From the Mountains of Lebanon to Albany: A Journey of Perseverance and Community
Building Community Through Food and Storytelling
committed to providing our with A and for foods and products for healthy living. who choose to participate in a community that embraces cooperative principles in an atmosphere of To promote more ways to living. is and
Open to All Store Hours:
Open to All Store
Ruth Ann Smalley By Rebecca Angel
euismod tincidunt
consectetuer
Deanna Beyer
Deanna Beyer
Pat Sahr
Deanna Beyer
Melanie Pores
Natalie Criscione remembers shopping at the Quail St. Honest Weight location. She wears many hats: educator, writer, artist, musician, property manager, advocate, volunteer. She loves being part of the Coop Scoop team!
vast sticker display near the front of the store. Pat Ellis writes about the stickers as forms of expression used to decorate water bottles, instrument cases, and laptops. They too offer portals to earnest conversations: “That’s an interesting sticker!”
Ruth Ann Smalley PhD, is our Content Editor. An educator and writer, with a 4-digit Co-op member number from the early 90s, Ruth Ann offers wellness, writing, and creativity coaching through her practice at www.vibrant-energies.com or www.ruthannsmalley.com.
Colie Collen is a flower farmer and designer raising a funny little kid in Troy. You can find her work at www.flower-scout.com
Letter from an Editor
By Natalie Criscione
Youssef Saleh’s story about navigating life as a member of the LGBTQ community provides hope as he describes his journey from Lebanon to the Albany area, where he freely adds to the conversation through articles such as the one in this edition.
Dr. Madeline and Brendan Byrne explore issues involving the food we eat, what is in it and on it, and how we as consumers can ask questions, become smarter shoppers, and make informed choices.
Anastasia Rodgers is the Education & Engagement Specialist at HWFC. They love spending time outside with their little dog; Agnes. They've been working at Honest Weight since Summer 2017 & can be reached at education@honestweight.coop
Pat Ellis has been a shopper at HWFC for years and became a member a year ago. She enjoys participating in the creative energy of the Scoop’s editorial team and is excited about contributing more in the future.
Lucia Hulsether is a teacher and writer currently based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her first book, Capitalist Humanitarianism, is available from Duke University www.dukeupress.edu/capitalist-humanitarianism
Once upon a time, the politics concerning my backyard garden centered around Squeaky, our pet Guinea Pig. In fact, we called the garden “The Guinea Pig Garden” because it was a smorgasbord crafted just for him. Fortunately, he was neither finicky nor dogmatic; everything he liked, we liked; and he was so darn cute. He wandered (supervised, of course!) throughout the garden, happily nibbling at this and that to his heart’s content. It was easy.
It was not a food cooperative.
Ellen Cosgrove’s article, Dinner and Dialogue, describes her experiences of bringing people with differing viewpoints together, bridging divides, and creating community. What better place to explore issues than around a table heaped with good food and summer’s bounty?
And speaking of summer’s bounty, I’m imagining my garden’s future tangle of tomatoes and zucchini—summer at its juiciest and ripest. Both Nutritional Nuggets and Recipe Corner offer wonderful insights. Be sure to check out Erin Sheehan’s Chocolate Zucchini cake recipe, too!
I could go on—there is so much more, but I’m already way over word count! So, you’ll have to explore this edition yourself to discover its riches! Be like Squeaky and nibble at it to your heart’s content!!
*For more details about HW’s earliest years, visit the Archive Exhibit on display in the cafe.
Leona Palmer, LMSW is a therapist living in Nassau with her partner, daughter, and beagle-mix pup. She joined her first co-op at sixteen (The Outpost, Milwaukee). When not tending the HW Blog, she can be found weeding her garden.
Mathew Bradley is our Layout Editor. He has been the Lead Designer at Honest new store. Outside
he enjoys writing band, tending to his garden, and training his English Cocker Spaniel, Cricket, for field work.
This Coop Scoop edition’s feature article by Ruth Ann explores some of the politics of being a food co-op—challenges that involve fundamental questions that were asked during Honest Weight’s early years and are still being asked today.* These were not and are not Guinea Pig Garden Questions, but complex questions that involve disagreement, do not have easy answers, and have ultimately led to the decades’ long realization that “Food cooperatives and the food system itself are inherently, inescapably political.” Part of the challenge then, as now, involves our response to issues, situations, and each other. As Ruth Ann suggests, we have the potential to be instruments of change through constructive conversations and responses, either online or in person. With every interaction, we have the power to elevate the dialogue.
You will find many articles in the following pages that further explore choices and options, language and expression, and highlight organizations and people that make the world better through their commitment and care. (Rounding up to the nearest dollar through HW’s Be the Change program is one way you can contribute!)
Like a micro-diverse garden, our community is rich with so many varied ideas, backgrounds, and gifts. I can’t help but think of the colorful and
By Deanna Beyer
What is a Co-op?
By Lucia Hulsether
If you’re new to Honest Weight, you might be wondering what makes us different from any other grocery store. There are lots of things, but probably the biggest is that we’re a community-owned co-op!
T National Co-op Grocers lOl
he Capital Religion has no shortage of supermarkets. The Co-op is distinct for its public commitments to sustainability, local and non-GMO products, and structure of democratic governance and shared ownership. But models like ours are increasingly rare: the numbers have been declining since the 1990s, as co-ops began to face competition from conventional grocers that stock organic products.
Which raises the question: How do retail co-ops like Honest Weight remain viable amid capitalist pressures to stock cheaply-made products and to embrace hierarchical governance structures?
Honest Weight has done this in part through its affiliation with Co+op Grocers (NCG) ative of cooperatives” in which 164 different co-ops across states consolidate purchas ing power and standardize their market ing. You can see NCG’s influence around the store–from the organic Field Day products that we stock through an NCG-wide merchandising agreement to the familiar green-and-white labels that announce Co+op Deals
NCG advises member stores on operations decisions and policy, but individual stores remain autonomous. For example, NCG often discourages programs in which members perform labor in the stores, on the grounds that this makes co-ops less efficient and professional. But Honest Weight’s member-owners have successful ly fought to keep our time investment program as a pillar of our Co-op’s identity. In this way, we cooperate with NCG even as we maintain our own unique character.
The tensions of being a “socially responsi ble business” in capitalism are many–and it is easy to stray away from our values or not survive at all. Through cooperation and the active involvement of our member-ownership body, Honest Weight continues to thrive.
Member Owners
215 Cars 16,648 1,534 We saw over in 4 hours collecting of Latex Based Paint and of Oil Based Paint, filling
Corner
Pro le Producer
Hey, Coop Scoop Readers! Casa Visco
Melanie’s Favorite Date-Sweetened Fruit Smoothie
By Melanie Pores
In Ayurveda, the 5000year- old “science of life,”, the emerging heat and humidity of the early summer can be challenging, especially to individuals with a “Pitta” constitution like myself, who tend to overheat and dehydrate easily.
