Homegrown is a Good Thing!

“I guess we’re legal now!,” said Willie Nelson, referring to the 21st annual Farm Aid concert and shown here playing “Homegrown” with Neil Young.

Since its founding in 1985 by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, Farm Aid has raised more than $27 million to support family farms, sustainable agriculture and healthy food systems.

This year’s concert in Camden, NJ was as educational as it was sensational -- spotlighting the important work of organizations like the National Family Farm Coalition and featuring performances by Willie, Neil, John, Farm Aid board member Dave Matthews and favorite acts ranging from Government Mule to Jerry Lee Lewis.

As but one proof point of the concert’s success? Catering giant Aramark served food from family farms throughout the Tweeter Center.

And if we are lucky? Next year, Farm Aid will come to New York City, where we will welcome it with open farms…and so much more!

Inch by Inch, Row by Row

I was happy beyond words to be part of the New York City delegation that attended the 21st annual Farm Aid concert in Camden, NJ.

Festivities kicked off with a press conference that spotlighted the important work of local and global organizations like the Camden Community Farmer’s Market and World Hunger Year, and during which 2000 pounds of produce, gleaned from family farms that morning by local schoolchildren, was gifted to Philabundance for distribution to area shelters and food pantries.

Later, we danced to the music of Adrienne Young and bought copies of her albums "The Art of Virtue" and "Plow to the End of the Row" And as farmers Jim Robinson and Annie Farrell talked about the land that they love and described how they calculated which crops produced the best ROI, “inch by inch” took on whole new meaning for me.

Shiver me timbers and refresh my memory! This is why I love farmers and farming and math, and why I started FarmHands-CityHands 20 years ago....

Now, on with the SHOW!

Days of Awe

THIS is my favorite time of year: According to Jewish custom, the Days of Awe, the period and between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is dedicated to reflection, repentance, renewal.

It is a time both celebratory (the apples and honey that symbolize sweetness and growth, with which we welcome in the New Year) and solemn (the Yom Kippur fast, the piercing sound of the shofar).

For me, the shofar is a homing signal -- calling me back to self and center in ways that are simple, primal, profound.

I am muchly moved by the Arstcroll Rosh Hashanah Machzor’s description:

“It is a primitive instrument, barely capable of modulating its tones or shifting notes. Can anyone play a symphony or even a song on a shofar? No....But it has a symbolism that we can comprehend.

It is like a bugle blowing reveille for a slumbering soul, saying, ‘Wake up, you sleepers, from your sleep, and you slumberers, rouse yourself from your slumber and return to God.’”

It is “the cry from the Jewish heart that says, ‘I belong here,’ and the echoing cry from God’s heart that says, ‘Yes, the door is open.’

It is the instrument that says that when no words are possible, no words are needed.”

Wherever you are, whatever you believe, I hope that the Days of Awe -- which also coincide with the New Moon and the Autumnal Equinox -- usher in an era of health, happiness, peace and prosperity for all.

Here’s wishing you goodness and gladness beyond words and measure. May these be the times that you treasure!

Warmly and looking forward,
Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau

Autumn Arrives!

"If your mind isn't clouded
by unnecessary things, THIS is the best season of your life."

-- Wu-men, 1183 - 1260

Reaching Global

Having visited Israel several times and having worked in what ways I can to support her goals and to enhance her cultural and economic health, it pains me greatly to witness conflicts in the Middle East and to hear criticism of how this small country handles near-constant life-threatening attacks.

To paraphrase Immanuel Kant, “the hardest but most important thing is to hold two seemingly competing truths in mind simultaneously.”

To me, this seems to not only be the molecular structure that **TRUTH** most often comes in, but to be particularly apt to Israel and the Middle East almost always.

But back to basics: What can I do to make a difference?

I am MOVED by my cousins who are in Israel now, some of whom have returned to help in her hardest hours -- by Sharon, whose recent wedding was not postponed because of bombs; by Shaiel, who shares my multi-sensory love of the land; by his dad, Razi, who recently left the comfort of suburban Maryland to volunteer in the army yet again.

As for me? As is not surprising, many of my solutions over the years have including eating, drinking and shopping to make a difference -- from the Yarden, Golan Heights and Tishbi wines that I enjoy when I can to the Ahava (Hebrew for “love”) moisturizer that my skin has come to crave and the Israeli vine-ripened tomatoes that I happily buy whenever local varieties are out of season.

