Local Forage

  • Eating is one of our most primal and sensual acts. And eating what's good for you doesn't mean depriving yourself of gastronomic delight. Local Forage explores why traditional foods—the real, unprocessed, whole-fat foods of our grandparents—delivers the winning combination of maximum health and maximum taste.

    Local Forage provides an exchange of practical information on where to buy these nutrient-dense traditional foods in the bay area, how to prepare them and how to think "beyond organic".

What I'm Eating Now

    More on Carla's Twitter page

    Recent Posts

    April 14, 2008

    Group Buy 2008: Organic Nuts - FINAL PAYMENT DUE 4/17

    Nutbuysinshell

    **If you didn't reserve your nuts on the 4/2 post, it's too late to get in on this order.**

    Thanks to all who responded to my last post on the nut order. We have enough demand, so please send your payment to me via Paypal by 4/17.

    Instructions for Payment:

    1. Sign up for a PayPal account, if you don't already have one. I am only accepting payments through Paypal. (BTW, It takes a few days to activate a new Paypal account so hopefully you already have an account set up.)
    2. When signing up, follow the prompts to get Verified. Verification is the process of linking up your checking account to your Paypal account. If you are already signed up with Paypal, make sure that your checking account is linked and you have a back up source linked like a credit card. I WILL NOT ACCEPT PAYPAL CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS unless you increase the payment by 3%+ $.30 to cover the credit card transaction fees.
    3. Log in to your PayPal account.
    4. Click the Send Money tab.
    5. Fill out the Send Money form. For "recipients address" use lfgroupbuys [at] yahoo [dot] com. For "amount", calculate what you owe. Almonds are $8.50/lb and walnuts are $7.90/lb. 4/16 UPDATE with Paypal fees included: Almonds are $8.75/lb and walnuts are $8.13/lb plus please add $.30 per Paypal transaction. Shipping is included in these amounts. Click the "Service/Other" button. Do not send money by eCheck. eCheck takes several days to clear.
    6. **Only those who responded in Comments on the 4/2 post should send me money.**
    7. Click Send Money to go to the next page.
    8. Check to make sure Instant Transfer is listed as the Payment Method. An Instant Transfer is an automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account. You must add a backup funding source, such as a credit or debit card, or a separate confirmed bank account, to use Instant Transfer. (If you don't see "Instant Transfer" as a choice, this means you don't have a backup source. Go back and add a backup source.)
    9. In the "Message to Recipients" field, type "Nut Order" as the subject. In the "Message" window, please tell me how many pounds of each nut you are ordering — this is very important! Also include your email address so I can correspond with you about the pickup. (Please only order in one pound increments; no fractions.)
    10. Click Send Money.
    11. You're done!

    Order Pick Up
    You must pick up in person; there will be no mail shipments. The pick up spot will be in the Cole Valley area of San Francisco on a designated day. I will notify you of the date via email (the email you used for Paypal).

    If you have any questions, please put them here in the blog and I will address them right away.

    Thanks!
    ~Carla

    Photo credit: Rim Harwig. Pictured are unshelled nuts. This order is for shelled nuts, in case you're wondering.

    April 02, 2008

    Group Buy 2008: Organic Nuts

    Nuts_2I personally eat a lot of nuts (see -Turbo Charge Your Almonds-, -Spicy Candied Pecans-, -Two Brazil Nuts a Day Keeps the Doctor Away- and nut sprouting question) because they're a nutrient dense snack and they're delicious. There is credible research that proves tree nuts are actually good for you and not the fatty villain portrayed on the USDA Food Pyramid. Nuts are a great source of protein (especially almonds and walnuts) and are loaded with essential minerals and vitamins, especially the antioxidant vitamin E. They also contain critical amino acids and are a decent source of fiber.

    Last year, I orchestrated a group buy for shelled almonds, walnuts and pecans (for people living in the SF bay area) for members of the SF Weston A. Price Foundation and Local Forage. I am doing the same thing this year - for walnuts and almonds. Unfortunately, my wonderful supplier for pecans hasn't received his shipment yet for 2008, so we are going to go with just almonds and walnuts for now. Please note that I cannot ship the nuts to you. You have to be present to pick them up.

    The almonds and walnuts will supplied again by Ruth Hartnett. Ruth is a local WAPF member who has about 9 acres on Grand island in the Sacramento Delta where she uses sustainable/organic methods and biodynamic fertilizer. She seems to be following a Joel Salatin-like model (as described by Michael Pollan in Omnivore's Dilemma) of healthy food production and family farm sustainability. She sells walnut wine, bison, pastured chickens and rabbits, winter squash, mineral broth with a rooster base (excellent for calcium) and a grape juice made from italian Barbera grapes pressed with the grape seeds — a unique and wonderful array of products. 

    The almonds that we're getting from her are an old variety the Spanish brought when they came to California and are unpasteurized and shelled. They are round-shaped and have a higher concentration of almond oil.

    If we can get pull enough people together to buy 50 pounds of almonds, Ruth will give us a price of $8.50 per pound for the almonds which is great. 4/14 UPDATE: Walnuts are $7.90 per pound.

    Here's how this works, folks.

    1. In the comments area below, please indicate the number of pounds of each nut. They must be in 1 pound increments.
    2. Once I determine that we have a minimum of 50 pounds of almonds, I will send out another post* with the payment instructions. You must pay through Paypal via instant transfer from your checking or savings account (not by credit card as they charge 2-3% for credit card transfers). If I accepted a check from you last year, I will do so again this year. I'm trying to keep personal checks to a minimum for obvious reasons. So get your checking accounts hooked up to Paypal now!
    3. Once all the payments are received I will place the order.
    4. When the order arrives, you must physically pick it up; there will be no mail shipments. The pick up will be at a location in or around Cole Valley on a designated day. I will notify you of two pickup dates via email.
    5. I do this as a service to our community. I'm not marking up the prices.

