Insider September 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

the

INSIDER september 2013

created by the swarthmore food cooperative

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside you said it, page 3 recipe 101, page 6

fried chicken

how to, page 9 whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new, page 15 september specials, page 17

friday Every friday

starting at 2 pm wellness wednesday every wednesday from

11 AM - 2 PM

features techyfood page, 7 it starts on a farm, page 10

you said it e Co-op, r o m h t r a w To the S the 5 cent e e s o t d la I am g shoppers ll A . e g r a h bag c ng their i g n i r b t r a t need to s own bags! ! Thank you

o-op, C e r o m h t r a To the Sw per bags a p e r o m g in I am buy t I am not u b , s le d n a h with Please con. it t u o b a y p hap paper bags. e id v o r p o t e tinu

Marc, Sharing power and encourag ing creativity in the staff is surely the foundation for a successful and continually growing co-op an d for happiness and a good vibe all aroundâ&#x20AC;Śthan k you for sharing this. I have seen the co-op change for the better under your leadership and I hear the sa me from my friends. When I count my blessings, having a place so close to home where I can get real foo d, local food and products which indicate conscio usness is at work, is truly one of the blessings I note. I used to have to split my shopping between the co-op and Martindaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, but as of late, I am visiting Mar tindaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much less frequently as most of my need s are met by the co-op. Blessings, Suchitra

Thanks. As a small store, we need to be mindful of our decisions. When the price of paper bags tripled in cost, we could no longer provide them to shoppers free of charge. Instead of getting rid of them entirely, we have decided to charge 5 cents for each bag. While these bags are available to you, we encourage you to carry a reusable bag to reduce our paper costs financially and environmentally.

recipe 101

Anthony’s

“you’ll eat too much lasagna”

lasagna

what you need

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (uncased) 3/4 pound lean ground beef 1/2 cup minced onion 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 12 lasagna noodles 16 ounces ricotta cheese 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced 3/4 cup grated Locatelli cheese

Sept

what to do

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To assemble, spread 1.5 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spread 1.5 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Locatelli cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Locatelli cheese. Cover with foil (slightly tented) to prevent sticking. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Swarthmore Co-op Quizzo

Join us for First Friday on the patio (weather permitting) for Quizzo! All ages are welcome to play but you must be 21+ to BYOB. Game starts at 8 PM. View our full events calendar at www.swarthmore.coop

techyfood

Technology and food can seem like oil and water – they just don’t mix. With the controversies over GMOs (genetically modified organisms), industrialized agriculture, and the recent introduction of “schmeat”, it’s hard to imagine that a mix of technology and food will project benefits on our health, our communities, and our environment. But, like many industries, the introduction of new mobile apps are changing how we react within the food industry.

Leftover Swap, to be released this fall, focuses on decreasing the amount of food that goes to waste by allowing users to swap leftovers. Grist, an online environmental news outlet, has described it as digital dumpster diving as users are encouraged to post a photo of their leftovers while others use a GPS tracking system to claim their new dinner. While some skeptics doubt the success of the app due to the lack of iPhones in the hands of the homeless or less fortunate, co-founders, Dan Newman and Bryan Summersett, have the numbers to prove the amount of waste estimated to be reduced.

Below Leftover Swap uses GPS tracking and projects a decrease in food waste and fossil fuel use. The following page displays the information received when scanning a product using Buycott.

Buycott is a mobile app that “helps organize your consumer spending to help causes that you care for, and to oppose those that you don’t.” Consumers are instructed to scan the bar code of a product to review details about the product they may not have known from reading the label, such as the parent companies of the product and how the product relates to your “campaigns,” or consumer generated goals consisting of a list of companies to support or boycott based on personal moral. For example, some campaigns focus on GMO labeling, factory farming, even beer. While this app may prolong your shopping trip, it encourages users to research and define what they believe is right and wrong. Buycott brings transparency to a new level providing its user with in depth research instantaneously. With generations growing more and more reliant on technology, innovative mobile apps are bound to increase, placing relevant information at the tips of our fingers. Those who haven’t adapted to the green movement are soon to be outnumbered as more and more consumers, and now technology, are forcing sustainability into our culture.

how to

save calories

Dining Out

Dining out is a great way to catch up with families and explore new cuisine – not

to mention, it gives us a night off from slaving over the stove. But, there is also the downside to dining out, the extra calories packed into most entrees. These tips are sure to save you calories without missing out on all the benefits of eating out.

research Taking a peek at the menu can sway your decision to eat at one restaurant versus another based on what they offer. While the BBQ steakhouse may sound tempting, if you’re trying to cut down on calories it’s probably not the best choice. Remember to think about what you want to eat before you start your research too – sometimes indulging in a 1/2 pound hamburger will be the only thing to keep you from gorging on midnight snacks later on.

learn the lingo This is key when deciding between menu items. Avoid words like creamy, crispy, and fried (deep-, stir-, pan-, ANY kind of fried really). Even words like homemade can mean that it’s packing on a lot of butter, sugar, and oil. Stick with menu items that are described as grilled, broiled, poached, roasted, or baked. These items generally are more than half the calories of others.

