This coming Sunday, April 22, is Earth Day.  There will be celebrations all week, including a Santa Cruz community gathering on Saturday.  How will Charlie Hong Kong honor the occasion?  Being present for the original first Earth Day, was a moving event for me.  What seems to have become a big party, though I’m not against celebrating, I felt Charlie Hong Kong needed a larger personal context for this Earth Day.

So when Sarah Wood from Edible Monterey, called to ask, if Charlie Hong Kong would like to do a “Popup Supper Club” the wheels of my mind stared turning.  This after I said, Supper Club, we’re not that kind of restaurant. Edible Monterey’s mission for the “popup supper clubs” is to nurture our local conscious food community.   Well, Charlie Hong Kong, is a Certified Green restaurant.  We’re committed to using organic produce grown right here on the central coast.  Charlie Hong Kong is alignment with this mission. Thus our Earth Day celebration started to take shape.

But I felt it had to be more then just Charlie Hong Kong serving our Signature vegan bowls.  Then the obvious struck me; the UCSC Farm and Garden, bring them into the equation. Here is this amazing program right in our neighborhood.  Their Apprenticeship Program is educating a new generation of organic farmers.  This gives hope, for that critical mass to shift away from convention argro-business to sustainable, organic farming.  This resource is available to gardeners and our entire community.  I wanted to pay respect to this amazing endeavor.  This is what Earth Day is about.

A number of e-mails and phone calls and UCSC Farm was on board.  The plan: a private tour of the farm, with Liz Milazzo, field production manager, generously offering to be our guide.  It will be very exciting since it’s planting season and she’s the expert.  Then rendezvous at Charlie Hong Kong, for a private tasting from our Signature Vegan Bowls and other menu items.

Yes, this feels like the way to honor Earth Day!  Gratitude, respect, kindness and generosity, the founding principals of Charlie Hong Kong.   The same expression we want to express towards our magnificent earth.

Details: Edible Monterey blog April Supper club

Cost: $20.00-($5.00 goes to UCSC Farm & Garden)

Time: 3 pm meet at Farm then Charlie Hong Kong

Limited space

Sorry Restaurant will be closed during this special event 4:30-5:30

Five or six years ago, we received the news, the company that made our noodles was going out of business.  This noodle is called a Hong Kong style noodle or chow mein (which means noodle) noodle.  It’s eggless and made from wheat.  So here was the opportunity: find a new noodle for the favorite Spicy Dan’s Peanut Delight and Charlie’s Chow Mein and improve the quality.  Lucky for us, Rudy, my business partner and husband, is the most amazing investigator, so I put him on the job.  Sleuthing around through the internet and many phone calls later, Rudy locates a professor at a “Noodle College” (yes, there is a noodle college) in LA, who is an expert in noodles and noodle manufacturing.  Rudy gives him a call in hopes that he may know a local noodle distributor.  After first receiving a thorough noodle education, different types, styles and what makes an excellent quality noodle, he’s given the name of a company in Oakland that makes a high quality fresh noodle. Fresh noodles, high quality, this was music to my ears.  We drive to Oakland to check them out.

There is a warehouse district next to downtown Oakland, off highway 880.  Numerous small food distribution and business warehouses are tucked in an area I didn’t know existed. We locate the noodle makers in the maze of unmarked buildings and enter into a large warehouse.  Stacked shelves line down the middle, with a window on the right, into a side room, where we can view an enormous machine making fresh noodles.  After we find someone who speaks English, this is a Chinese operation, we introduce ourselves; explain who we are and about our noodle mission.  A long term business partnership begins. They agree to make a noodle specifically for Charlie Hong Kong.  It is a longer more robust noodle.  The quality is superior to the previous noodle.  The noodles are made from scratch, then immediately hung over racks in a special room to dry.  The noodles are boxed and delivery to us the second or third day after being made.  We buy noodles by the pallet to keep prices down and receive deliveries every  2 1/2 to 3 weeks.  Noodles eaten at Charlie Hong are are that fresh.

