Spontaneous Happiness

Transcript

Owners, Voting Begins March 1. Please Vote. FREE Winter 2015 Healthy & Tasty . Neighborhood Co-op Grocery . We Know Good Food www.Neighborhood.Coop Spontaneous Happiness Have More Joy . Manage Stress . Improve Sleep . Increase Energy Taking Tea: How to Brew the Best Cup LOCAL FEATURE: Hollow Pumpkin Farm & The Co-op Deli & Bakery Plus... The Early Days of the Co-op's Bakery & Deli by Kris Jones NEW! A Day in the Life of a Grower Coming Events: Kitchen Gadget Swap Jan. 24. Owner Appreciation Weekend moved to Feb 28 & March 1! Morsel is a magazine by Neighborhood Co-op Grocery 1815 West Main Street . Murdale Shopping Center . Carbondale . 618.529.3533 Inside In Season: Cabbage page 3 NEW - A Day in the Life of a Grower page 5 Events at The Co-op What's Happening: Calendar of Events page 4 published by page 6 1815 West Main Street . Carbondale . IL www.neighborhood.coop Open Sun-Fri 9am-9pm; Sat 8am-9pm page7 True Happiness Begins from Within page 8-9 At The Store Local Producer Profiles: Hollow Pumpkin Farm and page 10-15 Takeing Tea page16-17 page 18 The Co-op's Bakery & Deli Questions, Comments & Concerns Questions, Comments & Concerns about our store Neighborhood Co-op Grocery is owned by thousands of friends and neighbors throughout the Southern Illinois region. Everyone can shop in our store, but owners receive special perks like 10% off case orders, special owner-only sales, discounts on classes and events, and are invited to our annual meeting & party. Ownership is only $10 a month for 10 months and is fully refundable. See a cashier for details or go to our website. mission statement Neighborhood Co-op Grocery aims to serve the needs of its owners and patrons by providing wholesome foods, economically, in the cooperative tradition and in ways that best promote the health of the individual, the community and the earth. info @ neighborhood . coop www . neighborhood . coop Neighborhood Co-op Grocery page 18 board of directors Mary Avery - Board Chair Kristy Bender Jordan Smith Edmonds Charlie Howe Ryan Pankau - Vice Chair Silvia Secchi - Treasurer Jak Tichenor Trisha Wright SECRETARY- Kristin Pass all owners are invited to our board meetings With few exceptions, board meetings are the third Tuesday of every month and begin at 6pm. Location is subject to change, so please call the store for more information. Interested in serving on the board? Contact them at... [email protected] EDITOR Courtney Smith CREATIVE & DESIGN Lisa Smith ADVERTISING Courtney Smith [email protected] editorial policy Morsel is the quarterly food and living magazine of Neighborhood Co-op Grocery. It is intended as a vehicle for communication among Co-op owners and patrons. Letters, articles, artwork and ideas are welcome. Neighborhood Co-op Grocery reserves the right to edit content for brevity and clarity. The views expressed in Morsel are the author’s. They do not necessarily represent those of the store’s directors, staff or owners. Articles about health and nutrition are presented for informational purposes only. Neighborhood Co-op Grocery recommends consulting a healthcare professional for medical problems and advice. PRINTING This magazine was printed by Modern Postcard on FSC certified paper that was manufactured using renewable energy (wind, hydro and biogas). 100% made in the USA. Scan to read more about Modern Postcard and their environmental policy. ««««««««««« Savoy Cabbage Boil . Braise . Raw . Saute, . Steam . Fry . Stir-fry Try savoy cabbage + apples + apple cider vinegar savoy cabbage + dried fruits + rice savoy cabbage + garlic + olive oil + parsley + rice + tomatoes cabbage + peanut oil + salt + black pepper Savoy cabbage has crinkly leaves that vary from pale to dark green. Often considered one of the best types of cabbage, it has a more tender leaf and is milder in flavor than other cabbages. It's the perfect choice for making stuffed cabbage! WINTER 2015 | 3 Kitchen Gadget Swap Saturday, January 24 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Co-op Community Room Spontaneous Happiness January 24 from 2-4 pm (January 31 in case of bad weather) in The Co-op’s Community room, bring your clean kitchenware, gadgets and small kitchen appliances that are in good working order to swap with others. The event is free. Unclaimed items will be donated to The Women’s Center in Carbondale to help families make a new start. Any questions, please see a cashier or contact Courtney at [email protected]. Owner Appreciation WORKSHOP Thursday Evenings: January 22 & 29, February 5 & 12 6:00-8:00 pm Co-op Community Room $40 owners/$45 patrons Instructor: Stephanie Willoughby IN 4-WEEKS SATURDAY & SUNDAY Feb. 28 & March 1 • Learn to influence your mood through natural and healthy means • Improve your physical and mental health • Discover how to sleep better • Connect with others • Achieve balance and serenity Your - See page 7 for more - Owners in good standing receive 10% off. Sorry, no rainchecks. Register @ www.Neighborhood.Coop 4 | WINTER 2015 A Day in the Life of a Grower Dreaming of Spring Planting in Winter by Courtney Smith Flower & Herb Farmer & Co-op Staffer T here’s a neat (ok, maybe not so neat!), high stack of “dreams” and “hope” and “future” on my desk that I don’t allow myself to peak at until late December. When the time comes, I make myself some herbal tea, curl up with a blanket, my farm journal and a pencil. Please don’t bother me, as the seed catalogs are here! The regulars will be ordered, like lettuce, tomatoes, beans, peppers, basil… all the usual suspects. Turning page upon page of the catalogs, I’ll swoon over flowers and scout new herbs. The lure of plants I haven’t grown yet, of new introductions and of old heirlooms that need to be part of my farm will lead me down a path of recklessness. I will order too many seeds and I will dream too big. For the past 3-4 years, I’ve been trying to grow an artichoke. The plants grow well every year and I always think I’ve done it…. I will successfully see the artichoke bloom. And I mean really bloom – the artichoke that you purchase in the store is a flower picked too soon. If left to fully mature, the bloom would be a beautiful spike, bursting in purple. I just want to see this in person on my own farm. I want to mark this off “my