American Feast's Sustainable Food Blog
Learn more about natural & organic foods, sustainable food, your health and our planet at the American Feast Blog
January 17, 2012
Mexicali Chicken Recipe from Denise Szarek
We love to cook from scratch as much as anyone, but on nights when time is of the essence it’s nice to include some prime, pre-made ingredients such as a good chutney, or in this case a very high quality fruit salsa. The salsa and the recipe come from Denise and Bernie of Szarek Farms in upstate New York, the founders of Old Goat Foods.
Szarek Farms is a great example of the old maxim, "necessity is the mother of invention." A small greenhouse grower in Central New York, the husband and wife team of Denise and Bernie Szarek grows tomatoes, peppers, fruits and herbs. They do not use pesticides on their farm.
Here's what The Nibble had to say about their delicious salsas, "Like sweet fruit salsa? Like adorable pygmy goats? Here’s the salsa for you. The line has four mascots: pygmy goat triplets and their canine “brother.” Together, they dish out nice, sweet-and-spicy salsas."
Your desired level of spiciness is made easy, as Denise and Bernie’s premium salsa comes in three degrees of heat: Hot, Medium and Sweet.
Ingredient for 4 Servings
• 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Cup seasoned bread crumbs
• ½ Cup chopped green onions (scallions)
• 1 Cup your favorite Old Goat Salsa
• 1 Cup fat free shredded cheddar
Preparation
1. Coat chicken breast in bread crumbs, place in 8in square glass baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
2. Top with Old Goat Salsa, chopped green onions and shredded cheddar cheese, bake another 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Enjoy with rice!
If you’d like to purchase some delicious Old Goat Salsa from Szarek Farms go to:
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When the Weed family of Cayuga County in upstate New York began Schoolyard Sugarbush to make pure maple syrup they had already been making pancake mix for three generations. A young Danielle was puzzled at receiving a gift of 25 metal spikes from her grandparents one winter when her mom told her, “You’ll learn to use them this spring.”
And learn she did. There in the schoolyard of an old one-room schoolhouse where several aunts and uncles had received their first years of formal education, Danielle and her father began yet another science lesson in her home education.
Having made pancake mix at the family’s New Hope Mills for many years it was only natural to combine pancakes and maple syrup. The family’s background gave them a good understanding of the quality, flavor and coloring of pure maple syrup. For the Weed family the quality of the product is paramount. Any product they make is produced in the most eco-friendly way, absolutely free from chemical additives and artificial ingredients. Under organic standards the maple forest must be protected by buffer zones from poisonous run off and environmentally harmful fertilizers, exactly as the family would have it.
If you’re in Moravia, Cayuga County in upstate New York, visitors are welcome anytime they’re boiling at the roadside sugarhouse. Guests entering the sugarhouse comment most on the amazing aroma of the syrup. Some even say a perfume should be developed. So stop in. You’ll learn the taste and aroma of Natures Sweetener. The address of the sugarhouse is 5967 Appletree Point Road in Moravia; within 300 feet of corner at 41A and Appletree Point Road.
If you can’t make it to the sugarhouse but would like to purchase some of the Weed family’s fine syrup go to: 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
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Wintry weather and early sundowns can leave you feeling a little blue, but there are some seasonal delicacies to brighten your mood. One that often gets overlooked is the leek, a wonderful winter vegetable in the same family of vegetables as onions and garlic, but with a mild flavor. (It’s also one of the national emblems of Wales, where citizens wear it on St. David's Day.)
Below is a terrific recipe for combining the flavor of leeks with goat cheese, shallots, and garlic, taught by Chef Melanie Underwood in a class called, “The Food Shed: Cooking Local and Seasonal” at Manhattan’s Institute of Culinary Education. She had the class using fresh ingredients from local farms and I highly recommend you do the same. One of Melanie’s tips: if you buy nothing else at your farmers market, get some fresh garlic, you'll taste the difference.
The Chef has been an enthusiast for cooking with fresh ingredients since her days growing up on a farm in Virginia. Since leaving Virginia she’s demonstrated her culinary talent during stints at the Plaza Hotel and the Four Seasons Hotel. She’s been sharing her expertise with I.C.E.’s students since 1996, and offers private cooking classes as well.
Ingredients for Tart Filling (One 9-Inch Tart)
• 2 Tablespoons L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots, minced
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Large leaks, cleaned & white part only, finely chopped
• 5 Ounces of Cypress Grove’s Truffle Tremor Goat Cheese
• 1 Cup heavy cream
• 2 Eggs
• Salt & pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the shallots, cook until lightly golden. Add the garlic and leeks and cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the goat cheese, heavy cream, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
3. Place the leek mixture on the dough and top with goat cheese mixture. Place in the oven and bake about 45 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust is golden.
Ingredients for Dough for 1 Tart
• 1¼ Cups all purpose flour
• ¼ Cup finely crumbled, cooked bacon
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Stick butter, cut into 8 pieces, or 4 ounces solidified bacon fat
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons ice water
Preparation of Dough
1. Combine the flour, bacon and salt in a bowl. Add in the butter and using a pastry blender, work in the butter to form small pea size pieces. Stir in 2 tablespoons ice water and mix until just combined. (Do not overwork the dough.) If the mixture appears dry, add in 1 more tablespoon of water. Flatten the dough into a disk and refrigerate about ½ hour.
2. Place the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and roll out until 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough into a 9-inch tart shell. Chill the dough ½ hour.
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Seasonal Kale with Shitake Mushrooms & Garlic Recipe from Chef Melanie
Fresh Kale (photo by MissyRedBoots, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
“The Food Shed: Cooking Local and Seasonal” was a class we attended at Manhattan’s Institute of Culinary Education, a terrific evening of cooking with fresh ingredients from local farms. The class was presented by Chef-Instructor Melanie Underwood. She’s been cooking with farm fresh ingredients since her days growing up on a farm in Virginia. One local and seasonal ingredient the Chef selected for the class was kale. The George Mateljan Foundation’s web site says of kale:
The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available.
Kale belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables that includes broccoli, cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts. Researchers have noted the group for its superb cancer-fighting properties. Look for organic kale to avoid pesticide residues, or get it from a local farmer who you know and trust not to use pesticides.
A tip from Chef Melanie: Use fresh garlic from your local farmers market, you’ll taste the difference.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 2 Tablespoons Stella Cadente L’Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8 Ounces shitake mushrooms
• 4 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Large bunch of kale, trimmed & cleaned
Preparation
1. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook another minute. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat, add kale and toss, cooking about 5 minutes, add in shitake and garlic mixture to reheat.
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A staple of Southern American cuisine and soul food, collard greens are traditionally served on New Year's Day with black-eyed peas and cornbread to ensure prosperity in the coming year. But since they’re also a wonderfully healthy source of vitamin C, soluble fiber and multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, it would be a shame to limit them to just one day a year.
Our friend June Jacobs has published a fine recipe for the slightly bitter and nutritious greens in her book, “Feastivals, Cooks at Home.” In the intro to her recipe she writes:
Dark leafy greans are SO good for you I hope you’ll learn to love them! This dish is designed to serve as either a main course with rice, or as a side with anything you please. It’s a traditional Southern “go-with” for beans and rice. You may make it with or without meat, but the flavors are so assertive these green don’t need it.
June says that if you’re making these greens the center of your plate, pair it with a dry, full-bodied Riesling.
Ingredients for 6 Servings
• 6 Pounds collard greens
• 3 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 Cup finely chopped onions
• 1 Cup finely chopped celery
• 1 Cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 or 2 Small fresh hot peppers, seeded, de-ribbed & finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1½ Cups cold water
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1½ Tablespoons fresh oregano or 1½ teaspoons dried
• 2 Teaspoons *Creole seasoning mix
• Hot pepper sauce to taste
• 3 Pounds meaty ham hocks or shanks (optional, but delicious!)
Preparation
1. Pull the coarse stems all the way out of the collards, and wash the leaves very well in several changes of cold water
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Add mirepoix (chopped vegetables) and meat (if you are using meat) and sauté the vegetables until the onion is translucent.
3. Tear the greens into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Stir to coat greens with the vegetable mixture and oil. Add seasonings and water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for approximately 1 hour.
4. Allow the greens to sit in their liquor while you remove the hocks and cut them into bite-size pieces. (If there is a lot of liquor in the pan, you may wish to reduce it by ½.)
Be sure to discard all the bone, skin and gristle. Stir the meat back into the pot. Serve hot.
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Milling Sustainably for Almost 200 Years in Upstate New York
Historic New Hope Mill (photo courtesy of New Hope Mills)
New Hope Mills has produced quality products for more than 180 years; earning it the distinction of being one of America's oldest flour mills. It may be one of the oldest, but this water-powered mill is also one of the most environmentally sound.
Leaving Clear Skies & Clean Water Over the Centuries
The mill has been operating on water power since 1823, leaving clear skies and clean water by milling the old fashioned way. In fact, at New Hope Mills, the water is improved by its use; it is aerated as it passes over the waterwheel or through the turbine. The wheel does not put a drop of oil into the water because the wheel bearing is made of a rare wood, Liqnum Vitae, that has its own lubricant.
The mill originally contained three runs of stone capable of 200 bushels a day. In 1892, the mill began grinding with roller mills which are still there today. Just over 60 yeasr ago the mill was purchased by Howard Weed, Hubert Latta, & Leland Weed. To this day it remains in the capable hands of the Weed family.
The big waterwheel is the mill's most visible feature, but the mill's real power comes from the water turbine underneath the mill. The turbine can run all year round providing there is sufficient water. The mill has an ideal location and facilities for water power near a mill pond with a 28-foot waterfall. With solid management by the Weed family this venerable operation remains competitive while operating much as it did in the 1800's.
No Chemical Additives or Artificial Ingredients
For the Weed family the quality of the product is paramount. Any product that is made at New Hope Mills is absolutely free from chemical additives & artificial ingredients. The family’s commitment to quality has made New Hope Mills Pancake Mixes the number one pancake flour in central New York.
Most old mills today are a novelty. If still standing, they are deteriorating fast. At New Hope Mills, the Weed family takes pride in preserving an important piece of our American Heritage. You’ve got to love how they preserve our Heritage by making delicious products that protect the health of our families, while using methods that protect our environment.
There is FREE SHIPPING on all premium pancake mixes from New Hope Mills. For further info on them, go to:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Great American Caviar Comes Fresh from the Kelley Family
Mike Kelley was a pioneer of the American caviar industry when he began selling the roe from the indigenous wild paddlefish he caught in the fresh waters of Tennessee more than 20 years ago.
What makes Kelley’s Katch the best caviar in America? As Mike Kelley will tell you, “We know exactly where our fish come from. Because we caught them ourselves in our boats. That’s how we can honestly say we are the freshest in the nation.”
Here's what Charles Passy had to say about it in the Wall Street Journal, "Ah, The world's great caviars. Beluga from Russia, Osetra from Iran. And, of course, Kelley's Katch from Tennessee...Our Chef's Favorite...with a balanced flavor, nice shine and evenly gray-colored eggs with the right degree of `pop'."
When buying caviar nothing is more important than trust. Mike and Vickie Kelley have two decades of experience in the caviar business and are involved in every step of the production. From the first catch, through processing and packaging, to the time it leaves their facility, they are there every step of the way to make sure that their American caviar is the freshest in the nation.
A Kelley's Fresh Catch
Kelley's Katch Caviar is pearl gray in color and has a firm texture that is lightly salted (Malossol). The appearance and size are very comparable to Sevruga caviar. Kelley's Katch Caviar has received national recognition as being "The Best Value" among American Caviars.
If you’d like to purchase the Kelley’s fresh delicacy go to either of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Various Squash (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
A visit to a local farm stand or farmers market may have brought you face to face with some curious looking squash this season. The number of varieties now available has increased dramatically in recent years and it takes some expertise just to identify those intriguing winter vegetables.
Fortunately, Janet Fletcher authored a fine article for the San Francisco Chronicle last season that sheds some light on selecting the best squash for cooking. It seems “where and how” a squash is grown may be more important than what type of squash it is.
In a climate like the Bay Area’s some farmers will rush their crop so as to have them on display for Halloween, but that can lead to a disappointing taste. “Winter squashes picked too early won't have the sugar content or flavor depth of those allowed to mature fully on the vine.”
The article says Bill Fujimoto, proprietor of Berkeley's Monterey Market “raves about the French pumpkins and winter squashes from Hunter Orchards in Siskiyou County, near the Oregon border.” Ms. Fletcher quotes him as saying, "They have seriously good squashes up there. They'll be sticky on the outside, oozing juice from different spots."
Ms. Fletcher’s general advice on selecting squash:
Rely on the reputation of your produce merchant and the few clues that an uncut winter squash has to offer. The rind should be largely unblemished, with no soft spots. Most important, the squash should feel heavy for its size.
That heaviness stems from the increased sugar content that a truly ripe squash has produced. The Chronicle piece goes on to say:
Most of these hard-shelled winter squashes benefit from a few weeks of post-harvest curing, during which they dry out a bit and some starch converts to sugar. If stored in a cool, dry place, like a basement, they will keep for months. In the old days, a stash of winter squash in the barn or root cellar saw many farm families through the winter.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Farmers Market Pumpkins (photo by Mary K. Baird, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The Fall Harvest is in full swing across the northern states with seasonal produce on display at markets and farm stands. This recipe is the creation of Vermont Organic Valley dairy farmer Amy Forgues and makes a classic seasonal soup. With cooler winds beginning to blow a bowl of her hearty pumpkin soup is just the thing to keep you warm and healthy.
Organic Valley is a farmer-owned coop that says, “We think it's a simple truth. The earth's most delicious, most healthful foods are made when farmers work in harmony with nature.” The organization started with seven farmers forming an organic cooperative in 1988. Today, more than 1,600 family farms are members and their high standards shine through in their delicious, award-winning, certified organic foods.
As always, try and get the freshest veggies you can find at your local farm stand or farmers market!
Seasonal Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
• 2 Tablespoons Organic Valley Salted Butter
• 1/4 Cup green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 Small onion (peeled and chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Cups canned pumpkin* (see below)
• 2 Cups Organic Valley Whole Milk
• 2 Cups chicken stock (or substitute vegetable stock)
• Dash thyme (crumbled)
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Preparation
1. In a large kettle, over medium low heat, melt butter, then add: green pepper and onion, saute until soft. Sprinkle flour and sea salt over the top to thicken.
2. Then add pumpkin, milk, chicken stock, herbs and spices to taste. Cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
3. Enjoy! For thanksgiving this soup is nice served in baked jack-be-little pumpkins
*There's some question as to whether fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin is better. Many say that either choice will produce a very different tasting soup. If you substitute fresh pumpkins for canned make sure the fresh is well drained & pureed Smaller pumpkins tend to be sweeter than the big ones. To do a little online research on this, copy & paste "canned pumpkin vs fresh pumpkin" into a search box and you'll find lots of advice.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The beloved American tradition of milk and cookies is a crime for some mothers, according to the Farm Food Freedom Coalition, organizers of a planned civil disobedience on November 1.
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation makes the transport of raw milk intended for human consumption across state lines illegal, even for individuals purchasing it legally in one state and carrying it into the states where they live.
On Tuesday, November 1, 2011, a group of moms will challenge the FDA’s ban on interstate transport of raw milk by picking up fresh milk in Pennsylvania, transporting it to Maryland, then distributing it, along with cookies, in front of FDA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland at a rally from 12:00-3:00pm.
After numerous armed federal assaults and undercover investigations on farmers, coops and buying groups that supply their raw milk, mothers across the country are disgusted with the FDA’s aggression and ready to take action to protect their families’ food.
“By criminalizing me for the food choices I make for my family, the FDA is effectively saying that I have no right to feed my family what I, as the parent, know is best for them,” says Suzy Provine, one of the “raw milk freedom riders” who chooses fresh milk for her family. “It is one thing to inform me about my choices, but the FDA goes too far by forcing what they think is best on my family.”
The FDA is disrupting thousands of families’ food supplies by pressuring states to restrict access to raw dairy. States like Wisconsin and California are shutting down family farms by threatening penalties and jail for farmers.
(This article was previously published on Everybody Eats News.)
Linda West Eckhardt
About the Author
Linda West Eckhardt, is an award winning journalist, food writer, and nutritionist. Her more than 20 cookbooks have garnered prizes including the James Beard prize for the best cookbook for a text she wrote with her daughter, Katherine West DeFoyd, entitled Entertaining 101, Doubleday. Their follow-up book, Stylish One Dish Dinners, Doubleday, was also nominated for a James Beard prize. Their next book, The High Protein Cookbook, Clarkson Potter, remains a best seller after 12 years.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Intensive Study Links Lack of Access to Healthy Food to Chronic Disease
About one-third of U.S. adults are obese, as are 12.5 million children and adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leading to chronic illness, spiraling health care costs, and premature deaths. A new study has found a correlation across the nation between areas with limited access to healthy food, sometimes referred to as food deserts, and areas of obesity and chronic disease prevalence in both rural and urban populations.
Specifically, data examined from New York City and Chicago showed that neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food options (defined for this project as fresh fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods) saw significantly higher obesity rates than areas just a few miles away that enjoy greater access to healthy food products. Additionally, the rural counties where the bulk of our agricultural commodities are produced are, paradoxically, often areas with limited access to healthy foods, and see similar obesity rates.
Broad Range of Topics Studied
The study was a three-year investigation recently completed by MIT Collaborative Initiatives (MIT-CI) and the Urban Design Lab at the Earth Institute, Columbia University (UDL) to detect drivers of and potential solutions for the current crises in obesity and diet-related disease faced by the United States. The researchers studied the latest data on a broad range of topics related to obesity and researched and visited current intervention programs nationwide. The team considered the interrelation of broad social issues, including market trends, lifestyle changes in recent decades, policy impacts, socioeconomic factors, and the built environment as well as current literature on pharmacological, hormonal and epigenetic factors contributing to obesity.
Emphasis on Quantity over Quality Cited as Problematic
MIT-CI and UDL's design-based look at the obesity crisis identified the current structure of the national food system as a primary culprit. The way food is produced, processed, and distributed directly impacts the incidence of obesity and chronic disease. The current food system was developed with an emphasis on quantity over quality, actively promoting a reduction in crop variety. The unintended outcome of these policies was a rise in low-cost processed foods, which tend to cost much less per calorie than healthy foods. Low cost and long shelf life make highly processed foods particularly attractive to families with limited food budgets.
According to Professor Michael Conard of the Urban Design Lab, "Most global food crises have been infrastructural, involving breakdowns in regional distribution systems. Bigger systems are clearly no longer the better systems for the long term. Strengthening our regional systems can be a key contributor to many of our most challenging environmental and health problems."
Major Restructuring of Food System Needed
Solutions to this problem will involve changes to food production techniques, the development of a region-based processing and distribution infrastructure, and new models for healthy food retail. A restructuring of the food supply infrastructure from its current processing and transport emphasis—in which food is often transported vast distances for processing, and then redelivered back to where it started—to a more regional approach is critical in order to improve food delivery efficiency. Improved efficiency is the first step toward improved affordability, which the study indicates will lead to better access, and eventually, better long-term health.
MIT-CI and UDL concluded that the development of a strong integrated regional food system based on access, affordability, quality, and health is a critical step needed to support community interventions across the country and enable long-term change.