Our “noodle people” have visited Charlie Hong Kong to taste their product first hand.  It’s a lovely family run business, father and sons, with high integrity. We recently made a trip to visit their new warehouse.  We were graciously welcomed and walked through the entire process, from arrival of the flour to the freshly dried noodle.  What I can say is; the plant is immaculate with state of the art equipment.  Everyone working there smiled at us and seemed happy.  Quality really matters to them like it does to us.  Now we’re cooking up a new noodle idea. I’ll keep you posted!

I know it’s not easy to change.  I know to change a habit can be inconvenient but sometime the effects the habit causes can be enough to propel a change.  When it came to protecting our precious environment, saying no to plastic bags became a habit I chose to break and in the process took along with me all our Charlie Hong Kong customers.

Caring for the earth is the main reason, I was drawn to eat organic.  Recycling has been a way of life for me which I’ve forced on my family.  I always have a stash of re-usable bags in my car and stacked next to the kitchen door.  Paper or plastic, my proud response, paper.  But like most people, as plastics bags became more and more a way of life, I found myself with my share of plastic bags, particularly next to the kitchen sink.  Though I try to wash and air dry them; they get kind of a gross.  At the farmers market, I’d easily take a plastic bag for my fresh organic produce. Though I keep an empty paper towel roll, stuffed with my collection of plastic bags, I repeatedly forget to bring it with me.  Traveling to countries, once plastic bag free, I’m alarmed at the careless overuse of plastic bags.  Visually plastic bags dot our landscape: in shrubs, our beaches, clinging to buildings, along the freeway.  Urban tumble weed, as it’s referred to.  And I’m not innocent.  In the past, I accepted the take-out food handed to me in the plastic bag.  At least I’ll recycle it in the weekly garbage pick-up, even as I wonder what really happens to all these supposedly recycled plastic bags.  Then the news of the gyre in the North Pacific Ocean, referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage, becomes an alarming wake-up call.  Plastic, particularly plastic bags, are an enormous world wide problem.

Charlie Hong Kong has been a certified green Business since, 2008.  As more and more scientific information fills the news, the evidence of the effects of plastic on wildlife and our environment is clear.  The longevity of plastic and it’s effect on our health has scientific evidence to back it up.  I read about the enormous quantity of plastic water bottles in our landfills.  It turns out, people do not recycle their plastic water bottles.  The health trend to drink more water has proliferated an environmental hazard.  I push to discontinue plastic water bottles at Charlie Hong Kong.  Though water bottles are a popular item, about two years ago, we stopped offering plastic water bottles.  We already offered filtered water.  Many people now carry personal stainless steel water bottles they can refill.

I begin to make waves about discontinuing the use of single use plastic to-go bags.  In a restaurant where half our business is to-go, there was concern about how this would effect our customers. Then that fateful day the photo appears in the paper, the baby otter trapped inside a plastic bag, her mother screeching, frantic to remove it.  I declare that’s it: No more plastic to-go bags!  Within weeks, with the support of all our employees, we no longer offer plastic to-go bags.  To ease the transition, we give away Charlie Hong Kong re-useable bags, as well as recycled cardboard boxes from our beverages. Then sell reusable bags for a nominal price, with a percentage donated to Save Our Shores,  We have paper bags as well, but limit them to hot soup.  It’s been 10 months now,  since we discontinued, single use, as they’re referred to, plastic bags.  Our staff has been incredibly supportive of this decision.  Our customers have been amazing, most just carry their boxed food, declining a paper bag or box.  Sometimes it can be challenging, especially if the person is on a bike.  What customers repeatedly say, “I appreciate and understand what you’re doing.”

So does it make a difference for one restaurant in Santa Cruz to say no to plastic bags?  We choose to take a stand and believe each and every action makes a difference.  I express my deepest gratitude to all our customers, employees and a heartfelt thank you to Save Our Shores for naming Charlie Hong Kong, 2011, Business of the Year, for our commitment to discontinuing plastic to-go bags.

