Moosewood Restaurant
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Moosewood Restaurant (January 3, 1973–present) is an American
natural foods Natural food and all-natural food are terms in food labeling and marketing with several definitions, often implying foods that are not manufactured by processing. In some countries like the United Kingdom, the term "natural" is defined and regu ...
(
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...
,
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...
,
pescetarian Pescetarianism (; sometimes spelled pescatarianism) is the practice of incorporating seafood into an otherwise vegetarian diet. Pescetarians may or may not consume other animal products such as eggs and dairy products. Approximately 3% of adults ...
) restaurant in
Ithaca, New York Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named a ...
. In 1978, the original founders sold the restaurant to the staff, who became "The Moosewood Collective." In addition to producing a number of cookbooks, The Moosewood Restaurant won the ''America's Classics'' award from the
James Beard Foundation The James Beard Foundation is a New York City-based national non-profit culinary arts organization named in honor of James Beard, a prolific food writer, teacher, and cookbook author, who was also known as the "Dean of American Cookery." The prog ...
in 2000, which recognized it as "one of the most popular regional destinations."


Overview

Moosewood Restaurant opened on January 3, 1973 during the
natural food Natural food and all-natural food are terms in food labeling and marketing with several definitions, often implying foods that are not manufactured by processing. In some countries like the United Kingdom, the term "natural" is defined and regu ...
s and
Farm-to-table Farm-to-table (or farm-to-fork, and in some cases farm-to-school) is a social movement which promotes serving local food at restaurants and school cafeterias, preferably through direct acquisition from the producer (which might be a winery, brewer ...
movements within the American counterculture. According to the self-published 1974 ''Moosewood Cookbook'' (created by staff members), the name was inspired by Patrick, one of the original founders, "who once read a book and in it was a character-a dog in fact' named Moosewood; it is also the name of a lovely striped maple tree." Its original goal was to provide dishes made of "local, sustainable" food. Although meat was served when the restaurant first opened, it was dropped from the menu. The focus turned to natural foods that primarily featured
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism m ...
(and later
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Di ...
) dishes, but has also included
pescetarian Pescetarianism (; sometimes spelled pescatarianism) is the practice of incorporating seafood into an otherwise vegetarian diet. Pescetarians may or may not consume other animal products such as eggs and dairy products. Approximately 3% of adults ...
options on its menu and in its cookbooks. Moosewood has "maintained a structure where those who worked there also collectively owned and managed the place." In addition, over the decades the members have continued a founding ideology of
social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fu ...
: "Moosewood also holds benefit brunches, donating their labor, dining rooms, and good cooking, while the beneficiaries work to sell the tickets. The beneficiary agency folks help serve food and clear tables. Ithaca Bakery and GreenStar frequently donate bagels and cupcakes. Over 150 organizations such as the Ithaca Health Alliance, Multicultural Resource Center, Ithaca Shakespeare Society, Akila Leadership Institute of Rwanda, Council on U.S.-Latin American Relations, Planned Parenthood, and the former Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance have been beneficiaries. Moosewood folks also contribute food, time, and expertise to community events and organizations such as Ithaca’s Cool School Food Program and Taste of the Nation/Share our Strength." It was popular with countercultural icons: "
Crosby and Nash In addition to solo careers and within the larger aggregate of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the musical team of David Crosby and Graham Nash have performed and recorded regularly as a duo, mostly during the 1970s and the 2000s. History After th ...
once shared drinks at the bar, and
Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...
ended his dinner with a Moosewood brownie and black coffee. Even the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...
stopped by during their trip for Cornell’s Barton Hall show, only to go unrecognized by the members of the collective."