Dr. Tenley Albright, Director and Cofounder of the MIT Collaborative Initiatives, says, "Our goal is to refocus the food system to be a positive driver for health. Our methods are design-based, synthesizing multiple objectives into a collective approach. Having identified a clear target our next step is to use these same methods to unify stakeholder objectives and define a realistic roadmap for change."
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Our friend Evelyn Kimber of the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival helped us get permission to pass this wonderful stew recipe on. This year the Festival will take place on Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th. Get there if you can, it’s a lot of healthy fun for the whole family and definitely worth the trip. This recipe was once taught at the Festival by Chef Cathi di Cocco, Owner of Café di Cocoa. See if you can get sweet potatoes from your local farmers market!
'Café Di Cocoa-Food for the Soul' opened in Bethel, Maine in 1996. It’s a charming 28-seat vegetarian restaurant located on Main Street in a Victorian farmhouse. Since then, Cathi's added a retail Market and Bakery located next door. Chef/Owner Cathi di Cocco feeds & educates crowds of people through her in-house cooking classes, food tasting workshops, and Summer Cooking Camp for Kids. Vegetarian eating must be providing Chef Cathi with plenty of energy!
Thai Sweet Potato Stew
Ingredients for 8 Quarts
• 3 Large onions, sliced
• 4 Tablespoons, chopped garlic
• 10 Pounds sweet potatoes, peeled & diced 1”
• ¼ Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Gallon water or mild veggie stock
• 4 Kefir lime leaves (or zest of 2 limes)
• 4 Red peppers, cut into bite sized strips
• 8 Cups zucchini cubes (or veggies of choice)
• 1 Pound extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
• 2-3 Tablespoons Thai curry paste (Maesri brand, “Chu Chee”)
• ½ Cup organic evaporated cane juice
• 4 Tablespoons grated ginger root
• 4 Tablespoons chopped lemon grass (frozen is fine!)
• 3 14-Ounce cans coconut milk (or 1 can plus 1 bar dried coconut)
• ½ Cup natural peanut butter
• 1 Bunch cilantro, cleaned & stemmed
Preparation
1. Over medium heat in large heavy-bottomed stockpot.
2. Saute onions and garlic in oil for about 5-8 minutes or until tender but not colored.
3. Add sweet potatoes and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
4. Add water or stock and lime leaves.
5. Bring to boil; simmer 20 minutes.
6. Place peanut butter and chili paste in medium sized bowl and add 1 ladle of “broth”.
7. Stir to melt and return to soup pot.
8. Add red pepper strips, cubed veggies, tofu, sugar, ginger, lemongrass, and coconut milk.
9. Simmer until all veggies are tender-about 15 min.
10. Ready to serve as is or if you prefer a thicker stew, simply ladle a few cups of the stew chunks into a blender with a small amount of broth and carefully puree till smooth.
11. Hot liquids expand when blended! Stir back into the pot.
12. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro.
To make a reservation to dine at Café DiCocoa give a call to (207) 824-5282, or go to the Cafe's web site: Café di Cocoa
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Fall at a New Jersey Farmstand (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
This time of year the price of pumpkins plummets and planning a delicious Thanksgiving holiday side dish is certainly in order. This beauty of a seasonal side dish is the creation of Chef Michael Carrino, recently seen on the Food Network’s “Chopped Champions,” which just happens to be hosted by our very witty friend, Ted Allen. (Chef Carrino had already been named the winner of the April 7th episode of “Chopped.”)
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Carrino was inducted into the prestigious Chaîne des Rotisseurs at the age of 28. He’s had the honor of cooking for former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, and former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher at the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Virginia. He was also invited to cook for the prestigious members of the James Beard Foundation in New York City.
A rising star in the culinary world, Chef Carrino is the chef and owner of Restaurant Passionne, one of New Jersey’s most celebrated restaurants, recognized for its energetic and French inspired cuisine. Restaurant Passionné has received rave reviews in The New York Times, The Star-Ledger, New York Post and Zagat’s.
Here’s the delicious recipe created by Chef Carrino that promises to have your family and friends raving this Thanksgiving holiday.
Ingredients for 8 Servings
• 8 Miniature pumpkins
• 2 White potatoes
• 1 Butternut squash
• 2 Apples
• 2 Cups maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1½ Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Preparation
Step #1: Roasting the Pumpkins
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Hollow out mini pumpkins being careful not to puncture the bottoms.
3. Pour 1/4 cup maple syrup (or less if pumpkins are smaller) in each.
4. Oven roast the pumpkins on a cookie sheet lined with foil for about 20min or until slightly tender (the syrup may bubble up so the foil will save you some clean up later).
5. When finished allow the pumpkins to cool for about 10 minutes then pour the syrup into a small bowl and reserve for later.
Step #2: The Filling
1. Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces, place in a sauce pan of cold water and simmer till tender. (Essentially as if you are making mashed potatoes)
2. Split the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds.
3. Peel the apples, quarter and remove the seeds and core.
4. On a greased cookie sheet lay apples and squash flat side down and cover with foil.
5. Bake for 35-45 minutes until both squash and apples are soft to the touch.
6. Once the potatoes are tender, strain off and allow to steam out for about 2 minutes.
7. Place the potatoes in a large bowl with the roasted apples.
8. Scoop out the inside of the roasted squash and add to the bowl with the potatoes and apples.
9. With a hand mixer, blend the warm ingredients and add butter, salt and pepper.
10. Finish the filling with a bit of the pumpkin maple syrup.
11. Scoop the filling into the baked pumpkin and return to the oven.
12. Warm up the filled pumpkins for approximately 10 minutes prior to serving.
13. Enjoy this delicious fall dessert!
To visit the web site of Chef Michael Carrino’s acclaimed restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey go to: Restaurant Passionne
If you like to purchase some outstanding light amber maple syrup from the Weed family’s sugarhouse in Upstate New York go to: 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
One of the delights of working at American Feast is getting the chance to discover creative culinary talents from coast to coast. One very creative talent we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know is Chef William D. Mueller, founder and owner of Babblin' Babs Bistro - A Unique Urban Eatery in Tacoma, Washington. Babs was his “fabulous mother.” Her memory is cherished for all the “love, laughter and song” she brought to the kitchen of William’s boyhood.
Working closely with his wife Shannon and son Seamus (aka - little chef) Chef Mueller says, "We strive to ensure that with every meal you receive an experience like nowhere else, in flavor, texture and atmosphere." In that they certainly succeed.
Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, a meal at Babblin’ Babs may be a 4 Star gourmet dining experience, but the small family business delivers more than that. The Muellers only purchase from like-minded, family-owned businesses, so they and know who has touched everything before it comes through their doors. That ensures the freshest and best quality food, with the additional benefit that diners are helping support a dozen or more local families like the Muellers. They do not use products that have nitrites, MSG or any long list of chemicals, nor do they add sodium to their food. Instead, “We carefully search for the most natural product available.”
Though superbly capable of whipping up the most exacting of culinary creations, Chef Mueller has been kind enough to take the time to furnish us with a seasonal recipe within the capabilities of home cooking enthusiasts that still beautifully illustrates his culinary artistry.
Pumpkin Broth & Seared Scallops
Ingredient for 4 Servings
• 2/3 Cup butter
• 1 Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 2 Pounds pumpkin, diced
• 3 Ounces honey
• 2 Cups chicken stock (low or no sodium)
• 3 Tablespoons Chardonnay grape seed oil
• 16 Large wild sea scallops
• ½ Pound Oregon hazelnuts, toasted, and coarsely chopped
• 4 Ounces hazelnut oil
• Chives, chopped for garnish
To Assemble:
1. In a sauce pan melt butter over a mild heat. Add onions, garlic, and pumpkin and sauté until tender. Put in honey and cook until caramelizes. Put in chicken stock, simmering at least 10 minutes. Puree mixture in a blender in small batches.
2. In a skillet, heat chardonnay oil over a medium heat. Put in scallops, sear until golden brown on 1 side, flip, and continue cooking until cooked through 135° internal temp.
3. In a bowl place 4 scallops in each and pour pumpkin broth into each bowl. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts, then drizzle hazelnut oil and garnish with a sprinkle of chives.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
You are invited to the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food "Healthy Food in Fashion" Fall Gala. Featuring delicious plant-based foods from over 20 restaurants and caterers, organic beverages, a unique fashion show, a silent auction, and great gift bags, this is the place to be on October 12th to show your support for the amazing achievements of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food - achievements that your support makes happen!
Hosted by: Robin Quivers
Co-sponsored by: New York Academy of Medicine
Special Guests: Majora Carter, Lisa & Joel Fuhrman, MD, Mary & Peter Max, Russell Simmons
Host Committee: Annabella Asvik, Indigo Clarke, Chloe Jo and Jeremy Davis, Alex Jamieson, Joshua Katcher, Victoria Moran, & Yoli Ouiya
If you didn't get your tickets yet, now is the time!
While we prefer you preregister to help us with planning, you can pay at the door. Even if you can't attend, we hope you will show your support by making a donation.
Sincerely,
Amie
Amie Hamlin, Executive Director
NY Coalition for Healthy School Food
amie@healthyschoolfood.org
607-272-1154 (office)
PS - be sure to buy your tickets to our Fall Gala now! With your support, we can continue to reach and teach children the important life skills of learning about nutrition, and offering them healthy plant-based options in school. See you there!
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Ingredients for Turkish Pumpkin Soup (photos by Timur Kocak)
Our friend Timur Kocak is a New York-based actor and playwright, who regularly performs with the Actors Shakespeare Company. The company garnered rave reviews for his very entertaining adaptation of “The Three Musketeers.” Timur scored extra kudos for adding a fine performance in the role of Athos.
But the theater isn’t the only place where he performs well. His good taste and creativity extend to the kitchen. We asked him to contribute a recipe and he’s come through with a terrific seasonal dish with an ethnic twist. We can’t think of a vegetable more iconic than the pumpkin this time of year. Timur has taken the emblematic squash and added the richly unique flavor of leeks, another of our favorite seasonal delights. But his artistry really shines through with the way the soup is flavored with traditionally Turkish ingredients. The result is a healthy pumpkin soup delicious for the way it tantalizes the taste buds.
Here’s what Timur wrote us about his pumpkin soup, “…or in Turkish: Balkabagi Corbasi (with a ˘ over the "g" and no dot over each "i") is a recipe from the villages around the old Ottoman capital, Bursa. Not a common dish in Turkey, as far as I've heard, but seems ideal for the weeks after Halloween when the price of pumpkins plummets in North America.”
As a tasty way to warm up in cool weather it is Ideal indeed!
Ingredients for 12 Servings
• 1 Large, or 2 small pumpkins
• 2 Large leeks
• 4 Cloves of garlic
• 1 Large onion
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 Cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons of butter
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 Gallon of chicken stock (vegetarians can use vegetable stock)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 Cup of yogurt (optional)
Preparation
1. Cut pumpkin(s) in half, remove the seeds and bake face-down on a cookie sheet at 350 for about an hour. The seeds can be salted and roasted at the same time to go with cocktails before dinner - remove at the first appearance of brown.
2. Soften chopped leeks, onion and garlic with butter and oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan with cinnamon, allspice and pepper. Let pumpkin halves cool and then scoop out the flesh with a large spoon and add to the pan.
3. Add stock, honey and salt bring to a boil then simmer for at least an hour. Soup can be pureed in a blender or pushed though a sieve.
4. Stir a small amount of yogurt into each serving and garnish with some thinly-sliced sautéed leek or fresh parsley.
Our Friend Timur
If you’d like to learn more about the splendid work of Timur’s talented theater company go to: Actors Shakespeare Company
If you’d like to see a view a selection of our favorite honeys from a boutique honeybee farm in Connecticut go to: Red Bee Farm’s Natural Honeys
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Artisans Craft Gourmet Oils & Vinegars at the O Olive Oil Company
Champagne Vinegar, Jalapeno Lime Oil & Ginger Rice Vinegar (Images courtesy of O Olive Oil Company)
Artisanal & Sustainable
If you’re interested in tasting some of California’s finest gourmet delicacies, the products of O Olive Oil will help you make a wonderful start. The company’s premium products have won 10 awards from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, including Best Product and Best Design. Rest assured that this company operates sustainably. Founder Greg Hinson is also an environmental consultant with a background in reforestation, botanical gardening, and native food sources.
O Olive Oil has been producing original California oil using hand-picked California Mission olives since 1995. Bringing home an idea that Greg and his wife, Marta Salas-Porras Hinson, came across in Italy, they use an old stone mill to crush the olives with some of California’s most distinctive produce between two-ton granite wheels. The company's highly praised and innovative product line includes some of the world's best hand-crafted artisanal vinegars. Marta gets credit for the design of the company's handsome and award-winning packages: slender, glass bottles with a vibrant label.
Just Ask Oprah!
Prestigious publications such as Bon Appetit Magazine, Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, and the Chicago Tribune have raved about the company’s gourmet products. Oprah Magazine had the following praise for the company, “The O on these terrific oils and vinegars doesn’t stand for Oprah, so I can’t take credit for them, but I can say they are a delicious gift for friends who like cooking or eating.”
To learn more about the specialty oils & vinegars crafted by the artisans at O Olive click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
The Wild Blueberry holds a special place in Maine's history, one that goes back centuries to the state's Native Americans. They were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition, and their healing qualities.
Unlike the larger cultivated blueberries usually sold in supermarkets, Wild Blueberries are tiny and really are wild; having crept over Maine's rocky land naturally, creating hundreds of thousands of bushes. Indigenous Wild Blueberries now grow in fields and barrens that stretch from Downeast to the state's Southwest corner.
Adapted to Maine's naturally acid, low fertility soils and challenging winters, Wild Blueberries are a low input crop requiring minimal management. The berries are grown on a two-year cycle — each year, half of a grower's land is managed to encourage vegetative growth and the other half is prepared for a Wild Blueberry harvest in August.
Rich in Antioxidants
All it takes is a half-cup of Wild Blueberries to deliciously satisfy one of the recommended "five-a-day" servings of colorful fruits and vegetables. Some of the most powerful antioxidants are highly concentrated in the deep blue pigments of Wild Blueberries. What's more, Wild Blueberries contain more antioxidants than their cultivated cousins. Antioxidants are the "natural zappers" of free radicals; the unstable oxygen molecules associated with cancer, heart disease, and the effects of aging. USDA studies have measured the antioxidant activity of more than 40 fruits and vegetables and ranked blueberries #1.
Bar Harbor Jam Company
The Bar Harbor Jam Company was started in 1989, as a winter project at the Cottage Street Bakery in Bar Harbor, Maine. Since then the company has become famous for the way it’s been crafting its Maine Wild Blueberry Jam and preparing its Wild Blueberry Pies. Today, the company's kitchen is located on beautiful Mount Desert Island, Home of Acadia National Park and near the center of Wild Blueberry barrens.
The Bar Harbor Jam Company uses only the finest selection of 100% natural native berries to ensure the best possible taste. When you eat Bar Harbor Jam you come to know why Maine’s Wild Blueberries are so special. To these delicious indigenous berries, they add only the highest quality ingredients and mix them in small, hand-made batches to ensure their quality and to enhance their taste. There are no preservatives added.
The owners; Bob, Greg, Mike and Pat, along with Robin and the rest of the fine staff, are committed to delivering superior quality by continuing a great tradition of hand-making products from the finest ingredients. It’s all home-made right on Mount Desert Island!
To purchase some splendid products from the Bar Harbor Jam Company go to any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
We’ve been urging folks to shop local for some time now, so whenever we are able we like to offer recipes for preparing the seasonal foods found at local farm stands and farmers markets. Our friends at American Farmland Trust have just helped in this regard by sending us a local flavor-filled recipe calling for fresh apples and zucchinis.
The recipe’s creator is Chef Tim of Bloomfield of Connecticut. As our friends at AFT put it, Chef Tim “brings more than just fresh and local foods to the kids in his schools—he also gets them involved. Through teaching kids about different kinds of food and by preparing foods them in exciting new ways, he has transformed lunchtime into a fun-time. He generously shares his scrumptious recipe for a back-to-school salad.”
We’re pleased to share this recipe from Chef Tim for making use of some of the little helping hands in your home.
Ingredients
• 1/3 Cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 Teaspoon basil, fresh chopped
• 1/2 Teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 Apples, small dice
• 1/2 Green & red peppers, seeded & julienne
• 1/2 Red onion, julienne
• 3 Zucchini, diced
Preparation
1. In a large bowl mix first the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, basil and kosher salt.
2. Add apples and toss well to coat. Add remaining ingredients, toss well.
3. Chill for 4 hours in refrigerator.
4. Serve in a large bowl with grilled grass-fed beef burgers or veggie burgers on brioche rolls. Yummy!
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
We once published a photo of a duck who keeps strawberries free of pests on an organic farm in the Catskills region of New York State. At Heidi's farm in Corrales, New Mexico a flock of native Rio Grande turkeys do the same amongst the hedge rows of raspberies. No need for poisonous pesticides!
It’s the combination of hard work and best practices on the part of Heidi and her brother Doug that make the incomparable organic jams of Heidi’s Raspberry Farm possible. It all starts with hand-picked, fresh fruit, and making their mouth-watering and nutrtious jams begins with a meticulous approach to sustainable methods on their farm in Corrales, New Mexico.
Corrales is a unique agricultural village farmed by families who have been living there for generations. Located on the Western bank of the Rio Grande, the land has been tilled since 500 A.D. Back then the ancestors of the present day Pueblo Indians reaped harvests in the fertile valley. Subsequent populations of Spanish, French and Italian families settled there to raise grapes, apples, livestock, and now, gloriously healthy raspberries!
Stewards of the Land
Having grown up in this special place Heidi and Doug are dedicated stewards of the land and keepers of a healthy environment. They are truly “walking the walk” when it comes to best practices for preserving the sustainability of their farmland and the health of their community. Doug has converted the farm to a drip irrigation system that makes the most efficient use of precious water. He provides hives in the field for the honeybees that pollinate the delicate raspberry blossoms.
Heidi, Maker of the Best Raspberry Jam We've Ever Tasted!
They’ve been selling organic raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and cut flowers at the local farmers markets in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Corrales and Albuquerque for several years now. By personally selling their delicious fare Heidi and Doug have made a lot of wonderful friends. They’ve also built a loyal following of appreciative customers who keep coming back for more of their amazing jams!
If you'd like to order some of Heidi's incredible raspberry jams click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
No need to wait for the next Cinco de Mayo to have fun entertaining with this recipe for Mexican-inspired quesadillas, any occasion will do. It was created by Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger and serving them at any gathering of family and friends is sure to get a great response.
It's a wonderfully healthy creation that delivers a terrific blend of flavors. Thanks to our friends at the California Avocado Commission for being kind enough to send it to us!
Ingredients for 6 Servings
• 1⁄8 Cups shredded, roasted chicken
• 1⁄3 Cup canned black beans, drained
• 3⁄4 Bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 3⁄4 Bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 1⁄4 Tablespoons minced, canned chipotle chiles
• 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3⁄4 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3⁄4 Teaspoon sea salt
• 3⁄8 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄8 Cups grated Mexican manchego cheese
• 3⁄4 Cup grated panela cheese
• 3⁄8 Cup grated cotija cheese
• 3 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄8 Ripe Fresh California Avocados, seeded, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Preparation
1. Combine chicken, black beans, onions, cilantro, chiles, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Let sit 20 minutes to blend flavors.
