LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., Sept. 24, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Alegria Fresh has joined leading local restaurateur Carlos Olamendi in a groundbreaking new partnership to feature Alegria Farm’s same-day harvested salad greens at Olamendi’s Express in Mission Viejo, it was announced today by Erik Cutter, Managing Director of Alegria Farm.
Olamendi’s Express in Mission Viejo is the first restaurant to showcase locally grown produce from Alegria Farm. For more than 40 years, the Olamendi family has served fresh and natural authentic Mexican cuisine at their Capistrano Beach, Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo restaurants. Alegria Farm greens will be offered exclusively at Olamendi’s Express located at 27775 Santa Margarita Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691.
“Alegria Farm fits perfectly with our philosophy to heighten our customer’s ‘Pakini,’ the Nahuatl (Aztec) word for personal happiness,” said Carlos Olamendi. “This partnership will fulfill our mission to serve the finest produce available and increase awareness of healthy eating, plus protect the planet through sustainable farming practices.”
Located in Laguna Beach, Calif., Alegria Farm is a new commercial hydroponic vertical farm employing more than 170 hydroponic towers growing 10,000 nutritious plants in less than a 1/4 acre with no pesticides and delivering them fresh daily to local consumers and restaurants.
“Working with Carlos represents a revolution in Mexican cuisine,” said Cutter. “Olamendi’s traditional dishes from Puebla and Veracruz are made with the same ingredients and care that Carlos’ mother insisted upon as he was growing up. His commitment to great food has made him a leader in the growing trend of consuming locally-grown nutrient-rich foods and our highly nutritious, same-day harvested greens, herbs and vegetables will enhance his rich culinary tradition. We look forward to helping him offer the finest tasting food possible, just like his mother did over 80 years ago.”
Olamendi’s will offer an exclusive selection of delicious “Alegria Salads” with all ingredients grown locally in Laguna Beach featuring cilantro, tomatoes, chiles, sweet basil, epazote, peppermint, arugula and summer crisp, romaine and butter head lettuce. With its close proximity to Olamendi’s Express Mission Viejo, Alegria Farm will deliver hours-young truly fresh produce on a daily basis.
“We are always looking for healthier ways to serve the beautiful aromas and flavors of Mexico to our customers,” said Olamendi. “When we discovered Alegria Farm, we knew immediately this is a great opportunity to set a new standard in our traditional recipes by using these locally-grown, clean and natural ingredients.”
“The number one food that scientific research has shown to have a strong positive association with increased longevity in humans is raw leafy greens, normally referred to as salad,” writes Dr. Joel Furhman in his best-selling book, “Eat to Live.” “Leafy greens such as romaine, lettuce, kale, collards, Swiss Chard and spinach are the most nutrient-dense of all foods.”
Alegria Farm employs the Verti-Gro® system, featured for the past 16 years at the Epcot® theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The Verti-Gro® hydroponic system uses no soil, 90 percent less water, 70 percent less land, 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional organic farming and zero toxic pesticides.
“Consuming salad greens within a few hours of their harvest provides powerful enzymes, nutrients and phytochemicals that protect the body from chronic disease,” said Cutter. “Food that sits on the shelf or is transported by truck loses its nutritional benefits within days.”
About Olamendi’s:
Carlos Olamendi is one of nine siblings who founded Olamendi’s Mexican Cuisine, which has been serving the finest authentic Mexican cuisine in Orange County since 1973. The family’s classic family recipes, passed down from generation to generation, are prepared daily using only the freshest, natural ingredients in order to provide a unique, memorable and pleasant dining experience. Carlos’s commitment to health and well being has made him a leader among quick service restaurateurs. Olamendi’s Express Mission Viejo is located at 27775 Santa Margarita Parkway in Mission Viejo, CA. It can be reached by calling (949) 768-8991.
About Alegria Farm:
Alegria Farm, located in Laguna Beach, Calif., is a new commercial hydroponic vertical farm employing over 170 hydroponic towers growing over 10,000 plants in less than 1/4 acre. Alegria Farm is Orange County’s first hydroponic vertical farm, a project of EnviroIngenuity whose forward-thinking team is engaged in the promotion of resource efficient sustainable technologies.
Alegria Farm is the first West Coast demonstration center to showcase the high-resource efficiency and superior produce quality that is achieved using the Verti-Gro® system, which uses no soil, 90 percent less water, 70 percent less land, 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional organic farming and zero toxic pesticides. Verti-Gro® hydroponic commercial and home garden systems produce clean, natural food much faster than traditional farming and allow plants to grow bigger and stronger, making plants naturally pest resistant.
More information: http://alegriafresh.com/
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