Grid Magazine November 2012 [#043] by Red Flag Media

Susta i n abl e Ph i l a d elp hi a

november 2012 / issue 43 gridphilly.com

Jose Garces’

town

country why philly’s top chefs are buying the farm plus

how to…

Green Your Condo Pickle Your Cranberries Detox Your Dishwasher

take one!

LOCALLY GROWN AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCE, MEAT, DAIRY, PET, HEALTH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS.

Enjoy the fall harvest with

Mariposa Food Co-op

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215.729.2121

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Shooting the Breeze

Why talking to your neighbors fosters sustainability for me, one of the most fun parts of work is preparing for and executing Grid Alive. It’s a talk show that has live music, local beer and cheese, and most importantly, fascinating guests from the pages of Grid. I co-host the event with Nic Esposito, an urban farmer and founder of Head and the Hand, an innovative book publishing company. Even though we’ve done five shows now—two of which we have as podcasts available on gridphilly.com—I still get the jitters every time we take the stage. Why give myself bi-monthly bouts of stage fright? Because I think that there’s nothing quite like hearing inspirational people tell their own stories in their own voice, all unedited. Obviously, I’m a big believer in print, and the power of social media is undeniable, but nothing replaces face-to-face meetings and interactions. Recently, in preparation for a Grid Alive, I had Scott Kelly and Jenn Rezeli, the couple behind Re:Vision Architecture, visit our office for a pre-interview. “In our house, Scott is known as ‘The Breezemaster,’” Jenn told me, with a hint of marital impatience, because of his close—perhaps compulsive—monitoring of the outdoor temperature. When it gets to be 74 degrees outside, Jenn can expect a text from Scott alerting her to close all the windows of their house, which has no air conditioning. I was impressed, but I wondered: Could The Breezemaster help me? I opened the window of my office, revealing a symphony of city living, horns, sirens and a seemingly ever-present jackhammer. I’d like to open my window during the day, I explained to The Breezemaster, but when I do it’s too noisy to conduct business. What should I do? Without missing a beat, he asked, “Do you put fans in the windows and leave them open overnight when you aren’t there?” No, we didn’t, I answered, somewhat shocked at how quickly he offered a solution and, in retrospect, how obvious his idea was. This simple trick has already saved us countless hours of running the air conditioning. So now, thanks to a conversation with Scott and Jenn, I’m a little bit smarter and my office is a lot more efficient.

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publisher

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com managing editor

Liz Pacheco liz@gridphilly.com art director

Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com designer

Danni Sinisi danni@gridphilly.com distribution

Jesse Kerns 215.625.9850 ext. 100 jesse@gridphilly.com marketing

Morgan Berman morgan@gridphilly.com copy editor

Andrew Bonazelli writers

If you live in a condo, there is a great opportunity this month for you to have conversations about how to make your building more efficient. The Green Condo and Co-op Initiative (story on p. 14) is having a Condo Congress on October 23 at The Academy of Natural Sciences, and will arm you with the information you need to foster change. From our story, you’ll learn that the key to making these changes happen is identifying like-minded residents, talking with them, and then stating your case to your fellow-owners and the condo committee. Once you start talking to your neighbors, you never know what windows will open.

Bernard Brown Tenaya Darlington Kristen Dowd Michael Holahan Marisa McClellan Leah Troiano Samantha Wittchen photographers

Neal Santos Gene Smirnov Emily Wren Albert Yee illustrators

Andy Hood Melissa McFeeters ad sales

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com published by

alex j. mulcahy, Publisher alex@gridphilly.com

Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 g r i d p h i l ly . c o m

cov e r p hoto by n eal san tos // p o rtrait by g e ne smi rnov

YOU’VE READ THE MAGAZINE, NOW SEE THE SHOW! Thursday

November 8

NOW AVAILABLE ON ITUNES

Grid Alive is now a podcast! Listen to our last two shows, the latest featuring:

Trinity Memorial Church 22nd and Spruce Sts. DOORS OPEN AT

6:00 p.m. SHOW STARTS AT 7:00 P.M.

TICKETS

$5.00

To order visit our online store

HOSTED BY

Nic Esposito Urban Farmer and Novelist

• Liz Robinson, Executive Director for the Energy Coordinating Agency • Amy Laura Cahn, Attorney with the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia • Scott Kelly & Jenn Rezeli, Founders of Re:Vision Architecture Available this holiday season!

Alex Mulcahy Grid Publisher

Cotton tote bags

Plus, music by Heather Shayne Blakeslee & Sweetbriar Rose. Available to listen and download at gridphilly.com/podcast

Guests to be announced

DRINKS PROVIDED BY

CO-SPONSORED BY

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19103

Green living

EXPANDING THE MARKET

Area grocers are on the move CreekSide Co-op

UPCOMING EV E NT

In November, the long-awaited Creekside Co-op will open. Customers can expect a bulk foods section, indoor and outdoor seating for enjoying prepared items, and local products from within a 100-mile radius. 7909 High School Rd., Elkins Park creekside.coop

Fossil Fools

Bill McKibben crunches the numbers and names an enemy by liz pacheco

nov

Do the Math

Sat., Nov. 17, 6 p.m., $10, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St., Tickets available at math.350.org

hen bill mckibben published The End of Nature in 1989, it was the first book aimed at educating the general public on climate change. Since then, McKibben has given lectures, written books, penned articles and led countless campaigns to raise awareness and inspire action on climate change—this includes a five-day walk he led in 2007 across Vermont. In November, McKibben will take his message on the road with 350. org, his international grassroots climate campaign. The “Do the Math” tour—a name taken from the frightening warming calculations McKibben presents in the August 2, 2012 Rolling Stone—will be making 20 stops in 20 days in an effort to jumpstart the climate movement. We caught up with McKibben to discuss the tour and it’s goals. What can we expect from the tour?

It’s not going to be a typical stand-at-a-mike-andgive-a-lecture. We’re calling it a roadshow—we want to drive home the math of our predicament, and then we want to get people organized to go after the fossil fuel industry. If it works, there will be campaigns springing up everywhere in its wake. What’s the significance of the tour kicking off the night after the presidential election?

