The Vegetarian Guy

Vegetarian Traditions Video

Quotes from Amazon.com reviews:

All “secrets” are shared in this book. I believe this based on the quality of his recipes and the thoroughness of his descriptions. Also, if you get to meet him in person, you’ll get a sense that George is down to earth and one of those sincere, full of integrity, and patient individuals we don’t get to meet often enough. He poured everything he has in this book and it shows.

~CM

He’s holding up a beautiful fresh vegetable for you to admire, inspiring you to make the most of it in the recipe. He’s sharing memories, history, and wonderful photographs, all so engaging that you’ll read through it like a novel!  The layout of one recipe per page with the ingredients listed on the side, makes it user-friendly. The recipes are cleary written and simple to follow. The seasonings perfect. Move over Moosewood!

~JB

This has become one of my favorite cookbooks and I’m not even vegetarian. The recipes are written in such a way that they are very easy to follow, and the author has included a brief description of each recipe that is both interesting and informative.

~JG

It is a crowd pleaser for sure and i have even turned some self defined die hard meat eaters onto it at dinner parties. Highly recommended!!!

~NB

As Detroit natives, my family and I had been Inn Season Cafe fans for years. Needless to say, we were ecstatic when a friend informed us that the cookbook had just come out. This is not just a book for Inn Season fans, it’s a great cookbook for anyone who is vegan or looking to eat healthier — or just looking to expand their culinary horizons, for that matter (many of the recipes feature international cuisines and flavors). I am also gluten-free and many of the recipes are gluten-free or easily adaptable. The brown rice salad (p. 73) was a huge hit with the whole fam (veg and non-veg alike). This is a wonderful all-around cookbook, and one that I’m sure I will cherish for years to come.

~Beth

In honor of Earth Day, I chose a collection of previous blog posts as a tribute to the connection we all have with the planet.  A small reminder that everything we do can be a celebration of the earth.

How to Shop at the Farmers Market

Locavores Do It Fresher

Topsoil Tales …or Nourishing From the Ground Up

A New Victory Garden

Spring is here in San Diego; the Winter rains have spawned a lush green on canyon hillsides and the mockingbirds are starting their mellifluous Spring rants.  Oranges, tangerines and kumquats are in abundance at the farmer’s markets, while the first sweet organic strawberries are beginning to show themselves in the fields like voluptuous damsels in red dresses.  At the Hillcrest Farmers Market, the Rodriguez Brothers organic booth offers the first sugar snap peas, reminding me of early Spring in Michigan where they were one of the first crops to show up after the thaw.

At my former restaurant, Inn Season Cafe, we would prep crate upon crate of the sweet pods and serve them steamed as a side vegetable, seared for use as an appetizer or added at the last second to a stir fry, so they stayed crisp on the plate.  Today, I am steaming them in a skillet with just enough water to completely steam out within a minute.  As I prepare the peas for steaming, I enjoy the melody of the crisp “snap” as I remove each end of the pods before pulling off the string.  After steaming, I quickly toss them with a few drops of ume plum vinegar just before serving.  Fresh, crisp and full of life, they are one of the Spring’s delights.

My first encounter with fresh artichokes off the bush was a springtime journey 25 years ago to Crete. Walking through the village, we would snap the giant thistle buds right off the bush, eating them raw. Most often, my great aunt Yeorgia would cook them in dishes like Aginara Stefado (artichoke stew) with fennel, carrots, celery, lemon and onions. She accompanied the fragrant stew with rice pilafi and hard crusted bread to sop with, it was a perfect meal for the season.

Over the years, I served artichokes regularly at Inn Season Café. We found a surprising number of people to be unaware of how to eat this most ancient vegetable, therefore causing us to use them inside dishes instead of serving them baked, braised, steamed or stuffed as a full globe. Maybe people were fearful of the aptly named choke, but I still tried, pointing out the sensual nature and satisfying experience of eating them one leaf at a time. By the time the artichoke is finished, one usually feels quite full.

One of my favorite dishes used baby artichokes. Pre-cooking them allowed us to remove some of the outer leaves to reach a completely edible and exquisitely tender heart and choke. Sautéing them with garlic and pine nuts, they would be dressed with a light creamy sauce and served over pasta; either homemade fettuccini or a high quality udon noodle (similar to linguini). We served it in two versions, one vegan and one not. These days, I make it without animal products.

