We sold out the event tonight. In fact, we're oversold +2. Suberb!
We had a great team meeting. The visuals are going to be assembled by Valentina using color blocks and textured movement. Music/sound is being worked on by Kristy and her partner. Rein and Maria are taking Friday to workshop the menu and info publication. Alex is dealing with PayPal and bank account fun stuff. Pic and Yui are doing a fantastic job coming up with flow charts for the crowd and a check-in procedure, and all around ambiance. I am going to get all the contacts sorted to send out an email to next week that will begin their journey.
It's been a crazy couple of weeks since we went live and we've had some great feedback, some interesting correspondence, and even some business proposals. It's great. I'm really feeling like this is really coming together.
We're looking forward to Nuno's safe return from Kenya tomorrow and meeting with him again soon to wrap up some last details before game time.
I still want to say a big thank you to the team for sticking with the project during this hectic time of getting our MA questions defined. You all are great.
km
Wednesday 20 May 2009
Nuno's Excellent Review!
The Loft is our little secret
Restaurant Reviews: The Loft
By MARINA O’LOUGHLIN - Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Shhh: Here’s a tantalising glimpse of the wildly innovative and exciting restaurant The Loft
There's an entertaining book by James Delingpole called Fish Show, in which a disaffected restaurant critic starts making up reviews of an increasingly lunatic nature. To his astonishment and horror, the bizarre establishments he invents begin to appear in real life. Pure, bonkers fantasy, of course.
Ahem. On April 1, I inflicted on you my own invented gaff, The Vault, a private restaurant and closely guarded secret I'd unearthed on Twitter, where the classically trained chef imposed dishes of a challenging and technically brilliant nature on his captive (literally) audience of wealthy foodies.
Perhaps as an apology to all of you who were worryingly keen to be subjected to The Vault's dubious charms (especially the chap really keen to work there; something about the manacles, I'm guessing), I bring you The Loft.
Underground restaurant, no publicity; chef Nuno Mendes trained at the legendary El Bulli, disovered via stray tweet (thanks @londonelicious or @MsMarmitelover or whoever it was). Course after course of extraordinary, sometimes demanding food. Nosebleeding bill. The only thing missing is the handcuffs.
I first encountered Mendes's food in the short-lived, brave Bacchus in Shoreditch and came away goggle-eyed. Now, in a small domestic kitchen in a funky East End loft-style development, he's churning out stuff that's every bit as out there: 12 courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative.
Twelve courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative
There's only the one table. At first, it's like being at a slightly awkward dinner party with strangers and a host who's permanently glued to the stove. Retrospectively, I wish I'd been nosier and glued myself in there with him, but hey.
Things relax over cocktails – lychee, lemongrass with a slick of hazelnut oil – and glorious, fluffy, saffrony cheesey gougères, like the poshest Portuguese pão de queijo. And croutons with rich, garlicky romesco. So far, so normal. Then the food proper starts arriving – over five hours of it, each course with matching wines.
A blow-by-blow account would be overkill but if I say that the most conventional dish is called Thai Explosion With Chicken Skin, it might give you an inkling of what we're in for.
How about this? Milk Yuba – milk skin harvested and rolled like Japanese soy-tofu skin – with slippery hearts of leek, a curl of perfectly smoky seared squid echoing the smokiness of mushroom consommé, dotted with delicate flavour bombs of garlic blossom.
Or this doozy: Oysters And Onions, Old And New? An oyster glazed with cheese – the perfect encapsulation of 'fifth taste' umami – with what looks like an egg yolk but is actually onion purée 'spherified'; super-dried onion dust; and, poured over the top, dark brown, onion-flavoured tapioca pearls. If any of this sounds as though it's verging on the vile (and I'm aware it might), be assured that nothing could be further from the truth.
There are prawns served with pipettes of prawn essence, for injecting the crustacean or squirting straight down your gullet. Puddings made with orange pith (surprisingly gorgeous) or candied black olives. There are sightings of umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and sobrasada (a spreadable sausage) oil and Portuguese chawanmushi (savoury custard).
It's less like dinner and more like a kind of drug-induced happening. How the hell does the charming, self-deprecating Nuno do it?
Just like the fictional Vault, we reel into the street, dizzied by what we've experienced. But, unlike my fantasy, it's an experience I can't wait to repeat. And when Nuno's new restaurant, Viajante, opens in Bethnal Green in 2010, I'm so there.