2. Mix cheeses together in a bowl.
3. Lay tortillas on a counter and brush with melted butter.
4. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place a tortilla, buttered side down, into the skillet and place a portion of cheese mixture over entire tortilla. Place a portion of chicken mixture over half of the tortilla, leaving the other half empty. Cover chicken mixture with a portion of avocado slices.
5. Cook until cheese begins to melt, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold tortilla in half, over the avocado and chicken mixture. Continue cooking until tortilla is lightly golden on both sides and cheese begins to ooze. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
6. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with Avocado Citrus Crema.
Avocado Citrus Crema
Ingredients
• 3⁄4 Ripe Fresh California Avocado, seeded, peeled and quartered
• 3⁄8 Cup light sour cream
• 3⁄4 Lime, juiced
• 3⁄8 Orange, juiced
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
A serving has 450 Calories and delivers these Daily Values: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 20%; Iron 8%
Copyright Courtesy of California Avocado Commission
To learn more about California avocados, their heath benefits & growing an avocado tree go to: California Avocado Commission
To purchase the manchego cheese that was a Gold Medalist at the World Cheese Awards in London and twice a First Place winner at the American Cheese Society, go to: Solé GranQueso
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Grilled Tilapia with Tomato Basil Relish (image courtesy of Regal Springs Tilapia)
Labor Day Weekend is almost here and that means it will be grilling time in backyards from coast to coast. Our friends at Regal Springs Tilapia have provided us with this recipe and we think it suits the season beautifully. They were also kind enough to send us some simple tips for grilling perfect fish along with the recipe:
Grilling fish doesn’t have to be intimidating if you master two basic skills: preventing the fish from sticking and knowing when it’s cooked through.
The Right Cut: Select the thickest cut you can to avoid breakage when you turn the fish. If one part of the fish is much thicker than the other, consider cutting uneven filets into two to avoid drying out the thinner portion. Cook the thicker half first, and when it’s halfway cooked, put the thinner half on.
Prevent Sticking: Achieving a non-stick cooking surface is critical and is a two-part process: First oil the grill, then oil the fish.
Oil before you light the grill: Spray a light coat of non-stick cooking spray on the grate or wipe a light coat of vegetable or olive oil directly on the grate with a paper towel. Never spray non-stick spray on a grate if the fire is lit!
Oil after the grill is lit: This technique is preferred over oiling the grill before it’s lit since heating and then oiling is key to getting those spiffy grill marks seared into the fish. Start with a very hot grill. Brush briskly with a wire brush. Oil the grate by tightly folding a paper towel and dipping it in vegetable oil. Protect your hands from the heat by using tongs to grip the oiled paper towel as you rub it across the grate.
Oil the fish, too. Lightly brush both sides of the fish with olive, vegetable or sesame oil. Take caution to not over-oil, though, which leads to flare-ups and sooty residue.
It’s All In The Presentation: For professional-grade crosshatches, turn the fish a quarter turn after 2 minutes on the grill.
Prevent Breakage: Do not flip the fish repeatedly, and do use a wide-headed spatula. You can tell when filets are ready to flip when edges are flaky and opaque.
Check for Doneness: The meat is done when the meat is opaque all the way through and the juices run clear. If any part of the meat is still glossy and partially translucent, it's not done. Remember, too, that fish continues to cook a little after it's removed from the grill.
And here’s the fine recipe they’ve provided so you can try out their fish grilling technique:
Grilled Tilapia with Tomato Basil Relish
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 4 (6-Ounce) Regal Springs tilapia filets
• 3 Medium red onions
• 4 Cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 Lemons
• 2 Cups of fresh basil
• 1 Cup of pine nuts
• 1/3 Cup L’Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Tablespoons O Olive White Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
2. Prepare the tomato relish by slicing tomatoes in half. Wash and pat dry the basil leaves and slice into 1-inch thin strips (removing tough center vein). Toss the tomatoes, 3 tbsp. of the olive oil and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and set aside.
3. Toast the pine nuts by placing in a frying pan over medium high heat and tossing until golden brown–this happens quickly so tend to them carefully. When toasted, set aside to cool.
4. Prepare the onions for grilling by slicing into 1 inch slices and brushing each side with olive oil, salt and pepper. Prepare the tilapia in the same way with the addition of a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Place onions on the grill first and cook the slices until golden charred and soft (depending on the heat of the grill, about 8 minutes). Turn carefully so onion does not fall apart. (Onions can be cooked in tin foil as well).
6. Wrap tilapia filets in tin foil and seal tightly. Place on hot grill and cook 3-4 minutes each side until tender.
7. Arrange the grilled onions and tilapia filets on a platter–tilapia in the center and grilled onions around the edge of the platter. Pour the tomato relish over the fish.
8. Squeeze fresh lemon and balsamic vinegar over the entire mixture and top with toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Szarek Farms is a great example of the old maxim, "necessity is the mother of invention". A small greenhouse grower in Central New York, the husband and wife team of Denise and Bernie Szarek cultivates tomatoes, peppers, fruits and herbs. The tomatoes are grown hydroponically using coir, an organic material made from coconut husk fiber. They do not use pesticides on their family farm.
Here's what The Nibble had to say about their delicious salsas, "Like sweet fruit salsa? Like adorable pygmy goats? Here’s the salsa for you. The line has four mascots: pygmy goat triplets and their canine 'brother' Baylee. Together, they dish out nice, sweet-and-spicy salsas."
Some years back the family found itself with an overabundance of culled tomatoes and needed a way to turn them into a value-added product. With some updates to some tried and true family recipes, and the help of the adroit folks at Nelson Farms near Morrisville, New York, the "Old Goat Foods" product line was born. The flavorful ingredients include the farm fresh tomatoes, onions, and habanero peppers. Apples, peaches and pears fresh from local orchards are added to the mix.
Spike, Vinca and Violet are the three pygmy goats who make up Szarek Farms’ “quality control team”. The family knows the tomatoes are ready to be picked when they see the “quality control team” being chased out of the greenhouses, by the “Old Goat” himself, (husband Bernie), after an unauthorized taste testing,
The goats are triplets and the Szareks have matched each salsa to their personalities. Spike is the big brother of the three; strong willed, stubborn and prideful of the fiery Spike’s Hot Fruit Salsa. Violet is the mild-mannered, good-natured middle “kid” for whom Violet’s Medium Fruit Salsa is named. (Miss Violet, also has a very tasty tomato-basil jam.) Vinca is a gentle baby boy and Vinca’s Sweet Fruit Salsa is a favorite with human “kids” because it’s not spicy at all!
Baylee is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi who helps keep the “quality control team” from wreaking too much havoc. He's also the newest member of the Szarek Farms family to introduce his own product. Baylee's Drunk'n Raisin Sauce was developed from a recipe used by Denise’s Grandma Tucker. She would serve it over the family’s Easter Ham or over spice cake. The Szarek’s have added just “a little” rum to give it some “zip”. It makes a delicious glaze over a grilled center cut pork chop.
The Nibble says, “…our favorite (Old Goat) product is the magnificent Drunk’n Raisin Sauce. Redolent of rum and raisins (dark and gold) in a buttery orange base, this is the product we’ll buy by the case for house gifts and stocking stuffers."
If you’d like to purchase some of the delicious products from Szarek Farms go to:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Sushi and sashimi are such an integral part of the Manhattan restaurant scene that it’s hard to imagine a time when the city’s diners would have been aghast at the notion of having raw fish and hot wine served for dinner. Now, whether it is served at the intimate Sasabune on the Upper East Side or a humble, neighborhood takeout place, artfully presented sushi sells and shows no sign of decline in its popularity.
But with ever growing concern about the depletion of the world’s fisheries, we’ve come to wonder if the seafood on those lovely platters is sustainable. Since we don’t want to give up enjoying sushi, we’re happy to report that a major sushi preparer believes it should be.
Genji Sushi is the provider of fine sushi and Japanese-inspired cuisine at 137 Whole Foods Markets around the country and in the U.K. Their traditional and modern menu items are made with all-natural ingredients, free of harmful chemicals.
“Seeking out environmentally-friendly sources is a company mission and we continuously strive to be at the forefront of our industry in the area of sustainability. Running our business in an environmentally sound manner is important to our company, our customers, and is vital to our planet,” says Shingo Kanai, President & CEO.
In April of 2011 Genji began featuring its newest addition, sustainable Bay Scallops, in a special Earth Month promotion at Whole Foods Markets. From March 28th thru April 24th 2011 5% of sales from three specially marked sustainable items were donated to the Whole Planet Foundation.
“Our world is calling for the sushi industry to be more environmentally conscious in our business practices and we’re heeding that call,” adds Kanai.
With 70% of the world’s fisheries harvested at capacity or in decline, it’s essential for companies and consumers to select seafood that is sustainable in order to keep the culinary art of sushi for future generations. Wild albacore tuna, wild salmon, shrimp and shellfish are delicious options for customers interested in eating sustainably.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Founder Marina Marchese and the rest of the folks at Red Bee are passionate about the culinary delights of honey. Their philosophy is that every bottle of their artisanal honey is a gourmet food and can be tasted and evaluated much like wine, each one having a unique flavor profile determined by the kind of flowers visited by the bees.
The essence of a honey is dictated by the terroir, the unique combination of geographic location, climate, soil and temperature that gives each honey its complex composition and individual personality. As in winemaking, terroir dramatically affects the flavor profiles of the honeys produced.
There is just no comparison between the homogenous, processed honey common to supermarket shelves and honey crafted by a true artisan. Here is an excerpt from Marina's terrific book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, on her journey to becoming one of the country's finest food artisans:
It can be said that honey is only as good as the beekeepers that harvest it. Artisanal honeys are those produced by individuals using traditional methods and thus preserving the integrity of their products. With artisanal honey, quality and character are highlighted, rather than quantity and consistency. Beekeepers have to make many decisions regarding the management of their honeybees during a single season. Timing is everything, so colonies have to be at their peak strength and available to forage the fields at the exact time of the nectar flow. Beekeepers must select appropriate field locations for their honeybees and know when the nectar flow begins, when to add and remove honey shallows, and the best procedure to use to extract the honey.
(Excerpted with permission from Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese, published by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2009.)
Red Bee Farm
Marina's Red Bee is a boutique honeybee farm located in the historical Bradley Tool section of Weston, Connecticut. The company’s charming red cottages were once the home of ballerina Gelsey Kirkland, who partnered Mikhail Baryshnikov. Working there they are inspired to create the purest artisanal honeys and sustainable products. Using old world techniques, their products are handmade in small batches using only plant-based ingredients to insure the finest quality. They never use pesticides, alcohol, paraffin waxes, petroleum or preservatives.
Red Bee's organic gardens produce culinary and medicinal herbs, vegetables and flowers for cutting. They make their organic, free range chicken eggs available locally. Red Bee Honeybee products have been a spectacular success at the New Canaan Farmers Market each summer for the last 8 years.
Red Bee Founder Marina Marchese (photo: jeffbeckerphoto.com)
Marina Marchese is a second generation Italian sharing her love of crafting artisanal products. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, Marina traveled to Europe and Asia as an illustrator and product designer. Her unique sense of style and love of color was defined in designs that have graced the cover of WWD and greeting cards sold worldwide by UNICEF including children's products, books and magazines.
Her own Red Bee® cards were recognized by The National Honey Board after appearing in Victoria Magazine and on the cover of American Bee Journal. Marina’s love of honeybees and painting has led her to the ancient technique of painting with beeswax, made popular by the Etruscans. (The portrait at the top of this item is one of her paintings in beeswax.)
(Photo Reprinted with permission from Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers.)
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
La Quercia's Founders (Images courtesy of La Quercia)
Herb and Kathy Eckhouse founded La Quercia to create premium quality American prosciutto. Their appreciation for prosciutto grew out of the three and a half years they lived in Parma, Italy, prosciutto's area of origin. Their ambition to create their own came from a desire to take advantage the bounty that surrounds them in Iowa.
Herb and Kathy are contributing to the growth of premium, artisan-made American foods by offering fine quality, dry cured meats -- and Iowa with its abundance is the natural place to do this.
La Quercia’s Founders believe that the food we eat can delight us every day. It is their mission to help you make that happen. With each product, they strive to offer a memorable eating experience, one that causes you to stop and savor the moment.
Green Label Organic Prosciutto
For Herb and Kathy great food is more than great taste. It is healthful, nutritious, and pleasurable. It is satisfying sensually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It tastes good and it feels good. It pleases and it nourishes. It is part of a responsible food system that sustains you, producers, craftspeople, restaurants, and stores who support their communities and respect the environment.
Great food is made from the highest quality materials, careful adherence to the best of tradition, and the judicious use of modern tools. La Quercia incorporates these principles in determining how they produce and what they select to offer.
Humanely Raised
All of the pork they use comes from suppliers who subscribe to humane practices. To Herb and Kathy this means that the animals have access to the out of doors, have room to move around and socially congregate, and root in deep bedding. They do not use meat from animals that have been given antibiotics, kept in large animal confinement facilities, fed animal byproducts, or given hormones.
Kathy and Herb work in all aspects of the business–selecting and buying pork, salting, trimming, and handling hams and leading a small group of dedicated staff who participate in their production.
Kathy Eckhouse is a long time "foodie" who lived in Europe for several years as a child and adolescent. She is the person all of her friends describe as the best cook they know. Kathy says, "I feel good about what we do, because we use pork from animals that have had a good life. I think prosciutto is a great thing for a well-raised pig to become."
Says Herb, “I love making prosciutto; it's like assisting at a miracle."
If you'd like to learn more about La Quercia's critically acclaimed, artisan cured meats, click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Along with farmers markets, farm-to-table dining is one of our favorite trends. So kudos to pioneers like Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill in Greenwich Village and thank you to all those joining the movement to serve the freshest, healthiest and most flavorfull food to be found.
That would of course be the freshly harvested produce and other foods raised on local, sustainble farms, made convenient to we urban dwellers, for whom enjoying the talent of a great restaurant chef is far easier than visiting a a great farm.
Blenheim Hill Farm
We’ve just learned that Smörgås Chef Restaurant Group has launched Blenheim Hill Farm-a 150-acre eco-farm located about 150 miles north of Manhattan in New York's Catskill Mountains. The farm will supply the group's Smörgås Chef restaurants and Crepes du Nord creperie and wine bar with naturally grown produce and meats.
Featuring large maple tree forests, rolling pastures and a large spring-fed lake, the farm will produce hydroponic salads, legumes, and heirloom tomatoes-grown year-round in a state-of-the-art greenhouse-as well as herbs, mushrooms, fruit and lingonberries, a Scandinavian staple. The farm will also supply eggs, chicken, beef, pork, and lamb. Heritage animal breeds that produce improved flavor and composition will be pasture-raised to promote animal welfare and proper meat production processes.
A Model for Small-Scale Local Farming
"Our mission is to develop a financially viable model for small-scale local farming, while remaining good stewards of the land and its resources," said Morten Sohlberg, who founded Smörgås Chef Restaurant Group and Blenheim Hill Farm with his wife, Min Ye. "We will adopt, develop and promote innovative ideas and new agricultural technologies that will invigorate a disappearing segment of small businesses in America-the small, sustainable commercial farm."
Mr. Sohlberg and Ms. Ye are not traditional farmers. The entrepreneurial duo-who founded Sessions.edu, the world's largest online design school with over 10,000 students from over 140 countries-have diverse professional backgrounds that span fine cuisine, design, finance, business administration and education.
Mr. Sohlberg, who oversees the creative aspects of Smörgås Chef Restaurant Group's operations, was born and raised in Norway. He has worked as a designer in Milan and an educator at Parsons School of Design. He is as guest lecturer at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York-one of the most acclaimed cooking schools in the nation.
Ms. Ye, who manages Smörgås Chef's financial, operational and business development activities, is a native of China. She worked as a Wall Street investment banker for several years before attending the French Culinary Institute in SOHO, where she obtained her certificate in La Technique training in French classic cuisine.
Diversity Breeds Innovation
"Collectively, we speak over a dozen languages," said Ms. Ye. "It is our varied and non-traditional experience that will help us innovate, compete and thrive as a new breed of farmers. In addition, we will be aided by top experts in the field of sustainable farming and agriculture who will assist us in further developing our vision."
"We are looking forward to the next step, which include providing advanced educational training programs on the farm for agriculture students at various upstate universities," said Mr. Sohlberg, who noted that maple syrup from Blenheim Hill Farm has already been introduced into the group's restaurants.
To learn more about the latest from these dynamic eco-entrepreneurs, go to: Blenheim Hill Farm
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Though millions of Americans find themselves in belt-tightening times, a new poll has found that most still buy organic foods whenever possible.
In a new survey conducted by Thomson Reuters and National Public Radio, 58% percent of Americans say they choose organic over conventional when they have the opportunity. In a sign that the preference for organics is a trend that is here to stay, 63% of respondents under the age of 35 prefer organic foods, as do 64% of those with a bachelor's degree or more.
Avoiding Toxins & Supporting Local Farms
Among those who prefer organic foods, 36% said they do so to support local farmer's markets and 34% said they wanted to avoid exposure to toxins in non-organic foods. Complete survey results are available here: http://www.factsforhealthcare.com/pressroom/NPR_report_OrganicFoods.pdf
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there were 6,132 farmers markets as of 2010, up from 1,755 in 1994.
"There appears to be a generational difference in preference for organic foods," said Raymond Fabius, M.D., chief medical officer at the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. "The strong, positive sentiment among young people indicates they are more concerned with exposure to toxins and place a higher premium on supporting local markets. It stands to reason that, by expanding the network of farmer's markets, we could see a further groundswell around the support for organic foods."
Unique & Conscious Food Choice
"This month's poll gives us some insight into what is going through consumers' minds when they're making the choice of what they will feed themselves and their families," said Scott Hensley, NPR health correspondent and blogger. "We find it especially intriguing that a very small percentage of respondents are choosing organic foods based on taste. This makes organic vs. conventional a really unique case where food decisions are being made consciously by consumers."
The figures in the poll are based on 3,014 participants interviewed from May 2-13, 2011. The margin of error is 1.8%.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Wild Salmon Leaping Upstream (photo by Matthew G. Hull, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
As we know, there is tremendous pressure coming from Big Biotech to get genetically engineered (GE) salmon into America’s food supply. The industry may have millions to spend on public relations and campaign contributions, but science and a wary public are not on their side.
Right now there is legislation in the works that would prohibit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from spending funds to approve the controversial fish. Last month, the House of Congress passed such an amendment and members of the Senate have informed the FDA that they are moving forward with similar legislation.
The Senate stated in a letter that, "Given the strong and growing Congressional opposition to the approval of GE fish in both chambers, spending time on further review of genetically engineered fish would be a waste of taxpayer dollars".
Wenonah Hauter, executive director of consumer watchdog Food & Water Watch, has this to say:
"We're in the middle of an intense budget debate and we have to make some difficult decisions about where to spend federal dollars. The last thing the federal government should be doing is frivolously throwing taxpayer money at a corporate science experiment that could devastate both the public's health and the health of the environment."
New Study Cites GE Threat to Wild Atlantic Salmon
If genetically modified Atlantic salmon were to escape, they could succeed in breeding and passing their genes into the wild, researchers at Canada’s Memorial University of Newfoundland have found. Their research, just published in the journal Evolutionary Applications, explores the potential reproductive implications of genetically modified salmon as they are considered for commercial farming.
