Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®

Laguna Beach Hosts Annual Culinary Event

June 2, 2013

 

Hot Chefs, Restaurants and Mixologists will gather for Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®, the city’s premier culinary benefit. Taste of the Nation Laguna Beach will raise critical funds needed to support Share Our Strength’s® efforts to end childhood hunger in Orange County and across the nation.  This year’s event will be held on June 2, 2013 at the beautiful Montage Laguna Beach from 4pm to 7pm, with a VIP reception beginning at 4pm.

More than 9 of Country’s finest chefs will participate in the gastronomic event.  Along with Executive Chef Craig Strong, participating restaurants will include Lee Smith – Montage Laguna Beach, Lizzie Binder – San Francisco, CA, Josiah Citrin-Mélisse – Los Angeles, CA, Chris Crary- Santa Monica, CA, Jenn Louis-Lincoln/Sunshine Tavern- Portland, Nick Roberts & Brooke Williamson – Hudson House/The Tripel, Los Angeles CA, Alan Wong – Alan Wong’s Restaurant – Honolulu, HI. Guests will enjoy the  finest foods paired with wines and cocktails…more

 

 

 

I get so annoyed, actually fuming when I see mediocre or downright disgusting hummus served all over America. I guess I take it personally. In Dallas, it is served at American and Iranian and Greek and Indian restaurants, in addition to so-called Mediterranean restaurants. It never tastes how it should! Since Humms is actually very easy to make and only consists of 4 main ingredients-chick peas, lemon juice, tahini and garlic- I have concluded that most people who prepare it don’t have any idea how it is supposed to taste.

 

Now, there are 2 ways to achieve a delicious hummus and it depends on the time you have available. The fast and easy version consists on using canned chick peas while the authentic way is of course to soak and boil the beans one day ahead. I will tell you this: both are good, except with the beans you avoid the extra sodium and sometimes a metallic taste.  However, you absolutely must use freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh and mashed garlic! Also, to save time, you can prepare the humms, mash it in the processor or food mill and put individual servings of it in a freezer ziploc bag to grab at a later date when needed. I had a friend in California, Jamal, who upon showing me his apartment, proudly opened his freezer to point out the rows of neat little plastic bags of humms that his mother had prepared for him on her last visit! Defrost it and season it with garlic and lemon juice and tahini when ready to eat it!

 

Click here for a great recipe for my chick pea hummus and enjoy!

 

Chef Joumana Accad

http://www.tasteofbeirut.com

 

 

YRG Guacamole Dip

Compliments of Chef Jennifer Hill Booker

Yields  2-4 servings

 

 

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados

1/2 red onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 jalapeno or Serrano chili,  minced

1/4 cilantro leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

1firm- ripe tomato, diced

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

A dash of freshly grated black pepper

 

Directions:

• Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.
• Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary in their hotness.
• Start with a half of the chili peppers and gradually add more to your desired degree of hotness.
• Add the diced tomatoes. Serve immediately with tortilla or pita chips
• Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to slow down oxidation and discoloration of the YRG Guacamole Dip.

 

Enjoy!

Photo credit: puregoodness com

 

Chef Jennifer Hill Booker
Your Resident Gourmet
Host-Basil MAGAZINE Radio Show
www.YourResidentGourmet.com 
www.blogtalkradio.com/BasilMagazineRadio

 

Fore more great recipes,  log onto http://www.basilmagazine.com/recipies/

 

 

Just in time for spring picnic action, new bakery and sandwich shop Flour + Co. has opened its doors as of today. Helmed by former La Boulange operations director Emily Day, the bakery portion features morning treats like biscuits, muffins, and cinnamon rolls, as well as more decadent sweets like cookies, cakes, and pies. A handful of items are also available in gluten-free versions, and pie and cookie dough will be for sale to take home. Other breakfast fare includes a daily rotating “egg pie” (a.k.a. quiche), granola, yogurt, and Stumptown coffee. At lunchtime, sandwiches, savory tarts, and chicken pot pie are available. They’re also offering something unique, a charity donation box, with a matching grant of up to $250 per month.