IBy Pat Sahr
In light of how this upcoming autumn holds out the prospect of being very “interesting,” the Editors are requesting your ideas for the 4th quarter ‘24 edition. Please share your favorite comfort food recipe, personal calming strategies, or healthful ways you seek balance when life seems out of control or too chaotic. Send submissions to: coopscoop@honestweight.coop.
2 cups fresh greens
(e.g, kale, spinach, or a mixture of greens)
1 1/2 cups coconut water or coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
1 cup pitted, chopped dates, soaked overnight
1 cup fresh or frozen cooling summer fruit
(e.g, blueberries, blackberries, chunks of mango)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1-2 scoops protein powder (pea protein powder for vegans)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Schenectady, NY
As the temperature and humidity rise in the surrounding environment, the body is also experiencesing a surge in temperature and beginsning to accumulate moisture internally. People of all constitutions in this season need to be mindful of fluid intake and electrolyte balance.
n 1945 Carmella and Joseph Viscusi, Sr., started Viscusi Wholesale Grocers, Inc., a small grocery business where they specialized in selling staples and Italian foods. As a way of thanking loyal customers, Grandma Carmella began to give away jars of sauce. In time, at the urging of friends, she began to prepare and bottle her famous spaghetti sauce in the basement of her home and sell it under the brand name Casa Visco (House of Viscusi). Her specialty was Red Wine Sauce.
Two generations later granddaughter Adine Viscusi became the owner and CEO of Casa Visco. After its humble beginnings in the home of Joseph and Carmella, the company’s center of operations now is a state of the art facility located on King’s Rd. in Schenectady. The family emphasizes that they use only quality ingredients. The sauce simmers for hours in an open kettle and is then tested for quality by a member of the family. Their efforts led to Casa Visco being deemed the #1 DSD Brand Pizza sauce in all of New England. In addition to the pizza sauce and the various spaghetti and pasta sauces, the company now sells an organic marinara sauce and a kids’ sauce that is rich with vegetables.
To this end, I thought you might enjoy here is a healthy blended fruit recipe, that you can either enjoy as a yummy drink or easily pour it into an ice pop tray and place in your freezer to help keep you hydrated. It’s a healthy, and delicious way to attend to your body's thirst, as soon as it arises, and to restore your body’s electrolyte balance.
I hope you will enjoy my simple recipe for a date sweetened fruit smoothie.
In its 80 years of existence, the Viscusi family has brought their business from the basement of Joseph and Carmella’s home, to selling their sauces in other local grocery stores. The next step was to contract with distributors like UNFI and Millbrook which made it possible for Casa Visco sauces to be available in 40 states. However, in 2019 it became apparent that this wide distribution was not profitable, so Adine made
1 -2 Tbsp
(e.g, coconut butter, coconut oil, avocado or almond butter or other nut or seed butter)
Pour coconut water/ or coconut milk, and unsweetened almond milk, filling a high-speed blender to the 2 1/2 cup mark for 2 quarts of smoothie. Add the greens.
the decision to focus on selling their products only in the local region.
During the early part of the pandemic it was obvious that the supply chain in this country was very fragile. It often took months for distributors to fill the shelves of the large supermarkets. In contrast, local independent businesses could provide each other with goods in a relatively short time. This understanding led Adine to become passionate about “local supporting local”---staying connected to local and regional foods. Currently she is working to help establish a community-owned grocery store in Schenectady that will provide foods from local sources. The company has also pitched in to support the wider community, notably with a large donation in 2015 to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY, and in 2023, when they donated all the proceeds of a two limited edition sauces to Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (see “Welcoming Diverse Points of View”).
2. Start blending on low and, as greens start to break down, increase to medium speed until completely broken down and smooth, approximately 45-60 seconds.
3. Add in soaked dates and cooling summer fruit.
4. Add ground flaxseed, protein powder, and cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
5. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp healthy fat. Blend until smooth.
Learn more about the Viscusi family and their famous pasta and pizza sauces at www.casavisco.com
Pat Sahr has been a member of the Co-op since 2005. She contributes to the Coop Scoop as the writer of the Producer Profiles. "Its a pleasure being part of the Honest Weight family, and I've especially enjoyed communicating with the various producers whose products are sold at the Co-op!"
6. Serve immediately or pour in an ice pop tray and freeze. Enjoy!
By Pat Ellis
Stickers, Please
Since time began, we humans have desired to express ourselves, to communicate our thoughts and ideas to each other. Stickers offer a fun and creative means to achieve that goal. They provide opportunities for us to show emotions, our unique personalities and interests, as well as our artistic flair. They can offer encouragement, inspiration; nudge us to deeper thought; state our political values; or just be pleasant to the eye.
COur creative limitations are our imagination and the size of the object to be decorated. Stickers can enhance our laptops, phone cases, musical instrument cases, bottles, notebooks, desks and bulletin boards. We have seen them on car windows and bumpers, creating a history of places visited and enjoyed. They can be collected as a hobby based on a particular theme or design.
I recently observed a computer case on which my doctor had used stickers to create a floral garden for her patients to enjoy.
Next time you are at HW, look at the rack of stickers at the front of the store. We have included just a few examples of what you will find. Let them spark your imagination and creativity and start sending your message out to the universe. Please remember when you do that the world will benefit from a positive message.
By Natalie Criscione
July Kitten Angels
” The volunteers care deeply
about the
ly to create optimum living situations for the cats in their care. Jacobus is one of hundreds of volunteers who help to find homes for more than 1,500 cats and kittens each year.
Originally founded with the mission of rescuing mother cats and kittens, Kitten Angels has grown to include a larger network of volunteers and a broader vision that includes rehoming strays and surrenders, rehabbing sick and injured cats, and also finding suitable situations for the un-adoptable cats: those who are feral, wild, and more comfortable settling down in a barn than on a couch in someone’s home.
“You have to have a heart for wanting to do what is best for that animal,” says Jacobus. And how does one know what is best, you may ask? It begins with getting to know the cats, something that Kitten Angels’s volunteers do every day. “Falling in love with the animals—they are so sweet and innocent,” says Jacobus, “is easy.” Whether bottle feeding newborn kittens, taking care of cats who need a little extra medical attention, or just providing a space for a cat before it gets adopted, volunteers cannot help but develop strong relationships with their furry
tion. Through partnerships with other rescue organizations, some cats are transported from various areas in the northeast; others are trapped from local outdoor/wild habitations; some are strays; others are surrendered by their owners; and some are born into the organization as kittens.