    So all you have to do right now is indicate how many pounds you want in the comments area below. Please plan on following through with your almond order because our low price depends on it. Please include your email in the post so that I can contact you if necessary. And then watch Local Forage for further updates and for the final request for payment.

    Thanks.
    ~Carla

    * Your best bet for staying in touch on this matter is subscribing to Local Forage via email. Sign up for this in the right hand column of the blog where it says "Subscribe". 

     

    March 28, 2008

    Local Forage Group on Facebook

    Facebook

    Foragers:

    I have set up a group page on Facebook for Local Forage. In the search field on the left side of your Facebook home page, enter "Local Forage". Local Forage Blog should come up as the first result. Click on "Become a Fan" to be added to the group.

    Among other things, the Facebook page will be a place for Foragers to "talk amongst yerselves". I'd like for comments on posts to stay on here on the blog, but unrelated questions or comments directed to the whole group could go on Facebook -- on the Discussion Board. You can also write on the Wall, post videos and photos and write reviews. I can send notifications or add events. In the future there may be special offers for members of the Facebook group. I may give away a Prius. Or maybe some duck liver mousse from the Fatted Calf. This could be one small step for Local Forage; one giant leap for offal.

    Friend me
    On the group page, you will see me listed as a fan. If you want to add me as a friend, that's great, but please identify yourself with the following personal message: "Carla, I don't know you but I love you".

    March 27, 2008

    Breakfast of Champions (and Bloggers): Millet with "Yummy Yeast"

    Millet

    Have you ever tried millet? If not, this breakfast recipe is a great way to get acquainted with it. Millet is a highly nutritious, non-glutenous grain that has been used in Africa and India as a staple food for thousands of years. Like buckwheat and quinoa, it's not acid-forming. It's soothing to the stomach and easy to digest. In fact, it's considered to be one of the least allergenic and most digestible grains available. I should have written this post at the beginning of winter because millet is also a warming grain; it will help heat the body in cold or rainy seasons and climates. But that doesn't mean you should avoid it in warmer months. In fact, last year I ate this in the hot desert at Burning Man* with great results.

    Millet is tasty, with a mildly sweet, nut-like flavor and contains a myriad of beneficial nutrients. It's nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It's particularly high in the minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.

    My friend Cristal introduced me to the fantastic combination of millet and nutritional yeast. Each of two the ingredients has its own merits, but together they provide one of the most sustaining and satisfying foods in my morning repertoire. And I'm hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) so this is no small feat. With millet, I can go twice as long without eating as with almost any other breakfast food. As you will read, Cristal uses flax oil in the recipe, I prefer Bariani extra virgin olive oil.

    The millet is easy to prepare: use 3 parts water to 1 part millet**, add grain to boiling water, and simmer covered for approximately 30 minutes or until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered for five or ten minutes more. Then scoop cooked millet into a bowl for an individual serving and add 2-4 tablespoons of the yeast mixture on top. If I have a tomato laying around, I'll add it diced to the top.

    I asked Cristal, writer by day, to jot a few words on the nutritional yeast part of the recipe for Local Forage. Here's what she wrote:

    "Recently, a long-time friend suggested I taste this crazy hippy-organic mixture he'd made: nutritional yeast and flax oil – a thick yellow paste he'd mixed up in a jar. He said he calls it “Yummy Yeast,” and rightly so. It's delicious!

    Today, My roommate and I spread it on toast, mix it into steamed millet, or smoosh onto hard-boiled or scrambled eggs. Sometimes, I just gulp a spoon or two before I leave for work.

    Some quick Web searches yielded this information:

    • Nutritional yeast is a terrific food supplement that provides an excellent source of protein (52%) and essential amino acids.
    • It is a deactivated yeast, usually Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
    • It comes in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder similar in texture to cornmeal, and can be found in the bulk aisle of most natural food stores. It's grown specifically for its nutritional value and is naturally low in fat and salt.
    • It's rich in B-complex vitamins and folic acid, which is important for reproduction of red blood cells.
    • It has a pleasant-tasting, cheesy flavor and can be used directly on vegetables, baked potatoes, popcorn and other foods as a condiment.
    • It is different from brewer's yeast or torula yeast, and can often be used by those sensitive to other yeasts.

    The yeast paste recipe is simple:

    • Drop four or five heaping tablespoons of nutritional yeast into a clean, empty jar.
    • Add as much flax oil as you want, until you form a paste that’s the consistency you like.
    • I like to use the fresh, cold flax oil you can buy at Rainbow Grocery [or in the refrigerated section of your local health food store]. Red Star nutritional yeast can be found in the bulk section of Rainbow as well and in some health food stores.
    • Store the mixture in the refrigerator."

    * At Burning Man, I got endless grief for making this recipe. It's not visually appealing I'll admit; the nutritional yeast mixture is a weird yellow color. Yea though I walked through the valley of the shadow of foodie criticism in the desert, my peeps all came back for more. (Even finicky Lorn D.)

    ** Millet contains phytic acid which is an inhibitor to nutrient absorption. To reduce phytic acid content, at minimum rinse the millet well. More preferably, soak the grain in water for 1-10 hours. Drain and continue with recipe.

     

    March 23, 2008

    Jill Bolte Taylor's amazing TED talk

    The next 4 posts are for Local Foragers in Los Angeles. But this post, while a little off-topic, should be read/watched by all. It will give you pause. And remind you of the miraculous duality (body/spirit) of our existence here on earth.