“The use of growth-enhancing, transgenic technologies has long been of interest to the aquaculture industry and now genetically modified Atlantic salmon is one of the first species to be considered for commercial farming,” said lead author Darek Moreau, a graduate student who co-wrote the paper along with Corinne Conway, a research assistant, and Dr. Ian Fleming, a professor, all with the Ocean Sciences Centre.
“Yet, little is known about the potential impact on wild salmon populations if the genetically modified species were to escape captivity.”
Trojan Gene Could Lead to Eventual Extinction
One of the key concerns about a transgene escape is the “Trojan gene effect,” caused when a genetically modified fish outcompetes or reproduces equally against wild rivals. If the resulting offspring are genetically inferior this could lead a species towards eventual extinction. Until now there has been no empirical research to demonstrate the ability of transgenic salmon to breed naturally and infiltrate the gene pool of wild Atlantic salmon.
To measure the ability of GE salmon to breed with Atlantic salmon in the wild, the team of researchers from Memorial University’s Ocean Sciences Centre monitored breeding behaviour in a naturalized laboratory setting and used genetic analysis to determine the success of competing individuals at producing offspring.
Wild Males are More Potent Breeders
The scientists found that migratory wild males outperformed their captivity-reared transgenic counterparts in terms of a variety of spawning behaviours, and despite being less aggressive, wild males also achieved higher overall fertilization success, but the threat from GE salmon remains.
“While the transgenic males displayed reduced breeding performance relative to their non-transgenic rivals they still demonstrated the ability to successfully participate in natural spawning events and thus have the potential to contribute modified genes to wild populations,” said Mr. Moreau.
Very Real Threat to Wild Gene Pool
While the study provides an estimate of breeding performance under only a single set of physical and demographic environmental conditions, it does mimic a likely invasion scenario where the genetic background of the transgenic population differs from that of the wild population.
“Our study provides the first empirical observations on the natural reproductive capacities of growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon,” concluded Mr. Moreau. “While the resulting ecological and genetic effects of a transgene escape remain uncertain, these data highlight the importance of preventing reproductively-viable genetically modified salmon from entering natural systems.”
To tell your elected representatives to prohibit funding for GE salmon, go to: Food & Water Watch
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Like a lot of Moms, mine had to live with a very finicky child when it came to food. Actually, “finicky” doesn’t begin to describe how fussy I was when it came to even trying something she had cooked for our family. Sorry about that Mom. If it’s any consolation your efforts were not in vain. I now enjoy cuisines from around the world.
Though it’s too late to spare my Mom the frustration I caused, I’d like to offer a little advice in her honor for all those Moms going through the same torment. It seems there are several known means for broadening the palates of pint-sized, picky eaters.
The Science Says It’s So
Getting school-age children to eat healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables is a daunting challenge for many American families. Having kids participate in the preparation of healthy dishes is often suggested as a way of getting them to eat more nutritious meals, and scientists with the Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas have produced a study offering evidence that having kids participate in cooking really works.
"The researchers observed an average increase in consumption of one serving per day of fruit, 100-percent fruit juice, or vegetables, compared to the beginning of the study," according to an article published by the USDA.
The co-author of a study on the effects of cooking on children’s eating habits kids, Isobel Contento, professor of nutrition education at Columbia University’s Teachers College has come to the same conclusion. The New York Times cited this observation from her, “Kids don’t usually like radishes, but we found that if kids cut up radishes and put them in the salad, they love the radishes.”
Cook at Home for Good Health
Cooking shouldn’t be just another chore, like mopping floors. Preparing meals at home can be a fun way to bring family and friends together. One very nice thing about having friends and family gather for dinner is that you can socialize after the meal without having to leave a restaurant and make your way somewhere else.
Family at Dinner, ca. 1942 (photo by John Collier, courtesy of Library of Congress)
Then there are the health aspects. Cooking at home lets you choose ingredients that are full of nutrients and free of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Families who dine together suffer less obesity. But, eating isn’t only about getting the calories and nutrients you need to stay alive. Sharing an enjoyable meal together is a bonding experience that draws families and friends closer together. Serving great food to people you care about is a terrific way to lift your own spirits.
Gardening Together
Teaching middle school can be a real test of wills, but the Edible Schoolyard has been passing that test for years. It’s a cooking and gardening program wholly integrated into the school’s daily life. The organic garden is flourishing and the kitchen is filled with delicious smells, music, and enthusiastic young chefs.
Students work together to shape and plant beds, amend soil, turn compost, and harvest flowers, fruits, and vegetables. In the kitchen classroom, students prepare and eat delicious seasonal dishes from produce they have grown in the garden.
If your child’s school doesn’t have an Edible Garden perhaps it’s time for some parents to get together and lobby for one. (See below for more info on how to do just that.) In the meantime, a backyard garden at home or a community garden in close proximity will do nicely. If those are not possibilities, try finding a local farm with a pick-your-own program for a family outing.
Experiment with Recipes
You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to serve meals that will wow your guests, just keep it simple. Use fresh ingredients from a farmers market when you can’t grow your own. Good quality oils and vinegars will make those already flavorful veggies really sing. Look up some recipes and view them as guidelines rather than rigid commands to follow. Play around with the ingredients and spices. Eliminate or add some to create a dish that you find delicious and doesn’t devour a lot of time and money.
You can use tapenades as side dishes to add to the variety of flavors in a meal with little effort. Pick up a good chutney to make a plate of fresh bread and cheese more memorable. Smoked meats and game are full of flavor and can be simply warmed or served at room temperature. You’ll find that creating and plating a dish at least as satisfying as your last restaurant meal is no great challenge.
And cooking classes are not only a good place to pick up culinary tips, but it’s a lot of fun to mix with fellow home cooks.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
U.S. Government Poster from World War II (courtesy of Library of Congress)
Could a quick history lesson lead to a better future?
During World War II Americans lived with rations of such necessities as tires, gasoline, sugar, and other foodstuffs. The US government encouraged ordinary people to create Victory Gardens; small plots of fruits and vegetables to stave off food shortages so more mass-produced food could be sent to feed the troops.
The people responded. Two million Americans created Victory Gardens in their backyards or communities. According to author Michael Pollan, "...during World War II, Victory Gardens supplied as much as 40% of the produce Americans ate."
A Social Phenomenon
Victory Gardens were more than a war time activity, they were a social phenomenon. Schools and families planted Victory Gardens together, often on communal land. Families caught up on news as they planted and harvested. Nutrition information was widely disseminated to help home cooks create balanced meals for their families. Our current obesity epidemic must have been unimaginable to those gardeners.
Today there are many gardens that are very much like the Victory Gardens of old. In backyards across America folks are growing their own produce, spices and herbs. They harvest fruits and vegetables that have been raised without pesticides and enjoy them when they are at the peak of their freshness and nutritional value. Adding home-grown fare to the fresh produce from a local farm stand or a farmers market gives gardeners the best of both worlds.
Community Gardens
If you’d like to try your hand at growing some food of your own but don’t have your own backyard, you can join a community garden. In 2004, the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) estimated that there were already 18,000 community gardens across the USA and Canada. Urban community gardens can be found from South Central Los Angeles to the Bronx in New York City. If there’s no community garden near your home, think about organizing your neighbors to get one started.
Funded by federal grants, GreenThumb has been a program of the NYC Parks Department since 1995. The nonprofit organization has over 600 member gardens serving 20,000 city residents. New York University released a study of the effect of community gardens on nearby property values. The study of 636 community gardens in NYC showed a positive effect on sales prices of residential properties within a 1,000-foot radius of a community garden when compared to properties outside the 1,000-foot ring, but still in the same neighborhood. The effect was significant and increasing over time. The tax benefit to the city over a 20-year period was estimated at $647 million dollars or $1 million per garden. Who knows how much might be saved on medical costs by the healthier diet the gardens make possible.
Not all benefits are measured in dollars. Here’s what Karen Washington from the Garden of Hope in the Bronx had to say about her experience:
To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing and you did this for yourself, your family and your community.
Victory Gardens could bring down the cost of food for American families and make organic poroduce more widely available. We could reduce America’s reliance on oil simply by keeping vegetable gardens and cutting down on the amount of food that has to be transported by truck. Victory Gardens would reduce the need for petroleum-based fertilizers on giant corporate farms. If you’re unhappy about where all the money Americans spend on oil and gasoline is going, then spread the word: Bring Back the Victory Gardens!
If you'd like to start a garden in your community or your backyard here's some info that should help:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
"We believe all food can be produced safely, including raw milk." - Tim Wrightman
A state assembly panel recently approved a measure sponsored by Assemblywoman Connie Wagner to aid New Jersey farmers by allowing them to sell raw milk. The neighboring states of Pennsylvania and New York already allow the sale of raw milk.
Many medical professionals and nutritionists have concluded that raw milk from grass-fed cows is more nutrient dense than conventionally produced milk, while foodies around the world have long appreciated the rich flavor of artisanal cheeses crafted with raw milk.
Family Farms Face Unhealthy Competition
A previous post on American Feast's Sustainable Food Blog explained further about what is at stake:
Family-scale dairy farms feeding free-roaming cows on healthy grass face tough competition from concentrated animal feeding operations. The densely penned cows at CAFOs are sickened from being fed the abundance of corn grown with massive government subsidies, posing a very real threat to human health. Cow droppings make good fertilizer on small farms, but at CAFOs the immense amount of waste is a toxic threat to the health of people and the environment.
Of course, people around the globe have been safely consuming raw milk and handcrafted cheeses for thousands of years.
According to the nonprofit Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund:
The bill (A-743) would create a permit program through the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to allow for the sale of raw milk in New Jersey. The legislation would require the testing of cows intended to be used for the production of raw milk, with ongoing testing as necessary. The permit holder would also be required to conduct tests to measure the levels of certain bacteria and pathogens in the raw milk produced. The bill also stipulates that no growth hormones can be used in the process of producing raw milk.
Safe & Nutritious
Food safety and optimal nutrition aren’t mutually exclusive goals according to organic farming legend, Tim Wightman. A farming expert of 35 years, Wightman teaches dairy farmers to reach well beyond conventional food safety goals. He mentors farmers in low-tech yet high quality approaches to production of intrinsically safe and optimally nutritious raw milk.
A modern pioneer of the cowshare/herdshare concept, Mr. Wightman now serves as president of the Farm-to-Consumer Foundation. The educational nonprofit aims to equip farmers and consumers with safety advice on raw dairy products via conferences, tele-seminars and printed materials.
Free Handbook & DVD Now Available Online
The Foundation now provides two of Mr. Wightman's educational tools to the public free of charge. These free resources include online copies of Raw Milk Production Handbook and a micro dairy farm educational DVD, Chore Time. Both are available at: Farm to Consumer Foundation
"We believe all food can be produced safely, including raw milk," says Mr. Wightman.
"These materials are the starting point for a collaborative effort to develop 'best practices' to guide dairy farms working to meet the rising demand for raw milk from pasture-raised cows, whether the legal framework is loose (as with voluntary farm-to-consumer standards for cow shares) or more formal (as with larger scale retail sales)."
Steve Bemis, attorney and Farm-to-Consumer Foundation board member, asserts that these free resources are an important step in building a working relationship on raw dairy safety issues.
Mr. Bemis explains, "In many cases, academic and government entities will not (for policy and ethical reasons) link to resources that are for sale; so, by providing these 'freeware' resources, we hope to encourage links from others' websites, and thereby engage a broader audience.”
There are currently 15 states that allow farmers to sell raw milk directly to consumers, while 10 states allow the sale of raw milk in retail stores.
About Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund
The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is a 501 (c) (4) non-profit organization made up of farmers and consumers joining together and pooling resources to:
• Protect the constitutional right of the nation’s family farms to provide processed and unprocessed farm foods directly to consumers through any legal means.
• Protect the constitutional right of consumers to obtain unprocessed and processed farm foods directly from family farms.
• Protect the nation’s family farms from harassment by federal, state, and local government interference with food production and on-farm food processing.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
"Eating food that's in season means enjoying food at its peak in terms of flavour. It can also make a difference to the weekly shopping bill, as more abundant, in season food is often cheaper.”
Better flavor may be the best reason to eat fresh, local and seasonal food, but better nutrition, more affordable pricing, and sustainability are pretty good reasons as well. But, buying from a local, trusted farmer is not universally possible and many grocery stores offer few clues as to which items are in season.
Research carried out on behalf of the Scottish Government found that the majority of Scots are not aware what food is in season and when - as they have become accustomed to having all the meat, fish, fruit and vegetables they want, all year round.
Peak Flavour & Often Cheaper
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said, "Scotland's seasonal larder offers a fantastic array of fresh produce. This was demonstrated on the global stage last week when the international culinary contest in Lyon, the Bocuse d'Or, selected Scotch Lamb and seafood as its key ingredients.”
Last Thursday, Mr. Lochhead joined top chefs for an in season cooking challenge in Edinburgh to launch the Eat in Season campaign. The challenge tested the chefs' cooking skills by challenging them to cook up a delicious meal in five minutes, using five in season ingredients.
"Eating food that's in season means enjoying food at its peak in terms of flavour. It can also make a difference to the weekly shopping bill, as more abundant, in season food is often cheaper,” said Mr. Lochhead.
The Sustainable Choice
Increased awareness that it is a better choice to buy and consume fresh and in season food will not only support Scotland's economy, but contribute towards a healthier population and a greener, more environmentally sustainable country.
Mr. Lochhead said, "I'm sure that as Scots become more aware of what's in season they will see how easy it is to incorporate tasty and seasonal produce into their everyday lives."
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
There’s ample evidence that the food with the best flavor and greatest nutritional value is that which is sustainably produced, as great chefs and dedicated foodies alike can attest. Heirloom tomatoes provide a good illustration, as anyone who has had the pleasure of enjoying them well knows. By comparison, their conventionally-produced, red cousins offer little to please the palate.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have come up with evidence that the tangerine tomato, a sweet-flavored heirloom variety, might be a better source of a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. So says chemist Betty J. Burri, based at the Agricultural Research Service Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, California.
The study conducted by Ms. Burri and her colleagues supports the findings of an earlier study conducted by scientists in Ohio who found the tangerine tomato's tetra-cis-lycopene is more efficiently absorbed by the body than is the trans-lycopene of red tomatoes. The trans-lycopene form makes up most of the lycopene in common red tomatoes, while most of the lycopene in tangerine tomatoes is tetra-cis-lycopene.
As for flavor, the Sustainable Seed Company website says, “Tangerine is a bright orange beefsteak tomato that makes an excellent slicer. Its sweet, complex flavor is highly sought after in farmers markets.”
The 1932 Burpee Seed Company says, “The flavor is delightful-rich and tasty, of a sub-acid piquancy that stimulates the appetite. The (indeterminate) vines make abundant growth."
If you’d like to add tangerine tomatoes to your garden’s mix, you can purchase seeds from the Sustainable Seed Company, just go to: Tangerine Tomato Seeds
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
It’s easy to think of farmers markets as a warm weather experience, especially in frigid winter climes, but change is clearly afoot. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Farmers Market Directory now lists 898 winter farmers markets across the country - more than 14% of the nation’s farmers markets – offering consumers more opportunity than ever to access locally grown food.
“Fresh, local, and healthful food isn’t just a good weather offering,” said David Shipman, Acting Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. “Clearly in many places, winter markets are hot despite the cold weather. Even in states where the traditional growing season is short, the market season is long. This allows more small and local farmers to continue bringing in income for their families and their businesses, while also providing great, nutritious food to communities year round.”
Farmers markets are considered winter farmers markets if they operate between November and March. The top 11 states for these markets are: New York (153), California (140), North Carolina (53), Florida (45), Pennsylvania (42), Ohio (34), Massachusetts (32), Kentucky (30), New Jersey (24), Connecticut (20), and Michigan (20).
Since 2009, winter markets have grown 17%. Farmers markets operating more than seven months per year have higher monthly sales than their strictly seasonal counterparts.
In August of 2010, the USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory listed 6,132 operating farmers markets overall, a 16% rise from 2009. The National Farmers Market Directory has been collecting self-reported information about farmers markets since 1994.
Winter farmers markets feature local products, including seasonal produce, honey, herbs and baked goods. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other federal nutrition benefit programs are often accepted.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Americans will consume about 50 million pounds of avocados on Super Bowl Sunday, mostly in tasty and healthy guacamole. That’s enough to cover a football field 19 feet deep, if you enjoy that sort of thing.
Below is a classic recipe for Guacamole from our friends at the California Avocado Commission, but they’ve come up with a nice little twist. Depending on where your home team does its playing and snacking, they have suggestions for added ingredients that will give your dish a distinctly local flavor.
Home Team Guacamole begins with a party size portion of basic guacamole (4 avocados, salt, lemon or lime juice) served in the center of a serving tray. Line up color-coded ingredients around the guacamole in small bowls. Then mix in “add-ins” to personalize and create your own Big Game Day party dip.
Ingredients for 8 Servings
• 4 Large, ripe, fresh California avocados, seeded & peeled
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Teaspoon salt, or to taste
Preparation
1. Coarsely mash (DO NOT PUREE) avocados.
2. Stir in lime juice and season to taste.
3. Prepare "add-ins" as directed below.
Regional Variations
Tampa Bay
1. 4-oz. cooked, shelled and de-veined small shrimp
2. 1/2 cup diced green onion
3. 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
4. 5-10 drops red pepper sauce
5. Tampa Bay's coastal location calls for shrimp. The red pepper sauce and yellow bell pepper represent the team's colors.
Pittsburgh
1. 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
2. 1/2 cup chopped roasted yellow bell pepper
Oakland
1. 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2. 2/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
3. 1/2 cup chopped red onion
4. 1/2 cup chopped tomato
5. 2 pickled jalapeños, chopped
6. Oakland's signature color black is represented in the black beans. Two jalapeños are added to represent the teams extra spice!
Atlanta
1. 1/2 cup peach preserves or peach salsa
2. 1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
New York
1. 1/2 lb. smoked salmon pieces
Philadelphia
1. 8-oz. softened cream cheese
2. 2/3 cup chopped black olives
San Francisco
1. 1/2 lb. cooked Dungeness crab, chopped
2. 1/4 cup diced scallions
3. 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
Tennessee
1. 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet white onion
2. 1 cup chunky red salsa
Copyright Courtesy of California Avocado Commission
To learn more about California avocados, their heath benefits & growing an avocado tree go to: California Avocado Commission
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
I first encountered handcrafted kielbasa in the 1980s while working in New York City’s largest Polish-American neighborhood, said to be the world’s largest Polish community outside of Warsaw. The aroma on the neighborhood’s shopping street made it clear when local butchers were smoking a fresh batch. I’ve had a weakness for those unique sausages ever since.
Our friend, James Beard Award-winning author Linda West Eckhardt, just provided us with a wonderful way to enjoy the singular flavor of the classic Polish sausage in a healthy, seasonal soup, sure to warm on a winter day. Here’s how she describes it, “Just the sort of soup Polish Grandmothers kept on the back burner for cold and hungry children, this is a recipe that tastes good the first day, and even better on the days after!”