list of things to grow.” It’s a tricky thing to get an artichoke to bloom in southern Illinois. Artichokes are mostly grown in areas that have mild winters, like California and parts of Italy, France and Spain. They are grown as perennials, but our Zone 6 winters are generally too tough for the artichoke roots. New varieties have been introduced to produce a choke in 6-9 months, so this gives me hope. I’ll try again this year. That’s the thing about farming. A farmer has to hope and dream for the future. All the farmers you know or have yet to know, are all dreaming big, gearing up for the planting of the seeds that will hopefully sustain our lives for the coming year. Neighborhood Co-op sells Botanical Interests seeds, a very good brand, but if you are interested in ordering from a catalog check out: Johnny Seeds - JohnnySeeds.com or (877)564-6697 Baker Creek - RareSeeds.com or (417) 924.8917 Pine Tree Seeds - SuperSeeds.com or (207)926.3400 Seeds of Change - SeedsofChange. com or (888)762.7333 WINTER 2015 | 5 What's Happening! Save the Dates Neighborhood Co-op Grocery Events 22 January (Jan. 22 & 29, Feb. 5 & 12, unless bad weather) Register at www.Neighborhood.Coop Spontaneous Happiness Community Workshop 24 6 pm - 8 pm in The Co-op community room (snow date is January 31) Kitchen Gadget Swap 2 pm - 4 pm in The Co-op community room 8 - 15 It's all about getting - and getting rid of - those gadgets you never use in the kitchen! See page 4 for details. February Bring a Friend to Your Co-op Week! Owners bring a friend to shop this week for special 2-for deals! Try the deli lunch special for two and owners who bring a friend get a raffle ticket for a Mini-Jam Box giveaway! No registration needed! 28 & March 1 Owner Appreciation Weekend!!! 21 10% OFF purchases for owners in good standing. No rain-checks, sorry. March OwnerFest 5pm - 9pm The Warehouse at 17th Street 18 Owners join the fun for a catered dinner by the Chefs of Cristaudo's and 17th Street Bar & Grill. Live music, too! April Nutrition 5K & Kid K Register at www.Neighborhood.Coop Double Days January 19/20 . February 2/3 & 16/17 . March 2/3 & 16/17 Bimonthly Sales Overlap! Wellness Wednesdays 10% Off Wellness Products Saluki Sundays 10% Off for SIUC & JALC Students 6 | WINTER 2015 January 7 . February 4 . March 4 . April 1 . May 6 . June 3 . July 1 January 4 . February 1 . March 1 . April 5 . May 3 . June 7 . July 5 True Happiness Begins from Within Gain a new approach to living a life you love and a plan of action based on your own personal goals. by Stephanie Willoughby, Wellness Manager W hen we think of wellness, various things come to mind. Supplementation, a healthy diet, a fit body. But if we go beyond the basics, we realize that wellness encompasses much more, it includes our mental, spiritual and social health as well. Truly being well means connecting with ourselves on many levels, and with other individuals, in a meaningful way. That’s why the Neighborhood Co-op Wellness staff is excited to announce a series of workshops on Thursday nights coming in January titled “Spontaneous Happiness”. These unique workshops are the latest offering from the partnership of Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in the health and wellness field, and MegaFood, a leader in the whole food supplement industry. The 4-week Spontaneous Happiness workshop offers an opportunity to learn how to plan and achieve a lifetime of emotional well-being. They also give participants much more, including: • An opportunity to connect with like-minded participants Spontaneous Happiness Workshop Register @ www.Neighborhood.Coop or see a cashier in the store in a comfortable group environment. • Your own week-by-week course manual with an overview, focused discussion topics and a community connection section.  The course manual also includes personal journaling and application sections to individualize your Spontaneous Happiness Workshop experience. • Gain a new approach to living a life you love and a plan of action based on your own personal goals.  • The option to receive weekly emails of encouragement and access to online community to support your learning. • A weekly video from Dr. Andrew Weil. We are honored to bring this meaningful guidance to you, our valued customers, whom we also consider our community. Stay tuned for more details, which will be shared as they develop. In the meantime, enjoy this holiday season, and keep your Thursday nights open beginning January 22nd, 2015! Starting Thursday, January 22 (Jan 22 & 29, Feb. 5 & 12, unless bad weather) 6:00-8:00 pm in The Co-op Community Room $40 owners/$45 patrons Instructed by Stephanie Willoughby, Wellness Manager WINTER 2015 | 7 At the Store Community Conversation part of a local food system public officials in cities both and 30s were clearly not & The Co-op by Francis makes the whole region more small and large. I am hopeful sustainable, since intensive vital. Building a structure with On a lovely Saturday in rain cover, electricity and rest September, thirty-three Co-op rooms was one approach put board members, staff, owners forward to sustain the market. and others met to have a More than one participant community conversation. Our expressed concerns about the goals for the event included: “size of the pie” and whether 1) Build a Co-op community a new, expanded site would shared understanding be sustainable for the farmers regarding the farmers market who sell at the market. Would situation in Carbondale, a bigger, more developed specifically what are the farmers market draw enough various stakeholders’ interests? additional customers to allow Where do they overlap, where the individual farmers to do they vary? How do they prosper? overlap with cooperative principles and values? How As a result of this conversation do they overlap with the the Co-op board decided that Co-op ENDS? 2) Practice the Co-op will lend its support and learn about democratic to the commission of a market participation in the Co-op study to define the effective community through providing trade area currently being a meaningful opportunity served by the farmers markets for owners to participate in in Carbondale.  