No matter how the cats make their entrance, the Kitten Angels volunteers ensure that they receive all their shots, are checked for any disorders, and are spayed or neutered through participating veterinary practices. The cats are then plaaced in foster care for a period of time until they get adopted directly or until a space opens up in one of five PetSmart locations throughout the greater Capital District, within which the Kitten Angels adoption clinics operate. By the time a cat is in the store, it has been fully vetted, so to speak. The foster “mom/dad” has come to know the cat well and provides lots of detailed information about what life would be like with that individual feline. This is important because although some cats are fine with dogs, other cats, and children, some are not. It’s important for a successful outcome to place each cat in an appropriate setting. Adoption applications
feline
clientele and work gently and tirelessly to create optimum living situations for the cats in their care.
”
the store and was brought into our foster care network for almost a year,” says Jacobus. “She had a lot of anxiety; her name was Princess Rose; she only wanted to be around HER person and no one else. She finally got adopted and is now living in Cape Cod—in a house with a lot of windows, near the beach. She’s really a Princess now!”
Adapting to new environments takes time. Even after an adoption is finalized and the cat goes to its new home, there is a period of adjustment. Jacobus refers to it as the “science-backed rule of 3’s: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to get to know the routine, and 3 months to totally settle in.” Even Princess Rose, with her beautiful ocean views and HER person, needed time to adjust. It seems like a lesson in patience for all of us!
During the month of July, when you round up to the nearest dollar at Honest Weight, know that your donation is making a difference in the lives of cats and kittens.
Visit the website to learn more about how you might volunteer, foster, adopt, or donate to Kitten Angels: https://kittenangels.org/
From the Mountains of Lebanon to Albany: A
Journey of
Perseverance
and Community
By Youssef Saleh
Iwas born in the majestic mountains of Lebanon, in the small village of Joun, but life for me seemed far from idyllic. Surrounded by homophobia and fear of persecution, I struggled to find acceptance and a sense of belonging in a society that appeared unwelcoming to those in the LGBTQ+ community. From a young age, I faced discrimination and violence, both at school and at home, simply for being myself.
Despite the challenges I faced, my love for animals and a chance encounter with Dr. David Chico in Beirut opened up new possibilities for me. Through his support and mentorship, I found the courage to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinarian. With a full scholarship to study veterinary medicine in Moscow, Russia, I took a leap of faith and left Lebanon behind.
However, my time in Russia was short-lived, as the country's stance on LGBTQ+ rights made it an unsafe place for individuals like myself. Determined to find a place where I could live freely and authentically, I made the decision to seek asylum in the United States.
Arriving in the US as part of a volunteer initiative, I soon found myself working at Upstate Veterinary Specialties in
upstate New York, using my skills to make a difference in the lives of animals in need. Additionally, I have been actively involved in the community, supporting local businesses like Honest Weight Food Co-op and giving back to the land that has provided me with safety, freedom, and acceptance.
For the first time in my life, I feel truly loved and accepted for who I am. The United States has provided me with the opportunity to live openly and without fear, something that was never possible in Lebanon or Russia. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to society here and to make a positive impact in my new home.
As I continue on my journey as a veterinarian and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am filled with hope for a brighter future where acceptance and equality prevail.
Many asylum seekers face unimaginable hardships and obstacles on their journey to safety and freedom. Many are forced to leave behind everything they know and love, risking their lives for a chance at a better future. It is essential that we as a society come together to support and uplift each other, recognizing the invaluable contributions immigrants can make to every community. My story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of love and acceptance.
Youssef Saleh Growing up as an outsider in a conservative small village in Lebanon, Youssef faced discrimination and bigotry when he came out as gay in high school. Despite the challenges, he pursued his dream of becoming a veterinarian and used his skills to give back at an animal shelter. Soon after, he fled persecution based on his sexual orientation and found HWFC in February 2024, a community so diverse and welcoming for all.
Youssef with his cat Brittany. Brittany was one of 18 cats Youssef brought from Lebanon to rehome!
Recipe for Success
1. Take Member Owners Rebecca Maxwell and Bridgit Goldman—interested in both education and nutrition—and combine them with enthusiastic highschoolers.
2. Feed the inquisitiveness in said students by bringing them on a visit to Honest Weight. Allow them to tour the facility and use the opportunity to teach them the concepts of a co-op as well as the community involvement that is part of its foundational values.
3. Move to the Teaching Kitchen where the students break out into groups and assist as each team has fun learning to prepare a snack that is not only nutrititious but delish.
4. Sample the delicious Black Bean Brownies, Roasted Garbanzo Beans, and Chia Pudding.
5. Enjoy smiles and looks of satisfaction on everyone's face. Just Delish!
The Edible Garden Project
By Christine Carpenter, Edible Garden Project Committee member
Do you love being outdoors and getting your hands in the dirt? Our Co-op gardeners are also getting back to the garden—and giving back to our HWFC community and neighbors.
Inspired by NYC's High Line and sustainable growing practices, the Co-op's many pocket gardens and those that line our patio are designed to showcase native plants and attract and nourish the pollinators who help our gardens flourish.
For the past few growing seasons, the large pots and planters on our co-op patio have also been the home for our Edible Garden project. These beds both beautify our space and provide a garden from which all can harvest.
Herbs, edible flowers, greens, tomatoes and more have been our staples—inspiring children to sample sweet and sun-filled veggies, right off the vine; garnishing our Co-op cheese and charcuterie platters; and contributing ingredients for yummy pesto and the Free Food Fridge’s grab and go lunches.
Again, this season, we're looking for friends to help us keep all of our gardens growing. Please reach out to Amy Ellis, community relations specialist, at Amy@honestweight.coop to learn more about these projects or how you might lend your support.
Welcoming Diverse Points of View: Thoughts on the Politics of Cooperative Participation
By Ruth Ann Smalley
Were you there in the dog days of summer, 2023, when an Honest Weight post about marinara riled up a whole Facebook thread? If not, here’s a short synopsis. A 4-sentence post about Casa Visco’s special edition pasta sauces—named Feminist Fra Diavolo and My Body, My Choice—received 1.1k likes and prompted 360+ comments. It offered an eye-opening snapshot of what sometimes passes for conversation on social media.
Casa Visco's plan to donate the sauce sales to Planned Parenthood sparked a broad range of responses. Among them were general objections to businesses taking political stances of any kind; specific objections to Planned Parenthood and abortion; and support for Casa Visco, Planned Parenthood, and the Co-op.
People voiced opinions about the quality of the sauce and arguments for
making one’s own. They made declarations of intent to a) never buy that brand again, b) never shop at the store again, or c) buy even more of that brand, and d) support the store even more. There were disparaging remarks and personal exchanges reminiscent of kids on a school yard, throwing taunts and kicking loose gravel at each other.
As someone trained in the teaching of rhetoric, public speaking, and argumentation, I felt deeply distressed by the way many of the responders communicated their ideas—attacking, accusing, dismissing, exaggerating each other’s comments and the issues. As a practitioner of several healing modalities, and a big fan of Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication, I felt concerned about the mind-body sources of the strong reactions the post was garnering.
Near the end of the thread, one person looked back nostalgically at a
” A group of people banding together to form an organization meant to meet their needs, using an alternative model, is taking political action.