    What I'm referring to is a video. A video of neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor speaking at the TED conference last month in Monterey, California. She had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. She experienced her stroke with a startling degree of consciousness. While the stroke was happening, she was given the grace to "see between the worlds". Watch and listen to this flat-out amazing story.

    (Creepy but cool file: She shows the audience a real brain with the spinal cord intact.)

    The video is a little over 18 minutes long. (If you can't see it in the daily digest, click on the title of this post to get over to the blog.)

    THE SOURCEROR LA: GRASS-FED MEAT

    And now, we bring you The Sourceror, Los Angeles. Steven Fineberg has scoured LA to tell you where to get the good stuff. Soon I will be activating the LA tab of Local Forage. Until then, these posts will appear on the main site.

    Local Forage recommends:
    (in the greater Los Angeles area)

    Five Bar Beef
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Phone: 714.749.5717
    Products: Grass-fed beef.

    Happy Family Farms
    Location:
    Fillmore, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Main Street, Beverly Hills.
    Phone: 805.421.3301
    Products: Chicken, ducks and turkeys. Pastured eggs, artisan soft cheeses from the milk of their own herd of goats. All products are produced on their family-owned 30 acre ranch near Santa Barbara.

    Lilly’s Eggs
    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Wednesday & Saturday - Santa Monica Arizona Ave.& 3rd, Pico
    Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 805.657.4638
    Products: Natural chickens and ducks fertile (pastured) eggs, cage free (grain fed) eggs..

    Lindner Bison
    Location: Ranch in Northern California
    Farmers’ Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 866.247.8753
    Products: grass-fed and finished Bison. All the favorite cuts of steaks and roasts. Organ meats, bones and pet food blends.

    Organic Pastures
    Location:
    Fresno, CA
    Farmers’s Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 877.729.6455
    Products: OP has expanded to include grass-fed beef! Call them to inquire and order various cuts. Shipped to above farmers’ markets frozen.

    Rocky Canyon
    Location:
    Atascadero, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 805.461.5754
    Products: Family farm near Paso Robles. Produce grass fed beef, pastured pork, free range eggs.

    THE SOURCEROR LA: PASTURED EGGS

    Local Forage recommends:
    (in the greater Los Angeles area)

    Happy Family Farms
    Location:
    Fillmore, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Main Street, Beverly Hills
    Phone: 805.421.3301
    Products: Pastured eggs, chicken, ducks and turkeys. Artisan soft cheeses from the milk of their own herd of goats. All products are produced on their family-owned 30 acre ranch near Santa Barbara.

    Lilly’s Eggs
    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Pico Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 805.657.4638
    Products: fertile (pastured) eggs, cage free (grain fed) eggs. Natural chickens and ducks.

    Rocky Canyon
    Location: Atascadero, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 805.461.5754
    Products: Pastured eggs, grass-fed beef and pork.

    Soledad Goats
    Location: Mojave, CA
    Farmers’ Markets: Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 661.824.4514
    Products: Pastured eggs, artisan produced goat cheeses from the milk of their own herd of goats. Soft cheeses in a variety of flavors, as well as hard cheeses.

    THE SOURCEROR LA: GROCERY SHOPPING

    Local Forage recommends:
    (in the greater Los Angeles area)

    Co-Opportunity
    1525 Broadway
    Santa Monica, CA 90404
    310.451.8902

    Erewhon
    7660 Beverly Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90036
    323.937.0777

    Nature Mart
    2080 Hillhurst Avenue
    Los Angeles, CA 90027
    323.660.0052

    One Life
    3001 Main Street
    Santa Monica, CA 90405
    310.392.4501

    Membership Co-op:
    Rawesome
    665 Rose Avenue
    Venice, CA 90291
    310.452.2244
    Hours: Wednesdays 12-8; Saturdays 9-1
    Products: raw milk and products from an Amish Pennsylvania farm. Grass-fed beef and bison. Wild fish. Organic produce, including coconuts and pineapples. Raw honey, olive oil and ceviche.

    THE SOURCEROR LA: RAW MILK

    Local Forage recommends:
    (in the greater Los Angeles area)

    Organic Pastures
    Location:
    Fresno, CA
    Farmers’s Markets: Wednesday & Saturday – Santa Monica Arizona Ave. & 3rd, Sunday – Hollywood.
    Phone: 877.729.6455
    Products: Raw milk from grass fed cows, cream, cheddar cheese, colostrum, kefir, kombucha.

    Claravale Farm
    OP and Claravale milk and cream are available at all Southern California Whole Foods Markets and the retailers in our SOURCEROR LA: GROCERY SHOPPING

    March 19, 2008

    EVENT 3/19: Microwave Radiation: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution

    It's been mentioned to me by medical professionals that I trust that the mobile phone and wireless revolution is the biggest human biology experiment ever conducted.This panel of speakers appearing at the Commonwealth Club tonight (Wed) would probably agree.

    “Cells in the body react to EMFs* as potentially harmful, just like to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and toxic chemicals. The DNA in living cells recognizes electromagnetic fields at very low levels of exposure; and produces a biochemical stress response. The scientific evidence tells us that our safety standards are inadequate, and that we must protect ourselves from exposure to EMF due to power lines, cell phones and the like.”
    - Martin Blank, PhD
      Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
      Researcher in Bioelectromagnetics

    Panel: Microwave Radiation: The Shadow Side of the Wireless RevolutionMicrowave
    Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008
    Time:
    6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (reception 5pm)
    Location: Commonwealth Club of California 595 Market St, 2nd floor, San Francisco, California 94105
    Description: Compelling Presentation on Health Hazards of Wireless Technologies
    Cost: $8 members, $15 non-members
    RSVP: www.commonwealthclub.org or 415-597-6700

    Need we be concerned about the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation from wireless technologies, such as cell phones, wireless networks, cell towers & antennas, PDAs, and portable phones?

