Our amazing produce manager, Kelly Huckestein created some charts below explaining the differences between all the varieties of apples and pears available in the fall season.
Apples:
Pears:
Food Friday with Merianne Myers
Co-op Owner Merianne Myers (who was also a dedicated board member for years) served up some of her delicious original recipes on November 22, 2013 at the Co-op. Shoppers got to taste her Onion Marmalade with Bacon. Here’s the recipe:
GMOs in the Spotlight
Our co-op is joining others from around the country to raise awareness about GMOs and the Just Label It Campaign in October. Our Co+op Deals sales flyer explains more about this and we also have an article in our current newsletter.
Our monthly lecture series, “Beers to Your Health” at the Fort George will also put genetically modified organisms in the spotlight, looking at multiple sides of the controversial issue in a series of two lectures. GMOs are plants or animals of which scientists have altered the genes with DNA from different species of organisms, bacteria, or viruses to gain traits such as resistance to disease or tolerance of pesticides. GMOs are present in many conventional foods on US supermarket shelves, but some people question potential health risks, environmental harm, plus farmer and consumer rights.
Japan suspended buying certain varieties of wheat from the US after experimental genetically modified wheat created by Monsanto Co. mysteriously appeared on an Oregon farm last spring. The US Department of Agriculture has never approved any strains of GMO wheat to be grown in our country, and is investigating how this breach happened. A Monsanto representative speculated that anti-biotech activists stole some of the GMO wheat and planted it to create problems for his company.
Meantime reporters called on an expert from Oregon State University for perspective on how the GMO wheat ended up on the field. Professor of Wheat Breeding and Genetics, Robert Zemetra, contradicted Monsanto’s theory. He thinks it was an ordinary mistake. Zemetra says it was his “15 minutes of fame” when he was quoted in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, on NPR, and other world media outlets.
Zemetra will travel from Corvallis to Astoria to speak on GMOs from a scientific standpoint. Much of his current research focuses on developing new varieties of wheat for Oregon. He also has a special project to look at modern versus traditional strains of wheat and its effect on gluten intolerance and Celiac disease. In his presentation, he plans to explain what it means when a plant is genetically engineered and then answer questions. He believes the science is safe when it comes to human consumption.
“My attitude is that people who don’t want GMO’s for whatever reason, that’s fine, but you can’t justify something on no science or bad science,” Zemetra said.
You can hear Zemetra’s presentation on GMO’s, Thursday October 10th at the Fort George Lovell Showroom, located at 426 14th Street in Astoria. Doors open at 6 p.m. with food and drinks available from the Taproom. The lecture starts at 7 p.m. and lasts for an hour. It is free and open to all ages.
The Co-op will hold a second lecture on GMO’s December 12th, focusing on consumer concerns of genetically modified food.
Halloween Coloring Contest
It is kind of funny when we told some of our crew members about the contest, they wanted to know if there was an age limit, and if they could register. Perhaps we will have to create a special category for Co-op staff and/or adults who think they are kids!
Anyway, this is mostly for kids. Ask a cashier for a coloring page. Get it back to us by October 27th. Judging will happen on the 29th. There will be some fun prizes in a few categories. But everyone (kids under 12 anyway) who enters will get something. That includes a Co+op Explorers membership card, which is our free fruit program, and entitles kids to choose a free apple, banana, or carrot from a special basket during each shopping trip. Plus, we’ve got Co+op Explorers tattoos and stickers. Fun!
Farm to Fork Cooking Class & Dinner
Great response the class sold out!
From cooking novice to full-blown foodie, this class and dinner had something for everyone. The four-course menu was designed based on what was pulled from the ground and caught off our waters.
This is “chef’s mercy” at its finest, a menu item Marco Davis is known for at the Columbian Café, where he’s worked for 23 years. Chef Marco is now branching off with his own occasional gigs such as this, to teach people to cook and heal through food using seasonal and local ingredients.
The evening kicked-off with a wine spritzer made with organic cranberry juice from Washington’s first organic cranberry farm on the Long Beach Peninsula. Locally-grown food came from Stewardship Farm, plus fresh in-season fish from Skipanon Seafood. Brandborg Winery attended, pairing wines with each course.
Chef Marco happened to attend kindergarten with the chef from Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH), Kurt Rummel, who has been bringing traditional institutional eating to a whole new level, including a salad bar with local, seasonal and organic food. Many of the ingredients for that salad bar have come from the Co-op. That’s where the relationship with the Co-op and the hospital formed.