A meal for two with all wines and water costs £200 (advance booking essential). The Loft, Unit 2a, 315 Kingsland Road. www.nunomendes.co.uk Tube: Old Street
Restaurant Reviews: The Loft
By MARINA O’LOUGHLIN - Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Shhh: Here’s a tantalising glimpse of the wildly innovative and exciting restaurant The Loft
There's an entertaining book by James Delingpole called Fish Show, in which a disaffected restaurant critic starts making up reviews of an increasingly lunatic nature. To his astonishment and horror, the bizarre establishments he invents begin to appear in real life. Pure, bonkers fantasy, of course.
Ahem. On April 1, I inflicted on you my own invented gaff, The Vault, a private restaurant and closely guarded secret I'd unearthed on Twitter, where the classically trained chef imposed dishes of a challenging and technically brilliant nature on his captive (literally) audience of wealthy foodies.
Perhaps as an apology to all of you who were worryingly keen to be subjected to The Vault's dubious charms (especially the chap really keen to work there; something about the manacles, I'm guessing), I bring you The Loft.
Underground restaurant, no publicity; chef Nuno Mendes trained at the legendary El Bulli, disovered via stray tweet (thanks @londonelicious or @MsMarmitelover or whoever it was). Course after course of extraordinary, sometimes demanding food. Nosebleeding bill. The only thing missing is the handcuffs.
I first encountered Mendes's food in the short-lived, brave Bacchus in Shoreditch and came away goggle-eyed. Now, in a small domestic kitchen in a funky East End loft-style development, he's churning out stuff that's every bit as out there: 12 courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative.
Twelve courses, each one more abstruse than the last, all flawlessly presented, exactingly executed and wildly innovative
There's only the one table. At first, it's like being at a slightly awkward dinner party with strangers and a host who's permanently glued to the stove. Retrospectively, I wish I'd been nosier and glued myself in there with him, but hey.
Things relax over cocktails – lychee, lemongrass with a slick of hazelnut oil – and glorious, fluffy, saffrony cheesey gougères, like the poshest Portuguese pão de queijo. And croutons with rich, garlicky romesco. So far, so normal. Then the food proper starts arriving – over five hours of it, each course with matching wines.
A blow-by-blow account would be overkill but if I say that the most conventional dish is called Thai Explosion With Chicken Skin, it might give you an inkling of what we're in for.
How about this? Milk Yuba – milk skin harvested and rolled like Japanese soy-tofu skin – with slippery hearts of leek, a curl of perfectly smoky seared squid echoing the smokiness of mushroom consommé, dotted with delicate flavour bombs of garlic blossom.
Or this doozy: Oysters And Onions, Old And New? An oyster glazed with cheese – the perfect encapsulation of 'fifth taste' umami – with what looks like an egg yolk but is actually onion purée 'spherified'; super-dried onion dust; and, poured over the top, dark brown, onion-flavoured tapioca pearls. If any of this sounds as though it's verging on the vile (and I'm aware it might), be assured that nothing could be further from the truth.
There are prawns served with pipettes of prawn essence, for injecting the crustacean or squirting straight down your gullet. Puddings made with orange pith (surprisingly gorgeous) or candied black olives. There are sightings of umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and sobrasada (a spreadable sausage) oil and Portuguese chawanmushi (savoury custard).
It's less like dinner and more like a kind of drug-induced happening. How the hell does the charming, self-deprecating Nuno do it?
Just like the fictional Vault, we reel into the street, dizzied by what we've experienced. But, unlike my fantasy, it's an experience I can't wait to repeat. And when Nuno's new restaurant, Viajante, opens in Bethnal Green in 2010, I'm so there.
A meal for two with all wines and water costs £200 (advance booking essential). The Loft, Unit 2a, 315 Kingsland Road. www.nunomendes.co.uk Tube: Old Street
Wednesday 13 May 2009
Vital foods are RAW
THE RAW FACTS
Proponents say not cooking can do a body good
BY KAREN FELDMAN cuisine@floridaweekly.com
DEMI MOORE, WHOSE TAUT body and flawless skin belie her 47 years, proudly goes raw. So do Alicia Silverstone and Beyonce, Angela Bassett and Donna Karan. Famed Chicago chef Charlie Trotter has devoted a whole book to the subject.
The raw food movement has become a hot — uh, make that cool — form of vegetarianism that champions uncooked vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, grains, beans and seaweed as the staples of a healthy diet.
In recent years, restaurants devoted to raw food have opened around the country. Vibe Cuisine (formerly Veggie Magic) in Sarasota is the closest one to Southwest Florida, but raw fare is cropping up around the area, appearing on restaurant menus, starring in (un)cooking classes and sparking the formation of groups in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Naples through which members share meals, recipes and information about the raw life.
