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We had an a great crowd last Monday in Palo Alto, serving nearly 100 dinners, and with lots of positive energy. And, we were happy to announce that our 25-year tradition of weekly dinners will continue–at least for now. Susanne Jensen and James Holloway will each cook two dinners in August, and James and I will share cooking duties in September. Jay Whitcraft, who’s been our de-facto dinner manager for the past few weeks offered to come in for a couple more weeks to help with the transition. Claudia Tomaso will serve as temporary dinner manager, and nearly all of our faithful volunteers have said they will continue. All of which I find really gratifying. Apparently there are plenty of people who value our dinners enough that they will do what it takes to see that they go on. Meanwhile, we continue our search for a dinner manager, or managers. Perhaps we will find a new solution to that as well. With this transition, other things may change. We will probably need to raise the price a little. We should take a look at having a new generation of people involved, especially in the cooking, and we may want some people with fresh energy to serve on our board. Change, as always, is a bit unsettling, but, in the end, is unavoidable. Next week’s menu, and all the menus for August and September are after the jump. To reserve a spot for Monday’s dinner, call 650 599-3320, or make a reservation on line here.
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Photo: Fumiko Arao and James Holloway, hard at work, preparing one of our Monday Night Dinners
August 6
Udon noodles in clear broth
3-bean salad
Corn and barley salad
Roasted vegetable salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Sea Caesar salad
Lemon poppy seed cake
Herb tea
August 13
Chickpea soup with summer vegetables
Tempeh in lemon coconut sauce over basmati rice
Roasted summer squash
Chopped salad with fresh mint and cilantro
Toasted almond cookies
Lemon ginger tea
August 20
Red Bean Vegetable Soup
Garbanzo Bean Cutlets w/Shitake Gravy
Quinoa and Fresh Corn Salad
Roast Cauliflower w/Braised Russian Red Kale
Romaine Ceasar Salad
Millet Sunnyseed Cookies
Mint Melange Tea
August 27
Tuscan Cannellini Bean Soup
Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Steamed Broccoli, Kale, and Red Cabbage
Hummus w/Pita Triangles
Greek Salad
Baklava
Red Rooibos Tea
September 3–Labor Day Holiday
(no dinner)
September 10
Purée of Carrot Soup with Basil Swirl
Millet-Corn Croquette with Creamy Onion Sauce
Kidney Bean and Butternut Squash Stew
Steamed Broccolini
Mixed Green Salad with Lime-Ginger Vinaigrette
Fruit and Nut Carob Brownie
Tea
September 17
Creamy Corn Chowder
Tempeh Chili
Spanish Rice Pilaf
Roast Summer Vegetables
Wild Greens Arugula Salad
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Grass Tea
September 24
Minnestrone Soup
Artichoke Caper Tofu Fritatta
Brown Rice Pilaf
Summer Squash Melange
Kale, Red Onion, and Shitake Salad
Coconut Ginger Cookies
Rooibos Chai Tea
It is easy to see from this fine photograph of Fumiko Arao and James Holloway preparing the meal for the guests of the Monday evening dinner, that they are engaged in a real labor of love. One chef and one assistant cooking for one hundred! I quote James Holloway as saying that “cooking for 100 really is fun!” I can’t imagine, but seeing James and our long-time Chef Gary Alinder, or at times, Susanne Jensen, cooking in kitchen, you know it is true, and the truth is in the fabulous results.
No one engages in this weekly event to make money or get rich; everyone pitches in to create a special place for appreciating the true bounty of gifts we have been given on this Earth with the organic foods, the loving preparations, the manager, chefs, and kitchen staff, the volunteers, the guests who benefit from attending and participating. Revererence for life. Something no amount of money can buy, but something that is freely exchanged with love and respect at the Monday night dinners. Yes, the dinners are continuing. So far, so good. Godspeed everyone! Sky ANN
Hi Gary, I noticed you haven’t posted as frequently for the past few months. Are you taking a summer break or will you not be posting new recipes as often anymore beyond summertime? Sure hope it’s the former!
Stephen, I do hope to get back to posting recipes soon, however it will probably not be quite as frequently as before. Thanks for continuing to read MacroChef. Gary
HI, I live in Southern CA and am studying macrobiotics through books, mostly, although I did take a class here in town in macrobiotics. I am curious about your Monday dinners. May I ask someone to tell me how it works. I would like to start something like this where I live. Thank you and best of luck with your blog and gatherings.
Greg, The most important thing for dinners like this to work is to have a community from which to build. Perhaps start with potlucks or talks or cooking classes or something to bring people together. In order for community dinners to succeed, you will need: 1) a cook who can make meals appealing to a wide variety of tastes and work within a budget, 2) someone to manage and publicize the dinners (these days most publicity will be on line, of course), 3) a small corps of reliable volunteers, and 4) a venue which has a workable kitchen, a comfortable dining area, and is in a neighborhood convenient for people. All of this is not easy to put together, but can be very rewarding if you do. Best of luck! Gary