    Conclusions of the recent international review of existing science, called The BioInitiative Report (www.BioInitiative.org) will be presented, as well as a report on the potential hazards of city-wide Wi-Fi in SF. Please join us to learn what is known about biological effects of microwave radiation and what we can do to create safe environments from a panel of renowned scientific and public health experts.

    Cindy Sage is an environmental consultant who has been involved in electromagnetic field issues for 25 years and co-edited the groundbreaking Bioinitiative Report.

    David Carpenter, MD, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the School of Public Health at the University of Albany, SUNY co-edited the report and has authored 300 peer reviewed publications and four books.

    Magda Havas, PhD is Associate Professor of Environmental & Resource Studies at Trent University, Canada, where she teaches and does research on the biological effects of environmental contaminants, including radiofrequency radiation, electromagnetic fields, dirty electricity and ground current.

    Camilla Rees, MBA, Moderator. Ms Rees is CEO of Wide Angle Health, LLC, a patient education and advocacy organization who combines 15 years of business experience in investment banking, venture capital and marketing communications with 10 years as an active student of health optimization.

    View complete info, bios and quotes at: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/eve/592676007.html

    http://www.commonwealthclub.org  

    *Electromagnetic Field

    March 17, 2008

    Blasphemy: Quinoa Pasta

    Ancientharvestpasta

    I grew up eating pasta two maybe three times a week.

    But now, every time I eat it, I'm afflicted with high-carb/low-protein guilt and a thanksgiving-full stomach.

    Until last night.

    I had Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta. This is a great wheat-free alternative, peeps. And while eating it is blasphemy to my Italian culinary roots, I must say that it's pretty darn close to the texture, color and taste of regular semolina pasta. And, there are some real nutritional and digestive pluses:

    • Quinoa protein content is very high (12%–18%).
    • Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it an unusually complete food.
    • It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron.
    • It's gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

    Here's the trick, though. Undercook it. We Italians cook our pasta al dente and quinoa pasta (and from what I've heard all gluten-free pasta) is no exception to the rule. You must cook it al dente for the taste and texture to be right. Once my pasta was in the al dente state on the stove, I drained it*, added butter, a bit of olive oil, lots of salt, Parmiggiano Reggiano and parsley**. Simple. And molto buona.

    Ancient Harvest pasta is a blend of non-GMO corn flours and organic quinoa flour. I have only tried the spaghetti (which is actually a little smaller in diameter than the spaghetti shape I'm used to) but they also offer elbows, linguine, shells, rotelle, pagoda garden (more blasphemy with this name), and veggie curls. Try one of these varieties and tell me what you think. It could be that the thinner the noodle, the more like the real thing. So, YMMV (your mileage may vary). I'm talking to you, pagoda garden.

    Purchase Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta on Amazon

    Wikipedia entry for Quinoa

    Quinoa Corporation, makers of Ancient Harvest Supergrain Products


    *I usually reserve a little pasta water to add back in. I like it a little brothy.

    **Tip: Never add oil to the boiling pasta water. It prevents your sauce from sticking to the noodle.

    March 11, 2008

    Seventh Generation Winner in Laundry Test

    Laundrydetergents_2 Your choice in laundry detergent can affect your health and the health of our waterways.  We all want to choose "green" products, but we also don't want to walk around with dingy, spotted clothes. When we do go to the laundry detergent isle, we're confused by the plethora of green product choices.

    To help us navigate the purchase of green laundry detergent, Grist.com's Sarah van Schagen reviewed six products: Biokleen, Seventh Generation, Earth Friendly Products, Planet, Mountain Green and All Small & Mighty.

    Seventh Generation got the award for cleaning effectiveness. It was the best at removing the stains she tested -- ketchup, balsamic vinaigrette, blueberries, red wine, and mud.

    Three other important take-aways:

    • 400 million gallons of water are used to dilute conventional laundry detergents. (So if you don't use an eco product, at least try to use one that is ultra concentrated.)
    • Most detergents don't list all ingredients by name. In fact, manufacturers are not required by law to disclose them. Instead, they use vague terms like "surfactant" or "washing soda" or "brightener".
    • If every U.S. household replaced one bottle of petroleum-based detergent with a plant-based one, 149,000 barrels of oil could be saved -- enough to heat and cool 8,500 homes for a year.

    I have one other thing to add: BUYING IN BULK IS GOOD

    And, to get stained clothes truly clean, use an Oxy product in conjunction with the above products. None of the reviewed detergents resulted in stain-free clothes.

    See Sarah's article, "It's a Wash", for the full text of her review.

    RECIPE: Rendered Fat

    Lard For those of you in Southern California, you may have heard Steven Fineberg representing Local Forage on KCRW radio's Good Food program with Evan Kleiman this morning. If not, take a look at the next post and give a listen. Steven talks with Evan in a 5-minute segment on rendered fats. The post below provides rendering instructions. ~Carla

    by Steven Fineberg

    The topic of dietary fat has stirred more debate than probably any other topic in nutrition. Those of you that read Local Forage on a regular basis are probably supporters of a diet rich in saturated fat and cholesterol. Yet, many of us have friends and relatives that would sooner consume a drop of arsenic than a meal containing lard, beef tallow and butter as the cooking fats.

