Forward to Eating Your Way to Better Health

October in Charlottesville indulges all one's senses and appetites; the trees are gloriously colored, the scent of the air is at once crisp and spiced, leaves crunch underfoot, and the wind gusts seem to come out of nowhere. And, of course, the tastes of the fall harvest are to me unequaled. It was over hors d'oeuvres in a beautiful Virginia country inn last October that Bill and I engaged in an animated discussion about food with Rose, Snuffy, and their neighbors. While we certainly didn't exhaust the subject, we did cover such topics as the proper growing conditions for different varieties of exotic mushrooms, vegetable gardens, favorite preparations of beets, the purveyors we use at our restaurant for seafood and produce, favorite grains, and so forth. We came away from that evening impressed with Snuffy and Rose's knowledge of and enthusiasm for fine food. We were convinced that the cookbook they were writing would be a great resource.

It is another amazing October day that, wearing many hats, I sit down to write a few words about Eating Your Way to Better Health - The Prostate Forum Nutrition Guide. As a writer, I am filled with admiration for the time and effort that the authors have invested in this project. I am honored to be a small part. As a restaurateur, I have a great appreciation for the authors' creative approaches to wonderful food, and their mindfulness of the full range of senses to which such food must appeal. As a patient, I am grateful to know that there are physicians in leadership positions, who value patient empowerment. As a breast cancer survivor, I have experienced my own personal quest for an answer to this disease. And as a volunteer and advocate for the University of Virginia Cancer Center, I have become familiar with the work of so many brilliant researchers, who are approaching cancer from every conceivable angle in a determined effort to quash its power. By articulating so clearly the impact of diet and nutrition on the body's defenses, and the science behind different food choices, by creating appetizing recipes and providing thorough instructions, Snuffy, Sara, and Rose offer prostate cancer patients an agreeable way in which they can join forces with their health care providers and participate in their own well being.

When Bill and I developed the concept for our restaurant, Hamiltons' at First & Main, we described our menu as "contemporary American cuisine." By contemporary, we meant innovative preparations of the finest available foods in keeping with current nutritional trends. For us, "American" implied incorporating the foods and flavors of the many cultures that make up the "Melting Pot." Cuisine meant to us that our dishes would be prepared with the greatest integrity and presented with attention not only to flavors, but also to textures and design. Our menu is relatively short and changes frequently in its entirety. While Hamiltons' is not primarily a vegetarian restaurant, the menu always includes several vegetarian, often Vegan, appetizers and entrees. Of particular interest to us is the fact that the sales of our culturally themed Vegetarian Plate have nearly always surpassed any other item on the menu. In our research for this dish, we remain fascinated by the variety of traditional combinations of vegetable proteins that existed in the cuisine's of other cultures long before we recognized their nutritional value. Eating Your Way to Better Health - The Prostate Forum Nutrition Guide is an excellent reference for those who wish to introduce these healthful dishes into their own homes.

Kate and Bill Hamilton

Hamiltons‰ at First & Main

Director, Advisory Board, University of Virginia Cancer Center

Charlottesville, VA

October, 1999