Mr. Trotter, better known for his cooked cuisine, added some mainstream mojo to the movement with his how-to tome, "Raw" (Ten Speed Press).
Here's the basic premise of the raw, or living foods, diet: Enzymes found in food provide vital energy to the body. When food is heated to more than 106 degrees, those enzymes die, robbing food of nutrients and causing it to become toxic, forcing the body's immune system to fight against it. Eating raw, unprocessed food bolsters the immune system, allowing it to heal and protect the body.
David Dyer, who holds doctoral degrees in naturophaty and science, prepares a raw food meal.
To omnivores accustomed to the standard American diet, called SAD by those who eat raw, the concept can be perplexing since they eat little but salads and fruit uncooked. But inventive raw chefs produce a cornucopia of tasty dishes without benefit of meat or dairy, stove, oven, microwave or fryer.
At recent local raw food gatherings, participants dined on lime-agave margaritas, apple-jicama salad, kelp salad, spicy mango ginger soup, burritos, apple pie and chocolate-chili brownies, among other uncooked dishes.
More than salad, but not more work
"Raw food isn't just about plain salad," says Charles Marble, who runs Mangroves Health Institute in Naples. "It can be as gourmet as you can possibly imagine."
Sprouts
Eschewing labels, he doesn't categorize himself as a "raw foodist" and doesn't preach that raw is the only way to eat. But he does conduct weekly classes in how to prepare fresh, uncooked fare in creative ways. Everyone is welcome, no matter what they eat.
"It's wise to eat sensibly," Mr. Marble says. "We need more whole fresh foods in the American diet."
Many clients of Mangroves Health Institute are raw food enthusiasts, he says. "I try to encourage people to integrate these fresh, whole foods in their diet. You need to decide how much and how far you want to go with it. You should do it with pleasure, because it feels good."
There are some basic skills required to follow the diet. Raw foodists grow their own sprouts, employ powerful juicers to create nutritious vegetable and fruit blends, and rely on temperature controlled dehydrators to produce crisp crackers, nuts and seeds. They also use organic ingredients, which aren't as readily accessible in Southwest Florida as they are in some other places.
Nori Rolls
"Some people think raw food is a lot of work," says David Dyer, a Cape Coral-based health and wellness coach who holds doctoral degrees in naturopathy and science. "It's not really (a lot of work) if you have the right tools. When I'm finished fixing a meal, I'm not going to be in the kitchen for hours scrubbing greasy pots and pans. Clean-up in a raw food kitchen is quick and easy."
The most important tool, he says, is a good (un)cookbook, of which there are many. A juicer, a dehydrator and a mandoline (slicer) enhance the raw cook's ability to produce a broad range of recipes with relative ease. Variety is the spice
Doing it properly and in a way that doesn't create boredom takes practice.
"You need a lot of variety, different colors - reds, yellows, purples, those are powerful foods," Dr. Dyer says. "Sprouts are the most nutritious food on earth."
He advises anyone considering a raw food diet not to make the same few recipes all the time. Diversity is important to nutrition and to prevent boredom. Attending meetings of the local living food groups helps, too, because people share their recipes and knowledge.
Walnut plate
"We learn from each other," says Tarrita Brown, who runs the Cape Coral group and has been a raw foodist for four years. "My hope is people will get to know each other well and start having dinner at each other's houses."
She's a glowing example of the benefits of a raw food diet. She's been 100 percent raw for four years while her three teen-aged children and husband vary from 50 percent to 80 percent. She's fit, with healthy-looking skin and abundant energy. "I get mistaken for my (14-year-old) daughter a lot," she says. "We wear the same size clothes. A lot of people think we're twins, but we're 31 years apart."
Be a 'Rawkstar'
Alone or in groups, proponents say they reap great rewards in the form of improved health, a stronger immune system, increased energy and optimism.
Another champion of the uncooked is Bethany Tait of Naples.
Brooke Wagenheim
At 17, Ms. Tait says, "I had fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and colitis. I was on antidepressants, antibiotics, all kinds of medicines. I was also 50 pounds overweight. I got to the point that I was bedridden. Doctors didn't give me any hope that my condition would get better."
So she prayed. And not long afterward, she read a magazine article about raw food. She decided to try it and found that it made a remarkable difference in her health, her weight and, subsequently, her life.
