Idealism at Work 4 Food Conspiracy Co-op Recipe ...Recipe: Horseradish Deviled Eggs 4 DIY Cheeses 5...

May 2009 • Food Conspiracy Co-op — Community News •

Food Conspiracy Co-op412 N. Fourth Ave. • Tucson, AZ 85705

Index:May 2009 Volume 38 • Number 5

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PAIDTucson, AZ

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Community News since 1971

Food Conspiracy Co-opCommunity News

G enerally Speaking

A

cont. on p. 11

by Ben Kuzma,General Manager

Take theChicken Toursee page 2

cont. on p. 3

Idealism at Work 4

Recipe: Horseradish Deviled Eggs 4

DIY Cheeses 5

Gluten-Free Foods 8

Heirloom Corn Solutions 9

Fire Up the Grill 9

Huge Skincare Sale - All MonthMany items on sale 25 to 40% OFF. See page 2 for details.

1. HR 875: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 20092. HR 759: The Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 20093. HR 1332: Safe FEAST Act of 2009

The blogosphere has sounded the alarm warning that Congress and agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation that will force organic and local farms, and even home gardeners, out of business. What are the threats and opportunities, and how should we gear up to communicate with our congressional representatives?

There is no question that our increasingly industrialized and concentrated food production system needs a new regulatory focus. Contamination of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts and other foods are an indictment of a food safety system that is out of control and has become dominated by corporate agribusiness and powerful insider lob-byists. Regulators at the FDA, USDA and other agencies have fallen short in their public safety responsibilities.

The public outcry over this situation has fi nally led some in Congress to propose remedies—and we should support strict oversight of the runaway industrial farming and food production system that is responsible for illnesses and deaths among our citizenry.

Although stakeholders in the organic community need to be on guard, the fl urry of emails and Internet postings suggesting that

HR 875 will end organic farming as we know it seem to grossly exaggerate the risks. Here’s what we know:

Some level of reform is coming and we must work diligently to make sure that any changes do not harm or competitively disadvantage organic and local family farm producers and processors who are provid-ing the fresh, wholesome and authentic food for which consumers are increasingly hungry.

Several bills aimed at fi xing the broken food safety system have been proposed. Of these bills, the FDA Globalization Act (www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-759” HR 759) appears most likely to be voted on, with elements of the other bills, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-875” HR 875) and the Safe FEAST Act (www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-1332” HR 1332) possibly incorporated into the bill.

A vote on a fi nal bill shortly before Memorial Day is likely. All three bills would require new food safety rules for farms and

food processing businesses. Therefore, as with most legislation, the real battle will be in the rule-making process that follows the passage of the bill. We must stay engaged.

Anyone with an interest in food safety issues has probably seen or received emails charging that backyard gardens and organic farming

t the beginning of April, a couple of tourists commented to me

while shopping at the Co-op that it was snowing that very day in their home town in upstate New York. As they went out the door with a large bag of locally grown grapefruit, their expressions were typical of Tucson snowbirds when it’s 90 degrees here and freez-ing cold back home. No doubt the availability of local citrus added to their delight.

Thinking about the weather caused me to feel a sense of dread—it would be at least six months before we were likely to see cool-ing weather again—until I gradually began to picture the local peaches hanging on trees. Right now, these peaches are about the size of the pits of grownup peaches, but we are rapidly approaching one of my favorite times of year: fresh peach season. As much as I love the local Minneolas currently available, I’m more than ready for those emerging seasonal stars, the local peaches.

Everyone has their favorite seasonal produce which often depends on where we live or have lived. For me peaches are the patricians of spring in much the same way that watermelons and corn on the cob defi ne summer, persimmons are the darlings of fall and chestnuts are the class act that graces winter. These don’t all grow here in Tucson, but they have all been local products in places I have lived. The growing season of

From The Cornucopia Institute, www.cornucopia.org

Supporting Viable Federal Oversight over Corporate Agribusiness

Local/Organic Farming:Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!

• Food Conspiracy Co-op — Community News • May 2009

Articles about health or nutrition are for infor-mational purposes only. We recommend that you consult a health care professional for medical advice. Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers and not necessarily the views or policies of Food Conspiracy.

Submissions to the Food Conspiracy Co-op Community News newsletter are encouraged and due by the 5th of the month prior to publication date. All unsolicited material—in-cluding letters—is subject to approval. Written submissions by e-mail are preferred; typewritten acceptable.

Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must be signed and include a phone number for author verifi cation. We will withhold name if requested. Editor reserves the right to edit for grammatical errors, clarity, and length. Keep letters to a reasonable length of 300 words or less.

Co-op/Community Calendar highlights events and meetings of interest to the Co-op membership. If you or your group would like to be considered for inclusion in the Calendar, please submit all information about your event, including contact name and phone number, to the Co-op Community Calendar Editor, c/o the Co-op. If you would like details about Co-op events, call 624-4821.

UnClassifi ed Ads—Non-commercial ads of 50 words or less from Co-op members are free. Free ads include personal messages, personal items for sale, lost & found, notices, and miscel-laneous wanted. Limit one free ad per month. Free ads to run more than one month must be resubmitted. UnClassifi eds that do not meet the standards for a free ad are charged 40 cents per word. Full payment for ads must accompany the order. Ads for instruction and services offered for a fee are not free.

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Copyright © 2009 by Food ConspiracyCo-op. Articles/art may be reprinted only with

prior permission of the author/artist.

Statement of Cooperative IdentityA cooperative is an autonomous association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspira-tions through a jointly owned and democrati-cally controlled enterprise.

Food Conspiracy Values1. We adhere to the internationally recognized Rochdale Principles.2. We promote whole, natural, organic, and chemical-free products with minimal packaging.3. We value openness, honesty, and integrity with each other and the community.4. We seek, through cooperative effort, to pro-vide a humane, fulfi lling environment in which to work and shop.5. We promote social justice, encouraging and respecting diversity.6. We strive for a sustainable, healthy ecology, through use of clean, renewable resources.

Co-op PrinciplesCo-op principles were first stated by the Rochdale pioneers in 1844. The cooperative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice.1. Voluntary and open member-ownership.2. Democratic member-owner control.3. Member-owner economic participation.4. Autonomy and independence.5. Education, training, and information.6. Cooperation among cooperatives.7. Concern for community.

Co-op Management TeamGeneral Manager: Ben Kuzma

Finance: Jeanene GrahamOutreach: Torey Ligon

Front End: Cynthia TaylorDeli: Kelley Kriner

Grocery: Steven SpencerProduce: Todd Stadtlander

Board of DirectorsMelita Quance, President — [email protected] Wilk, Vice President

— [email protected] Siegel, Treasurer

— [email protected] Milan, Secretary

— [email protected] Sicurello

— [email protected] Joyce Liska

— [email protected] Rita Weatherholt

— [email protected] Williams, staff representative

Food Conspiracy Board of Directors meets the fi rst Wednesday of the month, 6:30-9 p.m., at the Quaker Meeting House, 931 North Fifth Avenue. Member-Owners are welcome.

Food ConspiracyCo-op

Member-Owned Since 1971

Store Hours:Open Daily 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Food ConspiracyCooperative

412 N. 4th Ave., Tucson, AZ 85705Tel: 520-624-4821 • Fax: 520-792-2703

E-mail: [email protected]://www.foodconspiracy.coop

Food Conspiracy Co-op Community News

Editor: Lisa StageManaging Editor: Torey Ligon [email protected]

Art Director: Bettina Mills

Contributors: Robin Asbell, de Vie,Ben Kuzma, Anna Lambert,George Milan, Torey Ligon

Next Deadline: May 5th

C OMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

C

FOOD CONSPIRACY

CO-OP

by Torey Ligon,Outreach Coordinator

o-ops have long been known for their support of farmers. Long before “local” became a word that anybody considered in their food choices, co-ops were buying from area growers. Usually, that purchasing was done without fanfare or ceremony and for many years, the only way a customer would have known

an item was local was to talk to the produce buyer about where it came from. Labeling local food was sometimes even a liability as customers came to demand food that was uniform in size and blemish free. In spite of this, local food was still sought out and tucked in amongst all the California grown veggies and many consumers never even knew they were eating food grown down the road. This was a story that played out at co-ops around the country.

These days, thankfully, much has changed. Many consumers seek out local food as a priority on their shopping lists. Labels listing where food comes from have become a huge selling point for local items and many consumers demand information to accompany the nutrition that their food is intended to deliver.

Although demand for local food has come a long way, this is still a new and relatively undefi ned movement. Because of this, consumers must be on the watch for “green washing” of products and make sure that things that are labeled as local really are. This can mean reading stickers at the grocery store, asking questions of your produce buyer and talking to vendors at the farmer’s market to be sure that items really were grown here in Southern Arizona. Yes, there are wholesalers at many area farmer’s markets selling produce from Mexico (and not within-a-hundred-miles-of-the-border, Mexico). Often, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

The relative youth of the local food movement also means that there is room for many individuals and organizations to step up and help usher this movement forward. Here at the Co-op, we’re looking for ways to do this. One thing we’ve been promoting is the concept of growing one’s own as the ultimate source of local food. To do this, we’ve been offering free gardening workshops (see the ad on page 5 for upcoming workshops), local farm tours, and we’ve got a new event coming up on May 23rd called the City Chickens Coop Tour, designed to promote backyard chicken keeping for fresh local eggs. We’ve also started a small garden at the Co-op which we hope will be a great teaching tool and source for local veggies in the future (right now, we are still in the process of building our soil).

In addition to gardening, we’ve been promoting awareness of local eating through our annual Eat Local Challenges which have helped bring attention to the many local items at the Co-op. After the last Eat Local Challenge in September, however, we realized that what we really need here in Southern Arizona are more local growers. To this end, recently, our Co-op has taken on a new role of helping to develop new local farmers.

