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www.jamaicaneats.com | JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 00

Turn down the heat andlight up your life, saysraw-food master chefAris LaTham.

HEALTHYeats

What works for actress DemiMoore – still svelte and sexy at over 40 – can also work for

you. No, not a 20-something-year-old husband, but eating uncooked fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, sprouted grains,and seeds. A raw food diet improves your health

and makes you feel better and moreenergetic, says Aris LaTham, ranked oneof the top vegetarian chefs by VegetarianTimes magazine and considered the“father of gourmet vegetarian ethical rawfood cuisine in America” by The OxfordEncyclopedia of Food & Drink (OxfordUniversity Press, 2004). The JamaicanEats team, recently caught

up with LaTham at his Sunfired CuisineRetreat in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, Jamaica,and left all fired up about eating raw.

ARAW

DEAL

1 Heating food beyond 135 degreeFahrenheit (or, in some cases, as lowas 110 degrees) destroys the natural

enzymes in the food that aid in pre-diges-tion.When this happens the body goes intooverdrive to create an overabundance ofdigestive enzymes.

It means that metabolic enzymes that areneeded for other vital functions are calledon to aid in the digestion process.Theresult is a loss of energy.

People feel sleepy after a huge cookedmeal because the enzymes required tokeep their body functioning are being calledon to digest the meal.

2 Cooking destroys manyvitamins and minerals infood, and studies show

that vitamin and mineral pills arepoor substitutes for eating thenaturally-occurring nutrients infoods.

In addition, cooking reduces theoxygen in fresh food, which isneeded to resist disease. Eating“live” foods in their natural stategives the body the energy itneeds, as well as strengthening theimmune system to avoid colds, fluand infections.

3 Cooking can also robthe flavour from manyfoods.The aroma of

cooked food going up in theair is your loss, says LaTham.“That’s your flavour going upin the air.”

4 Eating heat-processedfood triggers a mas-sive release of white

blood cells by our body – asimilar response that happenswhen we have an infection orare poisoned.

54 JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 | www.jamaicaneats.com

BY SHARON MCCONNELL AND GRACE CAMERON

He hasn’t had a cooked meal in 31 years buthas only fallen ill once (ackee poisoningat a restaurant) in three decades.

You won’t find him sniffling during cold andflu season either, not because his name Aris(Greek) means the greatest, but because he livesby the philosophy thou shalt not kill thy food.

Trim and fit at almost 60, with pale brown eyesthat seem to emit a glint of gold, LaTham, a vege-tarian for 35 years and raw foods-only eater for 31, says humans werenot meant to be meat eaters andthat when you’ve boiled a carrot, forexample, you’ve killed it.

“You’re creating karmic death bykilling plants to turn into food,”says LaTham who adds that truecarnivores, like the lion, eat theirmeat while it’s still alive. People, hesays, cook and burn their meat andadd tenderizers and sauces all in theeffort to be imitation carnivores.“We use curry to help run the goatout of our system – we burn the curry so it won’trun our belly.”

Plus, while it takes two and a half days for meatto exit the 30-foot long (on average) digestivetract of humans, the lion, with a digestive tractseven feet long, takes in and quickly excretesmeat from its system.

“So if you’ve been eating animal flesh for 30 to 40years you’re backed up with rotting meat and whendecay takes place it decays the cells around it,” saysLaTham who not only eats raw but talks raw whenit comes to food and nutrition.

Killing and eating animals will kill you back –

slowly and painfully – through high blood pressure,diabetes, mood swings, painful menstruation, morn-ing sickness and other maladies, adds LaTham, astar speaker at international events like the 36thWorld Vegetarian Congress held October 2005 inItaly.

Fire also kills food, robbing it of flavour andnutrients, says the Panama-born LaTham, whohas catered gourmet raw foods for superstars likeMoore, Sidney Poitier, Jesse Jackson, BarbaraStreisand, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Sandra Day O’Connor, civil rightsactivist and comedian Dick Gregory,and many others.

