The winter CSA

So this is my first year with a winter CSA share. Its exciting to have a steady flow of veggies through the winter, but I am a little concerned about the variety, or lack there of. I've heard lots of complaints from those in last year's winter share that there was just too much of too few a variety, and lots of heavy roots can get tiresome. I have to admit, though, I love the heavy, savory root veggies of the winter and I look forward to the challenge of finding new ways to use them. For me, soup is always a "go to" option to incorporate just about anything all year round, but in winter I especially enjoy a bowl of warming and hearty soup with a little crusty bread on the side. I really enjoyed incorporating sweet potatoes into this classic black bean soup recipe; it gave the soup a nice contrast to the black beans - with the sweet and toothsome potato cubes - while adding a nice splash of color in an otherwise gloomy looking soup. To do this just add peeled, cubed cooked sweet potatoes, from one or two sweet potatoes, to your favorite black bean soup recipe. If you can, boil the potatoes in the stock you are using before adding the beans, it will add even more flavor to the soup. Take half of the solids out (in this case it was onions, beans and the sweet potatoes) and puree the soup directly in the pot with an immersion blender, then return the solids to the pot and season with salt and pepper and bring back to a simmer.

NYT article: Regional food in VT

OK, so I have a little bit of an obsession with Vermont. I perhaps overly romanticize the New England ruggedness of the culture there, and maybe I'm just a sucker for the landscape, but here is a new thing for local food lovers to love - for real. It appears that there is a food renaissance taking place in VT, and these shining star restaurants feature local foods on the menu at their backwater venues. Its exciting to see that this movement can contribute to reviving (or creating) culinary culture in place both struggling with the depressed economy (I know we all are, but...) and not otherwise known for find cuisine. Read more about it here.

NYT article: Returning to the (small) farm

It seems like the interest in turning long suburbanized landscapes into productive landscapes continues to grow. Even out in Rockland county, which seemed very sub/ex urban on my last visit to Bear Mountain, seems to be rediscovering the value of small scale growing. This is more than just the continued interest in gardening, but growing for sale in places that have long since left their farming tradition behind in favor of luxury living outside of the city. It is really encouraging to see the activities described in this article. I feel like this movement comes from a good place; a place of awakening to the need to connect to our own production, to participate in fulfilling our communities needs without turning to the common convenience of industry to fulfill them like we have so much for the last several decades. I hope that this movement continues, and does not fizzle out like the previous "back to the land" movements of the 1960's. I guess time will tell... in the mean time, keep growing!

Getting into the cabbage

This recipe is probably not remotely authentic since I learned how to make stuffed cabbage from my Vietnamese mother... but it is pretty tasty. The cabbage is rolling in to the CSA now, and its nor really slaw time anymore, so I thought I would go for something warming and comforting like my mom's stuffed cabbage braised in tomato sauce. Our CSA also recently joined the Louis Waite Farm CSA which is a meat farm that is also sort of a farm co-op working with a bunch of other vendors in the area (upstate and southern VT) to provide other goodies like bread, honey, eggs and jams - yum! These week we ordered some ground beef among other things, and I thought stuffed cabbage would be a perfect thing to make.

This recipe is pretty simple and straight forward. I took the whole head of cabbage and submerged it in salted boiling water for a few minutes, until it begins to soften. I then strained it and cooled it under a little cool water to stop the cooking and make it easier to handle. Meanwhile, I diced an onion and began sauteeing it in a pan with a bit of olive oil. I peeled away the largest leaves of the cabbage - about 12 leaves in all - and cut out the tough base of the vein at the bottom. After the onions were cooked through I mixed in about a pound of ground beef (I think the package said 0.92), and a half cup of uncooked rice, with some salt and pepper. I scooped a heaping spoonful into each leaf and rolled it up, securing it with a tooth pick. I laid them in large, wide based pot and simmered them in about a cup and a half of red sauce which we had already made in the fridge, with about a cup of water or so to surround the cabbage about 3/4's of the way up, and add a little drizzle of olive oil. Cover and simmer for about an hour. It should be ready to go, but once you take the cabbage rolls out, if the sauce isn't as thick as you would like it, reduce it about until it is the desired consistancy. Enjoy!

The meanings of local

There is an interesting article on the meanings of local food posted on the USA Today website. It explores the concept of local using the narrative perspective of a farmer. The farmer considers the various uses of the label local found in grocery stores near him and in the region and points out the multiple interpretations (40 miles, 100 miles, on up) that are used to brand produce and other products as local, obviously in an attempt to capitalize on the rising popularity of this food trend. I've been really hesitant to frame local food as a trend, but it has reached a tipping point where there is clearly a cache to labeling products "local" and it is being used regardless of the other meanings and values many engaged participants in the "movement" hold. This is particularly interesting to me as these are the themes emerging from my own research. There are a whole set of practices involved in the broader notion of local that I (we) have a hard time matching up with the Wal-Mart notion of local (which is their new strategy post-organic). I think its important to continue this dialogue in order for "local food" to maintain some meaning, value (use, exchange and otherwise) and integrity.

So lets keep talking about it! What does "local food" mean to you?

Collards with Garbanzo Beans and Sausage

Tonight we had an extremely satisfying dinner that was so easy to put together after a long day at school. In an attempt to use more dried beans I had some garbanzo beans (aka: chick peas) waiting to be used. While using dried beans seems labor intensive, it really couldn't be easier- you just need some time. I soaked the beans overnight and then simmered them yesterday morning for a few hours- they are never quite as soft as canned beans, but will be just fine with a little extra cooking. I also had sauted collard greens (from the farmer's market) with olive oil and garlic yesterday. Tonight, when I got home, I browned some sausage (English Bangers from our friends at Violet Hill Farm) in a large frying pan. When the sausage was almost done I deglazed (to get all the flavorful bits) with a splash of water, tossed in the garbanzos and collards, drizzled a bit of olive oil, et voila! Dinner was ready.

It is very satisfying to look at my plate and realize that most, if not all, of the ingredients were produced locally. This is something I strive toward and achieve with regularity. Since the sausage and collard greens were from NYS it got me wondering about the chick peas...where exactly do these beans come from? The package says they were distributed in Colorado, but where were they grown? I did a little research and learned that most garbanzo beans come from India and other far away places even though they are supposed to be very easy to sprout and grow. The wheels are spinning for the garden next year...

The magic and mysteries of soup

Fall is here and I can really see it in the CSA share these days. We are now transitioning from all the lovely summer veggies to nice, hearty produce like the beautiful savoy cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, and of course squash of all kinds (including, acorn, dumpling, sunshine, butternut and buttercup). Squash can be a little intimidating to make and it does take a little time and care to prepare. This is especially true if you want to peel it and cube which can be a challenge for anyone (darn those sturdy skins!). I find myself roasting them a lot, particularly if I don't know what I'm going to make!

