Labels: chocolate, give-away, soapbox

In order to enhance food safety and food security; promote cultural and ecological health and diversity; and, accelerate the transition from an economy based on extraction and consumption to an economy based on preservation and restoration, we do hereby affirm the following Principles:

I. We must bring money back down to earth.

II. There is such a thing as money that is too fast, companies that are too big, finance that is too complex. Therefore, we must slow our money down -- not all of it, of course, but enough to matter.

III. The 20th Century economy was an economy of Buy Low/Sell High and Wealth Now/Philanthropy Later—what one venture capitalist called “the largest legal accumulation of wealth in history.” The 21st Century economy will usher in the era of nurture capital, built around principles of carrying capacity, care of the commons, sense of place and non-violence.

IV. We must learn to invest as if food, farms and fertility mattered. We must steer major new sources of capital to small food enterprises.

V. Let us celebrate the new generation of entrepreneurs, consumers and investors who are showing the way from Making A Killing to Making a Living.

VI. Paul Newman said, "I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer who puts back into the soil what he takes out." Recognizing the wisdom of these words, let us begin rebuilding our economy from the ground up, asking:
• What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our assets within 50 miles of where we live?
• What if there was a new generation of companies that gave away 50% of their profits?
• What if there were 50% more organic matter in our soil 50 years from now?

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Labels: soapbox, soda, taste tests

Labels: awards, soapbox, tales from the farm

Locally Packaged for Maximum Freshness

Labels: food waste, soapbox

So it happened when Dina and I hosted Mole cannoli – a feast of two of our favorite foods. The final guest count was a moving target – between the quest for finding a babysitter or the new boyfriend we didn’t realize would be coming. And we wanted a nice variety of moles, salads and garnishes. Needless to say, we did not do a very good job of reducing – there were ample leftovers. The best I could do was reuse and recycle. We ate leftovers for a few days, and the excess of black beans and mole sauces went into the freezer.

Last week, inspired by Lydia’s black bean dip post, I pulled the black beans out of the freezer. I intended to make the dip for a friend’s party, but as I set out to make the recipe, I realized I didn’t have most of the ingredients on hand. But! I did have ½ cup of leftover green mole from that same evening that generated the black beans. I pureed the two together and, Voila! Black Bean dip. (P.S. The sour cream on top was leftover from another dinner the previous week)

Labels: dips, food waste, recipes, recycling, soapbox

Fritos Corn Chips
Amount Per Serving -

Calories 160 Calories from Fat 90

Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 170mg

Total Carbohydrate 15g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 1g
Protein 2g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2% Iron 0%

Wheat Thins
Amount Per Serving -

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 50
Total Fat 6g
Saturated Fat 1g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 260mg
Total Carbohydrate 21g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2% Iron 6%

Fritos: INGREDIENTS: Corn, Corn Oil, and Salt

Wheat Thins: INGREDIENTS: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Soybean Oil, Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Sugar, Defatted Wheat Germ, Cornstarch, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Corn Syrup, Monoglycerides, Barley Malt Syrup, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vegetable Color (Annatto Extract, Turmeric Oleoresin), Onion Powder.

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Chart comes from http://fivepercent.us

Labels: locavore, soapbox

Cost aside, most people would choose organic over conventional. The pesticides and chemical fertilizers may produce flawless looking produce, but I’ll take my bug-holed arugula over conventional because I know the flavor will be better and more importantly, I won’t be ingesting chemicals whose long-term effects I still don’t know.

The debate hit home this week, when I inspected my three cauliflower plants and noticed that one was decimated, and those little bug holes in the other two didn’t seem so quaint anymore.

The question of “organic or conventional” is rather simplistic. So many factors go into the equation including the rising cost of organics (and food in general), the tedium of achieving “organic status” and where the food was grown. Given the choice of a local, conventional tomato versus an organic tomato shipped in from California, I’ll take local! The added benefit is that I can talk with the farmer about his growing practices. He may not, for example, have the organic certification, but he works the land sustainably. My (organic farmer) friend Brett recounted to me the hoops he had to jump through to maintain his organic status after the laws recently changed. He admitted that he would rather forgo the certification than deal with the bureaucrats. As he states it, his practices won’t change and his customers are loyal and don’t need a seal to prove it.

On a personal note, I had to decide how to deal with my aphid problem. I rationalized that I’d rather have non-organic cauliflower than no cauliflower at all! When I went to Weston Nurseries I found several organic pesticides. The oily spray coats bugs’ wings and prevents them from flying. It also works on bees. I thought this would be a good thing since I’m allergic to bees. No, I was scolded. We need bees to pollinate flowers and plants and maintain an important balance in our gardens. Besides, bees don’t sting… it’s the wasps that do. Therefore, I can only spray after 5pm when the bees have gone to their hives for the night.

Labels: soapbox, urban gardener

Labels: soapbox

When CNN merged with AOL/Time Warner, CNN founder Ted Turner lost his job and about $7 billion. Since he was down to his last $1.5 billion, he couldn’t afford to buy CBS and continue to compete in the media industry. Instead, he chose to open a restaurant.

How did he get from TV to restaurant? As he tells it, he previously satiated cravings for entertainment, and now he’s satiating cravings for food. He’s in the cravings business. (Next up, he asks, a chain of brothels?) And he did have some experience in the food business – from buying the Atlanta Falcons and Hawks came along food concessions stands.

This morning, I attended a lively “discussion” between famed chef Todd English and Ted Turner. The focus was the greening of the restaurant industry. Since Ted’s Montana Grill was built green from the ground up, Ted and his partner George McKerrow, Jr. shared insights and experiences that both the seasoned restaurateur and diner can gain from.

Here are some of the highlights and tips:

1. “War is bad because it’s killing off our diners.” – Paraphrased quote from Ted Turner.
2. Drink stirrers and straws are a hidden culprit of plastic waste. Consider not using a stirrer and use a spoon instead. Paper and wooden stirrers offer another option. And what about bamboo? They did not mention this option, but bamboo is a highly renewable source.
3. Switch light bulbs to energy efficient fluorescent. They cost more upfront, but use less energy and last longer. Depending on usage, you can recoup costs in two years or less. Fluorescent light bulbs do need to be recycled. Here’s a link for a company in Massachusetts that handles the recycling of light bulbs.
4. Get a water extractor for your garbage waste. It will reduce the amount of waste and the expense of rubbish removal.
5. Reduce plastic use. And always recycle glass, paper, and plastic.
6. Eliminate bottled water as this increase the amount of packaging needed. Consider options for filtered water.
7. Use recycled and compostable paper and plastic products. These disposable products will decompose in 50 days in landfills instead of 50+years.
8. In order to incentivize employees to take public transportation to work: pay for public transit cost as an employee benefits. Those who choose to drive are on their own.
9. Buy locally to reduce the food miles.
10. Buy organic and all-natural foods because it does not introduce harmful chemicals into our land systems.

Labels: soapbox

Right now, strawberries, asparagus and salad greens are at their peak.

For a recent dinner party, I wanted to serve roasted asparagus (requiring a 450F oven), but was also baking the strawberry rhubarb pie (at 375F). I opted to put the asparagus on the floor of the oven for a searing heat that caramelized the spears without overcooking them. This impromptu method worked so well, it is now my standard method for roasting asparagus.

Strawberry shortcake showcases the sweet berry. This variation puts an Italian spin on the American classic.

Labels: locavore, recipes, soapbox