Because no matter who wins, the people have to take the lead here—no waiting for Barack to save us this time. And because, in the end, the fossil fuel companies matter more than the politicians. 6

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20 cities in 20 days is fairly ambitious, why the short timeline?

We’re trying to start a lot of brushfires and see if we can get them really blazing fast. Are you taking on any volunteers or local artists/ bands?

Yes—there will be music every night, sometimes from national acts and sometimes local heroes. Environmentalists have spent so much time with bar graphs that they’ve sometimes forgotten there are other ways to reach folks. Learn more at math.350.org

Weavers Way Co-op

After closing for the summer to remodel, Weavers Way in Mt. Airy has re-opened. The renovations, which cost $700,000, include a Pet Care and Wellness storefront, and a highlyanticipated bulk foods department. 559 Carpenter Ln. weaversway.coop Kimberton Whole Foods – Downington

In September, Kimberton Whole Foods in Downington celebrated their Grand Re-Opening. The natural foods grocery store moved a few doors down into a building that better reflects the company’s vision with eco-friendly elements like LED lighting and solar tubes that maximize natural light. 2140 Kimberton Rd., Kimberton kimbertonwholefoods.com South Philly Food Co-op

September was a big month for the South Philly Food Co-op. The Reinvestment Fund awarded the nonprofit a $25,000 Food Access Grant, and their annual garden tour raised more than $35,000. Ten new members have joined, bringing total membership to 305. Once 400 member-owners have enrolled, the Co-op will start working to secure a loan for a storefront. 144 Moore St. southphillyfoodcoop.org

by samantha wittchen

Vinyl Records year, 3.9 million vinyl fact Last records were sold in the U.S., the highest amount since 1991. With vinyl records making a resurgence, you might be thinking twice about tossing those old 45s. But if you do trash them, the landfill is not the best place. Most oldschool vinyl records are made with Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). When buried, PVC can leak dioxin, a toxic chemical that can contaminate groundwater. Since dioxins are fat-soluble, they concentrate in human tissue. Additionally, chlorine production for new vinyl manufacturing releases more than 200,000 pounds of mercury into our air, water and soil each year. Recycling vinyl bypasses that chlorine use.

HVAC upgrade

noun (āch vak up･grād)

1. When the inside of your home me feels like a cozy retreat. 2. Making your home’s heating g and cooling system work better than ever. er.

problem

First, take your unwanted records to local record stores. If they have any value, you may walk away with a few dollars. If not, recycling is a challenge since the options are limited. Philadelphia-based Vinylux (vinylux.net) has been recycling records into bowls, coasters and clocks (among other things) for 10 years, and is committed to working in Philadelphia. Vinylux accept donations of clean (no mold, please!) size 33 or 45 records. Arrange for drop-off by contacting them at records@vinylux.net. Here in Philadelphia, eForce Compliance (3114 Gray’s Ferry Ave., eforcecompliance.com) accepts vinyl records. And another option, although not in Philadelphia, is Recycling Services, Inc., in Pottstown (365 Elm St., Pottstown, recyclingservices.org). They accept records, but it costs $8 per car to enter the facility. However, they also accept other miscellaneous recyclables, such as Tyvek envelopes, candles and batteries, making a trip there potentially more worthwhile. 

Schedule your Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment today. It's your first step towards saving money, saving energy and living more comfortably. Get started now for just $150.

215-609-1052 EnergyWorks is a program of the Metropolitan Caucus of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery

and Philadelphia counties, and is supported by aPage grant from rtmGRID4.5x4.75_Layout 1 8/31/12 3:24 PM 1 the U.S. Department of Energy.

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Green living

Dishing Detergent

POWDER You will need

Dishwasher (and planet) safe recipes by leah r. troiano

I love

my dishwasher. With two small kids, a husband, a dog and many visitors, I’m all about having an automated helper in the kitchen. It does such a great job that I became suspicious of the detergent I was using. It turns out that the main ingredient in my detergent was concentrated chlorine. Digging a little further, I found that, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, automatic dishwashing detergents can cause skin irritations or even burns, and are poisonous if swallowed. Chlorine wasn’t the only harsh chemical found. Here are two others of concern: Phosphates act as a water softener to boost a detergent’s efficiency. But once they’ve finished washing our dishes, they can harm our ecosystems. When phosphates leave the washer they can pollute local streams and lakes, and cause an excess growth of algae, a process known as eutrophication. The overgrowth of algae or other aquatic vegetation can clog waterways, depleting the water’s oxygen content and killing plants and other organisms. Artificial perfumes (phthalates), which are often used to scent dishwashing detergents, are considered hormone-disruptors and are linked to reduced sperm count in men, among other issues, reports the Environmental Working Group. For an easy, at-home way to green your dishwasher, try this recipe. leah r. troiano, a certified cancer support educator, works with people who have cancer or would like to prevent cancer. Lowering toxicity is just one of many ways to get your body in cancer-fighting shape. Videos on how to make the products featured in this column can also be found at Leah’s website in the “Video” section. For more information, visit cancerhealthandwellness.com or e-mail Leah@CancerHealthandWellness.com . 8

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1 cup Super Washing Powder

¼ cup baking soda

1 cup Borax

cup citric acid (found in health foods store or online)

¼ cup salt

20 drops essential oil (optional)

directions →→ Mix all ingredients very well. Store in a container with a lid. Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to the soap compartment and dump a half tablespoon onto the door.

With this product, and all other cleaners, keep out of reach of children and pets.

LIQUID You will need

1 8-oz bottle castile soap (peppermint is wonderful)

1 cup water

1 glass jar with lid (quart size)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

PLUS White distilled vinegar

directions →→ Add the castile soap, water and lemon juice to the jar. Close lid tightly and shake gently. →→ Use about 1 tablespoon for each load of dishes and fill the second compartment with white vinegar. If your water is hard, you can also add white vinegar to the rinse aid compartment as well.

lanet dP Ol

Dr. Marion Nestle

stions for Que an

Thursday, November 8 • Lecture 6:30 p.m. Food Politics: Is the Current Food System Sustainable? Networking Reception 5:30 p.m. • Lecture 6:30 p.m., followed by book signing

Join us for an evening with Marion Nestle, internationally known consumer activist, nutritionist, and award-winning author, as she

discusses the increasingly alarming way food processing, marketing, and sales are politicized in the U.S. $10 Members

$15 Nonmembers

$50 Exclusive VIP Reception

Drexel Students fREE with ID

Information and tickets at ansp.org/new-questions Sponsors:

ansp.org phillywaldorf.com

Your child deserves a liberal arts education. In middle school.