The bakery is petite, with 16 seats and a cheerful beige and robin’s-egg blue color scheme. The concept was designed by Abueg Morris Architects, who’ve also done spots like Roam Artisan Burgers and Bun Mee. There’s definitely a corporate branding element at work as well, with murals featuring main character Flour and her anthropomorphic pals Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Milk. (May we humbly suggest a Hamburglar/Bananagrabber-type addition?) Opening hours are currently 6:30 am-6 pm, according to Day’s blog, but are subject to change.

Source:  Allie Pape / SF Eater

 

 

The Gluten Free Society is now offering a Medical Certification course to health care providers. The course will improve a provider’s knowledge of gluten sensitivity, related issues and how to diagnosis then treat related illnesses. The Society offers two different types of certification, with the first one starting at 200 dollars. More information can be obtained here: http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/find-gluten-free-doctors/gluten-free-society-tier-1-certification-course/

 

According to CeliacCentral.org, “It is estimated that 85% of Americans who have celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions.” As a result, millions of Americans go years without the proper treatment. This reason alone is why the Gluten Free Society has been advocating for better education of gluten related issues. “We offer two types of certification because it is needed. It is that simple. People are having their quality of life injured because there is a lot of misinformation and misunderstandings surrounding gluten intolerance,” said Dr. Peter Osborne.

 

The Gluten Free Society’s Tier 1 certificate includes each health care provider being listed as an expert in the Society’s healthcare provider and physician database. The Gluten Free Society is an online resource for doctors and patients seeking help in the area of gluten related diseases. The site has more than 60,000 visitors monthly. There is a second level certification specific to experts in the field of gluten related diseases. This fee is 300 dollars and also allows the expert to be listed on the Society’s website.

 

The Gluten Free Society lends its support to research endeavors revolving around grains, gluten, lectins, and other compounds within grain that may harm human health. The organization provides an ongoing analysis and commentary of research performed in the field of food sensitivity/intolerance. Members of the media can contact Helene Vece of JumpStart Ink and Media Manager for the Gluten Free Society to request an interview with Dr. Peter Osborne.

 

 

By Laurel Vukovic

 

Sylvia Chatroux, a medical doctor in Ashland, Oregon, recently treated a patient complaining of a high fever, chills, nausea and diarrhea. Most conventional doctors would have prescribed pharmaceutical drugs to lower the fever and stop the diarrhea and nausea. But Chatroux gave her patient homeopathic arsenicum, a specially prepared and highly diluted form of arsenic. The patient quickly recovered.

 

In its pure form, arsenic is a poison that, in healthy individuals, causes symptoms similar to the distress Chatroux’s patient was experiencing. “This is the basic principle of homeopathy — to try to match up the complaints of the person with the characteristics of the remedy,” Chatroux explains. “The goal is to stimulate the innate healing abilities of the body.”

 

How Homeopathy Works

Unlike allopathic medicine, which focuses on controlling the symptoms of a disease, homeopathy views symptoms as the body’s attempt to restore balance. Homeopaths believe allopathic drugs may actually drive disease deeper into the body because such drugs suppress symptoms instead of treating the underlying cause of the illness.

 

“Homeopathic medicines work with, rather than against, a person’s natural defenses,” says Dana Ullman, author of The Consumer’s Guide to Homeopathy (Tarcher/Putnam, 1996). “Symptoms are the way that the body is trying to heal itself. So we look for catalysts that will enhance the body’s efforts.” In homeopathy, these catalysts take the form of plants such as arnica, monkshood and onion; minerals such as arsenic, sodium chloride and copper; and seemingly bizarre substances such as cuttlefish ink, bushmaster snake venom and roasted sponge.

 

The Rationale Behind Homeopathy

Homeopathy was founded in the early 19th century by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician disillusioned with the standard medical practices of his time, which included bloodletting and the administration of toxic drugs such as mercury. In his search to find a more humane approach to treating illness, Hahnemann observed that a substance producing certain symptoms when given to a healthy person could cure the same symptoms in someone who was sick. He first noticed this phenomenon while experimenting with cinchona, a Peruvian bark that was used as a treatment for malaria. Hahnemann took cinchona twice daily and soon began suffering the intermittent fevers characteristic of malaria. When he stopped taking the cinchona, his fevers stopped. Hahnemann went on to experiment with hundreds of substances and developed homeopathy from his findings.