Six years later, Ms. Tait takes no medications, never has to worry about her weight and feels great. She teaches classes on how to make quick and easy raw food recipes, and she plans what she calls "Rawkstar" events: raw foodbased parties she hopes will appeal to people her age. Among those are a May 22 ice cream social and as-yet-unscheduled "Eta Raw Pi" parties, which have the spirit of fraternity gatherings minus the smoking, drinking and drugs.
"I want to party and have a good time," she says, "but there were no activities that seemed healthy, so I decided to create them myself."
Brooke Wagenheim had much the same inspiration when she recently opened Chef Brooke's Natural Café on Boy Scout Drive in Fort Myers, where everything's organic and there are raw food options daily.
After she went raw about 15 years ago, Ms. Wagenheim says, she lost 30 pounds in less than a month and felt energized and healthy. She confesses to having neglected herself in the recent years and recommitted to raw food about three weeks ago.
"It makes me feel vibrant," she says. "I have 100 percent more energy and I'm losing weight."
Across the river in Cape Coral, Lynette Pritchard says a multitude of health issues cleared up when she went raw, resurfaced when she veered from the path and vanished again when she resumed a raw diet.
The owner of Back to Nature health food store and café, Ms. Pritchard teaches periodic classes, offers raw items on her café menu and hopes to hold raw dinners soon.
Ms. Wagenheim says it needn't be a choice between raw and cooked, but she believes people feel different when they increase the amount of raw food they eat. "You feel it in every cell of your body," she says.
Dr. Dyer counsels those looking to adopt a raw food diet to do so gradually.
"They should start increasing the amount of raw food they eat," he says. "Imagine a plate like a pie chart. Right now, the majority of people would have a diet that has a small sliver — about 10 percent — of raw food. They should focus on making that percentage greater." Not all raw or nothing
Ginger Patterson, a Fort Myersbased registered dietitian, says there are good and bad aspects to a raw food diet.
"There are so many vegetables that do not release all of their nutrients until they're cooked, like carrots and tomatoes," she says. "And, even when heated to 106 degrees, you won't necessarily kill any salmonella that may be present. (Salmonella) can be found on organic as well as non-organic food. It does not pick and choose."
Ms. Patterson believes the raw food diet is too limiting in terms of both nutrients and lifestyle. Most people don't want to forego eating at restaurants, she says, nor do they want to take their own food with them when they're invited to friends' houses, for example. "Most people aren't up to that."
However, on the positive side, she says, "More vegetables are always healthful. You're putting more antioxidants into your body, which means there are more anti-inflammatories so you're going to have fewer aches and pains.
"I don't care how people eat as long as it's healthy," she stresses. "Everybody should seek that out for themselves. It's a personal preference."
Shakti Barnhill has achieved what she believes is a happy medium. The Fort Myers yoga instructor was 99 percent raw for a while and "felt the best I've ever felt," she says. But she's recently cut back to about 75 percent raw, adding in steamed vegetables, cooked beans and eggs.
"Life makes it too restrictive to be 100 percent raw," she says. "You cheat yourself from having fun. I'm happy with life. It's not just about what you eat. It's who you are and what you feel."
raw events
Southwest Florida raw food events
>>Sunday, May 17, 4 p.m.: Fort Myers Living Foods Group monthly potluck, Center to Self Reliance, 1939 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 9, Fort Myers. Cost: $3. Bring a raw food dish, preferably organic, to share plus recipe. Call David Dyer at 471-0255 to RSVP or online at www.wholefood. meetup.com/151/.
>>Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m.: Bethany Tait gives a free lecture on weight loss and raw food for women, Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555.
>>Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 p.m.: Weekly Raw Simplicity class, with Bethany Tait demonstrating simple raw food recipes that can be made in the average home kitchen in 10 minutes or less. Participants get to eat the results. Cost: $20. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555 to reserve a spot.
>>Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m.: Weekly raw food class with Charles Marble demonstrating four recipes that make a meal. Participants sample each recipe. Cost: $25. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555 so Marble can prepare enough food.
>>Friday, May 22, 5-7 p.m.: Raw ice cream social, featuring unlimited raw ice cream and a toppings bar, singing and music. Cost: $20. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555.
>>Tuesday, May 26, 6 p.m.: Certified raw foods chef Debbie Greene conducts a monthly raw foods class showing how to prepare typical party food raw-style. Free. Whole Foods Market, 9101 Strada Place, Naples. Call 552-5100 to register.
>>Sunday, May 31, 6:30 p.m.: Naples Living Foods Group monthly potluck and screening of the movie "Eating." Cost: $5. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Bring a raw vegan dish to share. Call 641-5559 to RSVP.