What if education were reimagined, reinvigorated and redefined to ignite your child’s spirit of wonder as well as her capacity to achieve? It is at the Waldorf School of Philadelphia. We provide a collaborative environment that mixes artistic thinking with scientific thinking, and creates original thinkers prepared for life.

open Join us: 7500 Germantown Ave | Mount Airy Saturday, October 20 @ 10 am

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community

How to collectively green a multi-family home

by kristen dowd

eing eco-friendly as a condo or co-op resident is possible to achieve on your own—but only to a point. You can make energy-efficient lighting decisions, use heating and cooling sparingly, and recycle, but what about the light bulbs in the hallways and lobbies, or insulating the roof? Addressing the management of common areas is key. That’s where being eco-friendly can get a little trickier. It’s the fiduciary responsibility of board members and managers to maintain the buildings in value, comfort and appearance. So, decisions at condos and co-ops need to involve these parties and be made along with owners. But to make any greening improvement, explains Joan Batory, chair of the Green Condo/Co-op Initiative (GCCI), the single most important step that must be taken is to make a committee. The GCCI grew out of such a green committee. “We started it with three people [in 2008],” says Sis Eisman, a resident at The Philadelphian in Fairmount. Once created, the group quickly grew. One of the committee’s first initiatives was changing incandescent light bulbs for CFLs. The committee also drafted (and distributed) rules for recycling within the building. Next, they instituted recycling programs for cell phones, ink cartridges and electronic waste. In 2009, the group held a Green Home Show at the Philadelphian—a day of exhibits and educational programming focused on green building for condo and co-op owners, managers and others. Soon, area buildings approached The Philadelphian, looking to make the same green improvements, and thus, the GCCI was born. For a green committee to be influential, it 10

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needs to educate residents on the payback associated with expenditures. Batory talks about a $23 million project at The Philadelphian to improve the building’s envelope and energy efficiency. “There were several sessions with our owners here where [GCCI], and some of the proponents of the project, were trying to explain to the owners the value of spending money up front to achieve longer-term savings,” she says. “It was a very, very intense series of debates and sometimes arguments.” The discussions eventually lead to two years of construction, during which significant improvements were made, including the replacement of 2,000 windows and 8,000 individual heating and cooling units. Despite the initial challenges, says Batory, “we are now experiencing hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings.” In addition to education, the GCCI also does advocacy work. Condos and co-ops can inadvertently slip through the legislative cracks, as they’re neither commercial buildings nor traditional residential. While programs like EnergyWorks do apply to these multi-family buildings, other green improvements can be more difficult to initiate. The GCCI wants to change that. “We’re doing our best to open our doors and make it easy for them—legislators and planners—to deal with

oct

Inaugural Philadelphia Condo Congress

Live in or manage a condo or co-op? Be sure to attend the inaugural Philadelphia Condo Congress. The event will feature hands-on workshops, speakers, exhibitor information booths and networking sessions all aimed at showing the economic and environmental benefits of adopting sustainable practices. GCCI is hosting the event in collaboration with the Community Associations Institute and the Greater Philadelphia Condo Managers Association. Leonard Bonacci, director of event operations for the Philadelphia Eagles, is the keynote speaker. Known for his entertaining presentations, Bonacci will talk about the team’s journey to becoming the greenest professional sports stadium in the country. Another important part of the Congress will be four breakout sessions, discussing the various legal, economic requirements and challenges to making green improvements, and success stories from Philadelphia’s condo associations. →→ Tues., Oct. 23, 2:30-7:30 p.m., free, The

Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. For more details, visit philagcci.org or call the Community Associations Institute at 877-608-9777

condos,” says Batory, who has been in communication with the City’s Office of Sustainability. “This is right along with the city’s goal. So, why can’t we have a group of condo and co-op buildings that are the greenest in America?” To learn more about the Philadelphia Green Condo/Co-op Initiative, visit philagcci.org

photos by Sa ra h Beth ( Left) , Mag gy M a ffi a (c enter) , Jera m ey Jan n e n e (to p rig ht), an d f lick r use r f iv ete n

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food

Sweet Tarts Three ways to enjoy delicious cranberries

was seven years old when I first cooked with fresh cranberries. My mom had gone to a library sale and brought home a pair of books called Cranberry Thanksgiving and Cranberry Christmas. While I wasn’t particularly interested in the stories inside the books, I was intrigued by the recipes printed on the back. After much begging, my parents relented and helped me bake a loaf of cranberry bread. I loved the way the tart berries popped in the tender, slightly sweet bread. Since then, cranberries have had a firm place in my top 10 favorite ingredients, and I’m determined to show that they’re good for a whole lot more than jelly and juice. I’m always looking for ways to use fresh cranberries. I stir them into baked goods, add them to braises, scatter them over roasting vegetables, and even pickle them for cheese platters and cocktails. They give a fatty braised pork butt a tangy, fruity counterpoint. The combination of roasted butternut squash and cranberries makes for a sweet/tart side dish. And the combination of berries, sugar, vinegar and spices is wonderfully electric on the tongue.

