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In Search of the "Organic"

The other day we were at the supermarket picking up some items for the Salud! Napa cooking show and we found ourselves in a sea of organic products: organic bananas, organic blueberries, organic blackberries, organic apples, organic granola… and even organic cleaning products! Except for the candy and frozen sections, it seemed that every product in the supermarket had its organic twin. “This is great!” We thought, “Now we know for sure that the food and products we are using are… organic?” Yeah, that doesn’t say much other than the reassurance of its positive connotation. What exactly is the meaning of this over-hyped term?

So we decided to ask some friends what came to their minds when they saw a product labeled “organic”. Most of them agreed that a product is classified organic if it does not use pesticides or growth hormones. These products are tended to naturally, without noxious chemicals, benefiting our bodies and the environment. According to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), a product may be claimed “organic” if: it contains at least 95% organic ingredients, not counting water and salt; does not contain sulfites, and; it may contain up to 5% of non-organically produced agricultural ingredients which are not commercially available in organic form, and/or other substance allowed by 7 CFR 205.605 (non-agricultural, non-organic, substances allowed as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic” - specified ingredients or group(s)).

The USDA also defines a product labeled “100% organic” as one that is fully made from organic ingredients. However, as a friend described, 100% organic would be his grandfather’s farm in Mexico: they plant their own corn and raise their own chicken and cows. They do not use pesticides on the produce, feed their animals the corn that they grow, and instead of trucks they have carts pulled by oxen.

We love organic foods and knowing that we are consuming aliments that are not packed with harmful pesticides and other ingredients that could potentially contribute to the deterioration of the environment. Unfortunately, as no good comes without its own disadvantages, grocery shopping for organic products may take a toll on the wallet. It seems that a majority of the organic products come at a price higher than those of non-organic products. Stay tuned for next week’s blogs on how to cut down the costs of your grocery shopping while still purchasing organic products.

¡Salud!

Anna + Ariel

Mar 30, 2009 at 1:11 PM

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Video Blog #3 - Hot Seat for Anna Clara Soares

Ariel Ceja, founder of Salud! Napa, interviews Anna Clara Soares, the first team member (and only so far!) to join the Salud! team, on work and life in general. *Please note: Interviewer and interviewee had been drinking all day. And the wine was delicious!

Mar 24, 2009 at 11:23 AM

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Video Blog #2 - Quesadillas

Amelia Ceja, Executive Chef of Salud! Napa, prepares a simple and delicious dish paired with Ceja Vineyards' Carneros Pinot Noir - Quesadillas! This is a glimpse of what's to come once Salud! Napa launches.

Mar 20, 2009 at 2:19 PM

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A Day at the Mustard Festival Marketplace

This past Saturday, March 14th, we attended the 2009 Napa Valley Mustard Festival: The Marketplace. Wearing our Salud! Napa apparel, the event proved to be fun-filled with delicious wines and mouthwatering food. We helped pour with Ceja Vineyards and we were also mentioned on Dining Around with Gene Burns. Amelia Ceja, President and Co-Founder of Ceja Vineyards, was interviewed on the show and brought up our new online cooking venture, discussing the impact that it will have on food and wine culture upon its launch this summer. One of the highlights of the interview was when Amelia invited Gene to be a guest on our show to which he amicably agreed.

To Gene, thank you so much for your support!

In its sixteenth edition, the Napa Valley Mustard Festival is a non-profit community service organization with the dual purpose of serving both local businesses and non-profit organizations and of promoting national and international businesses that sponsor and participate. The events, held during the months of January, February and March, attract visitors to Napa Valley at a season when the vineyards are naturally adorned with mustards, spicing up the green scenery with the tones of gold.

Mar 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM

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Video Blog #1 - Introduction

A short glimpse into the people behind the online cooking show Salud! Napa. Enjoy!

Mar 14, 2009 at 1:12 AM

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Interview with Amelia Ceja

President, Co-Founder & Executive Chef at Ceja Vineyards

Over some great food and wine at the Ceja Vineyards' tasting room in Carneros, we sat down to interview Amelia Ceja, Head Chef and hostess of the Salud! Napa cooking show. 

What aspect of food preparation brings you the most joy?
Putting all the ingredients together and uncovering the various flavor profiles.

How did you learn to cook?
I started hanging out in the kitchen with Mamá Chepa, my maternal grandmother, when I was three years old. And, she taught me the essence of cooking.

What’s the dish that you most like to cook?
Soups -- they are comforting and nurture your spirit.

What advice do you have for people experimenting with food and wine pairing?
Close your eyes and listen to your palate -- there is room at the table for wine regardless of what the menu is as long as the wine is balanced.

What’s on your to-do list?
I would like to write a cookbook.

What is the difference, if any, between the Amelia from Ceja Vineyards and the Amelia from Salud! Napa?
There is no difference -- I'm the same devoted and passionate person that enjoys wine with world cuisine.

What’s your most cherished family tradition and why?
Preparing Dungeness crab Indonesian style for my family every November.

What three people would you most like to have dinner with?
Mama Chepa, my maternal grandmother, Frida Kahlo and the Dalai Lama.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I was a tomboy -- in my village, girls were not encouraged to do sports, yet, I never listened. I played baseball, soccer, and learned how to race horses and ride a bicycle with all the boys of my village.

What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but still haven’t?
I've been to Oaxaca and I want to spend at least one month there taking cooking classes.

Do you have any special sayings or expressions?
"I'm my children's biggest fan," and "my parents are my heroes."

What would you say is the most important thing for living a good life?
Being at peace with myself.

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TUNE IN! This Saturday, March 14^th at 11:30am, Amelia will be interviewed on Dining Around with Gene Burns, broadcast on KGO Radio-AM 810 live from the 2009 Napa Valley Mustard Festival. Listen in from 10am-1pm for the full show!
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We look forward to start shooting the cooking show episodes and sharing them with you all!

¡Salud!

Ariel y Anna
 

Mar 12, 2009 at 10:50 AM

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Mustards & Quotes

Hello everyone! With spring around the corner, the view from the office is becoming more beautiful by the day. The pathways between the vineyard rows are filled with bright green grass and small plants where yellow mustard flowers are growing and marking their presence in the landscape. I guess we're watching Planet Earth live!

Aside from all the nature talk, progress with the website has been going well. While we are finalizing the design portion of Salud! Napa, production on the cooking show has begun. Soon we’ll post a teaser episode on our blog. In the meantime, please check out this list we put together of interesting food and wine quotes. Hope you guys like our selection:

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” – George Bernard Shaw

“A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.” – Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste (1825)

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food!” – Anonymous

“I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock.” – Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

“What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?” – Lin Yutang

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” – Harriet van Horne

“I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead – not sick, not wounded – dead.” – Woody Allen

“Hunger is the best sauce in the world.” – Cervantes

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” – Voltaire

¡Salud!

Ariel & Anna
 

Mar 6, 2009 at 6:07 PM

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