Category: Give-away

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Chocolate Give-Away — and Investing in a Sustainable Food System

People have become accustomed to cheap food. At the grocery store, we expect to pay less than $3 for a gallon of milk, and $1/pound for whole chicken. Many people scoff at the “high” price of organics and farmers’ market produce. Unfortunately, conventional and processed food has hidden costs, externalities not factored into the price structure:  The farm subsidies which keep the costs artificially low, the extra health care costs from a culture that has become fatter and fatter from the “western diet”. And the environmental impact of processing and shipping food, and soil erosion.  Worse still, conventional food producers do not have the same commitment to paying workers and farmers a fair wage.

The economics of our food system are broken.  We need to make investments in farms and food producers that not only sell high quality products, but also practice sustainable farming.  We need to shift our focus from solely looking at short-term financial returns to include long-term social returns. 

Equal Exchange has been championing a sustainable food system since 1986 by helping small farmers bring chocolate, coffee and tea to market and earn a fair profit for their crops. And Slow Money is a new organization that is looking for ways to invest money in our local food economies so that we not only grow more healthy food, but preserve the land and our environment.

Several weeks ago, I went to the National Gathering for Slow Money in Burlington, VT. The highlights were listening to Joel Salatin (from Polyface Farm) and Gary Hirschberg (CEO of Stonyfield) speak about the nature of their organic businesses.

You may recall Mr. Salatin from Omnivores’ Dilemma and Food, Inc.  He’s an engaging speaker whose business focus is not on earning or profits, but on producing the highest quality product and protecting the environment.  He posits, if revenues drop, the solution is not in marketing, but in improving quality:  a high quality product sells itself.

Gary Hirschberg provided an interesting counterpoint to Polyface’s business model. You may recall that Stonyfield was sold to DANONE several years ago, and has since brokered a deal with Wal-Mart to sell yogurt in their stores. Stonyfield got a lot of flak from the “organic” community for this decision. But Mr. Hirschberg reminded us that we need to help organic become a mainstream food item, not an elitist luxury. Selling through Wal-Mart is an important step in that goal.

I was also impressed by some of the real, tangible cost savings that Stonyfield reaps by being organic. Humanely raised cows yield more milk and live longer. Ultimately, the cost of milk produced from his cows is less expensive than the commercial counterpart. As such, he pays more to the farmers for their milk so that they can earn a respectable wage for their work.

Equal Exchange is an important player in a sustainable food economy. In addition to being a champion of all farmers having the right to earn a fair profit for their crops, they also give out $65,000 in grants to organizations who are working to support Fair Trade, small-farmers and co-operatives. In fact, every year they give out 7% of net profits in this manner.
Equal Exchange appreciates your interest in sustainable food systems.

As a thank you, they will give a $40 gift certificate to one lucky reader. All you need to do is leave a comment here. And please share your thoughts on sustainable food systems and organic vs. conventional. A winner will be announced on Tuesday, July 6th. You must have an active PayPal account to receive the gift certificate.

Update: The deadline has passed for the give-away and the winner has been notified.  Congratulations to Miss Maya who won the gift certificate.  Thanks to all for the wonderful comments.

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Fair Trade (and CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY)

If life were fair, everything would cost more.

Regularly, books and movies report on the commercial agricultural industry’s dependence on corn, and government subsidies are revealed to keep food prices artificially low. While we still pay for the high cost of food, we do so in taxes, and not at the supermarket.

Small-scale farmers, who do not receive these subsidies, must charge more for their food to earn even a modest wage. While sustainable farming can be less expensive in the long-run, it’s a costly path. I try to support the local farmers, even if it costs more, because I know that I’m helping to preserve our food-systems and keep more money in my community.

In second- and third- world countries, from where we get most of our coffee and chocolate, farmers make even less. The path from field to table is long, and provides little (if any) support for the farmer. They make pennies a day – most of the profits go to the middlemen in this supply chain.

Equal Exchange, a national leader in fair-trade, created a new path for small farmers to get their products to market. They do this by partnering with small-scale farmer coops. Through this process, we can be closer to the source of our food and the farmers see a greater portion of the profits – enabling them to better support their own community.

Fair Trade includes:
• Direct purchasing from those who are poorly served by conventional markets, specifically small farmers and their co-operatives.
• Agreed upon commodity floor prices that provide for a dignified livelihood.
• A promise by importers to make affordable credit available to the farmer co-operatives.
• A worldwide network of non-profit certifying organizations.

