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he restaurants' use of microwave ovens to reheat food has drawn criticism from some members of the community. References to microwave ovens as "nukes" indicate that some of the public associate them with nuclear reactors. Much of the criticism seems to be baseless or deep suspicion arising from the apparent mystique of microwave action.T
he specific nutritional components resulting from microwave cooking will vary from those cooking procedures in which gas flame is used; and those cooked on gas will vary from those cooked on electrical coils or on wood fire. Each type of heating will produce its own specific 'finger print' of cooked components because the nature and intensity of the heat is different. All types of cooking can be termed as a process of de-naturation. De-naturation is irreversible for most biological material at just 56 degrees Centigrade. Many of the components within vegetable sources are indigestible by human metabolism unless they are broken down into what could be termed 'un-natural' fragments, by heat or through fermentation by other organisms - such as tempeh, sauerkraut, olives etc. There is no dispute that some of these fragments may be unusual enough that the prevailing human metabolism must learn to process and use them. This would have happened when humans first began to eat food cooked on electric stoves or for that matter when they started to cook food for the first time ever. Indeed, any time we eat something totally new - such as a newly imported fruit - there may be components there that our bodies will have to adjust to. Often we experience something new much more appreciatively the second or third time we eat it because of this. Something which we 'acquire a taste' for is another example.T
he question then is whether any of these intrinsically microwave generated components are harmful. There does not seem to be any evidence that microwaves cause the production of any more harmful components than do other cooking methods. Some of the confusion appears to exist amongst 'anti-microwavers' due to their connotation of microwave radiation being wrongly equated to high-energy radiation such as that from radioactive materials like cobalt 60. In the latter case it is known that exposed food does produce so called radiolytic products which can in some cases be dangerous if consumed. Microwaves however do not appear to have the energy to produce the true radiolytic components.P
ossibly more significant areas of challenge to microwave ovens concern the matters of their leakage, their magnetic field effect upon individuals, and the effects of exposure resulting from accidental opening while the oven is operating. A short burst of exposure is possible in the latter case because the safety mechanism preventing operation whilewhilethe door is open does not switch off the microwaves as quickly as the door can be opened and body parts exposed. Safety measures for this condition are to inform users of microwave ovens to always check whether the oven is operating and to always pause their operation before opening the door. There is evidence that eyes are particularly susceptible to damage from exposure. An extra precautionary measure can be to install the oven on a bench below eye level to reduce the intensity of accidental exposure.T
he issue of microwave leakage is largely the concern of the national safety standards authority and the manufacturer. Leakage detectors have been available through the C.S.I.R.O. The restaurant microwave ovens were periodically tested with one of these detectors but no leakage was detected.M
agnetic fields generated by microwave ovens is of concern to some people. Television sets, fluorescent lights, car generators, electrical power lines etc. can all have their influences on biological life forms within their vicinity, according to their time of exposure and in proportion to the particular susceptibility of the individual. The industrialised world is 'bathed' in electro magnetic fields of various kinds and some people are affected adversely by them. Microwave oven fields are regarded as no more severe than the regular television set and they are operational for significantly less time than TV. sets.T
he more positive aspects of microwave ovens are their efficiency factors. Estimates indicate that over all 30-40% less power is consumed when using microwaves instead of the more conventional means for cooking. This includes less detergent for washing fewer utensils, less hot water and more efficient heating of food.A
ll cooking is a process of de-naturation. Because microwaves heat the food more evenly, there is significantly less de-naturation of food than by using convection or conduction heating in conventional systems, where charring and burning occurs more readily - for example at the base of the pot. Just like some people have adverse sensitivity to gluten or garlic, or tahini and so on, there is no doubt that some people will have adverse sensitivity to certain components resulting from microwave heating. If a wide enough study was done there would probably be as many people detected with sensitivity problems to food components resulting from all types of heating, storing and processing. If people feel strongly concerned about microwaved food, it could be their immune system trying to warn them of their sensitivity, or it could be another case of dis-information.M
icrowave ovens have been confined only to re-heating certain sauces such as curries in the restaurants. This has provided an efficient means of serving food with optimal freshness instead of having the food sitting hot for hours and becoming completely over cooked during restaurant hours and also not re-useable the next day.T
he opinion of the author is that microwave heated food does not appear to be detrimental to health for the vast majority of people. Microwave ovens are a significantly more efficient and environmentally less polluting means of food preparation?