    Fortunately, today there is a growing body of scientists and medical doctors that challenge the conventional mainstream view that animal fat is a primary contributor to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. A couple of interesting reads to pass on to friends or relatives that are fearful of digesting fat are: Real Food by Nina Planck and Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. They take complicated scientific information and explain the concepts to the lay man.

    My interest in fat stems from my reading about the diets of healthy, traditional cultures. Indigenous people from every continent made use of the fat they hunted or gathered -- as a component to a meal, rendered into soap and candles, and to create an internal body warmth as protection against the elements. Even those cultures that did not have access to muscle and organ cuts of meat, utilized the fat and bones of animals, as could be obtained. Prior to the twentieth century, most cultures valued fat.

    At the turn of the century, most of the fats in the diet were either saturated or mono-unsaturated, primarily from butter, lard, tallow, coconut oil and olive oil. Today, the majority of fats used are highly processed polyunsaturates.

    Rendering fat is simple. I have rendered chicken, duck, bison tallow and lard. Below are simple steps for rendering tallow from bison kidney and schmaltz (eastern european Jewish lard). I use all these fats for cooking as I would use butter. Chicken fat added to chopped liver is classic. Veggies baked in duck fat are amazing, especially potatoes. Bison tallow is great for browning meat and used as a component when mixing a batter for biscuits. Lard, of course makes a tender pie crust. Fry your eggs in lard and you will never use butter again!

    Tallow
    Tallow is the name for the rendered fat from a ruminant (cow, bison, lamb). I have been using Bison kidney fat from Lindner Bison. Lindner is one of the few local sources we have in Southern California to obtain pasture-based protein. According to Kathy Lindner, the kidney fat is the prized fat amongst chefs.
    Here is how I render the fat:
    Take 2 pounds of kidney fat cut into small pieces. Place in a oven-proof dish and put into a 250 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the fat has melted. The yellow fat will separate from the pieces of meat. Remove from oven and strain through a strainer. I pour my fat into a pint size mason jar and store in the fridge.

    Chicken fat (Schmaltz)
    When I buy a whole chicken I cut off the fat glands and fatty skin and reserve in the freezer. When I have a substantial amount I add to a pan on the stove. Pour water over the fat to barely cover. Cook over medium heat until the water has almost evaporated. Turn to low and cook until the fat pieces are dry, crisp and floating in the golden fat. Strain, use fairly quickly. The cracklings called grebenes are deelish!

    The Composition of Animal fats
    All the fats we eat are a blend of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fats are identified by the predominant fatty acid.

    Chicken, duck, goose fat and lard are ½ monounsaturated, 30-40% saturated and 12-20% polyunsaturated. The composition of bison fat is similar to beef -- 55% saturated, 40% monounsaturated. A third of the saturated fat is Stearic acid, which will increase HDL cholesterol, while having no effect on LDL. All poultry fats contain palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated anti-microbial immune booster. The polyunsaturated content lowers LDL. So, not only do these animal fats add unsurpassed flavor and richness to a dish, they improve your HDL and LDL cholesterol ratio, boost our immune systems, and supply integrity to our cell membranes. They help keep us full for a longer period, since fat keeps the food we eat in our digestive tract longer, we assimilate the nutrients better.

    (Photo courtesy of tellumo)

    March 09, 2008

    Local Forage on KCRW Radio's Good Food Program

    Kcrw If you've been reading Local Forage for a while, you might remember the Schwetty Balls post back in May of last year. Steven Fineberg shared a recipe for healthy chocolate-walnut ball snacks which I named Schwetty Balls in homage to one of my favorite Saturday night live skits featuring Alec Baldwin, Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon. What you may not know is that the skit actually parodies public radio's program Splendid Table and Good Food programs. Good Food is produced by public radio station KCRW (89.9 FM) in Santa Monica, California, and is hosted by Evan Kleiman. In my opinion KCRW is, if not the best, one of the best public radio stations in the country.

    While KCRW live broadcasts to Southern California only, you can use iTunes to listen to KCRW anywhere. I am constantly listening to it in iTunes. Morning Becomes Eclectic is some of the best emerging music programming in terrestrial radio. It's hosted by Nic Harcort, formerly of BBC Radio 1. (In the iTunes radio library, find it under "Alternative")

    Good Food is a fantastic show and even though some of the content is regional (i.e. restaurant reviews), Evan has great guests and keeps you current on seasonal harvests at the farmers markets, chef interviews, cook book reviews and ideas for entertaining. The enthusiasm and joy she has for food is contagious. 

    Click on the arrow below to listen to the podcast of Local Forage's Steven Fineberg talking to Evan about rendered fats.

    Yes, we're talking about lard, people. Don't freak out, just l-i-s-t-e-n. Steven's segment is at about the 22:50 mark in the one-hour-long program. (If the audio player doesn't show up in the email digest, go to Local Forage to listen.)

    Click here to get other Good Food iTunes podcasts.

    Local Forage rendered fat recipes

    March 06, 2008

    Friends of Local Forage (FOLFs)

    Friends

    FOLFs (Friends of Local Forage) are people who buy things at Amazon.com by following links from this site.

    I often post links to books that go to the Amazon.com store. Any time you buy a book (or anything) from following a link from this site, Local Forage will get a small percentage of the total purchase.

    The cool thing is that I will get credit for whatever you put in the cart as long as you used my link. I will be forever grateful as this will help defray the costs of hosting this web site and will ensure that I can continue to regale (scare? embarass? offend? titilate?) you.

    So keep Local Forage alive! Anytime you buy something from Amazon, follow a link from Local Forage to get to the site. Just click on a book link in a post, in the store, or just use the search box below.