>>Cape Coral Living Foods Group: No meeting set, but information will be posted at www. wholefood.meetup.com/198/ when the next one is scheduled.
raw recipes
SPICY MANGO GINGER SOUP
1 large mango
1/2 cup chopped onion
½ cup water
1 chili pepper
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp grated fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Garnish with fresh herbs of choice and serve. 1 serving: 81 calories, 20.7 gm carbohydrates, 2.5 gm fiber, .9 gm protein, 17 percent RDA vitamin A, 51 percent RDA vitamin C, 2 percent RDA calcium, 1 percent RDA iron
MANGO CHUTNEY
2 cups mango or papaya
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs mustard powder
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ tsp agave
1 bunch cilantro
¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper
¼ cup chopped red or green onion
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
Combine all ingredients, mix well and serve
RAW BURRITO
2 ripe avocados
3 tomatoes
½ hot pepper
2 TBS chopped yellow onion
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ear fresh corn
2 tsp fresh lime juice
6-8 lettuce leaves
Mash avocado, mix in remaining ingredients and place into lettuce and wrap edges to form "burrito."
RAW COCONUT FUDGE
3 cups walnuts
½ cup carob powder or cacao
2 cups shredded coconut
5/8 cup agave
Grind walnuts in food processor until they have a buttery consistency. Combine carob powder with coconut and mix with ground walnuts. Add agave and continue to mix well. Press mixture about ¾ inch think in a glass dish. Place in freezer and chill until solid and firm.
Proponents say not cooking can do a body good
BY KAREN FELDMAN cuisine@floridaweekly.com
DEMI MOORE, WHOSE TAUT body and flawless skin belie her 47 years, proudly goes raw. So do Alicia Silverstone and Beyonce, Angela Bassett and Donna Karan. Famed Chicago chef Charlie Trotter has devoted a whole book to the subject.
The raw food movement has become a hot — uh, make that cool — form of vegetarianism that champions uncooked vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, grains, beans and seaweed as the staples of a healthy diet.
In recent years, restaurants devoted to raw food have opened around the country. Vibe Cuisine (formerly Veggie Magic) in Sarasota is the closest one to Southwest Florida, but raw fare is cropping up around the area, appearing on restaurant menus, starring in (un)cooking classes and sparking the formation of groups in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Naples through which members share meals, recipes and information about the raw life.
Mr. Trotter, better known for his cooked cuisine, added some mainstream mojo to the movement with his how-to tome, "Raw" (Ten Speed Press).
Here's the basic premise of the raw, or living foods, diet: Enzymes found in food provide vital energy to the body. When food is heated to more than 106 degrees, those enzymes die, robbing food of nutrients and causing it to become toxic, forcing the body's immune system to fight against it. Eating raw, unprocessed food bolsters the immune system, allowing it to heal and protect the body.
David Dyer, who holds doctoral degrees in naturophaty and science, prepares a raw food meal.
To omnivores accustomed to the standard American diet, called SAD by those who eat raw, the concept can be perplexing since they eat little but salads and fruit uncooked. But inventive raw chefs produce a cornucopia of tasty dishes without benefit of meat or dairy, stove, oven, microwave or fryer.
At recent local raw food gatherings, participants dined on lime-agave margaritas, apple-jicama salad, kelp salad, spicy mango ginger soup, burritos, apple pie and chocolate-chili brownies, among other uncooked dishes.
More than salad, but not more work
"Raw food isn't just about plain salad," says Charles Marble, who runs Mangroves Health Institute in Naples. "It can be as gourmet as you can possibly imagine."
Sprouts
Eschewing labels, he doesn't categorize himself as a "raw foodist" and doesn't preach that raw is the only way to eat. But he does conduct weekly classes in how to prepare fresh, uncooked fare in creative ways. Everyone is welcome, no matter what they eat.
"It's wise to eat sensibly," Mr. Marble says. "We need more whole fresh foods in the American diet."
Many clients of Mangroves Health Institute are raw food enthusiasts, he says. "I try to encourage people to integrate these fresh, whole foods in their diet. You need to decide how much and how far you want to go with it. You should do it with pleasure, because it feels good."
There are some basic skills required to follow the diet. Raw foodists grow their own sprouts, employ powerful juicers to create nutritious vegetable and fruit blends, and rely on temperature controlled dehydrators to produce crisp crackers, nuts and seeds. They also use organic ingredients, which aren't as readily accessible in Southwest Florida as they are in some other places.