III. VEGANICS OR BUST U
A DISCUSSION OF ORGANICS AND THE STATUS QUO
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hat says it all! When we strive to heal, we must treat the condition down to its specific point of origin. Without this we are only treating symptoms or secondary conditions and our efforts are therefore ultimately futile. Changing course from an omnivorous lifestyle that in many cases has been the norm for generation upon generation is a big move. Something very strong must stir in the human spirit to bring about this change. Quite likely it is the yearning to re-establish an originally natural human lifestyle, but which has lain a largely dormant and unconscious memory across the ages. People who have turned vegetarian have mostly done so as a form of self-healing. An opportunity which had been unconsciously waited for across generations availed itself to allow change. In one way or another people sensed discomfort and grotesqueness through their complacent adherence to prevailing social norms. Under guidance of conscience they initiated changes to their attitude and intercepted certain areas of their behaviour. Their sense of discomfort began to ease as they adjusted their lives towards the elimination of killing, exploitation and cruelty. This sense of ease gave indication they were on the right track. Some of these people found sufficient peace only after they separated themselves from use of all animal products. Fewer again were drawn to extend their non-killing agenda to issues like abortion and pacifism. Veganism became the common house of many of these people. Although philosophical branches exist within the generalisation of veganism ?living without the use of (or endorsement of) killing, enslavement or cause of suffering? has been an acceptable description most vegans have of themselves. With the advent of applied genetic technology in the market place, this description should now include ?the exclusion from diet or other use, all biological material containing genetic components taken from sentient creatures?. Although not directly linked to this principle, it is very likely wise to exclude the use of all genetically modified food irrespective of whether it contains animal genetic components.T
his definition indicates the problematic areas vegans now have with social norms and also with the organics? industry. The latter excludes genetically engineered products but promotes and (for accreditation of produce) requires the use of animal by-products as a means of maintaining and enhancing a ?natural? eco-system.T
he organics? philosophy attributes no negative ethical significance to either slaughtering animals (organic and biodynamic meat, eggs and milk etc. are available in 'health' shops) or using animal by-products to grow vegetables. Indeed, the organics? industry rests heavily, if not fundamentally on the ?food-chain is natural? paradigm. There is no dispute that the food chain exists as an omnivorous process but whether it exists as such as a God created natural phenomenon or whether it is a result of human activity is another question. There is as yet no scientific evidence to positively indicate that humanity pre-dated the carnivorous and omnivorous creatures. Evidence that does exist is construed to indicate the opposite - that humanity evolved into existence well after the food chain with carnivorous creatures was up and going.N
evertheless, the further back one reaches into the past ages, a proportional reduction in the human population as well as its locations of habitation follow. So it is feasible that if humanity predated the dinosaurs and other carnivores, its numbers were so small and its locations so few, remnants of its existence simply haven?t been found yet. It is also feasible that the various humanoid beings which in current theories were the evolutionary steps along which present day humanity developed, were instead retrogrades or de-volved human forms ? the way some of us went, rather than the way we all came. In other words it is feasible that a strain of humanity relatively unchanged to the modern day form has existed across the ages. Everyone alive today has been part of that journey if, and to the extent it happened.E
very one of us has a direct connection to the very beginning of time. We can awaken this memory. Back there, it is further feasible that we did spill the first blood through an act of killing (a human) and so changed the universe forever. Once that first death entered the earth (the universe), an intrinsically new factor existed for the first time and therefore also became a force. Entropy was consummated. The plants took up this new demise factor and began to adapt and reflect its presence. The animals that ate the plants became changed as well. Death entered all beings in this world.T
he "we are what we eat" adage has profound significance here because when we and the animals ate death, we made it part of ourselves. And so death began to have its effect and its expressions through the psyche of all things, plant, animal and human.. Death and demise began to express themselves within the behavior and ensuing innovations of life forms. Plants became hunters. Venom, other poisons and ?poisonous? activities such as violence in its multiple forms began to unfold. This process established itself as a ?natural? phenomenon to all perceptive beings because death had entered all and disallowed objective observation to all except the most discerning This is the main reason why death can appear so natural - we have made it a component of ourselves and our world.H
