There are still some tickets left for the Eat & Greet at Miss Rachel's Pantry on April 17th. This is a great opportunity to meet other co-op members and learn more about our efforts to bring a community based grocery store to the South Philly area. Plus, there will be amazing vegan tapas from Miss Rachel's. Reserve your tickets at our ticket leap site. The cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children (10 and under). Ticket sales go directly to Miss Rachel to pay for the cost of food. Here are some of the details:

• What: Vegan tapas (bruscetta, mini tacos, caramelized onion tartlets, mini cupcakes and more)
• When: Wednesday, April 17th from 6:00-8:00 pm.
• Where: Miss Rachel’s Pantry 1732 W. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145

Listen.  I planted a lot of seeds.  I always do.  And when they first start sprouting, they all look the same.  So I don't have much news to report other than:  more things have sprouted!  You'll just have to take my word on what all these are. Hey, little green things!  This is romaine lettuce.  Mmm mm. Look at these green things!  These are lettuces too, only bibb this time. I planted these a few weeks after my first seeds so that's why they're all so small.  But below are my mustard greens, which are actually starting to look like mustard greens: Cute.  And now, the bean that's grown like a foot since last week.  Just a couple more weeks, bean, and you'll get to go outside! Crazy one, that bean.

If you're reading this, and you're like, "Really, just another kale salad?" then feel free to go on with your day. You know kale salad. I don't need to tell you. Otherwise, this is for you. I realize I've written about kale salad plenty of times before, and I also realize that if I posted a spring mix salad with tomatoes, and then another spring mix salad with cucumbers, you'd think I didn't think much of you and your creativity. That's not the case. But kale salad needs a voice. I made this salad last week for a friend's family's holiday dinner. I had made something similar the year before and resisted writing about it, but this year when I made it again for many of the same people I realized there was a serious need out there to continue discussing kale salad publicly. People wanted the recipe because using kale instead of spring mix or romaine or whatever still isn't the norm for a lot of folks. So I continue in my kale salad advocacy campaign. This is my go-to winter kale salad. I know it's April, and we're all excited about the brand new veg that are on their way. Go ahead and make a kale salad and add those veg. But even without the bright green goodness that spring and summer bring, this is a pretty mean salad. To read about my conversion to kale, please click here. To read about an awesome kale salad for summer, please click here. Otherwise, let's add some tangy dried cranberries and some onion and make this salad happen. Destem your kale. Wash your kale. If you placed your onion and cranberries on top of your unwashed kale for a photo, wash them too. Thinly slice your onion. I rely on a mandoline for this, but if you're handy with a knife, that works too. I think thinly sliced onion is salad's best friend, kale or otherwise. Greens that have spent quality time in the fridge with thinly sliced onion don't need much in the way of dressing. They're ready. Get some salt. This is kind of a lot of salt. I used a little more than half a teaspoon for a bunch of kale (two hearty servings). This gets drained so you're not ingesting all of it, but you need a good bit to start with. I prefer to use sea salt or other coarse salt - this is "fine," but it's coarser than table salt. Get some vinegar or lemon juice. I usually go with lemon juice, but last week I tried vinegar and it worked really well, so I'll bring that into the rotation. About two tablespoons. Add that to your salad. This salad is in a clear bowl, but I think it looks like it's levitating. Kale salad is wonderful, but perhaps not magic. Now massage it. The vinegar (or lemon juice) and salt will tenderize it. With your bare hands - checking first for papercuts and hangnails, what with the vinegar and all - tear it up, twist it, wring it out, and generally mush it around. Spend 3-5 minutes on this per bunch of kale (last week's four-bunch salad required a tag team effort). As you're doing this, green liquid will pool at the bottom of your bowl, as illustrated in the blurry photo below. This is your friend. Rub the kale into the liquid. Wring out the kale. Rub it into the liquid again. Your kale will radically decrease in volume. Your fingernails will turn green. Add in your cranberries (a cup or so per bunch) and onions (a quarter of a red onion, sliced very thin). Toss that together and stick it in the fridge. Let it chill with that green liquid for at least an hour, but overnight is really best. After a while in the fridge the kale will be more tender, the onions will be more mild (and greenish), and the dried cranberries will have plumped a bit and be softer. Drain off the remaining green liquid. You can serve it as is, or dress it like any other salad. I like to use strawberry balsamic dressing and candied walnuts. This recipe is cross-posted at SaturdaysMouse.com where I’m working on making food out of food. Cranberry Kale Salad

• 1 bunch kale
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash and destem the kale. Add salt and vinegar and massage for 3-5 minutes, tearing the kale as you go. Kale will decrease in volume and green liquid will gather in the bowl. Add cranberries and onions, toss vigorously and refrigerate for at least an hour, overnight is best. Drain and serve, as is or dressed. Serves two to four. Prep time: 10 minutes Wait time: at least 1 hour

Is your wish for a delicious vegan dish? Whether you’re a member or just want to learn more about the South Philly Food Co-op, you are invited to join us for a specially prepared feast of vegan tapas at Miss Rachel’s Pantry Here are the details:

• What: Vegan tapas (bruscetta, mini tacos, caramelized onion tartlets, mini cupcakes and more)
• When: Wednesday, April 17th from 6:00-8:00 pm.
• Where: Miss Rachel’s Pantry 1732 W. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145
• Why: To say hello to old and new members or to find out more about the South Philly Food Co-op
• How: Reservations are required. Go to our ticket leap site to make a reservation.
• The cost to attend is $15 for adults and $8 for children (10 and under) which will be paid at the door.
• Please note that this is not a fundraiser for the South Philly Food Co-op. All money collected goes to Miss Rachel’s Pantry to cover food costs.

