News from the Lexington Cooperative Market LexTalk Pumpkin Everywhere! Why? Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C. They are high in the antioxidant beta-carotene and fiber. Plus, a one-cup serving of pumpkin contains just 49 calories. It may surprise you to know, pumpkins are technically a fruit; but low in sugar with only 8 grams in a cup. It loves warm spices! Creamy pumpkin purée is a natural in breads, biscuits and muffins. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger enhance pumpkin’s flavor, especially in baked goods. Walnuts and hazelnuts are good pairings, as are autumn fruits like apples and pears. Buy it fresh or canned. When cooking with pumpkin, be sure to use pie pumpkins rather than jack-o-lantern pumpkins, which are grown for size but lack flavor. Pie pumpkins are small (like most winter squash), and usually sold by the pound in the co-op. Each pound of pumpkin will produce about one cup of purée. It’s fun! After you’ve carved your jack-o-lantern or scooped out a pie pumpkin, toast those seeds! Pumpkin seeds are rich in phytosterols and the amino acid tryptophan. They also provide protein, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Pumpkin seeds are great tossed onto salads, in granola, on top of soup or freshly toasted from the oven. Pumpkin, Onion & Feta Galette, page 4 $ 1,500,000 $ 500,000 $ 250,000 $2 MILLION! Let’s build a store together ! $ 1,874,00 ! $ 1 MILLION! Capital Campaign Reopened until October 15. As we head into our fall harvest season, we also get to look ahead to our investment for the future... our second store on Hertel Avenue! And co-op owners have invested $1,874,000 to build it! It’s incredible! Thank you investors and to everyone who has considered investing. Learn more on page two, or at lexington.coop. Inside: Co-op month, PB&J love, autumnal brews and YOUR board election! Mix it in Pop open a can and stir in pumpkin puree! • Oatmeal • Smoothies • Cream sauce • Chili • Refried beans • Vinaigree Pumpkin everything! This native North American crop has literally popped up everywhere and in everything! It was a staple food for American Indians and it looks to be a new staple food in our kitchens. Co-op customers love Lexi’s Kitchen Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Muffins and now Vegan Pumpkin Bars. And let’s not forget the Pumpkin beer craze, pumpkin popcorn, pumkin raviolis and pumpkin pancake mix. Wow! Fall 2015
Transcript
News from the Lexington Cooperative Market
LexTalkPumpkin Everywhere!
Why? Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C. They are high in the antioxidant beta-carotene and fiber. Plus, a one-cup serving of pumpkin contains just 49 calories. It may surprise you to know, pumpkins are technically a fruit; but low in sugar with only 8 grams in a cup.
It loves warm spices! Creamy pumpkin purée is a natural in breads, biscuits and muffins. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger enhance pumpkin’s flavor, especially in baked goods. Walnuts and hazelnuts are good pairings, as are autumn fruits like apples and pears.
Buy it fresh or canned. When cooking with pumpkin, be sure to use pie pumpkins rather than jack-o-lantern pumpkins, which are grown for size but lack flavor. Pie pumpkins are small (like most winter squash), and usually sold by the pound in the co-op. Each pound of pumpkin will produce about one cup of purée.
It’s fun! After you’ve carved your jack-o-lantern or scooped out a pie pumpkin, toast those seeds! Pumpkin seeds are rich in phytosterols and the amino acid tryptophan. They also provide protein, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Pumpkin seeds are great tossed onto salads, in granola, on top of soup or freshly toasted from the oven.
Pumpkin, Onion & Feta Galette, page 4
$1, 500,000
$500,000
$250,000
$2 MILLION!
Let’s build a store together !
$1,874,00!
$1 MILLION!
Capital Campaign Reopened
until October 15.
As we head into our fall harvest season, we also get to look ahead to our investment for the future...our second store on Hertel Avenue! And co-op owners have invested $1,874,000 to build it!
It’s incredible!