Linda’s Cannellini Soup with Kielbasa & Kale
Ingredients for 6-8 Servings
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 12 Ounces cooked beef kielbasa, cut into coins
• 1 Large onion, finely chopped
• 1 Fennel bulb, finely chopped (reserve and chop feathery tops for garnish)
• 6 Large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• ½ Teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 2 Boxes chicken broth (about 10 cups)
• 1 Package (12 ounces) fresh chopped kale
• 1 15-Ounce can cannellini beans, drained (Goya)
• 1 15-Ounce box chopped Italian tomatoes (Pomi)
• 1 Cup grated Asiago or Parmigiano
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add ingredients in order, up to the broth, taking your time as you chop, so that the vegetables cook down. Then add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, cannellini and tomatoes and simmer until kale wilts. Taste and adjust seasonings with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
Linda West Eckhardt
To learn more about Linda's most recent work on healthy weight loss, go to: The Silver Cloud Diet
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Herb & Kathy Eckhouse (Image courtesy of La Quercia)
The Good Food Awards honor people who make food that is delicious, respectful of the environment, and connected to communities and cultural traditions, so it comes as no surprise that La Quercia of Norwalk, Iowa has just been honored for its Green Label Prosciutto.
To celebrate, La Quercia is offering 4 ounces of its organic crumble with every order -- FREE! Yes, two 2-ounce packages of their delicious, versatile crumble, made with their award-winning, organic prosciutto, a personal favorite and what La Quercia's founding family eats at home! All that and FREE SHIPPING too!
Offer good until January 31st. Happy Good Food Month!
Green Label Prosciutto
Herb and Kathy Eckhouse founded La Quercia to create premium quality American prosciutto. Their appreciation of prosciutto grew out of the three and a half years they lived in Parma, Italy, prosciutto's area of origin. Herb and Kathy are contributing to the growth of premium, artisan-made American foods by offering fine quality, dry cured meats -- and Iowa with its abundance is a natural place to do this.
Says Herb, “I love making prosciutto; it's like assisting at a miracle."
If you'd like to learn more about La Quercia's critically acclaimed, artisan cured meats, click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Grazing with Mom (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
“Burrowing out of the recession, hungry consumers will be exploring more exotic territory in the quest for unique flavors and nourishing foods in 2011.” So writes the Center for Culinary Development (CCD), which will be profiling food and beverage trends it expects to be buzz-generating in its 2011 issues of the bi-monthly Culinary Trend Mapping Report.
CCD employs a signature 5-stage Trend Mapping® technique -- where Stage 1 trends are emerging from independent restaurants and Stage 5's have landed in the mainstream. We couldn’t help but notice that among the spotted trends, Grass-fed Dairy was designated Stage 3, indicating to us that huge numbers of consumers are well ahead of government regulators on the health and flavor benefits of products made from raw milk, free of artificial hormones and containing higher levels of healthful fatty acids.
According to CCD, “…products made from grass-fed dairy appeal to both health-focused consumers and those seeking more natural, traditional and authentic foodstuffs.” That observation is certainly in line with the enthusiastic response we have seen to America’s artisanal cheeses crafted from raw milk produced by grass-fed cows.
A previous post on American Feast's Sustainable Food Blog explained further about what is at stake:
Family-scale dairy farms feeding free-roaming cows on healthy grass face tough competition from concentrated animal feeding operations. The densely penned cows at CAFOs are sickened from being fed the abundance of corn grown with massive government subsidies, posing a very real threat to human health. Cow droppings make good fertilizer on small farms, but at CAFOs the immense amount of waste is a toxic threat to the health of people and the environment.
Of course, people around the globe have been safely consuming raw milk and cheeses for thousands of years.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Vegetarian Delights Crafted at Aaron Baum's Hand To Mouth Edibles
Artichoke in Flower (photo by Dani Simmonds, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Have you ever made a wonderful gourmet dish and then have someone say, "Hey, this tastes great! You could sell that...people would love to buy your food!"
Well, that's pretty much how Hand To Mouth Edibles Gourmet Foods was founded. Aaron Baum, a communications consultant and self-described "guy who loves to cook" listened to the suggestions of friends and family. He took their advice and changed careers to start his own specialty food company crafting delicious and healthy vegetarian alternatives.
Healthy Aaron at the Beach
Aaron knew from the beginning that the key to making his gourmet foods taste so great was using the finest, all natural ingredients. Aaron also realized that high quality spreads and tapenades were not so easily available. In 1997, Hand To Mouth Edibles was brought to the market with all natural, gourmet tapenades and spreads. Ambrosias and tapenades are delicious, versatile products that the professional and the home cook alike can appreciate. They're an appetizer in a jar, a distinctive condiment to spice up a meal, or a special addition to a gift or picnic basket.
Aaron and his team at Hand To Mouth Edibles believe in giving something back to the community. They donate a portion of their profits to Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization working to alleviate hunger and poverty. Day-by-day, Hand To Mouth Edibles is making delicious and healthy food while making a difference in the world!
If you’d like to purchase some veggie delights from Hand To Mouth Edibles click on any of the following:
Millions of U.S. Kids to Get a Chance for a Better School Lunch
Winter Fun (photo by Phaedra Wilkinson, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Good news recently for those who want more sustainability when it comes to food and water. For the first time a judge has ordered the destruction of illegally planted genetically modified crops and the N.Y.S. legislature just passed a moratorium on “fracking” for natural gas.
On the heels of those victories, the U.S. Congress has passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Our friend Kate Walsh at Slow Food USA writes, “Over 31 million children in American schools will have a chance of a better school lunch.”
The act’s passage comes at a critical time. For the first time, a generation of American kids is expected to have a shorter life span than their parents.
A Broken System
"Cheetos with cheese does not have a place in a school lunch program," said Josh Viertel, President of Slow Food USA. "It is about time we gave children the school lunch they deserve."
"We know that our food system is broken when the food we feed our children will cause one in three to develop diabetes, and when obesity levels are at an all-time high. This Bill is far from perfect, and has involved large compromises, but is a great achievement towards our end goal of making kids healthier," he continued.
Slow Food USA members have been campaigning for the past two years with over 160,000 Slow Food members joining the ‘Time for Lunch’ Campaign. Thousands signed petitions, emailed or called legislators or attended one of over 300 ‘Eat Ins’ that were held in all 50 states.
"The bill will also help support local family farmers who supply the produce for school lunch through Farm to School programs."
Our Most Valuable Resource
After sending her child to school and seeing the quality of the food schools are forced to serve, Slow Food member and child nutrition advocate for the past 16 years, Dr. Susan Rubin decided to take action.
"What a people don’t realize is that there are a lot of children who rely on school lunch as their main meal of the day. The health of our children is one of the most important investments we can make," she said.
Imperfect progress, but progress nonetheless, and it came because concerned citizens made their voices heard so loudly that they couldn’t be ignored.
To learn more about the Slow Food movement and find a local chapter, go to: Slow Food USA
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
American Feast Proudly Offers Nature's Authentic Wild Rice
A Native American says a prayer & hands out tobacco, offering thanks to Nature (photo by Greg Peterson)
Unlike the genetically modified "wild rice" grown in paddies, truly authentic wild rice delivers a deep, rich flavor cherished by chefs and devoted foodies. Its unique qualities led Chef Alice Waters to choose it for a special New Year's Dinner at Chez Panisse.
Native Harvest Wild Rice is known as "the food that grows on water" and Manoomin to Minnesota's Native American Ojibwe communities. The wild rice is hand-harvested from pristine lakes on the White Earth Indian Reservation as it has been for centuries, using traditional methods. It has never been genetically modified.
Manoomin is a central aspect of Ojibwe culture and tradition, a part of the proceeds benefit the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which works to protect the integrity of this important native food.
T
Ojibwe communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada harvest and process wild rice, following the traditions of their ancestors. Manoomin is also part of the Anishinaabeg migration stories and prophecies. It continues to define what it means to be Anishinaabeg. The campaign to protect the integrity of this heirloom wild rice is an important aspect of the White Earth Land Recovery Project.
"Too many of America's indigenous foods have been lost forever, or are in danger of becoming lost. We are proud to be helping the effort to save this important heirloom of our country's food culture by making it available to the widest audience possible," said Jeff Deasy, American Feast founder and president.
The indigenous specialty foods available from AmericanFeast.com are true gifts from nature for discriminating foodies and slow food cooking enthusiasts concerned about the health of the environment.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Does everyone enjoy having leftover Thanksgiving turkey as much as we do? There are the sandwiches in the days that follow, but we thought we’d pass on a more imaginative and very healthy use of your cooked bird from Roger Corder’s book, “The Red Wine Diet, Drink wine everyday and live a long and healthy life" (Penguin Group USA).
In the book Professor Corder writes, “This main course salad is a lovely mixture of colors, flavors and textures…The combination of beans, cranberries, and walnuts puts some protective polyphenols on your plate. Bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion give you a generous serving of vegetables. The salad is a good source of vitamin C, folate, and B-group vitamins, along with selenium, zinc and iron.” All that, and a single serving delivers plenty of protein and only about 500 calories.
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 1 Cup adzuki beans or black beans, soaked overnight
• ½ Cup brown rice
• 2 Tablespoons L'Autunno Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons B.R. Cohn Pear Chardonnay Vinegar
• ½ Teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Large green bell pepper, chopped
• ½ Cucumber, chopped
• 1 Red onion, finely chopped
• ½ Cup dried cranberries
• ½ Cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 7 Ounces cooked turkey
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
Preparation
1. Drain the soaked beans, place in saucepan, cover with cold water-do not add salt-and bring to boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 50 minutes, until tender. Drain well.
2. Cook the rice in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the dressing into the beans while they are still warm.
4. When the mixture has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Roth Kase of Wisconsin, Crafting Artisanal Cheeses in Alpine Tradition
Roth Käse’s Chalet (photo courtesy of Roth Käse USA)
Nestled in the rolling hills of Southern Wisconsin, Roth Käse’s chalet houses a Swiss-made copper vat for the traditional crafting of Alpine cheese. They use time-honored recipes and the freshest local milk to craft their cheeses. The Cellar Master and his team meticulously tend to the cheese throughout the curing process to insure that each cheese that leaves their care meets the highest expectations of cheese lovers.
The Roth family's success didn't come overnight. There's an impressive legacy behind the success story. The venture began in 1863 in Uster, Switzerland, then a small town just outside Zurich. By the end of the century a decision was made to extend the family's knowledge and appreciation of European cheeses to America. By the early 1900's, Otto Roth, son of the founder, had established a successful business. His company would soon become the largest importer of European specialty cheeses in North America and lay the foundation for what today is Roth Käse USA .
Buttermilk Blue
Swiss Tradition Comes to the USA
In 1991, convinced there was a future making artisanal cheeses in America , Fermo Jaeckle, a former executive with Otto Roth & Co., joined with his cousins Felix and Ulrich Roth to further extend their European/Swiss roots and cheesemaking expertise into the rolling hills of Green County, Wisconsin. Known as Little Switzerland, as well as a source for the highest quality milk, the area in the heart of America 's Dairyland is particularly well suited for cheesemaking. It is there that Roth Käse USA was born for the primary purpose of crafting authentic Gruyère and other specialty cheeses of Alpine origin. Adopting the highest European standards and technology, the Swiss chalet-style factory is state-of-the-art, with authentic copper vats, special wood curing shelves and the finest affinage and aging cellars.
A unique apprenticeship program assures European know-how at Roth Käse USA. The company has implemented a cross-training program wherein Wisconsin and Swiss cheesemakers train in the other's country, learning the technology and traditional European methods of cheesemaking and “affinage”, the art of curing cheese to perfection. Award-winning Master Cheesemakers, supported by expert “Affineurs” set Roth Käse Signature cheeses apart from others.
Red Spruce Cheddar Aged 7 Years
Roth Kase Artisans Garner Over 100 Awards
The Roth Käse team has created a number of cheeses, many of them American Originals, that continue to be crafted to strict specifications by some of the finest cheesemakers in the State of Wisconsin. The never-ending pursuit of craftsmanship and persistent attention to cheese quality has resulted in Roth Käse's claim to over 100 national, international, state and regional awards in the last decade. Accolades include top honors in prestigious competitions like the American Cheese Society, the World and National Cheese Championships, and the long-standing Wisconsin State Fair Governor's Sweepstakes Cheese Contest.
To purchase some of Roth Kase's finest creations click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Wild Sockeye Salmon (photo by Kayak Lady, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Wild seafood from the frigid waters of Alaska is distinctively delicious, coming from a naturally evolved ecosystem that can be found no where else on earth. While delivering a uniquely rich flavor to please the palates of seafood lovers, the wild salmon offers nutritional benefits to keep you young-of-mind and heart healthy over an active lifetime.
And there is another reason to love the bounty brought in by Alaska’s hearty fishing fleet. Under the Alaska State Constitution, all seafood from the state’s abundant waters must be harvested in a sustainable manner. So we can enjoy those delightful delicacies for years to come, without guilt, knowing that future generations will be enjoying the same for many years to come.
Be Very Wary of Farmed & GE Salmon
In contrast, there have been alarming reports regarding the safety of farm-raised salmon. One sample of farmed salmon studied by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found levels of PCB's so high that it advised eating it no more than once every two months. PCBs have long been known to cause cancer.
Unethical sellers have been detected passing off farm-raised salmon as wild-caught, and now there is the dreaded prospect that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration may soon approve a genetically engineered (GE) salmon. It would be the first GE animal ever approved for human consumption. When GE salmon inevitably escape into the wild, they will forever alter what Nature created.
Vital Choices Need to Be Made
Distressed by the knowledge that farmed salmon threatened to replace wild salmon in the marketplace and destroy their livelihood in the process, Alaskan fisherman Randy Hartnell and his wife Carla started Vital Choice® in 2001.
Carla explained during a recent visit to Norma Kamali’s Wellness Café in midtown Manhattan:
Our goal was to let people know that when you choose sustainably harvested wild salmon, you are choosing more than just a fine meal. You are promoting your health, the health of coastal fishing communities, the environment, and the precious wild salmon it sustains. You really are making a vital choice.
Safe & Healthy Is Fashionable
When asked how someone from an industry so often associated with hardly eating at all, iconic fashion designer Norma Kamali mused on the thought of a drink from “a plastic water bottle with a cigarette chaser” for a moment, then commented on the absurdity of using harmful, chemical products to enhance one’s beauty. She said she couldn’t help but be distressed by the “toxicity” that surrounds us in so many aspects of our daily lives.
A tour of the great olive growing regions of Europe led Norma to networking with people who shared her concerns. Being a businesswoman extraodinaire, she shows a special affinity for people who meet daunting challenges with an entrepreneurial spirit, folks like Randy and Carla Hartnell. Having established her Wellness Café as a forum for educating people about alternatives for a healthier life, on Wednesday she had the dynamic couple and their daughter come by to illustrate their important work with appetizing samples.
Over the years the Vital Source product line has grown to include wild-caught halibut, cod, albacore, sardines, mackerel, smoked King salmon, organic wild blueberries, trail mix, and much more. Among the “much more” is some really savory dark chocolate, always crafted from Fair Trade cocoa.
A Down Side to Wild Salmon?
Is there a down side to wild salmon? Well, there is the cost. A recent trip to a specialty food store found fresh wild salmon beautifully displayed on a bed of crushed ice. It was $40.00 a pound, quite an extravagance for an American family on a grocery budget.
Randy and Carla Hartnell’s answer is to offer wild-caught seafood, flash frozen and sealed in a preservation packet within hours of its harvest, ready for direct sale to consumers online. Real wild flavors made affordable, but still naturally brimming with the antioxidants, vitamin D, and omega-3s essential to heart, skin, brain, and eye health, not to mention a vibrant mood.
To learn more about Randy and Carla Hartnell’s company, go to: Vital Choice®
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Cypress Grove, Original Crafters of Great American Goat Cheeses
Midnight Moon & Humbodlt Fog Cheeses (photos courtesy of Cypress Grove)
It’s hard to imagine a time when goat cheese wasn’t popular in the U.S., but a mere 25 years ago virtually all the goat cheese sold in the U.S. was imported from Europe. That’s where the story of Cypress Grove begins, when a few enterprising Americans, mostly women, made small batches of goat cheese in their kitchens and began selling it to discerning restaurant owners and retailers. One of those entrepreneurial Americans was Mary Keehn, the Founder of Cypress Grove.
Wanting a source of healthful milk for her children, Mary began raising Alpine goats in the 1970s. She quickly discovered that she had a natural talent for selectively breeding goats. Her herd began winning numerous awards and before she knew it, Mary was recognized as America’s premier breeder of Alpine dairy goats.
Necessity Leads to a Mother's Invention
As Mary’s goat stock continued to improve, she was faced with an unexpected consequence: surplus milk from 50 goats! Armed with her kitchen stove, way too much goat milk, and a knack for inventing unique and delicious recipes, Mary began dabbling with cheese making. It soon became clear that selective goat breeding was only one of Mary’s many talents; she had a natural flair for cheese making as well.
In 1983, with the help of family and friends, Mary made the move from kitchen hobbyist to cheese making entrepreneur…and footwear aficionado! Often entrepreneurs talk about wearing many hats. Mary remembers footwear: rubber boots for milking goats, sterile clogs for making cheese, comfortable shoes for office work, and relative to the rest, uncharacteristically high heels for sales and marketing! Local chefs and restaurants bought her cheese and word spread fast about the taste and quality.
Truffle Tremor (photo courtesy of Cyrpress Grove)
Even the Best Needs Time to Succeed
From the outset, Mary strove to make the highest quality, best-tasting artisanal cheeses. Market acceptance, however, was slow. Americans, it seemed, had become accustomed not only to the strong, tangy goat cheeses made in France, but also bland, sliced “cheese” wrapped in plastic. It took quite a few years before consumers developed a palate for the smooth, delicate flavors of Cypress Grove cheeses. Mary used this period of slow, steady growth to take special care of her customers and to work in conjunction with other goat cheese pioneers to develop the American market.
Patience, hard work and a commitment to quality paid off, and over time a large, loyal following began to seek out the Cypress Grove label. Today, Cypress Grove Chevre employs 42 and has awards from the American Cheese Society, the U.S. Cheese Championship, the World Cheese Awards and the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade.
A Commitment to Quality Matched by a Commitment to Community
In 2009, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) presented Mary with its Small Business Person of the Year award. The SBA award’s criteria is not only for developing an outstanding business; a business must also help make a contribution to the community.
“We realize that quality must be evident in more than the cheese,” said Mary. “We have to have excellent milk, and that means healthy goats and family farms. By contributing to our employees and community, we make it clear that we are all motivated by the same commitment to quality of life. This award affirms that our focus is appreciated and valued by the business community as well as by our customers.”
Today, Cypress Grove is renowned for its innovative range of fresh, aged and ripened cheeses, many invented by Mary. The company continues to garner international awards for excellence and is a recognized leader in the making of artisanal goat cheese in the U.S.
If you’d like to leaqrn more about some of Cypress Grove’s most acclaimed artisanal goat cheeses click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Paint the Town Slow, a Slow Food NYC Benefit for Urban Harvests
Seasonal Squash (photo by Mary K. Baird, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Paint the Town Slow will feature cocktails made by New York's "Slowest" mixologists, local food from some Snail of Approval restaurants and "Slow friendly" celebrities who will auction themselves off during the event. Only 100 tickets are available so buy your tickets today.
Paint the Town Slow will be held at 53 Wyckoff Street, Brooklyn, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm on December 8th, running simultaneously with the last hours of the Slow Food NYC Experience Auction which begins online on November 28th. At the party, bidders can participate via smart-phones or an on–site computer to compete with off-site bidders for the one-of-a-kind experiences.
Slow Food NYC Online Experience Auction
Would you love to learn the secret of making a perfect biscuit from one of the top bakers in the city? Or, do you ever wish you had a tutor to help you navigate the nuances and subtleties of high end Scotch? How about just relaxing at home with friends while a renowned NYC chef whips up a three course meal in your own kitchen?
