Great Apps, part 2: Applications
- The Food Matters Cookbook - Mark Bittman
- Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe: 140 New Recipes from New York's Acclaimed Restaurant
- Passionate Vegetarian
- II Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey (by Philadelphia's own Marc Vetri)
- Horizons: The Cookbook (from Philadelphia's own Horizons restaurant)
- How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table (the science behind cooking)
- How to Read a French Fry: And Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science (more of the cool science behind food... the kind of stuff you get from Alton Brown on Good Eats... only more of it.)
- Cook's Illustrated
Meet a Committe Member: Mary Beth Hertz
On which committee do you serve? I am secretary of the Steering Committee. What do you do for a living? I am a technology teacher in a small elementary school in North Philadelphia. How did you get involved with the food co-op? I attended the informational PSCA meeting last Spring and the rest is history! Why do you want a food co-op in South Philly? I lived and ate in a co-operative house for 4 years while at Oberlin College. I loved the way we chose what was in our kitchen, the sense of community, the focus on local, sustainable products. I also am kind of a food snob :) I am excited to bring this kind of experience and business into my neighborhood. Why should people join a food co-op? A food co-op is unlike any other place that you will shop. As a member, you have a say in what you see on the shelves, you are part of a community of people who are invested in their community and you have a say in the direction the business takes through your vote and involvement. What is your favorite meal to cook and why? I love making soups of all kinds because they are easy, tasty and comforting. My most recent favorite was a lentil soup with sausage. I also like to make Vichyssoise (potato leek soup).
Great Apps, part 1: Appetizer edition
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp maple sugar/brown sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 to 1/2 head of cabbage
- 1 carrot julienne fine
- handful of radishes matchsticked
- other radish of your liking
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- handful of shelled peanuts
- handful of lettuce/salad mix
- 2 large eggplants (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 large garlic cloves, slivered
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried crumbledd
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Red leaf lettuce
- 4 tomatoes, sliced
- Pita bread
- chopped fresh oregano
- tofu
- cilantro
- scallions
- garlic
- oil
- horseradish
- lime
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 pound pitted black olives, such as Kalamata
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon cognac or brandy
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups canned chick peas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup tahini
- ½ lemon, squeezed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch paprika
- Fried chick peas
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Olive oil for frying
The New Young Farmers
Homemade Ricotta
Have you ever tried making homemade ricotta? I found a recipe on one of my favorite food blogs and tried it out. It was so easy and delicious! All you need is milk, lemon juice, salt, and a cheese cloth. First, heat 1 quart or 4 cups of milk over medium high heat and stir constantly. As it comes to a slow boil, add the 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Continue stirring until you start to see it curdle (about 2 minutes). Then pour the mixture into the strainer that is lined with the cheese cloth. Let the liquid discard for a few minutes then hang the cheese cloth for about an hour (I tied it to my faucet above my sink). Transfer the curds to a covered container and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. I used mine in a chocolate ricotta mousse for Valentine's Day. Makes about 8 ounces. Please note that I altered the recipe from The Italian Dish so if you decide to make your own, use one or the other to avoid any mishaps.
Co-op update for March 2011
In this Issue:
- What We’ve Been Up To
- Upcoming Events
- Become a Member of the South Philly Food Co-op
What We’ve Been Up To:
We’ve been busy presenting the South Philly Food Co-op at neighborhood civic association meetings and collecting surveys of people’s opinions, including their level of interest in the co-op. Thanks to everyone who has filled out our survey—more than 800 of you—and those who haven’t can take the survey here. We held our first fundraiser at the South Philadelphia Taproom in early December and it was a huge success—more than 80 people turned out for drink and food specials. A great time was had by all! And have you heard of Ignite Philly? It’s a chance to present a “spark” of a great idea planned to happen in Philadelphia in short 5 minute bursts…they obviously thought our 5 minutes were explosive because they awarded us with $1000! _____________________________________________Upcoming Events:
Come out and meet the South Philly Food Co-op! Spring Community Forum Monday, March 21 at 7pm (limited parking available) Neumann-Goretti High School Auditorium Entrance at 11th and Moore Streets We are hosting a community forum where we’ll share our progress and plans to open the South Philly Food Co-op. It’s a chance for everyone to meet one another and for those of you in the community to ask any and all questions you may have about the project. It’s also a chance for you to find out more about how you can lend a hand (we’re always looking for more people with time, energy and/or fancy skills). RSVP on our Facebook page. We hope to see you there! Whole Foods for the Whole Family Sunday, March 27th at 6pm Philly Community Wellness at 1241 Carpenter Street Keep your family healthy with the foods that you’ll be able to find at your local co-operative. Join Marie Winters, ND as she discusses the benefits and medicinal properties of everyday fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins. Find out how eating seasonally helps to keep the body naturally healthy, and discuss ways to use the first spring fruits and vegetables to improve your health and wellbeing. Learn about gentle detoxing using food and juice, immune support for the whole family, keeping your heart healthy naturally, maintaining hormonal balance with your diet. RSVP on our Facebook page or by emailing [email protected] Are you interested in leading a discussion or organizing an educational/fundraising event? Email [email protected] We are planning additional education events and fundraisers for the spring and summer and are looking for people who are connected to businesses, restaurants, authors, speakers or performance artists. If you have a good idea for a co-op fundraiser or an educational event and are interested in helping get it off the ground, please email us. We have the volunteers and resources to help make it happen. _____________________________________________Become a Member of the South Philly Food Co-op!