Last week I had some time and roasted a buttercup squash that I made into a delicious "pumpkin" cornmeal cake (alas, I forgot to take picture, but I'm sure I will make it again), and the rest of the squash turned into my favorite chocolate chip squash bread recipe (which I posted here last winter). Yesterday I had a little time, and a lot of squash from this week's share, so I cut an acorn squash in half and roasted it in a greased baking dish at 375 for about 45 minutes. I didn't yet have a plan for it, but I knew that if I roasted it the idea would come. This is also great for me, since I work a pretty full day on Fridays and would be a little pressed for time when I get home. When I finally did get home I decided to make Diane's Friend's "Pumpkin and Cheddar" soup. I happened to have everything on hand, including some home-made veggie stock in the fridge (which I substituted for the chicken stock in the recipe). I love making veggie stock and freezing it for later with all of the wonderful veggie scraps I have left over from prepping everything. Its great to have on hand and is a great last use for these scraps before they head to the compost bin!
The soup was delicious, which I already knew since Diane had made it last week. I love the smooth creamy texture and sweet and spicy flavors. I also added a bit of smoked salt to give a little more smokey flavor as well.

This recipe was featured this week in our CSA newsletter.

NYC Compost Giveback

Last weekend was the annual NYC compost giveback. I eagerly await this time of year so I can get as much free compost as I can shovel, load and transport home to nourish my garden. This year I went alone and I figure that I ended up with about 300 pounds of the "black gold." I had such nice experiences with other compost shovelers (I was given a baby shovel to use and also a bottomless bucket to ease the bag-filling), but also learned that this may be the last year for the giveback. Due to budget cuts, the city will no longer pick up leaves (which is the main ingredient in the city compost!) I was horrified when I heard this bit of news...at a time of economic uncertainty it seems that programs like this should be a priority. Between the plunging economy and the locavore movement, people may grow more of their own food. The compost is a wonderful addition to any garden, one that will be sorely missed if the information I received is true. There is one last compost giveback this year, in Staten Island the weekend of October 18th- go and get it! See the NYC Composting Project for more details: http://www.nyccompost.org/program/givebacks.html

I think I can!

I finally embarked on the big project of canning tomatoes to save for the winter. It was so exciting, if not a little intimidating. I signed up for the 2o lb tomato share from our CSA, and chatted with a lot folks about just how to go about preparing these beauties to save a little summer for later.
After a lot of chatting and a little bit of reading, I decided to "hot pack" them for processing. This involved a great deal of peeling, and I would like to thank Diane for kindly helping. We used serrated peelers that I think was a great way to go, and a lot more appealing than blanching on this last warm summer day. It was great to sit at the table and chat and peel away - Diane pointed out that it was almost meditative in way, and I totally agree. She had to leave shortly after the peeling was done, so I set out to prep them the rest of the way on my own. I pureed a few of the peeled tomatoes with water to fill up the pot and keep the acid up and set out to boil the tomatoes. Luckily, Maggie called right around this point and stopped by to help me with the rest. It only took about five minutes of gently boiling to get them ready to can. I had already prepped the jars and lids, so Maggie set about helping me add the lemon juice (to add a bit more acid since the cans will be packed with the tomato water) and filling the jars. We used a chopstick to remove any air bubbles that might get stuck inside the jar and topped them off with the lids, giving a gentle, yet firm squeeze to tighten. We processed the jars in a water bath canner for 40 minutes or so. We pulled them out and waited for that wonderful "pop" that lets us know the seal is good. It was so exciting and I am really looking forward to my summer tomatoes come January!
Thanks for all of the help!

Oh the abadoned eggplant....

So last week it was abundantly clear that those beautiful globe eggplants were the CSA rejected veggie of the week, leaving an overflowing box full of them at the end of the evening of deliveries. I can definitely relate to the intimidating feeling one my get looking at these large beauties, but I don't quite get the objections to things like their flavor or texture... I think if you do it right, which can include not doing much at all but simply grill them and give a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, they're pretty delicious! But if you need further convincing to keep the eggplant from your share this week (if you are receiving them) here is an interesting article in the New York Times, that also espouses the health benefits of this mysterious and lovely veggie.

CSA - Gearing up for the end of August

The summer is just slipping away...away from lazy days too hot to do much but eat salad and delight in juicy ripe peaches; away from free time and that endless feeling that mid-summer has. Now I feel like summer is just racing to a close. The weather is starting to cool off; school starts next week (yikes!), and perhaps best of all, the harvest is really starting to hit its stride. I spoke with our farmer, Matt, today and he mentioned that the boxes are really going to grow and that we will have a consistently large share for a while now. Its so exciting! I had to thank him profusely for a number of reasons. Mainly, of course, because he grows the wonderful food that my husband and I eat, and also because some complaints have surfaced around "light" boxes and leaner share weeks. There are a lot of issues I feel like addressing here, and I won't go on and on (or at least I will try not to), but I would like to at least address some of them a bit. First of all, summer is not the height of harvest, fall is. Yes, it is exciting to see all of the green around you like the earth has woken from a long winter slumber, but food takes time to grow and ripen. We are now about to partake in this part of the process, but I hope that folks start becoming more mindful of what is in season, rather than what they think should be. The other main issue I would like to point out is that we are part of a Community Supported Agriculture. This means, at the very least, that we take part in the risks associated with farming and should also be, at least a little, involved with understanding the basic processes involved in the food that is grown for our consumption. This week's share is large and beautiful, and I am grateful. But I am also grateful just to be part of this more intimate way of being involved in the food system that makes my environment, my community and my kitchen a better place.

OK; now this is me getting off of my soap box :)


I have some assorted beets still hanging about and I have been thinking about other options to try along with the yummy simple salads we have been making. The other day, we had a barbecue and someone suggested wrapping the beets in foil and nestling them amongst the coals to roast. This was so simple and delicious! They cooked in no time and the skins easily slipped off to reveal yummy and slightly smoking tasting beets that we just drizzled with a bit of evoo and salted to taste. Sadly, I do not have a picture of that creation, but it was lovely and as easy to make as it sounds. Give it a try if you bbq anytime soon!

I also recently decided to play with my mandoline and make some beet chips which are shown here in their raw form. This was just an experiment so I only used one large and one small beet, but it came out great and I am definitely going to do it again! I sliced the beets very thin and placed them on parchment paper on a baking sheet. I set them to dry in a low oven, at 250 degrees for about an hour to an hour and half. When they were done they curled up a bit and were crisp and got crunchier as they cooled. I hit them with a little bit of fleur de sel to taste and delighted in this simple salty and barely sweet snack - yum!

Week nine and getting wild!