Just in time for "Cyber-Monday" and the holiday shopping season, The Slow Food NYC online Experience Auction will auction off eating, drinking and farming experiences that are not available anywhere else. With everything from celebrity mixologist cocktail parties to tours of the farms that supply some of New York's "slowest" restaurants, these experiences make excellent holiday gifts (or gifts to yourself).
100% of the auction proceeds will support the Urban Harvest Program.
Harvest Time in Urban Schools
This past spring, Slow Food NYC built their first Neighborhood Farm in Brownsville, Brooklyn. During the summer, 60 children living in neighborhoods with very limited access to fresh food, learned to plant, tend, harvest their home-grown produce and prepare healthy lunches, which they enjoyed communally.
Their Neighborhood Farm joins Harvest Time in Schools as part of Slow Food NYC’s new Urban Harvest Program.
Through Harvest Time in Schools, Slow Food NYC financially and logistically supports good food education in 10 schools. Harvest Time in Schools includes: edible gardens; good food and nutrition education, including hands-on cooking; and student-run farm stands, offering fresh, seasonal food grown by the kids or from local farms.
This year, they hope to raise $20,000 so they can continue their programming on the farm and in the schools.
You can get more info on the Slow Food NYC online auction & view the growing list of available experiences at: Slow Food NYC Events & Auction
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Melissa Murphy's Apple Orchard Pecan Crumble Recipe
7 Apples (photo by Álvaro Daniel González Lamarque, courtesy of morguefile.com)
A visit to the local supermarket and the farmers market made it clear that we remain in the thick of America’s apple harvest season. Both markets are bursting with a wonderful variety of fresh apples, not to mention newly-pressed, mouth-watering cider.
The continued abundance has us once again turning for apple recipe ideas to Melissa Murphy’s wonderful book, “The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.” Melissa is the founder of one of New York City’s most cherished neighborhood bakeries. She writes in her book, “Apple crumbles are one of the easiest desserts to put together. Just peel and slice the apples, mix the pecan crumble ingredients together and sprinkle them over the top, and pop the crumble into the oven.”
Next time you find yourself in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn we highly recommend you pay a visit to her award-winning Sweet Melissa’s Patisseries at 276 Court Street. Just the aroma makes the visit worthwhile. Follow Melissa’s guidance for this recipe and everyone in your house will savor the aroma while it bakes!
Ingredients
For the Apple Orchard Filling
• 7 Large tart apples (roughly 3 pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (a combination of Macouns, McIntoch, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smiths is great!)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Pecan Crumble
• 3/4 Cup pecan pieces
• 3/4 Cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 Cup Teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 Teaspoon ground allspice
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Preparation
Before you start, position a rack in the bottom third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 10-inch deep-dish baking dish or 2-quart ovenproof casserole. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
To Make the Filling
1. In a large bowl, stir together the apples and lemon juice. Sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon, and flour over the apples, and stir to combine.
2. Pour the apples into the baking dish.
To Make the Crumble
1. In a large bowl, stir together the pecans, flour, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. Stir in the melted butter.
2. Spread the crumble over the apples.
To Complete the Crumble
1. Place the baking dish on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and thick.
2. Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream.
Some final words from Melissa, “Fruit crumbles are best eaten the day they are baked, but they do keep better in the refrigerator than pies (no crust!) They can last up to 2 days. Wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Unwrap to warm in the oven or microwave for 30 seconds before serving.”
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Will the FDA Approve Frankenfish While Battling Artisanal Cheeses?
Grazing with Mom (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
It was more than a little disturbing to learn that while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may be on the verge of approving genetically engineered salmon, it went ahead and shut down an artisanal cheesemaker in Montesano, Washington due to concern over raw milk contamination.
Montesano’s Estrella Family Creamery is a family-owned business with a grass-based farm that scored big at the prestigious 2010 American Cheese Society Awards:
• Weebles: First in class (Smoked Italian Styles)
• Caldwell Crik Chevrett: First in class (Sheep's or Mixed Milks)
• Jalapeño Buttery: Second prize (Flavored, Peppers)
Estrella's cheeses were also served at a James Beard Dinner in New York, but according to a blog post from Beth Buczynski on care2.com, “FDA officials arrived unannounced at the most well-known artisanal creamery in Washington and posted a seizure order that named all cheeses on the property.”
Ms. Buczynski writes that the FDA acted after “…an inspection by the Washington State Department of Agriculture turned up Listeria monocytogenes (L-mono), a bacteria found in animal feces, in the creamery's production areas and in its finished cheese, according to court records.”
The FDA’s seizure order includes every cheese in production at Estrella, not just those that tested positive for L-mono, despite the fact that no illnesses had been linked to the company’s foods, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
Estrella’s co-owner Kelli Estrella told the Seattle Times, "We very aggressively went after the problem." The company voluntarily recalled several cheeses, destroyed some of them, and paused production while it improved the facility, but that was not enough to keep the FDA from moving forward.
On the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund web site, attorney Pete Kennedy criticizes the heavy handedness of the FDA’s actions, “For the last thirty-eight years, and possibly further back, there have been no reports of illness caused by the consumption of raw milk that was attributed to L-mono.”
“All Estrella Family Creamery cheeses are made with raw milk from animals grazed in our organically maintained pastures,” says the creamery’s web site.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
This is the second great recipe our friend Evelyn Kimber of the Boston Vegetarian Society and the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival helped us get permission to pass on to you. This year the Festival will take place on Saturday, October 30, 2010, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday, October 31, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
If you missed it last year, try and get there this time around. It’s a lot of healthy fun for the whole family and definitely worth the trip. This soup recipe was demonstrated at the Festival by Chef Cathi di Cocco, Owner of Café di Cocoa.
“Café Di Cocoa-Food for the Soul” opened in Bethel, Maine in 1996. It’s a charming 28-seat vegetarian restaurant located on Main Street in a Victorian farmhouse. Since then they’ve added a retail Market and Bakery next door. Chef/Owner Cathi di Cocco feeds & educates crowds of people through her in-house cooking classes, food tasting, community soup kitchen, and Summer Cooking Camp for Kids. Vegetarian eating must be providing Chef Cathi with plenty of energy!
Ingredients for 6 Quarts
• 2 Pounds fresh shelled cannellini beans OR 1 pound dried beans, soaked overnight & drained OR three 17-ounce cans of beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 Whole garlic bulb, cut in half horizontally
• 3 Bay leaves
• ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 8 Sticks of celery, chopped
• 16 Medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 8 Leeks, white part only, OR 3 med. onions, peeled & chopped
• 4 Medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded & crushed OR 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh garlic (1 average bulb)
• 8 Sprigs of fresh herb, leaves removed; rosemary, sage OR thyme
• 3 Bunches fresh greens, chopped, (Swiss chard, escarole, collards, etc.)
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Cover beans with water.
2. Add bay leaves and halved garlic bulb.
3. Bring to boil and simmer till slightly soft.
4. Cover and let sit 1 hour.
5. Strain through colander, reserving “broth”. Remove garlic and bay leaves. If using canned beans simply drain and rinse.
6. Blend ¾ of the beans into a puree w with broth or water.
7. Reserve ¼ of the beans to add to soup near the end of cooking time
8. In large stockpot saute celery, carrots and onions in olive oil until soft.
9. Add tomatoes, chopped garlic, and herbs.
10. After 5 minutes add chopped greens, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
11. Cook 10 more minutes.
12. Add bean puree and enough broth or water to make a thick soup.
13. Cook slowly for about an hour.
14. Add water or broth as needed to thin.
15. Ten minutes before serving stir in whole beans to heat through.
16. Ladle into bowls and top with rustic herb croutons.
17. Drizzle with the finest extra virgin olive oil you can find.
Submitted by Cathi DiCocco, Chef/Owner of Café DiCocoa in Bethel, Maine.
If you'd like to purchase a special balsamic vinegar that is both unique and our favorite go to: White Balsamic Vinegar
To make a reservation to dine at Café DiCocoa & try more of Chef Cathi’s delicious creations give a call to (207) 824-5282, or go to the Cafe's web site: Café di Cocoa
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Magnificent native nuts are one of America’s great natural treats and it’s harvest time.
Fallen American Eastern Black Walnuts can now be gathered in the Midwest and Eastern U.S., where the trees grow naturally. Years ago I worked at a restaurant on the North Shore of Long Island where the manager had staff go out and gather them for delicious Black Walnut Sundaes. You can even spot them on the ground in New York's Central Park, where they fall in the covering that makes them look a bit like old, green tennis balls.
The rich, robust, almost smokey taste of American Eastern Black Walnuts can turn everyday dishes into exciting signature creations. No other walnut can match the distinctive pungent flavor has elevated it to the status of the "Ultimate Nut" for taste-conscious foodies who place rigorous demands on their recipes. Being low in saturated fats, having no cholesterol, and being high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats makes it a tough nut to beat.
The sweet flavored Native Pecan is an American nut from the Hickory family. They have a high oil content, which contributes to their rich taste and beautiful coloring. "Pecan" is a Native American word from the Algonquin language, covering "all nuts requiring a stone to crack". Wild pecans were a major food source for Native American tribes during autumn, and Native Americans are believed to have been the first to cultivate the pecan tree. The cultivation of pecan trees is one of the most sustainable forms of agriculture.
The annual U.S. nut harvest begins in October and will last until December, so there will be plenty of fresh nuts for baking, cooking, gifting, and serving at Thanksgiving and over the winter holidays. American Eastern Black Walnuts and Native Pecans are delicious heirloom foods by themselves, but when used for baking or cooking they really bloom in flavor.
Note: Stored properly, fresh nuts can be kept in great shape for a year.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Rochester Public Market Voted America's Favorite Farmers Market
Fresh Radishes (photo by Xenia Antunes, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
With a resounding 2,400-vote margin over its nearest competitor, the Rochester Public Market won the 2010 America’s Favorite Farmers Market™ contest, with over 5,200 votes in the large market category. For over a century the Market has been a link between the city, its countryside, and the region's farmers; and has been a source of diversity, character, community, and substantial contributions to the region's economy, ecology, and equity.
The America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest is a project of the American Farmland Trust. The contest is designed to raise national awareness about the importance of supporting fresh food from local farms and farmers. Market shoppers vote to support their favorite farmers market starting June 1st until midnight on August 31st, 2010. People can vote for as many participating farmers markets as they choose, but can only vote for each market once.
The Top Ten in the in the Large Market Category:
1. City of Rochester Public Market: Rochester, NY
2. Davis Farmers Market: Davis, CA
3. Fulton Street Farmers Market: Grand Rapids, MI
4. Ballard Farmers Market: Seattle, WA
5. Mountain View Farmers Market: Mountain View, CA
6. Flint Farmers Market: Flint, MI
7. Ithaca Farmers Market: Ithaca, NY
8. Chattanooga Market: Chattanooga, TN
9. Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market: Las Cruces, NM
10. Iowa City Farmer's Market: Iowa City, IA
American Farmland Trust representatives will visit the Rochester Public Market to present the award on Thursday, October 7th. Rochester’s Mayor, Robert Duffy, will speak at the awards ceremony on the importance of agriculture and farmers markets to the state’s economy and public health.
Other farmers markets that placed in New York’s top five include the Saratoga Farmers Market, the Ithaca Farmers Market, the Westside Farmers Market, and the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market.
American Farmland Trust is the nation’s leading conservation organization dedicated to saving America’s farm and ranch land, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and supporting a sustainable future for farms. Since its founding in 1980 by a group of farmers and citizens concerned about the rapid loss of farmland to development, American Farmland Trust has helped save millions of acres of farmland from development and led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more.
To learn more about the 2010 America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest, go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
B.R. Cohn's Artisans Handcraft Vinegars Using the Ancient "Orleans Process"
Tasting Room & Vineyard (photos courtesy of B.R. Cohn)
Located in beautiful Glen Ellen, California, in the heart of the Sonoma Valley, B.R. Cohn Olive Oil Company is committed to providing exceptional products that satisfy those hungry for new adventures in food. Since its founding the company has continued to garner numerous local and international awards as well as accolades from the gourmet world.
B.R. Cohn's Picholine olive trees, imported from France, are a rarity in a region dominated by Italian and Spanish varietals. They were planted in the 1870s as part of a growing olive oil industry that went into decline at the turn of the 20th century. In the early 1990s, Bruce Cohn and other pioneers brought about a renaissance in California olive oil leading to a new recognition of California olive oils as world-class offerings. As a natural complement to the olive oils, wine-inspired vinegars were added to the menu.
All B.R. Cohn extra virgin olive oils bear the Seal of Quality from the California Olive Oil Council, having passed a laboratory analysis and blind tasting to ensure they are free of defects. The award-winning gourmet wine vinegars handcrafted in Glen Ellen are naturally aged for 18 to 22 months in oak barrels using the centuries-old “Orleans process.”
The Origin of the Orleans Process
During the Middle Ages wine shipped along France’s Loire River was often subjected to hot sun and compromised barrels caused some of the wine to spoil. Nestled along the river, the city of Orléans became an offloading point for this vin aigre, French for “sour wine.” Over the centuries, the local vinegar makers perfected a slow and delicate process of conversion from wine to vinegar, defining the art of superior vinegar making that came to be known as the “Orléans process.”
Vinegar is referenced in the Bible almost as often as wine, and is mentioned in Egyptian and Sumerian records dating back 5,000 years. The Romans used it liberally and in 400 B.C. Hippocrates prescribed it to his patients.
Founder Bruce Cohn
Planning a visit to the Sonoma Valley? Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the rare Picholine olive grove at the beautiful B.R. Cohn Olive Hill Estate Winery and discover their unique history. Just five miles north of the town of Sonoma and a 45-minute drive from San Francisco, the bucolic setting is perfect for an impromptu picnic. Stock up on supplies at the B.R. Cohn tasting room and head for the olive grove or one of their patios. Sample award-winning olive oils and ultra premium wines daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, or call to schedule a tour of the property at 800-938-4064, ext. 24. The B.R. Cohn Winery is located at 15000 Sonoma Highway, Glen Ellen, California 95442.
If you’d like to learn more about some of B.R. Cohn’s artisanal offerings click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
$55 Million in Grants Awarded for Specialty Crops by USDA
Golden Apples (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
After viewing the Oscar nominated “Food Inc.” it hard to deny that the current industrial food system is fatally flawed and unsustainable. Fortunately, specialty crops have helped develop new markets where creative chefs, restaurateurs, daring cooks and adventurous foodies can find rarer, tastier, and healthier ingredients.
The growing numbers of farmers markets and other specialty venues offer a fine alternative to the plethora of highly processed foods of dubious nutritional value spewing forth from giant factory farms. As local, family-scale farms operated in a sustainable manner tend to be the beneficiaries, it is a healthful trend that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) deems worthy of support.
Last week, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced the award of block grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
"We are pleased to support diverse efforts to help specialty crop growers market their products in a global marketplace and encourage all Americans to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption," said Merrigan. "These grants are instrumental in helping specialty crop growers tackle the issues they are facing today."
Specialty Crops for Healthy School Meals
One recipient is partnering with an agency to coordinate a Farm to School program where school districts will purchase specialty crops from a variety of growers for direct use in school meals, and provide nutrition and agriculture education about the benefits and nutritional qualities of specialty crops to students and school personnel.
The 54 grants total approximately $55 million and will fund 827 projects, a 10% increase over last year. They will support the competitiveness of America's specialty crop farmers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
“The Food Shed: Cooking Local and Seasonal” was the title of a class we attended at Manhattan’s Institute of Culinary Education. It turned out to be a terrific evening of learning about cooking with fresh ingredients from local farms.
The class was presented by Chef-Instructor Melanie Underwood. She’s been an enthusiast for cooking with farm fresh ingredients since her days growing up on a farm in Virginia. As a chef, she’s demonstrated her talent at the Plaza Hotel and the Four Seasons Hotel and been sharing her expertise with I.C.E.’s students since 1996. She also offers private cooking classes.
One local ingredient Chef Melanie selected for the class was seasonal Brussel sprouts. She told us that when people tell her they don’t like Brussel sprouts, she tells them they haven’t tried them with bacon. We can report that if you like Brussel sprouts, then you’re probably going to love them with bacon. They made a wonderful side dish with the pan-seared duck breasts Chef Melanie had us prepare. (Here’s the link to her recipe for the duck: Seared Free-Range Duck Breasts with Draft Apple Cider Reduction)
As always, try and get the freshest ingredients available at your local farm stand or farmers market. The creamy sweetness of the Berkshire/Chester White cross fat in the Applewood Smoked Bacon from La Quercia makes their bacon the ultimate choice for this recipe. As expert and author Bruce Aidells says, the flavor "all begins with the animal."
Ingredients for 4 Servings
• 8 Slicesof La Quercia's Applewood Smoked Bacon, cut up into 1-inch slices
• ¼ Cup Dijon mustard
• 1 Pound Brussel sprouts, cleaned, trimmed & cut in half
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Sprinkle of lemon juice
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Cook bacon over low heat until crisp. Rmove bacon from pan; set aside to cool, then crumble.
3. Measure ¼ cup of bacon fat and mix with Dijon mustard.
4. Meanwhile, in a roasting pan combine Brussel sprouts and oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place in oven and cook, stirring occasionally until tender.
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice, Dijon mixture and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.
New Sandwiches Call for Artisanal & Sustainable Ingredients
Spanish-Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich (photo courtesy of Mezzetta Foods)
The most dedicated fans of the television show “Friends” will undoubtedly recall that Joey Tribbiani’s favorite food was sandwiches. Whether or not you share Joey’s culinary preferences a good sandwich is always a tasty, convenient and satisfying meal. We can expect sandwiches to remain a major part of the American diet for some time to come.
According to a consumer survey they are evolving to suit contemporary tastes and values. New sandwich trends are driven by artisan and sustainable ingredients, American regional and global flavor profiles, and even better nutrition, according to the Sandwiches: Culinary Trend Mapping Report from the Center for Culinary Development and leading market research publisher Packaged Facts.
"The role of sandwiches in people's lives is huge," says Kimberly Egan, CEO of CCD. "It makes sense that redefined sandwiches reflect the same values consumers are embracing in their lives."
The report says today's top sandwich trends include:
• The "Fine Fast" Sandwich Shop: Gourmet sandwich shops helmed by chefs feature high-quality, artisan and locally source ingredients along with a wide range of house-made condiments and toppings.
• The Asian Sandwich Invasion: Chinese bao sandwiches and Vietnamese bahn mi are crossing over and attracting adventurous eaters craving new flavors.
• The Reinvented Jewish Deli: Traditional delis are re-inventing themselves with more sustainable and ethical raw ingredients.
• Glamorous Grilled Cheese: This American classic is getting an overhaul with artisan bread and cheese plus sophisticated flavorings.
• The Great Sandwich Shop Takeover: Fast-casual sandwich and bakery chains are innovating with more healthful offerings, global flavor profiles and even some local ingredients.
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Better Burgers: While the North Carolina classic goes national, the beloved burger explodes with new styles of beef, a variety of tasty buns and a host of exotic toppings.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Consumer Choices Have Made Fair Trade Sales Soar to $5 Billion Annually
Cocoa Fruit (photo by Sanjay Pindiyath, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Once again consumers are having a tremendous impact through their purchasing decisions. It seems a very large number of shoppers want to purchase goods produced by people being paid fairly for their work because the sale of Fair Trade goods has gone from $0 to $5 billion in just ten years.
