Inside SoCal: 4/17 wrap-up
Reducing our carbon footprint for Earth Month.
Sustainable Cooking & Cuisine at Sugar Palm
Chef Jason Francisco doesn't just want to use every part of every plant, he wants to go a step further and reuse when possible. It's this forward-thinking that brought us to highlight his sustainable coastal cuisine at the newly opened Sugar Palm at the Viceroy Santa Monica.
His carefully curated menu employs sustainable practices like using all parts of the salmon from belly to bones, and roasting the skin to turn into a finishing dust (think bacon bits). And the plates aren't the only place you'll find his eco-friendly practices at work. This ethos also extends to the bar program, creating craft cocktails from compost in the kitchen. His cocktail base is a recipe that includes blending the entire parts of a lemon, ginger root, and jalapeno (leaves, seeds, skin and all) which are then strained to create the base. The solids (the compost) are not discarded as one might think. Instead, Chef then adds water to the compost and steeps overnight to use over again the next day – to use and reuse.
To learn more about the restaurant and to reserve a table, click HERE.
Sugar Palm
Viceroy Santa Monica
1819 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-260-7511
LA Compost
LA Compost offers decentralized community compost hubs that are cared for, maintained, and enjoyed by community members in locations like churches, schools, gardens, workplaces and farmer's markets. Each hub reflects the community in which it's located, but they all serve the same purpose. They compost organics locally while creating shared spaces for people to connect with each other and the natural world.
What is compost? It's organic matter – food scraps and brown material like leaves, sticks, newspaper or cardboard – that decompose resulting in a mixture rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms.
Why compost? By diverting food scraps from landfills, you are reducing the methane produced in landfills - one of the worst greenhouse gases affecting our environment. Additionally, you are creating a nutrient rich mixture that can be used to help grow plants, trees, vegetables, and fruits.
How can you get involved? Click HERE to see how you can support and/or try composting yourself.