The bounty of a summer garden is impressive enough, but this past share brought with it a bonus of a wild green edible that you probably pass all the time (invading your garden, growing in the cracks of sidewalks...). In this week's share we were gifted with a big bunch of purslane (blending it with all of the other green in this photo). It is often considered a weed, and I see a lot of people pulling it out of their gardens and discarding it like any other agricultural nuisance. However, I also see this green for sale at the Union Square Green Market and it tends to go pretty quickly. Purslane is a super healthy, dark leafy green, with small thick leaves that spread out flat covering the ground. It also is an amazing source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and is tasty to boot.
I decided to put some of my purslane to use in this potato salad. I'm not exactly sure what kind of potatoes we received this week, but they were a nice waxy red skinned variety. I cut them in half and boiled them up until they were soft. After draining them, I tossed with extra virgin olive oil, the purslane leaves, some chopped chives and a little lemon juice. I seasoned with salt and pepper, and it was ready to go.

Vacation and cool as a cucumber

The famous Round Barn at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts


Last week we were on vacation in the Berkshires and consequently were not around to pick up week eight of our share (two months have gone by already!). Fortunately, dear friends and fellow local food lovers were kind enough to pick up our share and tuck it away in our over crowded fridge for us (thanks M & T!). While we were enjoying our time in the country, along with some yummy local food we picked up at the Berkshire Food Co-op in Great Barrington, we were glad to have our veggies waiting for us safely at home. This is also the reason that there is no share picture this week - I couldn't bare to drag out all that food that had been carefully tucked away... instead I have posted an image of the famous Round Barn the Shakers built in the City of Peace (the name of the community they settled on the outskirts of Pittsfield, MA) in the 1780's. The Shakers, along with being a religious group, are known for being highly regarded for their craftsmanship, industry and farming practices. They are often considered a model of sustainable living, and I found so much inspiration while we visited. This barn, for instance, was brilliantly designed with an earthen slope connecting to the upper level, acting as a natural driveway so the farmers could draw in the hay in their carriages and ride seamlessly around the center and out the exit, quickly facilitating the entire process. The hay fell down the center section to the lower level, where the livestock have spaces around the exterior section of the of the barn. Not only is the design ingenious and innovative, it is simple and beautiful like much of their handy work. I highly recommend anyone passing through the area to make your way over for a visit and to learn more about this amazing group.



Upon our return home to our veggies, along with the heat and humidity, I was glad to see yet more cucumbers as I find them amazingly refreshing in this humid northeastern summer weather. I made this creamy cucumber salad as a variation of the one from Alice Water's, "The Art of Simple Food" which I have borrowed from my library and now feel I must purchase (I know, I'm really trying to stop...this will be the last one for a while!). This book is a great overall "how to" on cooking along with a nice inventory of simple and easy, yet elegant recipes. This salad calls for 2 cucumbers (I seed mine) peeled and sliced and tossed with salt (I used pink salt here). The dressing consists of about a quarter cup of cream, a few tablespoons of really good olive oil, juice of half a lemon and some fresh ground black pepper whisked together. After I dressed the salad I tossed in some fresh chopped parsley and a little fleur de sel to taste. I chilled a bit longer before serving and its perfect for a steamy new york city evening.

CSA week seven - summer fruit and more zucchini

Another week at the CSA and we see the fruit to start really rolling in - the excitement is beyond words. It is so fun to see peoples faces as the see the big bag of peaches that await them and a little bit sad for those folks regretting not signing up for the fruit share...you know who you are and you will next year! This week's share brings more veggie goodies as well, but I am little pensive thinking of the farmer mentioning how dry the season is. That is why we are here though - both to share the bounty as we have thus far this season, and to share the risk. I know lots of folks have CSA share and are really looking forward to big boxes of veg every week, and I don't doubt that it will keep coming. But I want to pause and remember that CSA's are really here to keep these local farmers afloat when the weather, or anything else for that matter goes awry. I am still enjoying the amazing organic produce from our farm, but I want folks to be aware of the anxieties the farmer faces and to be patient and supportive no matter what. So given all of that - take a look at those peaches!



Well, for those of you a little at a loss for what to do with this week's zucchini, let me suggest these yummy, easy and fun zucchini fries. I pulled these together since we were having turkey burgers and thought they would be a nice substitute for a regular potato french fry. These are super simple: just take a couple of zucchini and cut them into thick sticks. Salt lightly and let drain for about a half hour (this is pretty key or you will get really mushy fries). Dry them off a bit and toss with a couple of tablespoons of flour and fry in enough fat to just cover them (I used bacon fat for the flavor, but feel free to make a healthier choice and go for some canola or sunflower oil). Let drain on a couple of layers of paper towels and salt lightly. Enjoy!

Action Alert - Growth Hormone Labling in NY

I just found out from a friend that Monsanto is trying to push through a ban on labeling dairy products rbGH and rbST free in New York State.

You can find out more and take action here.

CSA week six...trying to keep up with the share

Another week has passed and that means more veggies to play with...but what about last week's share you might ask. Yes, it is tricky sometimes keeping up with this bounty, especially when there is a bit of over lap from week to week, but sometimes it gives you opportunities to make different recipes that you need a lot of one ingredient for.

This week we received more beets, and I hadn't used the bunch from last week yet. What was particularly exciting to me was the abundance of beet greens this provided. A few weeks ago I made a lasagna using beet greens, but it really was just enough for a taste since. When you have one bunch, it seems like a lot at the beginning, but once you cook them down, they really reduce. So when you have a couple of bunches of greens to work with you can really feature them as the main ingredient.

This is exactly what I did with this frittata. I love making frittatas because they are great warm, as I have served it here for breakfast along with some scrumptious bacon from Violet Hill Farm, along with a slice of freshly baked zucchini bread. Its also great chilled or at room temperature served along with a salad for lunch. They are also super easy to make and easy to change up depending on what you have on hand. Really the only essential ingredient in the frittata is the egg (about five of them in this case). For this frittata I caramelized a couple of onions that I scored from a farmer at the Green Market (its so nice working there!) and then added the rinsed (with a little water still clinging) and sliced beet greens from the two bunches of beets. I stirred the greens occasionally to let the steam themselves but not letting the onions burn. To the hot (12 inch cast iron) pan I added the beaten eggs seasoned with a little salt and pepper and stirred a bit to distribute all of the ingredients evenly. As the egg starts to cook I sprinkled on about a third of a cup of crumbled sharp cheddar cheese (also locally sourced right from the farmer I work for) and then a minute or two later I put it into a hot oven (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit) and baked it for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and a little golden. I finished the dish with a handful of chopped fresh parsley (also from this week's share).

NYT article: what about prevention???

this article, which was also covered on NPR today,describes the current debate over the long-term prescription of statins in children as young as eight years old. i guess its the public health professional in me, but yikes! what about prevention? the article does cover what appears to be a lively debate, with many pediatrician's coming out against this course of action based on sound medical reasoning. for me, though, the main issue is how we have gotten so far from knowing what and how to eat that we are willing to commit children to a life long course of medication rather than questioning our food system and culture. it really frightens me...