    If you forget where this post is later, just do a search on Amazon on Local Forage ("Search this blog", located in the right column) and it will come up.

    Thanks, everyone! Vive Local Forage!

    EVENT: The Truth About Cholesterol (3/13, Berkeley)

    Crackedegg

    The Truth About Cholesterol:
    Separating Fact from Fiction

    Talk with Chris Kresser

    When:
    March 13, 7:00-9:00pm
    Where: Acupuncture & Integrated Medicine College (AIMC), Berkeley , 2550 Shattuck Avenue (at Blake)
    More info:
    www.aimc.edu, 510.666.8248 ext. 106

    As mentioned in yesterday's post, a more complete picture of fats is beginning to be considered by the medical mainstream. In the past, high cholesterol and saturated fat have been labeled as demons and major causes of cause heart disease. But there is an overwhelming body of evidence that suggests diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol promote health and longevity. And I would add that quality of the fats matters. Quality, that's the Local Forage mantra. In this case, we're talking about meat from truly pastured animals who aren't shot up with synthetic hormones and antibiotics, whole-fat unpasteurized and preferably organic dairy products, and farmers who are producing food in alignment with our values of sustainability and health.

    Come to this talk by AIMC Masters candidate, Chris Kresser, and hear a summary of information gathered from 150 peer-reviewed studies published in major journals and findings from an impressive list of physicians, scientists and researchers who are helping to dispel the myth of the connection between cholesterol and heart disease.

    Related books (FOLF links):

    Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol by Dr. Mary Enig

    Eat Fat, Lose Fat, by Dr. Mary Enig, Sally Fallon

    The Cholesterol Myths: Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease by Uffe Ravnskov 

    March 05, 2008

    I'm Cukoo for Coconuts

    Coconubliss_2

    Tropical fats, in particular coconut oil, has received a bad rap in the last 30 years.

    Some governmental and edible oil organizations, as well as consumer activist groups such as Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), have claimed that coconut oil as a "saturated fat" is shown to be atherogenic (leading to hardening of the arteries). But the truth has come out -- coconut does a body good. (Sorry, these slogans are deeply embedded in my consciousness.) I personally take some form of coconut every day.

    Read about the history of edible oil industry propaganda and faulty research studies. (See the Local Forage store for more books by Mary Enig on fats and fat myths.)
    Read current research showing the importance of coconut oil in the diet.

    I'm providing these links so that you can feel really good about eating Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss organic coconut milk ice creams. They are outrageously creamy and delicious. No dairy, no soy, no creepy chemicals. And the sugar content is relatively low. Comparison: Häagen-Dazs vanilla has 21 grams of sugar per half a cup. Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island has only 13 grams per half a cup. The sweetness in the Coconut Bliss ice creams comes from agave syrup which makes them lower on the glycemic index.

    Lunaandlarry In my opinion, this is by far the best non-dairy ice cream around (thanks, Julie!).  

    Luna Marcus and Larry Kaplowitz, the Eugene, Oregon couple behind Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss, clearly have a winning product. (That's them in Thailand with the organic coconuts.) After giving up dairy in 2005, they experimented with a cast-off, hand-crank machine to find a worthy dairy alternative using coconut milk as a base. After getting an enthusiastic thumbs-up from their friends they began cranking out the flavors. Six of them you can find year-round  -- Cherry Amaretto, Naked Coconut, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Island, Mint Galactica and Capuccino. (The Dark Chocolate is TDF*.) And five are seasonal -- Pina Colada, Naked with Nibs, Maple Walnut, Cinnamon Chocolate Flake and Lemon Island Creme.

    Coconut Bliss is available throughout Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii. More states/regions will follow. In the SF Bay Area, you can find it at Rainbow Grocery, Whole Foods, Berkeley Bowl, Draegers and a few other smaller stores. Check the Coconut Bliss site for locations.

    *To die for

    February 28, 2008

    Do you like Barack-oli?

    Hey Foragers, buy a T-shirt!

    Are any of you Obama supporters? I know many of you are broccoli supporters. And I have reason to believe that some of you are Local Forage supporters. If you fit into any one of these categories, consider buying a Barack-oli t-shirt.

    You can get it in short sleeve, cap sleeve, long sleeve, tank, camisole, even a nighty! There are tons of styles and colors to choose from and Local Forage will receive a small percentage of the purchase. Check out the one made out of organic cotton. Enjoy!

    (You must click on the image below for Local Forage to get the credit. If you want to find this post in the future, just search on "Obama" or "merchandise")


    February 26, 2008

    RECIPE: Kale Chips -marvelous error!-

    But first, a poem. (Antonio Machado, please forgive me.)

    Last Night As I Was Cooking
    - a poem by Carla Borelli


    Last night as I was cooking, I burnt -marvelous error!-
    a handful of kale here inside my pan.
    I said: Along which secret path, Oh kale, are you coming to me,
    kale of a new face that my lips have never touched?

    Last night as I was cooking, I burnt -marvelous error!-
    leafy green Brassica inside my pan
    And the organosulfur compounds were making sweet
    crunchy snacks from my old failures.

    Last night as I was eating, I saw -marvelous error!-
    That a fiery sun was giving light inside my gut.
    It was fiery because I felt warmth as from a hearth,
    and sun because it gave light to a new taste that brought tears to my eyes.

    Last night as I cooked,
    I created – marvelous error – a bit of heaven inside my pan.

