Listen up fans of probiotics and coconut water!!! KeVita has arrived – a probiotic beverage made with coconut water and apple cider vinegar. I about freaked out when I saw the marriage between kefir and coconut as I love cultured anything almost as much as I love coconut water. Then, I wondered if it would taste good. I find store bought kombucha a bit too much for my tastes, and hoped the addition of apple cider vinegar wouldn’t kill the flavor for me. As soon as I opened the bottle, I knew it wasn’t going to be overpoweringly vinegary and once I tasted it, well, I about melted right there in the produce section. It took about a month for us to get it in, but I am so ecstatic that Dandelion is now carrying this awesome, totally delicious, totally good for you drink.

[This article appears in the March/April 2011 edition of Velocity Magazine with the theme of “Velocity.” Read the article online in it's original format here. Or pick it up outside of Dandelion now.]

Authenticity Resonates!
by Julie Norris

We are just into the new year and it feels like someone hit the fast forward button…big shifts abound and it looks to be happening to everyone at once. Is it written in the stars? Perhaps, but I don’t need a star chart when I have the priviledge to to engage in conversations with a wide cross section of people as co-proprietor of Dandelion. Now, more than ever before, it seems that people are seeking authenticity in all it’s forms, discarding that which does not resonate anymore.
As we are able to share & readily find truthful information with a quick finger dance on our various communication devices, we are able to make informed choices by opt’ing in for more information at our own comfortable pace instead of having one side or another pressuring us in some way. Instead of backing away from additional info, as would be the natural reflex under pressure, we are able to embrace new topics, especially ones that improve our health & happiness.
I’ve never seen a more powerful motivator than one in which someone discovers (on their own, of course) that they have been duped, and it seems that more and more people are welcoming positive shifts towards a more conscious life by starting the journey towards real food and away from a national food system that is in a state of emergency. Real food is closer to nature’s design than a scientist who concocts fake blueberries for your frozen waffles in his laboratory. (True story, check the label on the Publix brand next time you are there).
All this is great news for all those in the burgeoning good food movement right here in Central Florida. Since Dandelion opened it’s doors five years ago, we’ve kept our commitment to serving whole food that is delicious, organic, vegetarian, and prepared in a healthful way. In a country where obesity is epidemic and depression is at an all time high, the vast majority of our customers are fit and have easy smiles and relaxed attitudes. From this unique environment and my own personal experience, it is obvious that food grown close to nature and prepared with health in mind, benefits each and every one of us not just physically, but mentally and spiritually on personal, societal and environmental levels.
This mass shift towards healthful food is perfectly timed – as our consciousness makes rapid new connections, our system will require a cleaner diet so that we can recognize and follow the voice of our intuition instead of the roller coaster ride that sugar, processed food, chemicals and unnatural growth hormones that bark orders at our confused bodies and minds.
Most folks who are new to healthy eating always ask: “How many calories does this have?” My response is always: “I don’t count calories, I count quality.” In my opinion, counting calories is one of the worst gimmicks introduced. I strongly believe that we must learn which questions to ask. When I think about the health of food I ponder these questions:

Who is the grower?
Where was it grown & processed (and what were the processing techniques)?
When was this grown and picked? Is this in season? What degree of ripeness am we consuming? How fresh is it?
What interference has this had from man in the form of chemicals, genetic manipulation, flavor “enhancers” like sugar and additives, or preparation methods that decrease the life force of the food?
Which life forms (people, animals, eco-system) were involved in the production, manufacture and distribution and were they treated fairly, respectfully and compassionately?
How was it prepared? Is it vibrant, crisp and delicious? Are oils, sugars and condiments of the highest quality and used in moderation? Does it look appealing? Does it smell amazing? Was it made with love?

I believe if we look at the answers to these questions, and eat according to our new understanding of the energetic nature of nourishment, we will be able to shift our palette’s away from fake food.
If you have already made a shift towards healthy eating, introduce your curious friends to the change you know has worked for you. Instead of a passionate speech about how bad this or that is for them, serve them a delicious homecooked meal, hand them a cherry tomato right off the vine in your garden or treat them to a meal at your favorite healthy restaurant.
As time seems to speed up, let’s slow down with our loved ones around a table filled with homecooked, healthy food.

Tuesday, November 17th // 6:30 to 8:30pm

Includes dinner & wine or beer. Julie answers your questions about sustainable, organic, local and ethical eating while exploring the concepts of Flexitarianism with open discussion amongst participants who want to share their own knowledge with each other.

Limited space available. Reserve your seat at the table today.

$35 + Tax

Featuring the the documentary “Food Fight”
by Chris Taylor and food by Chef Josh Oakley.

