Santa Barbara, Calif. – The term “natural foods” always conjures up two quick thoughts for me, neither of them good. If a food must be labeled “natural,” what does that tell us about the rest of our food? People always wonder what exactly “natural food” is. Isn’t a better question What is unnatural food?
That even sounds evil. If you look at the ingredients of any food, particularly in the United States, you’ll get the answer. Invert sugar syrup. Sodium acid pyrophosphate. Sorbitol. Sodium propionate. Lactic acid. Guar gum.
No, those aren’t the materials needed to fly a spaceship. They’re ingredients in something called a Breakfast Loaf I just pulled out of my cupboard.
The other image that comes to mind when I hear “natural foods” is nausea. Tofu. Sprouts. Raisins. Spinach. Beets. Plain yogurt. Why does natural food always have to taste like something you scraped off the back of your refrigerator after a two-week heat wave and electrical blackout or pulled out of the grass?
And don’t argue with me. Have you actually tasted a raisin? Come on. Every time I pick one up I think it’s going to move in my hand.
However, in the all-natural city of Santa Barbara, the all- natural people have made all-natural food palatable. They should. It practically originated here. The first health- food store arrived here in the 1960s. About that time, Sunburst Farms became Santa Barbara’s first organic food co-op.
In 40 years, Santa Barbara has got it right. The city is surrounded by organic farms and rife with natural food restaurants and natural food grocery stores. Yes, you can eat healthy here and savor every bite without looking for a stray dog to feed under your table.
Come to Santa Barbara and you’ll see why it’s the perfect petri dish for natural food experiments. Everything is natural. Leave Los Angeles and hug the Pacific Ocean on Highway 101 for 90 minutes. You’ll come across this beautiful town of 92,000 with white stucco architecture and a majestic harbor lined with bars and restaurants. Stand in the white sand and look over the town at the Santa Ynez Mountains.
The people are all trim and carrying either a tennis racket, a gym bag or a surfboard. Or an all-natural fruit shake.
I came up for lunch earlier this month at Santa Barbara’s natural-food institution. Sojourner has occupied a spot on quiet East Canon Perdido Street since 1978. I was told the natural food here tasted great. To test it, I eyed the one item that looked the most disgusting.
The tofu Buddha salad.
Tofu ranks right below raisins on my repulsion meter. Yes, I know it feeds a billion Chinese, but that doesn’t mean it tastes good. It’s bean curd. They call it “boneless meat.” That’s not a compliment.
My first contact with tofu came by accident in 1979. I was taking an overnight bus ride from Bangkok, Thailand, toward the isle of Phuket and we stopped at this tiny village with one restaurant open at 3 a.m. It had one dish: tofu soup. It was big chunks of tofu floating in a questionable fluid that looked curiously similar to the river we just passed.
But the tofu Buddha salad was good enough to pray over. It was a huge pile of radishes, carrots, lettuce, rice, sprouts, tofu and cucumbers all mixed with a lightly spiced ginger-sesame dressing. The tofu was cut in tiny strips and had the same texture and palatability as good cheese.
I chased it with something called a vegan dream shake. The word “vegan” has also scared me. I always thought vegan cookies were poker chips. How did I know the non-dairy product produced such a wonderful, cold, creamy shake? It’s made with Rice Dream, banana and nutmeg and tasted better – and lighter – than anything you’ll find at Dairy Queen.
“Natural food basically means no hormones, no antibiotics, chemicals, preservatives,” said Edie Robertson, Sojourner’s chef/owner. “There’s organic and then there’s natural. Organically nowadays you have to be certified organic and that goes as far as banned substances.”
I did, however, go too far. I tried Sojourner’s house blend juice, a mixture of carrots, celery, beets and lemon. The warm, reddish concoction tasted as if the clumsy waitress cut her wrist over my glass.
Undeterred, I drove to Lazy Acres, one of the city’s many natural-food groceries. Denver has Whole Foods and Wild Oats but Lazy Acres is out there. I found edible flowers, baby purple cauliflower and fresh shark.
A New Zealander sales rep handed out samples of natural licorice made by RJ’s, a New Zealand outfit. I picked up a bag of the raspberry and the soft candy really tasted like fresh raspberries. I noticed on the bag it’s 98 percent fat free.
I took it onto a grassy knoll at picturesque Santa Barbara City College. I watched the sailboats bobbing in the water, the palm trees swaying on the sand below. Then I realized one thing.
A billion Chinese can’t be wrong.
Staff writer John Henderson covers sports and writes about the food he eats on the road. He can be reached at 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
Tofu Buddha Salad
This salad from Sojourner Cafe chef Edie Robertson converted the most skeptical tofu-hater.
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium sized bowl, toss all ingredients. Serve over greens and rice topped with alfalfa sprouts.
Tofu “Egg” Salad
Sojourner Cafe chef Edie Robertson says this alternative egg salad go vegan if you use “veganaise,” a mayo substitute. Veganaise is available at most health food stores.
Ingredients
Directions
In food processor, crumble tofu and pulse until slightly blended, do not purée. If you do not have a processor, use a fork and mash well. Transfer to a bowl and add all ingredients, mix well and taste. Adjust seasons to your liking and serve on your favorite bread or on lettuce or with crackers.
