Discover Gooseberries

Have you tried a Cape Gooseberry? A little orange fruit the size of a cherry tomato with a sweet, grape-like tang, it’s in season from early summer until early August. The fruit is so beautiful that a couple of centuries ago in Peru, it was perfumed and worn decoratively. Nowadays it’s eaten raw or dried, made into jams, sauces, and chutneys, and cooked in desserts.

After flowering, the calyx of the plant forms a husk that acts as a natural wrapping for the berry. It's toxic and shouldn’t be eaten, but the husk allows gooseberries to stay fresh at room temperature for three months or more.

Though native to South America, It earned its name when it was cultivated by settlers on Africa’s Cape of Good Hope in the early 1800’s. In the U.S., you're most likely to find it in Pennsylvania Dutch country or parts of the Midwest.

The Next Big Thing

Nowadays, many people go “out to the movies” in their own media rooms. The new must-have accessory? Entertainment systems from companies like Kaleidescape (kaleidescape.com), Fusion (fusionrd.com), and Axonix (axonix.com). These free you from the bother of cataloging and storing cases by allowing you to upload your entire DVD and CD collections onto a single server. The system may even dim the lights, draw the curtains, and display a customized on-screen introduction.

It’s incredible fun to play with these easy-to-operate machines. And they stream independently, so anyone can make his or her own selection, from in the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or elsewhere.

These systems are expensive now, but my bet is that they are the flat screens and cell phones of tomorrow. Eventually, we’ll all have one.

Do As They Do

Al Gore’s efforts on behalf of global warming and Oprah’s show “The Big Give” have inspired me lately, not only because of their particular achievements but also because they’re educating people about doing good and hoping those people will influence others to do the same.

Some scientific studies suggest that positive emotions are less likely to be genetic than negative ones. So the question is, can compassion be taught? It seems so. Researchers have found that the environment can affect the parts of the brain involved in positive emotions. And a landmark study found that kids with compassionate parents tend to be more altruistic, suggesting that you can teach by example, findings that have been confirmed elsewhere.

That’s good news for the future. The Giving USA Foundation at Indiana’s Center on Philanthropy reported that the contributions of individual Americans are huge, far exceeding contributions by the government as a whole. A couple of years ago, in just three and a half months, individual contributions for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita came to $3.12 billion, “a record for a single disaster and recovery effort.”

Americans are all about caring and giving back. And by example, they are teaching the next generation to do the same.

Berry Good News

What’s purplish-black and green all over?

It’s the açaí (say “ah-SIGH-ee”) berry, a true superfood. Açaí has way more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates, it’s rich in omega fatty acids, fiber and vitamins, and it’s delicious: imagine a chocolate-flavored plum or wine with a chocolate infusion.

The berry is “green” only in the ecological sense, since it may help save some of the Amazon rain forest, where it grows in bunches on palm trees. Harvesting açaí has become an economic alternative to forest-destroying industries like logging and cattle, and it provides jobs for the impoverished local residents.

An American surfer who tasted açaí in Brazil introduced it to the US in 2000. The berries aren’t eaten as snacks, but their pulp is used in drinks and other dishes. Want a taste? Andrew Pudalov serves açaí smoothies and “bowls” —dishes that combine it with natural ingredients like yogurt and honey— in Rush, his two Boulder, Colorado shops. He’ll overnight ship frozen bowls or packs of açaí for blending your own smoothies. (Go to http://www.natural-rush.com/, or call 303-532-7315.)

Photographed above is one of Rush's delicious açaí bowls.

For Earth's Sake!

Those of us who have all that we need should resolve this Earth Week to do more to cut waste and keep the planet clean for ourselves and future generations. I’m always on the lookout for uncomplicated, meaningful ways to do so—like these.

• Recycle your old electronic equipment. Every year, New Yorkers dispose of 34,000 tons of electronic waste such as TVs, computers, printers, etc. It’s legal to put it in the garbage, but recycling it keeps hazardous materials from the waste stream and the environment. Check with www.nyc.gov/wasteless/electronics to find out about the next recycling event, and plan to bring your stuff.

• Deliver your dead cell phone to any cell phone provider (in New York, they must accept and recycle them) and drop off your batteries at Radio Shack (which will recycle them).

• Put your junk mail in with the recycled papers. Better yet, stop it from coming. The average person gets 41 pounds of junk mail a year, but www.greendimes.com and www.41pounds.org can help you stop it coming.

• Don’t drain energy with appliances on standby. We spend $1 billion a year to power TVs and DVD/VCRs that are turned off but still plugged in—and that doesn’t count toasters, coffeemakers, hair dryers, PCs, printers, cable boxes, and cell phone chargers. Plug adjacent equipment into a surge protector, and flip it off at night or when you leave the house.

You're Invited...

As Spring rolls around we are very busy planning lots of events. Click on the link below to see the story Fashion Week Daily did about our record-breaking invitation delivery!

http://blogs.fashionweekdaily.com/?p=3365

Puppy Love

As a dedicated dog lover—I bring my King Charles spaniel to the office, I am especially outraged by irresponsible breeders who run puppy mills. Lisa Ling had an eye-opening expose on a recent Oprah that you can view on oprah.com. If you want a pet, you should consider a rescue dog. The American Kennel Club website (http://www.akc.org/) has lots of information.

Another dogs-in-the-news story affected me deeply—but this time in a good way. It was about Puppies Behind Bars – an organization that uses inmates at New York prisons to raise puppies that will be trained as service companions for the disabled. The inmates keep the dogs in their cells, and what they learn about trust, teamwork, responsibility—and unconditional love—changes their lives.

The puppies go on weekend furloughs with volunteers to learn about things they can’t experience in prison (like doorbells) and some regularly visit the elderly housebound to become familiar with equipment they might need as service canines. If they qualify, the dogs go for advanced training; otherwise, they’re placed with blind children. To be amazed by this great program, go to http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/.

Can you tell I love animals? Here’s my own best friend and office pal, Sammy.