712 (ask for Dilip) to see if your party can be accommodated.

There may be some changes, but here is our planned menu, beginning with a Fall Antipasto Buffet Table. We're planning on having a quinoa salad with olives, shallots, pine nuts, sundried tomatoes, and garlic in a base of the lovely crunchy grain quinoa, with arugula and rosemary-carmelized pear. Also planned are warm spinach orzo with pesto; braised garlicky greens; hearts of Romaine lettuce with lemon, olive oil, and capers; string bean almondine; lightly steamed corn-off-the-cob accented with smoked poblano peppers and cumin and served with a light sprinkling of lime juice and salt; roasted exotic mushrooms with fennel and garlic, drizzled with white truffle oil; and citrus couscous with dried fruits and garbanzo beans. We plan to offer a Mediterranean minty fatoush salad with toasted flat bread; breads, crustinis, and pita with Egyptian red lentil hummus, artichoke-spinach hummus, and baba ganouj; marinated olives; and spiced pecans.

For main courses, we have planned Dilip's cherry-kissed and seared tempeh with baby bok choy in a coconut milk curry; Moroccan sweet potato and squash tagine; Shepherd's Pie with wheat gluten, roasted root vegetables, and mushrooms, with a potato crust; roasted chestnut-barley risotto with Brussels sprouts; and Orecchiette pasta with fresh tomato-basil sauce. Also, we're planning roasted garlic olive oil mashed potatoes with chives; mushroom gravy, apple-pecan stuffing, fresh raspberry-cranberry relish, and Black Mission fig chutney; wild rice with crookneck squash; country cornbread; and sweet potato-leek-potato velouté (thickened soup).

For dessert, we are planning on fresh seasonal fruits, phyllo cookies, pumpkin pie with pomegranate glaze, cherry crisp, and cinnamon currant apple pie.

Apple cider, cranberry juice, water, herbal tea, and coffee will be included as part of the meal.

All of the food will be strictly vegan, or plant-based. There will be no animal, egg or dairy products, and no honey or white sugar in any of the food.

As in previous years, we will be having a generous raffle with prizes ranging from gift certificates from area businesses to cases of whole food products, fine chocolates, non-animal gardening fertilizers, and much more. Check out the current list of raffle prizes (prizes will continue to be added as we get closer to the event)!

The all-inclusive price is $20 for current members, $23 for other adults, and $9 for children aged 5-10; children younger than 5 eat for free. We want to continue to provide fabulous food at a great price and are keeping the price unchanged for the third year in a row, in spite of increased cost to us from the restaurant. If you want bar service beyond provided drinks, wait staff will help you, but you will need to pay your waiter when s/he delivers your drink.

Cafe Parizäde is at 2200 W. Main in Durham. A map is available. Take the Durham Expressway (NC 147) either north from I-40, or south from I-85/15-501, and exit at Swift Avenue. At the end of the exit ramp, turn right if coming from I-40, or left if coming from I-85/15-501. At the light just ahead, turn left onto Main Street. Go through one light at Ninth Street and in 100 yards or so, turn right into the Erwin Square complex.