”
Doesn’t this leave us with a conundrum? How do we extend a welcome even to those who vilify or exclude others? Odds are that the pitch of our emotions will continue to rise as we approach the fall election. Understanding a couple of concepts about the nervous system may help us all, as we attempt to stay welcoming while upholding our other values.
First, there’s that primal nervous system response to perceived stressors: fight, flight, or freeze. Many of us seem to be on the edge, ready to tip over into one of these modes. Social media scenarios lend themselves to flaring the fight response in particular. None of these three reactions really enables higher order reasoning, so discussion tends to go downhill from there, whether in person, or online.
To promote more ways to living. is and
who choose to participate in a community that embraces cooperative principles in an atmosphere of
committed to providing our and for foods and products for healthy living.
Taking some time to breathe, or taking er your equilibrium before responding tion with a trusted friend before
Open to All Store Hours:
Second, and closely related, a feeling of safety is not just an idea or belief. It operates on a physiological level. It is measurable in signs like heart rate,ent brain areas. The psychological concept of “reactance” can be helpful, as
8am-9pm
emerges when people experience a threat to or loss of their free behaviors.”
I’d suggest that what we’ve gone through in the past several years—the pandemic, the killing of George Floyd and ensuing demonstrations, the rise of conspiracy-related thinking, the events surrounding January 6, the overturning of Rowe v. Wade, and our country’s relationship to two ongoing wars—has primed many people to feel threatened, almost constantly. According to the article, it doesn’t have to be an existential threat to cause this arousal. Interesting-
sition to the persuasion/advice, or “they may aggressively force the threatening person to remove the threat or they may behave in a hostile and aggressive way just to let off steam (aggression). ” The challenging responses to the “All are Welcome” post seem to fall into this category.
Again, stepping back and breathing may be necessary when reactance has been triggered. Journaling about your thoughts and feelings, or even just taking a walk outside can restore your own triggered nervous system.
transformative. See https://www.cn vc.org/ for more information, and also this decolonizing take on NVC: https://www.skepticspath.org/podcast/decolonizing-nonviolent-communication-with-meenadchi/
“Understanding Psychological Reactance”, Christina Steindl, Eva Jonas, et al, (2015). Z Psychol. 2015; 223(4): 205–214.
What is a community-owned co-op? It’s a grocery store owned by its members, usually the people who shop here. These are the people who cooperatively manage and control the business. The membership makes all kinds of decisions, including what foods and products are on the shelf, and what standards those products and their producers have to meet (think growing practices, clean ingredients, etc.). At Honest Weight, we’ve got about 14,000 members.
Who can shop here? Everyone is welcome: anyone can shop at the co-op. If you decide to become a member, you’ll purchase a “share” of the co-op, become eligible for lots of additional discounts on products, and have voting rights on decisions that affect the store. Honest Weight member-owners can choose to invest their time at the store, serve on one of our committees, or work with a program, in order to receive a bigger discount (up to 24%) on their groceries.
Specials. We also accept SNAP benefits.
· concern for community 1976 1995 to pr e sent day! 2013
What is on o er? We believe everyone in our community should have access to affordable, high-quality, natural foods and products for healthy living. So we offer things like Co+op Basics (a line of over 450 high-quality foods and household items) at Everyday Low Prices. We have biweekly Great Deals discounts, weekly Fresh Flyer sales, and Manager’s
How is Honest Weight part of the local food system? If buying local is important to you, we’re one of the best places around to shop. Co-ops form strong relationships with local, small-scale producers, which means you can find products that aren’t typically available at traditional supermarkets. At Honest Weight, we work with over 285 local farms and 319 local producers; that list is always growing. And because we get daily deliveries, it means fresher, lower-impact food that hasn’t travelled across the country for days.
Shopping for special dietary needs? We get it. It’s easy to find tasty food alternatives in every department at the co-op. Our friendly staff can also make suggestions if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices, as many of them are on special diets, too!
How does Honest Weight support the local community? Most co-ops devote significant time and resources to educational programming, community development, and outreach initiatives. We donate 5% of our net profits to local not-for-profit organizations, run free and low-cost educational programs that are open to all, and are always looking for ways to collaborate with partners in the community. We offer many opportunities for member-owners to help with this community engagement.
What other co-ops are in the area? You can find co-ops everywhere! In addition to Honest Weight, there are several others you can check out: Niskayuna Consumers Co-op, Chatham Real Food Market Co-op, Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market, and Cambridge Food Co-op.
While every co-op has its own distinctive vibe, we are all founded on the same basic principles:
· voluntary and open membership democratic member control
· member economic participation
· autonomy and independence
· education, training, and information
· cooperation among cooperatives
Scoop Timeline of Political Issues in Our Early Days
1977
At Home and Abroad: As early as Scoop issue #6, it was clear that HWFC members took a strong interest in current politics. Listed under “Happenings” were events in the area, such as a meeting “to discuss a resolution in opposition to the B1 Bomber program,” and another “to discuss the fireman/policeman labor dispute with the city.” Issue #8 alerts members to a picket to “protest Chase Manhattan’s investments in South Africa;” a forum on “the Natural Gas Crisis;” and a project to “ban cars from the park on the weekends” by the Washington Park Coalition.
Who Are We?: Issue #7 featured a guest letter by Howie Sharfstein, laying out the concerns the store faced in presenting itself to the community. He raised key questions that remained constant in those early years: “How will we differentiate ourselves from the supermarkets we organized against, and at the same time ensure our survival in the face of stiff competition?” He acknowledged that “The values we project will attract or deter different sectors of the community.”
By issue #9, discussion of food policy put the Co-op’s politics and identity front and center. “Food Policy: Where to Draw the Line” leads the newsletter content, asserting, “When looking at an issue as controversial as determining food policy we are faced with the broader question of defining Honest Weight’s goals, objectives and operating policies.” This excerpt lays out questions that will continue to be discussed over the years:
As a food coop, food purity and packaging issues arise. This leads to broader discussions on our role in community education and in establishing a model for healthy living, and the extent to which we wish to be responsive to our existing food demand.
A further question raised is whether Honest Weight members want the Coop to be a political instrument for social change within the framework of alternative economics, or whether Honest weight is intended to be a good healthy foods store where a person can buy food with their friends. Obviously there are many shades of middle ground which must be articulated.
The choices we faced when adopting a food policy to govern the range of products we
offer is subject to a wide range of interpretations. Purity and organic integrity are values which risk being perceived as elitist and self-righteous by our neighbors. On the other hand, stocking commercial foods buys into a system from which we seek an alternative and encourages less desirable eating habits among our members.
1978
Gender Equity: Issue #16 features an in-depth, nuanced debate between two members, around a defeated proposal for an affirmative action clause in the hiring of managers.