Nori Rolls
"Some people think raw food is a lot of work," says David Dyer, a Cape Coral-based health and wellness coach who holds doctoral degrees in naturopathy and science. "It's not really (a lot of work) if you have the right tools. When I'm finished fixing a meal, I'm not going to be in the kitchen for hours scrubbing greasy pots and pans. Clean-up in a raw food kitchen is quick and easy."
The most important tool, he says, is a good (un)cookbook, of which there are many. A juicer, a dehydrator and a mandoline (slicer) enhance the raw cook's ability to produce a broad range of recipes with relative ease. Variety is the spice
Doing it properly and in a way that doesn't create boredom takes practice.
"You need a lot of variety, different colors - reds, yellows, purples, those are powerful foods," Dr. Dyer says. "Sprouts are the most nutritious food on earth."
He advises anyone considering a raw food diet not to make the same few recipes all the time. Diversity is important to nutrition and to prevent boredom. Attending meetings of the local living food groups helps, too, because people share their recipes and knowledge.
Walnut plate
"We learn from each other," says Tarrita Brown, who runs the Cape Coral group and has been a raw foodist for four years. "My hope is people will get to know each other well and start having dinner at each other's houses."
She's a glowing example of the benefits of a raw food diet. She's been 100 percent raw for four years while her three teen-aged children and husband vary from 50 percent to 80 percent. She's fit, with healthy-looking skin and abundant energy. "I get mistaken for my (14-year-old) daughter a lot," she says. "We wear the same size clothes. A lot of people think we're twins, but we're 31 years apart."
Be a 'Rawkstar'
Alone or in groups, proponents say they reap great rewards in the form of improved health, a stronger immune system, increased energy and optimism.
Another champion of the uncooked is Bethany Tait of Naples.
Brooke Wagenheim
At 17, Ms. Tait says, "I had fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and colitis. I was on antidepressants, antibiotics, all kinds of medicines. I was also 50 pounds overweight. I got to the point that I was bedridden. Doctors didn't give me any hope that my condition would get better."
So she prayed. And not long afterward, she read a magazine article about raw food. She decided to try it and found that it made a remarkable difference in her health, her weight and, subsequently, her life.
Six years later, Ms. Tait takes no medications, never has to worry about her weight and feels great. She teaches classes on how to make quick and easy raw food recipes, and she plans what she calls "Rawkstar" events: raw foodbased parties she hopes will appeal to people her age. Among those are a May 22 ice cream social and as-yet-unscheduled "Eta Raw Pi" parties, which have the spirit of fraternity gatherings minus the smoking, drinking and drugs.
"I want to party and have a good time," she says, "but there were no activities that seemed healthy, so I decided to create them myself."
Brooke Wagenheim had much the same inspiration when she recently opened Chef Brooke's Natural Café on Boy Scout Drive in Fort Myers, where everything's organic and there are raw food options daily.
After she went raw about 15 years ago, Ms. Wagenheim says, she lost 30 pounds in less than a month and felt energized and healthy. She confesses to having neglected herself in the recent years and recommitted to raw food about three weeks ago.
"It makes me feel vibrant," she says. "I have 100 percent more energy and I'm losing weight."
Across the river in Cape Coral, Lynette Pritchard says a multitude of health issues cleared up when she went raw, resurfaced when she veered from the path and vanished again when she resumed a raw diet.
The owner of Back to Nature health food store and café, Ms. Pritchard teaches periodic classes, offers raw items on her café menu and hopes to hold raw dinners soon.
Ms. Wagenheim says it needn't be a choice between raw and cooked, but she believes people feel different when they increase the amount of raw food they eat. "You feel it in every cell of your body," she says.
Dr. Dyer counsels those looking to adopt a raw food diet to do so gradually.
"They should start increasing the amount of raw food they eat," he says. "Imagine a plate like a pie chart. Right now, the majority of people would have a diet that has a small sliver — about 10 percent — of raw food. They should focus on making that percentage greater." Not all raw or nothing
Ginger Patterson, a Fort Myersbased registered dietitian, says there are good and bad aspects to a raw food diet.
"There are so many vegetables that do not release all of their nutrients until they're cooked, like carrots and tomatoes," she says. "And, even when heated to 106 degrees, you won't necessarily kill any salmonella that may be present. (Salmonella) can be found on organic as well as non-organic food. It does not pick and choose."
Ms. Patterson believes the raw food diet is too limiting in terms of both nutrients and lifestyle. Most people don't want to forego eating at restaurants, she says, nor do they want to take their own food with them when they're invited to friends' houses, for example. "Most people aren't up to that."
However, on the positive side, she says, "More vegetables are always healthful. You're putting more antioxidants into your body, which means there are more anti-inflammatories so you're going to have fewer aches and pains.