“Good food is what started our organizations talking and good food is at the heart of collaborating on this event. We’re thrilled to be able to share our resources and expertise to educate the community on how to cook amazing-tasting food, that makes you happy and healthy,” said Astoria Co-op Marketing Director, Zetty Nemlowill.
CMH and the Co-op are fulfilling mutual missions with this event.
“Nutritious, satisfying food and an economically robust community are central to the health and future of our region. We are excited to offer this tasty tour of local seasonal seafood and produce. This collaboration meets CMH and the Co-op’s shared goal of improving our community’s health through better nutrition,” said CMH Community Relations Manager Paul Mitchell.
The sold-out event happened in CMH’s Columbia Center Coho Room and attached gourmet demonstration kitchen on Thursday, September 26th, 2013.
Meet Your Farmer Food Demo + Recipe
Farmer Fred Johnson from Fred’s Homegrown Produce in Naselle, Washington hosted the Co-op’s first cooking demonstration of this kind. Fred is one of the farmers we work with directly to obtain the highest quality local produce around. For this event, Fred brought his Toscano Kale, and taught about a dozen attendees a new technique for making kale salad. In this case, Fred “massaged” thinly sliced kale, with salt. This made the kale start to release some of its liquid, giving way to a softer form of the dark leafy green. Then with a few additional simple ingredients from the Co-op, the dish was ready to taste. And boy was everyone happy once it hit their mouths! But, perhaps the best part of this day was getting to interact with Fred; a master at both cooking and farming, and passionate about local food.
Here’s the recipe for Fred’s Massaged Toscano Kale Salad
Ingredients:
Toscano Kale
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh Lemon
Parmesan
Garlic
Sea salt
Preparation:
Clean Toscano, removing stems from leaves. Chop/juilienne finely, and place in a good-sized bowl. Spinkle salt into the chopped kale and ‘massage’ into the kale. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons into the mix, & toss. Add extra virgin olive oil to taste, minced fresh garlic, and a sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan Cheese.
The Art of Selling Groceries
You may have noticed the beautiful changing chalk art adoring our endcaps in the front of the store. Various artists from around the community have been lending their talents, creating graphical interpretations of the current theme for the products on sale. Miki Souza designed the above “salad” board. And Renya Ydstie is to thank for the below “breakfast” board
Jennifer Rasmussen drew this “Spaghetti” board.
Astoria Artist Roger McKay designed and built our chalkboards and hand-painted the “Co+op Deals, On Sale Now” signs that hang under them.
We are always looking for more creative people willing to lend a hand with our chalkboards as they change to coincide with new sales every two weeks. If you would like to sign up to do the boards, contact [email protected].
Sweet Summertime Deals at Co-op
Stop by the Co-op soon and get your copy of the July-August Co+op Deals coupon book! There are plenty of great new products to try and delicious deals on your favorites, like Rudi’s Organic Bakery breads, Organic Valley cheese, Muir Glen salsas and so much more. It’s a great time to stock up on picnic supplies like spritzers, juice, nut butters and chips, too. Get great recipes and ideas for celebrating summer at www.strongertogether.coop.
Look for the coupon books at the Co-op beginning in July. This is a national program through our membership with National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA). We carry most of the items in the coupon book, but not all, so check the store or ask one of our friendly workers. Your potential savings if you were to use all the coupons in the book on items we carry would total nearly $20. We will have coupons available at the shelf on many items as well. Coupons are valid through August 31, 2013. To see a sample of the coupon book, click here.
Successful Start to Farmers Market
The River People Farmers Market started its season on Thursday June 20, 2013 in downtown Astoria. In the photo Co-op Board President, Allie Evans (along with her beautiful children) and Co-op Board Member Mark Albrecht, are in the Co-op booth preparing food samples for market-goers. This is an opportunity for us at the Co-op to take food demos outside our walls, to potential new customers. Our board members take turns staffing the booth to meet and interact with our members and other shoppers.
The turnout seemed impressively high when the market opened. This is one of the North Coast Food Web’s efforts to connect local farmers and their food with local people. The Astoria Co-op has partnered with the Food Web and other local entities to provide funding for food stamp recipients to have access to the fresh market produce.
The River People Farmers Market is held from 3pm-6pm in the Astoria Indoor Garden Supply lot, at 1343 Duane Street (right across the street from the Co-op). The market goes through October.