CSA week five - its July already!

Well, another week and another share box. This week also brought the beginning of fruit shares that inspired envy in many who did not sign up for this extra treat. The raspberries and blueberries are so amazing on their own, I'm not sure I am going to do anything more with them than just snack on them or put them in my yogurt.

An interesting thing I started paying attention to this week is the swap box. I'm not sure if all CSA's do this, but we open up a complete share box for folks to swap out or just leave unwanted veg. I think by far this week beets and lettuce (of all things!) were the most rejected veggies, and the box literally overflowed with them. The lettuce really surprised me since I cannot get enough salad right now, but I was also surprised at the love/hate relationship folks seemed to have with the beets. I think I mentioned before that I am co-site coordinator, and this week I sat by the box for the entire pick up time, just because it was a convenient place to sit and ask folks to sign up for volunteer shifts. I happened to start noticing what people were getting rid of and looking for to trade. Carrots seemed to be the most sought after, which makes sense since Golden Earthworm has a reputation for some amazingly sweet and delicious carrots. It was just interesting to notice, though, how people interacted with the beets - some people (a small handful, really) were super excited and traded anything for an extra bunch of these versatile veggies, but in the end there was still an awful lot of them left abandoned to the box. Most folks seemed to just not like them...for whatever reason, and others just didn't know what to do with them, which is understandable, but I'm pretty sure there is an ocean of recipes available out on the web to help one figure this out.

Well, in the spirit of experimenting with the beet (that I neither love, nor hate, but am growing increasingly fond of) I made these beet latkes.
These are really simple to make and you can basically follow a standard potato latke recipe, substituting the beets.

Beet Latkes:
1 bunch of beets, tops removed (save them for later), peeled and grated
5T a-p flour
1/2 t baking powder
1t salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
oil for frying

Dry the grated beets a little with a paper towel (if you use regular ol' white paper towels you can put them in the compost!). In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
You can also add any other spices of your choice (I used cumin in these) at this time.
Mix in the beets and then the eggs.
Heat enough oil to generously cover the pan at medium heat.
When oil is hot, but not smoking, place 1/4 cup scoops of the mixture into the pan and gently flatten out a little.
Fry for about 4 or 5 minutes on each side.
Let drain on a paper towel and season with salt if desired.
I served these with a little plain yogurt (from the farmer's market).

NYT Article: good enough to eat; so go on and eat it already...

This article discusses some of the healthiest foods that folks aren't eating. It caught my eye because number one on the list are beets, a veggie I struggle with myself, but am gladly taking the challenge. However, this was one of the main veggies left behind (along with lettuce?!)in the swap box yesterday at the CSA pickup. So for all of you that fear the mysteries of the beet - be adventurous! It'll pay off in both health and the expansion of your culinary palette :)

CSA week four - wrapping up the first month

Its hard to believe that we're a month into the CSA season already! The food has been wonderful and we have recently had the opportunity to really begin connecting with the community and discovering the different ways we are connected. Last week I took a yoga class at the Yoga Room
in LIC, and discovered the teacher I just had class with lives in my neighborhood and also belongs to a nearby CSA that is supplied by the same farm as ours - neat! Golden Earthworm is a great farm that has such amazing variety and I feel so lucky to be receiving my food from those hard working folks out there on Long Island.

My husband and I had dinner on Friday with our neighbors whom we also met through the CSA. They are actually two of the founding core-group members of
the Sunnyside CSA, and they happen to live in the same building as we do (its funny and comforting how the anonymity of urban living can be transcended by food). Dinner was amazing, but I sadly forgot to tote along my camera so there are no photos to share of the wonderful ratatouille Diane made for us. She is an amazing cook though and also a holistic health counselor with a wonderful approach to preparing food. We look forward to many more meals with them (hint, hint...).

On Sunday we had a CSA potluck with friends who belong to the Astoria CSA which is also supplied by Golden Earthworm, and it was so much fun to see the different things we made from the same share ingredients!

I made a lasagna with a red sauce that I prepared with lamb sausage and green garlic from the farmer's market. I layered the lasagna with a ricotta mixture to which I added minced garlic scape (from the green garlic tops) and a bit of S&P, and a layer of steamed beet greens seasoned with a bit of crushed red pepper. I topped it all with slices of fresh mozzarella and baked it for about 40 minutes until the cheese started to brown and it was all bubbly and oozing inside. When it was done I finished it with a chiffinade of fresh basil for garnish (and the wonderful smell it provides). It was so delicious (thank goodness...I was a bit nervous about it since it was totally improvised and I couldn't really taste it before serving it to friends). I have to say the dish came together pretty quickly and is a nice thing to serve to a small group.


It also left me a good bit of time to prepare a "red" salad (made with the red oak leaf lettuce and shredded beets, also from this week's share) to go along with it.


Our friend M. brought along an amazing salad of kohlrabi and fennel (using up some of last weeks share combined with this weeks fennel) with a bright and yummy lemon caper dressing, that complemented the spicy and savory flavors of the lasagna very nicely. Its also nice to see what other folks are making to help give you ideas.

Dessert was made by T., and she made an amazing strawberry-rhubarb cobbler that really hit the spot. It was a nice change for me since I always seem to make crumbles (like the one last week) and had actually just made a blueberry-pecan crumble that I brought to by neighbor's dinner on Friday (that was complimented by Diane's amazing pear sorbet).

All in all, the food this month has been amazing. It has been a wonderful challenge to try to keep up with the shares and I feel like overall we have done a great job of being creative and keeping the food both simple and interesting. For me though, what I am noticing I appreciate the most is the food connecting us with people, whether old friends or new. It has been great to share so many of these meals with others at the table recently and something that I am truly grateful for.

CSA week 3...oh the bounty!

Well, another week has gone by and I find myself once again like a kid a x-mas, eager to dig in and see what is in this week's share box. I was so excited to see that it was even bigger than the first two weeks! Matt, our CSA farmer at Golden Earthworm, reported that this will be the usual size of the share from here on in - oh the bounty of the season...but what will we do with all this food? Dinner parties it is :) Nothing inspires me to cook for friends more than this overflow of fresh, local, beautiful food and that's just what we found we've been doing.

Really, what better way to use this bounty than to share it with people you love? We have a tiny kitchen, and a pretty small city apartment for that matter, but we manage to have a couple people over at a time, which has been such fun this past week. After all, the "c" in csa does stand for community, so go ahead, invite some people in and cook for them, or better yet - cook together.

And what a great weekly share to entertain with this mix of sweet and savory!