This week at the Hillcrest Market, Sage Mountain Farms had the beginning of the local crop of organic artichokes.  I also harvested our first artichoke from the large bushes in the back yard. Excited to do a taste test, I cut them in half, removed the chokes and roasted them in the oven Sicilian style with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and oregano. It wasn’t a fair comparison because the Sage Mountain artichokes had already been harvested for over 24 hours, while our home garden grown globes had only been picked 30 minutes before cooking.  They both had an intense artichoke flavor that practically shouted Mediterranean at me, but the home grown was perfect…tender, creamy and sensual. The season has just begun and with a number of chokes developing on the bushes; it promises to be an auspicious beginning to a great summer of freshly harvested food.

Strolling through the Hillcrest Farmers Market, one vendor stands out among the vibrant colors of bountiful booths.  Barry Koral is six foot plus, wears a large straw sun hat and frequently dons a colorful Hawaiian shirt.  Beyond the visual, his pronounced voice penetrates the hubbub of the market with timely offers of avocados, Meyer lemons, guava and persimmons interspersed with sage advice.  Drawn to the booth for his addictively good fruit as well as powerfully energetic personality, I make the pilgrimage almost every Sunday.  When he first spoke about how his food is alive and full of nutrients, I recognized the glint in his eye as that of a raw food aficionado.  

My first exposure to live foods was in 1981 when my wife Barbara visited the Hippocrates Institute in Coldwater Michigan to pursue a cure for the cancer she faced.  Ultimately, the illness was not overcome, but the experience kick-started her healing journey holistically in body, mind and spirit.  The experience was both enlightening and invigorating and, since then, I have incorporated elements of live foods into my own diet and food preparation.  A prominent symptom of a seasoned live food devotee is an incredible energy level and the same glint in the eye that I see when Barry speaks. 

Short of doing a proper interview, Barry was kind enough to share the article below which paints a beautiful picture of his contribution to the community.  Meeting him has been a privilege and those fleeting moments of exposure to his good present energy adds momentum to my week.  He helps people connect to the life energies inherent in the earth, often without them having any idea of what is going on.  Souls such as he, help the rest of us understand how to live and breath with the earth, as well as utilize the readily available bounty to increase the quality of our existence.   An example worth following and fruit worth eating!

This is the article Barry shared with me:

Barry likes to express himself through drawing and poetry. I mention to him that I’m fond of his musings and wish to include some samples on my community service website. He happily responds by saying, “You rock my world.” It’s a nice compliment, and it sets me wondering about his way of moving through the world.

For instance, I discover that Barry has a wealth of timely information to share about life, especially concerning his passion for what he terms the “art of living”. In a few days, I’m invited back to his digs, with a close woman friend. This interview is the result of my wishing to know more about the life of this multi-talented artist and health enthusiast.

Amidst a plethora of one hundred seventy five fruit trees, a small art studio, sauna, hot tub, and an assortment of foraged American folk art, I learn more details about the property as Barry bares his soul about how all this came to pass. Mr. Natural, as I call him, confides that his sanctuary is a dream come true. Barry’s purring cat wholeheartedly agrees, and indeed, this attractively designed spacious environ fits the bill. This pearl in an oyster of a location is perfect for personal growth.

Surveying the property reveals that the trees are filled with tremendous life force. Barry surrounds everyone with a ring of rocks gathered from his worldwide travels. Each is a souvenir of his experiences in far away places. The rocks add minerals to the soil, help to retain moisture around the trees, and create a continual flow of energy, reflecting the endless cycles of nature.

One important thing to consider is natural symbiosis, which incorporates efficient homestead design. At its best, this is an evolving adventure into appropriate sustainable lifestyles. The key theme here, as it relates to Barry’s semi-rural lifestyle, is optimization. For example, a pilgrimage to a sacred earthen lair on one corner of the property, dubbed Mount Compost, is the home of a plethora of wriggling earthworms, as well as a lively assortment of microbes – beneficial for both humans and the biosphere. Here is a tidbit of information that most urbanites and suburbanites aren’t even aware of: one centimeter of soil contains as many as one billion microbes!

Much of the planet’s soil is lacking in essential nutrients, such as trace minerals. In an attempt to remedy this, Barry takes care to add specific life-enriching elements to his trees. Mineralized rock dust and compost applied around the base of the trees can greatly enhance crop yields, while maintaining Gaia equipoise. The pleasure is in reaping delectable results. Barry comments: “Watering, composting, pruning, brush removal, leaf raking, and adding more mulch to the soil are really vital to balanced growth and renewal.”

Barry has taken great care to plant very special varieties of exotic subtropical fruit trees. He and his co-workers carefully select the finest, most delectable ripe fruit from his orchard to sell, and the rest is shared among friends or returned to Mother Earth as compost. As a result, his fruits are distributed in various parts of the U.S. and abroad. His French customers, for instance, have access to the finest produce in the world. Barry is honored to be selected as one of their providers.