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story and photos by marisa mcclellan

Braised Pork Butt with Cranberries and Leeks Preheat oven to 350° F. Remove pork butt from fridge and let it come to room temperature. Pat away any moisture with paper tow2 pounds pork butt els and salt both sides of the meat generously. 3 large leeks Prepare the leeks by cutting off the green 2 Tbsp olive oil tops and the root ends. Slice them in half 1 cups cranberries lengthwise and wash off any gritty soil. Chop 2 cups chicken stock the leeks into narrow half moons (three leeks Salt and pepper should yield approximately 3 cups). Place a four-quart or larger Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cooking until they begin to soften and brown. Using a spatula, scrape the leeks to the side of the pan. Turn the heat to high. Pat any remaining moisture from the meat and place it in the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until that side has browned. Flip the meat and repeat until it is uniformly seared (take care to tend to the leeks so they don’t burn). Arrange the leeks on top of the pork. Add cranberries and stock. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot and place it in the preheated oven. Let the pork cook for 3 to 4 hours, until it’s meltingly tender. Shred the meat and serve with mashed squash or sweet potatoes and braised kale. INGREDIENTS

Pickled Cranberries Makes 3 pints 2 3 3 2 1

12-ounce bags of cranberries cups apple cider vinegar cups granulated white sugar cinnamon sticks tsp allspice berries tsp whole cloves tsp black peppercorns tsp juniper berries

Prepare a boiling water bath and three pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Wash cranberries and pick out any stems or bad berries. Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan to create the brine. Bring to a boil. Add cinnamon sticks to the brine. Place allspice berries, whole cloves, black peppercorns and juniper berries in a spice bag or tie them up in cheesecloth. Add them to the brine. Once the brine is boiling vigorously, add the cranberries. Stir to combine and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cranberries begin to pop and the brine has returned to a rolling boil. Remove pot from heat, and pull out the spice bag and cinnamon sticks. Break cinnamon sticks in half and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, ladle cranberries into prepared jars. Cover berries with brine,* leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place a cinnamon stick segment into each jar. Wipe jar rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the refrigerator. Let jars sit for at least 24 hours before eating to allow the flavors to settle.

Oven Roasted Butternut Squash and Cranberries 2 small butternut squashes (about 3 pounds) 2 cups cranberries 2 Tbsp olive or coconut oil 1 tsp of salt 2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Wash butternut squash and cut it into quarters. Scrape out the seeds. Arrange squash on a baking sheet and sprinkle cranberries over the squash quarters. Drizzle oil over the berries and squash, and using your hands rub it in so it’s well distributed. Season with salt and place on your oven’s top rack.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the squash is fork tender and the cranberries juicy and shrunken. Using a spoon, scrape the butternut flesh out of its peel. Combine roasted cranberries and tender squash in a large bowl. Add butter. Using a fork, stir everything into a chunky mash. Salt to taste.

* Save any leftover brine. It’s essentially a fruit shrub and is delicious mixed with sparkling water. For more canning tips, visit foodinjars.com n ov e m BER 20 12

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food

Blue de Ewe

cheese of the month

t’s rare to find a raw sheep’s milk blue outside the Roquefort Caves in France. But Pennsylvania can now make this claim, thanks to two Amish farmers, shepherd Emanuel Beiler and cheesemaker Amos Miller. Beiler, who raises sheep in Lancaster County, wanted to add value to his milk; Miller, who makes a variety of artisan cheeses at his Leola dairy—Misty Creek—

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farmfromage.com

ON-SITE CHEESE MAKING Grid’s illustrious neighbor, the Reading Terminal Market, has some exciting new occupants. The New Jersey-based Valley Shepherd Creamery, due to open in November, will truck in milk three times a week, allowing customers to witness their cheese-making process firsthand.

Fair Food offering local bird options for this year’s Thanksgiving table

Blue de Ewe is available at Green Aisle Grocery and the Lansdowne and Upper Merion farmers markets. Contact: Shepherd’s Hollow Farm c/o Farm Fromage, Lancaster; 717-314-1373,

@ Reading Terminal

talking turkey Turkey time is almost here! Once again, Fair Food has plenty of local, sustainable (and delicious) options for celebrating your holiday. Choose from naturally-raised and Heirloom Bronze turkeys from Koch’s Turkey Farm (Tamaqua, Pa.), certified organic birds from Lancaster Farm Fresh (Leola, Pa.), and Heritage Breed Red Bourbons from Griggstown Quail Farm (Princeton, N.J.). If you fancy other birds, Griggstown also offers capon, quail, goose and pheasant.

likes to experiment. This summer, they released their collaborative endeavor under the Shepherd’s Hollow Farm label, which is distributed by Farm Fromage—an intermediary for Amish dairy. When I tasted the first batch of Blue de Ewe available for market, I was impressed. Like a good Roquefort, it’s peppery and unctuous. Set a wedge on your cheese board, and it begins to bead fat. On the front end, the taste is sweetly nutty, like graham flour—it even has a slightly granular texture. On the finish, it’s earthy and spicy. Since Blue de Ewe has a natural rind, rather than a foil-wrapped exterior (like Roquefort), it’s drier than the French import, with a texture similar to Stilton. I look forward to seeing how these unique wheels evolve over time. Until winter, I’ll be gorging on Blue de Ewe, along with plum jam, walnuts and plenty of malty stout. —Tenaya Darlington, madamefromageblog.com

These fresh (never frozen) fowl all are hormoneand antibiotic-free, and raised with access to pasture. Prices range from $3.10 to $8.40 per pound. Preordering is required and can be done through the Fair Food website (fairfoodphilly.org ). The ordering deadline is Monday, Nov. 12 at 12 p.m. Turkeys will be available for pick up on November 21 and 22, the Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday.

Already open are the Tubby Olive, which sells olive oils and vinegars on tap, and the Head Nut, a coffee roaster from the Main Line that also offers bulk goods, including dry beans, nuts and candy, so bring your refillable containers! For more information, visit readingterminalmarket.org

S I GN UP AT: GREENSGROW.ORG/CSA

JOIN THE WINTER CSA! Meat • Vegetarian • Vegan Shares Available Support Local Farmers and Producers All Winter!

30% OFF PERRENIALS, SHRUBS & TREES THRU OCT 31 preorder your Thankgiving Turkeys, Pies & Sides! details at: greensgrow.org

Get to know the faces behind your food. Phila, PA | South Street Wynnewood, PA 610 - 896 - 3737 215 - 733 - 9788 Devon, PA 610 - 688 - 0015 Phila, PA | Callowhill 215 - 557 - 0015

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Jenkintown, PA 215 - 481 - 0880 Glen Mills, PA 610 - 385 - 1133

Princeton, NJ 609 - 799 - 2919

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You buy your food locally, but what about energy?

