Organic tomatoes are best eaten in their pure form. RELATED LINKS Green Living

Amateur and professional chefs alike know that great tasting fruits and vegetables can be the key to delicious meals, and more and more often they are turning to organically grown produce. Cooking with food that has been grown without artificial chemicals or additives can yield dishes that have a more satisfying, earthy flavor, and can be an important part of maintaining a healthy diet and pursuing an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Chef Ben Ford, the son of actor Harrison Ford, has always had a passion for cooking and a personal commitment to organics and artistry in the kitchen. His epicurean studies began at the University of Dijon in France and the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and continued as he worked with many of California’s greatest and most famous chefs. In 1997, Ford was named executive chef at The Farm of Beverly Hills, where he garnered widespread critical acclaim. In 2000, Ford and his wife Elizabeth opened their popular new restaurant Chadwick, a refined and environmentally conscious establishment that offers rich and flavorful earthy cuisine to Los Angeles diners. Here he offers some ideas for cooking with organics:

• Flavor. Ford has had a lot of experience cooking with organic produce, and he’s come to believe that they offer a far better, and more authentic, flavor than their commercially grown counterparts. Whatever your cooking style or food preferences, organics can help make your favorite meals healthier and tastier.

• Simple ideas. Because of the added taste, organic foods don’t require as much seasoning as non-organics. If you really want to experience a tomato at its finest, says Ford, start with an organic tomato, add a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and enjoy. It’s simple, pure and delicious.

• A washing tip. Because it often comes straight from the farm, organic produce does need to be treated a little differently. When washing lettuce, for example, try using water that isn’t too cold, as the shock of cold water can sometimes make little bugs grip on tighter rather than falling off and heading down the drain.

• A better cook. Ford encourages everyone who enjoys cooking to let organics into their lives and emphasizes that the pure natural flavors can make anyone seem like a better cook. So the next time you plan a meal, consider going organic!

Organic Kitchen
www.organickitchen.com

Organic Consumers Association
organicconsumers.org/index.htm

All Organic Links
organicconsumers.org/index.htm

Organic Style Magazine
www.organicstyle.com

Organic Alliance
www.organic.org