Labels, Culinary Boxes, and Making Myself

Hi guys,

This is a very exciting newsletter for me to write, and not just because my new culinary endeavor is around the corner; it is exciting because, when I least expected it, I began to see the results of the surrender started back in October. 

February hasn’t been an easy month, with Ben’s slow recovery, and an overload of work; February started in a lot of fear, exhaustion, frustration, and uncertainty. But it was from the overwhelming weight of these feelings, that the inspiration came about, the possibility, the shift.

February ends today with me energized, excited, healing, self-confident.

See, I began to consider the “what if” of every life event, big or small, good or not, and doing so has taken me into a dimension of living that I had always admired in the women I looked up to, that I had read about in essay collections by my favorite writers, but that I had never thought an actual possibility for me.

I will start with something practical and seemingly unrelated:

Since I was diagnosed with SIBO, I had to undergo a heavy cycle of antibiotics and a drastic change in my diet. I went on a food plan called Low FODMAP, that I have to continue for 6 weeks, to then slowly reintroduce foods, and understand which ones are a trigger for the disease (it’s already been pretty clear I can no longer tolerate lactose).

At first, I was scared; as a recovering bulimic, in fact, I no longer follow strict diets. I was also upset because the new food plan didn’t allow me to follow a plant-based regimen.

I judged myself harshly for eating fish, and for having some chicken liver, or bone broth.

But as the days went by, I began to feel increasingly better, both physically and emotionally. I began to heal, I felt stronger. I lost the bloating weight, the heaviness; the pain was gone.

Days kept going by as I removed wheat, dairy, avocados, onions and apples, soy and beans, coconut and pistachios. 

Days went by as I began to eat cod, grouper, shrimp, walnuts, strawberries, almond tortillas, and all the fresh greens I had bought at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

Do you remember that, in October of 2022, I started my “year of surrender”? Well, I am still in it. And as the days went by, I began to notice how, as I kept surrendering, more doors kept opening for me.

The doors of my creativity opened up, and I began to shape my new book around this new culinary experience with SIBO. As my creativity expanded, free from the labels and the boxes I had put myself in, I created space for inspiration, for new ideas, and for my new endeavor:

Tomorrow, partnering with some of the Hollywood Farmers Market vendors and small businesses in Southern California, I am launching an exclusive Culinary Box Delivery program.

Four times a year, at every change of season, I will personally select the best items from my favorite vendors at the Hollywood Farmers Market and from my favorite local, small businesses in Southern California: think gourmet honey, spices, teas, dry fruits, dry mixes, olive oil, beans, textiles, pottery, kitchen tools and accessories…I will gather the best recipes from my favorite chefs, and I will ship to you, all over the United States.

The first Culinary Box will include:

Citrus Blossom honey by David Nuñez & Lily’s Farm (Santa Barbara);

An exclusive, limited edition of Alice Carbone Tench for Hedley & Bennet apron (woman-founded, Los Angeles);

Original Smoothie recipe cards by Polar Bear Kitchen (woman-owned, Los Angeles)

A selection of gourmet dry fruits from Ha’s Apple Farm (Tehachapi);

A bottle of Mayer lemon fused extra-virgin olive oil from Nuvó Oil (Long Beach)

A gourmet herb mix by the amazing, legendary Vices and Spices (Small business, Santa Barbara)

What does this have to do with SIBO?

I began to ask: what if, whatever I go through life, the difficulties, the illnesses, the losses, the successes, the relationships, the lessons, the failures, the gifts…what if all this is just a growing chance that life is giving me (us) to be happier, and to be my (our) most authentic self?

That’s when the shift happened. What if…

It has only become clear to me in the month of February that, at the Hollywood Farmers Market, I have been building the personal and professional relationships I had always longed for, made of mutual respect, admiration, collaboration. I have always wanted collaborators, feel part of a group. 

But I believed that, what I longed for, could only come to me after an older, powerful, successful person would “discover me”, “make me”. 

As the February days went by, I realized, with a proud smile on my my face, that I was already discovering and making myself. How badass is that?

See you in March,

Love, always

Alice

^{PRE-ORDER YOUR CULINARY BOX NOW}

Boxes are limited, and on a pre-order basis only. Last day to place your Summer order is April 15th, 2023.

To purchase, pay on Venmo @culinaryselfcare the total + taxes, and add, in the notes, the name(s) and full address(es) where you want to receive the box(s), as well as your email.

Price: $149 per box + taxes ($14) = $163

FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING

Unfortunately, I can’t accept credit cards, at this time, because the commission I’d have to pay is too high. I want these boxes to be of quality, a profitable business for me and for my partners, but also affordable to you, every season.

What are you contributing purchasing these boxes?

You are supporting a small business, mine, but also some of the most precious artisanal and culinary resources we have, locally, who struggle every day to stay afloat in an increasingly unfair and unfavorable marketplace for them, us.

I am very excited for this new adventure, and I can’t wait to share my favorites with you.