As many of you may know, 2012 is the Year of the Co-operative. It is also the year we hope to open our doors. We are part of a larger movement worldwide to embrace the co-operative model. In that spirit, here is a video showing how successful and popular the model has been in Britain, which houses The Co-operative, a network of member-owned businesses that range from banks to travel agencies to grocery stores. (apologies for the ads at the bottom--they appear with the embedded video and were not added by us!) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omYTRE77X-4]

Sardines, a delicious and sustainable treat, perfect for the Feast of Seven Fishes. Here's an easy recipe from Mark Bittman.

The folks at the South Philly Food Co-op started the holiday season a little early this year with our first fundraiser at the South Philly Tap Room. We all had a wonderful time meeting members from the community and enjoyed the opportunity to talk about what we've been up to and next steps. Thanks to everyone that came out to support us! Now, on to the food . . . Today feels like a good day to share some favorite holiday food traditions. Large or small, every family has their own special way to celebrate the season. A particular favorite in my family is all about the snacks on Christmas Eve. Growing up, we would load our plates with cheese, crackers, shrimp cocktail, and whatever special goodies Mom came up with to delight us; we'd watch Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in Frank Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life" and enjoy the company of family. As time moves on, situations change and traditions evolve. We're pickier with our cheese selection now and have switched out the shrimp cocktail for oysters . . . still delicious (even more so I might say), but I look back very fondly on our simple beginnings. The holiday season is also about remembering loved one who are no longer with us. In my case it is Grandma and her baking. Simple but classic . . .

Christmas Butter Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter thoroughly. Add sugar gradually. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients. Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix thoroughly. Shape and bake in desired shapes. Bake 6 -8 minutes. Chill dough. Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!! Your friends at the SPFC

Where better to have our first fundraiser than the South Philadelphia Tap Room? Join your fellow co-op supporters on Tuesday, December 7th from 7-10pm, for half-priced drafts, food specials prepared from local ingredients, and our fabulous door prizes. South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin Street Tuesday, December 7th, 7-10pm The suggested donation for this event is $10. Looking forward to meeting you, and for you to meet each other! –The SPFC

Thanks to Stephanie Weaver for the great write up in the South Philly Review!

We know that it has been awhile since we’ve updated the website but we’ve just been so busy spreading the word about the South Philly Food Co-op (SPFC)!! Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve been up to and where we’re going: We had the yummiest of bake sales at the LoMo Fall Fair on 9/25. Set up on the corner of Broad and Snyder, we had a fun filled day selling delicious treats whipped up by the SPFC volunteers. The Food Trust’s first Night Market was held on October 7 at the fountain on Passyunk Ave. A number of food trucks from local restaurants lined the ave and, for the lucky folks who arrived early, there was an array of fabulous food to be had; SPFC was on hand chatting up folks who waited in the long, long lines for samples. A great time was had by all! Last weekend we were invited to a very special block party on the 1800 block of Christian. Fabulous food, a doggie costume parade, and a wonderful sense of community . . . who could ask for more?! We met some really great people that day. Thanks for having us there! So that’s where we’ve been, now for where we’re going! Come check out Blocktoberfest this Saturday, October 16! This day-long outdoor festival will feature representatives of select craft breweries from around the country showcasing their biggest and best fall beers, as well as delicious food from neighborhood vendors, and a great line-up of live music from local and nationally-touring acts. We hope to see you there! Thanks for all of your support! SPFC

We are excited to announce that we will have a baked goods / food goodies table at the LoMo Fall Flea Market and Holiday Fair on Saturday, September 25 (rain date, September 26). We'll have a selection of delicious food donated by your fellow South Philly Food Co-op enthusiasts. Stop by to say hello and leave with a culinary delight! The fair will take place from 9am - 3pm at the intersection of Broad & Snyder in South Philadelphia. The day of the event will be a great mix of over 40 eclectic vendors, fabulous bargains & great holiday presents, as well as live music. Shoppers will also be able to pick up a free recycling bin and register for RecycleBank, learn more about the South Philly Food Co-op and the Street’s Department’s new UnLitter Us campaign, and even adopt a new furry friend from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). There’s also a special visit from the Buttercream Cupcake Truck in store!!! LoMo’s Fall Flea Market & Holiday Fair has it all . . . lomophilly.wordpress.com

Thanks to those of you who visited us at the Doo Wop festival on August 8. We had a great turn out for our first public event and it was really wonderful to have so much support from our neighbors. Here are just a few photos from the day. See you next time!!

Thanks to Lauren from Greenlimbs.com for a wonderful article about us! You can read it here: https://greenlimbs.com/south-philly-food-co-op If you haven't checked out the site, it's a great resource for living sustainably.

The goal of greenlimbs.com is to eliminate what overwhelms and intimidates and offer instead the encouragement and empowerment needed to affect change and live sustainably.

Thanks for featuring us!

The South Philly Food Co-op has created a survey to help us evaluate the need for a food co-op in South Philadelphia. Please coordinate with the other people in your household and fill out only one survey to represent your joint shopping habits and opinions. If you feel your household would carry more than one membership to the food co-op, each person in your household who is interested in having their own membership may complete a survey. Your answers and comments are very important to us and will remain anonymous. Please follow this link to take the survey. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!