Equal Exchange chocolates continue to win awards for its quality and taste. The Panama bar was a finalist in the New York City Chocolate Show in October. And one of their Peruvian cocoa producer partners won a quality competition!

And now for the giveaway… 
The Deadline has passed.  Chocolate Winners:  Judit U-M and Grace, Congratulations! You were randomly selected to win the chocolate sampler boxes from Equal Exchange.  Please email your mailing address to julia [at] growcookeat [dot] com.  And thanks to all for your great comments and supporting fair trade!

Just in time for your holiday baking, Equal Exchange wants you to taste the difference. They are offering a gift box of either chocolate sampler box (6 different 3.5 oz. bars) or sweet and spicy chocolate sampler to 2 lucky readers of Grow. Cook. Eat.

To enter the drawing, please leave a comment here telling us something you can do to support fair trade. Also, please include your email address, so that we can be in touch with you if you win. While anyone can support fair trade, you must be a US or Canadian resident to win this drawing. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 18th.

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Random Apps of Kindness (and GIVEAWAY!)

Several years ago, my friend David and I started Random Apps of Kindness: every time we dined out, we sent an appetizer to a stranger. What started as a way to make peace with a favorite bartender, turned into a little adventure. For 6 months, we made new friends and even had an article written about us in the local paper. But like most good things, it came to an end.

When Melissa announced she was having a giveaway – 5 Random Acts of Kindness – I was reminded how much fun it is to do nice things for others. I entered into her giveaway, not thinking I’d win, but I did! Part of winning is means passing along 5 more acts. Even though the rules suggest that I use my blog to give my kindness, I decided to send 2 Random Apps and 3 Random Acts to my blog readers.

So here’s how it works:

1. Leave a comment on this post no later than 8 pm EST Monday, June 29. I’ll pick 3 comments by random, on whose authors I’ll bestow an act of kindness, and I’ll announce the winners Tuesday morning. And to fulfill my “obligation of 5” to Melissa, I will send 2 random apps of kindness and blog about it here.

My blogging prowess prevents me from capturing your email address. If you don't want to leave it here in the comments (so I can contact you if you win), be sure to check back.

2. My kindness can be anything of my choosing. It might be handmade and it might be purchased, but it will be selected just for you. It will be given to you sometime in the next 12 months. I make no guarantees that you’ll love it (or not find it odd or quirky), but I guarantee that it will be heartfelt on my part.

All you have to do, dear readers, is have a blog and be willing to pass on the kindness by creating a similar post. If you don’t blog but you Facebook, pledge to bestow a kindness on five Facebook friends. If you do neither, play the game the old-fashioned way: find a neighbor, stranger or friend in need and fill it.

Mayberry Magpie described it as a kindness dogpile, which sounds like great fun, don’t you think?

P.S.

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Cooking with Katie


Like most women, I vacillate between wanting to lose 20 pounds and being content with my weight. When I "adopted" Katie from Eat this, I excitedly looked through her recipes for new ideas to cook healthy. She cooks with a lot of whole grains, many that I know of, but don't typically cook. Maybe I can finally make realistic modifications to my diet and lose some weight.

Last night, I brought dinner to a friend. She prefers the style of Katie's cooking – lots of whole grains and mostly vegetarian — so it seemed the perfect opportunity to make one of her recipes. Did I choose the healthy and beautiful looking Lentil Soup with Spinach? Or the Pinto bean, avocado, tomato and wheatberry salad? No. Of course, I opted for the Roasted Veggie and Cheese Pasta. The least healthy of all her delicious recipes.

And let me tell you, it was indeed delicious! I'll confess, I made a few adaptations… wanting to use what was in the fridge… I used fresh dug parsnips and carrots instead of the recommended peppers, zucchini and eggplant. And I added ramps instead of garlic and onions.

So, if you're craving virtuous and delicious recipes, check out Katie's blog. If you're looking for healthy twists on your favorite recipes, check out Katie's blog. You won't be disappointed.

And by the way, Katie is giving away jars of Tupelo Honey. Just leave a comment on her blog between now and Friday, May 22 to be entered to win. As if you need another reason to read her blog.

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Planning Your Spring and Summer Garden (and Give-Away)

Seed-packs

Last week’s article in the Boston Globe reminded me that I need to begin my spring and summer garden plans. It’s hard to believe with temperatures hovering around 30F that spring will ever come, but I remain optimistic. In fact, I can start seeds indoors on March 15th so that when the ground begins to thaw in April, I’m ready!