History


1970s

Moosewood was established in "the ground level of the Dewitt Building at 215 N. Cayuga St," and sits "
n the N, or n, is the fourteenth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet# ...
southeast corner of the building ..its décor included barn board wainscoting, fifteen wooden tables, mix-matched chairs, and tie-dyed curtains." The founders originally developed the restaurant as “a place to feed their community. The vision was to put forward ideas about sustainable farming and environmentally friendly food systems but to do so in a delicious way." It was also set up to: Wynnie Stein, an original Moosewood member, states she became involved due to the emphasis on local ingredients: "it's important for people to know where their food was produced. I saw Moosewood’s Collective involvement in this locally sourced foods movement and I am so glad to be a part of it. It’s refreshing to be part of a group of individuals who support the use of locally produced fruits, vegetables, and grains." Stein also notes that the "first people who were involved were very idealistic, none of them had any restaurant experience. They were just great cooks and they loved to cook... we were really interested in food being not just helpful or good for you, but super creative and delicious, and I think that’s what set us apart from the rest of the natural foods movement." In 1978, the original founders sold Moosewood to the restaurant staff, now called "The Moosewood Collective." David Hirsch (who joined Moosewood in 1976) recalls that there "were seven original owners, and by the time I started there were only two left who were still working there. Within a couple of years we bought out the original seven owners and formed it as more of a philosophical collective, because it wasn’t a true cooperative economically. We would have meetings and try for consensus on different decisions that were important. We didn’t have a hierarchical leadership; it was more horizontal."


New ownership (2022-present)

During the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the members of the collective began to explore selling Moosewood. Danica Wilcox (the daughter of Kip Wilcox, an original member of Moosewood who specialized in desserts) eventually bought it, and original Moosewood member Wynnie Stein worked with her to make the transition. Wilcox took over as of January 1, 2022, and has launched a new menu that will be "more vegan, more local and sustainable." She also notes that while Moosewood's "menu has often included fish throughout the years – which we may reintroduce – ...our focus right now is to highlight the beautiful produce, grains, dairy and wine available in our region...the first new menu celebrates authentically vegetarian cuisine.”


Cookbooks


Moosewood Restaurant

In 1974, members of the original Moosewood staff self- published a spiral bound paper-covered vegetarian cookbook, with "''The Moosewood Cookbook Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant in the Dewitt Mall, Ithaca, New York''" on the title page. Page three contains a list of its creators: "Design, Editing, Hand-writing, Pen-and-ink illustrations
Mollie Katzen Mollie Katzen (born October 13, 1950, in Rochester, New York, U.S.) is an American cookbook author and artist. The author of twelve cookbooks (all of which she also illustrated), she is best known for the hand-lettered, illustrated ''Moosewood C ...
Feedback digestion, Critical Analysis, Introduction & History Nancy McCauley Cover Drawing Judith M. Barringer Onion Photogram Kathy Morris Frontispiece: charcoal drawing Meredith (Mimi) Barchat Photographs Phyllis Boudreau Photographic Montage Phyllis Boudreau Susan B. Lent." In addition, the ''Postward'' on page 79 states:"we have only presented our original recipes in this book," and offers a list of cookbooks that served as "our sources of inspiration," including ''
Diet for a Small Planet ''Diet for a Small Planet'' is a 1971 bestselling book by Frances Moore Lappé, the first major book to note the environmental impact of meat production as wasteful and a contributor to global food scarcity. She argued for environmental vegetaria ...
'', '' Ten Talents'', '' The Vegetarian Epicure'', and ''
The Joy of Cooking ''Joy of Cooking'', often known as "''The Joy of Cooking''", is one of the United States' most-published cookbooks. It has been in print continuously since 1936 and has sold more than 20 million copies. It was published privately during 1931 by ...
''. *


Moosewood Cookbook

In 1977,
Ten Speed Press Ten Speed Press is a publishing house founded in Berkeley, California in 1971 by Phil Wood. Ten Speed Press was bought by Random House in February 2009 and is now part of their Crown Publishing Group division. History Wood worked with Barnes & N ...
in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
published a revised version of the 1974 self-published original, with "''The
Moosewood Cookbook ''The Moosewood Cookbook'' (1977) is a vegetarian cookbook by Mollie Katzen that was published by Ten Speed Press. It is a revised version of a 1974 self-published cookbook by members of the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York. History S ...
Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant Ithaca, New York'' Compiled, Edited, Illustrated and Hand-Lettered by Mollie Katzen" on the title page. Page five lists additional contributors: "Frontspiece: Charcoal Drawing by Meridith Barchat Photographs by J.M. Barringer Cover Design by Meridith Barchat and Mollie Katzen." This page also contains a list of 37 names (including Katzen) introduced as: "The Moosewood People who have created the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York from which this book has sprung." The ''Moosweood Cookbook'' became a highly influential vegetarian cookbook, with four editions (1977, 1992, 2000, 2014). * * * *