In the past, we’ve made a point of buying as much local produce as we could get our hands on, but we’ve never really gone out of our way to support start-up farmers in the area. This spring, things are changing. Recently, our produce manager Todd handed over his respon-sibilities for ordering from distributors to produce employee Sarah. This will free up Todd’s schedule to focus more of his attention on building stronger relationships with his existing local growers, cultivating new relationships with local gardeners who don’t currently sell at the co-op, and helping to develop new start-up farms by offering guidance and purchasing guarantees to up-and-coming desert farmers. In April, Todd went out to visit several of our existing local growers at their farms and he brought produce employees with him to help out on the farms for a few hours (a few grocery employees tagged along on one of the visits as well). Todd’s goal is for all produce employees to have a connection to each of our local farmers. Over the past several weeks, our produce racks have been full of local offerings from these very farms that the produce department has been visiting.

The Co-op’s produce department is making a big effort to step up our commitment to local growers. It is no longer enough to simply sell local products. Now, our Co-op is looking to become a major support system for our network of local growers and take this local food movement to a new level. For this, I am very proud to be a co-op member.

The End


The End

A pril 2009Board Report

by George Milan,Board Secretary

H ow can the Food Conspiracy be-come a role model for sustainable

business practices in our community? This is a question that was asked of Food

Conspiracy owners that attended our annual meeting in March. The top 5 priorities from the owners were:

1. A Cooperative Business Model2. Building Community3. Affordability4. Fair Trade, Organic and Locally Produced Products5. Greening the Food Conspiracy.

The discussions of these priorities by small groups were an inspired moment. The effect cooperatives can have is truly amazing.

Here are some of the brainstorming ideas from the groups:Cooperative Business Model• Management as mature leadership model• Alternative to capitalism (cooperation as more sustainable business model)• Publicize the cooperative principles• Roundtable or lecture series

Building Community• A presence at and support of community events (ex: Peace Fair, Solar Potluck)• School Connections (speaker bureau with topics like fair trade, organic…)• Sponsor school events• Student fi eld trips to the Food Conspiracy• Bring together different organizations. (Fair Trade Coalition)• Sponsor or participate in conversation cafes

Affordability (of FC Products in the store)• Local farming linkage so people can pick their own produce• Grow business to get more favorable rates from vendors

• Help to start a community garden and make products available to low-income

Fair Trade and Locally grown and Produced Products• Community Garden• Local Fair – Local Market—Local Businesses, Products “Get Local Tucson” • Not just Produce inventory• Board + Staff with Co-op—Education— classes, City and County Networking

Greening the Food Conspiracy• Community Garden• Newsletter—Information exchange, local banks, drug stores, compounds• Composting• Recycle what Tucson doesn’t (realistic recycling…are we really recycling?)• All service equipment up to date (use less energy)• Natural ventilation/air conditioning

At our April Board meeting we had a discussion on How to Spread Cooperative Values. All the above topics involve some aspect of cooperative values. How do we continue this discussion? How do we help people get involved in participating in the projects that come from these discussions? What is next? Please give us your feedback at [email protected]

Cooperation is a sustainable business model. We are guided by the cooperative principles:1. Voluntary and open membership2. Democratic and member-owned control3. Member-owner economic participation4. Autonomy and independence5. Education, training and information6. Cooperation among cooperatives7. Concern for community

would be outlawed by new food safety laws. We have closely read the proposed legislation, done extensive background research, and talked with the chief staff member responsible for the drafting of HR 875. Some have argued that this is a conspiracy promulgated by Monsanto and other corporate interests in conventional agriculture. It is our conclusion that none of these bills would “outlaw organic farming.” Other groups, such as Food and Water Watch and the organic certifi cation agent CCOF have reached similar conclusions. But as we just noted, we need to be engaged in this process to protect organic and family farmer interests.

Also, concerns have been raised that these new laws don’t examine meat safety concerns. The USDA is responsible for much of the nation’s meat safety regula-tions. It does not appear that Congress, at this time, is prepared to address defi ciencies involving meat.

HR 759, authored by John Dingell (D-MI), the House’s most senior member, is the bill that will be given priority by the House as they weigh food safety legislation. It proposes that all food processing facilities register with the FDA and pay annual fees, evaluate hazards and implement preventive controls of these hazards, monitor these controls and keep extensive records.

HR 759 would give authority to the FDA to establish “science-based” minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. These food safety standards would address manure use, water quality, employee hy-giene, sanitation and animal control, temperature controls, and nutrients on the farm.

Such one-size-fits-all food safety rules, especially preventative measures, created with industrial-scale farms and processors in mind, would likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage. A similar voluntary set of regulations in California have damaged the environment and hurt organic and fresh produce growers.

These high-quality, owner-operated, and often “local” farms are an important part of the solution to our nation’s food quality problems—not the cause—and they must be protected!

It should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are already highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other re-quirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk. Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutri-tious foods pose a risk only after they are contaminated, which is why new food safety legislation must address the underlying causes of food safety hazards.

Whatever the fi nal legislation looks like, it must make clear that it is the intent of Congress to ensure that ensuing regulations will not dis-proportionately burden small-scale family farm producers and farmstead businesses that are the backbone of the local, sustainable and organic food movement.

Part of the Solution,Not Part of the Problem!

We must tell Congress to protect high quality organic and local food production.

Please contact the following representatives to urge them to support legislation that will pro-tect organic and small-scale family farmers while strengthening food safety:

• Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce—send a message through the Committee website at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/ • John Dingell (D-MI), the sponsor of HR759 • Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the sponsor of HR 875 • Jim Costa (D-CA), the sponsor of HR 1332

• Your own district’s representative, especially if he or she is a cosponsor of one of the food safety bills (see below for a list of cosponsors)

Tell them other elements that must be included in new food safety legislation include:

1. A thorough analysis of the underlying causes of food safety hazards. HR 759 proposes to regulate only fresh fruit and vegetable growers, setting minimum standards without requiring a thorough evaluation of the underlying causes of food safety hazards.

However, HR 875 requires “identifying and evaluating the sources of potentially hazardous contamination or practices extending from the farm or ranch to the consumer that may increase the risk of food-borne illness.” Such an analysis could potentially identify aspects of industrialized/centralized agriculture and food processing as seri-ous health threats.

2. HR 759 should establish categories for food (processing) facilities to ensure that smaller businesses are not disadvantaged by one-size-fi ts-all registration fees.

3. The fi nal bill should also determine cat-egories for “food production facilities”(farms)—based on level of risk. These categories should differentiate between farms based on criteria including size and organic certifi cation. A certifi ed small-scale organic farm, as an example, selling its produce in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model or through farmers markets or road-side stands should be regulated differently from a large-scale, conventional farm selling commodities to a national market.

4. Also, some small-scale farmers, includ-ing members of the Amish community, will fi nd mandatory electronic record keeping requirements onerous and should be able to access alternatives, or be exempted due to scale.

5. At least one other separate piece of leg-islation, HR 814, would require a mandatory animal identifi cation system (NAIS). Since the majority of all food contamination problems have emanated from processing, distribution, retailing, and food service, there is limited util-ity in requiring agricultural producers to go to the great expense of tracking each individual animal (any value from the system would mostly be applicable to animal health concerns, not human health). Since NAIS has caused a mael-strom of controversy in the farming community, Congress should debate this issue separately to avoid stalling the progress of critical food safety legislation.

6. Most importantly, the fi nal bill needs to state clearly that food safety regulations should not interfere with any farmer’s ability to follow and comply with the regulations of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organic farmers are already audited and inspected on an annual basis. They already have a plan for their farm—an “organic system management plan.” The bill should specify that food safety regulations and food safety plans should not interfere with farmers’ existing organic plans.

We urge you to contact Congressional lead-ership, and your own representative and senators, to make sure that the highest quality farmers in this country are not run over by juggernauts in Washington in their attempt to address the fi lthy industrialized food system that has sickened so many!

To locate your representatives in Congress, and send them a message through their website, visit:

• www.congress.org/congressorg/officials/congress/

Or you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senators’ and/or representative’s offi ce.

Note: it is especially important for you to contact your Congressional representative if they are a cosponsor of the proposed legislation.

For a sample letter you can easily personalize and modify to send to your elected offi cials, visit www.cornucopia.org.

Cosponsors of HR 759 include: Representatives Donna Christensen (VI),

Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Frank Pal-lone (NJ), Gary Peters (MI), John Sarbanes (MD), Bart Stupak (MI), Betty Sutton (OH)

Cosponsors of HR 875 include: Representatives Shelley Berkley (NV),

Sanford Bishop (GA), Timothy Bishop (NY), Andre Carson (IN), Kathy Castor (FL), Joe Courtney (CT), Peter DeFazio (OR), Diana DeGette (CO), Eliot Engel (NY), Anna Eshoo (CA), Sam Farr (CA), Bob Filner (CA), Gabri-elle Giffords (AZ), Raúl Grijalva (AZ), John Hall (NY), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Mazie Hi-rono (HI), Eddie Johnson (TX), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Barbara Lee (CA), Nita Lowey (NY), Betty McCollum (MN), Jim McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), Gwen Moor (WI),

Christopher Murphy (CT), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Chellie Pingree (ME), C.A. Ruppersberger (MD), Tim Ryan (OH), Linda Sanchez (CA), Janice Schakowsky (IL), Mark Schauer (MI), Louise Slaughter (NY), Pete Stark (CA), Betty Sutton (OH), John Tierney (MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Robert Wexler (FL).

Cosponsors of HR 1332 include: Representatives John Adler (NJ), Joe Baca

(CA), Joe Barton (TX), Leonard Boswell (IA), Michael Burgess (TX), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Yvette Clarke (NY), Henry Cuellar (TX), Lincoln Davis (TN), Nathan Deal (GA), Eliot Engel (NY), Sam Farr (CA), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Steve Kagan (WI), Collin Peterson (MN), Joseph Pitts (PA), Adam Putnam (FL), George Radanovich (CA), Charles Rangel (NY), Thomas Rooney (FL), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), John Salazar (CO), Adam Schiff (CA), David Scott (GA), John Shim-kus (IL), Lee Terry (NE), Mike Thompson (CA), Greg Walden (OR).

