Macrobiotic master and natural foods enthusiast, Beth Scott, shares her 40 years of culinary experiences with the local community, through the delicious, nutritious meals she cooks up daily at the Café inside Diane’s Natural Market. As a vegetarian-centered eater, it’s no surprise Beth Scott found herself drawn to Diane’s Natural Market and Café, while visiting St. Augustine.
Spring of 2014, only a month after relocating to the nation’s oldest city, Scott became more than a visitor at Diane’s. She became the Café’s “chief cook and bottle washer.” Here she puts into practice her 17 years of professional experience preparing and delivering natural foods, plus even more years of vegetarian-based cooking.
ROOTED IN THE GARDEN
At the foundation of Scott’s culinary journey, are her own dietary decisions, dating back to her childhood. “I was never a meat eater growing up,” said Scott. “That wasn’t for me. I grew up with fresh picked veggies right out of the garden.”
Scott had access to these vegetables thanks to her grandfather, an organic gardener, who lived next door. “He grew his own vegetables and lived to be 104,” she said.
As an adult, eating and cooking primarily vegetarian came naturally to Scott. After meeting her husband in the 1970s, her journey took a more macrobiotic turn. A macrobiotic lifestyle focuses on the healing powers of natural foods, with a diet consisting of grains as a staple, supplemented with fresh vegetables, while avoiding the use of highly processed, refined foods, and most animal products. Following her husband’s lead, the two began exploring the macrobiotic education center in their Pennsylvania community, and taking cooking classes.
“That’s where I learned what to combine with what in order to get a good nutrition base,” explained Scott. Before long, this educational journey erupted into the birth of a business.
DOOR TO DOOR DELIVERY
Scott transitioned from attending the center’s lunch club, to serving as a cook. When the center decided to close its doors, the demand remained, and Scott kept cooking. She began a new venture in her dining room, where she offered two lunch seatings daily.
“People would come and we would eat. I would cook for 20 to 25 people every day,” said Scott.
Soon, this grew beyond her home, and moved into a nearby chiropractor’s office. Here, individuals would come pick up meals. Scott then began bringing food into people’s homes, which turned into a full-time delivery service.
“I had keys to all of their homes. I would pet their dogs or cats when I walked in, and put the food in their refrigerators,” Scott said, with a laugh.
Her daily prep began at 5 a.m., when she would wake to start her soup, soak her beans, or make her own seitan (a meat substitute made from wheat gluten). After delivering meals, preparations for the following day would begin again.
COAST TO COAST COOKING
Scott continued her delivery service for a number of years, before embarking on cooking adventures that took her from coast to coast.
“You look back on things now and think—how did I ever do that?” she said. Scott worked with the Kushi family—known for bringing macrobiotics to the East Coast. For five years she served as head cook for their summer camps, serving hundreds, and even thousands of people at a time. She also traveled to the West Coast where she prepared meals for large events and retreats, cooking for leaders in the yoga community.
Back on the East Coast, she cooked for a church retreat in the Adirondack Mountains, working alongside individuals from all over the world. By the end of five years serving this camp, the population she was feeding had shifted from primarily meat-eaters to 70 percent vegetarian. According to Scott, the reason the diverse masses of individuals she has cooked for over the years have all enjoyed her food, is because she has a “common taste,” one that is not extremely spicy, but not dull and mild either.
“I have this even sense of what most people like—and that’s a gift,” said Scott. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made mistakes like crazy, but you learn from them, so that’s the good part,” she added.
SHARING THE JOY
Throughout the entirety of her journey, Scott has employed a “learning by doing” approach, and enjoys nothing more than sharing what she’s learned with others.
“Some people don’t like sharing their recipes, and I’m like, why wouldn’t you? It’s so wonderful to be able to share and pass it on,” she said.
Daily at Diane’s, Scott freely shares her culinary creativity with those dining in, through her soups, specials, and desserts, using organic produce straight off the shelves. Her grab and go options available in the cooler—including her potato and pasta salads—have quickly become a hit, as have her salsa and guacamole. In less than a year, she has developed a regular following, plus individuals who visit the Café for the first time, eager to try something new.
“It’s fun to open a person’s mind to different things, like tempeh or seitan. Or prepare something for someone who thinks tofu is bland,” said Scott.
At Diane’s, you can expect to find options suiting a number of dietary preferences, including vegan and gluten-free. And you can wash down whatever you choose to eat, with a delightful juice or smoothie.
DIANE’S NATURAL MARKET & CAFE
240 State Road 312
Cafe Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
dianesnaturalmarket.com