Moosewood Collective

Beginning in the late 1980's, The Moosewood Collective began a cookbook series. The first, published in 1987, is titled ''New Recipes From Moosewood Restaurant.'' Mollie Katzen states in a quote on the back cover: "It's been nearly ten years since I cooked at Moosewood Restaurant, and I had no hand making this book, yet these recipes evoke memories so fresh, it feels like I worked there yesterday." ''New Recipes From Moosewood Restaurant'' has been followed by thirteen more books of vegetarian, vegan, and Pescetarian recipes to date. A share of cookbook royalties has gone to various charities: "Ithaca Community Harvest, Planned Parenthood, AIDS Work of Tompkins County, Eritrean Relief Fund, Tibetan Resettlement Project, Greater Ithaca Activities Center, Loaves & Fishes, and Healthy Food for All." In 2014, the Collective donated "a copy of ''Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd'' cookbook to youth and adult secure facility/prisons, plus local schools, community centers and organizaitons, and spiritual centers throughout New York State." In 2010, the Moosewood Collective donated its archive of original cookbook manuscripts and memorabilia to
Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
. The papers are housed in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections in the Carl A. Kroch Library. * * * * * * * Includes lists of vegan dishes * * * * * * *


50th anniversary edition (2023)

The new owners of the Moosewood Restaurant will be releasing a 50th anniversary edition cookbook in 2023.


James Beard awards and nominations


Moosewood Restaurant

Winner: *2000 ( America's Classics: Chef and Restaurant Awards): Moosewood Restaurant.James Beard Awards: Moosewood
/ref> This award recognized Moosewood Restaurant as "one of the most popular regional destinations."


The Moosewood Collective

Six of The Moosewood Collective cookbooks were nominated for
James Beard Foundation Award The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists in the United States. They are scheduled around James Beard's May 5 birthday. The media award ...
s, and two of the six won awards. Winners: *1995: ''Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home'' - ( Vegetarian Book Awards) *1997: ''Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites'' ( Healthy Focus Book Awards) Nominations *1991: ''Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant'' *1997: ''Moosewood Cooks for a Crowd'' *2002: ''Moosewood Restaurant New Classics'' *2004: ''Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates''


Moosewood Cookbook

Winner: *2007 ( Cookbook Hall of Fame: Book Awards): ''
Moosewood Cookbook ''The Moosewood Cookbook'' (1977) is a vegetarian cookbook by Mollie Katzen that was published by Ten Speed Press. It is a revised version of a 1974 self-published cookbook by members of the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, New York. History S ...
''James Beard Foundation Awards: Moosewood Cookbook (Mollie Katzen)
/ref>


Further reading

* *


See also

*
Chez Panisse Chez Panisse is a Berkeley, California, restaurant, known as one of the originators of the style of cooking known as California cuisine, and the farm-to-table movement. The restaurant emphasizes ingredients rather than technique and has develo ...
*
Greens Restaurant Greens Restaurant is a landmark vegetarian restaurant in the Fort Mason Center in the Marina District, San Francisco, California, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Founded by the San Francisco Zen Center in 1979, Greens has been credited in ...


References


External links

*
Ithaca Week: Moosewood Reopens Under New Ownership (video)
April 19, 2022 {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Ithaca, New York Counterculture of the 1960s James Beard Foundation Award winners Restaurants established in 1973 Tourist attractions in Ithaca, New York Vegetarian cookbooks Vegan cookbooks Vegetarian restaurants in the United States Vegan restaurants in the United States Seafood restaurants in New York (state) Worker cooperatives of the United States