Posts from — May 2008

Thanks to everyone that joined us under the stars last night for our first canvas cocktails event. We’d like to thank Nino, Kelly and the rest of the team at Red Restaurant, Katie, Rebecca, Mike, Luke, and Mario for serving up an unbelievable evening.

We couldn’t have asked for better partners or a better venue to host our first event. The patio at Red is a fantastic hideaway in the village of Huntington. Someone was helping us out with perfect weather to compliment the space.

The music, food and beverages rounded out a great night!

canvas cocktailers enjoyed scrumptious curry chicken tartlets, tuna tartar two ways on a cucumber and with a kick on a tortilla chip, delicious eggplant copanata and other treats. The white wine sangria they had was killer!

Tom Licameli an accomplished musician provided great sounds for all who were there attendees were jumping up to sing along with him. Thanks for joining us Tom. Rose, Tom’s “marketing person” would be happy to field you calls about Tom or his studio, kaleidoscope soundworks.

Alex Wolff of Alex Wolff Photography once again was kind enough to shoot pictures of the event and Ken Farrell from Just Kids Nostalgia was also shooting away. Thanks guys.

If you didn’t make it to last nights festivities stay tuned for our next one.

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine

Check out this information the Surfrider Foundation sent me about a better bottle bill for New York State. As they say there’s still time to make good change happen. You’ll also see this you tube video explain the goal.

And join us for canvas cocktails tonight at Red Restaurant! It’ll be a bigger better time

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine

Mindfulness during meals helps us appreciate food and the art of slowing down.

Written by: Elyce Neuhauser

It’s 11 a.m.; the house is still and I’m hungry. Normally I would have a snack while reading the paper, listening to some music, or checking my emails. But after a recent visit to Kripalu (www.kripalu.org), the center for yoga and health in Stockbridge, MA, I have discovered a new way of eating: consciously. It doesn’t mean I’m falling asleep in my soup, rather that I’m paying attention to the moment, to the task at hand, to the sights, smells, and textures of eating before I even lift my fork. And I have found that when I take the time to notice what’s on my plate, really experience it with every sense, wondrous things happen . . .

“We so often eat amongst the business and rubble of our habitual lives,” says Aruni Nan Futuronsky, program advisor for the Healthy Living and Integrative Weight Loss programs as well as a faculty member of the Institute of Integrated Healing at Kripalu. “We push away the clutter and then put our plates down amongst it.” Indeed, most of us eat in such a state of disconnect to the signals of our bodies, we so often don’t realize that maybe it’s really thirst that needs quenching. Conscious eating starts even before you take a bite, before you put the meal on the plate. Before you take the food out of the pantry . . . ask yourself, what are you really hungry for? Maybe it’s attention, perhaps a hug, some good conversation, a creative outlet, or even a healthy walk.”

A glass of lime seltzer, an orange, and a handful of almonds sit in front of me. I stick my finger in the liquid and watch the tiny bubbles collect on my finger like little children crowding around a new puppy. The first sip reveals the tangy, limey scent and a little tingle on my tongue and lips as the bubbles ricochet down my throat like silver balls in a pinball machine. I pause and put the cup down, seeing the orange on my plate. My mouth waters without even touching it, thoughts running through my head of each section, pregnant with juice, and the little pulpy sacs just waiting to burst over my teeth. I notice the different variations of color on the skin, feel the pebbly texture with my fingers. I remember a moment eating an orange with my daughter last year—she was studying plant biology at the time, and as we were nibbling she remarked, “Did you know you are eating plant ovaries?” Suddenly eating becomes erotic. I rub my fingers along the flesh, seductively squeeze the fruit, then slowly peel the skin off and put little pieces of fruit in my mouth, savoring the texture before I bite in. As I chew, there is an immediate tiny explosion of juice that completely changes the quality and intensity of the flavor. I breathe a little deeper, allowing my breath to enhance the aroma and tactile sensations . . .