Local/Organic Farmingcontinued from page 1

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FC

Idealism at Work January - March 2009

compiled by Torey Ligon, Outreach Coordinator

I

This column is a quarterly report on exciting projects and inspiring organizations that the Co-op had the opportunity to partner with over the previous three months. This is a chance to fi nd out about some of the worthwhile endeavors that local Tucson community members are involved in, and should make all Food Conspiracy member-owners feel proud of the community-minded business that you own.

HorseradishDeviled Eggs

ingredients

Directions

Adapted from allrecipes.com

6 hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1 dash paprika

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; set whites aside. In a bowl, mash the yolks. add mayonnaise, horseradish, dill, mustard, salt and pepper; mix well. Pipe or spoon into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until serving.

n honor of “cy-cling month” at

the Co-op, the Food Conspir-acy raffl ed off a free commuter bike at the March 7th Annual Meeting. This raffl e was free for all Co-op members and hundreds of you entered for the chance at a fantastic new bike. Here at the Co-op, we really believe in promoting health and environmental responsibility and we felt that a new bike might be a perfect way to help a member exercise more and drive less. Special thanks for Ordinary Bike Shop for giving the Co-op an excellent deal on this bike and congratulations to Co-op member Paula Nielsen who won the bike and gave it to her son Craig. Craig, we hope you’ve been riding it all over town!

In February, the Co-op donated a case of local navel oranges and a case of organic braeburn apples to the free Charlie King Concert. This annual concert and dinner at the Unitarian Church is a favorite for many Co-op members and a free community din-ner is almost always something the Co-op is happy to be a part of. This event, organized by long-time Co-op member Ted Warmbrand, brings together the progressive community in Tucson over shared bread and live music. Good things come from shared meals and great music.

This quarter, the Co-op had the pleasure of working with two different schools to put together educational tours to help teach stu-dents about local food, nutrition, and making smart food choices. In January, St. Ambrose School brought two groups of middle school students for tours at the Co-op. The students spent time learning about where produce items come from and when various items are in season here in Tucson. Students also learned about the importance of buying organic foods, especially when purchasing meat and dairy products. In March, fi rst graders from Green Fields Country Day School came to the Co-op for a tour. Students learned about fruits and vegetables that grow in Tucson, learned about choosing healthy whole grain breads, and spent time selecting ingredients for trail mix which they later mixed and ate for their morning snack. The highlight of the tour for the fi rst graders was defi nitely walking inside the produce coolers. After the tour, the fi rst graders sent a big thank you card about ev-erything they enjoyed about the tour and the coolers was at the top of their list. The Co-op is always open to tours with groups (ideally no more than 12 individuals at a time). Contact Torey if you have a group that would like to schedule a tour.

In February, the Co-op sponsored a gar-dening workshop at Tanque Verde Gardens. This was our second gardening workshop at this farm this year and this event was as well received as the fi rst. Participants carpooled to the east side of Tucson for a tour of the gardens and fascinating talk with grower Leo Mercado. Participants asked many questions and Leo always seemed to have a great answer. At the end, Leo set up a mini farmers market and sold extremely fresh lettuce, greens, car-rots, and radishes to interested local food enthusiasts. The Co-op is planning a third installment of this popular tour on July 11th and a new composting workshop at Tanque Verde Gardens on May 2nd. Contact Torey if you’re interested in participating in either of these upcoming events.

Here are a couple of other neat organiza-tions that the Co-op was able to support last quarter through donations of gift baskets, gift certifi cates, merchandise and food: Unity Health Fair, PeaceWalk Tucson, WomanKraft, Transition Pima, Caring for ALL Animals Conference & Festival, Wingspan, UA Dept of Nutritional Sciences’ Farmer’s Market outreach, Earth First! Conference, Tucson Community School, Local First Arizona, Watershed Management Group, Amerischools Charter School.

As many of you know, there are seven International Co-op Principles that co-ops around the country and the world abide by. The fi fth principle: education, training, and information, and the sixth principle: concern for community, drive us to seek out partner-ships with local organizations that work to educate people and forward values and ideals that we as a co-op hold. If you or your organi-zation have ideas for fruitful partnerships that will benefi t this community and help educate people about health, nutrition, environmen-tal awareness, local agriculture, cooperative development, or building community, please do not hesitate to contact the Co-op’s Out-reach Coordinator Torey Ligon at [email protected].

n March 28th, Tuc-sonans came out to

support the 3rd Annual Solar Rock Festival. By all accounts, this 100% solar powered concert and rally, sponsored by the Food Con-spiracy Co-op, is becoming an annual favorite. With over 2,000 attendees and speeches by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Corporation Commissioner Paul Newman, Arizona Rep-resentative Daniel Patterson and City Councilwoman Nina Trasoff, it is safe to say that our elected offi cials got our mes-sage—”Let’s repower America: 100% clean electricity within ten years.”

Attendees enjoyed a mix of lo-cal music from bands like Spirit Familia, Mirror Image, Greg Morton & The String Figures, Bruce Phil-lips, The Wayback Machine, Soñar and Monterey, and were inspired by speeches from local scientists, business owners and government leaders. Local green businesses and environmental or-ganizations spent time teaching people about their products and causes and Tucsonans spent a packed afternoon learning about climate change and proactive steps we can all take to make a difference.

The mood at the event was upbeat and positive. The weather was gorgeous. Kids enjoyed painting their own organic canvas bags, getting their faces painting by Co-op member Linda Sheehan and danc-ing to the kid-friendly tunes of Bruce Phillips. Families enjoyed great food from the Avenue Deli and other local food vendors and an enjoyable afternoon in the park. In a very authentic way, the commu-

nity came together around great music and a shared passion for our environment and the future of our desert home.

FESTIVAL ENJOYSRECORD CROWDS

by Torey Ligon

FC

3RD ANNUAL

O

Photos by Cindy B. Monroy

Co-op member Linda Sheehan paints a child’s face.

Co-op member Paula Nielsen poses with husband Kurt Nielsen and son Craig next to Craig’s new bicycle.

A dancing crowd enjoys live music at Solar Rock 2009.

Co-op member (and employee) Jomo Williams performs with his band Spirit Familia

Children’s songwriter Bruce Phillips is a huge hit with all the kids.


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fter writing last month’s article, I couldn’t wait to get started making my own brown rice

yogurt. As soon as I fi nished my research, I ran to the Co-op to buy Natren Probiotic Yogurt Starter. It contains nonfat milk solids and whey, but I thought I would start with this and search for a non-dairy starter later. The homemade brown rice milk worked perfectly. Unlike store-bought rice milk, it retained the hearty fl avor of brown rice, with a pleasing, slightly thickened quality. On its own, or with a bit of sweetener and vanilla, it’s a very drinkable beverage. From there, I followed the basic yogurt recipe and set it in an empty food dehydrator at 110 degrees. I began checking it at 8 hours: it was exactly the same thickness as when I fi rst put it in. I gave up at 12 hours, having achieved rice milk that had simply acquired an unpleasant, sour taste.

Although I could have continued experiment-ing by adding agar agar during the heating process to help it gel, the fl avor put me off the idea for life! Still, the process of experimentation is the true pleasure of DIY. The creativity of choosing materials that expressed my preference for simple, whole foods and the sensations of eagerness and anticipation were satisfying in themselves. The end result went down the drain, literally, but I passed a pleasant afternoon and discovered brown rice milk. Not bad.

This month’s article on soft cheeses sets non-dairy alternatives aside: the recipes are made with cow’s or goat’s milk. Richness of fl avor is related to butterfat content, but low-fat and skim milk work fi ne. Pasteurization removes calcium from milk, which aids coagulation and helps fi rm the curds. If your experimentations indicate this as an issue,

you will need to add calcium chloride crystals to the milk: 3/4 teaspoon for 5 gallons of milk. The technique of ultra pasteurization alters the protein structure in milk and chelates the calcium; it won’t make cheese successfully.

Yogurt cheese, aka Soft Farm Cheese, is one of the simplest to make because the cultures that were introduced to the milk have already acidifi ed it and caused it to thicken. The freshly-made batch of yogurt is placed in a square of fi ne cheesecloth or within a large coffee fi lter, refrigerated and allowed to drip over a vessel to catch the whey for 24-48 hours. The addition of one teaspoon salt whisked into a quart of fresh yogurt transforms the cheese into the traditional Lebanese variation, Labneh. The fi nished product is molded into a ball with a slight depression to catch the olive oil that drenches the cheese when it is served. Sprinkle it with pulver-ized spearmint, surround with Greek olives and eat it with toasted pita. Or for cheesecake-like dessert, mix 1-2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa or carob powder, your sweetener of choice and a teaspoon of vanilla extract into the freshly-made yogurt cheese. Allow it to chill several hours before serving.

Paneer, the Indian version of soft cheese, uses lemon juice to acidify the milk. Bring a half-gallon of milk to a boil. As soon as it begins to bubble, add 1/3 cup of lemon juice, stir once and remove from heat. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes; this will curdle the milk and separate curd from whey. Place the curds within layers of cheesecloth, squeeze out as much whey as possible and make a bundle. Hang it from your sink faucet overnight. While still loosely

wrapped in its cloth, fl atten the bundle, then place a heavy object on it for 4-5 hours. It should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Paneer emerges dry enough to be quite crumbly and has little taste of its own. Frying and lightly browning small cubes enables it to keep its shape in curries and other dishes.