As with all else in my life, these and all forms of support (learning, giving, investing, going) never seem more important than NOW.

And I’m always glad to add to my arsenal....Which is why I was so happy to meet Marty Siegmeister of Allied Importers at the Paramount Brands tasting and to come upon the wines of Kinneret, whose vineyards are adjacent to Jerusalem.

Marty Siegmeister, pictured here with Mickey Green of Columbus Circle Wine and Liquor, and I discuss both the straightforwardness of Kinneret’s 2005 Muscat Hamburg -- naturally sweet with notes of roses and red berries -- and the complexities of Middle East politics.

Back home with a bottle of my own, I don’t just DRINK to the land(s) that I love: I think about the magnificence of time and place that one wine can contain. I educate myself a bit more about where this wine comes from and about what is going on there now. I get set for the Days of Awe,the Rabbi’s Rosh Hashanah sermon, and the shofar blasts that soon will follow. And as befits this period of reflection, repentence, renewal, I look back at what I’ve done, consider what more/different I can do, and resolve to do better.

And I toast: L’Chaim…to LIFE! To your/our happiness and health! And however we can attain and retain it, to PEACE, inside and out.

Warmly and looking forward,

Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau

Drinking Local

Like many things in my life, for me “Drinking Local” has many levels of meaning…and delight!

It means continuing to do much of my wining and dining downtown in the aftermath of 09.11 -- supporting the restaurants and restaurateurs who still suffer devastating losses, but who gain from the kind of community we have created.

It means following the wine trails of Long Island and The Hudson Valley -- getting to know growers and makers while savoring and supporting the best of local bounty.

It means stopping by Vintage New York whenever possible to enjoy the full array of New York State wines and foods.

And it means how WELL I know and love my local merchants.

How well do they know me?

Murray and Bob of Columbus Avenue Wine and Spirits have introduced me to new finds like Chilean Carmeneres and small-batch Bourbons, and have patiently helped me refine The Wine Workout from a cool concept to a life-enhancing practice. David Frieser of Beekman Liquors has done the same.

But 86th Corner Wine and Liquor? I would think they’d know me only as the wide-eyed, harried one who comes in just before closing time because friends are unexpectedly stopping by -- scooping up as much as I can safely carry of the best bargain I can find -- magnums of Citra Trebbiano D’Abruzzo for $6.99.

But that has changed over time. Like my neighborhood shoemaker and dry cleaner, Shon of 86th Corner shows me pictures of his kids. I know what he’s doing for the weekend, and am glad (for him at least) that the store is closed on Sunday.

But I’m sure, based on my purchasing patterns, that he’d never suspect that my daytime drinking has purpose.

All that changed last week, when on errands between bank and shoe repair, I calculated how much Citra I could carry home. There, at 86th Corner, to my surprise, were the folks from Prospero Winemaking Equipment, introducing their new line of wines.

So many multi-sensory memories came flooding back: How often I stopped by Pleasantville-based Prospero when starting Wine Enthusiast magazine to smell and taste the grapes they were flying in from California and, depending on the season, other ports of call. And Kevin Zraly, who hails from Pleasantville, who was the first wine star profiled in Wine Enthusiast, and with whom I’ve co-authored a chapter on smell for the 2007 Complete Wine Course, bought grapes from Prospero for his own home winemaking.

I catch up on news of the company with Tony Pullano, who married into the family and is helping head up Prospero’s new Supreme Wines division.

We do that tribal dance thing as we taste through a crisp, bright Prospero Pinot Grigio from Sonoma, a rich Cinelli Columbini Rosso di Montalcino and other gems.

My 86th Corner excurision on that day gets added to the ever-growing list of "ecstatic shopping experiences" (stay tuned for inspiring examples). And as would happen naturally in the ‘hood, but now accelerated with fresh starter fuel, Shon (seen above in Wine Workout pose) and I come to know a bit more about each other.

All is well with the world....

And inquiring minds want to know: What does "Drinking Local" mean to you? And is it something we can do together?

Warmly and looking forward,

Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau

Daytime Drinking:Swirl, Sniff, Taste, SPIT!