 

This basic principle of homeopathy, the Law of Similars, refers to his observation that “like cures like.” This theory was proposed as early as the fourth century b.c., when Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, wrote, “Through the like, disease is produced, and through the application of the like it is cured.” Although homeopathy has little in common with conventional medicine, the Law of Similars is the basis for the approach conventional medicine uses for immunizations and allergy treatments: Vaccines are made up of weak formulations of a specific virus to bolster the body’s immunity to the illness; allergies are treated by injecting minute amounts of the allergen into the body to strengthen the body’s ability to cope.

 

Another important principle of homeopathy is called the Law of the Infinitesimal Dose. Simply put, lower doses of homeopathic remedies are considered to have a stronger action than higher doses. Homeopathic remedies are prepared by diluting them with water or alcohol, then vigorously shaking them (a process called succussing). The remedies are often so diluted that they contain no measurable amount of the original substance.

 

“Homeopathic medicines are actually energy medicines,” Ullman says. “We may not understand exactly how they work, but there is clear evidence that homeopathic medicines are active and can stimulate healing.”

 

Skeptics frequently dismiss the positive results attributed to homeopathy as a placebo response. But studies appear to show otherwise. In 1997, the British medical journal Lancet evaluated 89 homeopathic clinical studies conducted between 1966 and 1995 to determine whether the positive outcomes were actually placebo effects. The health conditions studied included allergies, gynecological problems, respiratory ailments and many other disorders. The researchers found that patients who were taking homeopathic medicines were almost 2.5 times as likely to experience a positive therapeutic effect as those taking placebos.

 

The Appropriate Use of Homeopathy

Homeopathy is used to treat both chronic and acute conditions. If you suffer from a chronic condition such as asthma, ulcerative colitis, eczema, depression or anxiety, it’s best to consult a trained homeopathic practitioner.

 

“One has to study homeopathic medicine for many years to learn how to prescribe the correct medicine for people with chronic conditions,” Ullman says. A homeopathic evaluation is detailed and comprehensive and involves not only an assessment of physical symptoms, but also of mental and emotional states. Personality quirks, food preferences, moods and dreams are all taken into account to help determine the specific remedy or combination of remedies best suited to the individual.

 

“Simple acute conditions and injuries are generally appropriate for self-treatment,” Chatroux says. Remedies for first aid are particularly straightforward, because the treatment for injuries does not need to be tailored to the individual, so self-treatment is likely to be appropriate and effective. Acute conditions include colds and flus, earaches, stomachaches and traumas such as strains, sprains, cuts and burns.

 

“People with injuries tend to experience similar symptoms and usually need a similar metabolic stimulus to heal their complaint,” Ullman explains. “Homeopathic medicines for first aid and sports injuries are usually very effective in reducing pain and speeding the healing process.”

 

Use Homeopathy Sensibly

Mild, short-term symptoms, such as indigestion, heartburn or headache, can be safely self-treated at home. Serious or persistent ailments require professional care.

Consult your physician if:
• you can’t stop vomiting
• your vomit or stools appear bloody or black
• you have severe stomach or abdominal pain
• you recently injured your head
• you have chest pains
• your skin or eyes turn yellow
• your urine is dark
• you’re dehydrated (eyes are sunken, skin and eyes feel dry)
• you’re diabetic
• you’re pregnant

 

How to Buy and Use Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are widely available in health-food stores, some pharmacies and by mail order. They come in several forms: as tiny tablets and liquid tinctures for internal use, and as gels and ointments for the topical treatment of bruises, stings, cuts and sore muscles.