I’m having this inner debate about my commitment to serving locally grown-in season-organic produce.  Recently we offered a special, Spicy Green Beans, made from locally grown organic BlueLake green beans.  The beans retained their snap and the sauce was just the right amount of spice and savory.  The season has ended and so has the special.  However customers continue to ask for it.  Some on the verge of begging, please can you make the Spicy Green Beans.  So here’s the dilemma, because there are conventional green bean available from a warmer climate:  do we keep our commitment to serving organic produce and wait until next year, when organic green beans are again growing abundantly or do we satisfy the demands of our customers?  Isn’t it a good thing to anticipate the change in season with, “Oh, soon it will be time for the Spicy Green Bean special”.  I know this is how it is with our Thai Butternut Squash Soup, as well as our Asian pesto-Garlic Basil Noodles Special.  I asked this question on facebook and received only one enthusiastic response-”stick to your guns”.  I know we have become accustomed to eating whatever we want for most of the year. Does it matter to be a restaurant that is committed to serving, as much as possible, in season organic produce.  Conventional green beans are not on the dirty dozen list which means a fruit of vegetable high in pesticide residue. I guess I feel strongly  that the more support for locally grown organic produce the better, for our bodies, the environment and importantly local organic farmers.

Charlie Hong Kong is a neighborhood eatery, offering noodle and rice bowls inspired by a fusion of Southeast Asian flavors with California organic sensibilities.  The vision: to offer healthy, affordable, “fast” food.  We call it Street Food because this food is intended to be eaten in community for people on the go.  Charlie Hong Kong – easier then cooking at home!

Charlie Hong Kong was recently featured in the Good Times:

Hooked on Charlie: WHY CHARLIE HONG KONG REMAINS A FAVORITE CULINARY HANGOUT

By Tara Fatemi Walker

Charlie Hong Kong is more than an affordable place to get Asian-inspired healthy street food. The benefits for your body and soul begin from the moment you walk up to the order window and are greeted by three words painted on the wall: Respect, Kindness, and Gratitude. These are the founding principles of owners Carolyn and Darryl “Rudy” Rudolph, who believe they are integral to the way they treat their staff and their customers.

“By eating here you are saying yes to your body, yes to the environment, and yes to community,” says Carolyn.

The Rudolphs are committed to giving customers inexpensive healthy food. “Organic and affordable normally don’t go together,” she adds. “We buy in bulk to do that, and work hard developing long-term relationships with our vendors.” Most of the produce is from local Lakeside Organic Gardens.

Click Here to read the rest of the article (pdf).

Don’t feel like cooking?  Worried about getting your vitamins, minerals and proteins?  No worries-come into Charlie Hong Kong and you can be reassured you’re nourishing you body with healthy, tasty food that is served up quick!

In Santa Cruz there is an organic farmers market almost everyday of the week.  It feels natural, to me, to eat what is currently growing in the fields.  I happen to be one of those people who has to cook everyday.  I get excited about the vegetables and fruits, like works of art and can’t wait to get them home.   I always buy way to much for just my husband and I as an expression of gratitude for the incredible hard, courageous work of organic farmers. It grounds and settles me to cook.  The aromas permeate my home with goodness.  I suspect it’s in my DNA this passion for fresh, real food, as well as my desire to cook and feed people.

I know that not everyone has this need to cook.  It seems that many people are disconnected from their food source today.  Fewer and fewer people actually cook meals at home.  And no, I’m sorry to say (well not really sorry) heating pre-made frozen food in your microwave is not actually cooking.  I am aware of the pressures in our lives.  Coming home after a long day at work, lacking time to prepare a lunch to take, being tired and hungry with kids needing attention,etc etc etc   Shopping and then cooking may feel like too much. I GET IT!  According to  the Go For Health! Collaborative, (organized to combat childhood obesity, by encouraging restaurants to offer healthy options as well as to get kids moving) out of $2.00 spent on food, $1.00 is spent in a restaurant or half our meals.  So when Charlie Hong Kong was awarded the Ultimate Golden Carrot, as the “healthiest restaurant in Santa Cruz County”, it was an acknowledgment of our mission: A place that offers affordable nourishing/healthy (easier then cooking at home) food for busy hungry people.