Thank you investors and to everyone who has considered investing. Learn more on page two, or at lexington.coop.
Inside: Co-op month, PB&J love, autumnal brews and YOUR board election!
Mix it inPop open a can and stir in pumpkin puree!
Fall! The apples are tart and crisp. Local tomatoes, sweet peppers and concord grapes are hitting their peak. Lexi’s Kitchen is gearing up with fall pies and soups. Rhythm is restored after a beautiful summer. Life is good.
At the Co-op, we are deep into designing our second store on Hertel Avenue. On September 8th, our landlord received City Planning Board approval, and we are expecting to close on financing and begin our portion of construction in December or January. In the meantime, we’re getting ready for running two stores. Our staff is working hard, feeling stretched but gratified for the ability to learn and grow in this challenging time.
Before we can move forward, we need to reach our $2 million Capital Campaign goal. This spring, 351 owners came together to raise $1.9 million, which leaves just over $100,000 to go. Our campaign is already in the top five largest capital campaigns in the history of food co-ops. This is phenomenal when you consider that 20 miles away East Aurora has raised $875,000 to start their own food co-op. We’re so proud to be a part of this generous community. We would love to exceed our $2 million goal and raise our full $2.5 million offering. Every additional dollar we raise reduces the co-op’s reliance on outside debt and makes sure more money stays at work in our community. Please contact us at [email protected] if you’d like to learn more.
I was at a party in East Aurora this weekend and an old friend of the family said to me
“What is it with this East Aurora Co-op? They keep asking me for money. If they don’t have money, why are they starting a store?” Later in the conversation we talked about a dot
com millionaire who had developed several properties in East Aurora during the first decade of the new millennium. “I loved that guy!” she told me. Who doesn’t love a white
knight who rides into town with deep pockets and makes everything better? We get caught up in the charisma, the possibility of it all.
Buffalo has become one of the most livable cities in the country mostly while being ignored by the white knights of the world. Who made that happen? Regular people working together. Volunteers
for the Olmsted Parks and the Elmwood Festival of the Arts. Immigrants settling here and creating a new community and life for
themselves. People tending their gardens and investing in their homes and taking care of neighbors they have known their whole lives.
Co-operation made this city a great place to live. It will be a shame if the Buffalo Billion and the cranes that come with it changes that dynamic. The East Aurora Co-op is raising a store in the same way the Amish raise a barn: using the talents, effort and savings of the entire community. In the city, we are doing the same thing. There are no white knights in our group: it is the grassroots investments of 400 or so owners making it happen. These are regular people investing in their community to build a store that will serve the community.
Have a wonderful fall everyone! Thank you to everyone who helped with the Farmer’s Market, the Elmwood Festival of the Arts, the Gardenwalk and all of our other grassroots summertime neighborhood events. Please come out to the Annual Meeting and join your fellow owners in celebrating this great year of expanding co-ops throughout WNY.
A committed, passionate Board of Directors is crucial to our business. We have three seats available on our Board, and six owners running to serve our co-op.
Ballots will arrive in the mail this month. Please read the candidates’ statements (also on our website in October) and VOTE!
3 Redeem your dividend
Owners, if you shopped the co-op last fiscal year, watch for patronage dividends in October! Patronage dividends are the return on your investment in the store you OWN.
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2 Come to the Annual Meeting!
Wednesday, October 28, 6-8pmNardin Academy, Auburn Ave entrAnce
We’re going to celebrate a banner year for our co-op! Come out to visit with your fellow owners, meet your Board candidates and more!
how to be a part of it
Meet the candidates Saturday, 10/24, 9am-Noon
At the elmwood-bidwell fArmer’s mArket!