"I don't care how people eat as long as it's healthy," she stresses. "Everybody should seek that out for themselves. It's a personal preference."
Shakti Barnhill has achieved what she believes is a happy medium. The Fort Myers yoga instructor was 99 percent raw for a while and "felt the best I've ever felt," she says. But she's recently cut back to about 75 percent raw, adding in steamed vegetables, cooked beans and eggs.
"Life makes it too restrictive to be 100 percent raw," she says. "You cheat yourself from having fun. I'm happy with life. It's not just about what you eat. It's who you are and what you feel."
raw events
Southwest Florida raw food events
>>Sunday, May 17, 4 p.m.: Fort Myers Living Foods Group monthly potluck, Center to Self Reliance, 1939 Park Meadow Drive, Suite 9, Fort Myers. Cost: $3. Bring a raw food dish, preferably organic, to share plus recipe. Call David Dyer at 471-0255 to RSVP or online at www.wholefood. meetup.com/151/.
>>Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m.: Bethany Tait gives a free lecture on weight loss and raw food for women, Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555.
>>Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 p.m.: Weekly Raw Simplicity class, with Bethany Tait demonstrating simple raw food recipes that can be made in the average home kitchen in 10 minutes or less. Participants get to eat the results. Cost: $20. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555 to reserve a spot.
>>Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 p.m.: Weekly raw food class with Charles Marble demonstrating four recipes that make a meal. Participants sample each recipe. Cost: $25. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555 so Marble can prepare enough food.
>>Friday, May 22, 5-7 p.m.: Raw ice cream social, featuring unlimited raw ice cream and a toppings bar, singing and music. Cost: $20. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Call 403-0555.
>>Tuesday, May 26, 6 p.m.: Certified raw foods chef Debbie Greene conducts a monthly raw foods class showing how to prepare typical party food raw-style. Free. Whole Foods Market, 9101 Strada Place, Naples. Call 552-5100 to register.
>>Sunday, May 31, 6:30 p.m.: Naples Living Foods Group monthly potluck and screening of the movie "Eating." Cost: $5. Mangroves Health Institute, 2335 Tamiami Trail, Naples. Bring a raw vegan dish to share. Call 641-5559 to RSVP.
>>Cape Coral Living Foods Group: No meeting set, but information will be posted at www. wholefood.meetup.com/198/ when the next one is scheduled.
raw recipes
SPICY MANGO GINGER SOUP
1 large mango
1/2 cup chopped onion
½ cup water
1 chili pepper
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp grated fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Garnish with fresh herbs of choice and serve. 1 serving: 81 calories, 20.7 gm carbohydrates, 2.5 gm fiber, .9 gm protein, 17 percent RDA vitamin A, 51 percent RDA vitamin C, 2 percent RDA calcium, 1 percent RDA iron
MANGO CHUTNEY
2 cups mango or papaya
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs mustard powder
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ tsp agave
1 bunch cilantro
¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper
¼ cup chopped red or green onion
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt
Combine all ingredients, mix well and serve
RAW BURRITO
2 ripe avocados
3 tomatoes
½ hot pepper
2 TBS chopped yellow onion
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 ear fresh corn
2 tsp fresh lime juice
6-8 lettuce leaves
Mash avocado, mix in remaining ingredients and place into lettuce and wrap edges to form "burrito."
RAW COCONUT FUDGE
3 cups walnuts
½ cup carob powder or cacao
2 cups shredded coconut
5/8 cup agave
Grind walnuts in food processor until they have a buttery consistency. Combine carob powder with coconut and mix with ground walnuts. Add agave and continue to mix well. Press mixture about ¾ inch think in a glass dish. Place in freezer and chill until solid and firm.
Tuesday 12 May 2009
PROMOTION TIME
First of all, I want to thank Kate for the promotion effort she is making!
I have sent the link and Facebook event to the people I think could be interested and I know that some of then have already passed it through to their friends ;)
I know we will talk tomorrow but here I throw some questions:
- Are we going to wear anything special? Black code (any customized t-shirt)
- Are we going to actually taste the menu?
- Are we giving free tickets to Geof/Paul or Aysha?
- I have sent the mail to a professional photographer who lives in London. If he wants to come, I will ask him to make some pictures for us!!
Kisses!!!!
Maria Llanos
I have sent the link and Facebook event to the people I think could be interested and I know that some of then have already passed it through to their friends ;)
I know we will talk tomorrow but here I throw some questions:
- Are we going to wear anything special? Black code (any customized t-shirt)
- Are we going to actually taste the menu?
