Those who plant trees, do so out of love for others and not only themselves. A selfless good deed – one without an instant return on investment. This is especially true when it comes to pear trees, which take many years to mature and bear fruit. From this law of nature comes an old English proverb that encourages us to think long term and look after our future generations – “Plant pears for your heirs.” And from this proverb grew an idea – to nourish the community with consciously-sourced and innovatively-created food.
As a new arrival to Vancouver with a tight budget and a gluten intolerance, I’m often out of my depth when it comes to finding delicious and affordable food in the city. Gourmet sandwiches are a distant memory to me now, as are freshly baked sweet treats to accompany my hot beverages.
A couple of weeks ago during my lunch break, I wandered the streets of Yaletown aimlessly in search of some tasty and valuable nourishment. A search that has failed me many times before, leading me back to the office with a hole in my pocket or a rumble in my belly. But not this time. I stumbled almost accidentally into “heirspears” on Nelson Street, where I found a reasonably priced and almost 100% gluten free menu. A pleasant change from the usual $2 substitute for gluten free bread that crumbles after the first bite, this place do gluten free bread so flawlessly that there is no need to even provide a wheat-infused nemesis as an alternative.
Welcomed by a team of friendly staff who guided me through the menu of proteins, sandwiches, salads and sides, I made my choice (the Veg! a personal favourite of mine) and headed for the till where I found a beautiful and rare sight – a glorious selection of baked treats, all of which are 100% gluten free. I had found my happy place.
My dining experience here was a positive one in every possible way, with mouth watering food and service without fault. As was my experience the next day I visited, and the day after that, and every single time I’ve been Downtown since.
In a world that is fast paced and overly processed, it is a pleasure to find food that is patient and pure. In a city that is amongst the most expensive in the world, it is a delight to find good food that is reasonably priced.
And in a society where we often become caught up in ourselves and dismissive of the generations that may follow, it is truly heart-warming to see a corporation on a mission to plant pears for their heirs. 🙂
MERRY HAPPY 