Queso Blanco, a Latin-American version of soft cheese, is created by boiling a gallon of milk. Slowly add ¼ cup white vinegar while mixing with a whisk. The separation of curds and whey occurs right away (if it doesn’t, continue to add vinegar until it does). Allow it to cool slightly, then bundle and tie to drain for 5-7 hours. It is served in its crumbly form, salted or unsalted.

These cheeses discard the whey entirely. Ricotta cheese, however, is created from it. After the curds are fi ltered out and used for another form of cheese, the whey is covered and allowed to sit for 12-24 hours at room temperature. It ferments and develops more acidity. The whey is then heated, and a delicate curd emerges. This is drained while refrigerated and is immediately ready for use.

Firm, dry cheeses may also be produced at home with the use of rennet. Rennet was histori-cally created from the fourth chamber of a young animal’s stomach, the abomasum. The abomasum was cut into strips, dried and salted; the addition of a small piece would cause milk to separate into curds and whey. These curds were then dried and salted, the essential process for creating hard cheeses. Rennet was produced from abomasum or vegetable rennets until 1990. Now, a genetically

engineered bacteria that secretes rennin is grown cheaply and made available in tablet and liquid forms for commercial cheese-making. Organic vegetarian, non-GMO rennet in a liquid form is still available for purchase.

Yogurt and rennet are combined with goat milk to make feta cheese. The heated milk is fi rst inoculated with a small amount of yogurt. As it cools, rennet is added and the inoculated milk is allowed to sit overnight at room temperature. The milk gels and some of the whey naturally separates out. You then cut into the curd with a knife, cubing it and gradually decanting the whey. The cheese is salted, pressed into a mold made from cans and allowed to rest overnight. The decanted whey is mixed with salt to prepare a pickling brine. After a night of curing, the cheese is again cubed, placed in a jar and immersed in brine. The cheese pickles for several days in the refrigerator before eating.

The soft, unripened goat cheese that is cur-rently so prevalent had its origins in the region of Normandy. It combines the use of buttermilk for acidifi cation and rennet; the milk is only heated to 65 degrees. The inoculated milk sits, undisturbed, overnight, until a soft curd forms. The curd is cut, then placed in cheesecloth, bundled and suspended to drain overnight in the refrigerator. Salt is worked into the cheese (along with garlic, herbs or other fl avorings), after which it can be molded, or simply stored in a container for later use. For the specifi cs of how to make ricotta, feta and soft goat cheese, refer to the detailed, illustrated postings of David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D., on Wikipedia.

DIY: Soft Cheese by Anna Lambert, Co-op Owner

A

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and that keeps money right here in Tucson.

Ask your friends and family to become owners of the Co-op.The Co-op thrives with real community support.

GO LOCAL!JOIN THE CO-OP.


MAY

SAT., MAY 2Composting 101: The secrets of good soil10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tanque Verde Gar-dens. Meet at the Co-op at 9 a.m. to carpool, or meet the tour there. Want to learn how to start a compost pile? Are you already composting but need advice on how to improve your soils? Leo Mercado, resident gardener at Tanque Verde Gardens, and one of the Co-op’s most bountiful local producers, will share his trade secrets for growing healthy soil in the desert. This event is free, however, please consider bringing money to purchase fresh local veggies at Tanque Verde Gardens to thank Leo for sharing his time and expertise. Sign up by contacting Torey at [email protected] or 624-4821.

SAT.-SUN., MAY 2-3Tucson Folk FestivalIn El Presidio Park, downtown. In addi-tion to nationally known headline acts each evening, the Tucson Folk Festival showcases local and regional musicians from Arizona and the Southwest. The Festival offers workshops, a gospel sing-along, a children’s show, and features a wide array of food and craft booths as well. Free to the public. For more info, visit: www.tkma.org.

SAT., MAY 2 Co-op Food Demo11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the store. Emerald Valley Hummus and Flamous Falafel Chips

SUN., MAY 3 Democracy & Dissent Book Group2 p.m. at Antigone Books 411 N. 4th Ave. This month’s discussion will be on The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Re-claiming the American Dream by Barack Obama. Discuss Obama’s audacious political vision, originally published in 2006, and now unfolding before our very eyes. Call 792-3715 or visit www.antigonebooks.com for more info.

TUE., MAY 5 Peace Circle 5:30 to 7 p.m. every 1st Tuesday at Fronimo’s Greek Café, front room, 3242 E. Speedway. For everyone who wants peace, a safe place to discuss and learn practices. Topic: Compassionate Witnessing. Free; donations welcome. Contact Del Jones at [email protected] or 298-6542.

WED., MAY 6 Food ConspiracyBoard Meeting 6:30 p.m. at the Friends Meeting House, 931 N. 5th Ave. All members are welcome. Stay involved in Co-op decision making, and get work credit towards a discount for the time you are in attendance.

THU., MAY 7Food Conspiracy on the News6 p.m. A story about Food Conspiracy Co-op will run on the 6 o’clock news on Channel 4. Tune in to see your Co-op on t.v.

FRI., MAY 8Tucson Astrologers Guild7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Unitarian Uni-versalist Church, 4831 E. 22nd St., in the Awareness Room. Professional psychological astrologer, Keith Burke, will speak on “Unaspected Planets.” $10 members/$15 non-members. All welcome. For more info: tucsonastrolo-gersguild.net or call 625-5762.

SAT., MAY 9 World Fair Trade DayCelebrate the Fair Trade movement with a special purchase of Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, tea, sugar or bananas at the Co-op. Your dollars send a powerful mes-sage that workers and the environment count. Information about Fair Trade will be available all day at the Co-op.

SAT., MAY 9Gluten Free Food Faire9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christ Community Church, 7801E Kenyon Dr., at Panta-no. Hosted by Southern Arizona Celiac Support Group. Celiac Disease has no cure. It’s not an allergy but an auto-im-mune disease. Come learn more about this common condition and sample gluten free foods for free. Participate in the raffl e, silent auction and more! Event is free, open to the public. More at www.southernarizonaceliacsupport.org.

SAT., MAY 9Co-op Food Demo11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the store. Kind Fruit and Nut Bars

SAT., MAY 9Free Wellness Workshop11 a.m. at Inspired Healing, 5350 E. Broadway Blvd., Ste. 108, in the Wil-liams Centre. Dr. Joanne Haupert pres-ents a talk on Living in Wellness, how to adapt better to stress and a demonstration of Network Spinal Analysis Care. Please call to reserve your seat, 584-0343.

SAT., MAY 9Tucson Astrologers Guild1 to 5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4831 E. 22nd St., in the Aware-ness Room. Professional psychological astrologer, Keith Burke, will give a work-shop on “Jungian Astrology.” $20 mem-bers/$25 non-members. All welcome. For more info: tucsonastrologersguild.net or call 625-5762.

SAT., MAY 9Families You Know Storytelling3 to 5 p.m. at Wingspan, 425 E 7th St. Come hear your friends and neighbors

Nia, Bellydance, Pilates and more! The DanceLoft offers classes geared to-ward adults in Nia, Bellydance, Pilates, Modern, Ballet, Jazz and Hip Hop. Classes range from $8-12. 620 E. 19th St., Ste 150. Contact www.thedanceloft.com or 250-4664. Children’s Creative Movement/Pre-Ballet Saturdays 9 to 9:55 a.m. for 3-4 year olds and Satur-days 10 to 10:55 a.m. for 4-6 year olds. These are fun movement classes in a nurturing environment. $42/month. 620 E. 19th St., Ste 150. Contact www.thedanceloft.com or 250-4664.

Peace CircleFor everyone who wants peace and a safe place to discuss and learn practices. Group meets the fi rst Tuesday of every month at Fronimo’s Greek Cafe, front room, 3242 E Speedway; or 4th Friday of every month at Park West Clubhouse, 3003 W. Broadway. Free; donations welcome. Contact Judy Francis at [email protected] or 393-3203, or visit www.sultureofpeacealliance.org for more info.

Curves Laughter YogHA Club5 p.m., fi rst and third Sunday of every month at Curves Fitness Studio, Albert-son’s center at Campbell and Glenn. Free and open to men, women and chil-dren! Come laugh your cares away! www.laughteryogawithgita.com or 777-7544.

Zen Tribe WellnessPromotes peace and a healing lifestyle through the practices of Shiatsu, Zen Calligraphy and Taoist Cooking. Up-coming course offerings: 108 hour basic shiatsu training program, an Asian Body Therapy program (ABT), Chi Nei Tsang and Medical QiGong. www.zentribewellness.com

Iyengar Yoga ClassesSouthern Arizona School of Yoga offers public and private instruction with Certi-fi ed Instructor Alexis Bachrach. SASY is located downtown in Tucson’s Historic Labor Temple, 267 S. Stone Ave. Classes are small and there is an emphasis on alignment, making this yoga especially ap-propriate for those with physical concerns such as back, neck and knee problems. Students of all levels will be challenged in a safe and encouraging environment. 205-2831 or www.sasy.us.com.

Intenders of the Highest GoodOngoing, monthly, 3rd Wednesdays, 7 p.m. at 3 Jewels Tucson, 614 E. 6th St. Easily learn the Intention Process and bring that which you desire into your life, your community and the world. Free (donations appreciated). Bring healthy snacks to share. For more info, call Tom, 400-4489; or Taza, 250-7539; or e-mail [email protected]; or visit www.intenders.org.

Mantra MeditationJoin the world famous Sunday Feast and

May Calendarguided tour of backyard chicken coops around Tucson. See creative coop ideas and talk chicken with owners around town, plus see other backyard sustainabil-ity practices—like cisterns, desert gardens, rain water harvesting basins, solar ovens and more. Tickets are $5, including map with directions. All $5 from each ticket purchase goes to the Community Food Bank’s Community Foods Consignment Program. Tickets available at the Co-op, The Community Food Bank, and The Community Food Bank’s market stands at farmers markets around town. Questions? Contact Torey at [email protected] or 624-4821.