The study will the process of reflection and be designed to evaluate the change; and 3) Strengthen the total market potential within Co-op community through the defined trade area and whether the market potential democratic participation. is best captured by one or two Representatives from the two markets.  Finally, the study will farmers markets and a city evaluate the sales potential of council person were asked to existing locations as well as present their views on three other potential locations. questions before table groups continued each discussion. I have contacted a farmers The facilitator asked us why market research firm and it mattered that we have a have had some preliminary thriving farmers market conversations about when scene in Carbondale, who is and how a study might be impacted and what alternative conducted. Since the growing approaches there were to season and farmers markets sustain the market. There are over for this year we are was widespread agreement looking at bringing someone that farmers markets are an to Carbondale next spring important part of a good who has extensive experience healthy community, and as working with farmers and Murphy, General Manager 8 | WINTER 2015 that a professional study will help answer the questions about the “size of the pie” and give the farmers and community a clearer sense of direction. Francis Murphy received his MBA from SIUC in 1994. With over 20 years experience leading co-ops, Francis has been the general manager of Neighborhood Co-op for over 16 years and is also one of the folks incorporated the Co-op. What is Sustainability? by Silvia Secchi, Board Member Sustainably grown, sustainable agriculture, cer tified sustainable… We are more and more likely to see labels like these on our food and beyond (think Forest Stewardship Council certified timber). The exact meaning behind the labels is often unclear, as is the definition of sustainability itself. There is no universally accepted definition of sustainability – in part because identifying sustainable practices varies by context, and in part because people disagree on whether sustainability refers only to environmental outcomes. From a purely ecological perspective, a practice or a product can be defined as sustainable if it does not reduce environmental quality in the future. So for example the farming practices followed in North America in the 1920s wheat production and overgrazing caused massive soil erosion problems. Relying on direct environmental impacts alone, however, may be problematic, because it omits the human component. A working definition of sustainability that does not take into account the economic drivers of farmers will not be feasible in practice. Thus, many entities use the triple bottom line approach to sustainability, which encompasses social, environmental and economic indicators. Often this is called the 3P approach – People, planet and profits. The definition as is, however, is still too vague. In order to be operationalized, it needs product/crop/supply chain specifics. There are a plethora of companies and organizations certifying 3Ps products, and many companies purport to follow the 3P approach. Until there are credible, commonly accepted certification schemes, though, there is a large risk of buying into greenwashing. How do we as consumers promote true sustainable agriculture and do not fall prey to green-washing? As I have argued before in this very space, the answer is in getting informed. For example, I would not buy “certified sustainable” random product X over product Y because I either have no idea what that means or I have no way to determine if the claims made are true. If sustainability-related claims are backed by a credible third party certifier such as the Forest Stewardship Council or a respected organization such as Seafood Watch, which is run by the Monterey Bay aquarium, then I am much more likely to buy the product. Alternatively, if the product is Fair Trade Certified, I know that the emphasis is on the social and economic side of the triple bottom line, but for me, that is very important, so I buy fair trade as much as I can. The force of completely voluntary mechanisms such as eco-labeling in promoting real change in people’s living conditions and in our environmental impacts is directly related to their effectiveness: they have to actually do what they purport to do. Otherwise, the only benefit we get from paying a premium for buying sustainable products is the feel good factor with nothing to show for it. On a final note, this is one of my last contributions to the coop as a board member. I have enjoyed the experience tremendously. I believe what I learned as a board member has made me a better scholar and I hope that my expertise contributed to the board. Please consider running for the board! We have started a year round recruitment process and we are always interested in potential candidates.. . Silvia Secchi, Ph.D. currently serves on The Co-op's board and is an Associate Professor of Economics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. CORRECTION: In the Fall 2014 edition of Morsel article on local coffee maker Steam Shovel Coffee, we printed that “… as there were no other coffee roasters in the area, especially Union County” when explaining the difficulties Steam Shovel Coffee had in obtaining certification from the health department. This information is incorrect, as Jen’s Joe in Carbondale started roasting in 2005, six years before Steam Shovel Coffee began roasting. Are you.... ∙ Honest with a sense of integrity? ∙ Effective, assertive in discussions ? ∙ Committed to the Co-op’s mission? ∙ Willing to work with fellow board members as a team? Advertise in Morsel reasonable rates tailored readership email for details to [email protected] or call 618.529.3533 x 207 ∙ Excited about assisting the board in its oversight role developing goals for the future? Run for the Co-op’s Board! www.Neighborhood.Coop for more information & an application packet Join the board of directors in overseeing The Co-op’s strategic direction and ensuring its economic health. Only by working together can we create a strong future for the Co-op. Directors are elected by owners. Every year, three board positions are up for election. Board members work about eight to twelve hours per month and receive a monthly stipend for their service, as well as less tangible