1978-79
Political Stances: Energy sources are a hot topic, with the specter of a new utility monopoly, and the potential installation of “7 nuclear power plants in the upper Hudson Valley within 60 miles of Albany.” In issues #18, #19, and #30, members turned to the Scoop to respond to each other’s opinion pieces, as well as to the decision to donate $25 in the Co-op’s name for a Times-Union advertisement by the Capital District Anti-Nuclear Alliance.
1979
Environmental Concerns: Debates about energy sources expanded to include concerns about other environmental pollutants, as the Scoop started carrying a series of articles about agricultural chemicals. By issue #27, the Produce Buying Subcommittee was calling for selling organic produce exclusively. Meanwhile, the Nutrition Committee asserted that the store’s food could not be called organic after a Malathion pest control treatment had been applied to the property.
As you can see, even in the first few years, Honest Weight grappled with an array of internal and external political issues. I invite you to dip into the Coop Scoop online archive, to witness the unfolding of many other political conversations over the years.
Welcoming different people and points of view can be a difficult and messy process, but as an aspect of being in community, you could even say it’s part of our politics.
By Natalie Criscione
Boys & Girls Club of the Capital Area
The young boy had never ridden a bike. He stood near a tree as the other children raced through the trails like experts. He heard their joy as they rounded corners or caught up with friends. Yet, he remained silent. One of the coaches approached him, and he soon found himself fitted with a beautiful orange bike and matching helmet.* Within a short time, and after some careful coaching, encouragement, and a few wobbles, he felt like he was flying. It was then that Chris Alexander, who was watching with his camera in hand, witnessed an “incredible moment: a giant smile riding around the park—and he’s still going. He hasn’t stopped!”
As the Director of Marketing and PR for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area (BGCCA), Alexander exudes energy, excitement, and hope. “Providing a consistent, safe space for the kids is our priority,” he says.
As he speaks, it is clear that the “safe space” he describes is actually a dynamic and secure stepping-off point, a place from which young people learn to navigate the world, become engaged, develop positive relationships, and ultimately discover their voices. At BGCCA, where programming is focused primarily on the hours when students are not in school, opportunities to discover one’s voice are a key component for creating civic-minded adults. This does not happen in a vacuum, nor does it happen overnight. Within a structured environment and across the careful scaffolding of years, dedicated staff members encourage each child’s potential, often against difficult or seemingly impossible odds.
Creating that space involves meeting “challenges such as food insecurity and poverty,” says Alexander. Through BGCCA’s own commercial-grade kitchen and additional partnerships with organizations such as the Free Food Fridge of Albany ( https://freefoodfridgealbany.com/ ), they bridge the gaps. They even supplement the nutritional program by producing some of their own food and providing farming experiences for students through a hydroponic Freight Farm located inside a shipping container near the Troy Clubhouse.
With programming specific for different developmental stages, children in Albany and Troy have countless options. There are 26
Universal Pre-K classrooms (in partnership with Albany County Schools) for example, where students begin to make connections and get involved with positive activities that extend well into their adult years. The 10 afterschool sites and annual summer programs serve the school-age population by not only providing low-cost childcare for working families, but also a myriad of experiences such as the joy of getting outside, being unplugged, and meeting new friends. Throughout, there are opportunities for students to establish strong connections with staff members who often become mentors and guides. “These kids attend from an early age and often stay with the Club even after their high school journey ends; there is even a program that is geared toward providing career resources,” says Alexander.
For middle and high school students, BGCCA’s teen program provides spaces in both Albany and Troy. The “Clubhouses,” as they are called, are the gathering places where teens can, among other things, get a free haircut or meal, go to the gym, work on a computer, get help with college applications, and practice their music or stage performance.
”Within a structured environment and across the careful sca olding of years, dedicated sta members encourage each child’s potential, often against di cult or seemingly impossible odds.
”Within the space is structure, counselors, and community partnerships that include the police, fire department, and various corporate entities. “We know there is a lot of dangerous activity that teens are susceptible to on nights and weekends, and so we make the Club a space where they can get away from that,” says Alexander. It is also a space where young people can express their concerns and explore creative solutions. Through BGCCA’s ongoing “Stop the Violence” program, the students themselves are among the featured speakers. They are passionate about curbing gun violence, making their communities safe, and exploring other issues that impact society at large.
Through BGCCA’s opportunities, students discover their voice, their passion, and, like a new bicyclist, their path.
For more information visit their website at https://www.bgccapitalarea.org/ . During the month of August, say “YES” to the question “Would you like to round up to the nearest dollar.” Know that you are helping to create giant smiles!
* BGCCA partners with Free Wheel Fix (https://www.freewheelfix.com/)
Book Reviews:
Food and Not Food
By Brendan Byrne
What is food? This seems a fairly straight-forward question. Two recent books, however, find the answer to be complicated.
Chris van Tulleken's Ultra Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food (2023, Norton) splits food into three distinct categories. The first is whole food—not food you buy at the Grocery Store Which Shall Not Be Named—but food that retains its original "matrix" (i.e. structure.) The second is processed food. We tend to think about processed food as mechanically and/or industrially prepared, but van Tulleken includes staples like bread, sausage, and tofu that have been processed via techniques in use for thousands of years.
The third and final category is ultra-processed food, or UPF. This is the food that, according to van Tulleken, isn't really food but rather an extrusion of an industrial process. The nature of this process is so different from the way traditional food is made that the two bear little resemblance. This isn't just a matter of using cheaper ingredients and a human-free assembly line. This is a matter of "molecular replacement." Not sure what that means? Think of the phrase "bacterial slime."
The boundary between processed and ultra-processed food can get blurry, but, as van Tulleken writes, "if it's wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn't find in a standard home kitchen, it's UPF." Many UPFs have long been known to be unhealthy, but for years we assumed this was because they were chock full of fat and sugar, elements understood to be, in excess, unhealthy in any kind of food. However, contentious research has emerged recently suggesting that UPF is linked to a series of health conditions (including obesity and early death) because of its very production process. Emulsifiers, stabilizers, and other additives necessary to UPF production, van Tulleken argues, are interfering with our digestion in currently unknown ways, perhaps by altering
our gut flora. While this science is young and widely challenged, it is far less controversial to state that UPF has been engineered to keep us eating long after we are full.
Van Tulleken returns again and again to the metaphor of the arms race. Initially he uses it to describe humanity's traditional place in the ecosystem. Our ancestors were constantly innovating techniques to extract more nutrients from the world around them. Cooking with fire would have been one of these first processing techniques. However, the new ecosystem of "industrial food production" is a different kind of arms race, one dominated by constantly innovating corporate actors who use UPF as bait to catch their prey: us.
This metaphor is what finally made me consider UPF in a new light. It is not simply a delicious food that makes me feel like trash after I eat it. It is a product specifically designed to bypass my body's internal systems which tell me when I've had enough to eat. The compulsive, almost addictive, behavior I display around certain UPFs (I'm thinking Oreos here) is not an accident or my own (admittedly) weak will, but rather the deliberate result of decades of industrial refinement. The hollow lack of satiety I feel after a bout of consumption is not a bug but a feature. Why? That's what keeps me sticking my hand back in the package.