    A few weeks ago, I left some kale sauteeing too long in a pan and discovered a new taste sensation -- Kale Chips. The experience brought to mind a phrase from poet, Antonio Machado -- "bendita ilusion" or "marvelous error" -- which he uses in his poem, Last Night As I Was Sleeping. Machado's poem is so utterly beautiful that I'm afraid posting this cheeky version will land me some sort of misfortune or bad karma. Maybe I should wear garlic around my neck this week. Oh wait, that's for vampires, isn't it, not dead plagiarized poets, never mind.

    Back to the Kale Chips...I did a search to see if anyone had made the same "marvelous error" with the kale and, sure enough, vegweb had a recipe. So I list it here with a few changes, namely baking it at a low temperature.  Kale Chips are a delicious snack for adults and a good way to "sneak in" more vegetables with kids. The cider vinegar gives it a nice tang.

    Ingredients:

        1-2 big bunches of kale*
        1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
        1 tablespoon olive oil
        Salt (to taste) or favorite seasoning blend (i.e. hot n' spicy Spike)

    Directions:

    Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.

    Wash and de-stem kale. Chop or tear into "chip" size pieces and toss in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients to coat.

    Spread kale onto baking sheet.

    Bake for 15 minutes or until crispy. Serve immediately.

    Serves: 3-4


    * You can use any green. I used dinosaur kale and red wide-leaf treviso and it was terrific.

    February 21, 2008

    Aerial Spray: KQED's Michael Krasny Talks with Man-in-Charge, Secty of Food & Ag Kawamura

    Michaelkrasny

    On Tuesday, Michael Krasny of KQED's Forum had guests speaking from both sides of the aerial spray issue.

    Listen Listen to the show (RealMedia stream)

    Guests:
    A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
    Jane Kay, environment writer for the San Francisco Chronicle
    John Connell, director of Plant Health and Test Prevention Services, CDFA
    Paul Schramski, state director of Pesticide Watch, a statewide public health and environmental group

    Synopsis: The Secretary of Food and Ag, Kawamura, maintains that the spray is absolutely safe, even for seniors, children and those suffering from chronic diseases. Pesticide Watch says what is needed is a health and environmental impact report to understand the long-term and synergistic effects. Kawamura said a report was done in Australia (or was it New Zealand?) on a similar pheromone spray that deemed the spray safe. But Jane Kay of the Chronicle mentioned that the Aussies sprayed on a fairly unpopulated area which is very different from our large-scale urban area. In the exchange between Schramski and Kawamura, it was painfully obvious that the CDFA is all about protecting the economic interests of the Ag industry, not the citizenry.

    ***

    By the way folks, SF/Marin Senator Carole Midgen is calling for a spray moratorium over SF and Marin and asking other state representatives of areas to be sprayed to join with her and include their districts.  -- See SF Gate article.

    It's a complicated legal issue. Here is what was reported on one of my list serves:

    "There have been 3 lawsuits already in Monterey and Santa Cruz, two still pending, none successful at stopping the spray before it happened. Suits on new legal grounds are being talked about if political means do not work. One way to go is to get your city to pass an ordinance prohibiting spray on public property, with criminal penalties, which the state would then violate if they spray. This is not simple to get passed, especially in a large city like SF that uses a lot of Roundup and other pesticides itself on its own property. Another part of the problem with legal action at state level is that USDA's eradication order for the moth and classification of the moth as a quarantinable pest (despite its lack of crop damage) is driving this, so the buck does not stop with the state."

    There are still many people who don't know about the moth spray campaign scheduled to hit the bay area within weeks. Spread the word and, if you live in the East Bay, ask your Assemblymembers and Senators to sign on to Senator Midgen's proposed resolution.

    Assemblymember Loni Hancock
    State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento CA 94249
    Phone: (916) 319-2014
    Fax: (916) 319-2114

    Assemblymember Sandré Swanson
    State CapitolP.O. Box 942849
    Sacramento, CA 94249-0016
    Phone: (916) 319-2016
    Fax: (916) 319-2116

    Senator Don Perata
    State Capitol, Room 205, Sacramento CA 95814
    Phone: (916) 651-4009
    Fax: (916) 327-1997

    Related:

    LBAM Spray Campaign to Hit SF Bay Area

    Notes on the LBAM Meeting

    February 15, 2008

    King Corn Film at the SF Library 3/5/08

    Kingcorn

    In San Francisco on Wednesday, March 5, at 6:00 pm, ITVS Community Cinema presents King Corn. ITVS (Independent Television Service) funds, presents and promotes award-winning documentaries and dramas on public television and cable including the Emmy Award-winning weekly series Independent Lens which runs Tuesday nights at 10:00 PM on PBS.

    In October, I wrote a review of King Corn. It's a funny and poignant documentary of two recent college graduates who decide to go on a mission to see where America's food comes from—by growing it themselves. In the rural town of Greene, Iowa, the two buddies plant a single acre of corn and then set out to follow it from a seed to the dinner plate. Understanding the story of corn, one of the most politicized and powerful crops in the country, is important for every Local Forager.

    Location: San Francisco Main Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street.
    Cost: Free; wheelchair accessible and open to the public.
    Presented by: ITVS Community Cinema, KQED Education Network, The San Francisco Public Library, Hands On Bay Area, Access SF and Bay Area Video Coalition.
    A panel discussion will follow.

    If you miss this screening at the Library, it will broadcast nationally on Independent Lens on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. What you would miss out on is the panel discussion.

    At the web page linked above you will find a Discussion Guide and a Facilitator's Guide, in case anyone out there is an educator.

    The other California locations are listed below but check the link above for other locations throughout the country.