rewards. Board terms are three years. Next Election is March 2015 Neighborhood Co-op Grocery 1815 West Main Street Carbondale IL 62901 618.529.3533 www.neighborhood.coop Eco-Friendly Gardening Supplies & Hydroponics Including: Hydrofarm hydroponic growing systems, grow lights, growing media (Ocean Forest), fertilizers & more! p. 618.997.6897 3915 Ernestine Drive Marion, Illinois www.changingseasonslandscape.com Not all Dental Practices are alike. Do you realize how important a HOLISTICALLY INCLINED, HEALTH-CENTERED, RELATIONSHIP-BASED dentist is for your well-being? Thomas L. Waltemate, d.d.s., aiaomt 618-965-9213 Steeleville, Illinois Learn more at TomWaltemateDDS.com WINTER 2015 | 9 The back to the land movement of the 1970’s brought several people to southern Illinois looking to start a new life. One person from New York who settled in a “hollow” close to Anna in Union County, would become a pioneer: A pioneer in growing produce organically. In a sense, Southern Illinois continues to buck the large-scale farming trend, if for no other reason than the terrain just won’t allow it. Yet growers still have difficulty accessing markets for a variety of factors having to do with liability issues, government regulations and a whole slew of other reasons that favor larger producers over smaller ones. 10 | WINTER 2015 Hollow Pumpkin Farm by Courtney Smith photos by Eric Robinson Steve Smith traveled from New York to southern Illinois in 1977. He grew up in New York, graduated college and started working on an orchard, a dairy farm and worked for a lady that was into composting on her own farm. Smith settled on the land that is now called Hollow Pumpkin Farm and went straight to work building soil. As a seasonal vendor at the Carbondale Farmer’s Market held in the Westown Mall Parking Lot, Smith provides produce grown using organic, sustainable methods. The market provides Smith with a direct to consumer sales outlet, with the market open from April through November. Talking with Steve about what’s going on at the farm while purchasing your produce, you get a feel for how the season is going. Steve will let you know what’s working, what’s not working and his theory as to why it is. Francis Murphy, a long time friend of Steve's, says this of his experience while buying produce at market: “With Steve it’s more than just the produce. It’s the entire experience. It’s the whole package. Steve has been doing this longer than just about anyone in southern Illinois, he’s such a fascinating character and so much fun to be around. He makes buying produce much bigger than just buying produce.” Hollow Pumpkin Farm offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) generally from May through November, depending on the growing season of the particular year. The person who bought the share will receive a box or bag of the produce grown by the farmer each week. The farmer plans the growing season based on how many shares were sold. For instance, if the farmer wants to provide a nice head of lettuce every week, the farmer must calculate how much seed to buy then how often the seed needs to be planted. In the case of lettuce, one plant is all you produce from one seed. Plants like tomatoes produce several fruits during a longer period of time, usually planted once or twice a season. Lettuce would need to be planted every week to every few weeks in order for the CSA share to contain weekly lettuce. The money from a paid CSA share goes directly to the farmer. The funds are much needed at this time of year when the farmers are usually buying a majority of the seed for the coming growing season. Financial struggles are commonplace with farming – many variables including a rough growing season or a dip in WINTER 2015 | 11 Sustainable is usually defined by the farmer but making a profit without the use of synthetic chemicals, while building healthy ecosystems and soil is what it means for Hollow Pumpkin Farm. the local economy – can put a serious dent in a farmer’s cash flow. Smith states, “The last few years have been better than they were… there was a long time, a long stretch of years were I just didn’t, you know, I barely made it. But the last few years have been better. I think more people are willing to spend a little bit more money on organic foods.” Selling produce to The Co-op is another outlet for local farmers to sell product. Hollow Pumpkin Farm is one of the many farms that help supply The Co-op’s produce department as well as The Co-op deli. Tomatoes, peppers, basil, pears and winter squash are just a few of the items that Smith brings in through out the year. Smith sells his produce at the Carbondale Farmer’s Market, through his CSA share, the Co-op and also at the winter market, the Carbondale Community Farmer’s Market held in the Carbondale Community High School. “The more diverse you are in all ways, the better. The Co-op gives me good prices for what I have. I really appreciate that.” Sustainable is usually defined by the farmer but making a profit without the use of synthetic chemicals, while building healthy ecosystems and soil is what it 12 | WINTER 2015 means for Hollow Pumpkin Farm. Smith strives to do what’s best for the earth by not using chemicals, instead employing compost and kelp to make plants healthy. Smith says, “I try to be as sustainable as I can. I recycle everything that I can. I have a compost pile in every little patch (that I grow in). Like the head of the broccoli, I can sell. The stem and the roots of the broccoli, I put it in that pile. The thing is, just for one segment of the society to be sustainable (meaning farmers), without the rest of it, it’s not going to work." Farmers make decisions at every turn of the year: What to plant where, what to plant, when to plant, how to deal with pests, what outlets to sell at, what marketing to employ… the list is large. With so many concerns farmers have with their own business, what about all of the things on the outside? What issues are keeping farmers up at night? The biggest threat to Hollow Pumpkin Farm is not the climate change or the weather, but from horizontal hydraulic fracturing or commonly called “fracking.” Steve explains, “I’m about 3 miles from an oil well that is going to be put in. They case it to 350’ and my well is at 420’ and