Barry supports and stimulates the organic food economy. This helps to promote local self-sufficiency and the health of bioregions across the planet. As part of this initiative, every week, he loads large crates of fruit into his van, and drives the produce to the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market, where it is displayed in attractive hand woven baskets. He covers the tables with brightly colored tapestries, and puts calligraphic signs in the baskets, each adorned with his creative designs.

Yet this is only the beginning! What would the show be without Barry? Wishing to see for ourselves, a friend and I accompany him on a Sunday excursion to the market. It’s really quite a lively affair. We discover that Barry is among the most vocal of entrepreneurs, entreating potential customers to procure his exotic produce, while educating them about the preparation and nutritional value of the succulent varieties he offers.

There is a constant flow of visitors to his booth. Many wish to know more about the attributes of the exotic fruits displayed. They ask him such key questions as: What is a cherimoya? When is it ripe? How can you tell which one is the sweetest? Do you refrigerate it? What are the best ways to prepare it? Can you eat the seeds? Besides this basic knowledge, there is still much more to fathom about each and every fruit. 

For those truly wishing to be in harmony with both themselves and Mother Earth, the ideal of tailoring one’s lifestyle to seasonal changes is a key aspect to creating and maintaining good health. As an example: ancient Chinese Taoists as well as contemporary ones have recommended eating foods that ripen according to nature’s own rhythmic cycles. Barry adheres to this as it relates to planting and reaping, as well as marketing his produce.

After returning from the market, we get to experience this firsthand as Barry shares more delectable fruits. As always, natural food experience is the best educator. To appease our appetites, we delve into large servings of one of Barry’s favorite fruit compotes, which he refers to as “Holiday Fruit Salad”. Such delicacies as tangerines, papaya, blood oranges, sapotes, and persimmons, garnished with liberal portions of shredded coconut, contribute to the delicious sweet flavor.

Somehow Koral’s Tropical Fruit Farm reminds me a bit of Findhorn; how those with agricultural acumen work closely with Mother Nature, and she responds with a lavish cornucopia of abundant blessings. Concerning the ease by which crops thrive, Barry smiles. His face gradually lights up like a candelabra. It seems that Jack in the Beanstalk might even be a bit jealous at the farm’s natural splendor.

In a bit of a whisper, Barry shares this tidbit of wisdom about his success: “I plant a seed or a tree, and everything pretty much grows wild. I’m a fruit farmer rather than a crop farmer. I choose this lifestyle because I love fruit, the beneficial effects it has on my body, and what I can offer the world through distributing very high quality organic foods. The demand for high quality organic food is tremendous. My initial vision was to be able to take control over my food source and to supply high quality nutrients so necessary for optimum health. I have succeeded.” 

As our interview progresses, I am able to gain a better understanding of his present lifestyle. The results are surprising. After all, not everyone has created their own ecological niche as he has. Barry recommends that each person’s home become a mini-holistic health center. He considers his home on the range to be much more than just a place to hang his cowboy hat and commune with the neighborhood coyotes. His cat ChaCha wholeheartedly agrees! 

There are more miracles to be experienced by consuming more fresh produce on a daily basis. Barry points out that every seven years, all the cells of the human body transform. The process of cellular regeneration, i.e., the re-genesis program of rejuvenation is accelerated by adherence to live food dietary regimens. He endorses models of true sustainability, which include natural boons such as composting, recycling, and everything  organic. He says, “Healthy soil is the foundation for sustainable agriculture. I spent three years preparing the soil before I even planted a tree. My goal is to create a model of sustainability for the benefit of present and future generations. We’re all one, and we’re all connected, no matter what part of the earth we’re on.”

Barry travels widely and lectures about the importance of living and eating as close to Mother Nature as possible. His poetry also reflects his passion for the art of living, which he considers a pure fruit of the imagination, realized during moments of stillness. Barry says that “Writing poetry is one of the many ways I express my appreciation for artful living. Over the years, my life has become much more of an interpretive, creatively satisfying experience.” An example of his original style is witnessed in his poem:

Sacred Moments

A mere glimpse into the higher realms of living

At one with all creation

Envelopes us during sacred moments

A quieting of all inner and outer sensations

Stills the mind to receive from a higher Source

Awakening while living in the physical

Opens receptive hearts 

To the unfolding of flowering beauty all around

This simple landscape reveals an attunement

That allows the soul to reawaken at any moment

To the splendid privilege of being alive

In this wondrous universe

It’s important to note that the physical aspects of healthy living are vital to being well-grounded in our core connection to nature. Barry robustly intones, “Health ultimately comes through being more in harmony with our bodies. This is the natural result of cultivating lifestyles based on positive thinking, and eating a wide variety of vibrant living foods fresh from nature.”