small plates

Find your inner Spaniard and opt for tapasinspired items. Choose a bunch of appetizers to share or split an entrée. Not only does this save you calories, but you are able to sample a variety of what the restaurant has to offer.

skip the bread

Eating bread before a meal is like going to a concert but only staying for the first act. Do not eat the bread! If you must have a piece of bread (sometimes it’s just too hard to resist), have one. Save your calories and taste buds for something you actually want (ahem, that pricey grilled halibut you just ordered).

stay conscious

It’s been proven that we eat more when we’re not paying attention. Don’t slip into zombie mode - make sure you are aware of what you’re eating but also how much. Savor every last bite!

Merrymead Farm it starts on a farm written by Anthony Saufley The challenge of bringing milk to consumers is a series of obstacles

and timing. 2011 statistics from the Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) show us that the US is leading in both total milk production and milk yield per cow. This can clearly be shown statistically - an average US cow producing 40 times that of an average cow in Tanzania (9678 kg/year and 239 kg/year respectively).1 That huge variation in production is due in large part to Bovine somatotropin (rBST). Four large pharmaceutical companies, Monsanto, American Cyanamid, Eli Lilly, and Upjohn, developed commercial rBST products and submitted them to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. In 1993, the product was approved for use in the U.S. by the FDA, and its use

contains hormones and cannot be produced in such a way that it would not contain any hormones. “Safe” or not, at the Swarthmore Co-op, we do not allow milk from cows that have been treated with rBST. We prefer to lean toward the side of caution and want our food to be simply that, food - no added hormones, antibiotics or drugs. Which brings us back to the challenge of bringing milk to consumers. When national milk providers, like Dean Foods, are in the process of finding milk for their enormous market share of consumers, many times they are not concerned with how the milk is produced or where. They simply want as began (under the name Posi- man consumption, and no much as they can get. lac) in 1994 (In October 2008, statistically significant difTo be fair, however, of the two Monsanto sold this business, ference exists between milk in full, to Eli Lilly and Comderived from rBST-treated and hundred farms that contribute their milk to the combinapany for $300 million plus non-rBST-treated cows.2 In tion that becomes Lehigh Valadditional consideration). The 1990, an independent panel ley’s product, none of them product is now sold in all 50 convened by the National states. Even though the U.S. Institute of Health supported use rBST, or other hormones, FDA approved Monsanto’s the FDA opinion that milk application in 1993, rBST has and meat from cows supplebeen immersed in controversy mented with rBST is safe since the early 1980s. Part of for human consump3 the controversy concerns over tion. The FDA does not require special labels for potential effects on animal products produced from health. cows given rBST but has charged several dairies The FDA stated that food with “misbranding” its products made from rBST milk as having no hortreated cows are safe for humones, because all milk

fried chicken

friday Every friday

starting at 2 pm

French Bistro Pop Up

Celebrate the last few days of summer with our French Bistro Pop Up on the patio (weather permitting). Starting at 5:30, enjoy a French inspired, pay-as-you-go menu, suitable for all ages. Don’t forget to BYOB. View our full events calendar at www.swarthmore.coop

Sept

drugs and antibiotics. Or at least that’s what the label states. But even if it is true, we would rather receive milk from a farm that we know, that we have visited and observed in every aspect of their production process than one that concocts a milk cocktail with little to no transparency in its process. This is where Merrymead comes into sight. Living in this area, we are fortunate enough to have one of very few small farm milk producers that are able to distribute its product throughout the region without combining its milk with other products or using added drugs, hormones or antibiotics. To us, this is more important than the ease of ordering the product, than the beautiful labels, than the recognition of a brand and than the price. Another area where we are fortunate is that we are able to get Merrymead’s milk at a cost that is within pennies of the product we receive from the larger distributors, which means, we can sell it for exactly the same price.

A Sustainable Method & Transparent Practices

Registered Holstein cows supply the National Quality Award Winning Milk - which is processed, packaged and sold on the premises, along with buttermilk, heavy cream, and half & half. Merrymead cows are fed a balanced diet of grass, hay, corn, and soybeans. They are pastured in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The cows are not injected with the rBST hormone and are antibiotic free. They are housed in a free stall barn where they are free to roam.

Farm Truck Philly

Seasonal Menu, Local Ingredients, Unique Taste www.farmtruckphilly.com

‘ friday-sunday

Do you want to see where your milk comes from? The farm and farm market are open to visitors year round. You can observe our cows being milked daily from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM.

BBQ

Saturday every saturday from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

The Merrymead tour guide will introduce you to thier cows and a variety of other farm animals. You will see how the cows are milked, what they eat, and where they sleep at night. Learn what kinds of food you enjoy on a daily basis because of milk. From your seat on their tour wagon, you will see fields and pastures where food is grown and cows graze, along with the farm’s tractors and other machinery. The tour concludes with an award winning ice cream cone and a souvenir to take home.

