Beyond Blind Institute offers cooking lessons for the blind and visually impaired.

Beyond Blind Institute offers cooking lessons for the blind and visually impaired.

Joyce Gugel, founder of Beyond Blind Institute, a non-profit organization for the blind and visually impaired, along with Whole Foods of Palm Beach Gardens, organizes cooking lessons for the blind with two of Palm Beach's most sought after chefs.  Chef Ryan Trinkofsky and Chef James Hayek can be found from time to time teaching blind students basic cooking lessons, knife skills, how to choose vegetables and starches to go with certain proteins, among other chef skills.  

During this lesson, students learned to sear sea scallops to a perfect golden brown, as well as season, sear, and cook lamb to the proper temperature.  Believe me when I tell you I was nothing short of amazed watching these wonderful students fearlessly navigate hot pans and sharp knives to complete their stunning dishes. 

Jeffrey A McDonald - Commercial Photographer - March Against Monsanto

"March Against Monsanto"

On May 25th in West Palm Beach, hundreds of Floridians rallied along with citizens from 52 countries and 436 U.S. cities in a protest against Monsanto, the largest producer of genetically modified foods.

Demonstrators who carried signs saying,  "Let Nature Grow, Stop GMO's," "Take Back Our Food, Stop GMO's," and "Stop Monsanto" were parading from Clematis street in downtown West Palm Beach to City Place, a nearby outdoor shopping and dining area.

GMO's or genetically modified organisms, are organisms that have been altered using genetic engineering techniques to resist pests, diseases,  and other agents that can cause harm to plants.  Also, because the plants are altered, they are subject to intellectual property law.  The controversy surrounding GMO's is whether making them is ethical, is food production with them safe, and whether food made with them should be labeled.

Tami Canal, global organizer of the "March Against Monsanto," started a Facebook page on Feb 28th 2013, to begin awareness of the companies practices.  "If I had gotten 3000 people to join me, I would have considered that a success."  Instead, her efforts have united millions of people worldwide to rally against Monsanto.

Canal said, "It was empowering and inspiring to see so many people from different walks of life, put aside their differences and come together today."  She's hoping the momentum form the rallies will continue to grow in an effort to stop the GMO giant. 

Story: Jeffrey A McDonald

Images: Jeffrey A McDonald