umanity has become a master innovator of deadly poisonous expressions. This is revealed in the wizardry of its destructive innovations. Its chemical poisons, its weapons, its generalised pathological behavior and abuse of the earth. It has become fugitive to the outcomes of its own actions - acutely so in present times.T
he prevalence of entropy and demise brought futility. Surrender to it brought a sense of harmony and naturalness. This is one reason why there is really no such thing as natural death. Instead it is an entropy-caused biological Bankruptcy. This decay or demise factor can also be measured and substantiated by the Genesis documentation of human life span reduction. It is accepted by the author that these ancient Scriptures just may be authentic and accurate records of human history, and no less important therefore than other archaeological or geological artifacts. The search for what is true must always take precedence. What other people and organisations have done with the information in these Scriptures should not necessarily be a cause of discount for their potential value.T
he purpose of the preceding discussion has been to indicate feasibility that humanity initiated the quality of the prevailing food chain. Some of us may want to continue down this path of apparent demise, others of us do not. Each individual will ultimately have free choice. The food chain and diet issues are secondary and consequential factors resulting from motives within the soul of human individuals. But since the food arena involves crucial connections to fundamental aspects of human nature and to the world?s well-being it seems essential that we address it.The animals are innocent. We have forced them, into their natures and their conditions. Animal suffering will end one day. Some of humanity?s may not. We must stop killing and we must address the condition within us which led us to do so in the first place. We have the option for a living universe instead of a dying one. A dying universe will naturally have limitations - space, size, durability, longevity etc. It will forever and ever be in demise. A living universe does not have these limitations. There is unlimited room for everyone and everything except maybe those who?s work brings demise.
Proclaiming death and the food chain as a natural phenomenon and using by-products of this insidious chain reaction to supposedly sustain and enhance life becomes then an exacerbation and a compounding of the existing affliction. Sustainability and "perma(suggesting permanent)culture" are revealed as mere relativities because in the long term they also will collapse. The organics? industry appears to be going down with an extremely common syndrome - premature factualisation. The sprays and other topical poisons this industry avoids will likely re-manifest as another form of insidious demise.
Since (if) we have formed (carved) an entropy bound universe we can use one of its properties to our temporary advantage. If we cease putting more death and misery into the earth, the amount that is already there will gradually but surely reduce due to the instilled entropy.
This is how we can cleanse
and renew the earth - the universe:
As death reduces,
life becomes more abundant.
IV. BRINKMANSHIP - VEGETARIAN RESTAURATEURING Restaurateuring as an occupation began unexpectedly for the author. He had taken an opportunity, while financially independent, to resign from work in applied science and so be able to invest himself fully into searching for life?s mysteries. Vegan Eyrie, the first restaurant arose from an encounter with a spirit during a dream the author had on his first forty day fast. The theme of this fast was to seek the essence of life, life?s origination and hopefully therefore its Creator. About three weeks into the fast he was told by the spirit to begin a restaurant on the bottom floor of his house in Kalorama, about 50 km. from Melbourne. Apart from domestic cooking he had no experience in this field and the house site and its location seemed impractical for a restaurant. He thought the dream was a mind contortion resulting from him not eating, but there was something strong and real about the spirit and it?s proposition. While still in the dream he replied to the spirit that if this message was real and not an obsession, he would oblige the proposal if he was "cornered into it" in real life. From that point the dream encounter went into the back of his mind and was almost forgotten. O
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Some three months after the fast had ended a letter arrived from his past employer from whom he was receiving royalties - his only source of income. The letter notified him he had been accidentally over-paid by what amounted to be a year?s modest income at the time. The money was not to be returned, but no more would be paid until new sales had balanced the debt. This became the "cornering" action leading him to recall and verify the dream. Within one week of receiving this letter the open-house, donation-only restaurant began with no advertising except for a few verbal invitations. The exercise of bulldozing a car park, constructing a few tables and chairs and renovating the kitchen looked like the proof of madness to some people close to him, but guests did arrive for opening night and continued to come until he sold the house nine months later. The vision which the author received on the thirty fifth day became the major alchemistic ingredient of the restaurant. It was the power that sustained the hope that the self-inflicted destitution and misery of humanity and the world was curable. The restaurant to this day emanates from this first restaurant and is a channel of the vision.