The garlic scapes were a big favorite this week. I made a quick pesto with them by adding a bit of sea salt, olive oil and raw almonds to the roughly chopped scapes. I just put everything into the food processor and adjusted for taste and texture as I went along. I tossed the pesto with chick peas and pasta with a little bit crushed red pepper, and served it along with a salad made from the beautiful head of crisp-green lettuce, for a tasty and filling vegetarian meal that left the two athletes I was feeding completely sated.

For dessert I just had to do something with the strawberries and rhubarb...

This strawberry rhubarb crumble is one of my favorite recipes. I have it written in an old notebook, so I'm not quite sure where the recipe originated, but it is a simple and delicious way to prepare this natural combination of summer fruit (although rhubarb is actually a veggie).

For the topping:
1/2 c oats
1/2 c unbleached flour
1/2 c of raw sugar
1/3 c of sliced almonds
1/4 t of nutmeg
pinch of salt
6T butter (cut into small cubes)

For the filling:
5 c rhubarb (sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
2 c strawberries (hulled and halved)
3/4 c raw sugar
1/3 c lemon juice
2 T flour
zest of one lemon
1/2 t cardamom
1/4 t nutmeg

Heat oven to 375F, and butter a pie plate or 8x8 baking dish.
For the topping, mix together all of the dry ingredients and then rub in the butter with your fingers until it is evenly dispersed.
For the filling, combine all ingredients and let stand about 15 minutes to let the flavors develop and the juices to run. Put filling in the baking dish and sprinkle the topping on evenly. Bake until bubbly (about 25 minutes).
This is great served warm with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!

CSA- week two

I just realized that in my haste to dive into my share last week that I forgot to mention that the CSA that I am a member of is the Sunnyside CSA, located in Sunnyside, Queens. It is in its second year, and that fact that we have doubled our membership is really exciting and speaks to the growing awareness of food related issues and the demand for local and sustainably raised foods in our (very diverse) community. Our food is supplied by the Golden Earthworm Organic Farm
located on the north-fork of Long Island, and they supply several CSAs in the area. I will hopefully remember to discuss more about both the CSA and the farm in the coming weeks.

Well, the second week's share does not disappoint with another large bounty so early in the season - it really is so exciting! I was hoping for some rhubarb this week, but Matt (the farmer, who was at the delivery this week) mentioned that there just wasn't enough, but we will be getting it next week (we better...).

This week we received: a head of romain, a small bunch of broccoli, a head of boston lettuce, toscano kale, a bunch of (very beautiful) rainbow chard, and a basket of (scrumptious) strawberries. I still haven't quite made it through last week's share, but will be making some pesto with my lingering arugula. In order to alleviate a little anxiety about using all of these greens I have decided to start thinking about putting some food by for the winter. This was a real treat last winter with the roasted tomatoes, and a great way to make sure you don't waste any of the yummy food in your share.

Today I decided to save the kale for the winter. This is great when I am getting to that point (which is hard to imagine this time of year) when I am really craving greens and kind of sick of root veggies. Fortunately kale freezes really well and it actually makes it even more tender when you are ready to prepare it. To prepare the kale I carefully clean each leaf with a little water (I did find a critter I was happy to be rid of) and shake off the excess, but I don't dry it. I give the kale a rough chop and put it in a zip top freezer bag trying to squeeze out as much air as possible. Then its ready for the freezer and hardly takes up any room at all. ...I'll be glad in February :)

CSA Season has begun!

The CSA season has finally begun and it was so exciting to be at the first pick-up yesterday. I kept hearing folks say things like "I've been waiting for this day for months!" and "its like Christmas, only tastier!" The energy was great, and it was wonderful to meet the farmer at the drop off (now that I'm co-coordinating pick up days) and see the whole day unfold.
I was so excited when I got home that I forgot to take a picture of my share and dove right in to make this salad!
This week's share includes: baby arugula, bunched arugula, spinach, red boston lettuce and radishes - yum!
This salad was a natural start, especially after a long day of teaching and then hanging out at the CSA pick-up all evening. From the share I used some baby arugula, lettuce and radishes. I made sure to soak the greens in cool water to get all of the grit and dirt out, and then they went through the salad spinner. I also added, along with the sliced radishes, some sliced carrots and red onion and one chive blossom form the garden. It was so fresh and delicious!
Stay tuned as I post other recipes from this and the coming weeks shares :)

NYT article: What a waste...

A very interesting article on food waste in the US appeared recently in the New York Times. It outlines the nature of the problem in this country, and the scale of the amount of wasted food is truly troubling for many reasons. The food wasted goes to landfills rather than compost bins, so it winds up taking up more space and producing methane (a green house gas) instead of feeding people, or even live stock. It seems that with all of the concern over local sustainability the best place to start looking for ways to help would be one's own kitchen.

This has really motivated me to start looking for ways to keep food out of landfills, and while I do compost, it would be fun and interesting to explore other ways to do this. I hope to start a regular posting focusing on tips that provide options for preventing food waste and using up leftovers.
My first and one of my longstanding favorites is to save veggie scraps in a zip top freezer bag. Once the bag is full I turn it into stock by putting the frozen scraps into a large stock pot and adding about 4 quarts of water, a pinch of kosher salt and any fresh herbs I have on hand. Simmer for about 10-20 minutes and drain when cooled. I freeze the stock in quart containers until I'm ready to use them, and the remaining scraps are ready to go into the compost bin!

Yum...fennel pollen sausage pizza!

This is the perfect time of year for us to make pizza at home. Its not quite hot out, so it feels OK to crank the oven up to 550 degrees, which is what we do to bake our pies. The other exciting part is going to the Union Square Green Market to find fresh, delicious local ingredients to put on it. We recently had a little pizza party here, and our friend brought over my favorite sausage from Violet Hill Farms (see "local food resources NYC", in the side bar). This farm is located in Sullivan County and all of the meat is humanely and sustainably raised; just ask the farmer, Paul, he'll tell you all about it.

The sausage for this pizza is a pork sausage delicately seasoned with fennel pollen (admittedly and in seasoning at the moment), one of the most expensive spices in the world; and its worth it. This pizza was simple dressed with a little home made sauce and fresh mozzarella. On a well preheated stone in a hot oven, it bakes in less than 10 minutes. Its a really fun way to have a dinner party because it can be participatory (or not) and gets onto the table quickly.

The Iron Man and the Cheeseburger

OK; yes I went to see Ironman...what can I say? I've always liked Robert Downey Jr. And all in all, he was pretty good in the movie... Anyway, I wanted to take a moment to particularly reflect on the only food centered moment in the film. It really struck me for what it represented and I was pretty surprised at even being surprised. Well, here goes:

It seems natural enough that a life threatening trauma would make one pretty hungry. After being abducted in a foreign land, imprisoned and forced to recreate the very weapons that got you into this mess in the first place...and of course then battling a whole slew of terrorists, and wandering through the desert, one would work up quite an appetite.