Van Tulleken takes pains to be non-judgmental regarding those who consume UPF. He notes how racial and economic disparity affect UPF consumers, drawing special attention to "food swamps". Corollaries to the more well-known "food deserts", food swamps are low-income areas that are inundated with UPF .
Van Tulleken interviews a number of specialists who help perfect UPF, and he clearly admires their craft and has some sympathy for their argument that if they weren't doing it, someone else would be. However, he has absolutely no time for the corporations and shareholders who extract wealth from us via UPF. He presents them in the same light as Big Tobacco: a rampant corporate behemoth which must be curbed if not destroyed.
Van Tulleken is an engaging writer with a curious mind. He's always popping down the side corridors of his narrative to examine personality and history in entertaining fashion. The result is a highly readable book on food science for a general audience.
Tim Spector, author of Food For Life (Vintage, 2022), is, like van Tulleken, an NHS
doctor with a background in molecular virology research and infectious disease. Food For Life, however, is a very different book. It doesn't so much tell a story or present an argument as much as assemble the most recent research to help you "eat optimally".
If there's a single throughline to Spector's book, it's the virtue of "complexity" in food. "Food is not about individual chemical component ingredients; it is about complex matrix and structure," Spector writes. Our bodies are designed to break down whole foods, extracting vitamins and minerals and other necessary components. When it has been done for us, we don't receive the same benefit. Gut microbes are extremely important in this process, and to keep them healthy, we should eat a diversity of plants (i.e. thirty a week).
After a rather disorganized opening, Food For Life soon becomes divided into sections based on types of food. Here Spector is able to get far more granular than van Tulleken, as well as make plenty of micro, yet still contentious assertions. Low-fat yogurt and milk are significantly worse for you than their full fat cousins. Turmeric can help cancer patients on the road to recovery, although they probably shouldn’t take it in supplements. While acai berries and other celebrity-hyped trends can certainly be good for you, there is no such thing as a "super food".
While Spector offers some entertaining potted histories of foods, this is far less a book to read straight through than one to flip open to consult. Its proper place isn't on the bookshelf but in the kitchen with the cookbooks.
Gradually, a villain begins to emerge throughout Food For Life. No great surprise, it proves to be UPF. Spector's issues with UPFs sync up with van Tulleken's, though he offers some different examples (chemically ripened apples, dull grey margarines). Spector also makes it very clear that UPFs generate dopamine to bypass feelings of fullness. Since no foods in nature produce these effects, we are evolutionarily unable to control our appetites when faced with them.
These two books push one point home: we may not know exactly why UPFs are bad for us, but they most certainly are. If it comes in plastic and has an ingredient list full of words you don't know, probably give it a skip. Even if it says "organic" on it.
For a list of references noted in this article, please visit our website: www.HonestWeight.coop/CoopScoop
Dinner & Dialogue: Building Community Through Food and
Storytelling
By Ellen Cosgrove
In 2018, in response to the growing disconnection from the 2016 election, I started a dialogue project out of my apartment in Brooklyn, NY. After years of thinking about ways I could use food to bring people together, I started where I was and invited my network to participate in an experiment I was calling Dinner & Dialogue.
Over the past six years I have run dinners and programming around themes such as: home, identity, choice, value, hope and strength. These programs are not really about the food, but the space the food creates for the participants to listen, speak and create connections with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives.
As we move through 2024, we seem to be more lonely, disconnected, angry, fearful and divided than ever before. So lonely in fact, that the US Surgeon General issued a report in 2023 called, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing
Effects of Social Connection and Community.” The report notes that even though the pandemic exacerbated our disconnection, we were already rather disconnected before, with only 16% percent of Americans reporting in 2018 that they felt “very attached to their local community”.
connections with people from “different” groups.
The most shocking statistics of the advisory highlight just how detrimental social isolation and loneliness can be to people’s health including that,“ lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day”.� The good news is that higher levels of social connectedness improve just about everything in local communities, including: health, safety, climate resilience and civic engagement.
One major caveat of social connection is that we all must work past our natural tendency to build relationships within our ideological bubbles. Research suggests that participating in “bridging social capital,” or connecting with people outside of your group, is associated with improved community health and well-being.1 Also, participating in diverse networks and speaking with others about timely and important topics can foster political tolerance and ultimately help to reduce polarization and identity-based extremism.¹
We are at an important moment in the rebuilding of our communities due to the disruptions of COVID, where we must craft interventions that bring people together to sit, learn, listen and speak with each other. In addition, as we continue to get closer to the election, we must provide safer spaces where people can meet, learn from and build
Dinner & Dialogue is a form of bridging social capital that uses the powerful tools of food and storytelling to bring people together over a shared meal; eating together is the oldest human ritual and food is an important part of our identity and culture.��� Sharing a meal gives people a chance to have positive interactions with each other, and it cultivates feelings of belonging to a community.� Studies actually show that cooperation increases between those who eat together.⁵�⁶ And exchanging stories over a meal allows people to connect as well as develop empathy and mutual understanding.
A great thing about this model is that it is adaptable and can be used in different contexts and communities. I am currently running an educational series at Honest Weight around the theme of Community. Please join and celebrate the rich Honest Weight community, meet some new friends and reconnect with others. Keep an eye out for future Co-op Dinner and Dialogue events; bring a story about a food that represents a community in your life.
And if you are interested in bringing a program to another group, please get in touch!
Ellen Cosgrove is a trauma-informed facilitator with over fifteen years experience in community-building and conflict resolution as well as a Master’s in Coexistence and Conflict from Brandeis University. She runs a community-building consultancy called Community in Context and a dialogue project, Dinner & Dialogue. You can contact her at ellen@dinneranddialogue.org and find out more information at communityincontext.com.
Editors' Note: To our readers who may still be wearing masks, we welcome your participation! Please come for the company and dialogue. We will set you up with a take-out container so you can enjoy the food later.
By Patricia Ellis
A Nutritional Nuggets: Tomatoes
medium size tomato is a good source for nutrients such as calcium, potassium, folate, vitamins C and K, and lycopene and beta-carotene. The potential health benefits of the tomato are numerous and include anti-cancer properties, reduction of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and bowel disease risks, and overall improvement of skin health and immune response.
Some studies suggest that antioxidants in tomatoes, such as lycopene, may protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. One study in particular, showed that, over four years, there was a slower decline in cognitive function among participants aged 70 years or older who had a high lycopene intake.¹ While more study is required, the data is encouraging.