It’s full on summer.  Time to make Garlic Basil Noodles or Asian Pesto.  I’ve been waiting for the basil to come into season.  I make a trip to the Wednesday, farmer’s Market in downtown Santa Cruz, in search of basil.  The market is alive with activity.  Every stand is over flowing with gorgeous, vibrant, colorful produce and summer stone fruits.  I feel like I’m visiting a museum; each farm’s display, a work of art.  It’s late in the day and the vendors begin to break down their stands. This generates a whirl of activity, as last minute shoppers scurry around under collapsing tents and loading boxes.  I head directly to Blue Heron Farms (organic), knowing they grow huge beautiful basil.  I am not disappointed, though only a few bunches remain, I can see how huge and beautifully dark green, the basil leaves are.  We agree for me to pick up a case at the Saturday market on the West Side.  Santa Cruz is blessed with a farmers market almost everyday of the week, sometimes more then one.

Saturday comes and I meet Ben at the Blue Heron stand and host up my case of just picked basil.  Driving to the restaurant, the aroma of basil, coming from the back, is intoxicating.  I have an appointment to meet with our head chef, Juan, and create our Garlic Basil Pesto sauce.  Juan’s waiting for me and we begin measuring, chopping, pouring, and mixing all these fresh, organic ingredients.  We lean over the robot coup and inhale the delicious fragrance  emanating, as the blades turn.  It’s the very essence of  summer freshness.  A restaurant early in the morning is a special place.  It’s like being in the center of the hub of life.

When the sauce is complete we head to the wok and cook up some Garlic Basil Noodles.  First plain; then with prawns, next with tofu.  Everyone in the kitchen has completed their prep work and is ready for the day to begin.  I collect a handful of forks; pass them around and we all taste our creation.  In the silence of slurping noodles, I hear yum’s all around. Claudya in her beautiful handwriting, writes “Garlic Basil Noodles” in colored chalk on the Specials Board.

Come try it.  I’m sure you’ll slurp and yum.

Carolyn

Why do we refer to our food as “Organic Asian Street Food”?  When traveling through Asia, we (both my husband and I) loved to eat at food stalls that dotted the alleys, markets and roads.  This food represented the region. It was inexpensive, prepared quickly, and very tasty.  Workers, businessmen and women shoppers would stand (or squat) or perhaps sit in the couple of chairs provided, shoulder to shoulder enjoying noodles or rice, generally served simply in a large banana leaf.  This was humble food prepared to order, usually offering, only one item.  I once read a definition in a book about Thailand, that has stayed with me. “Street food: a place to grab home cooked food, while moving about in your busy day.”  That’s how I want people to think of Charlie Hong Kong; a place to grab a nourishing, (easier then cooking at home), food, while out and about in your busy day or night.

“Organic Asian Street Food”

The organic is our commitment to using organic produce, as well as, as many organic products as feasible.  The Asian refers to the South East Asian flavor influences in our food.  Since our Signature Bowls are vegan, this makes us unique and different from authentic Asian noodle and rice bowls, where fish sauce and shrimp paste are a staple ingredient.  Nuoc Mam (fish sauce ) is know to create “umami”.  Umami is an ingredient, when combined with other ingredients, makes food hum or brings out the, yummy, this tastes really good.  We use fish sauce in many of our non vegan dishes for that extra taste oomph.  Fish sauce was chosen, as the ingredient of the year, 2010, by Gourmet Magazine.

Out and about in your busy day?  Hungry for a home cooked meal to eat-in or take-out?  Join us at Charlie Hong Kong.

Happy eating,
Carolyn

We’ve finally made the decision and we’re sticking to it.  As of April 16th the Earth Day celebration in Santa Cruz, Charlie Hong Kong, Santa Cruz will no long use plastic to-go bags.  We’ve  been moving in this direction for the past year.  Then an article in the Good Times, with an accompanying photograph of a mother otter’s desperate attempt to remove a plastic bag from her trapped baby, pushed me over the edge.  This was right here in our very own Monterey Bay.  The visual made it absolutely clear- now is the time for action.