the drainage from where they are is towards me, on to the Ohio River. I’m going to get my well tested.” Smith is not for sure what the oil and gas company will find in the well, but he’s hoping it’s nothing. Smith’s sole source of water is from the well on his farm. The water from the well is used in the house for everyday activities and also for washing the produce from his fields, as well as irrigation. If the water well is contaminated from up to 600 proprietary chemicals used in fracking, then Hollow Pumpkin farm will be without a safe source of water. Smith has spent the last 37 years making healthy soils, “To start again would be almost impossible.” What keeps Smith growing is his outlook on life. Keep planting. It’s that simple: “Just keep planting. You just, you know, keep planting and something will work out. You know if the weather is this way or that way, you keep planting. This is what I was taught the first year that I farmed, if you keep the seeds in the packet, nothing happens!” For information about Hollow Pumpkin's CSA, please call Steve at 618.614.2233. The Co-op Bakery & Deli by Jason Hull, Prepared Foods Manager photos by Isaac Smith (left and center) & Eric Robinson (right) Sometime in the late 1990’s a good friend introduced me to the Neighborhood Co-op. In a way, it felt like walking into the Grateful Dead parking lot scene for the first time. I wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but I knew right away I belonged here. It was like walking into a home I never knew I had. The staff, probably numbering fewer than 10, was friendly and welcoming. Bulk items were being sold from wooden barrels and check-out was done on manual registers. I’m not sure the store even had a deli yet. It just felt like stepping into a community, not just a store. I never would have guessed I’d someday be looking back at 13 years of working in that community and seeing it grow beyond all expectations. In August, 2001, I started my first training shift as a bread baker. My trainer was a great guy named Steve who himself had been trained by the guy who started it all, Vern Crawford. Back then, the bakery was selling from-scratch breads, cookies, and maybe a muffin or two. The deli offered hot pizza and cold sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Sales volume was modest, but food quality was given high priority, and I learned the importance of listening to the community we serve and being responsive to owners and customers. We were a small outfit, but we were cultivating a larger community by providing great products and services with integrity and passion. I seemed to pick up baking skills quickly, and before I knew it I was asked to take over the bakery. Sales continued to climb at the Jackson Street location, and kitchen operations grew to keep pace with demand. Every day seemed to bring new customers into the store. The Co-op community was thriving and our freshly prepared foods were reaching more and more people. In fact, the growth we were achieving was unsustainable in our limited kitchen space. The time was right for change, and in 2006, the Co-op made the move to our new home on West Main Street. When the Co-op relocated, the Prepared Foods department grew to include a hot bar, separate pastry and bread cases, and a huge cheese island. Suddenly, we were able to offer wholesome prepared foods on par with the best Co-ops in the country. Our made-from-scratch bakery was growing exponentially with new products like fruit turnovers, pies, bars and brownies, muffins and scones, and our famous Big Band Cookies. The deli was setting the bar high with an ever-changing variety of salads, soups, hot entrees, and sandwiches. Our cheese selection became the envy of every store in town. A hot food display case was added in 2013, spurring growth in the department and ushering in an array of new treats like hot sandwiches and burritos. In 2013, the Prepared Foods department (Deli, Baker and Cheese) generated sales of $780,920. The bakers (3 full-timers and 3 part-timers) used 25,000 lbs organic flour, 5,000 lbs of organic sugar and 5,000 lbs of organic oats producing over 22,000 loaves of bread, 11,000 bagels, nearly 27,000 cookies, 15,000 muffins, and 6,000 scones! And we sold almost 20,000 slices of pizza and served more than 5,000 cups of hot soup! Our prepared foods department now employs 15 full and part-time cooks, bakers, and deli counter staff. We have really come a long way from wooden bulk barrels and manual cash registers. But we always keep our eyes on the future, minding our guiding principles to cultivate community and providing meaningful goods and services. Mitch Griffith serves up deli food to a customer; making sandwiches in the deli; and Jesse making scones in the bakery. WINTER 2015 | 13 How The Co-op Deli & Bakery Got It's Start An Interview with Kris Jones by Lisa Smith photos by Julie Murphy The Co-op's Deli & Bakery has become a part of the community fabric of Carbondale. Friends buy their lunch and bread there, longtime members of the community cook and bake there; it's the kind of place with roots and more than once has sparked a lifelong interest in food that has turned into a career. I don't think the Co-op started with a deli when it opened as a store front back in 1985. How did the deli come about? No, it didn't. There was only a bakery in the store then. A lady named Laila started making hummus. She was Lebanese, so it was authentic. Back then, we would make pizza for staff to eat for lunch. The pizza was so good, we started making them to sell. Our pizza was unique because we made the crust out of one of our daily breads. This was in the "old, old" co-op. when we moved next door, in 1997, the deli really came into it's own. What kind of food did you make back then? How did you come up with recipes? Our pizza was very popular because of our creative toppings. One of my favorites was Traci's artichoke, walnut, and feta pizza. We started developing new recipes like black bean corn salsa, rice pudding, flavored hummus, veggie lasagna. The co-op was all vegetarian, we didn't sell any meat or fish. It was a little challenging. Traci Antonovich and I were co-managers at the time. We developed recipes, as well as our deli staff. It was trial and error sometimes. Traci came up with the veggie lasagna recipe. It was amazing! It sold so fast we could hardly keep it stocked. Traci was a real creative force in developing recipes. Today, she is still cooking, has a food blog and lives in California. Sara Engbring was also responsible for some of our famous recipes. She made Left, Vern Crawford's famous breads were served with a hug that kept customers looking forward to their next visit (c. 1991) Inset, Vern's shaped breads were really popular with the kids. Baking bread is a tradition here at the Co-op. (Above) Kris Jones and Traci Antonovich are moved to song by the bread they baked. 