 

The potencies of tablets and tinctures are designated by the letters “x” or “c.” Normally, one part of a substance is added to nine parts of water or ethyl alcohol and shaken. This is known as a 1x (or a 1 part in 10) dilution. If a remedy is labeled “c,” the active ingredient is diluted in a ratio of one part in 100, yielding 1c, 2c and so on. The number before the letter represents how many times the remedy has been diluted. The higher the number, the stronger the remedy. Ullman suggests using either 6th or 30th potencies (labeled on the bottle as 6x or 6c, or 30x or 30c), which are readily available and are appropriate for self-treatment. Unlike traditional herbalism, Ullman says homeopathic doses are generally the same for children and adults.

 

In the early, or acute, stages of a condition, such as a sprain, it may be necessary to take the homeopathic remedy every hour or two, or even every 15 to 30 minutes until your symptoms subside.

 

“The basic principle of determining dosage is that the more severe the condition, the more often the remedy needs to be taken,” Ullman says. Gradually decrease the dosage to every other hour or every four hours, depending on the severity of the pain. Symptoms should abate within a couple of days. “A medicine should only be taken as long as the person is experiencing pain,” Ullman says. “Don’t continue taking it unless there are still symptoms. The idea is to take as little of the medicine as possible, yet to take enough to lessen pain and stimulate the body’s healing powers.”

 

Most homeopaths recommend specific guidelines for using homeopathic medicines. Avoid eating or drinking anything — except water — for at least 15 minutes before and after taking the remedy. To aid absorption, place the remedy under your tongue and allow it to dissolve slowly. Do not chew or swallow the tablets.

 

Because certain substances can neutralize or contaminate homeopathic remedies, it’s best to keep the remedies away from strong-smelling substances such as camphor, menthol and perfumes, and to avoid the use of camphorated substances such as lip balm and pain-relieving muscle creams while you’re taking the remedies. Many homeopaths suggest abstaining from coffee during homeopathic treatment and not drinking mint-flavored teas or using mint-flavored toothpaste within 30 minutes of taking remedies. To maintain their potency, store homeopathic medicines in their original containers and keep them away from heat, sunlight and moisture.

 

Homeopathic Medicines for Common Ailments

Homeopathic remedies are powerful medicines that work in minute doses. Single-dose remedies are targeted and individualized for specific patterns of symptoms. Combination remedies are groups of remedies that produce a broader effect; they should be taken only for several days at a time and are primarily for acute conditions, not for serious, life-threatening conditions. Low to medium potencies (30c and below) can be safely used by people who are self-prescribing and can be used for most physical ailments in adults and children. People in a weakened or overly sensitive state should consult their health-care provider for advice.

 

Allium cepa (onion): For relief of conditions associated with a thin, watery discharge from the nose and eyes, such as the common cold or hay fever.

 

Arnica (mountain daisy): For relief of the shock and pain of injuries; prevents soreness and encourages healing. Take internally for any type of injury; apply externally to bruises and sore muscles.

 

Belladonna (deadly nightshade): For relief of the sudden onset of inflammation, heat and throbbing pain, such as with fever, sore throat, headache or earache. The symptoms are often worse with motion or touch and the person may be angry or delirious.

 

Calendula officinalis (marigold): For healing cuts, wounds and burns. Stimulates the formation of healthy scar tissue. Take internally, and apply externally in the form of an ointment or gel.

 

Chamomilla (chamomile): For relief of irritability, especially in children. Eases teething pain, colic, emotional upset and insomnia. Symptoms are generally worse at night and the child wants to be carried and comforted.

 

Gelsemium (yellow jasmine): For relief of colds and flu, especially those with chills, headache and achiness. Characterized by feelings of heaviness and exhaustion. Worse with physical exertion.

 

Hypericum (St. John’s wort): For relief of nerve injury with extreme pain, such as from slamming a finger in a door. The pain is shooting and severe. Especially helpful for injuries of the toes, fingers and back.

 

Ledum (marsh tea): For relief of puncture wounds, including bites from insects and animals. Also for treating black eyes.

 

Magnesia phosphorica (phosphate of magnesia): For relief of cramps and shooting pains; useful for headaches, toothaches and menstrual cramps. Sometimes referred to as “homeopathic aspirin.” Pain is generally relieved by heat and is worse with cold.