It’s this level of openness, honesty and transparency that we have found to be lacking in many dairy producers in the region and especially throughout the United States. Merrymead is one of a select few milk producers that grows feed for their cows on the farm, allows the cows to roam freely, controls feeding times (cows are not milked for four hours after feeding to ensure that the taste of their milk is not altered by what they ate), milks, processes and distributes all by their own devices. Most farms in the nation will purchase feed and attempt to produce the maximum amount of milk possible with the sole objective of meeting a specific quota for the larger distributer to which they are contracted. Merrymead’s milk is produces based on quality, not volume.

Udder to Mouth

A level of commitment to their process (one which they have maintained for 100 years) has allowed Merrymead to be able to produce, bottle and distribute some of the freshest milk in the country. Milk from Merrymead is on the shelves of stores and restaurants less than 24 hours from the time that it has been milked from their cows. One of the key aspects of this fast turn around is that the philosophy of their farm starts with cleanliness. They are consistently rated among the cleanest farms in the county. When there is a base level of quality that surpasses the levels created by the governing bodies that control milk distribution, it allows for the process to be streamlined, faster and more efficient. They surpass the quality regulations established nationally and even take things a bit

further. Most dairy producers will skim their whole milk to the 3.25% minimum butterfat content required by the USDA, but Merrymead does not skim its whole milk. You will taste a difference in their whole milk because is it produced and delivered as nature intended. They separate their processes of produces whipping creams, butters and other creams from the process of producing milk. The skimming that other milk processors do on their whole milk allows them to increase the production of their other dairy products by using the butterfat from their “whole” milk, which creates a USDA regulated product, but not necessarily the most delicious one. Of all the mill producers in the US, Merrymead is the only farm that gets milk from its own cows that places in the top 10 in the

Sept

judy wicks discussion & book signing

Join Judy wicks at the borough hall at 10 AM for a short reading from her newest book, Good Morning Beautiful Business, and discussion, followed by a book signing at the co-op from 10:30 1:00 PM. Good Morning Beautiful Business will be available at the Co-op for purchase. View our full events calendar at www.swarthmore.coop

United States for milk quality. It Merrymead is located and hosts tours every Wednesday. is for this reason that you will For tour information visit, www.merrymead.com hear them declare their milk as the “best quality milk in the US.” Somatic cell count (SCC) is an indicator of the quality of milk. White blood cells, known as leukocytes, constitute the majority of somatic cells in question. The number of somatic cells increases in response to pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus. The methods of determining Grade A milk quality are well established, and are based on the somatic cell count and the bacteria plate count. Generally, a lower somatic cell count indicates better animal health, while the bacteria plate count indicates improved equipment sanitation. Without going into too many details, there are defined codes that are administered in order to controll the standard by which Grade A milk will be governed. These levels are classified as “acceptable” by State and Federal legislation. While it may be true that many products in the US are subject to similar standards and guidelines, one of the things that we do at the Co-op

PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM® offers Swathmore Co-Op’s members a special discount!

8 Visit https://tickets.pleasetouchmuseum.org and enter store name: Swarthmore Receive $2.50 off every General Admission ticket to PTM! Discount valid online only.

is to source and deliver products that exceed such legislation. Merrymead Farm milk is one of these products. Being awarded as top 10 quality in the entire US and being so close that we can take a farm tour and still make it home for dinner is a privilege that seems almost too good to be true.

An Award Winning Century Farm

Merrymead is a family owned and operated working dairy farm and farm market, located in Worcester Township at the heart of Montgomery County.Merrymead is one of Pennsylvania’s Century Farms and has been in the same family (the Rothenbergers) for over 100 years. Merrymead has been awarded the State DHIA quality milk award every year since 2001 and have also received the platinum dairy quality award based on milk measures, protocols, and safeguards. The Platinum Award is distributed by the National Mastitis Council, a leading organization on milk quality in the United States.

It Starts On A Farm & It Has A Place In Your Co-op

We would love to continue to wax poetic on all of the amazing things we have learned about Merrymead Farm and their milk, but we’re sure that eventually you will simply stop reading. We believe that Merrymead is the best milk producer in the nation and that you will taste the difference. We continually search for the best products for you and your family. We did not bring Merrymead to the Co-op in an effort to be “different” or “niche”. Merrymead is a prime example of what it means to be Co-op Certified, and it cost the exact same amount as the milk we have carried at the Co-op for years. When you try it and we hope you love it as much as we do. References 1FAO.org; 2FDA.gov, Report on the Food and Drug Administration’s Review of the Safety of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin; 3FDA.gov, Report on the Food and Drug Administration’s Review of the Safety of Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin

what’s new merrymead milk | $4.99 gallon find me in the dairy aisle burlap totes | $9.99 - $11.99 find me at customer service reusable water bottles | $9.99 find me at customer service Dry sodas 6 packs| $5.99 find me in aisle 3