Cooking Fresh

The saying goes that in spring, a young man’s fancy turns to love. For me, being a woman, spring takes my thoughts somewhere slightly less romantic–to bathing suit season! Yes, as the air warms and flowers bud, women everywhere panic as we realize that there are less than three months until we hit the pools and beaches. This means that it’s time for us to think a bit more about healthy eating and perhaps to distance ourselves from the overindulgences of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Read more

The Starchetarian

written by stephen hornyak

Cousin Marty is pursuing his undergrad degree at Cal Arts. Like most of my family, he’s come from back east. My wife and I have invited him over for dinner a few times. Rumor has it that he’s a vegetarian so he’d fit right in with a certain leg of our California clan. However he rarely returns phone calls, forgets he’s made dates, and leaves cryptic messages. We have not seen his face after nearly a whole semester. We were beginning to wonder if Marty held an inherited grudge from the meat eating side of the family, when my sister-in-law Cheryl a whole foods chef posited that, “Marty must be a Starchatarian.” Curious but cautious, I probe Cheryl to explain what sounds like a theory. “He’s an uneducated vegetarian, Cheryl continues, who probably eats way too much pasta and sugar, which makes him spacey.” I’m aghast at the diagnosis, it seems prejudice to peg poor Marty so early and without seeing him, but I’m interested in the premise, so let’s explore it. Read more

Live the Slow Life

Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Living the slow life can also be done with others, because part of the pleasure of slow food and the Slow Food movement is in sharing, which is why the convivia are so compelling. What could be more fun than sharing a passion for good food and wine with other people who feel the same way? Some convivia have only a dozen or so members, while others may have 60 or more, yet each convivium has its individual character and interests. Read more

Edible Communities Publications

If you love great food, eat locally grown, organic produce and enjoy cooking or just reading about fantastic food you should connect with your local edition of Edible Publications. Most of the 40+ individually owned companies put out beautiful quarterly magazine that connect family farmers, consumers, growers, chefs and foodies from all walks of life. Read more

A Farm Restaurant in Westport

written by corinne bourdeau koski

Michel Nischan, organic chef and a well known proponent of sustainable and healthy food, has teamed up with philanthropist and actor Paul Newman to open The Dressing Room, a new restaurant located near the Westport Country Playhouse.

The Dressing Room Homegrown Restaurant combines three popular elements of the American culture - food, theater and farming.

The restaurant promises to celebrate regional recipes and “neighborly hospitality” The Dressing Room’s mission states “our goal is to build a community gathering place that brings theater and food culture together to offer a complete cultural experience.” Read more

How To Cook Your Life

written by rossiter drake

Ordained as a Zen priest in 1971 after six years of intensive study, Edward Espe Brown has dedicated his life not only to spiritual exploration, but to the creation of fine organic foods. He has served as head resident teacher at each of the San Francisco Zen Center’s three regional temples; authored bestselling cookbooks including “The Tassajara Bread Book”; and, as co-founder of Greens, the pioneering vegetarian eatery nestled in the heart of Fort Mason, has been credited for popularizing meat-free diets not just in the Bay Area, but throughout the nation. Read more