November 21, 2024 – Health and sustainability—and deliciousness—were on the menu at a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health event featuring a demonstration of how to prepare a healthy appetizer and a festive mocktail.
On hand at the Nov. 18 event in Kresge cafeteria were chef Mario Marini of ALMA, the School of Italian Culinary Arts, and mixologist Willa Van Nostrand of Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails. Marini showed how to prepare a barley orzotto with crispy chickpeas and toasted almonds served inside a delica pumpkin. Van Nostrand mixed a cocktail called Orchard Elixir, made with apple cider, lemon juice, maple syrup, sparkling water, and fresh herbs. She also demonstrated how to garnish a glass with herbs and spiced sugar, and participants had a chance to garnish their own glasses.
A reception followed the demonstration.
Van Nostrand—who has a background in theater—even entertained the crowd with a song.
Susan Legere, senior program manager at the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention, one of the event sponsors, welcomed audience members. Other speakers included Edward Giovannucci, professor of nutrition and epidemiology, who discussed nutrition guidelines to prevent cancer; and Graceanne LaCombe of ALMA, who explained how to score a recipe’s sustainability using Nutritics’ Foodprint app.
The appetizer and mocktail were examples of recipes that are both healthy and sustainable, aimed at reducing people’s cancer risk as well as their environmental footprint. The recipes were prepared according to guidelines for cancer prevention compiled by the Zhu Center and from the Healthy and Sustainable Guidelines developed by ALMA for the Union of European Football Association.
Other cosponsors of the event included the Department of Nutrition, the Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health, the Harvard Office for Sustainability, and the Ecoopportunity Green Team, in collaboration with ALMA.
Photos: Kent Dayton