So what might be the first meal of the rest of your life? I'm still pondering that myself; there are just so many choices...but for Ironman/industrialist Tony Stark, the choice is clear. It is the quintessential American meal; the cheeseburger. After being delivered back to the bosom of his beloved LA, Stark, a boy genius and playboy weapons manufacturer, wants only two things; a press conference (to reveal to the world the profound humanitarian transformation that has occurred within him after seeing his weapons kill the very people he naively thought they would protect)...and a cheeseburger, which gets delivered to him immediately (almost magically) in a simple brown paper Burger King bag.

Ah, regular food for regular people...and how convenient that one can easily multi-task with this handy dandy finger food. Stark literally pauses a moment to take a satisfying bite out of this (most beautiful example of a fast food) burger as he shares his life altering journey, escaping from the evil other. This bite appears to be enough to provide the relief he so desperately sought after months of being confined to a cave in the mountains of Afghanistan, since it fades from the foreground into being a simple prop through the rest of the scene where he is causing an uproar with his major business announcement.

So why does any of this matter? This excellent, and painfully obvious example of product placement is more than just the pedaling of crap food for BK, it is an exemplar of American cuisine. Comforting yet convenient, fast and fun; the cheeseburger is everything a good (meat-eating) American needs. What better representation of of the American way of life and culture (or some would say, lack there of) of food than a product that was sourced from any number of environmentally degradating sources, assembled by poorly paid, unskilled labor, and can be eaten by the consumer with one hand while, say for example; driving a car, or working, or better yet, shopping. What can be more American than that?

Don't get me wrong, even I enjoy a really good cheeseburger from time to time (my graduate supervisor can now attest to that), but this bit of gratuitous marketing is upsetting on so many levels. Cinematically, it seems clumsily shoved in (I guess they couldn't have put it in the scene where he is saving the damsel in distress) just to connect the cross marketing, and is almost distracting from the main action of the scene. But I also am concerned with what this kind of food represents and the message it sends people, especially the millions of kids that will go see this movie and then by the evil, saturated fat laden children's meals that contain the little gimmicky toys that in turn advertise the film. I also think its a sad statement that the epitome of comfort has been represented by a poor quality, low nutrition fast food burger; and not just for the marketing aspect, but because I think in many ways it does accurately symbolize those things to the dominant culture. We, as a culture, are so detached from where our food comes from, and really taking the time to enjoy a meal, that we don't even know what good food tastes like and can't discern the difference between quality or crap when we eat it.

NYT article: Adapting to a changing economy

In this article appearing in the Times today we see a changing picture of Americans living in a recession and the way this down turn is affecting everyday life. I know several people who are still waiting for the other (chaotic and disastrous) shoe to drop, but I think its interesting that people are ready to make due and adapt. I am particularly interested in how this will impact the standard American diet. It seems that as meat consumption is going up in emerging economies like China, Americans are already starting to skip the red meat. This is an amazing opportunity for public health and food activists to support positive dietary changes and help folks trying to adapt to a more economical diet, that may in fact also be better for their health and the environment. The main challenge I see is getting folks to eat more whole grains and legumes and not just peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread.

NYT article: Oh bees

the mystery of the disappearing bees continues and is quite disconcerting. it seems that the reasons for the decline in bee populations are still only little understood. that's why this article
appears at a good time, with suggestions on plantings and tips to encourage bees in your area. take a look and get planting!

Who is buying organic (in the late 90's...in Australia...)

This is the next installment of my literature review looking at food values and motivations that shape the alternative food system. By now organic is not really alternative, with the USDA officially governing organic standards, and organic products showing up in many conventional supermarkets all over the world. I'm interested in the evolution of organic insofar as it may provide a cautionary tale for the local foods movement. Organic has gone industrial, and it is arguable as to whether or not this is a good thing for contemporary consumers and the environment. It leads me to wonder what the path will be for "local".

Here is the article I examined and a brief annotation:

Lockie S, Lyons K, Lawrence G, Mummery K (2002). Eating ‘Green’: Motivations Behind Organic Food Consumption in Australia, Sociologia Ruralis; vol 42, no. 1.

This study utilizes focus groups and telephone surveys to identify various, and often competing motivations for choosing to purchase and consume organic products in Australia. The authors found that both organic and non-organic consumers share many of the same food related values and concerns in relation to motivations for food choice. However, different consumers place more or less weight on particular values which informs food purchases.

The central reasons for organic consumption found in this study, along with environmental concern, include a focus on personal/family health, natural content of food (amount of processing and additives), as well as price and convenience, among others. These values were shared with non-organic consumers, who put more weight on price and convenience, where as organic consumers put more weight on health and natural content. The main population associations found in the study identified increases in organic consumption among people with more education and women. The authors point out that these findings challenge the popular stereotypes of organic consumers who are often viewed as yuppies and ‘greenies’ (environmentalists). Thus, there is a wide audience for organic, but for consumers, the challenge is to balance the competing demands of values and practical concerns.

The authors note that industrial organic is an issue of concern, but do not explicitly examine it in their study. Industrial organic poses a conflict to the values of the initial organic movement that support low input, sustainable and local production, but seeks to make organic foods more available to consumers who primarily shop for food in conventional supermarkets. The authors point out that given the values of both organic and non-organic consumers, consumers in general may not be entirely opposed, though may not fully support the industrialization of organic food production.

NYT article: "Chicken Little" coming true...?

In 1991, Joan Dye Gussow published the book: "Chicken Little, Tomato Sauce, and Agriculture; Who Will Produce Tomorrow's Food?" When I first read this book it seemed to me an extreme and nightmarish vision of a food system that has completely been derailed by industry, greed and a strange form of technological optimism. I really thought of it as a cautionary tale, more than anything else; another book waking me up to the importance of understanding food production, and inspiring me to be mindful in procuring my food from sources that reflect my values of concern for the environment, labor and animals. So its pretty surprising and scary to see an article that highlights a project researching the same kind of science fiction meat production that Gussow talks about in her book. This article explores just that! Apparently, producers and researchers concerned with meeting the demand for meat of a global population growing in both size and affluence will have a greater demand, and thus a greater potential for profit, of meat. Yet its clear that the planet cannot sustain current levels of industrial meat production, so the solution being explored here is the culturing of meat in the lab. This frightens me on many levels and makes me wonder how far into Gussow's nightmare we will actually venture as a culture...