SAT., MAY 23 Co-op Food Demo11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the store. Kind Fruit and Nut Bars

SUN., MAY 24 Buddhist Book Group2 p.m. at Antigone Books 411 N. 4th Ave. This month’s discussion will be on the fi rst half of The Best Buddhist Writing 2008, Melvin McLeod, editor. Free. Call or visit www.antigonebooks.com for more info.

MON., MAY 25 Happy Memorial Day!The Co-op will be open normal hours on Memorial Day: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

ONGOING

MIND/BODY/SPIRIT

Capoeira MalandragemCapoeira is a martial art although many dancers and performers (modern dance, hip-hop and music videos) have adopted some of its unique movements and dy-namics. New students are encouraged to join anytime. Discounted monthly memberships available. Visit http://tuc-soncapoeira.org, call 603-8043, or email [email protected].

Free Saturday Workout!Every Saturday at 2 p.m. at CrossFit Works, 204 S. Tucson Blvd. Open to anyone, regardless of fi tness level. Visit www.crossfi tworks.com for more information.

Saguaro AikidoStressed out? Feeling out of balance? Increase your capacity to move in har-mony with stressful situations through an innovative approach to Aikido. Increase peace in your heart through the practice of blending, both gently and with appropriate power, to the challenges of life. Tuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. are focused on energy aware-ness and gentle movements. Rhythm Industry Performance Factory, 1013 S. Tyndall Ave. All ages and abilities. Call Catherine at 289-7117 or email [email protected] for the full schedule of classes.

tell their stories. Families You Know Storytelling is about expanding and di-versifying the defi nition of family. You’ll hear six different ten-minute personal stories from members of the Wingspan community about their unique lives and families at this free event. For more info contact Penelope Starr, 730-4112, [email protected], or www.odysseystorytelling.com.

SAT., MAY 9Tucson Women’s Chorus Spring Concert7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Presbyterian sanc-tuary, 3809 E. 3rd St. Performance of a cappella chants, rounds and songs from cultures/traditions around the world, including Native American, Japanese, Russian, S. African, Spiritu-als & women’s chants. Suggested adult donation $10. Children welcome. For more info, call 743-0991 or visit tuc-sonwomenschorus.org.

THU., MAY 14Odyssey Storytelling7 p.m. at Club Congress, 311 E. Con-gress. The Body: Scars, birthmarks, heart-attacks. Weight, lifts, tucks, reductions. Arthritis, hamstrings, op-posable thumbs. We live with it, we love with it, in many ways it’s all we’ve got. Stories about the body. $7 at the door or buy reserved seats online. For more info contact Penelope Starr, 730-4112, [email protected], or www.odysseystorytelling.com.

SAT., MAY 16Co-op Food Demo11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the store. Emerald Valley Hummus and Flamous Falafel Chips

FRI., MAY 22Peace Circle1:30 to 3 p.m. every 4th Friday at Park West Clubhouse, 3003 W. Broadway. For everyone who wants peace, a safe place to discuss and learn practices. Topic: Com-passionate Listening. Free; donations welcome. Contact Judy Francis at [email protected] or 393-3202, or visit www.cultureofpeacealliance.org.

FRI., MAY 22Gardening Tips at Antigone’s7 p.m. at Antigone Books 411 N. 4th Ave. Greg Starr, author of Cool Plants for Hot Gardens: 200 Water-Smart Choices for the Southwest, and Scott Calhoun, author of The Hot Garden: Landscape Design for the Desert Southwest, will share tips, have plants for sale, and do a free drawing for prizes. Free. Call or visit www.antigone-books.com for more info. SAT., MAY 23 City Chickens Coop Tour9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Curious about what it would take to raise chickens in the city? Join Food Conspiracy Co-op for a self-


Festival. Enjoy an evening of chanting, singing, dancing and an enlightening discussion on Bhakti Yoga. Afterwards, feast on a sumptuous plate of Govinda’s sanctifi ed food for a $3 donation. Every Sunday starting at 5:30 p.m., 711 E. Blacklidge. For more info call 792-0630 or visit our email us at [email protected]. http://www.govindasoftucson.com.

Desert AshramFounded in 1975 by Prabhushri Swami Amar Jyoti, Desert Ashram is a sanctu-ary of beauty and peace for all spiritual seekers. Daily 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.—Aarati (Sanskrit chanting and puja/worship). Thursdays and Sundays 7:30 p.m.—Satsang of Prabhushri (spiritual dis-course) with chanting and meditation. There is no charge for these programs. Personal Retreats and Karma Yoga—by individual arrangement. 3403 West Sweetwater Drive, Ph: 743-0384.

Indigo Yoga For KidsIndigo Yoga is designed for children age 4 to 13 years young. Explore fun tech-niques and experiences that will assist children in being centered, connected to source, and grounded. Saturdays from 2-3 p.m. at The Providence Institute, 1126 North Jones Blvd. Cost is $5. Call 323-0203.

Women’s Support Groups Addressing Personal Transformation Irene Anderson, M.Ed., LPC., facilita-tor. Admission to either group by in-terview only. Times: Thursdays 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 to 11:30 a.m. Cost: $35 per session. Location: 51 West Wetmore Road, #11. Call 624-3717 for more information or to schedule interview (at no cost) for admission to group.

Traditional AikidoAikido is a martial art that promotes the non-violent resolution of confl ict. The movements are graceful and circular and are executed from a strong, balanced center. The training develops balance, fl exibility and self confi dence in the face of an attack and is suitable for all ages, including seniors. Established AikiKids! program available. Aikido at The Center, 3100 N Stone Ave. #222. Call 887-3986 or visit www.aikidoatthecenter.org for more info.

Yoga and BreathUnique practice of Sudarshan Kriya profoundly raises the quality of life. The Art of Living Course, created by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is offered regularly in Tucson, with simple daily practices that release stress, alleviate anxiety or depression and restore peace of mind leading to a greater sense of well-being. Call: 232-2138 or visitwww.artofl ivingaz.org

Free Community Massage Classes First Sunday of each month from 1 to 5 p.m. Students will receive and learn to give a basic full-body Swedish massage. Pre-registration is required; interested participants can call Michelle at 623-

Calendar Continued

Tucson YogaTucson Yoga, South 4th Ave & 12th St. (one block south of Broadway), holds 20 classes/week, beginner to advanced, for just $6 each or $45/month. For a class schedule and more info, call 877-TUC-YOGA or visit www.tucsonyoga.com.

Institute for Shamanic ArtsEnhance balance and experience heal-ing using shamanic practices available to everyone! Bi-weekly Shamanic journey circles, and weekly workshops are offered on a variety of topics. The Institute for Shamanic Arts is housed in the WomanKraft Castle, 388 S. Stone Ave. Call Quynn at 954-2004 or see www.shamanworld.com for more info.

Buddhist MeditationMeditation in the Chan (Zen) tradition is held every Sunday starting at 9:00 am. Services include meditation, chanting and a Dharma talk or discussion. If you are new to meditation please plan to come 15 minutes early so we can help you get started. We celebrate all Buddhist holidays, do weddings, house blessings, visit the sick and have a prison ministry. Our temple, the Minh Dang Quang Buddhist Temple, is located at 140 E. Navajo Rd., between Prince and Fort Lowel and is 2 blocks east of Oracle Rd. Please call Ven. Dao Chuan at 907-6245 or Rev. Ron Brickey at 404-6501 with any questions. Or see http://www.hsuyun.net/hsuyunassoc.html for more info.

Dance, Drum and Shotokan Karate Classes Barbea Williams Performing Company offers dance, drum and Shotokan Karate classes in their newly renovated per-forming arts studio and gallery located inside Dunbar Cultural Center. We offer Ongoing Classes for Children, Teens and Adults; our Winter/Spring session starts Saturday, January 3, 2009. Call (520) 628-7785 or email: [email protected] for fees, dress code and reg-istration info.

ARTS/COMMUNITY/ENVIRONMENT

Tucson Origami ClubFirst Saturday of every month 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Dao’s Tai Pan, 446 N. Wilmot. Free instructions; bring your own orgimi paper (or make your own at home from recycled paper). For info contact M. Craig, 331-0602 or [email protected].

Tucson Women’s ChorusOngoing enrollment. New 2nd rehears-al location in the Northwest. A cap-pella multicultural songs. No auditions, sight-reading, or experience needed. Central: Mondays, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Presbyterian, 3809 E. 3rd St. (W of Alvernon). NW: Thursdays, 7 p.m., UU Congregation of NW Tucson, 3601 W. Cromwell (E off Thornydale, N of Ina). Open to girls w/ singing adult. $80/adult, girls/free. Scholarships. Pro-rated enrollment. Free fi rst visit. Karleena Ravenwood, Founder/Director, 743-0991, tucsonwomenschorus.org.

2160 or the front desk at the Cortiva Institute Desert Institute of the Heal-ing Arts at 882-0899. The class will be located at 140 E. 4th St. at 6th Ave.

Creating Positive Change: the Power of the HeartWhether you aspire to change your life or to change the world, this meditation class provides valuable tools. Enhance vitality and restore the optimism needed to accomplish your ideals, inspire others and avert “burnout.” Tuesdays, 5:45-7:15 p.m. Beginner’s review session, 5:30. Near Campbell and Speedway. Adjacent parking. Newcomers welcome! 4 classes for $48 or $15/class. Contact Bonnie about scholarships for non-prof-it employees/volunteers and students, or for further info and address. 730-5889, [email protected].

Tucson Community Meditation CenterMindfulness meditation 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays, Loving Kindness meditation 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. And group meditation sessions 8:30, 9 and 9:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 1231 E. Edison, between Speedway and Grant near Mountain. Supported by dona-tions. Info at 520-622-0089 or www.tucsonmediation.org.

Dances of Universal Peace The Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative and uplifting group dances. They represent and integrate many of the world’s spiritual traditions, and help to create peace and unity within and without. Second Saturday of every month, 7 to 9 p.m. at Yoga Oasis, 2631 N. Campbell Ave. For more info contact: Joanie at 820-8180 or [email protected]. $5 to $10 dona-tions accepted.

