September 2008
7 posts
Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute →
The ARSI has declared September to be National Rutabaga month. There is some fascinating information about this misunderstood Brassica at their website, in addition to a smear campaign against “lowly alternatives” turnips, potatoes and pumpkins. Some vegetables take things so personally.
Plum Jalapeño Jam
Conventional California growers are tearing up and burning/chipping/shredding 1000’s of acres of stonefruit orchards this year. There are more profitable ways to use the land, says they, and frankly, they have too many dang plums. So I says, For Shame! Maybe if they knew about this jam, things would be different:
For Five Cups of Jam:
Take out stems and seeds of 1dz jalapeños. Juice...
We'll Find It
A man called a few days ago in search of the elusive white-skinned rhubarb. I made some calls. A lot of calls. Finally, Rob Montgomery of Rob’s Natural Produce informed me I was on a wild Rhub chase, as Butte County was just too dang hot for the almost-vegetable. Hmm. The vegetable plot thickened, as a store employee informed me that she had rhubarb growing in her yard. Just the red...
Local or Organic? Both!
Several months ago, a local journalist asked me whether I thought it was more important that food be local or that food be organic. If you shop at the store, you know that we take pride in all the work we do to make both organic AND local produce available.
Currently, everything but the young Thai coconuts are certified organic or grown by local uncertified farmers without the use of pesticides,...
August 2008
4 posts
What's a Scallion?
This question has been asked many times during the last couple weeks. Maybe there is a rush for end of summer dinner parties. Maybe it’s because this is peak season for scallions in California, the largest producer of green onions in the country, and word is getting out. Maybe something else. In any case, I already gave it away. A scallion IS a green onion. Here’s what wiki has...
Chipotle Salsa
Chipotle is a favorite flavor of mine. For some reason, I didn’t bother to find out what it actually is until I had the opportunity to do some chile pepper research for a customer recently. Chipotle comes from roasted red jalapeno peppers. Yep, that’s it. Bell peppers are in season, abundant and relatively cheap. Chile peppers are just a couple weeks away. So I have been roasting...
July 2008
5 posts
Junkfood Science →
Some Things to Digest
This recipe is dedicated to the first chapter of Kalle Lasn’s “Culture Jam.” Inside he quotes the snippet of Buddhist wisdom mentioned above. It seemed appropriate. The abundant summer harvests are pouring in, but the time and length of lunch breaks remain the same. This salad was worth waiting for.
1 Local Poonakheera cuke, sliced in medallions
1 Large, warm tomato cut...
The Splendid Table: Locavores →
15 Participants from across the country with the goal of eating 80% of their food from organic, local sources. So far, half the participants report spending less money on food than before, 5 say they spend the same. You can listen to and read their stories, check out the results of the research and find some great recipes and tips for good eating at the link above.
We are currently stocking...
May 2008
4 posts
Chef Ramsay Gives Local Produce A Celebrity... →
Free Chico Composting Workshops →
"Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has...
That’s Professor Charles Xavier from the X-Men speaking about Cheddar Cauliflower. I mean, he doesn’t appear to be referring to Cheddar Cauliflower at the particular moment, but that guy has a lot going on we don’t understand. Considering the power and tastiness of Cheddar Cauliflower, I wouldn’t be surprised. For information on nutrition (25x the vitamin A of white...
Healthy Soil Structure = Healthy Soil
by CNF Board Member Judith Podolske: Healthy soil, the top few inches of earth, is actually a “living environment” with a physical structure. In addition to growing plant roots with their millions of tiny to microscopic root hairs, the soil is teeming with billions of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, and fungi that help to break down and dissolve inorganic minerals and decaying...
April 2008
2 posts
"Cruciferous Veg Again Linked to Bladder Cancer...