 

Nux vomica (poison nut): For relief of symptoms from overindulgence in rich foods or drinking too much alcohol. Symptoms are often worse in the morning and are better with rest, warmth and hot drinks.

 

Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy): For relief of sprains and strains; also stiffness and sore, achy joints, including low back and neck pain. Symptoms are worse on initial movement and in damp, cold weather.

 

Arnica

If you ever bang your head
And get what’s called an egg
Bruised with black and blues
Or you should sprain your leg
If you’re feeling kind of sore
From bonks or a rusty limb
You’ve overdone the marathon
Or took too long a swim
Or perhaps there was a trauma
You claimed that you were well
You sent the doctor far away
And the rest of us to hell
You never did recover
You’ve never been the same
The bed feels way too hard
Healing’s not your game
In brief, you’re bruised and cranky
And you feel all beaten up
Arnica will come in handy
Put it in your cup.

 

From Materia Poetica, Homeopathy in Verse by Sylvia Seroussi Chatroux, M.D. (Poetica Press, 1998).

 

The “Memory-of- Waters” Theory

When homeopathic remedies are made, a tiny portion of an animal, plant or mineral substance (or a combination of substances) is placed in water or ethyl alcohol and vigorously shaken. The blend may be diluted and shaken many times, and may be so watered down that none of the original substance remains.

 

So how can something work if it’s no longer present? Homeopathy’s defenders sometimes point to the “memory-of-waters” theory, which generally states that the structure of the alcohol or water solution is changed when the plant, animal or mineral substance is added to it. The solution “remembers” the substance’s structure enough to spark the body’s ability to heal.

 

Non-herbal Homeopathic Ingredients

The following mineral and animal sources are commonly found in homeopathic remedies.

 

• Apis (Apis mellifica): Honeybee. The whole bee, honey, propolis, royal jelly and pollen are used to treat inflammation accompanied by stinging pain.
• Cantharis (Lytta vesicatoria): Spanish fly. Used to treat burns and stings.
• Ferrum phos (Ferrum phosphoricum): Iron phosphate. Used to treat early stages of inflammation, fever and infection, as well as coughs and colds.
• Ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha): Used to treat constant nausea and breathing difficulty.
• Kali phos (Kali phosphoricum): Potassium phosphate. Used to treat exhaustion, both physical and mental.
• Wolf spider (Lycosa spp.): Used to treat extreme restlessness and heart disorders.

 

 

 

Source: motherearthliving.com

Laurel Vukovic writes and teaches about herbs and natural healing from her home in southern Oregon. She is the author of 14-Day Herbal Cleansing (Prentice Hall, 1998) and Herbal Healing Secrets for Women (Prentice Hall, 2000).

 

Helpful Homeopathy Information

 

Organizations
Homeopathic Educational Services
2124 B Kittredge St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 649-0294
www.homeopathic.com

National Center for Homeopathy
801 N. Fairfax St. Ste. 306
Alexandria, VA 22314
(877) 624-0613
www.homeopathic.org

 

Books
The Complete Homeopathy Handbook by Miranda Castro. New York: St. Martin’s, 1991.
The Consumer’s Guide to Homeopathy by Dana Ullman. New York: Tarcher/Putnam, 1995.
Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines by Stephen Cummings and Dana Ullman. New York: Tarcher/Putnam, 1997.
The Family Guide to Homeopathy by Andrew Lockie. New York: Fireside, 1993.
Healing with Homeopathy: The Complete Guide by Wayne B. Jonas and Jennifer Jacobs. New York: Warner, 1996.

 

Resources

Bioforce
1869 Rte. 9H Ste. 1
Hudson, NY 12534
(800) 641-7555
www.bioforceusa.com
Provides homeopathic combination formulas such as Allergy Relief and PMS Relief

The Vitamin Shoppe
4700 Westside Ave.
North Bergen, NJ 07047
(800) 223-1216
www.vitaminshoppe.com
Offers a wide selection of homeopathic products from several brands, including Boiron and Boericke & Tafel

Washington Homeopathic Products
33 Fairfax St.
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(800) 336-1695
www.homeopathyworks.com
Sells several brands of internal and external homeopathic products

Grand Gourmet Package at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Features Cooking and Mixology Classes, Tequila Tasting

 

Complementing the gourmet experience offered by its four specialty restaurants, the “Beyond All-Inclusive, Beyond All-Compare” Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is offering its first ever Grand Gourmet Package. The unique package features a private two-hour cooking class with chefs from a selection of its Italian, Mexican and French restaurants, Lucca, Frida and Piaf, as well as a tequila tasting and private 45-minute mixology class. Gourmet welcome amenity and private VIP airport transfers are also included.