“It’s a metaphor for life,” Futuronsky continues, “to be there for the deliciousness, to savor the bite . . . it’s a profound way to think. We begin to slow down, to eat, to chew, and we get so much more satisfaction from the meal—it’s the gift of taste and texture.” Once we begin to slow down and notice what’s in front of us, we start to become connected to the process of eating as enjoyment. There is nothing more intimate than our connection with food; it becomes us.

The little pile of almonds is next. I pick one up, inhaling its sweet, nutty scent. It looks like a tiny peach pit—barky texture, pointy end. I take a second one and notice that the nuts are completely different, with ridges and lines along their surface like fingerprints, no two ever alike. With the first bite, the skin peels off on my teeth to reveal the creamy white interior. It’s crunchy in my mouth—without the newspaper and music to distract me I observe that the crunch is louder than I expected. I eat a few almonds this way and notice it’s enough . . .

“If we don’t eat consciously, taking the time to taste and enjoy our food, we miss out on the intrinsic satisfaction,” says nutritionist Bonnie Witler, of Weigh to Health, in Plainview (weightohealthinc.com).“This often leads to overeating because the food is just “there” and we may mindlessly take even more. This mindless eating leads to weight gain.” Food is right at hand; instead of just piling it onto our plates, and even worse, into our mouths, take the time to pick it up, smell it, feel it, taste it. Think about not just what you eat, but how you eat. Go slowly, chew more, move things around in your mouth so you can feel and experience all sensations.

“Being conscious brings the scattered threads of attention to what you are doing at that moment,” says Suzanne Cardinal, director of Into This World yoga teacher training (www.intothisworld.net). “Eating in this way draws the attention inward.” Cardinal runs workshops on Teaching Meditative Techniques for yoga teachers and includes a segment on conscious eating within her program. “It is in the actual experience of conscious eating—in the moment-by-moment depth of presence with each sensation of what is being taken in—that integration takes place between what we take in and what we become,” Cardinal says. “There is a direct relationship among the quality of what we take in, how we feel, and what we ultimately put out into the world.”

I linger, looking at my plate, orange peel next to almonds, and I breathe, waiting for my body to tell me whether I want more, or maybe something else. Chocolate . . .

The process of conscious consumption resonates with Linda Villano, the co-owner and co-founder of Manhasset-based SerendipiTea (www.serendipitea.com), an importer, wholesaler, and retailer of loose-leaf tea, which, unlike typical bagged tea, features whole leaves. “The preparation and drinking of loose-leaf tea simply and beautifully embodies the idea of slowing down, breathing consciously, and stepping out of the madness, even if just for a few minutes,” says Villano, who is currently writing a tea-centered book based on the idea of tuning in to the process. She likens this process of preparation and imbibing to a mini-meditation. “Those few moments of waiting for the tea to steep offer an opportunity to be still, to stop the chatter in our head for a brief moment, and relax our body,” says Villano. “Taking several tea time-outs a day not only adds to our physical health but our mental health as well.”

Allow this rising consciousness at the table to stay with you all day. Instead of multitasking, focus on the activity at hand. “When you do two things at once, eating being one of them, you are often not aware of how much or even what goes into your mouth,” says registered dietician Staci Leavitt Kobren, of Staci Leavitt Mind and Body, in Plainview (www.stacileavittmindandbody.com). She suggests trying these simple changes: Don’t snack while driving; put your fork down during serious conversations; stay away from the big bucket of popcorn at the movies.

Taking small first steps is important. “It’s an incremental ladder of actions,” Futuronsky suggests. “When you are trying to do the whole deal, the radical change, it’s a setup for failure. Instead, practice conscious eating during just one meal a week.” Like yoga or meditation, conscious eating is a practice—it’s not like you get it and you’re finished. “That’s the Western understanding of learning. Notice when the mind starts to wander. That’s the time to return,” she continues. “Food becomes the focal point of meditation. Remember that wandering is not bad or wrong; notice when the mind is wandering and practice coming back; come back to taste. That is a gift.”