Zen Meditation GroupZen Desert Sangha, affiliated with Robert Aitken’s Diamond Sangha, of-fers meditation sits three days a week: Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Located at 3226 N. Martin (Campbell/Ft. Lowell area). We also offer one day and weekend retreats. For more info call 319-6260, visit www.zendesertsangha.org or email [email protected].

Inspired Healing YogaAn awesome yoga class that beginners fi nd especially helpful. Every Saturday, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Inspired Healing, 5350 E. Broadway Blvd., Ste. 108. 584-0343.

Hatha YogaExperience a greater sense of peace and renewed energy through the practice of yoga. Ongoing multi-level Hatha yoga class in the 4th Ave. neighborhood. $7. Wednesdays 12 to 1:15 at ZUZI Dance, 738 North 5th Ave. (Historic Y). Call Ilana at 629-0237 for more info.

Yoga WestGentle yoga Mondays 5:30-6:45 p.m., Vigorous yoga Wednesdays 5:30-6:45 p.m. Located at 3295 W. Speedway Blvd. Call Kathleen at 404-5587 or visit www.KathleenKordich.com for more info.

Elder CirclesElder Circles, Journey to Conscious Aging, are circles of respect where elders can share in harvesting their lives. In Tucson, Elder Circles In Tucson, Elder Circles meet the 2nd Friday of each month at 11 a.m. at St. Francis in the Foothills, Swan and River Rd; 3rd Monday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at OASIS, River Rd., East of Campbell; 3rd Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. at FitCenter, 5th St. at Craycroft; last Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Handmaker Services For The Aging, Rosemont near Grant; 4th Wednesday of each month at 10:15 a.m. at TMCSeniors Health Program, 1400 N.Wilmot; 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at Jewish Community Center, River at Dodge. For more info or to confirm meet-ing, contact [email protected] or 298-6542.

Join Sky Island Alliance in the Field!Volunteers wanted for outdoor week-end field work to help restore the health of our public lands. Oppor-tunities include habitat restoration, documenting unlawful user-created roads and monitoring for the pres-ence of mammal species in important inter-mountain corridors. Come on out and get your hands dirty, your boots muddy and your soul clean! For more info contact Sarah at 624-7080, ext. 23 or [email protected]

Zuni Bike ClubLearn bicycle mechanics! Fix a fl at! Earn hours to get parts or build a bike. Open Saturdays from 9-12, 6054 E. 30th St. Questions? Call 260-6242.

BICASTucson’s Bicycle Non-Profit offers Community Classes on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn about the repair and maintenance of bicycles. Classes are $20 each. Work Trade and Spanish translation is available. Call to register and for directions: 628-7950.

Nature Conservancy Rainwater Harvesting ToursThe Nature Conservancy is now of-fering free public tours of their 2+ acre central Tucson site featuring rainwater harvesting cisterns, pas-sive water harvesting berm and basin designs, water harvesting curb-cuts, native landscaping and green build-ing construction. For more info and a current tour schedule, contact 547-3437. Groups may schedule tours at times other than the regular schedule. To participate in a tour, simply show up and meet at the front entrance (NE corner) of The Nature Conser-vancy’s office building at 1510 E Ft. Lowell Dr. For more info, contact 547-3437.

Bentley’s Open MicWeekly, every Friday. 10th year run-ning! Sign up at 6:30 p.m. at Bentley’s House of Coffee & Tea, 1730 E. Speedway. Cost: Free; tips accepted.

Food and Beverages served all night. Contact Linda Rothchild at 747-5078, 490-5523, or [email protected] for more info.

Desert CronesThe Desert Crones features programs and meetings for women over 50. All meetings are free. the meeting place is Fellowship Square, 8111 E. Broadway. Programs include guest speakers, writ-ing workshops, and drumming circles. Hours are 1-3 p.m. every Thursday. Call 390-1787 or 731-3039 for ad-ditional info.

WomanKraftArt classes and gallery showings claiming, validating and empower-ing women artists and other under-represented groups. Gallery hours are Tue., Wed., Fri. and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m., February to May and July to December. A variety of arts and crafts classes are offered each month. The WomanKraft Castle is at 388 S. Stone Ave. Call 629-9976 for more info.

Green Party of Pima County Monthly MeetingFirst Tuesday of each month, except November, beginning at 7:15 p.m. We will be at our new location, First Christian Church, 740 E Speedway (at Euclid), upstairs in room 109. Free and open to the public. More info 798-6169 or www.pimagreens.org.

Older Lesbian (50+)Support GroupMeets 2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 to 4 p.m. Call Jo-Ann (219-2670) or Shawn (791-0584) for details and location.

Tucson Sew Op Crafting circle and workshop the first and third Saturdays of every month, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Ar-mory Park Community Center, 220 S. 5th Ave. The events are free but donations are accepted for supplies. E-mail [email protected] for more info.

Peace VigilWomen In Black welcome all men, women, and children to a weekly peace vigil. Every Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. in solidarity with other WIB groups around the world for peace everywhere. Southwest corner of Speedway & Euclid. Wear black if possible. Call 628-8313 for more info.

Global ChantEvery Wed. 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Little Chapel of All Nations, Ada Pierce Mc-Cormack Bldg., 1401 E. 1st St. Free interactive chanting. For more info call 326-4674.

NEXT ISSUE

Make sure your organization’s event is listed here! Mail, fax, or drop off by May 5 to Food Conspiracy Newsletter, 412 N. 4th Ave., Tucson, AZ 85705; Fax: 520/792-2703; or e-mail to [email protected].


FC

eliacs and others who avoid gluten have always had to struggle. First for diagnosis, then for support from their doctors and commu-

nity, and then comes the ongoing policing of the ingredients in their food. Gradually, though, things have been getting better, and experts estimate that the percentage of celiac sufferers who are diagnosed has risen from 1 to 5 percent in the US.

Some new research has been announced in the last year that seems to be making progress on the understanding and treatment of celiac disease. In Canada, a new in-home celiac blood test is available from 2G Pharma, called a BioCard. It is expected to be approved in the US in 2009, and will require only a few drops of blood from a fi ngertip to fi nd the IgA antibodies present in celiac sufferers.

In July, a study done at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine was published in the maga-zine Gastroenterology. In the study, Dr Alessio Fasano pinpointed a receptor, named CXCR3, that is the gateway by which gliadin enters and starts the cascade of immune responses that characterize celiac disease. When gliadin binds to this receptor, it triggers the release of zonu-lin, a protein that makes the intestinal barrier become porous. In healthy people, this effect is short-lived, while in celiac sufferers, it lingers, leaving the gut open to absorbing things it should not, and triggers an immune response. Once the intestinal barrier is disabled in this way, antigens are free to pass into the system, causing problems all over the body. Researchers hope that identifying the gateway will enable them to fi nd treatments.

The past year also saw promising trials on humans of drugs aimed at preventing gluten from having ill effects. Dr. Daniel Leffl er, clini-cal research director at the Celiac Disease Cen-ter at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, announced results in July. In a study of 86 celiac patients, half were given an ex-perimental drug, called AT-1001 (Larazotide) developed by Alba Therapeutics. Both groups ate gluten, and at the end, 20 percent of the patients taking the drug had symptoms, while 70 percent of the patients taking a placebo had symptoms. The researchers were encouraged enough to start a larger, longer trial. In October 2008, Alvine Pharmaceuticals announced that their new protease therapy, called ALV003, was showing great promise as well. The drug uses enzymes to break down the gluten

into harmless particles, when taken with meals. Both drugs are meant to be taken to protect against accidental gluten exposure and are not expected to make eating large amounts safe.

So, we can expect that better diagnosis and testing will increase the numbers of people eating gluten-free, as well as look forward to better treat-ments for them. Of course, the number of people who are avoiding gluten for other reasons continues to grow as well. Manufacturers are paying atten-tion, and we will see more gluten-free products in coming years.

For now, avoiding gluten entails seeking out foods that are safe, and learning to cook and bake without the offending protein. Your local food co-op is a great source of gluten-free fl ours, as well as prepared foods. For many years, white and brown rice fl ours were the only gluten-free fl ours that were easy to fi nd. Now, teff, amaranth, quinoa, sorghum and buckwheat represent gluten-free whole-grain fl ours, and garbanzo and fava beans are made into wonderful fi ne-textured fl ours. Starch fl ours, such as potato, tapioca and cornstarch are also essential to making gluten- free baked goods with a good texture. Nut fl ours, like coconut, almond and hazelnut add their familiar fl avors to baked goods. I often fi nd that a starting point in developing a gluten-free recipe is a combination of at least three

types of fl our. Once you have your fl ours, you will

fi nd that Xanthan gum is another standard ingredient. The reason

for this is to replace the structure that gluten

gives to breads, with a gum that

w i l l h e l p t r a p

Don’t miss the Gluten Free Food Faire on May 9th for a chance to sample lots of new gluten free products on the market. More details in the calendar on pg. 6

Gluten-Free ChewyCherry-Filled Bars

Makes about 18 bars.

Quinoa fl akes give these bars that familiar chewiness that you may miss since giving up oats.

1 1/2 cups quinoa fl akes1/2 cup white rice fl our

1/2 cup teff fl our1/2 cup amaranth fl our or sorghum fl our

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 stick butter or margarine2 large eggs

1/2 cup rice milk2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup cherry preserves1 cup dried sour cherries—sweetened

2 teaspoons almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9×13-inch baking pan with 2-inch sides. In a large bowl, combine fl ours, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder and soda, and brown sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter or margarine and work in until the size of grains of rice. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, rice milk, and vanilla. Reserve. In a food processor, combine cherry preserves, dried cherries, and extract and process to mix well.