Guests enjoy all-inclusive features of the AAA Five Diamond resort including luxury suite accommodations, a la carte dining at a choice of gourmet restaurants, premium branded beverages, 24-hour in-suite service, taxes and gratuities The package is available now through December 19th, 2013, with rates starting at $379 per person, per night based on double occupancy. Minimum stays apply and rates are subject to availability.

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit has not only revolutionized the luxury all-inclusive concept and set the bar for other resorts, but its four signature restaurants offer gourmet á la carte dining on par with restaurants in the world’s top culinary destinations. Served at the swim-up Aqua Bar and in the resort’s signature restaurants, guests enjoy the Signature Margarita Menu, a special selection of 12 delightfully unique cocktails. The lauded menu includes the Cocoa Signature Margarita, which uses chocolate directly from Chiapas fused with an orange essence, as well as Clamato Chilli Pepper, Tamarind Mint and Avocado Pistachio flavored drinks.

For reservations or more information, please call 1-877-398-2784 or visit http://www.vallarta.grandvelas.com.

 

 

 

 

Crumbs

Crumbs Bake Shop first opened its doors in March of 2003 on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The menu is an irresistible blend of comfort-oriented classics and elegant baked goods, but the specialty of the house is the Crumbs Signature size cupcakes!

With our more than 50 varieties baked fresh daily and a new cupcake of the week every Monday, each Crumbs Bake Shop is an oasis of wall to wall deliciousness.

And now you can enjoy your favorite Crumbs treats in the comfort of your own home – just like Mom used to bake.

Delivered straight to your front door, perfect for a cupcake party, or without needing any occasion at all.

 

 

 

 

Cupcakes

Cupcakes delight both the eyes and the soul.

Made with the finest ingredients, they remind us that the best things in life are simple. We offer a selection in our Signature and Taste size cupcakes.

Signature cupcakes are ordered in increments of six. You can create your own individual six packs or choose a pre-selected assortment. Our Classic size and Taste size cupcakes are offered by the dozen in pre-selected favorite assortments.

Cakes

Nothing says I love you like a Crumbs Cake. For your next celebration let us add some happiness with the homemade goodness in our special cakes. It’s easy to personalize and we’ll make it just like mom did. You can build it from the table up or let us help find the perfect cake for you.

From Red Velvet to Vanilla Cake and Chocolate and everything in between. We put a little love into every cake. That is why we’ve become a part of our friends celebrations everyday. Call your nearest Crumbs location for more information. Let’s celebrate.

 

For more information on Crumbs Bake shop, log onto: http://www.crumbs.com/

 

 

 

 

Each Ticket includes:

• Wine Tasting + sampling of gourmet “bites”
• 100% of all ticket sales and a portion of wines sales sold at the event will be divided among the charities of the winning teams.
• More VIP fun such as meet and greet with owner/vintner Kathryn Hall.
• Vote for your favorite dish in the People’s Choice category

 

How to Purchase Tickets – This event sold out last year.  Reserve your tickets through our online store today. A confirmation will be sent by email. Tickets will be charged the week of the event.

 

Participating Chef Teams - Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ,  Ca Momi, Carpe Diem, Culinary Mercenary, Cuvee, Feast, La Condesa, Market St. Helena, The Grill at Meadowood, Napa Valley Biscuits, Oenotri, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering

 

Professional Judges - Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani – Terra; Chef Ken Frank -  La Toque; Chef Brandon Sharp – Solbar

 

 

For more information go to: www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff

Questions? Contact Diem Doonan at 707.967.2673 or ddoonan@hallwines.com