“Humans (and animals) evolved mag-nificently over millions of years withoutmicrowave ovens, electric ranges andcrock pots. The growing period of foodsis the cooking process – a ripe plantainis already well done.

“Sun-fired Foods retain their flavour tocreate a sensuous sunburst in your mouth.Let the sun be your chef,” he urges. “It’snot about the food in your life, but the lifein your food that nourishes.”

Still, if you believe no meat and raw veggiesmake Aris a dull chef, think again. LaTham isfamous for creative gourmet recipes that make themost of Jamaica’s rich bounty of tropical fruitsand vegetables. Ask him for his favourite, and it’slike asking a mother to name her favourite child.However, his best known dishes include theTropical Life Salad, Mango Berry Paradise Pieand Better Pecan Nice Cream, a non-dairy “icecream” made with frozen bananas, pecans, datesand cacao (frozen bananas, when homogenized ina food processor, break down to a smooth creamytexture that resembles dairy).

Aris LaTham says…4 reasons why heating food backfires

SunfiredFoods retaintheir flavour

to create a sensuoussunburst in

your mouth...

People are“frugivores” Research shows thatthe natural, originaland best diet forhumans is fruit, saysLaTham who turns tothe Bible to make hispoint.

Genesis 1 verse 29:Behold, I have given youevery herb bearingseed, which is upon theface of all the earth,and every tree, in whichis the fruit of a treeyielding seed; to you itshall be for meat.

“I don’t know howpeople go to churchand miss this part ofthe Bible,” saysLaTham, a non-Christian.“They havefish fries and so on,but praying over thefood doesn’t make itany healthier.Thatdead fish will foul upyour system.”

People were alsonot meant to beomnivores or herbi-vores. Herbivores, heexplains, are animalson all fours – cowsand goats – that grindthe herbage and passit through their multiple chambers,squeezing out thenutrients.

LaTham also has a word for fish eaterswho call themselvesvegetarians.“Fish isnot part of the plant life.”

Plus,“fish is thegreatest source ofbody odour becausefish rots.The body ismoist and dark, agreat place for rottingmeat.The only way topreserve fish is byrefrigeration and wedon’t have that in oursystem.”

“

”

I’m not on a mission to convert

people to a raw fooddiet. My objective is toget people to includemore fresh foods intotheir diet and to opentheir eyes to the methods they’ve beenblindly following.

TropicalLife SaladFRANZ MARZOUCAPHOTO

www.jamaicaneats.com | JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 57

Eating likeLaThamLaTham says he has no desire forcooked food and believes that “if itcannot be eaten raw, it is not food.”He explains his clean bill of health bysaying, “disease cannot live in a cleanenvironment with friendly bacteria.Animal products and cooked foodleave the most residue behind.”

Foodwise, LaTham divides the dayinto three periods:

ELIMINATION PERIOD: 4 A.M. TO NOON – INCLUDES BREAKFAST

Breakfast literally means to break your fast. Open upyour system slowly and clean out what’s left overfrom the previous day before you start to eat, headvises. Breaking your fast with a big bowl of porridge or a huge plate of fried dumplings and plantain means you’re piling food on top of the leftover, and in fact compacting the “trash”.

LaTham breaks his fast with coconut water. Hedrinks the water from 36 fresh coconuts (about 72cups) each week. Coconut water is excellent forcleansing and is in a class by itself, he says.“Coconut water washes out the heart. It’s like aheat seeking missile, the current brings energy toyour cells.” If pure coconut water is not available,have watermelon, with 95 to 99 per cent mois-ture, or water with a squirt of lime juice.

An hour or so later he has fresh, unsweetenedfruit juice at air temperature.

After that – about an hour — he has fruits orfruit salad followed by more coconut water anhour or two later.

