So I was teaching a class this weekend in Costa Mesa, and while I shopping for groceries at the local Whole Foods, I was leaning down to scoop some brown rice when I saw a scooper to my left, digging into  the millet.  Of course, it’s not everyday someone scoops millet for anyone but their bird, so my eye followed the scooper up the arm to the shoulder to the head of a person whom I would never associate with millet.  And I said so: "You don’t look like the average a millet guy…"  You see, I was expected a hippy, a ponytail, crazy skinny-ness, or a chick.  This guy was NORMAL!  Like, I-live-in-the-world-and-have-a-job-and-you-might-catch-me-reading-Consumer-Reports-normal!  And true to form, he knew his millet; said it contained the miraculous Vitamin B-17… he was currently getting off dairy and was also concerned about getting enough calcium….(cough) ahem… HE WAS GETTING OFF DAIRY!!!  What is the freaking world coming to?  I told him about sea vegetables and later, when we bumped into each other again in another aisle, plopped a bag of hijiki into his cart. 

My point being that the world, she is a changin’.  In so many ways, so quickly.  Arlen Specter just became a Democrat.  Normal guys are eating millet.  And with a little nudging, seaweed.  Don’t you just love life?

More Proof: here’s a link to an article in the L.A. Times which ran last week; it’s about the massive proliferation of macrobiotic restaurants in the area and includes interviews with  Lee Gross, Eric LeChasseur, Sanae Suzuki and Yours Truly. 

My apologies to anyone who subscribes to this blog and experienced my radio silence for the last few months; I’ve been working on a SECRET PROJECT that I can’t discuss until this fall.  Suffice it to say that it has involved a lot of writing, so blogging became less attractive since I’ve been at the computer all day every day for a while now.  But I’m back and looking forward to connecting again.

Calling all Southern California Hip Chicks and Chucks: I will be teaching a class in Santa Monica on May 30th; it’s Cooking for Romance and we’ll be discussing the different needs of men and women.  If you’re interested in coming, email me at jessicathehipchick@gmail.com

Here’s an amazing recipe for watermelon soup I made in class this weekend (although I didn’t create it–thank you internet!)  I know it may not be hot enough everywhere in the country to crave it yet, but try it out as soon as you see the watermelons coming!  It’s ridiculously easy and tastes fantastic. When I drank some in class, it was so relaxing and refreshing that I literally felt my smile get bigger…

Watermelon Soup

4  cups  Cubed seeded watermelon
1/3  cup  Frozen (thawed) apple juice – concentrate
1 tablespoon  Fresh mint leaves
1/2  teaspoon  Ground ginger
1/3  cup  Plain soy yogurt 
Freshly ground pepper and mint sprigs

Dice enough watermelon to measure 1/3 cup; reserve for garnish. In blender or
food processor, process remaining watermelon, apple juice concentrate, mint
 leaves and ginger until smooth. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 hour to blend flavors.
Serve in small chilled bowls; garnish with reserved diced watermelon,
dollop of yogurt, pepper and mint sprig.

 Makes 6 servings
 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 7:54 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.