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Get to that avalanche of apples by riding SEPTA to a farmers market near you. You’ll find fresh local produce, meats, and dairy on SEPTA’s special Farmers Market Map at www.septa.org/maps

Find local Sweetwater Bakery breads at Kimberton Whole Foods stores Local & Organic Produce Gluten Free Foods • Natural Bodycare Specialty Cheeses • Supplements • Raw Milk

Visit our brand new remodelled Downingtown store in the Milltown Square Shopping Center!

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& three philadelphia restaurateurs try their hands at farming story by liz pacheco

photos by neal santos

LUNA FARM Jose Garces and farmer Alex McCracken at Luna Farm

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hef jose garces is in his outdoor kitchen making salmorejo—a cold Spanish soup similar to gazpacho. He adds bright yellow tomatoes to the food processor along with garlic, vinegar and baguette pieces. “A few years ago,” he says, “I would’ve made this with tomatoes from Mexico.” This afternoon, the tomatoes are from a very local source—Garces’ backyard, which doubles as a farm. ¶ This is the first full season for the 40-acre Luna Farm in Ottsville, which is named in honor of the Garces family dog as well as the brilliant nightscapes the property offers. The nearly 100 varieties of herbs and vegetables are organically grown for the Garces company restaurants—most specifically Philadelphia’s JG Domestic, which focuses on using local ingredients. ¶ But Garces isn’t the only, or first, Philadelphia chef to delve into farming. Mitch Prensky, owner and chef of Supper, is in his third year working with Blue Elephant Farm in Newtown Square, which grows solely for his restaurant and catering company. Last February, Andrea Rossi began cultivating in Orwigsburg on his farm, Grateful Acres. This spring, Rossi launched a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program through his restaurant C19. ¶ For these three chefs, the farms are creative challenges—they require money, planning, and of course, physical labor. At their restaurants, these chefs are no longer just cooking, they’re developing innovative models for combining the farm and the table.

jose garces, garces group For Garces, the decision to start a farm happened almost by accident. While looking for a family home outside the city, he discovered that many properties included farmland. “We just started thinking, ‘Wow, it would be great if we could ship in our own stuff,’” says Garces. In 2010, he purchased the property, and by summer 2011 he was working with Alex McCracken to develop the land. While McCracken had never farmed on this scale before, he has extensive experience gardening. He and his wife live on a nearby 16-acre property and own the Turnip Truck, a business that designs, installs and maintains organic gardens for homeowners. When McCracken heard that Garces was looking for a farmer, he sent in

his résumé. That, plus a recommendation from another local grower, landed him the position. In this first year, McCracken and Garces are experimenting—looking to see what flourishes both at the farm and in the restaurants. “Next year, the plan is to reduce the wide variety of crops that we grow to the things that are doing the best here,” says McCracken. “The things that the restaurants use the most of, like peppers—we’ll always grow peppers here. They’re easy to grow. All of Jose’s restaurants use a lot of them.” In addition to vegetables, the organic farm is growing mushrooms and raising chickens and bees. Garces is also considering goats, either for meat or milk. The farm’s tractor runs on biodiesel fuel from the restaurants’ fryer oil, which is picked up and processed by Bucks County N OV E M b er 20 12

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Jose Garces prepares a salmorejo in his outdoor kitchen at Luna Farm. The cold Spanish soup is similar to a gazpacho; it’s made from tomatoes and garnished with strawberries, eggs and olives. Garces’ children, Olivia and Andres, watch their father in the kitchen and lend a hand in adding the ingredients to the blender. The salmorejo is from Garces’ newest cookbook The Latin Road Home, available October 8 from Lake Isle Press. For the full recipe, visit gridphilly.com

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Freedom Fuel. And there’s talk of adding solar panels to the movable chicken coop to provide energy for the greenhouse and the barn. This winter, the greenhouse will be supplemented by hoop houses, which in August already had tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. “I’m growing things here I’ve never grown before,” says McCracken, referring to some of the more unusual varieties of tomatoes and greens. “I’m growing things some of the chefs have never seen before. Everybody’s expanding their horizons and learning a lot from the process.” The chefs from Garces’ seven Philadelphia restaurants and the three in Atlantic City have all visited Luna. “They didn’t realize the scale we’re growing on or the quality that was going to be coming out here,” says Garces. The restaurants receive produce Tuesday and Thursday nights, some of which easily work on the menu and some that require more creativity. “We’re treating them like CSAs, basically,” explains Garces. “Initially [the chefs] were placing orders and I interceded and said no, you guys are getting everything.” Some menus pose greater challenges since they’re concept-based, but the hope is that in future seasons the farm will cater to those needs. The JG Domestic restaurant

NOVEM be r 2012

benefits most directly from the farm, offering dishes with “Luna Farm Egg,” “Luna Farm Herb Pesto” and “Luna Farm Tomatillos.” But for Garces, the motivation to start Luna Farm comes from his passion for food, not marketing potential. “I think as long as [the farm] remains true to that it’ll keep going.” But he’s also admits that there’s significant financial risk as well. “It’s a pretty costly endeavor for sure. We’re still trying to make sure it all balances out.”

mitch prensky, supper mitch prensky has been working with Blue Elephant Farm since 2010, but his commitment to local, fresh food is decades old. “I’ve been cooking this way for 26 years,” he says, citing previous trips to the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City to visit farm stands. In 2007, he opened Supper, which he describes as “seasonal farm-direct American cuisine.” Yet it wasn’t until three years ago that Prensky learned of the term “farm to table.” “Somebody said to me, ‘Oh you’re a farm-to-table res-