Since cocoa is not grown in the U.S., the country’s artisanal chocolate makers must buy it from overseas to craft their creations. The history of exploitation of agricultural workers around the globe is not a pretty one. After a long legacy of legal slavery, many farm workers still labor in conditions that are little better. But as the sales figures for Fair Trade products show, consumers demanding just treatment and fair compensation are having a salutary impact.
Ben & Jerry’s was the first ice cream company in the world to use Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients starting in 2005, and today it’s racing ahead as the first ice cream company to make such a significant commitment to Fair Trade across its global portfolio. The company has made a commitment to go fully Fair Trade across its entire global flavor portfolio by 2013. Two smaller American companies that craft their artisanal chocolate delights with Fair Trade cocoa have seen their companies flourish from this welcome consumer trend.
The Theo Chocolate Factory
Theo Chocolate in Seattle was the first to roast organic cocoa beans and the first roaster of Fair Trade certified cocoa beans in the United States. Founder and CEO Joe Whinney, witnessed the effects of unfair, unsustainable cocoa trading as a conservation volunteer in Central America. That experience led him to pioneer the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first individual to import organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994.
Food and Wine Magazine honored Theo with an Eco-Epicurean Award for making the world "a better — and more delicious — place." Theo also won "Outstanding Chocolate" at the NASFT Fancy Food Show in New York City.
Robin Jenkins
Awareness of global environmental issues is at the heart of Robin’s Chocolate Sauce in Portland, Maine. Founder Robin Jenkins became conscious of the not-so-sweet realities of the chocolate trade by researching where and how her ingredients are grown and produced, and by whom. She is committed to using organic, shade grown and local or Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients whenever possible. With every purchase of Robin’s Chocolate Sauce, you’re supporting the mission of the National Wildlife Federation to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.
If you’d like to purchase some of Theo’s award-winning gourmet chocolate click on any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Pleasant Ridge Reserve Cheese Wins 'Best of Show' at ACS
Grass-Fed Cow (photo by Derek Lilly, courtesy of morguefile.com)
Wisconsin Uplands’ Cheese Pleasant Ridge Reserve just scored "Best of Show" at the 2010 American Cheese Society Competition. It is the third time Pleasant Ridge Reserve has won the award, having won previously in 2001 and 2005.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve was also named U.S. Champion at the 2003 U.S Championship cheese contest. It's the only cheese ever to win both national competitions.
Pleasant Ridge Reserve is inspired by farmstead cheeses from the Alpine provinces of southeastern France. It is crafted from the raw milk of a single herd of Wisconsin cows, grass-fed and managed using natural, "old world" practices.
The aging techniques used by Uplands were originally developed in the Middle Ages when cheeses were aged in limestone caves. It is washed frequently with a brine solution, producing a variety of pleasing flavors. Because of the time-consuming hand work involved this practice is rarely used today.
Mike & Carol Gingrich
Uplands Cheese Company is owned and operated by two families: Mike and Carol Gingrich and Dan and Jeanne Patenaude. Before becoming a co-founder of Uplands, Mike Gingrich spent several years as an executive at Xerox Corp. and on a venture capital team before settling into the dairy business.
On the appeal of turning from office to dairy farm, Mike says, "It's a desire to do something outside of the corporate world, to do something with nature, to do something on your own…I have never been in a business like this where your customers are helpful, where your competitors are helpful. It's not as cutthroat."
A portion of Uplands’ profits are given to Second Harvest of Southern Wisconsin, a local food bank.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Food & Water Watch Releases 2010 Smart Seafood Guide
In the Pan (photo by Beglib, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The new guide considers the socio-economic impact of consuming seafood and warns against turning to imported fish post-Gulf spill.
The national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch has just released its 2010 Smart Seafood Guide to direct consumers in making safer, more sustainable seafood decisions. This year, researchers analyzed over 100 types of seafood (60% more than in 2009) to create the only guide assessing not only the human health and environmental impacts of eating certain seafood, but also the socio-economic impacts on coastal and fishing communities.
In their 2010 guide, Food & Water Watch highlighted what they refer to as the "Dirty Dozen" -- species that fail to meet two or more of their criteria for safe and sustainable seafood. This year, the worst offender was imported coastal-farmed shrimp. According to the guide, the shrimp mostly come from countries where health, safety, labor and environmental standards are much weaker than in the U.S. This often means the shrimp were raised in crowded, dirty farms, and doused with assorted chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides, some of which are illegal to use in the U.S.
Gulf Oil Spill Raises Food Safety Concerns
"The guide comes at a critical time. We've been fielding countless questions from consumers on seafood safety after the Gulf oil spill," said Marianne Cufone, Food & Water Watch's Fish Program Director. "Unfortunately, because of the spill, many people are considering imported seafood as a safer alternative to domestic. Often, it's not.
The guide not only educates consumers on seafood selection, but also offers information on U.S. seafood production and regulation. For instance:
• Less than 2% of imported seafood is inspected.
• Over 70% of domestic shrimp and about 60% of domestic oysters came from the Gulf of Mexico prior to the spill.
• The average consumer eats around 16 pounds of seafood annually, about 4 pounds of which is shrimp.
Guiding Consumers Away from Unhealthy Choices
The guide steers consumers away from certain types of seafood like fish raised in factory farm conditions that pose threats to both the marine ecosystem and public health; unregulated imports; depleted fish (like bluefin tuna); and fish more likely to contain harmful contaminants like mercury and PCB (like swordfish).
The guide is offered as an online tool for consumers searching for seafood based on taste or U.S. region of origin. In addition, Food & Water Watch has developed a smaller, printed version for consumers to reference before making a purchase at markets or restaurants.
"It's really the most consumer friendly guide out there," Cufone said. "We're not telling you what to eat. We're providing you with important information so that you can make safer, more sustainable seafood choices based on your own personal tastes and priorities."
About Food & Water Watch
The nonprofit organization works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, it helps people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control.
To learn more about the nonprofit organization’s new guide to sustainable seafood, go to: Food & Water Watch
For more information on the Gulf spill's impact on the availability of certain seafood items listed on the 2010 Smart Seafood Guide, check the latest government updates at:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Thistle Hill's John & Janine Putnam (Images courtesy of Thistle Hill Farm)
Ever discovered an artisanal cheese at your local farmers market that you couldn’t stop raving about to fellow foodies? Well, there is an excellent chance that splendid cheese was made from raw milk, giving it the rich flavor that processed cheeses just can’t deliver.
Many medical professionals and nutritionists have indicated that raw milk from grass-fed cows is more nutrient dense than conventionally produced milk. They support the family farms feeding free-roaming cows on healthy grass that want to sell raw milk to folks who want to purchase it. Unfortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug administration prohibits raw milk for human consumption in interstate commerce.
The FDA Faces a Challenge in Court
The FDA’s prohibition has led the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and eight other plaintiffs to mount a legal challenge arguing that the federal regulations are unconstitutional. The FDA filed a motion to dismiss, but last week federal Judge Mark W. Bennett denied the motion. It is a small, but important victory for small dairy farmers, the health of consumers, and the environment.
As part of his ruling, the judge ordered proceedings in the case to be stayed 60 days to allow plaintiffs time to decide whether to file a ‘citizen petition’ with FDA. The petition would ask FDA to clarify its interpretation of the statutes and regulations giving it the power to ban raw milk for human consumption in interstate commerce.
Having survived the first round in the case, the plaintiffs have until October 18th to determine what their next course of action will be.
Yes to Small Dairy Farms, No to CAFOs
A previous post on American Feast's Sustainable Food Blog explained some of what is at stake:
Family-scale dairy farms feeding free-roaming cows on healthy grass face tough competition from concentrated animal feeding operations. The densely penned cows at CAFOs are sickened from being fed the abundance of corn grown with massive government subsidies, posing a very real threat to human health. Cow droppings make good fertilizer on small farms, but at CAFOs the immense amount of waste is a toxic threat to the health of people and the environment.
Of course, people around the globe have been safely consuming raw milk and cheeses for thousands of years. Allowing the interstate sale of raw milk is an important step toward making family-scale dairy farms part of a healthier and more sustainable future.
The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is a nonprofit defending the rights and freedoms of family farms by protecting consumer access to raw milk and nutrient-dense foods.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Native American Offering Thanks to Nature for Manoomin (photo by Greg Peterson)
Indigenous foods are true gifts from nature, and terrific for giving to discriminating foodies, slow food cooking enthusiasts, socially-conscious loved ones, or anyone concerned about the health of the environment.
Sacred Manoomin
Authentic wild rice, known as Manoomin and "the food that grows on water" to Minnesota's Native American Ojibwe communities, is hand-harvested from pristine lakes on the White Earth Indian Reservation, as it has been for centuries, using traditional methods.
Unlike the genetically modified "wild rice" grown in paddies, truly wild rice delivers a deep, rich flavor cherished by chefs and devoted foodies. Chef Alice Waters served it at Chez Panisse for a special New Year's dinner. Manoomin is a central aspect of Ojibwe culture and tradition, a part of the proceeds benefit the White Earth Land Recovery Project, which works to protect the integrity of this important heirloom food.
Sustainably Harvested Seafood
If it is indigenous gourmet seafood you crave, the freshest Paddlefish Caviar from the waters of Tennessee and Wild Salmon Roe Caviar from Alaska are delicious choices. Alaskan Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon has exceptionally rich flavor, reddish color, and firm texture, prepared and smoked according to Alaskan tradition.
And it is nice to know that Alaska's State Constitution requires that all the seafood from Alaskan waters be sustainably harvested!
The American Eastern Black Walnut: The "Ultimate Nut"
Gathered in America’s heartland, the American Eastern Black Walnut is known to some as “the Ultimate Nut.” These walnuts are perfect for creating baked delights, and when added to salads or entrées, they turn everyday dishes into exciting signature creations with a rich, robust flavor.
"Pecan" is a Native American word from the Algonquin language, covering "all nuts requiring a stone to crack.” Creative bakers love the sweet tasting Native American Pecan because it is marvelous for any number of recipes. Both of the American wonder nuts come in a single package, the Bakers Bounty! Fancy Large Premium Black Walnuts & Native Pecan Halves.
Healthful Native Berries
The Wild Blueberry holds a special place in Maine's history, one that goes back centuries to Native Americans. They were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition and their healing qualities. Unlike the larger cultivated blueberries usually sold in supermarkets, Wild Blueberries are tiny and really are wild, having crept over Maine's rocky land naturally.
A Wild Blueberry Gift Basket is a wonderful way to send some love to someone special.
Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry's versatility as a food, fabric dye, and healing agent. Later, American whalers and mariners carried cranberries on their voyages to prevent scurvy. All-natural Cranberry Sauce made from a Colonial recipe, Cranberry Apple Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly spiced with medium hot chilies from the American Southwest, and several more delicious cranberry products, are all prepared in one of New England’s most creative kitchens.
Sweet Maple Syrup
The first people to make maple syrup were the Native Americans of the Northeast who called their delicious syrup, "sinzibukwud," which means, "sweet buds." The Native Americans used it as a flavoring for breads, stews, teas, and vegetables, including cranberries. We are all forever in their debt for teaching their skills to French and English settlers. Pure Organic Maple Syrup is available in beautifully decorated bottles. The syrup is Grade A Light Amber, the lightest of the USDA’s classifications, with the mild and delicate flavor preferred by knowing maple syrup connoisseurs.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Americans are Buying More Natural Foods Despite Weak Economy
Organic Oranges (photo by Darnok, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Four Out of Five Baby Boomers More Concerned About Foods They Eat
Organic foods are making a larger impact on consumers' shopping choices in 2010, according to a new survey. About three out of four adults continue to purchase natural and organic foods, but 27% of adults say that natural and organic foods comprise more than a quarter of their total food purchases this year, up from just 20% a year ago.
More than four-fifths of adults say they are now more concerned with what foods they eat (84%), they read nutrition labels more closely today (84%) and have a better understanding of how their food is produced (83%) than they did in 1980.
The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive® within the United States on behalf of Whole Foods Market® for the grocery company’s annual Food Shopping Trends Tracker report. Whole Foods Market also surveyed Baby Boomers in June via Harris Interactive about food attitudes and purchasing habits today compared to three decades ago.
A ‘Sea Change’ in Shopper Attitudes
"There has been a sea change these past 30 years in shopper attitudes toward food with a growing appetite for information on how and where food is produced to what's in the food and how it impacts health," says Michael Besancon, Senior Global Vice President of Purchasing, Distribution & Marketing for Whole Foods Market.
For a snapshot of how food buying habits have changed, Whole Foods Market asked Boomers to rank the top items nearly always in the pantry/refrigerator in 1980 compared to today.
In 1980, the top five items were:
• Milk (89%)
• Canned or frozen vegetables (83%)
• White bread (74%)
• Soda/pop (74%)
• Iceberg lettuce (66%)
In 2010, the top five items are:
• Fresh fruit (83%)
• Milk (82%)
• Fresh vegetables (79%)
• Wheat or whole-grain bread (77%)
• Canned or frozen vegetables (69%)
Comparing the two time periods, spring or mixed lettuces show the highest increase in popularity today among Boomers (59% currently vs. 14% 30 years ago), followed by wheat or whole-grain bread (77% currently vs. 34% thirty years ago), and whole grain cereal with little or no sugar (66% today vs. 26% thirty years ago).
Rounding out the top 10 list of food items that grew in popularity among Boomers over the past 30 years are food supplements, fresh fruit, specialty beverages like gourmet coffees and flavored teas, fresh vegetables, fresh-prepared entrees, salads and/or sides, ethnic foods and/or ingredients, and store brands.
Conversely, sugary cereal shows the largest decline in popularity among Boomers (63% 30 years ago vs. just 19% today), closely followed by white bread (74% 30 years ago vs. 31% today).
Most Boomers report they are now more concerned about fat (74%), cholesterol (74%) and added growth hormones and antibiotics in meat and dairy products (70%) than in 1980.
Impact of Weak Economy on Food Shopping
More than half (54%) of Boomers say they buy more organic and/or natural foods today. This finding is in line with findings from the Whole Foods Market Food Shopping Trends Tracker survey that show an increase in adults who say if prices are comparable they prefer to buy natural and/or organic foods over conventional foods (73%), and they would like to find ways to be able to buy natural and/or organic foods within their budget (72%), both experiencing a significant 7-point increase from last year's findings.
Most adults say current food prices continue to impact how they shop for groceries (84%), and the economy has impacted their cooking and eating habits (77%). Specifically, they are eating dinner at home more often and eating out less (59%) and are budgeting food shopping trips more strictly (42%). Of those adults who indicated that current food prices have affected their grocery shopping 46% say they go out of their way to look for lower-cost items, 56% say they prepare more meals at home, and 26% plan meals for the week and buy only what they need for that week.
"While the economic downturn has brought renewed attention to getting more value for less money, it is encouraging to see that shoppers don't want to cut corners on healthy, high quality food," says Besancon. The survey found, regardless of current food prices, the majority (72%) of adults say they don't want to compromise on the quality of the food they buy.
AFT Will Soon Unveil America's Top 20 Favorite Farmers Markets
Fresh Corn (photo by Kevin Connors, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Did you know that there are now 6,132 farmers markets in America? That represents a 16% increase over the number recorded in the National Farmers Market Directory in 2009.
The Contest Ends on August 31st
American Farmland Trust is celebrating National Farmers Market Week by unveiling the Top 20 Favorite Farmers Markets in all four categories. Anything can happen in the next four weeks before the contest ends at midnight on August 31st! Your local farmers market needs your continued support so that it can get the recognition it deserves.
Let's Keep the Movement Growing!
American Farmland Trust needs your help to promote the value of farmers markets in communities, and to make the connection between fresh local foods and the local farms and farmland that supply them. Farmers markets play a critical role in keeping farmers on the land and helping farms thrive. By providing farmers with a venue where they can provide their much sought after products, farmers markets are helping to save the land that sustains us.
Thank you for all that you do to support local farms and local farmers markets!
To learn more about the contest to select America’s Best Farmers Markets, go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Can a meal be truly great without a dessert? "Maybe" was a reply that came up a few times during a small, informal poll. And then there was a welcome completion of the thought: "But why chance it?"
Our friend Robin sees no need to to take that chance and she has created a selection of gourmet chocolate sauces capable of satisfying dessert lovers everywhere. Place a jar of her creation in a microwave oven for just 30 seconds and a warm sauce du jour is ready for service over a favorite treat. Ice cream, cheesecake, fresh fruit, or homemade pound cake will all do nicely.
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is handcrafted in northern Maine from a family recipe using only the finest, freshest ingredients. She combines pure organic cocoa, organic cane sugar and organic vanilla with local farm-fresh dairy ingredients to create a dessert topping that is simple and sophisticated, exotic and homemade. No artificial ingredients, just pure decadent goodness.
What began as a holiday gift for friends and family has gained quite a reputation among sweet tooths, cocoa connoisseurs and grandkids throughout Maine. Robin made her first batch of “Original Recipe” organic chocolate sauce in a 12-gallon steam kettle in 2004. Since then, she, her husband, and their two sons have built up the family business to produce six distinct varieties. Robin processes the sauce patiently in small batches to produce a luscious, creamy texture and flavor.
Great Dessert for a Great Cause
Awareness of global environmental issues is at the heart of the business. Robin became conscious of the not-so-sweet realities of the chocolate trade by researching where and how her ingredients are grown and produced, and by whom. She is committed to using organic, shade grown and local or Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients whenever possible. These standards are crucial to maintaining a sustainable environment, protecting migratory birds and creating healthy communities—and your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren will notice the sweet difference.
Robin Herself
Robin’s Chocolate Sauce is more than a delicious dessert topping. It’s a resource for the education, awareness and advocacy of the issues concerning communities and the environment both locally and globally. Every delicious spoonful of sauce is helping make a difference.
With every purchase of Robin’s Chocolate Sauce, you’re supporting the mission of the National Wildlife Federation to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. What could be better than getting some delicious treats and supporting a great cause!
If you'd like to order some of Robin's sublime chocolate sauces go to any of the following:
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Give me a few minutes and I’ll give you a very good reason to become vegetarian.
While fish serves as the major dietary way to obtain the healthy, long-chain omega-3 acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids) essential to supporting brain health, low intake of those acids by vegetarians doesn't adversely affect mood, according to newly published research from Arizona State University.
The study team conducted a cross-sectional study to check the mood of vegetarians who never eat fish with the mood of healthy omnivorous adults. A report on the study was published in Nutrition Journal.
An overall total of 138 healthy Seventh Day Adventist adults residing in Arizona and California (64 vegetarians and 79 non-vegetarians) were enrolled in the study and completed a health history questionnaire, food frequency questionnaire and a couple psychometric tests, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and the Profile of Mood States.
The researchers found that vegetarians had significantly lower mean intakes of long-chain omega-3 acids and the omega-6 arachidonic acid, but higher intakes of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and the omega-6 linoleic acid.
According to a report published in Plant Physiology, “Seed oils are the richest sources of alpha-linolenic acid, notably those of rapeseed (canola), soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed (Linseed oil), clary sage seeds, perilla, chia, and hemp."
Vegetarians also reported less negative emotion than omnivores in psychometric tests. Mean total psychometric scores were positively in connection with the mean intakes of long-chain omega-3 acids and arachidonic acid, and inversely linked to alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid intake.