Tomatoes to help get me through the "cruelest month"

tomatoes are the epitome of summer. a fresh, local, seasonal tomato tastes like sunshine and sweetness. for me, the supermarket, flown in from who knows where, winter/spring tomatoes are just not acceptable on so many levels. the food miles of course are an important issues; a tomato from california or south america is just too drenched in guilt and petroleum for me to enjoy. not to mention they taste like nameless mush; i can't even really call those specimens tomatoes. canned tomatoes are an (less desirable) option for me out of season, when i really need a little boost of color to my diet. i confess i do balance health concerns with seasonality...and i just need the variety sometimes. so while i don't entirely adhere to a name your mileage diet, i do attempt to eat as locally and in season as possible. to this end, having roasted and frozen my over abundance of csa tomatoes have really become an amazing spring treat that helps me hold back from buying crazy supermarket veggies that i know will only disappoint in the end.
these tomatoes are a variety of beef steak, and were huge and juicy and full of flavor last summer. i had so many of them that i decided i would put some by, and am glad for it. these tomatoes were simply cut in half, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with crushed garlic and salt and roasted for about an hour on low heat (around 300 f).
for this dish, i simply sauteed an onion (from the farmer's market) in some oil, chopped the thawed roasted tomatoes, and let simmer with a little extra salt and some pepper. i tossed it through with some linguine and finished it with a little bit of chopped parsley to brighten the flavor. the end result was a satisfying (and guilt free) earthy, roasty sauce that was definitely just what i needed to help me over this april hump!

Constructing the local

In another installation of my review of articles related to local foods, I am providing an annotation of an article that focuses on one state's efforts to institutionalize local food in the effort to support the local economy. At the heart of this process are questions that I am fundamentally interested in, specifically: what is local food; how do people define local food; and what is the scale of local food. This is an interesting article that raises many of these questions, and though they are mainly unanswered, the author also points to both problems and pathways to lead those of us concerned with local foods through this process.

Hinrichs, CC (2003), The practice and politics of food system localization, Journal of Rural Studies 19, 33-45.

This paper discusses the observations of food system re-localization (defined as a return to the greater regional food self-reliance of the past) in the context of Iowa’s efforts to promote locally produced food through a program called the “Iowa grown banquet meal”, which promotes the consumption of Iowa grown food both direct to consumers (through farmer’s markets and CSA’s) and through institutional use (schools, hospitals, etc.). The author prefaces this exploration into the social construction of local foods by noting that food system localization is a desirable and socially justifiable effort, but cautions against potential problems and pitfalls in both the constructing of “local” food and the possibility of exclusionary practices, among others. Hinrichs notes the reification of local food, and seeks to look closely at the practice, in the case of Iowa, of re-localizing the food system and the processes implications.

Hinrichs notes that multiple and “sometimes contradictory” conceptualizations of local foods, and explores the discourse of local foods in the context of the “global-local” binary. She is concerned that concepts of local food do not necessarily reflect the social and environmental implications with which it implies. Among the academic discourse, Hinrichs observes the use of the local as the answer to concerns coming out of globalization in general and particularly related to the food commodity chain, noting the problematic nature of this binary thinking. Contrasting the binary perspective, she invokes a systems-oriented approach that draws from ecology to add to the understanding of the local.

Hinrichs provides a list of themes that have come to exemplify local foods that encompass issues of community, local economics, scale, bio-diversity, health and democracy, among others. In addition, in examining the commodity chain of local foods issues of local versus regional also arise, as well as the complexities of local politics in producing meaning around local food. Particularly, there is a concern that local foods have the potential of becoming an elitist commodity and excludes the majority of consumers. She also points out the potential issues around labor, exploring concerns over who will grow food as Iowa farmers age out of farming and the state as a whole loses population. She notes the deep ambivalence Iowa residents have over immigrant labor which they acknowledge as necessary to many facets of food production in the state, but are still conceived as the other and are generally unwelcome in communities.

For this program, the scale of local was the entire state of Iowa (56,000 square miles). Scale derives from the state’s efforts to promote a specific type of consumption, and to account for the variation, and particularly the sparsely populated rural areas as compared to urban centers, that encompass the local food system that is conceived. Scale of production in the state of Iowa is also of interest as Iowa has traditionally been a commodity producing agrarian industrial state. Hinrichs notes that there is a notion of small scale production intertwined with in the concept of local food, which is problematic in this context. Ultimately, a central question that remains to be answered is who grows local food?

You say its your birthday...

It was our friend Mark's birthday this weekend, and a little birdy told me peanut butter and chocolate is one of his favorite flavor combinations (I have to agree!). So I decided to go all out and make this delicious chocolate cake with a peanut-butter butter cream frosting. We all crashed about 20 minutes after eating it, but birthdays only come once a year!
This recipe is adapted from one that appeared in the Boston Globe in 2007.

Chocolate Cake:
2c granulate turbinado sugar
1 3/4c flour
3/4c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2t baking powder
1 1/2t baking soda
1t salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
1c milk
1t vanilla extract
1c boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 F, and lightly grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Fit cake pans with parchment paper cutouts and grease as well.
In a stand mixer, combine all dry ingredients.
With mixer on low speed, blend in eggs, milk and vanilla; then start slowly adding boiling water.
Divide batter evenly into pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until cake springs back when lightly touched.
Let cool completely before frosting.

Peanut-butter frosting:
1c unsalted butter
1c lard (i prefer) or veg shortening
2lbs confectioner's sugar
2T vanilla extract
1c water
2c smooth peanut-butter

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and lard; gradually add in sugar and mix until incorporated and stiff.
With mixer running on low, slowly add vanilla and water; beat until fluffy.
Add peanut butter and beat on medium-high until fluffy.
Chill until ready to use.

NYT article: Sex and Vegans...

Well it was quite a surprise to see two of my interests, food (about which I am obviously obsessed), and sex (which I am thinking a lot about these days since I am teaching a Human Sexuality class right now) come together in a New York Times article the other day. In the article "The Carrot some Vegans Deplore" Jesella describes the trend of using female sexuality to persuade people (particularly hamburger munching men) to consider going vegan/vegetarian. It strikes me as a pretty strange tactic, and almost desperate and contradictory in so many ways for a diet that is based, at least in part, on an ethical platform to use the objectification of women to manipulate or sell the idea veganism. I would love to hear other peoples thoughts on this!
Check out the full article.

Attitudes toward local foods in the UK

I thought this might be a good space to share articles that I've been reading related to my food/environment interests. I will give brief summaries here and the full citation. Here goes the first one!

Chambers S, Lobb A, Butler L, Harvey K, Traill WB, (2007). Local, national and imported foods; a qualitative study. Appetite 49, 208 -213.

This study utilized four focus groups, structured into socio-economic groupings, to identify relevant themes related to local foods in the UK, and whether attitudes varied based on SES. The themes that emerged were: cost, lifestyle, food quality, consumer ethnocentrism, choice and farmers. The context for this study is the policy interventions of the British government and position of the EU, to encourage “sustainable consumption”, with a focus of promoting direct sales of local food products. The authors observe that previous research suggests that consumers generally feel positively about locally produces foods, but at the same time there is little information in the literature regarding perceived and actual barriers to buying local foods. The authors sought to conduct focus groups to explore these issues, how they relate to consumer preference, and also obstacles in accessing these preferences.