Go for fruits with a high moisture content.The higher the level of moisture, the more elec-tric the fruit and the better it is a cleanser. SaysLaTham: The higher the fruit grows (like thecoconut), the better because the sun pulls themoisture from the earth up to the fruit. >>

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Students Grace White and Selby Alexander from Denver,Colorado. See their comments on page 62.

NOTE: Be sure to get pure coconut water and notcoconut ‘juice’with added sugar.

PROTEINProtein, called

magnetic builders,includes nuts likealmond, Brazil nut,cashew, pecan,macadamia, pista-chio, and walnut;fruits like ackee, avo-cado/pear, coconut,and olives; legumeslike lentil, peanut,soya bean; and seedssuch as flaxseed,sunflower, pumpkin,and sesame.

TIP: Pre-soak nutsand seeds for 12hours and sproutlegumes.

VEGETABLESVegetables, called electro-magnetic stabi-

lizers, include non-starchy kinds like broc-coli, cauliflower, fresh beans and peas, gar-lic, onion, radish and sprouts; green leafyvarieties such as cabbage, callaloo, celery,lettuce, collards, pak choy, spinach andwatercress; and vegetable/fruits like chocho (chrisophene/chayote), cucumber, egg-plant, peppers, squash, tomato, zucchini,and okra. Sea vegetables are also included.

STARCHESStarches, called magnetic builders

include, beet and carrot (light vegetables);corn, potatoes, pumpkin, winter squashand yams; legumes such as dried peas andbeans; and grains such as barley, driedcorn, millet, oats, rice, rye and wheat.

TIP: Pre-soak and sprout all legumes andgrains for 12 hours.

00 JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 | www.jamaicaneats.com

During this time the stomach shrinks.

STIFFING STARCHESStarch is a totally unnecessary group of food, says LaTham. Bread, for example, “which we call the staff of life, is the staff of death.” The body

does not have the capacity to process the amount of bread/starch that we eat and so itgoes unprocessed and settles in the extremities, resulting in ailments like arthritis.”

MORE ABOUT STARCHES,ACCORDING TO LATHAM:

Some yams, cassava and other foodthat grow deep below the surface of the earth should not be eaten. “Allstarches are converted into sugar to get the nutrients. You tax your >>

INTAKE PERIOD:NOON TO 8 P.M – INCLUDES LUNCH AND DINNER

Lunch begins at about noon with a glass of nut milk at airtemperature (almond drink, etc.). LaTham does not con-sume any dairy product. Milk (a starch) and cheese, hesays, are like glue, sealing your arteries because they arepacked with starch and fat.

An hour or so later he has protein and vegetables — 25per cent protein and 75 per cent vegetable.

Note: do not mix protein and starch. Starch needs to bechewed well to be properly digested.

>> HOW FRUITS MEASURE UP:Acid fruits such as citrus fruits,

pineapple, cranberry, strawberry,pomergranate, cantaloupe andhoneydew melons contain 80 to95 per cent moisture.

Sub-acid fruits like apple,berries, apricot, cherries, grape,guava, plum, papaya, mango andpeach have a moisture level of 60to 80 per cent.

Sweet fruits, banana, dates,jackfruit, naseberry, plantain,have between 0 and 60 per centmoisture.

Do not combine acid andsweet fruits

Eat melons by themselves.Soak dried fruits (which have

0 per cent moisture) for fourhours before eating

*QUICKtip:

Mid- to late afternoon, coconut water.

Late afternoon, an hour or so before dinner, vegetable juice.

Dinner includes starch and vegetables – 25 per centstarch and 75 per cent vegetable, or protein andvegetables.

PERIOD OF REPARATION: 8 P.M. TO 4 A.M. – PERIOD OF SLEEPING/FASTING

FRANZ MARZOUCA PHOTO

TropicalSmoothie,Recipe onpage 78

The body is the best machine evermade, but like all machines it experi-ences wear and tear and must beretuned at certain periods, saysLaTham. Any waste sitting in the sys-tem for too long needs to be flushedout. Think of it like changing the oil inyour car every 3,000 miles or so or likethe “wash out” your mother insistedyou had as a child.

