Isn't that a contradiction?

...was my brother's response when I told him I went to a raw potluck last night. Well, there was luck (pot?) and delicious food.

(Alright technology, you win. I'll bring my camera more places, and not be too good to stand behind it. )

Vermont feels like a tropical place in the summer time. Humid and lush - it's like during the 6 months of winter the trees are holding in their energy for so long that when the June rains let loose, so does this dark green intensity that has been bursting at the bark for so long.

Rawsome.

What a surfer-dude word. But whatever, I felt it in more ways than one yesterday when I was invited to a raw potluck. The few hard cores thought it was a thrill to 'pop some Durian cherries,' aka share this weird Durian fruit with a few of us who have never tasted it.

Durian (human?) comes from Southeast Asia, and is a super spiny coconut-sized fruit. It gets soft enough where you can simply cut or rip it open though, and then yellow, gooey pods are produced. There are beautiful wooden seeds inside. The flesh is a bit like scrambled eggs, and tastes, well, meaty. And garlicky.

Mmm, not so much.

The aroma goes down your throat and up into your nose. I took two bites and felt a rush of energy to my head, and at first I was worried that maybe I was allergic. But all it felt like was an adrenaline rush. It is supposed to be one of the most energy-filled foods in the world, as well as a hardcore aphrodisiac. I actually did feel the rush (not down there, psssha.)

Rawsome.

Things on the menu -

Claire's amazing chocolate dessert. Must. Get. Recipe.

Taboule without the Barley + mint.

Dehydrated seed crackers with pesto.

Home-made sauer kraut.

Kale salad, with kale-leaf wrappers and delish nut cheese that tasted like cottage cheese.

Pickled beets.....and more.

More than the food, though, it's the people that are inspiring. They're trying something. Trying hard, changing their lives to do better. Better for themselves and the world. Putting energy towards good. It's so wonderful to be around that energy, and to feel like you're contributing to it!

When I'm around a group like this, I feel like these are the modern 'hippies.' In the best sense of that word. Here are the people trying to be socially and environmentally conscious, and making movements through their choices. Raw strikes me as the cutting edge of modernity, yet still upholding the right side of idealism. Phew. Big mouthfuls and explanations.

----------------

Anyway, here is what I brought to share:

Summer Green Bean Salad

1 Pound green beans
1/4 red onion
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
1 c chopped raw almonds
Tblspoon of Raw honey
Juice of one grapefruit
Fresh oregano (parsley or mint would be great)
Olive oil
a bit of salt (probably not needed)

Chop it up, put it all together ;) Easy.

-------------

It was a group of young an old, all inspired, welcoming and thankful.