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BLUE ELEPHANT FARM taurant,’” recalls Prensky. “It’s the first time I’ve ever heard that expression. So, if you’re going to call me something, at least I should know what it is.” Eventually, Prensky connected with the owners of Blue Elephant Farm, a privately owned, 75-acre property in Newton Square. At the time, the owners were growing for themselves and family members. Prensky started working with the estate manager Mary Butler, a horticulturist, to grow vegetables for Supper. “[The] first season, I pulled every vegetable out of the ground myself,” says Prensky, who works alongside Butler. “There is a lot of sweat and toil involved, and not a lot of [financial] return.” Today, the farm provides 100 percent of the produce at Supper and at the Global Dish—Prensky’s catering company. Blue Elephant raises chickens, sheep, goats, llamas, horses and donkeys, and there are plans to have a grass-fed beef program next year. A local beekeeper has hives on the property. Their greenhouse grows greens, lettuces and herbs year-round, and thanks to cold storage, diners will see plenty of root vegetables on the winter menu. This fall, Prensky and Blue Elephant even canned their first line of products and preserves to be sold at Supper. With any farm, there are no guarantees. Prensky talks about the season when a blight kept tomatoes off the menu for a while, and the creativity needed to handle an abundance of okra one week, but none the next. “You start pickling and preserving, and then you make dishes out of it,” he says. “That’s another challenge, but that’s a fun challenge here of writing dishes on the menu.” Deliveries from the farm come to Supper three times a week, and Prensky makes an effort to be out in the fields at least once a week as well. “I always say I’m the luckiest chef in the world,” he says, explaining that having a dedicated farm for his restaurant has been a career goal. “[I thought] it would be great if someone could grow this stuff for us and I would know exactly what that property is doing and how they’re handling the vegetables and what goes into this. And that’s what I’ve been fortunate to be blessed with here with Blue Elephant.”

Andrea Rossi, c19 two years ago, C19 (then Cichetteria 19), was already sourcing locally from Green Meadow Farm. “I wasn’t even searching for a farmer at the time,” admits Andrea Rossi, chef and owner at C19. Then, he met Alex Archambault, who was delivering for Red Earth Farm to the Metropolitan Bakery across the street from the restaurant. “He brought 22

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GRATEFUL ACRES me some tomatoes, some potatoes he was growing on his own, some heirloom tomatoes,” says Rossi. “They were amazing.” So, Rossi expressed interest in finding space to start his own farm, and Archambault mentioned there were a few acres adjacent to his backyard in Orwigsburg. In 2011, Rossi officially hired Archambault to be the farmer. This summer, C19 offered a CSA for the farm and had four restaurants and six individuals participate. “We just wanted to start very small because the first year there’s a lot of difficulties,” says Rossi. The season has so far been successful, and produce from Grateful Acres can be found on the restaurant menu as well as at the Rittenhouse Farmers Market each Saturday. The decision to start a farm springs from Rossi’s desire to provide the best quality food locally. “We are what we eat,” he says, explaining that he wants to both support the local economy and make sure people are eating nutrientrich produce. His dedication to this mission has been recognized locally. In November 2011, the restaurant received a “Snail of Approval” from Slow Food Philadelphia—a distinction given to eateries that contribute to the quality, authenticity and sustainability of the food supply in the area. Rossi is already considering expansion. He wants to lease a few more acres next season, and is talking with another restaurant about potentially buying an organic farm in New Jersey. Restaurateurs owning farms is an emerging trend, but for Rossi his works stems from familial tradition. “The idea comes from my mother,” he says, “it’s how we grew up.” 

Top left: Mitch Prensky, owner and chef at Supper, with a recent harvest from Blue Elephant Farm. Bottom right: Andrea Rossi, owner and chef at C19, sells produce from Grateful Acres with farmer Alex Archambault at the Saturday Rittenhouse farmers market.

Supper is located at 926

South St. 215-592-8180, supperphilly.com C19 is located at 267 S.

19th St., 215-545-0441, c19pwhilly.com JG Domestic is located at 2929 Arch St. 215-2222363, jgdomestic.com.

For a full list of Garces’ restaurants, visit garcesgroup.com.

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urban naturalist

Pointing to the PasT The honey locust remains prepared to fend off longextinct creatures by bernard brown

hat amazed me most about the honey locust trees at Awbury Arboretum were the thorns. I had imagined something like rose thorns—sharp, but proportional—not four-inch-long spikes jutting out from branches and erupting from trunks in grotesque, savage clusters. Surely this was overkill. The trees could fend off deer with much less. Honey locust trees can be found throughout the city, but these are tame trees. They have an elegant, spreading canopy with small leaves that screen the sun rather than block it completely. What they don’t have is thorns. The smooth versions are “a genetic sport [mutation] that showed up and people liked them,” explains Dennis Lucey, Awbury Arboretum’s landscape manager. 24

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by bernard brown

We choose nice, gentle trees for our landscaping, nothing with spikes that could go clean through your hand. We like locust trees for other reasons: They are tough plants that can withstand air pollution, road salt and compacted soil—all things that make urban environments a nasty place for a tree. Moreover, those small leaves (technically leaflets, since the stem, with the row of leaflets on either side, is considered a “compound leaf”) are easy to clean up in the fall. But I miss the thorns, and not just for their gory potential. The thorns remind us that we inhabit a world shaped by extinct creatures. I’m not talking about dinosaurs; rather extinct mammals that shared the Delaware Valley with its first humans at the end of the last Ice Age. It might be easy to forget that these marvelously giant and exotic beasts (including sabertoothed cats and ground sloths the size of elephants, not to mention actual mammoths and mastodons) lived where we do today, but the trees remember. Or at least their genes do. Trees that evolved over millions of years along with giant herbivorous mammals still bear the traits shaped by them, even if they’re no longer useful. This is likely how honey locust trees ended up with thorns big enough to intimidate a mammoth, and is probably why they have

foot-long seed pods as well—think string beans for giant ground sloths, who would subsequently disperse their seeds. Twelve thousand years ago might sound like a long time for a human, but it’s only 60 generations or so for the trees. Honey locusts aren’t the only trees around us likely shaped by extinct giants. Next time you’re passing the Bala Golf Club on Belmont Avenue, look at the Osage orange trees along the fence. Thorny with round, green, softball-sized fruit, the trees don’t appeal to our extant native critters, implying extinct animals once dispersed the seeds. Of course, long-lived trees tell other stories we’ve forgotten. Lucey referenced some old locust trees at Awbury, planted in what appears to be an arbitrary line. Back in the late 1800s, the line was planted to screen a small slum, McNabb Town, from view. McNabb Town was razed more than a hundred years ago, but the trees remain. bernard brown is an amateur field herper, bureaucrat and founder of the PB&J Campaign (pbjcampaign.org ), a movement focused on the benefits of eating lower on the food chain.

about honey locusts, Osage oranges, and other plants likely shaped by extinct animals in the Ghosts of Evolution by Connie Barlow (Basic Books, 2002; $19).