I’m fortunate to have a decent sized backyard (especially for Cambridge). But you don’t need a large backyard to reap benefits from fresh herbs and vegetables. Whether you have a balcony or even a window sill, options abound. Your specific needs and constraints will dictate what you plant. Here are some things to consider.


Limited space
When I lived in an apartment in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, I grew herbs in a window box outside the kitchen and cherry tomatoes on the fire escape. The yield was just enough to enliven much of my summer-time cooking. In one box, I fit four herbs: my favorites: basil, thyme, tarragon and chives.

Bang for your buck
If you have limited financial resources (and who doesn't these days), you want to get the most out of your gardening dollars. Many components go into this. First on my list is avoiding waste. Second, is getting high yields for low square footage, and finally the cost of the seeds vs. seedlings.

Too often, herbs at the supermarket are packaged in quantities greater than what I need. Further, if I have a recipe that calls for 2-3 varieties, I can spend $10 on herbs alone, and half will end up in the compost bin. For $10, I can buy seedlings of 4 or 5 varieties. And as I cook with herbs throughout the summer, I just snip off what I need, and the plant keeps growing. Better yet, some herbs, like sage, tarragon and thyme, are perennial. I bought two plants each several years ago, and the herbs just keep coming back year after year with no financial reinvestment.

Celery is another example of the package size being larger than my need. I buy two or three plants ($5 total) and break off a single stalk as I need it – usually for chicken, tuna or egg salad. Unfortunately, celery does not regrow after the stalk has been harvested. So if I cook a recipe that requires a full head, then I’ll buy it at the market, saving the garden variety for when I need a small amount for a recipe.

Most lettuces are “cut and come again.” That means that if you harvest the lettuce properly (at least 2 inches above the roots) it will continue to sprout leaves. I can cut a mixed lettuce salad throughout the spring and summer with an investment of $6 in seeds (3 packets – arugula, romaine and mizuna).

Cucumbers proliferate in my garden, and can grow upwards on stakes offering economy of space. The fruit can be used in salads or pickled. Last summer, my three plants produced cucumbers well into September and yielded many snacks, salads and pickles. Last year I bought a packet of seeds for $2 and still have enough left over for this year’s planting.

Radishes sprout early. They offer an early fix for locavores craving garden fresh vegetables. Better yet, their season is quick and short, opening up the garden space to other summer vegetables.

A final, but very important consideration is the greenness of your thumb. Do you buy seeds or seedlings? For sure, seeds are cheaper – two dollars, for example will buy you dozens of seed or one seedling. However, some vegetables, like tomatoes, require careful attention to get them from seed to seedling into the ground producing fruit. I have attempted for several years to start tomatoes indoors to transplant them in the late spring. I have never had success, and end up buying the seedlings anyway.

I only buy seeds when I can direct-sow: that is, I can directly plant the seeds into the ground. Seeds that work well in this fashion include: lettuces, cucumbers, zucchini and peas. If you are unsure if a seed can be direct-sowed, check the back of the packages, the information is usually printed there.

Can’t Beat Homegrown
Perhaps the most enticing reason to grow your own vegetables is that nothing beats home-grown – especially when it comes to tomatoes! Supermarket tomatoes and even farmers’ market tomatoes will never compare to homegrown, because they are always harvested before they’re ripe. When growing at home, the tomatoes can absorb sugar producing sunshine until the very second you pluck it from the vine. Better yet, you can grow the most flavorful heirloom varieties such as Cherokee Purple.

Some years, I’ve grown zucchini for the squash blossoms because I never see them in the markets. I enjoy their floraly soft texture that’s perfect for stuffing or just using in a quiche or omelet.

Lettuces taste spicier and crisper home-grown. Potatoes are sweeter and less starchy. And Brussels sprouts can stay on the stalk in my garden until after the first frost so I get sweet, tender sprouts instead of earthy, stringy baby cabbages.

And now for the giveaway…. To help you plan your spring garden, I'll be giving a packet of Even’ Star Organic Farm Seeds. Seeds from Even' Star Farm are cultivated to yield the most flavorful, hardiest plants. They are organic and heirloom and can also be purchased at FedCo Seeds. To give you a sense of their quality, they retail for 10 times the price of similar varieties. I have several varieties of seeds suitable for spring planting and harvesting, so the winner can select his or her favorite. All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog between now and Friday, February 27th at 5pm EST, telling me about your favorite fruit or vegetable to grow.