Fast one day a week: For example, from the last meal on

Friday at 8 p.m. to breakfast on Sundaymorning to cleanse and keep the bodyrunning like a well tuned machine.

Detox four times a year:While you may detox at any time

during the year, LaTham believes it’sbest to go with the flow of the seasons –during the spring (March 21); summer(June 21); autumn (September 21) andwinter (December 21) solstice. Theseare the times when the body naturallywants to release toxins, he says.

Take a three-day all-liquid fast –coconut water, water, juices, broth, tea(sun-brewed, where possible).

People with medical challenges suchas diabetes may experience headachesand dizziness. Hunger is not the prob-lem, says LaTham. Instead of going

cold turkey they need to begin the weekbefore by gradually eliminating meat,sugar, starches, fried foods, and bump-ing up their intake of fresh fruits, veg-etables and liquids.

Best way to brewThe preferred way to make herbal tea:

Put the leaves in a jar of water andplace in the sun for eight hours or leavein the kitchen at room temperature for12 to 20 hours, depending on the herb.

The next best method is to boil thewater and steep the leaves.

Boiling the leaves in the water is not agood idea, says LaTham because themore intense the heat, the more toxinsyou draw out.

More tipsIn an ideal life you would have one

meal at about 3:00 p.m.Your mother was right when she

told you not eat and drink at the sametime. Doing both at the same time dis-places the digestive enzymes in thestomach, leaving the food undigested.

Plus, a meal that includes fat (meat,for example) and water means that thefat will go unprocessed and when fat isnot broken down it can result in indigestion in the short term and highcholesterol in the long term.Unprocessed fat in the system can alsoend up coming out of the ear as wax.

Have your food and drink as closeto body or room temperature as possi-ble. The body has to work to cool downhot food and to heat up what is cold,sapping the system of energy.

Eat at least two hours before goingto bed.

SUNFIRED FOODINTERNATIONALLaTham launched Sunfired Foods inNew York City in 1979 and becameco-owner of Green City Market Cafein Bethesda, Maryland.

Sunfired Food International runsThe Sun Cuisine Retreat, the SunfireCulinary Institute, as well as a juicebar (that serves raw food and a limited amount of cooked meals) atthe Sandcastles Hotel, all in OchoRios, St.Ann.An educator and consultant, he conducts seminars andlectures on food and nutrition inJamaica and around the world.

Sun Cuisine Retreat Sun Cuisine Retreat offers guests a

place to relax, detox and rechargetheir battery for between three and30 days. LaTham says he works withhis visitors to cleanse their system.He notes, however, that he’s an edu-cator, not a medical doctor.

The three-acre property includes amud bath, pool, flower and vegetableGardens, accommodation for up tosix guests but will soon be expandedfor a maximum of 12.

Cost: Between US$600 and $900for a three-day stay; US$1,200 -$1,800 for a week.

What’s included:Accommodation, meals, nutrients andsome limited therapy – mud bath, earconing, yoga, massage.

Sunfire Culinary InstituteIn 27 years LaTham has trained

thousands of chefs.Located in Coyaba Gardens at the

Shaw Park Estates, in the hills over-looking Ocho Rios, the institutetrains and certifies raw food and vegetarian chefs and individuals mainly from the U.S.

The program: Twenty-four hoursof instruction over six days

Cost: US$3,000 which includesaccommodation, meals, instructionand a certificate.

>> body, turning it into a refinery, todigest starches. That’s a huge job.”

Foods that grow closer to the surfaceof the earth contain less starch and aretherefore better for you.

Starch solidifies. It dries out, settlesand hardens (think hardening of thearteries, for example). Most people also

eat starch with fat, so you’re starchingyour body stiff in the same way thatyou starch clothes (think arthritis).

In cool weather starch solidifies andthe joints get stiff, hence complaints ofstiff joints from many older peoplewhen the temperature gets nippy.