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Oct

“Countdown to (En)Danger”

An exhibit featuring artists’ own interpretations of endangered species and the continued risks of extinction. Proceeds benefit the World Wildlife Fund. Open until Nov. 7.

→→ Sat., Oct. 13, 6-9 p.m., free, B2 Café, 1500

E. Passyunk Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/events/482540518437645/

Oct 16

Fall Author Series: Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic

Hear from author David Quammen on the science and history of major diseases that originate in wild animals and pass to humans, and what might be the next pandemic. →→ Tues., Oct. 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m., free to members/$5

nonmembers, The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. For more information and to register, visit ansp.org/visit/events

Oct 18

Oct

Fall Window Box Workshop

Learn to create a fall window box that’ll last through Thanksgiving. Also, get tips for the best plantings, watering practices and soil mixes for the fall season.

Is Sustainable Agriculture Bad for the Planet?

Sustainable food writers and experts examine questions like: Does eating grass-fed livestock raise your emissions? And is it worth paying extra for organic products?

→→ Thurs., Oct. 18, 6-8:30 p.m., $20, Greensgrow Farms,

2501 E. Cumberland St. For more information and to register, visit greensgrow.org/events

→→ Thurs., Oct. 18, 6-8:30 p.m., free to members/$5

nonmembers, The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. For more information and to register, visit ansp.org/visit/events

Oct 18

Slow Food Seminar: Chocolate Growers Seminar & Tasting

Kallari Cacao Growers Cooperative from Ecuador will talk about their cacao farms and have a tasting of their chocolate (Fair Trade and Direct Trade).

Oct

Rose Hips and What You Make of Them

Learn how to use rose hips from the garden to make jam, candy and syrup. Students will take home what they make. →→ Sat., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., $50 members/$75

→→ Thurs., Oct. 18, 7-9 p.m., $20, Restaurant School

at Walnut Hill College, 4100 Walnut St. For tickets, visit slowfoodphilly.org

Oct

Wall Garden Workshop

nonmembers, Wyck, 6026 Germantown Ave. To register, visit wyck.org/programs or call 215-8481690

Oct

Terrariums Workshop

Take your gardening indoors with woolly pockets. This workshop will teach where to hang a woolly pocket, what to plant and how to water.

Create a mini-oasis at this terrarium workshop. Registration includes a small glass globe vessel, soil, charcoal and stones. Plants will be available for purchase.

→→ Fri., Oct. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $40, City Planter, 814

→→ Sat., Oct. 20, 12-2 p.m., $30, Greensgrow Farms,

N. 4th St. For more information and to register, visit cityplanter.com

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2501 E. Cumberland St. For more information and to register, visit greensgrow.org/events.

Oct

PASA’s 100% Grass-fed Beef Cook Off

Join PASA as they announce the winners of the Cook Off, which features local chefs and farmers. Philly CowShare and cookbook author/chef Aliza Green will be there, and Wyebrook (open 11 a.m.-6 p.m.) will have live music and food available for purchase. →→ Sat., Oct. 20, 2-4 p.m., free, Wyebrook Farm, 150

Wyebrook Rd., Honey Brook. For more information, visit pasafarming.org/events

Oct

Fall Foliage Walk

Enjoy a morning walk to explore the changing hues of autumn and learn the surprising answer to why leaves change colors.

→→ Sat., Oct. 20, 10:30-11:30 a.m., free, Schuylkill Cen-

ter for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. For more information, visit schuylkillcenter.org

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Oct

Harvest On Henry

Henry Got Crops! CSA hosts a fundraiser event featuring live music, local food, hayrides, children’s activities, face painting, pumpkin painting and a pie bake-off.

→→ Sat., Oct. 20 (rain date Sun., Oct. 21), 1-4 p.m.,

7100 Henry Ave. For more information, visit facebook.com/HenryGotCrops , or e-mail Nancy Dearden at nancy.dearden@verizon.net .

Oct

Backyard Chickens

Ever thought of keeping chickens? Learn everything from choosing the right chicks for a flock to keeping them happy and healthy.

nov

Creating the East Coast Greenway

Andy Hamilton, Mid-Atlantic Trail Coordinator for the East Coast Greenway Alliance, will outline how this trail system enhances local communities and the region at large.

→→ Wed., Nov. 7, 6-9 p.m., free, Valley Green Inn, Valley

Green Road at Wissahickon. For more information and to register, visit fow.org

→→ Sat., Oct. 20, 1-2 p.m., $10, Primex Garden Center,

435 W. Glenside Ave., Glenside. Register in the store or by calling 215-887-7500

Oct

Bringing It All Home: Cultivating Sustainable Communities

Frederick Kirschenmann, PhD., a sustainability speaker, writer, farmer-philosopher and president of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, will speak about developing resilient, sustainable communities. →→ Sat., Oct. 20, 1-3 p.m., $15/$8 students, Arsht

Hall (University of Delaware - Wilmington Campus), 2600 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, DE. Register at historicpennfarm.org or by calling 302-655-7275

Oct

Up Close and Personal

→→ Sun., Oct. 21, 1-5 p.m. $49 before Oct. 15/$10

late fee after Oct. 14, Flourtown (specific location TBA). For more information and to register, visit thehomegrowninstitute.org

Terrarium Class Have a crafty start to your weekend with this terrarium-building class.

→→ Fri., Oct. 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m., $50, City Planter,

814 N. 4th St. For more information and to register, visit cityplanter.com

Oct

David Siller of Cobblestone Krautery will teach about the power of fermentation and how to make mead, pickles, sauerkraut and much more.