The authors point out the lack of an official definition of “local foods”, and thus operationalize it for the purposes of their study as “products produced and sold within a 30-50 mile radius of a consumer’s home. Interviewers asked group participants to think of geographical definitions at the beginning of each session, and the consensus was close to the authors’ original definition at 20-50 miles. Also of interest was the observation that for this sample (N=33) that the overall consumption of local foods was low. Specific observations related to the themes identified include:

· Cost - local foods were viewed as more expensive than national brands and imported foods

· Lifestyle -lack of time and convenience were seen as obstacles to access local foods with a preference towards super market shopping

· Food quality – local foods were judged to be of higher quality in terms of freshness, and improved taste

· Choice – participants wanted the option to eat foods out of season (i.e. strawberries in winter) and greater variety than what is grown locally

· Ethnocentrism – belief that shopping locally would help the local economy, support farmers in the region, and also resist against purchasing from sources that were politically distasteful (in this case it was not buying French products out of dislike for the French government)

· Farmers – there were some who wanted to buy local to support farmers in the area

A little bit of comfort goes a long way...

These end of winter days get me into a bit of a funk sometimes. Its not so bad, and I'm a northeasterner through and through, so I just come to expect it. As such, I do employ some coping strategies like dragging myself to yoga class even when I really don't want to leave the apartment, napping of course, and comfort food. This macaroni and cheese does a great job on this front with a creamy saucy base that is completed by a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Here is the basic recipe, but its easy to change it up to add variety (the one above uses bacon and pepper jack cheese to this end).
Macaroni and Cheese:

6T butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6T a-p flour
1 quart whole milk
1T dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
1t thyme
2c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1c monterey jack cheese, shredded
s&p to taste
1lb elbow pasta
2c fresh coarse crumbs
1/2c parmesan cheese
2T olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 9x13 pan.
Melt butter in a 5-6 quart pot, and add onions.
Cook onions until clear, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile set a pot to boil for the pasta, and drain when al dente.
When onions are cooked through, stir in flour and cook for a couple of minutes.
Whisk in milk slowly, and then add mustard and bay leaf.
Bring to a simmer stirring frequently, and let simmer for about 15 minutes for flavors to develop.
Stir in cheeses and season to taste.
Stir in cooked and drained pasta; pour into baking pan.
In a small bowl mix bread crumbs with parmesan and olive oil.
Sprinkle on top, bake for about 15 minutes, until crumb topping is golden brown.

NYT article: Youth and the Stigma of Free Lunch

This is an interesting article looking at the utilization of subsidized lunch in high schools. I didn't realize this, but some cafeterias provide different foods and have different lines for the kids who buy their lunch and the kids who may access the subsidized lunches. While I was working at a high school in Washington Heights (NYC), this wasn't the case and all of the kids basically had a debit card that they could use to buy any of the items available. Cafeterias that differentiate among kids by the way they access food is an obvious source of tension for youth who at this time more than anything want to fit in with their peers. It seems like their are some easy solutions to this challenge, and my main concern is that youth who qualify for subsidized food, do not get subsidized for the same foods that other youth pay for...why?
Anyway, take a look a the article.

mmmm...pumpkin mini-loaves

At this time of year, it sort of is slim pickings at the farmer's market, and squash is one of the veggies that is plentiful and provides good variety. I have to admit, too, that I am really taken by the forms of all of the squash - these loaves came from a buttercup squash, which is a deep green, with peanut scars, and a bright orange end - they are little works of art from nature. Also, I like that it can be both sweet or savory, and love adding the color to my meal.

This recipe is based on Bittman's Pumpkin Bread recipe, and is absolutely delicious and comforting on these cold end of winter days.
I chose to go the mini route, since it bakes more quickly and results in 4 small (but substantial) loaves. This is also a great size for sharing (which I like to do). This bread is great plain , or with some jam and tea at the end of the day, but I also enjoy it toasted with butter for breakfast.
I go kind of wild sometimes an add chocolate chips to the recipe to make it really a dessert (with some vanilla ice cream- yum!).

Pumpkin mini loaves:
2c a-p flour
1/2c ww flour
1/2c cornmeal
1/2 t salt
1Tbaking powder
1t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves and nutmeg
3/4c raw granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c melted butter
1 1/4c milk
1c cooked mashed pumpkin (just roast a whole squash for about an hour)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease 4 mini loaf pans.
Combine all dry ingredients.
Beat eggs with butter and milk.
Mix egg mixture, along with the pumpkin, into the dry ingredients just until it comes together (do not over mix!).
Divide equally into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes (test with a toothpick, it will come out dry when done).
Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

NYT article: Is it the Ducks or the Suburbs?

This article describes the pressure some free range duck farmers in Long Island are experience regarding complaints of water contamination downstream from their farms. Interestingly, as an aside in the article, the reporter mentions the potential for this contamination to be coming from suburban cesspools that overflow into the river as well. I can't imagine that these communities will put up the money to update their sewage system, so lets just watch them ruin yet another valuable asset (the sustainable family farm) until they "figure" what they really have to do to solve the problem of contaminated water (can we say urban planning!).
Read the full article here.

"The Meaning of Food"

This is a three part series from PBS, hosted by Marcus Samuelson, a celebrity chef here in NYC. This is an intriguing, ethnographic exploration of culture, life and family with food at the center. Many cultures and traditions are explored in the US, and I found this program both insightful and inspiring. It really shows the importance of food in the process of meaning making, community building and identity formation. Check it out if you get the chance!

"The Real Dirt on Farmer John"

This film is an inspiring, almost roller coaster ride of the story of John Peterson's family farm, and the struggle to keep it. This northern Illinois farm has been in John's family for generations, and it seems as though it would be his destiny to continue farming this land. However, with several family losses, and the economic difficulties faced by many family farmers throughout the US, this destiny was seriously called into question. John's struggles, both personal, and economic are amazingly narrated by himself, and the use of personal archival footage make this a beautiful film that shows the importance of perseverance and community. Check it out if it comes to your area! (see the link in Food in Films in the sidebar).

NYT article: You said it Mark!

I'm really glad that Bittman has commented on the phenomenon of cook books which show parents how to hide "healthy foods" in "desirable foods" in the effort to get their kids to eat well. What is this suppose to teach kids? How will this shape kids' long term attitudes towards foods? What does this say about contemporary parenting?
I have been a community chef for Just Food for a couple of years now, and I think its amazing how excited kids get about fruits and veggies if you make it fun and exciting. Why resort to smoke and mirrors?
Check out Bittman's commentary here.