REV UPYOUR ENGINE

To better clean the blood and hoseout the digestive system, add aloe vera(sinkle bible in Jamaica) lime or nonijuice to coconut water.“These are likesoap, they clean you out.”

*QUICKtip:

For more information logon to www.suncuisine.com

Mango Berry Paradise Pie

CRUST1 cup almonds1 cup coconut, chopped1 medium naseberry (or other berry or fruit)¼ cup raisins½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

1: Soak almonds for 12 hours, drainand rinse.

2: Combine almonds and coconut inChampion Juicer with homogenizer

3: Place naseberry, raisins and cinna-

mon in food processor with “S” bladeand process to a smooth consistency.

4:Add naseberry mixture toalmonds and coconut. Form into adough and press into 9-inch pie dish.

5: Dehydrate at 125 degree F for 6hours or bake at 275 degree F for 30 minutes.

FILLING4 large mangoes1 strawberriy ½ cup raisins¼ cup blueberries (or pineapple,

mango or other fruits)

1: Place strawberry, raisins and blueberries in food processor with “S” blade and process to asmooth consistency.

2: Cut mangoes into thin slices.Layer in pie shell, fanning out in a spiral until the bottom is evenly covered.

3: Spread filling over the mango slices.4: Make a top layer with remaining

mango slices and filling.Garnish with strawberries, kiwi,

naseberry and other fruits, as desired.

MORE RECIPES ON PAGE 78

FRANZ MARZOUCA PHOTO

www.jamaicaneats.com | JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 00

Sunday, April 29 Monday, April 30The 9:00 a.m. start this morning was just fine with me. I am nothere for vacation.We made some incredible meals today – wildrice, nut meat, papaya salsa.The highlight for me was the ackeeseaweed dish. I was blown away. I told Aris that I must take someackee back with me.

I should have brought along more music with me. I only haveCorinne Bailey Ray. Her voice really is a young version of BillieHoliday. I would love to listen to Kem right now. I should havegrabbed Marc’s (my husband) iPod before I left home.

Ackee Seaweed2 dozen ackee, seed removed and chopped1 bunch parsley, chopped½ yellow onion, chopped6 small tomatoes, chopped1 red scotch bonnet pepper,chopped (remove seed andthe vein which are the hottest parts)1 red bell (sweet) pepper,chopped

2 garlic cloves. pressed3 thyme sprigs¼ cup wakame (a type of seaweed), soaked¼ cup hijiki (a type of seaweed), soaked½ teaspoon sea salt2 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon Jamaican jerk blend

Mix all ingredients together.

MY WEEK ATSUN CUISINE

Tegra Little, whose miscarriages andbrush with cancer led her to rawand living foods about three years

ago, spent a week at the Sun CuisineRetreat in late April.

Little, a Live Food Chef and Teacher inSouthern California (www.tegralittle.com),says although she was a vegan, the shift toraw foods saved her life. Here, she sharesexcerpts from her diary during her stay.

My living space for the week is simple, comfortable, privateand I feel totally safe.The atmosphere here is so peaceful andthe rich, tropical beauty that surrounds the outside area ofmy room is a breathtaking backdrop of tranquillity. Leo,Aris’beautiful shiny black Labrador puppy – a strict vegetarian –likes to stick his head into my bedroom window so I can pethim. I love it!

As I sat with Aris this afternoon he explained his philos-ophy on living food and talked about how his journeybegan in 1968. He has a wealth of knowledge and I know Iam going to learn so much over the next 7 days.

Today was a short introductory day. I am certain when Iget back home I am going to make an array of recipes withplantains.The one we made today was outstanding.

2 plantains, peeled and sliced thin2 cups scallions, chopped1 teaspoon curry powder¼ teaspoon sea salt4 cilantro sprigs, chopped1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice1 cup soaked hijiki (a type of seaweed)½ cup goji berries

Mix all ingredients together.

Plantains with Goji Berries

CONTINUED ON PAGE 78

Arabic, Sanskrit and Italian. Did his mas-ters work in Ebonics (what he calls Blacksounds). His mentor was Dr. Ernie “SweetErnie” Smith, a pimp who talked his wayinto a PhD in linguistics with course workin Ebonics.“All the street talk he grew upwith he got legalized.”

In the 1960s and ‘70s LaTham taughtSpanish, Swahili, Latin American Studies atvarious schools and universities in NewYork and California and developed thelanguage curriculum of several institutions.

He also has an Honorary DoctorateDegree in Sunfired Sciences from the CityUniversity of Los Angeles, California.

A rebel…he was on his way to Angola(going through Belize, Mexico andPanama) in 1974 to help in the fight forliberation when his girlfriend, eightmonths pregnant, drew the line.Theyhad been on the road for six months,heading to Brazil to catch the boat toAngola. He delivered their baby boy inGuatemala in the living room he rentedfrom an Indian.

The One Love concert…in 1978brought him to Jamaica for the first time.He returned in 1995 to cater for DickGregory at the Treehouse resort in Negriland stayed on as a consultant.

After travelling back and forth betweenJamaica and the U.S. for several years hemoved to the island permanently in 2000.

Born…1947 in Gatum, the PanamaCanal zone

Parents…also born in Gatum

Grandparents…father’s parents fromJamaica and his mother’s from Barbados,met as migrant labourers building thecanal almost a hundred years ago.

Dropped out of school…at 13 inPanama and started hustling. Broughtfruits and crab from the country andsold them in front of the school. Hefinished school in New York and as astar swimmer and long distance runnerreceived several scholarship offers.

Learned to cook on a coalstove…then on a kerosene oil stove.“My grandparents had nine childrenand each had at least four children.Atany given time we had 50 people in thehouse and so there was always a bigcook-up.”

Migrated to…Brooklyn, New York, at17 to join his mother who left Panama in1960 to seek a better life.

Hot dogs, sloppy joes…wine,cigarette and pot entered the pictureafter he moved to New York in 1964.

Hippies…and the back-to-the-landmovement inspired his move tobecome a vegetarian. He started eatingtrail mixes, wearing sandals and readingvegetarian books.

Started to cook his ownpot…giving up his mother’s red meatand pig tail dishes.

Became a vegan…by 1973 after visiting Ghana and Togo in 1972and observing how little meat theAfricans ate.

Last cooked meal…in 1976 waslikely Mexican rice and beans. LaThamsays he struggled between 1974 and ’76to maintain an all-raw diet but only suc-ceeded after giving up ganja (marijuana).He figured out afterwards that it gavehim the munchies for cooked food.

Has a Masters Degree…fromCalifornia State University and speaksSpanish and Swahili fluently. He studied

WHAT THEY SAYABOUT ARIS

We came down in March to studythe componets of the sunfired

food system/way of life. With ourmothers in tow, we not only had theopportunity to practise these new discoveries on ourselves, but on andwith our direct blood lines. We wantedto show them a new way of self-careinvolving rest and sleep, cleansing, fasting, meal planning and family love.

Everything that we experienced can beused in our everyday life. We plan toteach others these skills via classes andpossible creating a cafe or juice bar.

The bottom line is a fresh perspectiveby consuming fresh food and being intune with nature. When the body is notin dis-ease life is easier.

We love coconut water and the tropi-cal fruits as well as greens with a hand-ful or two of nuts.

- Selby Alexander, stretching andlifestyle fitness coach, Denver, Colorado

We decided to study with Aris toelevate our own personal aware-

ness about food choices, to create moreoptions for ourselves and to create anoption for a joint business venture inDenver, Colorado

I’ve been experimenting with live foodfor about five years after attending aworkshop in Denver about the benefitsof a live food-based diet. Since then Ihave gradually transitioned from a dietbased on 80 per cent cooked food to adiet based on 90 to 95 per cent livingfoods. There is a great demand for thisinformation, people are actively seekingguidance to a healthier lifestyle.

I provide consultations to individualswho are ready to make a shift in theirdiet.

The benefits of of this lifestyle includeweight loss, a decrease in blood sugardisorders, heart problems, circulationdisorders, colds and flus , skin problems,problems sleeping, and snoring, to namea few.

- Grace White, bodyworker specializ-ing in Structural Integration and

Energetic Healing, Denver, Colorado

factfileARIS LATHAM

”Eat more

fruits and drinkmore coconutwater and freshfruit juices.

“

Tropical Life Salad1 large avocado/pear,peeled and pitted2 large tomatoes, deseeded 1 zucchini1 cucumber, zest and deseeded2 cups chopped baby spinach (or pak choy)1 large plantain6 small okra¼ small yellow (sweet) pepper2 sprigs escallion12 pitted green olives6 spicy olives

1: Chop vegetables in bite-sized pieces, mince escallion,combine all the ingredients.

2:Toss with Sesame TahiniDressing.

Sesame TahiniDressing

1 orange¼ cup tomato pulp¼ cup cucumber pulp2 tablespoons sesame tahini1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon dill weed2 sprigs escallion1 teaspoon Indian

spice blend¼ teaspoon Himalayan Black Salt

Combine ingredients andblend.

Tropical Smoothie2 cups pineapple juice1 small mango1 small banana½ cup papaya

Blend ingredients in ablender. Serves 3.

Variation:Add cacao and/or coconut

78 JAMAICAN EATS: SPRING/SUMMER 2007 | www.jamaicaneats.com

Long day today. Prepared two different piecrusts, one for a savory pie and the other for aparadise fruit pie. I like the way he uses thedehydrator for the crust. It gives the crustmore of a baked texture and I like this better. Iam going to make sure I do this when I getback. I usually freeze my crusts for just a fewhours to solidify everything but I like Aris’ tech-nique. I can’t wait to taste both of these tomor-row. He dehydrates the crust for 12 hours.

We prepared a pizza today. Interesting.Arisplaces all of his toppings for the pizza (toma-toes, onions, parsley, bell peppers, garlic, etc.)directly onto the wet dough and then dehy-drates everything for 12 or more hours. Helikes to put the nut cheese and tomato sauceon top after the pizza is removed from thedehydrator. I am just the opposite. I alwaysdehydrate my crust separately and then oncethe crust is done, I add the toppings then placethe pizza back into the dehydrator. I can’t waitto taste it tomorrow.

My mouth was watering when I tasted thefinal mixture for the rye crackers we dehydrat-ed today.They will also be ready tomorrow.

Okay, the triple nut meat (walnuts, almonds,and cashews), was crazy good today! Oh mygosh, when I make this dish for my studentsthey are going to flip out.Aris likes to use theChampion juicer with the blank screen tohomogenize this dish. Homogenizing this dishgives it a great consistency and the look ofground meat. I like this technique and I know Iwill use it a lot.

Aris had a living foods class this evening from6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at a health store in Montego Bay.I am glad I made the decision to go and assistwith Keisha.The eagerness for knowledge onwellness exuded in the room tonight. I lovedobserving this. Everyone in attendance wasinterested in getting healthy and they all lovedthe food. It doesn’t matter what country I amin, the quest for wellness is universal.

By the time we returned it was almost mid-night. I am exhausted. I need to decide if I wantto drive to Kingston on Thursday with Aris andKeisha. He has a living foods presentation therethat evening.

Walnut/Almond/Cashew Nut Meat1 cup each: walnuts, almonds and cashews1 red (sweet) bell pepper, chopped4 cilantro sprigs, chopped2 garlic cloves, pressed¼ teaspoon allspice¼ teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and place in theChampion juicer with the blank screen. Servewith vegetables.

Tuesday, May 1ARAWDEAL...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 61

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