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Video Blog #8 - Part 2 - Lemon Risotto

Guest Chef Gerry Castro prepares the second component of a 3 part meal - a zesty and rich lemon risotto!

Apr 28, 2009 at 11:00 AM

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Video Blog #7 - Part 1 - Beet and Herb Salad

Join Gerry Castro, guest chef on Salud! Napa, as he prepares a fabulous 3-part meal. Part 1 - Beet & Herb Salad paired with Ceja Vineyards' 2007 Napa Carneros Chardonnay. Enjoy!

Apr 23, 2009 at 11:15 AM

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Video Blog #6 - Crisp Asparagus

Join Amelia Ceja as she prepares crisp asparagus paired with Ceja Vineyards' 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. This simple yet delightful dish is sure to complement any Spring meal. Salud!

Apr 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM

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Eating Organic Food Without Breaking the Bank

Hello! Hope you are all well and healthy. As promised, this week we will discuss ways to buy organic foods and still manage to save a few of our precious dollars. You will be able to have some fun as you go in search of more affordable organic foods and also be creative as you cater our suggestions to your dietary preferences.

When you are looking to purchase organic produce at a lower price, it is very important to be open to change your shopping habits. A good starting point to increase your savings is to shop at places other than conventional supermarkets. For example, you might consider checking out your local farmers market…

Farmers Markets
They act as a sales outlet for agricultural producers, providing customers with locally grown and fresh fruits and vegetables. Farmers will often post a sign on their booth explaining that their produce is organic, but even if there is no indication, it is always a good idea to ask about their produce. Talking to the farmers is a great way to build consumer loyalty and maybe even get a deal on buying in bulk or misshapen produce. There's a great page on the Agricultural Marketing Service section of USDA's (U.S. Department of Agriculture) website that allows you to search for farmers markets in the United States. It’s a nifty tool for finding out if there are farmers markets near you. You can check it out at: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/.

Community-Supported Agriculture Programs & Alternatives
Another option for buying organic produce at a lower price is to buy a share in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. CSA is a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution that generally focuses on the production of high-quality organic foods. Individuals pay a fee to support a farm operation, and, in turn, they receive a box with fresh produce on a weekly basis. Search for the CSA nearest you at: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.

Additional alternatives to the supermarket include: joining a co-op or a buying club, shopping online or even growing your own fruits and vegetables.

But I Still Want to Make a Pit Stop to the Supermarket...
Ok, ok. If you are hesitant to drop the supermarket from one of your food shopping destinations but you are still looking for good deals on organic food, you still have plenty of saving options. For example, you can buy them in bulk for cheaper (note: this can be done at the supermarket as well as at the farmers market). In this case, if you know you - and your family or roommates - will not be able to consume all of it before it spoils, you can leave the organic produce in the freezer and only remove it when necessary. Buying in-season organic produce also gets you better prices since they tend to be cheaper. With the law of supply and demand coming into action, as in-season produce is more readily available, its price goes down.

A good rule of thumb for buying organic products is to follow the same guidelines for saving when going grocery shopping in general. For example, look for discount coupons or purchase organic products from the supermarket’s brand. House brands are almost always – if not always – cheaper than outside labels.

Choosing Your Organics
If the suggestions above are still getting in the way of your budget, no need to panic! Another great method is to choose your organics. In this case, you should start by assessing your diet and determining food patterns. Make note of what you consume the most, the least, and also if you go through cycles and alternate between the foods.

Compare the foods that are most present in your daily diet with the items on a list put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which ranks 47 fruits and vegetables based on their level of pesticide residue: http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php. Thus, if you have fruits and vegetables on your list that are also high up on the EWG list, then you know you should definitely stick to purchasing these items organic. For example, if peaches, apples, strawberries – or any of the first 12 items on the list – are part of your daily diet, you should buy them organic. Similarly, you should not have to worry as much about purchasing organic fruits and vegetables if they are one of the 15 bottom-most items on the list because they have the least amount of pesticide residue. Overall, the best option is organic. These are just options to cut down costs on your organic produce in this time of recession and sometimes cost-prohibitive fruits and vegetables.

Organic Temptations
Lastly, keep in mind that not all organic products are healthy. An organic chocolate cookie will still have great amounts of sugar. The fact that it is made with organic sugar and flour might make you feel less guilty for eating it, but it still does not remove it from the “junk food” category. We have not checked the difference in price between the organic and regular versions, but based on trends we wouldn’t be surprised if the costs of the organic versions were considerably higher. So, if you’re looking to save some extra cash, we suggest staying away from the organic “junk food”.

We wish you a happy organic food shopping! Keep in mind that you don’t have to stick to just one of these methods: mixing and matching to fit to your needs is always the best approach. Feel free to drop us a note about your organic shopping experience, y hasta la proxima!

¡Salud!

Anna & Ariel

P.S.: Anna took the Farmers Market picture a couple years ago when she was living in Santa Monica, CA, and her mom came to visit. Her mom can be seen strolling down the city's famous Sunday Farmers Market. Anna is also the author of the third image, with the apple on the sterile sink.

Apr 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM

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Video Blog #5 - Shrimp Cocktail

Join Amelia Ceja, President and Executive Chef of Ceja Vineyards, a boutique family winery in the Napa Valley, as she hosts Salud! Napa's online cooking show. In this episode she makes one of her favorite spring/summer recipes - shrimp cocktail paired with Ceja Vineyards' 2007 Bella Rosa, a crisp dry rosé. Enjoy!

Apr 7, 2009 at 11:16 AM

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Video Blog #4 - Hot Seat for Ariel Ceja

It's Anna Soares' turn of Salud! Napa to interview founder and president Ariel Ceja. The hot-seat continues!

Apr 3, 2009 at 7:57 PM

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April in Carneros... Fiesta Time!

¡Bienvenidos! Celebrate the beauty of Napa Valley as wineries from the Carneros region open their doors and invite visitors to join in on a variety of activities. Some of the highlights may include: food and wine pairings; live music; art or craft shows; special tastings (barrel, reserve, library, new release); discounts or special pricing, and; children’s activities.

Join Salud! Napa as we cover this wonderful event from the Ceja Vineyards Carneros tasting room. Come share your Wine Country experience with us as our cameras are rolling. Tell us about the great wines you have tasted, vent about how the economy is affecting your eating habits, suggest a dish that you would like to see Amelia prepare on Salud! Napa... you are in the spotlight!

Ceja Vineyards will be sharing exciting wine releases that are sure to complement all your favorite spring dishes! For an additional charge, their award-winning reserve wines will be available for tasting (free to wine club members).

Complementing the delightful weekend, Orquesta Borinquen, a fiery salsa band, is sure to keep the fiesta hot! The band will perform both days from 12:30pm to 3:30pm.

Date: April 18th and April 19th
Time: 10am to 4pm both days
Admission: $40.00/person both days; $30.00/person Sunday only

For more information, please visit Hospitality de Los Carneros.

Looking forward to seeing you at April in Carneros!

Apr 1, 2009 at 12:00 PM

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