Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
Austin has one of the most dynamic and active macrobiotic
communities in the United States.It's
Casa de Luz community center and restaurant, and Natural Epicurean
Culinary School caters exclusively to the macrobiotic lifestyle.These institutions are virtually unequalled in the macrobiotic
world in the 43 urban centers we have studied.There are visiting teachers, books, health food stores and all the
services and community functions a city can hope to acquire.
Macrobiotics in Austin was started by Carol Goodman and Ken
Morehead
in the late 1980's at and old church building.The building eventually burned down.Mary Ann
Justman started cooking classes for 40-50 people in her house until her neighbors
complained.
Then she andEduardo Longoria
founded Casa de Luz about nine years ago in a former oldmeat packing plant.Elizabeth Foster founded the Natural Epicurean cooking school
in 1994.The front of the property was remodeled as a Montessori School, while the
Casa de Luz and Natural Epicurean Cooking school flourished in the back of
the building.Eduardo is responsible for the philosophy and direction of
Casa de Luz.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:The Casa de Luz is a
macrobiotic restaurant serving between 100-110 meals per day for
lunch and supper.
Education
Centers:Natural Epicurean
Culinary School has a two year Natural Food and Macrobiotic Training
Program for macrobiotic chefs.The
full time students study 1 day a week for 2-3 hours.They learn basic recipes, macrobiotic theory, how to make
their own miso, tofu, tempeh.After
the completion of studies, each student must do 160 hours of internship
and assist 25 classes before earning a Certificate as Macrobiotic Food
Specialists.See the attached
Web page of the Casa de Luz and Natural Epicurean School.The school just started a cooking class where everyone participating brings their own pots and utensils and
all cook the same thing.Each
participant talks about their individual concerns at the end of these
lessons when they sit down and eat the dinner they made.Also, there are other cooking classes 3 times a week, and the
center hosts Tai chi and Yoga classes.
Seminars:Every 3 months, a visiting
senior macrobiotic teacher is invited to Austin to lecture and counsel.Recent teachers have included Lino and Jane Stanchich, Ed Esko,
Verne Varona, and David Briscoe.
Newsletter:There is a monthly
newsletter produced by the Natural Epicurean School.It is exceptionally thorough and provides macrobiotic and
school news events.
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community: Macrobiotic activity in
Dallas depended for a long time on the energy of Margaret Lawson.
She opened
the Macrobiotic Center of Dallas in 1983 with counseling, cooking, shiatsu
and other services. Between 1987 and 1994, Dallas had a
very strong community. About 500 people would come to hear Michio Kushi
lecture when he visited Dallas.The Macro Gourmet, an excellent macrobiotic restaurant,
began in 1987 and closed in 1995. It was the focal
point for macrobiotic people to congregate.In 1994, Margaret opened a home-based cooking school which continued
for two years.Except for Margaret's singular efforts, there is no organized
community. Nevertheless,
Margaret claims that many people call her looking for community, and she
hopes and believes that the center she is building, to be completed by the
end of 2002, may revive macrobiotic activity in the area.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:There are potluck dinners
only twice a year; at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Margaret is planning to
organize them shortly.There
are potluck dinners scheduled in Broward County (Fort Lauderdale Area)
about every 3 months when Lino Stanchich comes to lecture and counsel.
Education
Centers:None
Seminars:None now. In 1990, 30 people
attended extension courses of the KI given in Dallas.
Newsletter:None
Support
Groups:None
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:None now.Previously, Verne Varona, Lino Stanchich, Ed Esko and David Briscoe
visited periodically.
Resident
Counselors:Margaret Lawson, Ami
Amagna
Resident
Cooking Teachers:Margaret Lawson.
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:None
Work
Study Programs:None
Other
Counselor Interests:
Margaret is building a
center for a macrobiotic bed and breakfast, scheduled to open by late
2002.
Promotional
Activities:None.
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:At local health food
stores
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:Macro Broccoli has a
macrobiotic dish; 1 other restaurant with vegan options.Macro Gourmet, an excellent macrobiotic restaurant, recently closed
after many years of service.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:Wild
Oats, Whole Foods
Independent
Natural Food Stores:None.
Natural
Food Co-Ops:None
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:None.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Moderate Services:2
counselors & 1 cooking teacher.Dormant
Activity: Macro center opened in 1983; strong community until Natural
Gourmet restaurant closed recently; no current activities
Area Description:Dallas is the second largest
city in Texas and is located in the heart of one of the fastest growing
metropolitan areas of the United States.It ranks as one of the nation's major financial, insurance,
manufacturing and transportation centers.It is located on the rolling prairies of north-central Texas, about
30 miles east of Fort Worth.The
metropolitan area's population is 2,676,300.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities:Arlington, Carrollton, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Richardson
This
work was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U48/CCU409664-09
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are
solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent
the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Macrobiotics
Research Project:
A
2-year grant sponsored by Centers of Disease Control; October 2000 to September
2002
University
of South Carolina, Prevention Research Center-Special Interest Project, School
of Public Health