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Peachy Mama Winners and Winter Greens

And the winners of the celebration/Peachy Mama Giveaway are: White on Rice Couple, Sandie of Inn Cuisine And micaela6955/Michele P. Please email me your mailing address to [julia] at [growcookeat] dot [com]. I look forward to hearing about your peachy mama creations!
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During the cold of January, a visit to a produce farm might seem bleak. In Southern Maryland, home to my friend Brett’s Even’ Star Organic Farm, temperatures linger around freezing. With gray skies, and the occasional appearance of the sun so low in the sky, sometimes it feels like it is always gloomy.

Despite seemingly harsh conditions, the farm is still in full production. Two green houses in the south field produce 30 cases of mesclun a week. The chickens continue to lay eggs, albeit at a slower pace. And the frost-bitten fields are lined with winter-tolerant greens: kales, mustards, collards and other brassicas. The field greens have superior flavor and texture to their greenhouse counterparts. When overnight temperatures drop below freezing, the leaves get frost bitten, which actually sweetens the flavor, leaving a gold-leaf edge. The winds and cold rains produce a leaf that his structure and texture. The combination of the conditions yields a mesclun mix in which each leaf has a distinct flavor and texture. As the leaves get bigger, they get tougher and make perfect braising greens.

Harvesting lettuce in the winter is not particularly fun – hunched over the fields with cold fingers, but the rewards are sweet. When the temperatures rise above 32F, the leaves thaw, and with a hit of sunshine, the excess moisture evaporates and the leaves rebound. Each leaf is harvested individually, taking care not to damage the plant. The smaller leaves will continue to grow.

The peppery greens make a wonderful salad or stuffing for roasted chicken.

Chicken Stuffed with Peppery Greens and Raisins

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup raisins
1 bunch mustard greens, washed and coarsely chopped

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
1 teaspoon canola/plain oil
salt and pepper to taste.

1. Melt butter in sauté pan. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, and add the curry powder. Cook for 2 more minutes and add the raisins.

2. Add the mustard greens. And cook until they wilt. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Cool before using stuffing.

4. To form pockets for stuffing., gently separate the skin from the meat from only one long edge (leaving the skin still attached on the other half of the breast). Fill the pocket with the stuffing and smooth the skin back over

5. Turn the oven on to broil. Brush the skin with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. Put chicken under the broiler until the skin begins to crisp, about 7 minutes. Switch the oven to bake/ 350, and continue cooking the chicken for 10 minutes or until cooked through.

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Celebration! (and Give-Away)

Do you have a secret stash of wine or cheese that you only break out for special occasions? Or maybe it's your favorite jam that you can only buy once a year when you visit friends on the coast of Maine?

I have a stash, and it mostly comes from Even' Star Farm. My friend Brett grows lettuces, tomatoes and chilies that taste like nothing I've eaten before. He cultivates his seeds so that he grows the most flavorful products. Each variety of tomato has its own personality, each lettuce leaf has texture and a distinctive peppery-ness, and each pepper is has a unique combination of floral and spice. The chickens have almost a gamey flavor from eating an organic diet and getting lots of exercise. And the eggs have a sweet undertone from the sweet potatoes the chickens eat.

Unfortunately, I don't visit Brett nearly enough. So when I do, I preserve as much as I can to last me until the next visit or season. This summer, I canned 50 pounds of tomatoes and 10 quarts of my favorite Peachy Mama peppers. I have a quarter of a lamb in my freezer (the first first quarter I shared with friends for my birthday).

And I save all of this wonderful food for special occasions! Tuesday was a special day — with the inauguration of an intelligent, inspiring and thoughtful man as our president and the engagement of my friend R!

What better way to celebrate than to break into my stash! On the menu tonight: Rack of Lamb and Champagne!

To help you celebrate with me, I'd like to share some of my stash with you. I'll be giving away a jar of peachy mama peppers to three lucky winners. All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog between now and Wednesday, January 29th at 5pm EST.
As you can read about here and here, peachy mamas a treasured crop for me. Brett is the only one I know in North America growing them (though I've heard a rumor about a nursery in Southern California). The peppers are small and wrinkly like habaneros, but with a floral and sweet flavor. My favorite way to serve them is roasted with crackers: they make a perfect hors d'oeuvre. I also use them to season rice or succotash. Mixed with mint or corn, they make a wonderful relish. Lydia of The Perfect Pantry wrote about them here, when she served them with her birthday pizza.