Results from over 30 studies have shown the protective effect of tomato consumption on prostate cancer.² A follow up study on over 46,000 men indicated an associated 30% decreased risk of prostate cancer in men who consumed two to three cups of tomato sauce per week.³ This effect carried over even if the men did develop prostate cancer. Those whose diets were high in tomato sauce developed less aggressive cancers.⁴
The vitamin C in tomatoes acts as an antioxidant and is important for skin, bones, and connective tissue. It also promotes healing and helps the body absorb iron. Drink some tomato juice before going out in the sun, to protect against sun damage by protecting DNA from ionizing radiation damage. This effect is protective, not restorative, so you need to consume the juice before sun exposure.⁵
Bioavailability of lycopene is greatly affected by dietary composition. Since it is a lipid-soluble compound, consuming it with fat increases its bioavailability, so try cooking the tomatoes with olive oil and benefit from this enhancement.
For a list of references noted in this article, please visit our website: www.HonestWeight.coop/CoopScoop
By Natalie Criscione
La Salle School September
Long before the De La Salle Christian Brothers’ 1854 establishment of the LaSalle School in Albany, the order’s French founding fathers answered their calling to care for and educate children who existed at the margins of society. These included children who lacked the opportunity for education and were often thought of as unwanted or referred to as street kids. Yet, with loving structure and care they were educated and then transitioned into society.
Though the language and labels have evolved over time and the systems have become more complex and sophisticated, the same mission continues today for LaSalle School in Albany. Like the children of years past, those who enter today’s doors have “not been handed the easiest deck of cards,” says Katie Genovese, the Director of Development. Yet, as the Values Statement on the website confirms, they want the same things that children throughout the centuries have wanted and LaSalle is providing it: “For more than a century and a half, we have looked into the eyes of children to assure them they will be well cared for and their needs will be met regardless of the circumstances that brought us into their lives.” That kind of personalization, connection, and care is the heart of what happens within the structure of LaSalle School.
Today’s children who have been labeled “delinquent” or “failure,” who may know only too well the perils and
pitfalls of the juvenile justice system, who are referred by their schools for special ed, behavioral, or psychiatric needs that cannot be effectively or safely met in their home districts find connections and a solid foundation at LaSalle School. With a dedicated team of teachers and staff members, students develop a lifelong affiliation—“If you’re a LaSalle student today, you are one forever,” the students are told—which makes it seem more like a family than an institution.
LaSalle School’s mission today includes programs that take place not only on site but in 25 counties throughout New York State. Concepts that didn’t exist in the 19th or 20th centuries have developed to meet the needs of today’s youth. Creating opportunities for success involves “meeting kids and families where they are and then thinking outside the box,” says David Wallace, the Executive Director. “If we are truly going to be a provider to children, it’s not going to be one dimensional; it’s children of all genders, families of all capacity and means, and it’s our mission to be in this space for them.”
LaSalle School has evolved into an agency that recognizes both various levels of need and the imperative for a multitude of strategies to create successful outcomes. Besides the residential program, there are also a variety of satellite and day programs that address issues such as alcohol abuse, chemical dependency, skills for independent living, reunification, and
prevention. There is even a Shelter Program focused on reuniting unaccompanied minors with their families in the United States
On campus, LaSalle operates an accredited Junior and Senior High School for both its residential and day students. Although the academic expectations are equal to any other public school, the specific environment provides a more intensive and personalized experience, with a teacher and aide provided for every 6 students. With services on campus that also meet the mental health and psychiatric needs of its student population, LaSalle School is able to continue serving the students and families even after they have reintegrated back into their home districts.
In Wallace’s office is a picture of a young man wearing a graduation cap and gown, standing next to a university sign, and smiling broadly. For Wallace, he represents more than just a college graduate; more than just a successful education; and more than just a single person. “It’s a wonderful reminder about how far a student can get with the right support and relationships,” he says.
During the month of September, say “Yes!” to the question “would you like to round up to the nearest dollar.” Answer the calling.
To learn more about LaSalle School, visit their website at https://lasalle-school.org/
What's the Appeal of Apeel?
By Dr. Madeline
Long ago, all produce was organic. No pesticides, herbicides, waxes, coloring agents, or preservatives were ingested by humans. Today, unless we seek out an organic label, this is not the case. Commercially grown food is sprayed throughout its growth and after harvest with various chemicals to keep away weeds, insects, fungi, and other microbes; this ensures that a maximum amount of food can be harvested, packaged, and then transported for purchase.
The exception to eating these chemically laden foods, is to choose the organic label. The organic label is a signal to the consumer that there are no synthetic chemicals on the food. But recently, some farms are maintaining their organic classification despite the use of a post-harvest chemical spray. To top it off, labeling of the Apeel product on our food is optional. What is it? It’s called Apeel (specifically called Edipeel), and it’s sprayed for the sake of keeping organic foods fresh longer. But at what cost? For me, a buyer of organic produce with a strict view of what organic means, sprayed food is no longer organic. I dug into this new product’s safety profile to learn all I could.
Apeel spray starts as a powder consisting of plant derived lipids (fats) known as mono and diglycerides. Mixed with water, it is then sprayed on harvested vegetables and fruits. This creates a thin lipid coat, sealing the produce and creating “a peel” so that bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms cannot begin to rot the food.
However, washing the produce does not take off the Apeel product. There is no study showing whether or not Apeel can seep into the inner parts of the produce. In short, once sprayed, you can’t wash it off and there is no guarantee it’s not seeping into the inner layer of the produce that you eat.
What are the scientific studies that show the overall safety of Apeel for
human consumption? As a scientist, I’m used to reading scientific literature. However, in researching Apeel, I found myself in a hairy mess of double talk and vague statements in a host of legal documents and government regulations.
From a scientific and health point of view, here are my predictive hypothetical thoughts about adding a fatty synthetic peel to produce, organic or otherwise, to be consumed by humans. The sprayed on layer of vegetable derived fat (mono-di- glycerides), if ingested, may form a coating within the human digestive tract. Why? Because lipids like lipids. Think of how oil globs together on your salad plate. This potential globbing of Apeel in our guts could be disastrous for our microbiome. If Apeel is keeping bacteria, fungi and other microbes from thriving on our food, isn't it likely that if ingested, it will disrupt the good bacteria, fungi and other microbes that we need for our health that comprise our amazing gut microbiome?
We know that mono- and diglycerides are used as emulsifiers in many foods, e.g., “breads, fat spreads, and ice cream.” I try to avoid these. Why? Simple. They have been shown to cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Inflammation leads to chronic health problems. It is a dietary goal of mine to reduce inflammation in the body, not promote it. Research has shown that “emulsifiers can directly alter gut microbiota in a manner expected to promote intestinal inflammation.” Mono and diglycerides, the main substances in Apeel, are emulsifiers. Is my deduction that Apeel product may alter my gut microbiome and cause inflammation unjustified?
It seems to me that Apeel probably works for its intended purpose. It gives produce, organic or conventional, a longer shelf life. But at what cost to our health? Until there is more scientific evidence for the safety of this product for human consumption, perhaps we should make an appeal to pull this product off the market for organic food. Let’s protect our health, the organic label, and potentially save our inner microbial world.
