Rodale Institute

For those of you passionate about organic farming, the Rodale Institute is a mecca to the devout! J.I. Rodale was one of the pioneers of the "organic" (a term that he is credited for popularizing) movement that preaches focusing on soil health and nature for producing the highest quality and most nutritious food for a health life. He founded Organic Farming and Gardening magazine over 60 years ago, which was the jumping off point for the creation of the Institute. I had a chance to tour the farm while in the US, visiting my parents in Pennsylvania. I find it funny that after spending many years living there when I was in high school, I never knew it existed. I had to move to Bulgaria to learn to appreciate what was essentially in my backyard. Hindsight....

Amaro Baretto

I was meeting up with a friend for an early morning coffee in Sofia and she suggested that we meet near Macedonia Sq., which is located west of the center, where Alabin St. meets Hristo Botev Blvd. The picking are sparse, but I uncovered a little nugget called Amaro Baretto. She was pleasantly surprise to find this spot so close to her office and that she hadn't uncovered it herself.

Of Aphids and Ants

I find that with our agricultural projects, we need to prioritize, as there are only so many hours in the day and hands on deck, so certain things get neglected. While we were away for my sisters wedding, which was the worst possible timing for beginning farmers, my vegetable plot was at the bottom of the list. It didn't help that the weather was not cooperating. Last April, we had a freak snowstorm and this April, we had a freak heat wave.

Café Ma Baker

While I am not a connoisseur or even an avid coffee drinker, I do enjoy a nice latte or cappuccino when I visit Sofia, since Kyustendil's coffee scene just doesn't cut it. I grew a bit tired of the Costa or Starbucks, so I try to find something a little different, which was what lead me to Ma Baker, not only do you get a decent caffeinated beverage, but also freshly baked breads.

TEDxAUBG

Ever since I had the opportunity to see Dan Barber give a TED talk on fois gras and sustainable aquaculture, I hoped that one day I would have an idea that was worth sharing and be able to talk about it for 18 minutes. When I heard that the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) was casting for their own TEDxAUBG I had an idea, something that had been gnawing at me for a few months... Why the media and public perception of farmers and agriculture needs to change for Bulgaria's future.

Michael Pollan: Cooked

What are the chances that the exact window for my trip to New York just happened to coincide with the release of Michael Pollan's new book Cooked. For those of you unfamiliar with him, he is the author of The Omnivores Dilemma and In Defense of Food. His works contributed to the film Food Inc. Pollan is a renowned food journalist, who has dedicated his career to educating us on the politics of food and Food Rules (another fantastic title) for consuming a healthy diet. His new book Cooked takes a turn away from the nitty gritty of agriculture in the US and the processed food industry to focus on the action that contributes to our humanity, the cooking of food.

Hebros Restaurant

I received a few strong recommendations for Hebros in Plovdiv and after visiting their website, I added them to my must visit list. They have a section on their website dedicated to Slow Food and how they incorporate this Good, Clean and Fair philosophy into their daily menu.