Mix the rice milk mixture into the quinoa mixture, and stir to com-bine. Spread a little more than half of the batter in the prepared pan, using wet hands to fl atten it without stick-ing. Spread the cherry mixture over the batter, then dollop the remaining batter over the fi lling. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edges are deep golden brown and the center of the bars wiggles only slightly when shaken. Let cool and cut into 18 good sized bars.

Rustic Amaranth BreadMakes one loaf.

To make a round, crusty loaf, bake your gluten-free bread in a cast-iron pot. I used a Le Creuset casserole, but you could use any oven-safe baking dish with 4-inch- high sides.

3 tablespoons whole amaranthor cornmeal, for pan

Oil for pan1 cup garb-fava fl our1 cup amaranth fl our1 cup tapioca fl our

2 teaspoons xanthan gum1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons agave syrup or sugar 1 tablespoon yeast

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 1/2 cups warm water

1 large egg white

Use a quart-sized round casserole or cast-iron pan to bake the bread, about 8 inches across. Oil the pan and sprinkle with whole amaranth or cornmeal to coat the sides.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix the fl ours, xanthan gum, salt, sugar and yeast. In a cup, mix oil, water and egg white. Mix the liquids into the dry ingredients, and beat on high for fi ve minutes. Scrape the dough into the prepared baking pan and cover with a damp cloth. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and meanwhile let the bread rise for 40 minutes, until doubled.

Bake the bread on the bottom rack for 35–40 minutes, until it sounds hollow when tapped. The top should be dark golden brown. Tip out of the baking pan onto a rack and turn upright carefully and let cool completely.

Quick Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 12 cookies.

These cookies are so genuinely good, nobody will even know that they are wheat- and gluten-free.

1 cup peanut butter1 cup sugar

1 egg 1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and blend well. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 1/2–2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten with your palm to 3/8-inch thick. Using a fork, press a criss-cross pattern into each cookie.

Bake 6 minutes, turn pans, and bake 6 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

CGood News for the Gluten-Free

by Robin Asbell

the gases released by your leavening. That creates the bubbles and open texture in breads and cakes. Egg whites also perform this function, and using whole eggs adds the richness and familiar taste of eggs.

Try these recipes to get started with your whole-grain, gluten-free baking. Maybe while we are all whipping up better and better cookies and bars, science will fi nd some solutions. We can always hope.

From the Mix, a program of the Co-op News Service. Robin Asbell is a longtime contributor to the Mix, and as the former head chef of the Wedge Co-op Deli in Minneapolis, she developed many recipes for popular foods still sold today. Her fi rst book, The New Whole Grains Cookbook is available at many food co-ops, and her second, The New Vegetarian Cookbook is forthcoming in 2009. Robin writes for magazines like Vegetarian Times, Better Homes and Gardens, Heart Healthy magazine, Experience Life and Health magazine. Her popular cooking classes are offered around the Minneapolis region, and she travels to teach across the country.

Gluten Free Food Faire


continues on page 10

The O rganic and Non-GMO Report

FC

hy are grilled foods so delicious? Certainly the summer weather

enhances our appreciation of them, and the celebratory ambiance that surrounds any cookout—from a backyard family pic-nic to a Fourth of July neighbor-hood bash—doesn’t hurt either. But foods taste great grilled because the fl avor is sealed in and intensifi ed (especially when a conscientious cook tends to marinating and basting). In addi-tion, grilling carameliz-es the natural sugars in produce, mak-ing everything from peppers to pineapple l i ve l i e r and sweeter.

What’s Cookin’?

Burgers and brats are stan-dard fare, of course, but just about any meat, poultry, seafood, fruit or vegetable is good on the grill. Remem-ber the vegan and vegetarian options, too, like tofu, tempeh, soy hot dogs and veggie burgers. And no matter what your main dish, grilled produce makes a perfect appetizer, side, and even dessert. For vegetables, you’ll want to try onions, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, corn on the cob, asparagus, mushrooms (especially portabella) … well, there really isn’t a vegetable that won’t grill nicely. Not every fruit will survive grilling (you may fi nd blueberries a bit small and peaches a bit tender, for example), though an experimental spirit may yield some nice dinnertime surprises. (A kabob of apples, strawber-ries, and pineapples is superbly sweet and colorful, for example. And a pie or cobbler made from grilled apples is an exquisite treat.)

Grill to Perfection Tips:Grilling is easy—and forgiving. But here are

a few tips that will insure your time at the grill is wisely invested:

Your grill should be clean and lightly oiled. Consider environmental factors, but remember that there are tradeoffs. A gas or electric grill will burn cleaner than a wood or coal grill, for example, but will use nonrenewable resources. Charcoal and wood are renewable and thought to infuse the best fl avors, but will contribute to air pollution. If you’re using charcoals, chose those with no chemicals or fi llers; clean-burning, all-natural charcoal briquettes made from plant sources are available. For additional smoky fl a-vor, combine various woodchips (like hickory or mesquite) with coals. And if you prefer woods, select those from well-managed forests. Don’t use easy-light charcoal, which emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Opt for chimney starters and electric probes instead.

Fire up the Grill!from the Co-op News Service

You might also want to invest in a grilling pan for smaller food items, like cut-up vegetables.

And of course you’ll want to stock up on kabobs! (Soak them in water for an hour or

so before using, to prevent them from burning.) When turning food on the grill, use tongs or

a spatula, not a fork. (A fork will drain the juices onto the grill.)

Meats and poul-try are most health-

ful when they’re lean and organic. If you’re

using frozen foods, defrost them in the

refrigerator, not at room tem-perature. Mar-

inades and meat rubs enhance any

cuts of meat, but especially larger steaks

like London broil and skirt steak, which they

serve to tenderize as well as fl avor. To prevent meats from

curling, slash the edges with a knife.

Most items can be cooked right above the heat, but grill larger pieces

of meat and poultry, like whole chickens and roasts, on indirect heat, next to the

fi re or coals.To prevent food-borne pathogens, make

sure you cook meats and poultry thoroughly (and keep them warm until served). There should be no pink in the center of meats, and no pink juices. But don’t rely on your eye; use a meat thermometer to make certain that beef and pork reaches 160° F (or 145°F for medium rare) and poultry is grilled to 165°F. (Place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, making sure it doesn’t touch the bone, fat, or grill.) Also be sure to use different plates and utensils for raw and cooked meats and poultry.

Seafood’s delicate fl avor is easily overwhelmed, so use a light touch when marinating and season-ing it. Speaking of marinades, don’t leave fi sh in a marinade for longer than 15 minutes or the fi sh will become mushy. Brushing a little oil on the surface will keep the fi sh moist during grilling, though. After placing the fi sh on the grill, leave it for several minutes before turning, so that a crust will form. (This crust will keep it from sticking to the grate or crumbling apart.)

Skewers or an oiled grill basket are good tools for cooking some seafood, like shrimp (opt for the jumbo varieties, which are easier to handle than the little shrimp). If you do cook seafood directly on the grill, it can be placed right above the heat.

An array of soy foods are delicious on the grill. Choose extra-fi rm tofu, or press before grilling. Use a kabob for tofu cubes, or place slabs directly on the grill. Marinade tofu or tempeh before grilling. Or try a meat rub (just sprinkle on -- don’t rub too vigorously or your tofu will fall apart!) Cook veggie burgers and soy hot dogs as you would any meat burgers and hot dogs, though some won’t take as long to cook through. continues on page 11

WO

Ancient Corn OffersSolution to ModernClimate Challenges

ne solution to the challenges of feeding the world may come—not from the labs of genetic engineers—but from the timeless wisdom of Native Americans and a

dedicated corn breeder from Montana.Dave Christensen felt like he had found an ancient treasure. That was how Christensen, an

organic farmer in Big Timber, Montana, described fi nding rare corn seed that had been grown by Mandan Native Americans for several hundred years in the northern Great Plains. “Mandan Maize” seed produced corn that withstood the harsh, dry, and cold climate of the Plains.

In the late 1970s, Christensen began growing heirloom varieties of cold-hardy corn for food. Modern corn would not grow in the mountains where Christensen lived, so he had to grow the heirloom varieties. He researched and found that some lines of Mandan Maize still existed, preserved by Native American families and descendents of homesteaders. “Most of the seed I found had been in jars for 20 years,” Christensen says. He then started crossbreeding the native corns, aiming to develop the hardiest varieties, ones that would thrive and produce food in the cold and dry, high elevations of Montana. “I dedicated my life to saving corns native to the west,” he says.

While modern corn hybrids originated in the eastern United States with soils rich in organic matter and mild climates with ample rainfall, Madan Maize grew in western soils that have little organic matter and extreme, cold and dry climates. The two corns may look similar, but their genetics are completely different. “One metabolizes like an orchid, the other like a cactus,” Christensen says.

Christensen was alone in his work; no one else was breeding corn to grow in the west. He worked 16 hours a day even though there was no foreseeable market for the corn. “I kept at it anyway,” Christensen says, describing his work as “the project my soul needed to be completed.” He was also encouraged by supporters who said the unique gene pool would be valuable to the world as a source of breeding material for growing corn in drought and cold conditions.

“Created something never created before”After years of evaluating and crossing the seeds, Christensen created a large and diverse

gene pool and exposed the corns to the harsh conditions of his Montana home. He selected the hardiest variety from which to breed. One open-pollinated variety, which he named Painted Mountain Corn, was unique because it could be grown at both high altitudes and latitudes. “No corn has ever grown at altitudes of 5000 feet in Montana,” Christensen says. “I created something never created before.”

Painted Mountain Corn is loaded with genetic diversity, expressed in the full spectrum of colors seen in the kernels: purple, blue, red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. “It makes picking each ear a surprise and delight,” Christensen says. Painted Mountain Corn grows fast in cold climates where other corns struggle to survive. Yields range from 50 to 70 bushels per acre, which is good for corn grown in harsh conditions. “Hybrid corn varieties often fail completely in these conditions,” Christensen says. Painted Mountain Corn is nutritious for people and animals. It is high in anthocyanins, which are benefi cial anti-oxidants. It can be ground into fl our to make bread, tortillas, or cereal. It is high in protein for use as animal feed.