Community Kitchen at St. Michael’s Church, 2139 E. Cumberland St. For more information and to register, visit greensgrow.org/events

Join acclaimed writer and sustainability advocate Anna Lappé and local experts as they discuss the role of sustainable food systems in addressing hunger. The evening includes a local food tasting. →→ Sun., Oct. 21, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Program: free,

Reception: $10 members/$12 nonmembers, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. For more information and to register, visit ansp.org/visit/events

Oct

Bilenky Cycle Works hosts the thirdannual Philly Bike Expo—two days filled with rides, seminars, demonstrations, parties, a swap meet and a bicycle fashion show.

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ticket type, 23rd Street Armory, 22 S. 23rd St. For more information and tickets, visit phillybikeexpo. com

nov 7

Saving America’s Exceptional Gardens

Bill Noble, director of preservation at The Garden Conservancy, will discuss his work overseeing rehabilitation activities at more than 100 gardens throughout the country. →→ Wed., Nov. 7, 2-5 p.m., $18 members/$20

nonmembers, Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave. For more information, visit morrisarboretum.org

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Food Politics: Is the Current Food System Sustainable? with Marion Nestle

Noted nutritionist and author Marion Nestle will discuss food politics and the sustainability of the current food system.

$10 member/$50 VIP reception, The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. For more information and to register, visit ansp.org/visit/events

nov

Art in the Garden

Mark Smith, an artist and garden designer, will discuss ways to expand thinking about art in a garden setting in economical, temporary and more permanent ways.

→→ Sat., Nov. 10, 9-11 a.m., $10, Fairmount Park

Philly Bike Expo

→→ Sat., Oct. 27-Sun., Oct. 28, $8-25 depending on

Town Square Program: Plenty for the Planet: Sustainable Food and a Well-Fed World

nov

→→ Thurs., Nov. 8, 6-8:30 p.m., $15 nonmember/

Fermenting Sauerkraut & Mead with David Siller

→→ Sat., Oct. 27, 12-2 p.m., $35, Greensgrow

Learn the basics of home-scaled sustainable and regenerative practices, including backyard chickens, composting, fermentation and more. This workshop will focus on extending the growing season.

Oct

Horticultural Center, N. Horticultural and Montgomery Drs. For more information, visit extension.psu.edu/philadelphia/programs/ master-gardener

nov 10

Worm Composting: Urban Composting Made Easy

Start worm composting after this workshop on decomposition, worm anatomy and biology, and how to care for a worm bin. Participants will take home a bin with worms. →→ Sat., Nov. 10, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Members: $20/per

person, $30/couple; Nonmembers: $30/person, $40/couple, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. For information, visit schuylkillcenter.org

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Feeding on Tradition

Thanksgiving Eve at the Reading Terminal Market by michael holahan

s a shopkeeper in the Reading Terminal Market, any busy day is a good day. But after 25 years at the Pennsylvania General Store, my favorite is the day before Thanksgiving. The energy inside this morethan-a-century-old public market is unlike any other time of year. Thanksgiving is about bringing together the people we love, to share a meal and to give thanks; as a merchant, it’s a privilege to be even a small part of this occasion. That Wednesday morning, customers wait outside for the Market to open, making shopping strategies while sipping coffee provided by Market management. While it’s a busy day for us at the General Store, there’s a lot more pressure on the big three: the butcher, baker and greengrocer. Inside the market, the greengrocers hurriedly stack towering mounds of collard greens, the butchers ice down freshlykilled turkeys and the Pennsylvania Dutch bakers try to find room to display all their pies. At 8 a.m., the doors open and the frenzy begins. Couples split up to conquer the shopping list with a promised rendezvous for blueberry pancakes or croissants. The line at Termini’s Bakery slows to a crawl, and good-natured patrons start folding bakery boxes to help speed the process. Customers move like hordes of locusts through the produce as workers hustle to 30

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restock and replenish the ravaged displays. The ticket machine at Godshall’s Poultry completes the first circuit of 001 to 100 and back again. In the midst of this harried buying and selling, there is a sense of collegiality. Customers share and debate cooking tips and shopping secrets. And despite the pressure to finish helping one customer to get to those waiting, merchants make time to quickly trade family news with customers. Today is part business and part family reunion. At Godshall’s, there’s a pause to advise a nervous, first-time Thanksgiving hostess on cooking the perfect turkey. “Cook it at 350 degrees, 14 to 15 minutes a pound,” explains the butcher. “If it’s stuffed, you want an internal temperature of 165 degrees. You’ll want to use a meat thermometer. You can buy one down the aisle at the kitchen store. You’re welcome. Good luck—

calling number 88.” The next day, if all goes according to plan, a beaming young woman will take a bow for serving a Thanksgiving masterpiece, and a lifelong customer will be born. It’s in these moments that the keys to the Reading Terminal Market’s longevity can be found. This exchange of money for merchandise is more than a business transaction—there’s something more personal happening. Many of today’s customers first discovered the Market as children brought here by parents or grandparents. They learned to endure the search for the freshest meat or ripest tomatoes in exchange for the promise of Bassetts Ice Cream. On Thanksgiving, they return, forgoing the big box supermarkets for a place where food is not so much a commodity, but someone’s life work. This is reflected in the stand names: Guinta’s Meats, Beiler’s Bakery, Bassetts Ice Cream. These names weren’t picked because their owners lacked originality, but rather as a sign of the shopkeepers’ pride in the foods they grow, raise, prepare and sell. For many Philadelphians, the trip to Reading Terminal has become an essential part of the Thanksgiving holiday—a reminder that preparing and sharing food with loved ones is a sacred experience. Hopefully this year will initiate a few young family members into that tradition—one that’s existed since the Market opened in 1893 and, if they’re lucky, includes a dish of Bassetts ice cream. michael holahan founded the Pennsylvania General Store with his wife Julie Holahan in 1987. The store sells locally made foods and crafts. Visit them at the Reading Terminal Market or online at pageneralstore.com il lustration by andy hood

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November 15 Sea Level Rise Along the Atlantic Coast of the U.S. Dr. Benjamin Horton for more info visit www.upenn.edu/mes