Ready to become a member of the co-op? We’re planning to kick off our Membership Drive this summer. Stay tuned for more details and come to the Forum to learn what it means to be a member-owner of the co-op. Remember: We own It – and we need to work for it! Thanks again and looking forward to seeing you soon! The Steering Committee Alison Fritz, Chair Maria Camoratto, Vice Chair Mary Beth Hertz, Secretary Cassie Plummer, Inter-Committee Liaison, Legal & Finance Committee Julia Koprak John Raezer Marsha ShifletThe Dirty Dozen and Clean 15
Ever had a light money week and felt torn by the organic vs. conventional question? Here is a simple list of the 12 produce items that have been tagged as the "Dirty Dozen" (and you should ALWAYS purchase organically) and the "Clean 15" that you can scrape by with (although it might not taste as good!) The fruits and vegetables on “The Dirty Dozen” list, when conventionally grown, tested positive for at least 47 different chemicals, with some testing positive for as many as 67. For produce on the “dirty” list, you should definitely go organic — unless you relish the idea of consuming a chemical cocktail. “The Dirty Dozen” list includes: •celery •peaches •strawberries •apples •domestic blueberries •nectarines •sweet bell peppers •spinach, kale and collard greens •cherries •potatoes •imported grapes •lettuce All the produce on “The Clean 15” bore little to no traces of pesticides, and is safe to consume in non-organic form. "The Clean 15" list includes: •onions •avocados •sweet corn •pineapples •mango •sweet peas •asparagus •kiwi fruit •cabbage •eggplant •cantaloupe •watermelon •grapefruit •sweet potatoes •sweet onions **list and images from (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/the-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-of-produce/616/)
Spring Community Forum
Whole Foods for the Whole Family
- Gentle detoxing using food and juice
- Immune support for the whole family
- Keeping your heart healthy naturally
- Maintaining hormonal balance with your diet.
Meet a Committee Member: Alison Fritz
On which committee do you serve? Chair of the Steering Committee and Inter-committee liaison to the Outreach Committee. What do you do for a living? Associate Director of Donor Relations at Fox Chase Cancer Center. How did you get involved with the food co-op? I really enjoyed being a member of Weavers Way in Mt. Airy from 2003 - 2005, and wondered why there weren't more stores like it in Philadelphia. When my husband and I moved to South Philadelphia in 2008, I was encouraged to learn about a local buying club and previous co-op start-up activity. With the help of Weavers Way, we presented the co-op model at a neighborhood meeting in April and got a great response. The initiative took off from there and I've met some really wonderful people who I wouldn't have known without the help of the co-op (see! it's connecting us already!). Why do you want a food co-op in South Philly? Well, I love food. Love Food. Love eating it, cooking it, shopping for it, and talking about it. More than that, I think it's important to know where our food comes from, how it was grown or raised, how it has been processed, and ultimately how it got to the table and into our bodies. By being a part of a member-owned co-op, we will all get to exercise some small measure of ownership and control over these issues - while supporting the local economy and working together. Why should people join a food co-op? Really good food, support for local and socially responsible food suppliers, and a chance to get to know and work with your neighbors. One of the reasons I wanted to move to South Philly was to have a chance at the "neighborhoodness" (is that a word?) that I remember from my childhood. With all of the change and residential turnover that our community has seen over the last few years, this co-op could be one of the things that helps unite us again. What is your favorite meal to cook and why? Gosh, I don't know. It's hard to pick one dish because I really like to test our new recipes and our menu tends to be dictated by whatever we picked up in our CSA share that week. I guess the staples in my house are: homemade pizza, black bean burgers, hummus, roasted broccoli, and braised kale. I've also been on a bit of a kimchi kick lately. I love the ritual of looking through my cookbooks and picking out new things to try, and then the act of prepping, chopping, bubbling, and sizzling. Sometimes the experience of preparing a meal can be more soul satisfying than actually eating it.