Ask the Chefs, March 22 in Palo Alto

[Guest guest]

On Monday, March 22 at 8 pm, the Peninsula Macrobiotic Community will host Chefs

Gary Alinder and James Holloway in a special Ask the Chefs presentation. Do you

ever have questions about the Monday Gourmet Vegetarian Dinners in Palo Alto?

For example: how do the chefs come up with their menu ideas, producing a

seemingly unique dinner each week? Where do they shop? Is the food organic? What

about nightshades? What types of oil are used? Salt? Are dinner recipes

available? Do they ever teach cooking classes? What makes a meal " macrobiotic? "

How is it that the Monday Dinners have endured for 22-1/2 years? Who are those

guys who cook the meals, really? (You can get acquainted with Gary through his

blog, http://macrochef.wordpress.com!) Bring your questions to this special

event!

 

Gary Alinder has been Chef for the Monday night dinners since their beginning in

1987. He apprenticed as a cook at Fukuen, a vegetarian macrobiotic restaurant in

Osaka, Japan in 1978-79 and later worked at French and natural foods restaurants

in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Since 1986 he has been a cook and caterer in the Bay

Area. He cooks frequently for community groups on retreat and, infrequently,

gives cooking classes.

 

James Holloway has been a frequent chef and sous chef at the Monday Dinners for

more than ten years. He began cooking in restaurants during his college days,

working for spending money. His college career ended, but not his cooking. He

owned and managed a natural food store in Hood River, Oregon for ten years, and

later cooked at two four-star hotels. " Since my real interest in food is

health, " he says, " the restaurant scenes gave way to personal home cooking, with

a health slant. I like to view food as a medicine, and I like my medicines to

taste good, so I'll continue to cook great tasting medicine, I mean food...for

you. " He is father to three children. His eldest, Melissa, is vice president for

publicity at Fox Searchlight in Los Angeles and his younger two, Alexis and

Chris, are middle school students.

 

Lecture Details:

• Monday, March 22, 8 pm (no reservation necessary)

• $5-10 donation suggested for lecture

• The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant, Palo Alto,

1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue Caltrain Station

• before the lecture, enjoy a Gourmet Vegetarian Dinner and make new friends at

6:30 pm (dinner reservations: call 650 599-3320 by 9:30 am)

 

GOURMET VEGETARIAN DINNER MENU (DAIRY-FREE)

SPRING EQUINOX CELEBRATION

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 6:30 PM

 

• Barley-Navy Bean-Spring Veggie Soup

• Onion-Roasted Cauliflower-Sun Dried Tomato Frittata

• Quinoa-Pine Nut-Veggie Pilaf

• Steamed Asparagus with Carrots

• Mixed Green Salad with Herb Dressing

• Orange Spice Cake

• Tea

 

Dinner Details:

• Monday, March 22, 6:30 pm

• $15, sitdown or takeout

• dairy-free, vegan

• please reserve for Dinner by Monday morning, 9:30 AM (call 650 599-3320)

• The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant, Palo Alto,

1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue Caltrain Station

• for more Monday dinner menus, visit http://peninsulamacro.org

 

 

MONDAY GOURMET VEGETARIAN DINNERS (DAIRY-FREE) IN PALO ALTO

 

The Peninsula Macrobiotic Community serves a Gourmet Vegetarian Dinner every

Monday (except major holidays) in Palo Alto. This is a full, dairy-free, vegan

dinner which includes soup, grain, beans or bean products, vegetables, dessert,

and beverage, prepared by expert natural foods Chef Gary Alinder, our Chef since

our inception in 1987.

 

WEBSITE: http://peninsulamacro.org - featuring newsletter, dinner menus, and

related information.

 

DINNER RESERVATIONS: please try to make your Dinner reservations by Monday

morning, 9:30 AM; call 650 599-3320 and specify either " sitdown " or " takeout " .

If it's after 9:30 and you're still interested in coming, call and leave a

number for the manager to call you back if there is space. It is not necessary

to reserve for the After-Dinner presentation.

 

SITDOWN OR TAKEOUT: dine with us or pick up a takeout. When reserving, please

indicate " sitdown " or " takeout " .

 

TIME: dinner is served at 6:30 pm every Monday except major holidays; the

after-dinner presentation (once per month) starts at 8 pm.

 

PRICE: $15 for Dinner (occasional special dinners are priced higher), $5-10

donation suggested for after-dinner presentation (usually once per month)

 

LOCATION: The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant, Palo

Alto, 1/4 mile East of Alma and the California Avenue Caltrain Station.

 

AFTER-DINNER PRESENTATION: each month we feature an After-Dinner Lecture or

Event, described in the newsletter and website. Lectures are usually on

macrobiotic or other health related topics, by a variety of speakers including

macrobiotic counselors, medical doctors, cooking teachers, and people who have

dealt successfully with serious diseases using macrobiotic or similar

approaches. Other events have included performances by folk singers and

vegetarian Chinese acrobats. We have a pass-the-hat policy for our events; we

suggest a donation of $5-10.

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: all are welcome at our Dinners, vegetarian or not. The

Dinners are particularly helpful for those who want to eat in healthy ways, but

may not know how to get started. Many who attend may have the same health

concerns you have. Also, choosing locally grown, vegetarian foods is one of the

best ways to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet.

 

Dinner attendance ranges from 40 to 100, with a full spectrum of ages spanning

newborns to grandparents, including quite a few interesting singles. Come with a

friend or by yourself; singles easily integrate into our friendly group, where

seating is communal. Many long-term friendships have started at a Monday Dinner,

and are renewed every week!

 

We hope to see you at a Monday Dinner! Please forward this message to friends

who may be interested.

 

Gerard T. Lum, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster

Peninsula Macrobiotic Community, http://peninsulamacro.org