UPDATE FEBRUARY 9, 2012:Â Cafe Gratitude has announced that some of their Northern California locations will remain open permanently. Follow the closure updates on their website.
Serving food should be a sacred act, one that is lovingly fulfilled and honors the planet’s resources. Cafe Gratitude opened its doors with this vision in mind: supporting local farmers, sustainable agriculture, and environmentally friendly products. However, on November 17th, the cafe released a statement announcing the closing/sale of all of their Northern California locations due to some difficult circumstances.
Despite the unfortunate news, you can still keep the Cafe Gratitude vision alive in several simple ways. As Terces and Matthew Engelhart wrote in their statement, “…realize that it isn’t how we serve that is most important but rather that we serve.”
- Buy locally: Visit the farmers market in your town for your produce. While paying for organic products might be more expensive, choosing organic is extremely important for both your well-being and the health of the planet as well. You can either pay more now for high-quality food or later for health care costs.
- Check out I Am Grateful: Prepare your favorite healthy dishes from Cafe Gratitude in the comfort of your own home with the I Am Grateful cookbook after the restaurant closes its Northern California locations.
- Prepare lovingly: Think of each meal you serve from the recipes of Cafe Gratitude as an act of love. Treat each meal—shared or not—as an opportunity to remind yourself what you are grateful for.
Interested in sampling a Cafe Gratitude recipe? Check out these I Am Flourishing falafels for a healthy twist on this traditionally deep-fried dish.
What is your favorite recipe or memory of dining in Cafe Gratitude?
Recommended Reading
In I Am Grateful, Cafe Gratitude co-founder Terces Engelhart presents her and her husband Matthew’s view of life and business philosophy. She also presents her story of personal healing, sharing highlights of her recovery from food addiction while explaining the benefits of a raw lifestyle.
The book’s gorgeous, full-color photographs accompany easy-to-follow recipes for the cafe’s most popular items, making it easy for readers to prepare live foods at home. Recipes include cafe favorites such as the “I Am Luscious” raw chocolate smoothie, “I Am Bountiful” bruschetta, “I Am Elated” spicy rolled enchiladas, and “I Am Amazing” lemon meringue pie with macadamia nut crust.