The study team noted there is also the chance that vegetarians may make better dietary choices and could generally be healthier and happier.
If you want to give it a try, here is a good example of a vegetarian recipe based on Italian cuisine:
Italian Spaghetti with Zucchini
Ingredients
• 17 Ounces spaghetti
• 24 Ounces thin sliced zucchini
• ½ Cup of walnut oil
• A few basil leaves
• 2 Tablespoons of yeast flakes
• Salt and pepper
Preparation
In a large skillet heat the oil and when hot, add garlic and zucchini. Raise heat and stir often to complete their cooking. They should be golden and crispy outside and tender inside. Cook the pasta, drain and sauté in pan with zucchini, basil and yeast. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Notes: Zucchini contain few calories and have no fat, but they are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, folate, lutein and zeaxanthin. These types of nutrients are very sensitive to heat and to enjoy their benefits you should look for a quick solution to cook or even eat raw in salads. From the therapeutic standpoint, zucchini have laxative, refreshing, anti-inflammatory, diuretic and detoxifying action.
Louise Infante
About the Author
Louise Infante writes for the Vegetarian Menu Blog. She started her blog in 2009 to raise awareness on healthy eating habits and its associated benefits. The offers vegetarian food preparation tips to help individuals live better and support those living with diseases on a daily basis. She lives with her husband in Louisiana.
To get more of Louise’s tips and tasty veggie recipes, go to: Vegetarian Menu Blog
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
D & E Farms in Franklinville, N.J. (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
The preservation of family-scale farms across the land is vital to achieving a healthier and more sustainable food sytem. Our friend Greg Plotkin of Change.org sent us the following message:
Every minute of every day, the country loses two acres of farmland to development. To make matters worse, the average age of a U.S. farmer is now 57 years old, signaling an even greater challenge than a lack of land to farm-namely, a lack of people to farm it. Ideas for Change winner American Farmland Trust (AFT) aims to keep food on our plates by securing the future of American farms. AFT is petitioning legislators to include farmland and ranch conservation in national and state farm policies.
Farmers Markets are Growing in Popularity
In 2009, the number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased by 13% from the prior year, a great illustration of just how many communities and consumers across the country are eagerly reaching out for fresh food and supporting their local farms. Farmers and consumers connected at 5,274 farmers markets this year, up from 4,685 in 2008.
Nearly a third of U.S. shoppers say they have specifically purchased locally produced food over the last month, double the number in 2006, according to food and grocery analysts IGD. Many do so to obtain the freshest produce, but a desire to support local jobs, farms and stores has also played an important role.
As Julia Child once said, “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
To learn more about the efforts of AFT and how you can support their efforts, go to: American Farmland Trust
For information related to the purchase of advertising space on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
It is officially strawberry time here in the Northeast. If you take a trip to the farmers market this week you'll almost certainly see rows and rows of neatly lined up cartons filled with bright red, fragrant little berries. If you're a big strawberry fan, now is the time to go a little crazy. They are just so good and so sweet right now. Plus, buying strawberries while they are in season usually results in a lower price point as well. Win, win.
Also, strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. Makes them just a little sweeter, doesn't it?
When choosing strawberries, look for berries that are firm and fragrant with bright green tops and little or no white flesh (strawberries do not continue ripening after they are picked). Check the carton for any staining, as staining can be the sign of a mushy berry or over ripeness. They perish quickly, so store them in the refrigerator wrapped in or on paper towels. Wash them just before you are going to eat them and do not remove the stems until after they are cleaned (removing the stems before washing will allow water to seep into the berry, causing it to loose some of its vitamin C content and become waterlogged).
When making jam, the rule of thumb is to use 1 part fruit to 1 part sugar but I tend to use a little more fruit than sugar to cut back on the sweetness. But don't cut back too much, not enough sugar will inhibit the jam from thickening properly. And lemon juice and zest also help to balance out the sweetness.
So, if you find yourself with an excess of strawberries, and limited time to utilize/consume them, go ahead and make this jam. And this jam is the jam (sorry, had to). It's a great way to extend the shelf life of the berries. This recipe is so simple, I'm almost embarrassed to post it, but what the heck? It makes pretty darn good jam.
1. Combine sugar, lemon juice and zest and cook on stove top over the lowest possible flame until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 10 minutes). Add in the halved strawberries and cook for 35-45 minutes over low heat or until the strawberries have broken down and the mixture starts to thicken. If the strawberry pieces are still a little big, feel free to give it break them up a little with a potato masher.
2. To test for doneness, pour a small amount of the boiling jam onto a cold plate and place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. If the jam gels, it is ready. Pour into jars and either refrigerate and use within a week or preserve by following canning guidelines (How to Can Food).
Rachel Dreskin Fingerman
To visit Rachel’s excellent blog for more recipes and tips on fresh, seasonal cooking, go to: Seasonal Brooklyn
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Farm-to-table dining has been a growing trend for some time and there is no sign it will slow anytime soon. The movement to serve fresh, local, sustainably harvested food is offering truly distinctive dining experiences and helping raise awareness of the delicious alternative to heavily processed foods shipped from factories.
One meal at a good farm-to-table restaurant should convince anyone that foods are at their most flavorful and nutritious when served at their freshest. Eating seasonal foods produced without chemicals, whether grown at home or in a community garden, or purchased from a trusted local farmer, makes for better health and a cleaner environment.
The Bounty of California’s Napa Valley
The Napa Valley in California is one of America’s most rare and precious agricultural preserves. Home to the founders of America's fine wine industry, its towns and villages also present a bounty of crops for an authentic farm-to-table dining experience regularly enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. The very word Napa stands for ‘Land of Plenty’, the original meaning given to the region by its first inhabitants, the Wappo Indians.
Many Napa Valley restaurant chefs cultivate their own orchards, vineyards and gardens teeming with rows of basil, eggplant, squash, pomegranates, figs, tomatoes and of course grapes. The freshness makes a huge taste difference, as is regularly noted by restaurant patrons and those culinary institutions dishing up annual accolades. Even those who do not have gardens of their own largely rely on the bounty of area farms and local farmers markets.
The Napa Valley Destination Council has prepared a short list of those Napa Valley restaurants with gardens of particular note:
• Ad Hoc, Chef Thomas Keller’s casual restaurant located in Yountville, features American comfort classics in a relaxed setting reminiscent of home. The restaurant’s 4-course prix-fixe menu is crafted daily, featuring the finest, in-season ingredients sourced from its own culinary garden.
• Bouchon bistro, also in Yountville, and another of Thomas Keller’s restaurants, features traditional bistro inspired cuisine in a vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of classic Lyonese café dining. Fruits and vegetables, as expected, come from the restaurant group’s culinary garden, located across from The French Laundry.
• Again hailing from Yountville, the farm-fresh restaurant menu at the Bardessono Inn is based on locally sourced organic ingredients, with much of the produce coming from the hotel's organic gardens and an orchard on the old Bardessono estate. Inspired by the abundance of the Napa Valley, executive chef O’Toole’s menu draws from local growers, farmers’ markets and the restaurant’s own on- and off-site culinary gardens. Bardessono has earned LEED Platinum certification.
• Brix Restaurant and Gardens draws on the bounty of their vineyard, orchard, vegetable and flower gardens. Comprised of raised boxed beds and in-ground beds, Brix grows crops year-round including tiny salad greens, fava beans and strawberries in the spring; French beans, eggplant, tomatoes, berries and melons in the summer; apples and pears, hard squash, potatoes and fresh onions in the fall; and Meyer lemons and sweet limes, sweet peas, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower Romenesco and butter lettuce in the winter. It¹s not unusual to see the restaurant¹s chefs out in the garden gathering fruits, vegetables and herbs for the day¹s specials.
• Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen and Go Fish of St. Helena, along with Mustard’s Grill in Napa are owned and operated by Cindy Pawlcyn, one of the first female chefs to champion fresh, local, seasonal food. Along with cultivating a 1½-acre organic garden at her home, her Mustards Grill and Go Fish eateries feature organic gardens that supplement the other locally sourced produce used in her dishes. This culinary pioneer of Napa regional cuisine has made a solid commitment to seasonal inspiration and the use of the region’s bountiful harvests as the fresh ingredients for brilliantly delectable creations.
• The French Laundry in Yountville is known for being a perennial finisher in Restaurant Magazine’s list of Top 50 Restaurants of the World and since 2006 the sole Michelin 3-star recipient in the region. Lesser-known, but directly across the street from this esteemed restaurant is its three-acre garden that one can meander through in the morning before enjoying its bounty served in impeccable comfort and style that evening. Additionally, the nearby Jacobsen’s Farm offers a variety of organic produce and products which the restaurant has incorporated on their menus since opening. Not too surprising, vegetable dishes and salads are often unexpected stars of dinner, and so they also offer a vegetarian menu for the same price as their normal 9-course tasting menu featuring French cuisine with contemporary American influences.
• Chef Ken Frank is credited with pioneering a style of cooking that today is known as “California Cuisine.” For the past 30 years his focus has been on using only the finest, often local artisanal ingredients. His latest of many culinary ventures, La Toque Napa moved to its current location at the Westin Verasa in Napa in 2008 and subsequently earned a Michelin star in 2009. Frank, along with a small cadre of local restaurant chefs, work the one time Copia complex garden as a co-op that includes chefs from Hog Island Oyster Company, Zuzu, Angele, Restaurant Pearl and C Casa Taqueria, which is opening soon in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market.
• Long Meadow Ranch, Winery & Farmstead in St. Helena has opened the Long Meadow Ranch Winery & Farmstead restaurant, a sustainable food, wine and agricultural center. Farmstead restaurant offers fresh farm-to-table dining and is open for lunch and dinner daily. The new Long Meadow Ranch Winery Tasting Room, that opened in December, features wine and olive oil tastings, while docent-led vegetable garden and wine flavor tours provide engaging educational experiences for lovers of local food and wine. At their Rutherford Gardens, visitors can purchase fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, grass-fed beef, and flowers and enjoy a walk through the beautiful demonstration gardens.
• At the Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena, you should really experience Chef Christopher Kostow’s talents in The Restaurant at Meadowood. A Michelin 2-star recipient, this understated restaurant is pleased to serve wines from a neighboring vineyard while the honey on the table is from Meadowood’s own hives and the olives from their orchard. The heirloom tomatoes and other fresh produce, as well as edible flowers, are picked at the perfect ripeness each day from the restaurant’s gardens and taken straight into the kitchen.
• Ubuntu (which combines a highly praised "vegetable" restaurant with a yoga studio) is one of the nation’s most highly recognized vegetarian restaurants. They have recently earned a 2010 Michelin star rating for their surprisingly seductive dishes, have been listed as one of the ten best new American restaurants in The New York Times, and feature a chef who was nominated for a 2009 James Beard Foundation Award. As one would expect, their produce comes from its own gardens. Located in the city of Napa.
• The Carneros Inn is adding a new ½-acre culinary garden this summer, which will supply the Inn, restaurants, and spa with fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers year round.
For more information about America’s legendary wine, food, and wellness destination, go to: The Legendary Napa Valley
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
A query came across my desk this morning, asking for tips on buying the best packaged breakfast food. What products could I recommend?
The answer is simplicity itself. A hard boiled organic egg. Comes in its own wrapper. Can be eaten on the run. 60 calories, nutrient dense, and easy to do.
Now there are some caveats about boiled eggs. If you ever boiled eggs and noticed a green ring between the yolk and the white? That’s because you had the temperature too high and boiled them too long and hard.
Linda West Eckhardt
The best way to cook eggs is to put a dozen in a large pan, cover with cold water, set the timer to 9 minutes, and bring them to a fast boil over high heat. Turn the heat off after 9 minutes and let them stand. Remove to a bowl and store in the refrigerator.
Then you have eggs for whatever you need. A couple for breakfast, hot or cold. The basis for fantastic Devilled eggs. Egg salad. You name it. The egg, packaged in its own shell, is an almost perfect food.
The egg is good for the low carb dieter and every body else. We have lots of recipes for eggs in our e-book, The Silver Cloud Diet.
As for all those processed foods in packages posing as instant breakfast foods? Nothing more than junk food in a fancy dress.
To learn more about Linda West Eckhardt’s most recent work on healthy weight control, go to: The Silver Cloud Diet
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
A Victory for Healthy Meals for Schoolchildren in D.C.
Kids at the Beach (photo by korycheer, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Congratulations to the District of Columbia City Council for unanimously approving the D.C. Healthy Schools Act on June 2nd, which will provide new and innovative guidelines to offer students healthy meals at school. This auspicious law will establish local nutritional standards for school meals and make plant-based meal options and non-dairy beverages more widely available at schools within the D.C. area.
Amongst many positive effects the law will have, the D.C. Healthy Schools Act will encourage school districts to offer vegetarian meals to students on a weekly basis; will instruct public and charter schools to inform families and guardians that plant-based meals and non-dairy beverage options are available if a request for such items is made; and will provide additional funding for the purchase of fruits and vegetables by school districts, thereby making these healthy foods more affordable to schools within the area in question.
“By passing this law, the D.C. City Council has taken a significant stand for the health of the capital’s students,” notes Dr. Allan Kornberg, executive director of Farm Sanctuary, a leading farm animal protection organization. "As a pediatrician with more than 25 years of experience, I have seen first-hand the extraordinarily harmful effects of unhealthy diets on children. Providing nutritious, cruelty-free food to students is a basic yet incredibly vital way to immediately improve the lives of our nation’s youth.”
Healthy School Meals Act Being Considered by Federal Government
Beyond the realm of D.C., Farm Sanctuary has launched a national campaign to pass the much-needed federal Healthy School Meals Act (H.R. 4870). As an amendment to the Child Nutrition Act, this new legislation would offer financial incentives to school districts throughout the country that offer students plant-based food options and non-dairy beverages.
Not only would H.R. 4870 assist in improving the health of the general youth population, but it would also bring relief to many students who refrain from consuming animal products for ethical, environmental, religious, or other reasons. Previously, students wishing to abstain from consuming dairy were required to have a note from a doctor before being offered any alternatives. Should the Healthy School Meals Act pass, this requirement would be rescinded and those students would be offered nutritionally equivalent alternatives.
Dr. Kornberg comments:
The D.C. Healthy Schools Act will allow schools within the city that cannot currently afford to do so to provide healthy, plant-based options to their students in the very near future. With the federal Healthy School Meals Act, we hope to extend this ability to schools around our nation, allowing students to receive proper nutrition and to have vegan, non-dairy options at school meals, regardless of a district’s financial constraints.
About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is a leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, California, provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming.
To learn more about the nonprofit’s efforts, go to: Farm Sanctuary
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Drink Milk from Pasture Grazing Cows for a Healthier Heart
Grazing with Mom (photo by Emily Roesly, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Dairy cows grazing in pastures produce milk more likely to keep your heart healthy than cows raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The report was based on research conducted by scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health, the Michigan School of Public Health, and the University of Costa Rica. The study was conducted in Costa Rica, where dairy cows are pasture-grazed.
The researchers concluded that dairy cows grazing in pastures have more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in their milk than cows fed grain. CLA and the omega 3 fatty acids considered beneficial to keeping a healthy heart are not typically found in the vast majority of cattle in the U.S., which are raised on corn in CAFOs.
One of the study’s authors, Hannia Campos of the Harvard School of Public Health, told Reuters, “Because pasture grazing leads to higher CLA in milk, and it is the natural feed for cattle, it seems like more emphasis should be given to this type of feeding.”
Graze Cows n Pastures for Less Foodborne Illness
Much of the foodborne illness plaguing the nation’s food supply could be eliminated by grazing cows in pastures. Deadly E. coli contamination comes largely from beef and dairy cows fed in CAFOs. Family farms caring for pasture grazing cows face tough competition from CAFOs, where most of the cattle in the U.S. is kept. The densely penned cows are fed genetically modified (GM) corn grown with massive government subsidies.
Pasture Feeding is a Better Environmental Choice
The corn fed to cattle in CAFOs requires a great deal of fossil fuel to produce and poisonous pesticides are used in growing that corn. The vast amount of manure produced by the thousands upon thousands of tightly confined animals poses a very real threat to human health and the environment. In contrast, the manure from the cows grazing in pastures serves as rich fertilizer for the grasses on which those cows feed.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires organic animals to be out on pasture for not less than 120 days per year and to receive at least 30% of their feed from pasturing during the grazing season.
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Our friends at Organic Valley Family of Farms have sent a timely reminder that genetically engineered or modified (GM) alfalfa has the capacity to destroy organic milk dairies. Cows producing organic milk are largely fed on alfalfa, and by law they cannot be fed GM crops.
If GM alfalfa makes its way into organic fields, those fields will be lost as a source of feed to organic dairy farmers. Just a wind blowing in the right direction would be enough to bring about the destructive contamination. So Organic Valley is asking folks to sign on to a letter asking the USDA to "Maintain the Ban" on genetically engineered alfalfa (see below).
Keep Children's Milk Free of Hormoes & Antibiotics
The huge numbers of parents who want their children to get the health benefits of milk without exposing them to the dangers of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) and the antibiotics fed to cows in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), have contributed mightily to organic dairy farming enjoying quite a boom in the United States. Families should not have to see the health of their children suffer so that a few large corporations can enjoy ever greater profits.
We are all indebted to the small farmers who took the risk of undertaking organic farming in order to produce healthier food, leave clear skies, clean water, and rich soil. According to a report from the USDA organic dairies are smaller than conventional dairies and 63% of their dairy feed is from pasture during grazing months.
A final word from Organic Valley Family of Farms, “Thanks for all your support for family farmers and a sustainable organic future for all!”
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
Rachael Ray & NYC Mayor Promote Healthy Eating Among Students
Field Trip (photo by Daisy Durham, courtesy of morgueFile.com)
Students in New York City are about to learn how their carrots and potatoes travel from the ground to their plates. This past Thursday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and television personality Rachael Ray unveiled a series of new programs to promote healthy eating among the City’s youth.
Sponsored by Rachael Ray and her Yum-o! organization, the new programs will connect the City’s students to existing community gardens or help them build gardens of their own. In addition to supplementing cafeteria food with fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce, the plan will encourage young New Yorkers to learn where their food comes from and encourage youth to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diet.
Yum-o! was launched in 2006 by Rachael Ray. According to the organization's web site, it is "a nonprofit organization that empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry kids and funding cooking education and scholarships."
Nearly 1 out of 3 American Children is Overweight or Obese
“At a time when diabetes and other obesity-related illnesses are on the rise across all age groups, we commend New York City for placing an emphasis on healthy plant-based foods,” said Dr. Allan Kornberg, Farm Sanctuary’s executive director, who has practiced both primary care pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. “The growing concern for the health of this nation’s children is definitely warranted. Nearly one in three American children is overweight or obese, and obese kids are more likely to exhibit risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.”
“Americans can reap dramatic health benefits by switching to a plant-based diet. Vegans and vegetarians reduce their risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. As New Yorkers connect the dots and become better informed about the origins of their food, we hope that they will be moved to make positive choices for their health and compassionate choices for farm animals.”
Farm Sanctuary has actively advocated the promotion of green foods for children and all Americans for reasons of health, environment and compassion through the nonprofit’s Green Foods Campaign. The campaign encourages citizens to get involved in local politics to promote education about and increase access to plant-based foods in their communities.
To learn more about Rachel Ray’s organization, go to: Yum-o!
For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com
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