- Are we giving free tickets to Geof/Paul or Aysha?
- I have sent the mail to a professional photographer who lives in London. If he wants to come, I will ask him to make some pictures for us!!
Kisses!!!!
Maria Llanos
Sunday 10 May 2009
Press Release
For Immediate Release
10 May 2009
Contact
Kate Matlock – PR/Evocative Foods
Kate@evocativefoods.com
Dr. Morgaine Gaye – Menu/ingredient enquiries
drgaye@morgainegaye.com
Event will “Feed Your Imagination” by combining food, art and music
Hackney – 10 May 2009 Evocative Foods, with chef Nuno Mendes and food futurologist Dr. Morgaine Gaye, presents “Feed your Imagination” on June 4th at The Loft Kitchen, Hackney. The exhibition-style tasting event uses foods with natural mood enhancing properties combined with art and music to evoke a mood of vibrancy.
The Evocative Foods concept was developed by eight MA Design Studies students from Central Saint Martins and features a tasting menu, developed by Chef Mendes with ingredients identified by Dr. Gaye as providing a more emotional connection to food.
Gaye, whose book The Non-Cook Book: Super Health for Busy People is coming out in June said, “The students’ work is ingenious and is a totally new way to present concepts around food and sensation. It’s an exciting collaboration and an event not to be missed.”
Chef Mendes, who currently hosts intimate tasting events in preparation for the opening of his new restaurant Viajante in 2010, was chosen by Evocative Foods for his creative menus and experimental uses of texture and temperature in his cooking.
Profits from the event will go toward the students’ graduation show in December 2009.
Tickets are on sale now at www.evocativefoods.com.
# # #
10 May 2009
Contact
Kate Matlock – PR/Evocative Foods
Kate@evocativefoods.com
Dr. Morgaine Gaye – Menu/ingredient enquiries
drgaye@morgainegaye.com
Event will “Feed Your Imagination” by combining food, art and music
Hackney – 10 May 2009 Evocative Foods, with chef Nuno Mendes and food futurologist Dr. Morgaine Gaye, presents “Feed your Imagination” on June 4th at The Loft Kitchen, Hackney. The exhibition-style tasting event uses foods with natural mood enhancing properties combined with art and music to evoke a mood of vibrancy.
The Evocative Foods concept was developed by eight MA Design Studies students from Central Saint Martins and features a tasting menu, developed by Chef Mendes with ingredients identified by Dr. Gaye as providing a more emotional connection to food.
Gaye, whose book The Non-Cook Book: Super Health for Busy People is coming out in June said, “The students’ work is ingenious and is a totally new way to present concepts around food and sensation. It’s an exciting collaboration and an event not to be missed.”
Chef Mendes, who currently hosts intimate tasting events in preparation for the opening of his new restaurant Viajante in 2010, was chosen by Evocative Foods for his creative menus and experimental uses of texture and temperature in his cooking.
Profits from the event will go toward the students’ graduation show in December 2009.
Tickets are on sale now at www.evocativefoods.com.
# # #
Thursday 7 May 2009
Going Live!
Tomorrow we will be going live with the EvocativeFoods.com Web site. It's very exciting to see what the response will be. I am preparing a press release now and that will be sent out tonight/tomorrow with the hopes of getting some press and interest.
In other news, I have a friend who has generously supplied us with his projector for the event. We will go to Nuno's on Saturday to test it for placement and so we know what we'll need for the event.
We have made a contract for both Nuno and Morgaine and will have them sign this document, which will designate all parties' deliverables and deadlines.
I ran into Brian and David today at 72 Rivington and they were both surprised that we were actually going ahead with the project even though the project time has passed. I think it's great that this team has decided to continue on and make this event a reality.
I want to commend everyone for continuing to work hard, despite juggling with our WHATs and WHYs right now.
km
In other news, I have a friend who has generously supplied us with his projector for the event. We will go to Nuno's on Saturday to test it for placement and so we know what we'll need for the event.
We have made a contract for both Nuno and Morgaine and will have them sign this document, which will designate all parties' deliverables and deadlines.
I ran into Brian and David today at 72 Rivington and they were both surprised that we were actually going ahead with the project even though the project time has passed. I think it's great that this team has decided to continue on and make this event a reality.
I want to commend everyone for continuing to work hard, despite juggling with our WHATs and WHYs right now.
km
Remember this idea?
In the beginning of this project, we had discussed a box of raw foods that could be sold. Does this look familiar? Southern Alps is doing it!
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