Nora Pouillon

When Nora Pouillon came to the United States in 1965, she realized how far agricultural practices differed from the ones she grew up with in Austria. A pioneer, Nora was the first to introduce organic dining to the Washington area over twenty-two years ago. In April 1999, Restaurant Nora became the first certified organic restaurant in the USA, and you can say that from the water to the uniforms, you can recognize the organic concept.

Nora’s commitment to a healthy lifestyle goes beyond the kitchen. Among other occupations, she is a member of the Organic Trade Association, a founding member of Chefs Collaborative and was leading spokesperson for the NRDC/SeaWeb "Give Swordfish a Break" Campaign. She serves on the board of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, the National Foundation for Alternative Medicine International Committee on Alternative & Complementary Medicine, is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and the American Institute of Food & Wine.

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) named Nora Chef of the Year – Award of Excellence. She speaks and lectures nationally on her pioneering efforts in the organic food industry and is active in promoting a healthy & sustainable lifestyle. Her cookbook, Cooking with Nora, is a beautiful book featuring organic menus for the home cook.

Restaurant Nora received 4-star rating from Mobil Travel Guide 2001, consistently appears in the Zagat’s Guide Top 10, and has been voted one of the "Top 10 Healthiest Restaurants" by Health Magazine.

Enjoy a recipe from Nora's menu

Baked Apple with Raisin-Nut Stuffing
and Caramel Sauce

	4 large, tart cooking apples such as Gala or Granny Smith		2 tablespoons softened butter
	1 cup chopped walnuts		Caramel sauce (see below)
	7 tablespoon brown sugar		Fresh mint for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the apple cores with a corer or vegetable peeler. Make a paste my mixing the raisins, chopped walnuts, sugar, and butter by hand or in a minichopper. Form this stuffing into a cylinder and stuff as much as you can into the hollowed-out core of each apple. Put the apples into a baking pan and add enough water or cider to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/4-inch deep.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the apples are cooked through and can be easily pierced with a knife. Assembly:Pour some of the caramel sauce onto the center of each dessert plate. Place a baked applie in the middle and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Baked Apple with Stuffing Calories 295; Protein 3 g/11 cal.; Carbohydrates 36 g/144 cal.; Fat 16 g/140 cal.; (Saturated Fat 5 g/41 cal.); Cholesterol 16 mg.; Sodium 64 mg; Fiber 4 g; Vitamin C 14% of Daily Value

*Caramel Sauce*
Making caramel takes longer than you would imagine. Be patient and careful, and you will create a delicious sauce.
Caramel sauce can be made creamy by adding 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the sugar syrup. It can also be made into a butterscotch sauce by adding 1 - 2 tablespoons butter and heavy cream and 1 shot of Scotch.
1 cup hot water 1/2 cup sugar
Heat the sugar in a small saute pan on medium low heat until it starts to melt and turns a dark amber color, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the hot water carefully; it can spatter because the sugar is so hot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a metal spoon, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is syrupy. Remove the sauce from the heat. It will thicken as it cools.

Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora: Washington's organic restaurants offering American and Asian cuisine using fresh organic ingredients
Restaurant Nora 2132 Florida Ave, NW 202-462-5143		Asia Nora 2213 M Street, NW 202-797-4860