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he restaurant names have changed so as to keep pace with the stage of the project.The Good Friday Vegetarian Restaurant opened in Mildura Victoria in November 1982 some 2 years later. This exercise was again an instruction from a dream. Again it was perceived by observers as an act of madness because of the opinion that an exclusively vegetarian restaurant could not succeed in a relatively small country town. As a search for truth, the name was an alchemistic component which would hopefully synchronise the restaurant project to the most significant period of Christendom. In this way it was a form of antenna with which to probe and hopefully uncover more detail of the event.Although it was hoped Good Friday would be the end of the road in the search for truth, it ended up as a new beginning which transformed into the Wolf & Lamb Vegetarian Restaurant in Lismore NSW seven years later. Again, the wolf & Lamb theme was invoked as the alchemy to reach the new kingdom prophesised by Isaiah. Instead it led only to the edge of the abyss Galamilyee Vegetarian Cafe. Galamilyee (See Bibliography) is claimed to be an Australian Aboriginal word (Pilbara region) announcing a legend which encounters the extreme reaches of the universe. The legend has a number of common details with ancient legends from Europe and the Middle East such as the "gateway to Eden" and the Greek and Egyptian legend of the River Styx - the great abyss or the river of death.
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he reason for using this word for the name of the cafe was to invoke the state of no death and no oppression up to and including the edge of the universe - up to the edge of the abyss and so leave no ground on which to spill blood and to inflict misery and suffering. From this point there is no coming back unless death and oppression are truly natural phenomena (the food-chain etc.) and not simply human generated conditions. To reach beyond this point there must be some way of crossing the 'river of death'. The 'bridge' over the river was postulated as possibly the nexus between human existence and heaven; the closest point the physical universe (as carved, sculptured or construed by human consciousness) nears to the realms of divinity; through here 'heaven on earth' (heaven in the universe) can transform into human reality. The earth (the universe) must be re-strengthened and cleansed of the poison and litter of death and misery before it can be unconditionally continuous with the realms of divinity. One prophesy has it that a thousand years will be necessary to repair the damage. Although this may appear as an unrealistically long time to persevere, it should be considered as being within a reality where immortality increasingly prevails.I
n 1996, the author completed a ten month journey (hopefully) crossing the abyss. Galamilyee was where the journey began with another forty day water fast. It continued to Jerusalem and other parts of the world and on return to Australia in April 1996, a dream presented a scene of a deserted desert beach running left and right. In front was a bare mountain range. Behind was the abyss across which he had travelled from Galamilyee. The choices were: to return to 'reality' across the abyss, go left, go right, climb the mountain range for another horizon, or remain at the site of arrival. To climb the mountain for a new horizon was the choice made. The adoption of this quest immediately empowered the re-opening of the restaurant - there was a new hope to explore in continuity to the previous hopes. The experience at the desert beach did not clearly indicate a name describing the theme of the new project. The restaurant re-opened and operated nameless for about 3 months. People came even though no sign apart from turning on the lights was shown. The word ashram (Sanskrit: haven) appeared in the dream, but the restaurant?s premises had already been proclaimed and announced ashram before and during the Galamilyee period. "Ashram" therefore seemed more of a point of focus for the restaurant activities rather than the instruction for a new name. If the journey has truly emerged on the other side of the abyss, it seems essential that the word describing the extent of haven be empowered to exclude beings not-of-heaven. Until this word and purity is found, the restaurant continues with a provisional interim name 20,000 Cows Vegetarian Cafe. In 2004, the term 'Cafe' no longer appeared appropriate and was replaced with ASHRAM written in Runes to draw more on the original meaning as "sanctuary". The first night of operating under 20,000 Cows Vegetarian Ashram, the restaurant had an all-time record, even though this change would not have been apparent to all but possibly one or two guests. From an alchemic perspective, this change and the guest record does not appear as unrelated coincidece. This 20,000 Cows name derives from a conservative estimate of how many animal-free meals have been served since the project began with Vegan Eyrie. 20,000 creatures have not been requested to be killed and not even generated because there was no market demand. The sanctuary is access to the spirits of these 20,000 creatures. A second 20,000 Cows Vegetarian Cafe opened in Byron Bay in December 1996 within an old whale, then cattle slaughter yard. After helping initiate this restaurant, the author in a day dream asked "where to from here?". "The greatest slaughter yard in the world is Mt Zion Jerusalem. Put a restaurant there" was the immediate answer. The next project is in waiting. The Ark Vegetarian Restaurant operated independently but with the same theme and mainly supplied by 20,000 Cows opened in Byron Bay some time after 20,000 Cows Byron Bay closed. It's history was also an impacting, but short one.At the time of documenting these thoughts the world is still in crisis. All that remains is our faith that there is a way out of here, our hope that we can make it, and our physical abilities to carry out the task - our charity. Many, if not most of us are trapped in the circumstances that prevail and can do little more than hope. Some of us invest our hopes with those who are still actively working to manifest liberty. Liberty is won at the price of perpetual vigilance.