Cruciferous vegetables, also called Brassicas, include Arugula, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Watercress, Bok Choy, Turnips and Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Mizuna, Rutabaga, Napa Cabbage, Daikon, Horseradish, Radish, Kohlrabi and Kale. Another recent study shows how eating your greens can help keep you healthy. It is one of the first studies to...
Last of the Zespris?
Not sure how we missed this bit of news: apparently the Kiwifruit was rebranded “the zespri” by New Zealand Kiwi-er-‘Zespri’ growers in 1996. “Kiwi” was originally a marketing strategy anyway, to boost sales to New Zealanders (also called Kiwis…) after a few of the woody vines were brought back from China by a teacher named Isabel Fraser. In China, the...
March 2008
6 posts
MACSAC →
Link to the homepage of that book I keep bringing up, and will keep bringing up in the future. Some very tasty info about local growing, eating and cooking, from 1000 miles away.
Sunchokes
This vegetable is a root tuber of a sunflower native to North America. Indigenous people introduced them to colonists who found them a staple during this ‘six weeks want’ period between the last of winter’s food stores and the first harvest of the season. They have a texture similar to potatoes, but are sweet and nutty. They are very versatile. You can cook them or eat them...
Some Produce News
I’ve been getting regular questions about asparagus since we stopped carrying it several months ago. Well, the wait is over. It is now asparagus season. Just barely. We are currently getting it from Mexico, near the California border, and its seasonal production will move north as we move further into Spring. April is the peak month for asparagus in California. The sooner you use...
"Friends of the Earth Intl." Jan 2008 Report on GM... →
Urban Garden Inspiration from Portland →
Novel and effective urban agriculture enterprise. (En*ter*prise: n. boldness or readiness in undertaking; adventurous spirit; ingenuity)
February 2008
9 posts
Sunday's Elaborate Salad
There is some evidence, but so far no theory, to support that this salad has potent mood-enhancing effects. In any case, it’s tasty. Olive Oil Salt and Pepper Balsalmic Vinegar 1 Large, Firm Cucumber 2 Carrots 1 Poblano Pepper 1 Medium Red Onion 3 Small Haas Avocados 2 Very Ripe Kiwi Fruit Drizzle olive oil in nine circles around the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add several generous shakes...
Overheard in the Produce Aisle...
The Producers: Hey, Prostate Gland, finally, some news is good news!
Prostate Gland: Oh, what? More meds? New and amazing types of cancer cells for me to worry about?
TP: Oh, stop horMOANING. Check out this webpage: "http://ur.rutgers.edu/focus/article/Curry,%20broccoli%20may%20halt%20prostate%20cancer/1729/" for an article from Rutgers about how combining TURMERIC with CAULIFLOWER and other vegetables may be able to REVERSE prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States.
PG: It can REVERSE the growth of cancer cells? That IS ex-cyting!
ChicoEco.org →
A new and exceptional site for local resources on sustainable living, ideas from the community, and a calendar of events.
Black Spanish Radish
I encourage you to try this radish while we still have it. Sure, it’s handsome, but it also is a great health-aid. We’re currently carrying it as a result of a local nurse’s special order. She uses it in treating patients’ kidney stones. The Black Spanish Radish is also, like the others of its family, an especially effective liver-aid, which helps maintain healthy...
“Romanesco. That’s what I love about our produce department. And the...”
– Aww. Unsolicited words from MOD Rebecca
Why We Looooove Texas
The grapefruit, of course. Southern Texas is in the news this February, National Grapefruit Month, for its unique varieties of those citrus studs, especially the Rio Starr. You didn’t know it was National Grapefruit Month??? Thankfully, there’s still a little time to celebrate. : ) The produce section is loaded with new, fresh and local citrus right now, and it seems like more...
Salutations
Welcome to the new Chico Natural Foods Co-op produce blog. We’ll be updating regularly with staff recipes, interesting web-bits and information on produce items in the store. Check back regularly please! We welcome any and all input. Email Lauren here: Lodie012 (at) aol (dot) com to get in touch.