14 | WINTER 2015 a Pad Thai recipe that was killer! Another dish we could hardly keep up with. She also brought in a recipe for Veggie Paella, made with tempeh and tofu, it was another customer favorite. Sadly, Sara passed on in June of this year. She was a major influence in the deli and the most fun to work with. Jay was into bringing curry dishes, Indian and Thai. One of the favorites was green curry vegetables. I can still smell it cooking, to this day! I developed a few recipes, myself. A lemon pine nut pasta, olive tapenade, the black bean corn salsa and Jeff's potato salad. I have heard some wacky stories from those times. What are some of your best memories? The wackiest thing was that we cooked most of our food in large electric cook pots. We couldn't use our stove top because we didn't have a hood suppression system installed. We made a lot of food using those pots! Our rice pudding had to be stirred almost constantly for 30 minutes or more. Some of my best memories are from that era, in the deli. We used to be able to play our own music CDs. A lot of Grateful Dead! The music put us all into cooking mode and we had fun doing it. Sara loved Black Sabbath! She like other music too, but when Ozzy was singing, she was cooking like a mad woman! Being back in the deli, cooking, jamming to the music and laughing with my coworkers was fun. When Traci was still there, we would have bake-a-thons before Thanksgiving and Christmas. I loved those times too. I am grateful that Vern and Traci taught me how to bake bread. I really miss those days. What was the Co-op Deli like back then? It was a pretty small kitchen. Three or four of us trying to make deli food and bake bread. The bread display was in the back, right in front of our deli work space. That's where we merchandised our bread and pizzas. We sold our deli food out of a tiny soda cooler for a couple of years. It's so hard to imagine now. The Co-op kitchen on Jackson Street, circa 2001. It was a cozy place, but functional and a fun place to work. Pictured from left Kris Jones, Inga Silver, and Tim Shepherd. The person in the orange bandana is unknown. What about the bakery? I heard that Vern Crawford used to pick loaves out for people and deliver a hug with ever loaf. Yes, Vern would do that. He had a very strong connection to our customers and he was passionate about his bread. The bakery was the foundation of the co-op kitchen for many of those years. Most of the deli cooks actually started out as bakers, like Traci and Me. The bread was always the first thing you would smell when you walked into the old store. We had some of the best recipes for bread, cookies, rolls, and chocolate bread puffs. Millet, or another type of white bread with chocolate inside! Sometimes fruit with the chocolate, like dried cherries. Those were amazing. What do you think the legacy is for you and the people who brought the deli and bakery out of the days of old? I would hope that some of those recipes could find their way back into the deli case, in the new store. The bakery case, as well. I know, that when I left my job there, most of those recipes that were from the old days got made over or pulled from the deli and bakery completely. I really hope some of those recipes will be pulled from the archives and revived. That would pay homage to those first cooks and bakers who paved the way for the new deli and bakery. Jay was also one of those bakers. He was trained by Vern in the old store. I am glad to see him in the leadership role he now has. He is part of that legacy. Is there anything I left out that you want to share about those heady years as the Co-op was coming into its own? Those were good times, but a lot of hard work went into that food. Everyone who passed through those doors at the old co-op deli and bakery contributed to what they are now. To name a few, that I remember and cherish, Doug Staggs, Janet Donohue, Sarah Tezak, Steven Hirschberg, Mark Poole, Sarah Pukala, Dave Egizio and others I am sure I have forgotten. Of course, the afore mentioned names. I appreciate the opportunity to do this interview. I was the deli, bakery and cheese department manager for many years. I saw a lot of change happen. Those early years are special to me because there was a real connection to our customers and to each other. I met some of my dear friends in that old store and I am grateful to have been a part of it's legacy. WINTER 2015 | 15 16 | WINTER 2015 It wasn’t until the mid-eighteenth century that Anna, Duchess of Bedford, created what we now think of as a proper tea with little sandwiches and tarts. In England tea was originally seen as a drink to replace ale at breakfast. King Charles II, during the 1660s, had dainty little bowls, saucers, trays, caddies and a special “tea cup” finely crafted for just such an endeavor as the taking of tea. However, the idea that tea could be paired with food was almost out of the question at the time. From the Ming Dynasty on, China cornered the Western tea market, that is until the 1800s when China would only accept silver bullion as payment, of which the British had very little. Britain eventually conquered India and grew their own tea. Steep Ideal Water Temperature Brewing the perfect cup by Lisa Smith or 100% White Tea. In that case, stop short of boiling to avoid “cooking” the delicate tea. If you’re using a teapot, warm it first by swirling hot water inside it, then pouring it out. Use one teaspoon of tea or herbs or one tea bag per sixounce cup. Use a tea ball for loose tea. 2 Pour the water over the tea, cover if in a tea pot, and infuse to taste. Diffusing time varies according to the type of tea. Don’t steep for too long or you’ll find your tea has gone bitter or acidic. 