At Kripalu, guests can find the meditative moments during required silent breakfasts. “Silent dining gets rid of all the distractions so you can begin the practice of focusing, of being there,” Futuronsky concludes. “It’s a profound metaphor for life: to be there for the deliciousness, to savor the bite. We begin to slow down, to notice the eating and the chewing and we get so much more satisfaction. It’s the gift of taste, flavor, and texture.”

I unwrap a Lindt truffle, extra-dark 60 percent cocoa. My mouth is watering and I can sense the richness, the smoothness, the depth, before it even approaches my palate. Slowly it goes into my mouth and I feel the chocolate melting with the heat of my breath. My hand greedily begins to reach for another one, but I tell myself to breathe, relax, and savor the sensations of now. I turn the candy over with my tongue; coat my mouth with its bittersweet succulence. Without chewing I simply let it dissolve all over my tongue, my teeth, my palate, and the insides of my cheeks. My senses are alive. Then with a lofty swallow, it’s gone. I sit back completely satisfied

Ways to raise your Consciousness

CD:

• Life-Works with Aruni Nan Futuronsky is a compilation of guided meditations that harness the mind to focus in the moment. Choose from meditations that will guide you while Waking, Eating, Walking, Healing, and Releasing. Order from kripalu.org

Books:

• Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings (Riverhead, 1998), by Edward Espe Brown, is a wonderful collection of recipes and reflections of a Zen Buddhist. The recipes are simple but it’s the reflections that resonate. Great inspiration for creating your own meals and recipes. Order from amazon.com
• If the Buddha Came to Dinner (Hyperion, 2004), by nutritionist Hale Sofia Schatz with Shira Shaiman, teaches readers to listen to their body, individual needs, and inner wisdom. Balancing emotional, spiritual, and physical needs is vital to our life force, and Schatz and Shaiman address all three. Order from amazon.com

Events:

• Slow Food Nation: The first annual exposition includes a film festival, taste workshops, interactive events and more. Held at Fort Mason and City Hall, in San Francisco, CA, on Labor Day weekend, August 29 through September 1, this four-day celebratory event is geared to providing experiences for participants that will transform their perception of food, engaging them in Slow food USA’s work to create a food system that produces healthy and delicious products that are ecologically sustainable, with fair labor practices. Visit www.slowfoodnation.org for more information.

Foods:
A meal doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated to be completely satisfying to all the senses. Try combining the simplest, freshest, mostly organic ingredients and you’ll start to find that your need for complex recipes diminishes. Try this easy-to-prepare main course and then be inspired to create your own meals, no recipes required.

Pan-seared Lemon Sole with Fresh Oregano and Thyme

Serves 2

1 pound wild-caught lemon sole
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil (or experiment with other high-heat oils such as avocado, almond, or apricot kernel)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic fresh thyme
1 tablespoon organic fresh oregano, chopped
Celtic sea salt and/or freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Rinse fish and pat dry. Notice texture of fish, its translucence, and the feel of it in your hands. Heat a sauté pan to medium-high heat and swirl oil in pan. Sauté garlic for about 30 seconds. Inhale the enticing scent. Place fish in pan and sear for about 2 minutes; flip carefully to the other side and take a pinch of thyme and oregano. Rub the herbs between your fingertips, noticing the texture and scent; then sprinkle on top of the fish, covering it completely with herbs. Inhale the fragrant, earthy aroma from your fingers. Sear fish for an additional 2 minutes or until opaque and cooked through. Season with sea salt and pepper if desired. Serve with fresh steamed string beans and a side of lentils and roasted onions.

Organic beer is one of today’s fastest growing—and selling—beverages. But will it replace the Heineken in your fridge?

Written by: Christopher O’Hara

With everything going “green,” beer hasn’t missed the boat. And I’m not talking about the green-hued pitcher of suds you’re likely to find at Finnegan’s on March 17th. I’m talking about certified organic premium beer—the stuff you are increasingly likely to find at your local supermarket. Green beer is growing, and as an avid beer drinker, the author of a popular beer book, and a stereotypical Irishman, I felt it was my duty to investigate this growing phenomenon for canvas.

