New Food Ways
By SUSANNE KATZ
Local, fresh, organic ... and kosher ways to eat now
A new vocabulary has developed as healthy ways of eating have come into vogue. These new food ways, fueled by informed supply and consumption, represent a significant market shift. The savvy food shopper is considering 
responsible farming methods, selecting local and seasonal foods, and choosing organic kosher foods. For those interested in developing new food ways, there are a variety of educational opportunities available to Atlanta’s Jewish community today.
Farmer D Organics
Daron Joffe, better known as Farmer D, sets up farms and gardens in schools,
synagogues, summer camps and nursing homes. Joffe is a board member of Georgia Organics, which focuses on local and sustainable foods and farms. A Joshua Venture grant enabled Joffe to bring Jewish food systems to the Atlanta Jewish community. Gan Chaim, Garden of Life, founded by Joffe in 2001, was an initiative to present educational Jewish programming focused on Jewish food systems for all ages. “It’s synonymous with Jewish values,” Joffe said in an interview at the recent Atlanta Flower Show. “Gan Chaim seeded like-minded initiatives such as the Jewish Food Alliance which supports community building through Jewish agriculture based on the growing cycles.”
synagogues, summer camps and nursing homes. Joffe is a board member of Georgia Organics, which focuses on local and sustainable foods and farms. A Joshua Venture grant enabled Joffe to bring Jewish food systems to the Atlanta Jewish community. Gan Chaim, Garden of Life, founded by Joffe in 2001, was an initiative to present educational Jewish programming focused on Jewish food systems for all ages. “It’s synonymous with Jewish values,” Joffe said in an interview at the recent Atlanta Flower Show. “Gan Chaim seeded like-minded initiatives such as the Jewish Food Alliance which supports community building through Jewish agriculture based on the growing cycles.” “We are a force in building community through Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA’s. This is a relationship where consumers purchase a share of the farmer’s crop and the harvest is brought during the season to the synagogue or Jewish center. What a great way for the unaffiliated to get comfortable with their local Jewish agency. Think about all the non-affiliated Jews who come to the synagogue to pick up the food they have bought.”
“It’s really a movement that is catching on because consumers are making healthy choices, from free-range to organic to food that is humanely raised, and Jewish consumers are catching on to eco-Kashruit.”
Farmer D Organics Garden Center retail store locations include 2154 Briarcliff Road at LaVista in Atlanta, 4050 Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross and www.farmerd.com online. All three sell biodynamic compost which helps even the home gardener to plant in partnership with the health-giving, sustainable organisms in the surrounding ecosystem.
And Joffe’s parents are an integral part of the picture. At retail locations, customers can get their car washed (Joffe’s mother is Avril) and purchase raised wooden garden beds (Joffe’s father is a woodworker) and plants that have been raised by Joffe in his own Farmer D soil.
Return To Eden
At the forefront of the health food movement, Return to Eden, 2335 Cheshire Bridge Road, began in 1993 as a natural foods grocery store and is now a destination organic market and community health education resource. Missing from the shelves are foods with artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, harmful chemicals and artificial sweeteners. Produce is local, seasonal and organic. Restricted dieters will find foods that are raw, macrobiotic, gluten free, kosher, vegetarian and vegan, and in-store specialists and scheduled seminars assist customers in learning about purchasing and preparing food for their specific dietary needs.Here are some specialty items that aren’t found in the average grocery store:
Spelt products - Spelt is a grain that resembles flour but is easier to digest; spelt puffed cakes are agave sweetened with no preservatives, fat or cholesterol; they resemble a rice cake, but are much more flavorful.
Diet drinks with no artificial sweetener.
Micro brewed sugar free diet cream soda is expensive, but tastes divine.
Organic blue agave low glycemic organic sweetener, this a sweeter and natural sugar alternative.
Bakery goods from New York’s Heaven Mills Bakery.
Rugelach, mini challahs and mezenos bread are gluten free and lactose free, baked in a dedicated gluten, lactose, wheat and peanut free bakery.
Arden’s Garden juices
Vegetable and fruit juices made locally and selected products from same kitchen.
Raw food
Selections include wraps, sandwiches, kefir, macrobiotic foods, bars and chocolate.
Quinoa - this is a delicious side dish anytime, and a great choice to eat at Passover.
General Manager, Martin Karon explained that there are so many food allergies today and many people in Atlanta are requiring a special diet. “Many people who come into the store have a wide variety of intolerances to different foods or want to add certain vitamins and minerals to their daily diet. Today, not only those diagnosed with Celiac disease are requesting gluten-free products, but others who simply say they feel better when they eat less gluten or eliminate it entirely from their diets. Additionally, many people who have Celiac disease are also lactose intolerant and want to reduce their intake of soy. So the traditional soy milks are out and they get almond milk or rice milk and ice cream products.”