3 Remove the tea bag or infuser, or use a strainer for the leaves. Pour the steaming tea into a cup and let it cool for a moment. Sip. Let the infusion please your palate. Notice the nuances, the complexity and character. 1 Fill your tea kettle with fresh, preferably filtered, cold water and heat to a rolling boil, unless you’re making green tea For instance, in 900 A.D. China, Buddhist and Taoist monks cultivated tea because it was deemed spiritually significant. Lu Yu, who studied at the Longgai Monastery, eventually wrote an entire treatise on tea called Ch’a Ching. His writing formed the basis for a Taoist based philosophy of tea. Point of fact, during this period tea was symbolic of the mysteries of the universe. Come the 1800s tea was traded with the West, basically creating a nation full of tea enthusiasts in Britain. And, though there are now more and more people who are drinking coffee, Britain remains a tea drinking nation, where tea is a part of their national identity, as well as their stereotype. There is a mysterious aura that surrounds the subject of tea. Making the choices in the tea aisle completely overwhelming. Maybe it’s because it is not as ubiquitous as its counterpart, coffee, in our morning rituals. Possibly it’s because so many cultures have traditions that surround it. Taking Tea WINTER 2015 | 17 Look for Fair Trade Certified Teas, this helps tea farmers and workers gain access to capital, set fair prices for their products, and make democratic decisions about how to best improve their business, their community and their tea. Green, Black and Oolong, a blend of green and black teas, are the traditional classifications for tea. (pronounced ROY-boss) - Technically not a tea, but is a stunningly red brew, enjoyed like tea, that is made from a South African herb. It is naturally caffeine free and pairs well with other flavors like chai and fruit. It offers polyphenols and flavonoids to the benefit of your health. what's the deal with BLACK TEA - The strongest of tea leaves. Black tea benefits from controlled fermentation. Using various methods, the tea leaves are allowed to dry and oxidize. Black tea leaves produce a medium to strong cup. CEYLON - Richly flavored, beautiful color. Excellent with a slice of lemon. GREEN TEA - Has a pale brew with a light slightly bitter flavor. The best of green teas are hand rolled and are unfermented. As these leaves steep, they unfurl and aromatics are released. DARJEELING - The champagne of teas, has a nuanced flavor, full bodied with a lingering, floral bouquet. Unlike some other teas, Darjeeling has flushing seasons, that is to say growing seasons, and what flush the tea is harvested from will change its flavor. There are three primary flushes of Darjeeling, though these can move based on weather, typically first flush is mid-March to May, second flush is June to mid-August and the third is October to November, sometimes called the Autumn Flush. Some people like it before bed served black, with a stick of cinnamon or with milk and sugar before bed. OOLONG TEA - A Chinese tradition, Oolong is the mixture of both green and black teas. The flavor is delicate to medium. ENGLISH BREAKFAST - A blend of India and Ceylon teas that is strong and is often served with cream, half and half, or milk. IRISH BREAKFAST - A blend of Assam and Ceylong teas, Irish breakfast is another assertive tea in the style of English breakfast. (Assam is a very old tea that is ubiquitous in the marketplace, mostly used in blends.) MATCHA - From the Japanese tea tradition, it is consumed much like tea was originally in China, ground to a powder-like consistency and frothed in hot water. Matcha is a little bitter, but offers great health benefits. Tradition says this is no sipping tea. Once prepared the drinker is expected to consume it all at once. ORANGE PEKOE - What most teas are made from, this grade of tea is your typical black tea. Good with or without milk or sugar. WHITE TEA - Also, called China White, is a rare tea. It was introduced to the US market in 2002 by The Republic of Tea. Neither rolled or oxidized, this tea is very delicate and has to be closely monitored as it is dried. It is naturally low in caffeine, white tea produces a cup that is subtle, sweet and mellow. Questions, Concerns & For Staff Members & the Board of Directors Forms are found in the holders above or you can send an email to [email protected] Organic or Not? Local produce should be marked clearly "Organic" or not. Anonymous Thank you for your comment. The short answer is that a couple of years ago management decided it would be best for the Co-op for us to standardize our language across departments with regards to eco-labels, such as the terms Local and Organic. What this means is that if a product in produce or on the grocery shelves does not say USDA Certified Organic, one must assume it is not organic. However, the long answer is more nuanced. There are a lot of terms that get bandied about when it comes to local produce, for instance natural, ecological and sustainable, among many others. Most of these terms aren't well defined or easily measured, but are an attempt to define the intentions of the farmer or where they are at with their pest management system. And this is the rub when it comes to labeling produce at The Co-op. There are many shades of gray, for instance how would you label growers who: • Feel organic standards have been watered down from what was the original intention and that they, as farmers, apply even more stringent standards to how they grow; • Are transitioning their farm to attain organic certification, but are years away from being able to apply for USDA Organic Certification; • Employ methods of controlling pests that are within Organic standards, but they don’t maintain the necessary documentation; • Take issue with certification in general, even though they follow the standards to the letter; • Feel they cannot afford organic certification; • Do not make enough money annually from their goods to justify certification; ... the list goes on, as it is a very complex subject. For The Co-op's part, we have found that it is confusing to shoppers when we create “soft” terms, like sustainable, in an attempt to