As I reflect on his sentiments, Barry offers more sagely wisdom by stating:

“Communing with Mother Earth is a great rejuvenating tonic. In-depth peace

is my goal. I really enjoy being at my sanctuary. My most favorite thing about the orchard is that I can walk up to the trees and harvest lunch.”

And for those who really love high quality produce, the following fruits can be shipped by FedEx or UPS Ground. Here is the general timetable:

Cherimoyas: November through May

White Sapotes: July through April

Pomegranates: November through January

Persimmons: September through January

Figs: July through September

Passion Fruit: Year round

Avocados:

Fuerte: February through April

Haas: March through December

Mexicola: August through October

Nabal: October through May

Pinkerton: April through August

Reed: April through June

Please call Barry at 760-631-0200 (Office) or 760-455-1261 (Cell) to initiate purchase orders. Email: barrykoral@cox.net.

For those interested in reading more of Barry’s poetic musings, consider logging onto www.sacredimagery.com.

Loren Lewisohn is an eco-adventurer who specializes in international travel, which incorporates bio-regional analysis and the promotion of themes relating to paradigm shift. His websites may be accessed at www.sacredimagery.com and www.ecoarts.orz.

Outside of carrot cake and muffins, carrots are rarely used for desserts here in North America. Traditional Indian carrot halava is prepared using two different methods. The first is to cook the carrots in clarified butter (ghee) and sugar until only the sweetness of the carrot remains and the sugar slightly caramelizes. The second is to reduce the carrots with milk to a light burfi or fudge consistency. Our method combined the two because maple syrup starts as a liquid and becomes solid with cooking, giving a similar texture to the candied sugar in the first variation. This recipe also retains the richness that ghee or milk would add without the fats and is a very satisfying dessert. Brightened with cardamom, it can be made 3 to 4 days ahead of time if kept refrigerated. It also freezes well.

Maple Carrot Halava
Serves: 8 Preparation Time: 30 minutes

6 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon decorticated or ground cardamom
1 cup whole cashew nuts (optional)
2 cups maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom garnish

In a large skillet on medium low, while stirring frequently, slowly cook the oil, carrots, cardamom and cashews until the carrots start to break down. Add the maple syrup and vanilla, turn the heat up to medium and cook until the maple syrup is absorbed and starts to caramelize. Serve warm or cool in a fruit compote dish with a dusting of cardamom.

This week, our editing team has been immersed in Inn Season Cafe recipes, cutting this, adding that.  An exacting task, this is the final stretch of getting the recipes almost perfect.  Needless to say, appetites are worked up looking at, talking about and documenting the foods that made Inn Season Cafe so popular for decades.  There are no complaints when we break for meals and I am able to cook dishes with local market ingredients.  We have convinced ourselves (without great effort) the satisfaction arising from partaking in beautiful fresh food, adds an edge to the often tedious editing process.  Here is a sampling of the market finds and dishes created.

Quick chopped gazpacho

Fresh caprese style tomatoes

Tomato season is here!

Spinach salad with tofu and walnuts

Corn and leek cakes with chopped guacamole

Michigan blueberries are extra sweet right now.

Swiss chard tart

Almond and orange torta 

Every week something new pops up at the market.  The first few heirloom tomatoes, sweet white Siberian kale from Cinzori Farms and local peaches are notable this week. Also, as each week progresses, the corn is sweeter and is more tender by the day.  We do not get corn like this in San Diego, where the best is comparable to end of season Michigan corn—-Something to be said for winter dormancy, manifested in the intensely flavorful splendors of summer. 

The season progresses and culinary excitement builds as we explore various local fresh flavors.  Farmers market produce is bolstered by herbs and tender greens plucked from the garden, while bread made from Hampshire Farms fresh ground flours makes the house smell irresistible.

Below is a photo tour as we work on editing The Inn Season Cafe cookbook, documenting my years as chef and chef/owner—1981 to 2002.

The book is entirely vegan as well as all the food presented here.

Maple Creek Farms–beautiful organic foods

Michigan Peaches are in!

 

Burda’s cherries and berries

Sauteed endive with pine nuts

Cinzori kale salad with plum vinaigrette

Donny Hobson zucchinis

Zucchini Parmagiana

Roasted coriander bread with Corscan thyme honey

Chocolate almond cream cake