If you wanted to know how The Co-op  has turned into one well-olive-oiled machine, it's because of the drive and hard work of it's committees. Every month the committees turn in a summary of updates, and today we wanted to share it with all of you. It's some of the best source of information to keep up with The Co-op's progress. Check out our March 2013 Committee Report and read the latest happenings. We think it's pretty exciting and we hope you do too!

Just checking in to show you the amazingly fast-growing bean: Crazy!  Soon it's going to be big enough to need something to grow on, which should be about the time when I can put it outside.  Which means I have to build the raised bed/trellis in these next few weeks.  Okay!  Game on, bean.

Today's New York Times has a story (fortunately for the purposes of educating people, it's their "Most Emailed" story of the day so far) about the continuing die-off of honeybees, which is apparently getting even worse. The article mentions several different theories for why this is happening with special emphasis on the possible role of a pesticide derived from nicotine that actually gets delivered through the plants themselves. I imagine most people who read this blog have some idea of how serious this issue is but in case you didn't here's the fun fact of the day from the article:

Nor is the impact limited to beekeepers. The Agriculture Department says a quarter of the American diet, from apples to cherries to watermelons to onions, depends on pollination by honeybees. Fewer bees means smaller harvests and higher food prices.

(Emphasis added.) And I'm pretty sure that the quarter of the American diet being most effected is not the one that includes diet soda, cheeseburgers and pixie sticks. So what can be done? Start voting with your wallet. Shop at places where the food was produced by small-scale farmers who avoid these kinds of pesticides. Consider CSAs, farmers' markets, and local co-ops. Your budget may take a hit in the short run but that's nothing compared to the hit we're all going to take if one-quarter (the good quarter) of our diet disappears.

Come learn how to pickle, ferment and otherwise agitate your friendly kitchen ingredients into new and delicious food items.  Join us Sunday, April 14, 2013 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM at East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association and Town Watch Center, 1729 S. 11th St.  We'll check out how to make sourdough bread, pickles and yogurt - including tasting samples of these items made by our instructor, the fabulous Amanda Feifer of Phickle.com, in her own South Philly home.  This is a ticketed event. Amanda promises that we will not die from eating ferments, and that they are fun and simple to make.  No special equipment required. Ready to make some at home? We have 15 take home culture tickets at $25 for Co-op members, $30 for non-members. Just want to learn more? We have 10 observer tickets at $15.00 Amanda is a pretty popular lady, and her recent classes have sold out quickly.  Sign up for your ticket!

My first tomato seedling popped up!  It's just a little one compared to some of the other seedlings I have, like this bean: Which actually just popped up yesterday too!  Such a nice, strong stem, little bean. And these are little broccolis.  I planted eight seeds and there are seven seedlings which is pretty good, if you ask me.  My first two years of starting seeds I always planted many more than I needed because I was afraid lots wouldn't sprout or that I'd kill some once they did.  That never really happened and I just ended up throwing out all the little seedlings I didn't have space for.  This year I actually made a plan for my garden and figured out how many plants I have space for.  I still planted a few extras, just in case - I really only have room for two broccoli plants - but if I only have to get rid of five extra baby plants instead of 20 I'd say that's an improvement. And then we have mustard greens - three kinds.  Again, I only have room for a few plants of each kind of mustard green so I only planted a few seeds for each.  I'd like to note here that the broccoli seeds are from 2010 and seem to be fine.  I keep my unused seeds in a paper bag folded over and taped shut (for darkness) in one of the drawers in my fridge, away from any food.  The tomato seeds are saved from last year, too.  So I must recommend this method of storing seeds. Lastly, I found myself with an abundance of wooden chopsticks - the kind you get with takeout Chinese food, which is strange since we don't order Chinese takeout very often.  I don't know why I didn't do this earlier, but obviously their secondary purpose - after utensils, of course - is as plant markers!  Duh, Sarah. Above is an embarrassing photo of my garden "plan."  For my birthday next month my father has agreed to build me a raised bed for the sunny part of my backyard!  Thanks, Dad!  I measured it out and decided that 3'x10' would be a good size for the space, against my neighbor's wall that he has graciously allowed me to attach a trellis to.  So the beans and tomatoes will have something to grow on!  Then I did something strange - I looked up each plant in my copy of Square Foot Gardening to figure out how many plants I could reasonably fit.  No more crowding as many tomatoes in as possible!  (And note that you're supposed to plant ONE tomato plant per square foot which is definitely not what I was doing in the past.)  If I do end up with extra plants, which I most likely will since I planted a few extra seeds each, I can still grow things in containers around the raised bed. Happy spring, everyone!  Here's to sprouting seeds!

Like Arts & Crafts? Like Happy Hour? Like The South Philly Co-Op? I know we all love these things and we figure you do too.

On Friday, March 22nd creativity through Art & Food come together for an Adult Art Open House at Queen Village Art Center, 514 Bainbridge Street, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Meet Art Center faculty, get creative, meet new people, and get your wine and cheese on.

RSVP Here.