THE HYGGE TIMES A Star Among Us By Hannah Kramer
Congratulations to Katie Bell for winning the New York City Hospitality Alliance Front of House Award! This award goes to a person who has achieved respect and excellence in working in one or more jobs on the dining room floor of a restaurant. Your MeyersUSA family is very proud!
Hudson Valley Fresh at Stormfield Swiss By Ashley Sinon
In the age of ultra pasteurization and additive growth hormones, clean and fresh dairy seems to have been left behind in the wake of ‘progress.’ Yet alongside the gallons of mass produced milk with a shelf life lasting longer than most goldfish, there exists a dairy so fresh, its called so by name. Hudson Valley Fresh is a not-forprofit dairy cooperative founded in 2004 and from this band of 10 local farms comes the absolute highest quality of sustainable dairy products. MeyersUSA uses many of these products such as milk and cream to create the perfect latte. One of these exceptional gems of the Hudson Valley was kind enough to allow this Hygge Times writer to tour their farm.
Hudson Valley Fresh at Stormfield Swiss (contd.)
With 36 milk cows meandering on acres of rolling green hills, Stormfield Swiss is a truly picturesque dairy farm. The farm is run solely by an amazing family (Jen, Jim and their two young children) who is passionate about the quality of their products and the care of their animals. Commercial enterprise is far from this idyllic place where the chickens run about merrily as the peaceful bovine lazily greet their visitors. From the time these cows are milked, only 36 hours will pass before it is on the shelf or at one of our restaurants. While most milks are ultra pasteurized Stormfield’s dairy is only flash pasteurized keeping essential nutrients such as vitamins and omegas which occur naturally. Walking amongst the hay and hooves is highly recommended, there is truly nothing like experiencing firsthand how hardwork can turn nature into something deliciously edible. Milking cows twice a day that drink between thirty to sixty gallons of water is only part of showcasing this labor of love. The impact is impossible to shake, and the next time you stop to grab a quick gallon of milk you may just remember the dedication of Stormfield Swiss and reach for Hudson Valley Fresh.
June 2017 Edition
Kid’s Table - A Culinary Experience for Young Diners Only!
Loris Malagucci once said: “Children are born with 100 languages but we deprive them of the 99.” Our kids have the capacity to heal the broken food systems. It just won’t happen if they grow up on fast food. 2011 was the first year restaurants all across Denmark organized Kids Table together. On Thursday, June 8th, 2017 from 4:00 to 5:30pm, in New York, kids aged 7-14 years are invited to fine dining restaurants for an afternoon of culinary and hospitality experience. These young diners will get to enjoy a healthy, delicious and seasonal three-course menu prepared by the city’s most talented chefs at hot ticket restaurants such as Agern x Great Northern Food Hall, Atera, Blue Hill New York City, Colonie NYC, Jean Georges, Rebelle and the Modern. Kids are invited without mom and dad - for a fun and unique experience that will excite their taste buds and expand their culinary horizons. For more information and tickets, please visit http://kidstable2017.brownpapertickets.com/
THE HYGGE TIMES A Day in the Life: Xavier Curtis By Donna Lee
Brotherhood Winery: The Oldest Winery in America By Ashley Sinon
If you haven’t met Xavier, he is our Inventory Control Manager who controls the inventory, assists in facility maintenance, and ensures that Agern and Great Northern Food Hall is neat, clean, and organized. Not only is he the go-to person for everything facility- or inventory-related, but being able to help others makes his job rewarding and brings him joy knowing that he can make someone’s work life a little easier.
If he’s not at Grand Central Terminal working and helping others, he is sleeping on his days off. It’s a rule in his household to not disturb him before 5:00 PM on Sundays, so please note! Xavier also likes to play video games, especially NBA 2K17, and enjoys building small furniture from scratch. He did mention that it is an expensive hobby, but it keeps him busy and entertained. Say ‘Hi’ to Xavier when you’re at Great Northern Food Hall or Agern!
June 2017 Edition
Jaime’s Salsa Verde By Isabel Zamora
10 pieces of green tomatillo 2 serrano chilies 1 garlic 1/2 red onion 2Tbl of cilantro salt 1. Blanche your tomatillos in a pot with really hot water. Boil the tomatillos for 10 min, this will release their sweet notes and take the acidity away.
Built in 1838, the Brotherhood Winery is the oldest winery in the United States and definitely worth a visit. Aside from the vineyard, the estate has many beautiful buildings: a mansion, dining hall, cafe, and even what was formerly a church in the nineteenth century. The real view, however, is below. Down a sloping set of stairs are the underground cellars excavated entirely by hand, crawling beneath visitors feet and holding over two hundred oak barrels. The winery is still fully operational and has never closed its doors. It even survived through the Prohibition Era by making wine to be used during religious ceremonies for the Catholic Church. The wine producers specialize in spiced holiday wines and mead-like honey wine made from wildflowers. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places, a list that also features the very familiar Grand Central Station, the Brotherhood Winery is a fascinating combination of history and good old fashioned vino.
2. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and roast the onion, garlic, and serrano chilies for around 8 min or until they get some nice color and a softer texture. Helpful Hint: If you don’t like spicy food use only one serrano, or try cleaning the seeds from the inside. This will greatly reduce the spice. 3.Blend all your cooked ingredients together and season with salt. For a creamier texture, you can add a piece of avocado in the blender. 4. Refrigerate and once your salsa is cold, mince clean fresh cilantro leaves and fold them into the salsa. You can use this salsa on almost everything from tacos, avocado toast, chips, or even open sandwiches. Jaime Candia is currently a Cook at Agern and Great Northern Food Hall. Born in Mexico, he grew up with amazing food his family would make and serve for the whole family, but this Salsa Verde recipe is the most important recipe of all. This was originally his Grandmother’s recipe, and Jaime uses this recipe to this day as it reminds him of home and the great food he grew up with.
THE HYGGE TIMES
June 2017 Edition
Fermentation Comic By Isabel Zamora
Volunteer Opportunities By Hannah Kramer
MeyersUSA Volunteer Time Off Program By Donna Lee The purpose of MeyersUSA volunteer program is to support volunteer activities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work and help address issues that impact quality of life. The intention of this program is to create community engagement opportunities for our team members that are meaningful, purposeful and helps those in need.
Interested in volunteering for the community? Everyone has two (2) days (16 hours) of paid volunteer time off (VTO) to use per year! Make sure to communicate with your Managers/Chefs 30 days in advance and submit your proof of volunteering after you’ve submitted the request in ADP portal. Volunteer hours must be for a 501 ( c)(3) non-profit organization. Enjoy a meaningful experience to give back to the community!
Quote: Sir Winston Churchill “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give”
Looking for a place to volunteer? A great place to start is Newyorkcares. org which will match you with volunteer opportunities to suit your skill level or Volunteermatch.org which has opportunities of all types listed by calendar date. Another option is to inquire directly with an organization that interests you. If you’re an animal person, check out shelters and pet rescues like New York Animal Haven, Sean Casey Rescue, ASPCA and KittyKind. There are also marches and walks that are always in need of volunteers like AIDS Walks, Avon March for Breast Cancer, NYC Lungforce Walk just to name a few. And then there are the food based organizations like City Meals on Wheels, Food Bank, and No Kid Hungry. A few other ideas are Habitat for Humanity, USO, Hospitals, Orchestra Amadeus, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, but there are many more options out there. Find a cause that speaks to you and see who you can inspire!
THE HYGGE TIMES Work Anniversaries Name Petersen, Arkeem Waiters, Darnell Greenberg, Corie Beth Cervantes, Alejandro Bryan, Shara Nichelle Cabrera Murichi, Diego Anthony Cole, Lexus Dunkley, Michelle Antoinette Fortuna, Daniella Frias Gonzalez, Pecris Claudette Kramer, Hannah Mckenzie, Lateisha D Pauta Morocho, Edgar Paul Pemberton, Lauren Chantell Pereira, Olvita Olser Romero, Vanessa M Nunez, Ivy C Hernandez, Jesus Rodriguez, Jonathan Cooper, Terrance Hoak, Dominic Hudson, Stanley Maloney, Naisha Paisley, Brenton Smith, Ethan Tai, Stephanie Munoz, Marcos McGrath, Christine Johnson, Donnell Powell, Duncan Wang, Angela Fanny, Mariam Garcia, Yessica Williams, Abisola Elliott, Channel
Location Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Agern Jonagold Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Norman Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Meyers Bageri Agern Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Human Resources Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall Great Northern Food Hall
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Hygge Times Poll
Birthdays Name Pemberton, Lauren Chantell Reimers, Alexander Terrero, Priscilla Uzhca, Estevan Wall, Brant Morrison, Alexandra P Palmer, Anthony Nadinga, Justin Kelly, Nicole Degre, Agoly Mica, Brittani Rivera, Anthony Garcia, Yessica Walter, Lilja Joergensen, Camilla Delluva, Anthony Davis, Jamal K Schelble, Anna Whitcomb, Andrew Melnichenko, Aleksandr John, Kerrel King, Tavon Leth, Marie Frias Gonzalez, Pecris Claudette Sefcak, Jacob
June 2017 Edition
Location Great Northern Food Hall Norman Jonagold Jonagold Norman Meyers Bageri Norman Jonagold Agern Jonagold Agern Rhubarb Great Northern Food Hall Norman Great Northern Food Hall Meyers Bageri Great Northern Food Hall Norman Norman Rhubarb Great Northern Food Hall MeyersUSA Norman Great Northern Food Hall Agern
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By Dominic Hoak What would you like to learn more about in the Hygge Times? Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LZFGSMS to answer!
Hygge Times Editorial Board Claus Meyer Publisher, Chairman Donna Lee Executive V.P., Talent and Inclusion Angela Wang Executive V.P., Print Products Hannah Kramer Executive V.P., Editorial Committee Jenny Pura Editorial Page Editor Ashley Sinon Journalist Dominic Hoak Journalist Isabel Zamora Journalist and Illustrator