We will offer cheery bright red re-useable Charlie Hong Kong bags for a nominal fee.  A percentage will be contributed to an environmental organization, beginning with Save Our Shores.

It’s been about a year, since we stopped carrying plastic water bottles.  After I read how many plastic bottles were ending up in our landfills, I decided as a green business it was our obligation to stop offering water in plastic bottles.  Apparently, though plastic bottles can be recycled, many people just through them away.  I had to push to not stock water bottles in our drink case because  it was such a popular item.  But we offer filtered water so it made sense, to me anyway.  Our customers have been great about it.  When asked,” Do you have bottled water?”. Reply, “No but we have filtered water outside on tap.”  Besides there is great debate about where that water in the bottles actually comes from, as well as the effects of the plastic on the water itself.

So, you can take your to-go box as is; bring in your own bag; purchase a CHK re-usable bag; use a recycled box; or some other creative option of your own.  It will be an adjustment for all of us.  Together we’ll figure this out.

Carolyn

Recently my husband and I took a get away to Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley.  For years I wanted to see the desert wildflowers in March.  With all the late rain this year, I was sure the desert would be a blaze with yellow, blue, pink flowers.  We packed up the car, I loaded our cooler with lots of our favorite healthy food for the few days we would be gone.  It is my custom to packed food for our car trips.  When our boys were young, we’d sit on the bed in our shared hotel room feasting on prepared pasta, bean dips, salsa, cucumber, carrot, celery sticks, olives, (always olives and not the ones from a can), tortilla chips, peanut butter, almond butters, nuts and raisins, hard boiled eggs.  Not just to save money, which was a consideration, but to make sure my family had healthy organic foods available to them. We would treat ourselves to a restaurant experience but certainly not for all our meals.

Every trip I go on, I always search out the local natural food store.  In the days before the large natural food chains, this would become a fun adventure.  My boys would roll their eyes, (my husband more patient) not an other health food store. But there was the anticipated promise, of what I refer to as the “healthy junk food” snacks, our boys  and husband loved to eat: carob malt balls, yinnies (brown rice syrup taffy), red raspberry chews, dried apples, cheese puffs, frozen juice pops, Guru Chews and the savory sesame sticks to name a few.  The choices have expanded over the years.  This has become big business.

Today my older adult son who traveled back and forth across the US teaching musical theater to children, told me he’d look for a local health food store.  He’s the one who rolled his eyes the most and the one who definitely loved his treats. So the tradition is carried on.  Sadly, he also informed me that most smaller towns, don’t have a health food store, though it sure was exciting when he’d discover one, searching out his old favorite treats.  Over the years in our family travels, more and more farmers markets began to happen so the local farmers market was added to my inquiry.  Of course I couldn’t resist buying way to much produce.  We would stuff ourselves on fresh fruits and veggies.

As my husband and I drove east from Santa Cruz, turn towards Salinas, heading towards Bakersfield, I began to notice the dominance of fast food chain after fast food chain.  We leave Bakersfield and follow the Kern River.  Now natural beauty surrounds us, the hills are still cover with green.  We find a lovely spot for a picnic.  I open the cooler abundant with delicious foods and pull together a lunch.  I carry it to the rivers edge where we enjoy the sound of the river alive from winters rain, as we consume the tasty meal prepared.  This is one of the joys of our life.

We continue on through the small desert towns and I am struck at the lack of food available for the inhabitants.  I remember when towns had local dinners, food stands and restaurants with actual home cooked food.  Now it seems the only food along the main roads are fast food chains.  I think about the availability of organic food in Santa Cruz. I take it for granted.  On any given day I have the good fortune to make the decision on which natural food store to visit or which farmers market fits into my schedule.  How incredibly fortunate I am but I wonder about the lack of organic food or even fresh food, available to these people who live in the towns we drive by.  It disturbs me this inequality of fresh food.  Daily I receive e-mails about about the inequitable distribution of healthy food, about the large food waste lands and this is in America.  Here it is in my in my face.  I feel an ache in my heart for what is not available.