My first stop was the closest supermarket: Southdown Market in Huntington. An upscale store featuring both organic fare and an excellent selection of upscale beer (including, just recently, some high-end Belgian Trappist ales), Southdown Market seemed like a good place to find an organic beer. After some searching in the cold aisle, I came across the only organic beer in stock: Peak Organic Pale Ale ($8.99). Sheathed in a rather pleasant six-pack carrier, the packaging promised “six 12-ounce bottles of delicious organic beer.” I grabbed it—and a backup six-pack of Budweiser, just in case.

My next stop was Whole Foods market in Jericho, that also boasts a high-end selection of suds—albeit, stocking only 2 additional certified organic beer choices besides Peak. I grabbed a six-pack of Wolaver’s organic Pale ale ($8.99), and the very rich-looking Old Ploughshare Stout ($8.99 for a four-pack).

At home, I immediately decanted a bottle of Peak Organic Pale ale into a tall, frosted beer glass and admired its frothy head. This looked, smelled and—yes—tasted like a very high-quality and delicious pale ale. I also sampled a bottle of the Wolaver’s Pale ale, and although the two ales were highly distinctive, both matched up well—and, in some cases, surpassed many commercially available pale ales I have tried. Both ales were flavorful, well carbonated, and characterized by the light malt character and “high-hop” taste of a classic IPA. I put the Old Ploughshare stout up against my tried and true Guiness stout, and found it to be a dark beer worth a second look—and a good organic-stout alternative.

On the whole, I could see why organic beer is beginning to break out of the “fad” category and experience a wider acceptance. If organic beer is anything like organic wine, then the future is bright for Peak Brewing, Otter Creek Brewing (Wolaver’s) and their organic-brew brethren. Current projections have organic wine’s share at a surprising 1 percent of the $23 billion U.S. wine market—with a growth rate that can approach an astonishing 50 percent a year.

Sales of organic beer are a lot smaller, but rapidly growing. In 2005—a year that overall beer sales actually declined—organic beer sales were up 40 percent, to $19 million. That may be a small number in the overall scale of the segment (by comparison, Anheuser-Busch sells about $8 billion worth of beer every year). Yet organic beer accounts for a tremendous amount of chemicals taken out of the agricultural process, which “can cause soil degradation and chemical runoff that contaminate water sources and the ecosystems they support,” according to Jon Cadoux, organic-beer pioneer and the founder and president of Peak Organic Brewing Company. An avid brewer and active environmentalist, Cadoux combined his love for both with a Harvard MBA and began brewing commercially in 1998. Located in Portland, Maine, the company brews three varieties of 100-percent organic beer and ships around the country. After drinking some of his beer, I tracked Jon down and asked him some obvious questions:

canvas: Tell canvas something about yourself.

Jon Cadoux: I’m pretty obsessed with brewing, so my life isn’t very sexy otherwise. Lately, we have been working on some really interesting new brews, so the obsession has worsened, at the expense of having a fun personal life. When I have time, I enjoy surfing, hiking, and skiing or snowboarding with family and friends.

canvas: Is organic beer better than “regular” beer? Or is all of this a lot of hype?

JC: I truly believe that the purest barley and hops are grown on
small family farms that don’t use toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These farmers are leading the way in terms of quality and we are honored to use their output in our ales. The foundation of an excellent beer is pure ingredients, and we think our organic farmers are making the purest out there.

canvas: Does organic beer last as long?

JC: There is nothing about using organic ingredients that should materially affect shelf life. Organic beer has pretty much the same shelf life as non-organic beer.

canvas: What is the organic-beer movement like right now? Is this going to be a real trend, or is it just another way to cash in on the “green” phenomenon?

