The Obamas and the clean food movement

As much as I love our new president and his wife Michelle, I never thought they'd become the center of sustainable food movement. But that's exactly what they did last month when they planted a victory garden in their White House lawn.

I hadn't really reflected on the significance of this moment until Tuesday when I heard Josh Viertel, the new President of Slow Food USA give a speech at the Food Systems Network event in New York City. His organization is a strong advocate for increasing access to good, clean food in this country and expanding interest in connecting Americans with how and where their food is grown.

According to Josh, Slow Food and other sustainable agriculture advocates are now dealing with an administration in Washington that 'gets it.' An immensely different climate from just a year ago.

The current administration now understands we cannot achieve reforms in health care or the environment or in education without looking at our agriculture model. And scientists at the CDC are now fans of Michael Pollan. When he mentioned all these things, I couldn't help but smile.

So what's next? According to Josh, our role is now to back up Obama.
In other words, we need to create a movement.

We must continue to vote with our dollars - buying foods from our farmers markets. As well as get involved in the political debate - writing our congressmen and signing petitions that influence policy.

I'd also add that we need to start a dialogue withing our communities. Specifically: Why is having local, organic, sustainable food important to you?

It's important to me ever since I started noticing the connection between food and health. I was first exposed to high quality food when I started shopping at the Ferry Building Farmers Market in San Francisco. I'd come during my lunch time and pick up a few things to cook with. I was amazed by how beautiful the produce looked. How proud the growers were of their food. And how much better the food tasted.

Instead of looking at cooking as a chore, it became a passion of mine. I began to lose weight and have more energy. My health improved dramatically. I now look at my investment towards better food as being an investment in my own health care. And unlike my stock portfolio, it's actually paid off - I haven't seen a doctor in three years.

And if my heartfelt explanation isn't good enough for you. Here are some left-brained reasons why clean food makes sense.

*ENVIRONMENT - Our agriculture industry emits more carbon in the atmosphere than all our automobiles. Let's create a sustainable plan by encouraging more local produce. Create policies that support small farmers, instead of supporting large agribusiness and cash crops (like corn and soy).

*EDUCATION - Studies show that kids who eat well are more focused and perform better in the class room. Before investing money on new tests and more homework, we need better food in our schools. Get the soda and sugar out too.

*HEALTH CARE - We continue to spend more every year yet we get sicker. Our system is broken. Let's create funding for preventative treatments and approaches. We spend billions of dollars treating diet-related diseases (like diabetes). Teaching prevention costs just a fraction of this.

I'd love to hear why good clean, food is important to you. Please share!

It's cold. Gimme some beans.

I'm someone who strongly believes you need to listen to your cravings. And this weekend my tummy was loud and clear. It wanted beans.

It may have been the result of an 'intuitive' cooking session I led for a new client, Tamlin, last Tuesday. We met at her home in Park Slope and cooked only with what she had on hand. We did an inventory and brainstormed some possibilities, eventually deciding on a three bean chili, using the canned beans and canned tomatoes in her pantry as well as some fresh vegetables (celery, carrots, green pepper, onions, green beans) she had available. It came out so delicious that I was craving it all week.

But I think a lot of this craving also has to deal with the weather. And with the temperature in the twenties, my body starts to demand earthy, protein-rich foods like beans. And not just any kind of bean - the slow cooked kind, over a hot stove.

So on Saturday morning I decided to start cooking a fresh pot of beans, which I had soaked the previous night. I added plenty of water to the beans, brought them to a boil, and then cooked them slowly throughout the day. I'd check on them every 40 minutes or so. Maybe adding some aromatics (like onion, garlic, thyme, cumin). A bit of olive oil and Bragg's Liquid Aminos. I really had no plan.

Usually I'd cook beans for no more than an hour or two. This time I had my beans cook for almost five hours, only stopping because all the water had evaporated! It was truly amazing to taste these beans. They had become softer, richer, and more complex in taste. For the first time they tasted like beans I'd find in tacquerias and less like those from a can.

They were so good that by mid-afternoon I found myself having an early dinner of beans and rice. I couldn't wait! And on Sunday, influenced by the leftover beans I had cooked up, I made a black bean mushroom chili.

What a weekend!

What we can learn from a wine snob

You know how to identify them: the swirl of the glass, the slow dip of the nose, the long contemplative sip, and finally the self-important verdict.

Seems like a bad episode of Frasier. Pretentious!

Or so I thought. Until recently when our French visitor, Stephanie, brought over a bottle of Bordeaux wine from her country. We served it with dinner and could instantly smell the complex bouquet of the wine. [No swirl necessary] It was very fragrant, rich, oaky. I instantly knew this would be something I would want to savor. I slowed down. I smelled. I tasted the wine. It was amazing!

At that moment, something shifted. We all got present. We enjoyed our food and each other's company. It was literally one of the best evenings we've had in some time.

It is important to note that it was not the wine itself that took us there. Yeah, how much did you drink, anyway? Simply, the wine enabled us to get present.

The same enjoyment and appreciation can be had with any meal. All it takes is the ability to slow down and engage our senses. Next time you sit down to eat consider the presentation of your food. Close your eyes and take in the smell, taste and texture of the food. It easiest to do this with minimal distractions. So put away the book, magazine. Shut off the television.

And if you are dining with someone have them try this too. All of this will greatly enhance your experience of the meal...and each other.