I enjoy the harsh barren beauty of the desert.  The wildflowers were scares this year.  The rain didn’t make it over enough mountain ranges to reach Death Valley.  I transfer our food to the small frig in the room. I will prepare our food and we will feast on our deck, gazing at the mountains in the distance.  We hike and explore the various landmarks.  It all appears prehistoric to me, like I’m witnessing the forming of our earth.

Back home I type farmers market Bakersfield into the Google bar.  I’m pleased to discover they do have one.  Then I type in natural food store. I think they have one as well, though it isn’t totally clear to me if it’s actually in Bakersfield.  I feel distressed about the lack of “real” food choices for the people in the areas I observed out the car window, as we drove on and on.  I think about our restaurant, Charlie Hong Kong.  It’s mission to serve organic, healthy, affordable food to people.  It has long been a goal of mine to bring this kind of organic food to this underserved population.  A dream of mine to introduce “real” food to those raised on chain store fast food; for them to discover there is an option.  I believe it is a right to have healthy affordable food accessible to everyone and should not be a privilege.  If inclined, I recommend checking out the web-site Food Democracy and what’s happening at the USDA.  I recently spent an entire day totally inspired, watching a live web-cast on TEDX, “Changing the Way We Eat”.  Check it out.  I know many of you are engaged in this issue or would like to be.  I welcome your feedback.  Remember we do make a difference.

Carolyn

Charlie Hong Kong takes the point of view, “Food is Medicine”.  We believe you are what you eat.  What you choose to put in your body matters.; matters for your health and well being as well as for the planet.  Many of the ingredients in our recipes are known for their health producing properties.  Beginning with organic produce, we use a combination of dark leafy greens for their high anti-oxident qualities.  This way when you eat here you know you’re getting  good for you greens.  Anyone who approaches Charlie Hong Kong can smell the fresh garlic and ginger known as natural immune boosters.  Many people are unaware that coconut milk, which is in many of our recipes, is anti-viral and anti-fungal.  And forget the old idea that coconut milk contains unhealthy saturated fat.  Actually coconut milk is made up of short to medium fatty acids, that are used as energy not stored like long fatty acids.  Coconut milk is rich in vitamin and minerals, including calcium.  Whole and dried herbs, known to contain medicinal  properties, are used each day when making our sauces.  Extremely important are the oils we use.  Restaurants are notorious for using old, not meant for healthy human consumption oils.  At Charlie Hong Kong we use Rice Bran oil, recognized, as the most heart healthy oil.  We also use high quality Spectrum Organic Sesame Oil.  Eating at Charlie Hong Kong is intended to be a wonderful combination, of feeding the body and soul.  Food best shared in a communal experience.  Come in, nourish your body and enjoy food that tastes really good.

Charlie Hong Kong attended  the 31st Ecological Farming Conference at Aslomar, in Monterey.  We were invited to be on a panel for organic cafe/restaurants. We are the end users of the product that come from the dedication of organic farmers.  The focus of the conference is on sustainable farming.  It is the biggest event of its kind in the western US.

Sitting around the table at meals, all donated foods & were fantastic, including wines and sodas, it was a treat to listen in on the conversations of the participants.  I heard about pollinating, by hand if need be, fruit trees. I sat next to the man responsible for growing the blueberries I enjoy.  Those same blueberries are protected from being devoured by birds, by the innovated act of bringing in a falcon to scare them away.  I was entertained by tales of using snakes, captured from surrounding mountains in eastern WA, then transported to live under the ground cloth to manage the moles eating the roots of strawberries.  The big excitement among the participants was a method called bokashi.  A form of composting, that turns food scraps quickly into a liquid “tea” enriched compost.  I plan on researching it for my backyard compost that’s piling up.

It was reassuring to see so many young (in their 20s) aspiring farmers attending the conference.  I ran into Liz Milazzo, a friend, who runs the famous UCSC farm where so many of these young folks were educated.  I’ve already received an e-mail from a farmer interested in picking up the organic food waste from Charlie Hong Kong that currently is going into the landfill.

It was inspiring to be in the company of this group of innovative, knowledgeable, dedicated men and women.  The blue waters, warm days and long beach walk were an added plus to the experience.