JC: Organic beer is doing great because some brewing companies are putting out superb organic products. If folks can drink a superior craft beer that happens to be organic, then it’s a win-win. As an environmentalist, for me the end game is to have all brewing companies making certified organic beer. To reverse the serious issues of agricultural runoff and soil degradation, it’s going to take a lot more than 1 percent of barley and hops to be grown organically. It will take time, but I hope to see a vast majority of beer brewed around the world be certified organic in my lifetime.

canvas: Are you some kind of hippie? What made you want to brew “organic” beer anyway?

JC: I’m more of a foodie. We started brewing with organic ingredients because we were noticing that a lot of organic products we were buying just tasted better than the non-organic products. When we saw the quality of the organic barley that we were able to source, we were hooked. The organic-certification process is extremely difficult and takes a lot of our time and efforts. I think it’s worth it, though, because consumers should have every confidence that a product with the “USDA Organic” seal is the real deal. We work very closely with our certification agency to make sure that our organic raw materials never come in contact with “non-organic” materials and that our washing and rinsing procedures are proper.

canvas: What non-organic beers do you enjoy?

JC: I’m all over the board. The beers that get me the most excited are the ones that really innovate within a style. The ability of a brewer to really showcase the raw ingredients they are using and to create a beer that is complex and flavorful is what I am after. At the end of the day, I think a brewer should look at a beer they just made and think “what did this just add to the craft brewing scene?” I think if we all continually ask ourselves that, craft beer will continue to thrive the way it is now.

Find Organic Beer on Long Island

Peak Organic Pale Ale, Wolaver’s, and Old Ploughshare can be found on Long Island at Whole Foods in Jericho. Peak can also be found at Southdown Market in Huntington, as well as popular chains including Waldbaum’s, King Kullen, Wild by Nature, and the Food Emporium. It’s also served at many restaurants and bars including JP McGeevers (on draught) in Garden City South, Half Penny Pub in Sayville, the Garden City Country Club (also on draught), and The Library in Farmingdale.

Christopher O’Hara’s most recent book, Great American Beer, won a “Man at His Best” award from Esquire Magazine.

Yesterday my business partner, Matt, and I were scheduled to meet someone for lunch at one of our favorite Restaurants, and a canvas advertiser, Red, here in Huntington.

As we waited for our guest to arrive we had the opportunity to talk with Executive Chef and Owner, Nino Antuzzi.

To me the conversation followed the path of my blog post yesterday about green sections in canvas. Asking do we need to scream from the roof tops with a “Green Section” to receive green ad dollars – no pun intended.

So how does Red fit in here? Well as we were talking to Nino I asked him about a new restaurtant that opened in Huntington recently. Our discussion migrated to food, preparation, presentation and quality.

Although I’ve eaten at Red many times since their opening and always recommend it to people asking about restaurants in Huntington. The depth of this conversation about their food supply was even a first for me.

Here’s the rub… Nino also chooses not to scream from the rooftops about his food quality. And you know what – he shouldn’t have too.

Why am I posting this?

Because it’s important to those within the LOHAS to share with others. Nino was able to tell us exactly where his meats come from and how they’re raised. He was able to compare them to other meats available and describe why he chooses what he does and the impact on his prices. Guess what we learned – his beef is organic/natural and has always been before it was the trend!

We then talked about his fish and Nino described where his tilapia comes from and how come he chooses it and why he uses the vendor he does etc.

We talked about veggies and other food products etc. You get the point..

To me this is a great story !

One of our goal’s with canvas was to connect LOHAS consumers with LOHAS business… We’re doing that with Red and know our readers will appreciate Nino’s knowledge and investment in his food products.

Another goal of ours with canvas is to help migrate others to a LOHAS mindset, where people like us at canvas, Nino at Red don’t have to scream from the roof tops. To a place where we become part of the norm not a special section or dinner special for the evening.

Spread the word, help us help others to appreciate what LOHAS is really about, being green is only part of it, so is authenticity, openness and inclusiveness. Others can learn from Nino’s lead.

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine