Dija Know… Joe’s Restaurant Newsletter -72 June 2012

Dija Know… Joe’s Restaurant Newsletter -72 June 2012

Yes we have margaritas.  They are made with agave wine and are absolutely delicious (and large!)

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Joe’s Meet Your Farmer program, started May 2011, continues.  Here’s how it works. Every Saturday after Market (sometime after 1:30) we invite any and all of our local growers to come by Joe’s to relax over a meal and a beer. (We bribe them with a “good deal”).  You, our guests are invited to sit with them, chat with them, ask them questions about their growing practices.  And just generally get up-close and personal with Who Grows Your Food.

Update on labeling GMO (genetically modified “foods”). The California Right to Know Campaign succeeded in placing the Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act on the Ballot for November 6.  Monsanto’s inordinate influence on our food supply has rendered almost every bite we take contaminated.  The multiple effects of ingesting GMO foods are well documented and too many to go into here (see past newsletters). But here is one mind-blowing effect I was not aware of.  GM corn (which is almost all corn now) and cotton are engineered to produce their own pesticide in every cell.  That gene transfers to our gut bacteria, meaning that long after we stop eating GMO’s we may still have GM proteins continuously producing inside of us.  Say what!!??!!

Why is this California Food Act important nationally?  Because when it goes through in CA, it will pave the way for GMO labeling regulation to be required in all states. Food companies will not want the added expense of two sets of labeling – one for the California buyer and one for the rest of the nation. This is truly a defining step in our “right to know what’s in our food” movement.

 

Milk and Coffee and Espresso beans – The latest two local acquisitions. Milk (and cheeses) from Old Windmill Dairy and Agapao organic fair trade coffee. Both the milk and the coffee are the best you can get anywhere at any price. Enjoy!

 

Where does it end? Roland and I are not fans of sugar-sweetened sodas and certainly not of those sweetened with HFCS. But, even more odious to us is the dictating and legislating of what’s at the end of our fork. Nanny Bloomberg, NYC mayor – delusionally thinks it’s in his job description to mandate soda sizes. Is this sort of arrogant audacity the death knell for any remaining self-responsibility, autonomy and sovereignty in this country? There is no one who suggests more strongly than Joe’s that food (good nutritious, whole locally sourced food) be our first line of offense in underlying robust health.  However, it offends and disgusts me that those in power believe we, the governed, cannot decide for ourselves what we shall eat and what we shall drink.  If we want a 32 oz soda and enough people demand it, it should be available to purchase. The only truly effective force for change is education (fueled by curiosity and healthy self interest). If this sort of food Nazism goes nationwide, spare me. What we have a right to expect of regulatory agencies, and what we pay them for, is clear labeling of food content and processes.  Then let us decide for ourselves.

Well enough of that.  The good news is here at Joe’s we offer healthy beverage choices as well as the usual sodas that so many of us love and enjoy. That’s simple democracy in action. Although we have our opinions about food (no, really!?) our pleasure, as restaurateurs, is to see people enjoying everything they choose to eat and drink.

Joel’s Salatin’s latest book – Folks, This Ain’t Normal – is available for sale here at Joe’s.  His beautiful Polyface Farm is located in VA and is a near perfect template for sustainable food-production. He is a humorous and articulate voice for taking back control of our food and thereby our health and our economy.

Joe’s tee shirts are available for sale at $16. They are organic cotton and printed right here in Santa Fe. Also available are the latte cups, the beer pints and wine glasses – all inscribed.

 

Yes we will be open all usual hours throughout the July 4th week – daily 7:30AM – 9:00PM.

Joe’s is now on Twitter. Go to joesdining.com then click on the bird.  You may find some $urprise$ tweeted there from time to time.  There will be a daily code word to get your freebie or other goodie.

 

The SF Reporter’s annual “Best Of” contest is now open for your vote. Go to sfreporter.com to vote for your favorites in every category from animal rescues to nail salons to restaurants.  We (of course!!) hope you write us in to several categories. The way we see it best burger and best local restaurant are no-brainers, but then we may be just a tad biased.  Although we have great pizza, my old loyalties to Pizza Etc (in DeVargas Mall) urged me to vote for them – call me a traitor!

 

The slow food movement is in effect at Joe’s.  Heating a slice of fruit pie before serving it undeniably transforms it into one of the ultimate comfort foods.  Now, although microwaving is the speediest way to do that, we don’t.  Your pie will go into a good old-fashioned oven until nicely warmed.  I know I know it takes longer.  But . . . dija know: the problem with microwaved food is not just the radiation, it’s also how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body cannot recognize it. Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster. This causes friction which actually changes and destroys the cell structure. The good stuff is destroyed – vitamins, minerals, proteins; and new compounds called radiolytic compounds (that the body does not recognize nor can process), are created.

Recently in the UK at a Science fair, a project was presented by a girl who took filtered water and divided it into two parts – ½ was stove boiled and 1/2 microwave boiled. She then used these two separate waters to water two identical plants. Cut to the chase — photographs show that after 9 days, the microwave-watered plant was dead. Yikes.  I didn’t know it was that detrimental!

Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in microwave ovens.

Jill Stein,

Green Party Presidential candidate, will be dining at Joe’s Sunday June 10 at 6:30PM.  She is running on her Green New Deal platform– addressing jobs, a sustainable recovery for the economy and sustainable energy. She appears to be very pro labor and has a well thought out plan. Here is your chance to meet a presidential candidate. It is open to the public and is a $20 prixe fix 3-course dinner. RSVP to Rick Lass at 505-920-0540 or ricklass@newmexico.com   Earlier in the day at 1PM, Jill will be doing a meet and greet at Travel Bug.          jillstein.org/green_new_deal

Gluten free? Please check out our GF menu.  We now stock gluten free pasta as well (not a huge choice…yet).  Do ask.

Free food!  With a Joe’s gift card for $100 (when you pay with a check or cash) it is programmed to give you an additional $10 worth of free food or drinks or merchandise. This is our “frequent diner” card.

u Joe’s hand-made French chocolate truffles.  Do you know anyone who wouldn’t love a little red bag of divine truffles?  $1.99 @  or 6 for the price of 5  — $9.95

Are you on Joe’s check list? Are you using your credit cards less frequently?  I know we are and somehow it is liberating.  Far less paperwork and fees and more fees.  Then there are the regulations – they change frequently and always in the BB’s (big banks) favor. We as taxpayers have contributed generously to the BB’s bailouts and their CEOs’ mega bonuses.  Well, enough is enough.  Here at Joe’s we are going retro and will do what we can to encourage guests to pay by personal check and of course time-honored cash and precious metals!  So if you are a “regular” and wish to pay by check, please ask your waiter to get you on Joe’s check list. It’s a one-step process. Couldn’t be easier.

Dija know: What 27 local restaurants buy from the SF Farmers Market in a year, Joe’s buys in under 2 months.

Lost in translation:
   A sign posted in a Thai bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES
WITH NUTS.
Posted on a restaurant door:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

 

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Joe’s
2801 Rodeo Rd (at Zia Rd) Santa Fe, NM   87507
505-471-3800       www.JoesDining.com