Successfully grown in North Korea Christensen’s work attracted the attention of agricultural offi cials in North Korea, which

has suffered severe famines. North Korean farmers tried growing commercial corn hybrids from the US but the plants did not produce in the country’s cold mountainous terrain. The only grain they could produce was a primitive barley. North Korean researchers traveled to the US and discovered Christensen’s work. They invited him to come to North Korea, an honor in itself considering the country’s distrust of outsiders. In 2003, he traveled to North Korea, taking three tons of Painted Mountain Corn seed with him. He worked with plant breeders and the country’s agriculture department to introduce the corn. Production was successful. “They found it would help stop starvation,” Christensen says.

Based on the success of his corn in North Korea, Christensen believes other countries could also benefi t. “This is proof; there are many climates like that in the world,” he says. Successful trials of Painted Mountain Corn were also grown in Siberia. Christensen named his project Seed We Need, based on the importance of introducing food corn varieties to people in harsh climates and mountainous regions.

Corn borer resistance Over the last three years, Christensen has received a grant from the Organic Farming

Research Foundation to develop corn varieties resistant to the European corn borer. He is working with Margaret Smith at Cornell University and Walter Goldstein at the Michael Fields Institute on corn borer resistance. Unlike genetically engineered Bt corn varieties that contain a pesticidal protein, which threatens human health and the environment, corn varieties developed by Christensen, Smith, and Goldstein have natural resistance bred into them. The


FC

continued from page 9

By the way, if you’re serving vegetarians as well as meat eaters, two grills will be appreci-ated. At the very least, use a separate part of your grill and a separate spatula or tongs for the vegetarian fare.

Fruits and veg-gies should be brushed with a high-quality oil or marinade. You can also sprinkle them with fresh herbs or dried herb and spice blends. To keep fruit juicy on the grill, first soak it in cold water for about half an hour. (Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to each cup of water to keep the fruit from discoloring. Or use a mixture of rum and spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg, or apple pie spice, for soaking.)

Because the skins (and husk in the case of corn) seal in nutrients as well as moisture, don’t peel produce before grilling. To shorten grilling time, precook hearty vegetables like winter squash, beets, broccoli, artichokes, carrots, parsnips and potatoes by steaming or blanching until barely tender. When placing produce on a kabob, alternate shapes to keep the kabob from rolling off the grill.

Flavor EnhancersThe grill tends to enhance fl avor on its own, but ex-perimenting with herbs and spices, marinades, rubs,

and sauces is what creative grillers most enjoy. There

are some deli-cious marinades

and marinade mix-es available. Or you

might concoct your own signature mix. Try

a variety of liquids, like oil and vinegar, citrus juices,

tamari, yogurt, or your favorite dressings, seasoned with spices that will compliment your fare (dill for fi sh, potatoes, and carrots; and garlic, oregano and basil for tomatoes, for example).

Fire up the Grill!

Use a non-reactive container, like glass (not aluminum or plastic), for marinades, and store food that’s marinating in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill. You can baste with your marinade throughout cooking, but if you’re using a marinade for raw meat, poultry, or seafood, don’t apply it dur-ing the last few minutes, because it needs to cook thoroughly. If you want to use leftover marinade as a sauce, boil it for at least a couple of minutes if you’ve had raw meat, poultry, or seafood in it. And never reuse a marinade for other food.

Dry rubs are perfect for meats like pork chops and chicken breasts, as well as tofu, fi sh, and even vegetables. Purchase dry rubs made specifi cally

for grilling or experiment with making your own using your favorite spices. Don’t forget ethnic options, too, like Chili Powder or Italian Seasoning. Garlic powder, coarse black pepper, and lemon pepper are always

good choices. Using about 2 tablespoons of rub per pound of food, simply sprinkle

the rub over the food, then rub it into the surface with your clean hands. Place the food

in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before grilling.

Are grilled foodsunhealthy?

In many ways, grilling is a healthful cooking method. Because grilled foods use no additional oils (as in sautéing or frying), they tend to be naturally low in fat. But in recent years, studies have pointed to two dangerous ingredients that

are generated during grilling: PAHs and HAAs. PAHs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, form as a result of grease fl are ups. The smoke carries the chemical to the food, and charred grilled foods contain the most PAHs. Heterocyclic aromatic amines, or HAAs, are formed when the amino acids in muscle meats react to the heat of the cooking fl ame. Both PAHs and HAAs may increase the risk of cancer. There are specifi c ways to reduce the dangers of carcinogens at the cookout, though:

• Avoid fatty meats, which drip and contribute to fl are ups.• Trim excess fat from the outer edges of meats and skin from poultry. • Marinade foods fi rst. The acidity of marinades helps prevent the formation of HAAs. • Consider precooking meat in the microwave to cut down on time on the grill. (The longer you cook meat, the more HAAs will form.) • Keep fl ames from touching meats (let the fl ames die down before cooking).• Avoid sugary glazes, which can promote charring. If you do use them, baste at the end of grilling time. This will also allow the charcoal fl avor to penetrate the food fi rst. • Cook on medium heat. Too-high temperatures can char meat on the outside while preventing the inside from becoming fully cooked. • Don’t eat the blackened parts of grilled foods.• Consider grilling under a broiler in the oven, which won’t carry smoke to the foods. • Choose hardwoods rather than soft woods, which burn at higher temperatures.


The End

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The End

P o e m

Symptomatic Spinesby de Vie, Co-op Member-Owner

biofeedback loop.I don’t feel sad, it’s just matter-of-fact.Tendency wasn’t mine in the fi rst place.And the one who is still keeps his distance.

A competition where they ran on sand. Palm trees.That was one of the questions.What would it be like to kiss him?

Pali/Sanskrit takes up one quarter of the whole braineven if the person doesn’t know Sanskrit.I need a rim for the tire.

“He’s a strange bird.”Electricity at his shop hands me a notemeaning he wants to get back together with me.I work on deciphering the poetry of it.The feeling with him.Very certain & secure feeling.

“That’s what I know about it.”No one can tell you if you loved him.You thought it was real, but it wasn’t.

What the hell were they talking about?The prayer bowl.“I really don’t know how it ends.”I don’t want to have to explain myself again.

(c) 2008 de Vie

vm: (520) 495-2005myspace.com/yourdeVie

my childhood was practically non-stop local eating that started with rhubarb pie in early spring. Persimmons are a common landscape tree in California that produces abundantly without much care. No matter where you live, the trick is to eat what is abundant and locally available and avoid craving cherries in January.

Last year the Co-op held an “Eat Local Challenge” with the goal that participants commit to eating a certain percentage of the food they consume over a certain period of time from food grown nearby. This was a na-tional event held by many food co-ops across the country so the “rules” varied depending on the co-op’s geographic location. Some places (such as parts of California or the Wil-lamette Valley in Oregon) are much easier to participate in because of the sheer abundance

of local products over a long season. The goal for Tucson participants might

not be to get 100% of their food from local sources during the challenge. I think that the year-round message of the challenge is to eat lots of local produce as it comes in season. The appeal of this challenge is the implication that what is measured is improved. Improv-ing your purchasing habits helps support the local growers because we are after all, in this together. This year’s Eat Local Challenge is better timed than last year because it’s closer to our peak growing season. Keep your eyes open in the coming issues about this year’s Eat Local Challenge to be held July 5-20th. In the meantime, prepare yourselves for a glorious local peach eating season coming soon to your nearby food co-op. Thanks for supporting our farmers.

researchers located corn varieties with corn borer resistance growing in tropical regions and crossbred them with North American varieties. The aim is to provide organic farmers with corn varieties that resist the corn borer naturally—without pesticides and genetic engineering.

“We’re trying to create an array of genetic resources that farmers can use,” Christensen says.

GMO challenges Another major challenge facing organic farm-

ers is pollen from genetically engineered corn that contaminates organic corn. Christensen is breeding pollen-blocking traits into his Painted Mountain Corn. GMOs are an ongoing challenge. Chris-tensen must test his corn periodically to ensure there is no contamination. He views testing as a necessary expense. “It takes lots of work and cost, but I can’t afford to lose my life’s work. I would rather put money into testing.”

Monsanto Company recently announced that it would introduce the world’s fi rst GE drought-resistant corn varieties. Christensen sees genetic engineering as a limited approach to drought re-sistance. “Just infusing one gene won’t do as much good as breeding western corn that has lived 5000 years in the desert and contains multiple systems to adapt to drought.”

With climate change creating extremes in weather, drought tolerance will be an increasingly valued trait in food plants. Painted Mountain Corn provides one solution, and Christensen aims to make seed available worldwide by 2012. He is convinced that his ancient corn can give people in harsh climates worldwide a modern tool to better feed themselves, instead of relying on the promises of the biotechnology industry with their claims of feeding the world. “We have a lot to give the world,” he says.

For more information about Dave Chris-tensen’s work, visit www.seedweneed.com.

Stay informed on genetic engineering issues! The Organic and Non-GMO Report Special for Co-op Members: $10 Off Your Subscription. 800-854-0586 or www.non-gmoreport.com

FC

Non-GMO Reportcontinued from page 9


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JOIN THE CO-OP & SAVE. Because everyone deserves a healthier bag of Groceries. You’ll be part of a cooperative effort to sustain natural groceries and organic fruits and vegetables without any unwanted chemical or genetic surprises. All it takes is a $10 nonrefundable administrative fee and a refundable investment of $180. (The payment plan is $23.75 per quarter.) Your investment is used to help improve our buildings, products and equipment. Should you ever choose to withdraw your member-ownership, you will be repaid the full amount of your investment.

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