Tickets: $18, includes hors d’oeuvre, beer, coffee and tea.

Durng last year’s Florida Film Festival, I watched the film Food Fight with a couple of other sassy ladies in the local food movement & we immediately began planning this “Farm To Table” event, knowing the time was right to introduce farmers, restauranteurs, chefs, and people who care about food to one another through Ourlando’s Local Food Alliance. We’ve got a young and ambitious local food movement in Central Florida, and this event is going to be a defining one in the history of Orlando. The film is one that chronicles the history of the local food movement, started by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in the sixties. Let your tastebuds guide you to this event which includes local beer, tea, coffee & hors d’oevres by Executive Chef Josh Oakley. You don’t want to miss it! Buy tickets & watch the trailer here: http://www.enzian.org/film/farm_to_table_ft._food_fight/

Orlando Weekly Cover Story

By Michelle Gienow

For the past three years, following the typical Michael Pollan–fueled, now-I’ve-seen-the-locavore-light conversion experience, I’ve been trying hard to feed my family good food. It’s more difficult than it sounds; the supermarkets are full of tempting, affordable, food-like products that ultimately owe more to industry than agriculture, once you start reading the labels. It took me an embarrassingly long while to figure out that buying foods so basic that they don’t have a label is the key.

I found myself shopping less and less at the grocery store and instead buying directly from the farmers who actually produce the food, sometimes at the farmers market, sometimes at the farms themselves. Thus it is always local and usually also organic – in practice, if not formal certification – and, helpfully, affordable. I tracked down these farmers and know about the food I’m buying because I’m interested and I ask. In doing this I am, as Pollan urges, voting for systemic change with my food dollars, though in my case that’s sort of a side bonus. This kind of conscious buying has come to be known as SOLE food, for Sustainable, Organic, Local and Ethical.

(Sounds a lot like our Flexitarian philosophy. — Julie)

Read the Full Article at the Orlando Weekly

Interesting suggestion, unfortunately, doing that would be the quickest way to put us out of business as we would be selling below cost (also would directly negate the Sustainable Business Plan). Organic, wholesome food made by hand in a small scale environment costs money and we already sell at margins that are less than most other restaurants to keep our prices affordable. (Julie discusses this topic in more detail in this podcast).

That being said, we’ve compared menus with similar cafes in the area and there is very little discrepancy in average price even though we are dedicated to organic, premium ingredients. Sadly, you can count on one hand how many places offer an organic menu in Central Florida and the majority of those places will cost you mega bucks for petite portions & fancy atmosphere.

Also, lack of customers is not the problem – we do have loyal masses who dream of devouring a Giddy Up and return over and over again. Our main issue is not having enough capacity in our small home-style cafe to capitalize on opportunities like bridal & baby showers, engagement dinners and the like & having events is risky when dealing with the weather. When a patron has to pull back from eating at Dandy three times a week to once, having these events lined up will offset the variability of individual consumption. That’s why we’ve outlined an expansion of adding covered patios to the cafe.

But back to the value of the fuel that we consume three times a day. One thing that most consumers don’t realize is the way a lot of our food in the mass marketed world is subsidized through tax money and the price on the menu at, say,  McDonald’s does not reflect the true cost of food.

If you have some time, watch this short clip to explain it & read about our food philosophy here: http://dandelioncommunitea.com/eat/our-food-philosophy/why-organic/ or go rent Food, Inc. for a detailed look at our mass produced food system.

Perhaps an organic cafe in an economic shift is what we all need to stay healthy, but some perceive that they cannot afford to invest in that. I would argue that the food you eat is the most important investment you can make. Our clientele is amongst some of the healthiest & happiest in the city – they are clear eyed, of good weight, physical shape & cheer. Some have come to eat organic food after a devastating illness and realized that proper nutrition is a foundation element to a healthy, vibrant life.

What you do not pay for up front will cost you dearly in medical bills & prescription pills, and the reduced quality of life that comes from the emotionally & physically draining aspects of heart disease, obesity & diabetes.

We welcome your comments & observations about how shifting to a healthier diet has improved your quality of life.

“There is a universal wisdom to healthy eating. Pile on the fruits, vegetables and whole grains and skip the meat and saturated fat. Consume everything in moderation, especially alcohol.

But certain cultures around the world offer further insight with traditional diets that are not just healthy, they also protect our bodies against scourges like cancer, depression, diabetes and heart disease. Researchers believe that following such diets can lead to excellent health; making the transition, however, requires more than just adopting an Americanized version of another culture’s traditional diet.”

via The World’s Diet Secrets – Forbes.com.