Vote for the dividend donation recipient!
lAst yeAr, owners donAted $5,896 to mAss Ave Project through PAtronAge dividend donAtions.choose this yeAr’s reciPient in the store or online - follow the link At lexington.cooP or our fAcebook PAge.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9x5” inch loaf pans.In a bowl, whisk spices, salt, baking soda, baking powder and flours.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, applesauce, molasses, eggs, vanilla, water, and pumpkin well blended. Add flour mix to wet ingredients and blend well, then divide the batter into loaf pans.Bake 45-50 min until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake. Cool 15 min before slicing.
2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 2 cups sugar1/2 cup canola oil1 cup applesauce1/2 cup blackstrap molasses4 large eggs2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup water1 15 oz can pumpkin puree1 tablespoon ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon ground allspice
Pumpkin Gingerbread
Prepare crust: Pulse walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Combine in a bowl with flours, thyme/rosemary, 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Make a well in the center, add oil and water. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry to form a soft dough (it will seem wetter than other pastry dough). Knead in bowl just until dough comes together. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 15 min, up to 3 days.
To prepare filling: Combine pumpkin, 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 min, then remove from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375° F. Meanwhile, in a medium pan, saute leeks with 2 tsp oil until soft and edges begin to brown.
Assembly: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a work surface with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, lightly dust with flour and dust top of dough with flour. Roll into a rustic 15” circle, add more flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking Transfer to a baking sheet.Leaving a 2” border, spoon cooled leeks onto crust. Lay pumpkin on top, sprinkle with cheese. Lift edges of crust with a spatula, fold over the filling, making pleats in dough as necessary (it’s okay if dough cracks a little ); filling will not be completely covered. Brush crust with egg wash. Drizzle with 1 tsp oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp thyme/rosemary. Bake until lightly brown on edges, ~50 min. Cool 10 min before slicing.
Crust
3/4 cup walnuts1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, and/or rosemary3/4 tsp salt3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Filling
1 1/2 lbs pie pumpkin, peeled, sliced to 1/4”1 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil, divided1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp ground pepper1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks (1-2 large)2/3 cup feta1 egg white, mixed with 1 tsp water
Pumpkin Leek Tart with Feta & Walnuts(cover photo)PUMPKIN
GOODNESSMake these your favorites!
Hamburg Brewing Company
Oktoberfest beer has BIG malty flavor that plays well against the hearty nut-like character of locally made God’s Country Gridley
Gruyere cheese.
Jack’s Abby Brewing Copper Legend beer is malty, smooth and drinkable – just what we like from an Octoberfest beer. Old Quebec Vintage
Cheddar cheese is sharp enough to pair - aged three years for crisp, clean flavor and balanced by hints of fruit and caramel.
Southern Tier Pumking beer and
Cypress Grove Humbolt Fog aged goat chevre. Think pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream. This creamy combo is an easy go-to.
Oktoberfest
Dogfish Head Punkin beer and
Granvall French Comte cheese - Comte’s rich notes of melted butter, heavy cream and toasted hazelnuts meet Punkin’s spices and caramel finish – the result? Soulmates.
A recipe for autumnal deliciousness
Warm Sausage & Potato Salad
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1 lb small potatoes, cut in half4 cups arugula (one 5-oz package)12 oz precooked sausage/bratwurst, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup1 tbsp whole-grain or Dijon mustard1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oilFreshly ground pepper, to taste
1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 min. Transfer to a large bowl and add arugula; cover to keep warm.2. Heat sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add to the potato-arugula mixture.3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in vinegar, maple syrup and mustard, scraping up any browned bits. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the arugula is wilted. Season with pepper and serve.
Baked variation: After dressing, pour salad into a baking dish and cover with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and crisping at edges, about five minutes.
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fall's best beer & cheese pairings
Boiled and baked fresh in Buffalo, BreadHive’s unmistakable soft pretzels,
naturally leavened and cooperatively made, are an easy Oktoberfest (and every day!) go-to. Get ‘em fresh at the co-op Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
California Dreaming This summer, Lexi’s produce buyer/supervisor Jeff Jurek was invited by Four Seasons Produce for a tour of several Southern California farms that supply fruits and vegetables to markets around the world, including our store. He traveled with a group of 11 others, including employees from Albany’s Honest Weight Co-op and Brooklyn’s Park Slope Co-op.