NOTE: If you have stained or damaged
The Mad Health Doc has a Ph.D. in molecular cellular and developmental biology. She works at a local college where she teaches in the biology department specializing in Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Nutrition. When not at work, she can be found with her awesome family (which includes a flock of chickens). Have a question or a suggestion for a future topic? Email: MadHealthDoc@gmail.com
For a list of references for this article, please visit our website: www.HonestWeight.coop/CoopScoop
Below is an example of my non-expert ndings on legal government regulations followed by my comments as I attempt to understand food ingredient guidelines. Please feel free to email me if you have greater insights or can answer some of my questions! 1 3 4 5 2
From the United States Product Information Sheet section on Regulatory Information. “Edipeel meets the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for qualification as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in the United States as a surface finishing agent for fresh fruits and vegetables.”
My comments: What does that mean? To be“generally recognised as safe” is a very vague label with no apparent validity. How many chemicals, from saccharin to plastics, have been recognized as safe only to show a link to human harm after years of consumer use? I looked further.
I looked up the United States Food and Drug (FDA) Administration’s definition of GRAS: “‘GRAS’ is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excepted from the definition of a food additive.”
My comments: Wait?! The word,“unless” jumped out at me. I think it means that if a substance gets granted GRAS status, it is by default FDA approved. Did you know that monosodium glutamate has GRAS status? There are many scientific papers that support that monosodium glutamate (MSG) causes a host of health problems for humans! How can this still be a GRAS ingredient?
But wait, there is an amendment to the GRAS status made in 2016 that is called, The Final Rule which states from the FDA HHS that, “We also are amending our regulations to replace the voluntary GRAS affirmation petition process with a voluntary notification procedure under which any person may notify us of a conclusion that a substance is GRAS under the conditions of its intended use.”
My comments: Hold on! So all the company has to do is notify the FDA that the substance is GRAS as long as they use it as they deem“intended?!” This seems not only vague, but leaves a lot of room for potentially nefarious behavior on the part of large corporations. This 2016 Rule does not appear to be looking out for the health of the consumer.
Searching for independent third parties that assess food safety, I found SCS Global Services. They define themselves as “a third party in food quality certification for sustainability.” They issued an “Assured Statement” for Apeel stating that SCS reviewed documents from Apeel and that it meets global regulatory standards for sustainability.
My comments: In the reviewed documents that I could find, none of the standards are mentioned. It seems they just considered documents sent in by Apeel and accepted them in good faith. Regarding sustainability for human health, no actual science was performed. And that brings up another point. What kind of sustainability are we talking about? Sustainability for plants, fungi, animals, humans or just the general environment? I need details!
Apeel does not need to be disclosed on the organic label. Why? In the National Archives code of Federal Regulations, Section 22 it states that “Wax and resin ingredients on fresh produce when such produce is held for retail sale, or when held for other than retail sale by packers or repackers shall be declared collectively by the phrase “coated with food-grade animal-based wax, to maintain freshness” or the phrase “coated with food-grade vegetable-, petroleum-, beeswax-, and/or shellac-based wax or resin, to maintain freshness” as appropriate. The terms “food-grade” and “to maintain freshness” are optional. The term lac-resin may be substituted for the term shellac.”
My comments: Why is the Apeel product exempt from this regulation? Is it because of its GRAS status? Is it because it’s not considered“wax?” Wax is in a class of macromolecules called lipids, the same as the mono and di glycerides that are in Apeel. Why is an exemption in labeling allowed when we have a federal regulation in place that states that labeling is required? From a basic consumer point of view, once you add a chemical to a product, the product is no longer organic, and, in my opinion, the organic label should be stripped.
Corner
The Wonder of an Abundance of Summer Tomatoes and Zucchini
By Melanie Pores
For close to three decades, I was actively engaged each summer in helping to plan, plant, cultivate, and maintain our annual summer vegetable garden. I also processed our homegrown tomatoes into tomato sauce, which I froze for use throughout the year. After my husband Fred retired, he took over the planning, planting, cultivation and maintenance of our vegetable garden and also our apple trees.
After I retired, I turned my attention towards researching and/or creating new healthy recipes with many of the foods that we either grow in our garden and/or purchase at the co-op.
Here is a simple, but healthy recipe to feature your fresh tomatoes and zucchini. Enjoy!
Melanie Pores is a retired bilingual educator, an HWFC member since 1978, and the facilitator of HWFC’s Spanish Conversation Group since 2015, currently on Zoom, Fridays 10am to noon.
For the Zoodles:
4 medium zucchini
Salt
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the Pesto:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
⅓ cup walnuts, finely ground
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Garnish:
1 large ripe heirloom tomato, chopped or 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped
Additional Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste
1. To create zoodles, use a spiralizer or a julienne peeler, or grate zucchini the long way on a large box grater. Here are two possible options to soften the zoodles:
Option 1: Set the zoodles in a colander over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat with the salt. Leave the zoodles in the colander to drain for ten minutes. Then, run cool water over the zucchini noodles to rinse away excess salt, shaking colander and squeezing the zoodles to remove excess water.
Option 2: If you prefer not to use the salt method , bring a big soup pot ~2/3 full with water to a boil, add the spiralized zucchini, cook for 1 1/2 minutes, and thoroughly drain the zoodles.
2. Drizzle 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over the softened zoodles and toss to coat.
3. To prepare the pesto, combine garlic, fresh basil leaves, grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, walnuts, and ground pepper in a food processor (or blender). Drizzle in olive oil while processing, using only enough oil to achieve your preferred consistency. Stop processing once pesto is well-blended.
4. Combine zoodles with pesto, using kitchen tongs to work the pesto into the zoodles.
5. Garnish zoodles with chopped fresh tomatoes, sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, and drizzle additional extra-virgin olive oil to taste. Salt and pepper to taste.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
By Erin Sheehan
Zucchini is known as being very easy to grow, and some may say it’s even too easy to grow! Many gardeners wind up with a surplus of zucchini once their plants get going in mid-summer. A delicious way to use up your excess is to make a simple chocolate zucchini cake. This recipe is an old one, and has been passed down through my family. It is rich, moist, and delicious! You can find most of the ingredients for this cake at Honest Weight.
Erin Sheehan and her husband live on an eighth of an acre urban homestead in Albany, where they grow much of their own food and make their own wine from homegrown fruit.
2 cups white flour
2 cups white sugar
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp espresso powder
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
¾ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting:
½ cup butter
½ cup milk
2 cups sugar
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla
Cake instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 F. & grease and flour a 13”x 9” baking pan.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil, vanilla, eggs, and zucchini and stir until just combined.
3. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven about 40-45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting instructions:
1. Using a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the butter, milk and sugar. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
2. Immediately add remaining ingredients and stir well. It will thicken as it cools.