clarify. And, that really short of farm visits and regular checkups, we can't be sure our terms have any meaning. In any given year we might work with over 75 local farm- 18 | WINTER 2015 ers/producers in the produce department. The department's manager, Chris Neville, does a commendable job visiting the farms he works with regularly, but it's not possible for him to visit them all. And, as a matter of fact, this is exactly what we hope to avoid, putting the Co-op in the position of acting as a kind of certifying agency. Therefore when it comes to local produce we do not use any official signage terms outside of Local. Similarly we do not apply the term organic to "exempt" farms, those the USDA says can use the term Organic (not Certified Organic) provided they follow certain guidelines and make less than $5000 a year. Without Organic Certification or other easily measured standards, we cannot be certain our consumers are getting what they think they are, in this way leaving labels to a minimum is our best approach. That said, we do strive to account for the differences in other, less official ways, like in the description area of our signs in the produce department. Some people might ask, "Well, why don’t you label that local produce as Non-Organic?" While that label is accurate maybe, it has bias and is not the way products are handled elsewhere in the store. Without the USDA Certified Organic label any product, packaged or fresh, is not considered organic. Besides, Organic and Non-Organic labeling kind of misses the point when it comes to Local. Local is meant to signify that the product was grown by someone we know or at least someone we could know and that it didn’t travel umpteen miles to get to the store. Local produce at the Co-op also means small, family-owned farms that grow a diverse mix of products, as opposed to massproducing mono-crop farms – Certified Organic or otherwise – who do the land little favors. To imply that somehow Local is less-than organic is unfair, because all organic is not created equal. Certainly the gold standard would be a Local small farm that is also Certified Organic, but un-certified farms that use good practices are way better than the massive, monocrop Certified Organic farms (like the ones you find out in California, Mexico, New Zealand or even India). Farms like these grow a huge percentage of the Certified Organic produce found in almost every conventional grocery store these days. The complexity of the issue is why we feel it is better to 5 leave our labels simple and fill in the gaps with descriptions whenever possible and encourage our shoppers to dig a little deeper. Bottom line, what this means at The Co-op is that only products that are USDA Certified Organic will be labeled as organic in our store. Local products will be labeled as such and additional information offered in an informal capacity to help inform the buying process. And, in the very near future - once the signage is completed, all produce that is Local and Certified Organic will be signed as Local and will feature the USDA Certified Organic label, as well. Thank you for your feedback. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or Chris in produce. Best regards, Lisa Smith, Brand Development Manager Customer Staff favorites 1 Tell us yours @ www.Neighborhood.Coop Nubian Heritage Shea Butter infused with Coconut & Papaya Lisa, Brand Development Manager Smells great and makes my hands so soft, even hours later. I like it so much I've been giving it to friends to try. I even mailed a container to my Mom. 2 Dead Sea Soap - Shea Butter Cheryl, Co-op Owner Shea Butter Dead Sea Soap is my favorite soap. I just bought the last your supply. Please get more! 3 Olbas Inhaler Nina, Wellness Clerk Olbas inhalers (are) amazing! This time of year, my nose can feel dry and clogged. Olbas saves the day, every time! 4 Oasis Jalapeño Hommus Holly, Visual Merchandiser Oasis Jalapeno Hommus is the perfect spicy snack, but not too spicy that you can't enjoy the taste. I love to pair it with broccoli and carrots! 5 Metropolitan Brewing Krankshaft Kolsch Beer Greg, Grocery Buyer I usually drink my beer while cooking or after I eat, but if I'm having one while I eat this is it. Try it with some local pizza as it cuts through the oil in the cheese! WINTER 2015 | 19 Changing with the Season by Lisa Smith Charred Cabbage & Ham al la Cabonara Based on my son's recommendation, I tried Epicurious' Orechiette pasta Carbonara with Charred Brussels Sprouts one night when I needed dinner fast. My version uses a healthy amount of green cabbage that has been charred in a dry cast iron skillet (no fat, just heat) to balance the richness of the ham and punches up the flavor with sundried tomatoes. It is perfect for a Monday night, when you don't have a lot of time, but want something satisfying. 12 oz. strozzapreti, orecchiette or other pasta, cooked according to package 5 cups green cabbage cut into approximately 2" pieces 1½ cups chopped ham (preferably Beeler's) 1 Tbls grated fresh garlic (or pressed) ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1/3 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan, plus more for garnish 8 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil or dried and rehydrated), diced 2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend Heat water for pasta, meanwhile make sauce. (When water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to package instructions, removing pasta 2 minutes before ready. It's best to have sauce ready and waiting and then add pasta to it. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water.) Sauce: Heat a cast iron skillet to very hot, but not smoking, add cabbage and allow to cook without stirring for 2 minutes until lightly charred. Stir and repeat until cabbage is wilted and most pieces are lightly charred. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ham, garlic, pepper and tomatoes. Add pasta and cheese to ham mixture. Immediately add ½ cup pasta water to prevent pasta from scorching; toss with tongs to combine. Add butter and toss to coat. Remove from heat and quickly stir in egg yolks. If sauce is too thick, add more pasta water to get the desired consistency. Serve with additional cheese, if desired. Spring is just around the corner!