With a long history of catering to the kosher audience, Karon sees it as a good fit, since the store is close to a major Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. “This industry seems to be moving more towards getting kosher certification,” Karon said. “The kosher eating community is becoming more concerned about its health and wants the natural foods that are certified kosher. I think one important factor causing this is the baby boomers who were drawn to the organic and natural foods life style in the 60’s. As these boomers grew up and many returned to traditional Jewish practice, they also wanted to continue to eat healthy…they asked for the products they ate in college and kosher at the same time. Today, natural food stores can be seen in major Jewish neighborhoods and many natural food producer owners are Orthodox Jews.”
OUforU
“If you look carefully for them, you will find bugs in your grocery store bought parsley and lettuce,” said Israeli born Ran Dori, who owns and operates OUforU, a vegetarian and dairy café at 1155 Hammond Drive. “But we look at our produce leaf by leaf. That level of cleanliness is an essential value of kashruit, and we strive for the highest level.”
Serving kosher breakfast, lunch and dinner and catering, OUforU offers a variety of international menu items. “Falafel and Malawach came from Yemen,” Dori explained. “Shakshuka came from Tunisia; Sabich from Iraq . We also have Greek and Tunisian salads.” Lester Czuper was enjoying his lunch at the next table. “This place has good service and quality food and it is impeccably clean. My matzo ball soup is wonderful.”
OUforU is not a bagel shop, although lox and bagels are menu offerings. With café menu items before us, the tasting began:
Split pea soup - This homemade soup is creamy and tasty and makes you want to order a big bowl.
Falafel - The real Israeli falafel is served with freshly made Israeli salad, hummus and fresh pita
Baked goods - Wedding cookies, strawberry squares and mideastern sesame pretzels are good, but the special treats are the gluten free almond cookies; buy them by the little white boxful
“I control what I make, I limit oils and use only fresh; no cans. Everything is made or baked to order. This might mean,” said Dori, “that you wait a minute more for freshness and quality. And our prices are very reasonable; a kosher restaurant does not have to be very expensive.”
Holiday foods include hamentashen, honey cakes, cheesecakes and Israeli donuts. Cheese, potato and spinach berekas are available by order.
“We appeal to health consciousness and kosher customers; cleanliness, healthiness and kosher have all become components of mainstream thinking.”
Horseradish Grill
Heirloom vegetables are grown from plants or seeds that have been handed down from generation to generation, because of their genetic traits. In the garden behind Horseradish Grill, at 4320 Powers Ferry Road, there may be blueberry and blackberry bushes, horseradish root, garlic and onion sets, lettuce, cabbage, kale and Jerusalem artichokes. Selected herbs may include thyme, basil, rosemary, anise and bay leaf. Planting for this year’s garden has already begun.
“Heirloom vegetables just taste better and blend well with Southern style cuisine,” explained owner Steve Alterman. “We serve regional cuisine of the season and our philosophy is that we are celebrating life and nourishing people, not just feeding them.”
Formerly on the board of Georgia Organics, Alterman has long been a supporter of the farm-to-table movement. “Southern food came from African Americans, Native Americans and Europeans,” Alterman said. “The Europeans brought beef and potatoes; the Native Americans had yams, squashes and corn.”
“We take kids out to the garden. They see how we work in the garden in partnership with nature. In July, they come and see our harvest at its best.” The garden is enriched with organic dirt “because organic is healthier”. Fish is bought direct…”it’s swimming on Wednesday and delivered to us on Thursday.” The cooking methods are those of the rural south…”we use live oak and hickory wood-fired grills and fried chicken is still one of the most popular menu items.”
A family restaurant, Horseradish Grill is operated by Alterman and his two sons, Josh and Daniel and offers wine tastings and wine dinners. A green market will be available in the parking lot in April.
Devoted to the Jewish community as well as the restaurant, Steve Alterman is the incoming president of Congregation Beth Tefillah, starting in his new position in June. At the restaurant, Alterman said he could easily be identified, “just look for the guy with the yarmulke.”
Fuego Mundo
Ethnic food can be healthy at Fuego Mundo, a 2009 addition to the redesigned Prado on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Entrees include steaks, chicken and fish on a South American wood-fire grill. All entrees and sides are gluten free and all sides and most tapas are vegan friendly. Friendly to the kosher-conscious and vegetarians, the fish and vegetables are cooked on a separate grill from the chicken and meats.
Owners Masha and Udi Herskovitz are an international couple. Masha is Colombian and husband, Udi, is Israeli. Both are health conscious. “It’s not just what you eat,” said Masha, a follower of the Fit for Life diet, “but how you combine it.”
The wood-fire grill uses oak; there is no gas and no charcoal. Side items include plantains and yucca. “Our prices are very reasonable; we want to be a neighborhood hangout, and an event destination.” In February, Fuego Mundo hosted a Carnaval Party with tapas, music and dancing. Valentine’s Day featured an evening for couples with candle-lit five-course dinner, music and entertainment.
Fuego Mundo welcomes networking groups, business parties and special events in a casual and friendly environment and offers a holistic approach to healthy eating with a Latin twist.
Sandy Springs Farmers Market
Starting in April, the Sandy Springs Farmers Market will be located at the former Target shopping center at 2355 Sandy Springs Circle.Fresh fruits, veggies, baked goods and more will be available Saturday mornings from 8 to 12. See more information on Facebook.