It’s my favorite time of year! Scents of pine and Fall flowers fill the air. Kids are back to school. And the Big Boys are doing their tastings for the trade.

WooHoo! Daytime Drinking takes on added urgency and legitimacy as I put on my tasting shoes and wend my way from Martin Scott Wines and Wines of Germany to Winebow, House of Burgundy, Charmer, Wines of Spain.

And while years away from the industry have done nothing to dull my senses, somehow my spitting techniques -- first learned in the sawdust-strewn cellars of Burgundy (remind me to show you THOSE shoes) -- have all but disappeared.

This is quite the cause for conversation at the Demdechant Werner’sches Weingut table, where the spit bucket is nearly full by the time I approach. This means that to spit with anything less than laser-like accuracy risks splashback.

Fortunately, the wine is white, people are polite, and the stakes are not nearly as high as they will be when I head for red. I gratefully swallow the honeyed 2005 Hochheimer Holle Riesling Spatlese, while importer Eric Litchfield declares Georges DuBoeuf to be the best spitter he’s ever met.

I can wholeheartedly second the motion. Georges and I would start tasting at 7:30 a.m. in the charming villages of Beaujolais in my Friends of Wine days. It was incumbent upon us to spit efficiently if we were going to make it to breakfast okay.

Frank Johnson casts his vote for Alexis Bespaloff, who he claims had such power and aim that he could spit the buttons off a sports jacket (or something like that). Howard Goldberg takes the praise one step further: "He could kill an ant at 40 paces."

I’m just hoping not to stain the front of my shirt and skirt…or worse yet, to spurt on others -- most of whom are now standing back from the spit buckets when I come close.

“Nice style,” I say to Minet Aberk, pictured above. “Good eye,” she compliments me back. (Because clearly, there’s not much positive she can say about my spitting.)

With high season upon us, I vow to do a bit of target practice. Perhaps with water or watermelon seeds and a sippy cup? Perhaps extending The Wine Workout repertoire by adding "Spitting Lessons" and "Spitting Contests?" Maybe even pitching a special chapter on "Spitting" for the 2007 version of Kevin Zraly's Complete Wine Course, in which Kevin and I co-authored a special chapter on smell? I will keep you posted.

Meantime, please take our Senses Survey: As a spitter, how would you rate yourself:

A) Drinker
B) Drooler
C) Dribbler
D) Pro

Inquiring minds want to know!

Warmly and looking forward,

Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau

A Home in My Heart

We thank goodness for Irene Hardwicke Olivieri and her awesome exhibit at ACA Galleries.

THIS is ART!

Celebrating Greenmarket

Happy 30th Anniversary to Greenmarket!

THANK YOU to Bob Lewis and Barry Benepe for founding it and for adding so richly to the fabric of our city; the preservation of surrounding farmland; the diversity, healthfulness and deliciousness of our food.

To me, it is the best~est part of New York...and the inspiration for FarmHands-CityHands and my favorite creations!

For every good, green and growing reason, I’d love to learn how Manhattan's vast farmers' market system has enriched your life!

With admiration and appreciation,

Wendy Dubit and The Senses Bureau

Dining to Make a Difference

Dining to Make a Difference grew out of a lifelong commitment to food that feeds more than just hunger, but that also invites and sings to the senses, is enjoyed in good company and health, and that nurtures the people who grow and prepare it as well as the earth itself.

In the aftermath of 9.11.01, this personal commitment took on new meaning. Starting in October 2001 and continuing still, beginning at Ground Zero and fanning out from there, Dining to Make a Difference has hosted happy hours, dinners and events at many of downtown's hardest hit restaurants. In the process, an ever-growing group of NYC residents and visitors has done much to strengthen community, rebuild downtown's economy and restaurant industry and raise awareness and funds for selected charities.

Five years later, the needs and opportunities remain as great as ever. Profound impacts stem from such everyday acts as where, when and how we eat.

Now, more than ever, we encourage you to visit the NYC downtown venues that so need, deserve and appreciate your support.

And we invite you to support such programs as:

Dining for Darfur
A Growing Concern
Greenmarket's 30th Anniversary
Share our Strength's "Restaurants for Relief" Katrina Campaign

Warmly and with thanks,

Wendy and The Senses Bureau