The author believes the restaurants have survived because of these hopes. People did not keep coming just because the food tasted good on their taste buds. They came, albeit mostly subconsciously, because the food and the environment contained less death and suffering and so nurtured, or at least revitalised, their own essence of life and hope for peace and freedom. To this extent the restaurant trades hopes by way of the food.
Our transactions with one another, be they sharing thoughts, having love affairs, buying and selling, are either love or tyranny. If they are love, permanent liberation - however small - flows from them. They are therefore therapeutic and salvific. If they are tyranny, they exploit the inherent weakness in ourselves and compound it by trading lies, useless items, 'poisonous' food and disastrous 'love' affairs. We become deeper incarcerated in our weaknesses.
The project enshrined in the restaurants is an applied philosophy with the motive to transact love. There is no rest until the fulfilment of the motive's highest hope - heaven on earth and the invitation by the Creator to eat from the Tree Of Life.
The "Passover Me'n'u" an observation of human behaviour by the same author includes a deeper discussion of these and other points. Some of this discussion is presented in the preceding chapter There are some ideas on starting your own vegetarian restaurant next chapter.
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V. YOUR OWN VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT V
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he Passover Me'n'u discusses some deeper factors in restaurateuring. Personal discussion is also invited from those attracted to this field. Below is an example of a menu from the Wolf & Lamb era - 1994.?
Welcome to the Wolf & Lamb Restaurant. Dishes in this menu range across many world cultures. All animal products are intentionally omitted from use in these recipes.
The current Art work exhibited on the wall are the work of local artists
All work is for sale
The costs for dishes listed are suggested prices only.
Smaller or larger serves of some dishes are available upon request.
SPECIALS: Other dishes besides those below will often be available.
SPRING ROLLS(4 deep-fried pastry,grain,herbs & spices) ..$6.50
SPINACH & NUT-CHEESE ROLLS(spinach,beans,nuts) ..$7.00
PASTA & PESTO (tomato,tahini sauce,nut-cheese,pesto) ..$8.50
MARINATED TOFU & SATAY SAUCE ..$7.50
MIDDLE EASTERN SECTION:
HOMOS(chic peas,tahini,lemon,garlic,olive oil) ..$5.50
BABAGANOUSH(eggplant " " " " ) ..$6.00
FALAFEL(4 croquettes- beans,parsley,onion,garlic,spice)..$5.50
LEMON SQUASH(lemon,sugar,rosewater)
**seasonal only** ..$1.50
SEKANJABIN (Turkish mint cordial) ..$1.00
COFFEE Percolated(black or with soya milk) ..$1.50
TEA Variety available per pot ..$1.50
TAKE-AWAY-MENU
Most dishes on main menu are available.
FALAFEL ROLL (falafel,salad,tahini rolled in pita) $3.50
PLEASE SUPPY YOU OWN PLATES AND BOWLS
FOR TAKE-AWAY DISHES
VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY ** REALITIES FOR THE 90'S & DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA JOHN ROBBINS The Aboriginal word GALAMILYEE given by ALAN BARKER (initiated Elder): Bloodwood Tree, Port Headland, South Headland, W.A. "
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FAMINE OF THE SPIRIT
DOM Hubert Van Zeller
MIDDLE EASTERN COOKERY - CLAUDIA RHODEN
INDIAN CUISINE - CHARMAIN SOLOMON
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