They picked grapes and berries in Bakersfield, taste-tested stone fruit from Family Tree stone fruit orchards in Fresno, toured enormous packaging and storage facilities of Grimmway Farms, Cal-Organic and Andy Boy, and were even welcomed into the personal homes of several farmers who produce much of the world’s fresh foods.
“We couldn’t have asked for better hospitality, every farmer was extremely knowledgeable, hard-working, humble, and fun. We were treated as old friends.” The group was given comprehensive lessons in producing foods, from the earliest stages of research and development, to large-scale production and harvesting, to quality control and more. “It’s hard to imagine the volume each of these growers yield without seeing the vast scale of their operations in person. It’s staggering how much these valleys supply to the global marketplace, most of which is harvested by hand. I had no idea.”
“Thefarmsandfarmerswemetandvisitedwerekindandpositive.Theindustrysometimeshasareputationforexploitinglabor,butIfoundthistobefarfromthetruth.Farmerscouldn’tstressenoughtheirgratitude,andhowvitaltheselaborersaretotheiroperations.‘Without them here, we wouldn’t exist. We owe it all to them’wasstatedoverandoveramongstgrowers.Iwasshockedtolearnthatabigproblemfacingfarmersisactuallyunavailabilityoflaborduetostrictimmigrationregulations.Ateveryfarmwemetseverallaborers,andeachofthemlovedtheirwork,they’rehappytomakeanhonestwageandsupporttheirfamilies.”
“WhatIrefertoasthe‘closingoftheloop’.Itwasgreattotakeastepbacktobothrealizeandappreciatetheeffortthatbringsproductsontoourshelvesandintothehomeofourcustomers.Asconsumersit’sdifficulttofullygraspallthatisbehindpickingupfoodoffthestoreshelf:researchanddevelopment,sampleharvests,certifications,farmingpracticesandtechniques,harvesting,processing,qualitycontrol,storage,distribution,andeventuallyretail.Eachsteprequirestime,labor,andcoordination.Ifeelveryluckytohavemetdedicatedpeopleateachstepofthis“loop”whoarepassionateaboutbringingamazingproductstotheworld.The farming industry is as much a people business as it is a produce business, every step of the way.”
Celery harvest in Monterey, CA
Unique strawberry varieties packed up to go!
Jeff at Family Tree Farms in Fresno, CA
Favorite takeaway?
Want to hear more? Grab Jeff in the Co-op Produce Department anytime!
Best Produce in Buffalo!Did you hear? This spring, the Co-op’s produce department won the long-coveted ‘Best Produce’ award from Artvoice newspaper. Shop fresh with pride!
807ElmwoodAve,Buffalo,NY14222716.886.COOP
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PAIDBUFFALONYPERMIT#801OpentoEveryone
7am-11pmdaily
We are encouraging all owners to call your senators and tell them to vote down SAFLA, aka the DARK Act. • SAFLA is a bill that would ban mandatory GMO
labeling and override state labeling laws passed in states like Vermont and Maine.
• The bill has passed in the House, but still needs to pass the Senate to be signed into law.
• The Co-op does not take a stand on GMOs, but we do believe strongly that consumers have the right to know what is in their food so we can all make choices that align with our values and diets. We support mandatory labeling.
Please call Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s offices today and encourage them to oppose this bill. It’s easy! Learn how at lexington.coop.
Tell your Senator NOT to ban mandatory GMO labeling.
Make the call
FALL at the Co-op!
We’d love to try your best holiday recipes.Send us your best - a Thanksgiving side, Hannukah cake, a smash hit holiday party appetizer. We’ll choose recipes to share with your fellow owners!