    Oakland
    Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 6:00 PM
    Oakland Museum of California, James Moore Theatre
    1000 Oak St.
    For more info contact: Roseli Ilano, roseli_ilano@itvs.org
    http://myspace.com/communitycinemabayarea
    •    
    Sacramento
    Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 12:30 PM
    Sacramento State University Student Union, Hinde Auditorium
    6000 J St.
    For more info contact: Caiti Crum, caiti_crum@itvs.org
    http://myspace.com/communitycinemasacramento
    •    
    Sacramento
    Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 6:30 PM
    Sacramento State University Student Union, Hinde Auditorium
    6000 J St.
    For more info contact: Caiti Crum, caiti_crum@itvs.org
    http://myspace.com/communitycinemasacramento
    •    
    San Diego
    Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 6:30 PM
    San Diego Public Library
    820 E St.
    For more info contact: Patrick Baroch, patrick_baroch@itvs.org
    •    
    West Hollywood
    Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 7:30 PM
    Pacific Design Center - Silver Screen Theater
    8687 Melrose Ave.
    For more info contact: Desiree Gutierrez, desiree_gutierrez@itvs.org
    http://myspace.com/LAcommunitycinema

    February 12, 2008

    Notes on the LBAM Meeting

    Hazard Did you know that the aerial biochem spray for the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) is not a one time application? You will be sprayed up to every 30 days March through November every year until 2 life cycles past the very last moth found.

    If you have any doubts as to the danger of this spray, listen to Russell Blaylock, M.D. on the KSCO Perspectives Radio Show -- Part 1; Part 2; Part 3. I'm a huge fan of Dr. Blaylock's. He wrote the book, Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, which discusses the dangers of artificial sweeteners, MSG and other man-made chemicals. He's a neurosurgeon, researcher, defender of public health and a true warrior. This interview covers more than the LBAM. I have 3 words to describe it: WAKE-UP-CALL.

    I, unfortunately, was unable to attend the community information meeting last night in San Francisco. Sue V. attended and here's her summary:

    Hi All,
    I attended the SF meeting tonight, there were about 5 - 6 people there from different organizations (StopTheSpray.org, Center For Environmental Health, Pesticide Watch, California Alliance to Stop the Spray, Global Exchange) who spoke to a crowd of maybe 10 people.

    This is very serious for all of us who care about our health. Please spread the word, sign the petition at StopTheSpray.org, and if you want to get involved, like becoming a leader of the cause in San Francisco, contact John at StopTheSpray.org who can put you in touch with other like-minded folks, organizations in other communities that are organizing, etc. It seems to me that we need to find leaders for this cause who are legally and politically savvy, both at the local and state level, and possibly federal level.

    SF, as well as southern Marin, the East Bay, Santa Cruz & Monterey are all slated to be aerially sprayed starting this spring/summer and continuing for 3-5 years or more. The federal government has already allocated funding. There is a map that outlines the spray zones. Planes will fly over our communities at a height of 500 - 800 feet (so there will be lots of drift) and spray pesticides for 3 days each month during which time we will be advised to keep our doors and windows closed, to stay inside and keep our pets inside, and to wash off our decks and picnic tables, etc. after the sprays - all these precautions even though the pesticides being used are "perfectly safe". Santa Cruz and Monterey were already sprayed this fall, people got sick, and thousands of birds died. One of tonight's speakers was sickened by the spray and now she is one of the political activists for this cause.

    It has not yet been decided which of several pesticides will be used next time around, but the pesticide sprayed on Santa Cruz/Monterey in the fall was designed to be active for 60-90 days. It covered everything, and was stirred up by the wind/rain which will continually release it's "magic". These pesticides have not been tested on humans or animals.
    The California Department of Food & Agriculture declared this moth a state of emergency and used that to bypass the regular environmental impact review process. The people were given 72 hours warning.

    The story is that the moth has caused very little agricultural damage, but could cause great damage. But the real issue is that agricultural products from the areas where the moth has been found are in "quarantine zones" and certain other states and countries will not buy California products from these quarantined areas -- so, huge economic impact. Big business $$$ at risk -- that is what is driving this great spray. Our governor has apparently hired a $500K PR firm to tell us it's ok to be sprayed, so that gives you an idea of where the state stands on this issue, and obviously Big Ag is 100% behind it. Unfortunately, small organic farmers in the Spray Zone are already starting to be hurt by the spray. Even though CCOF continues to call Santa Cruz and Monterey produce from otherwise organic farms that were sprayed "organic", consumers are smarter than that, and are shunning these so called "organic" products.

    I believe Albany has passed a resolution that they don't want to be sprayed, other communities in the East Bay and Marin are organizing, but no great efforts appear to be underway in SF yet, although some of our supervisors seem to be aware of the spray plans. It is not clear whether these resolutions can stop the spray in these communities, although they definitely send a message. No one at the meeting really seemed to know whether a community can stop the spray via a resolution or a local law, or if the state rules with its "state of emergency". Also there is a possibility the USDA would step in and mandate the spray if the state backed down on it because USDA doesn't want the moth spreading to  other states. There are lots of unanswered questions here and smart folks are needed to get involved.

    Note that the CDFA is telling the story that the pesticide is a natural moth pheromone, which they deem perfectly safe. However the spray contains a bunch of carcinogenic and mutagenic "inert" ingredients. "Inert" as it relates to pesticides is apparently a legal definition; the pesticide manufacturers decide which ingredients in their products are active or inert, and inert ingredients don't have to be disclosed. Many of them are toxic. There is a lot more info about this on the various websites.

    I hate to say it, but personally I am going to start developing a contingency "move out of the Bay Area" plan, as I think the forces behind the spray are so big and powerful, and I don't want my family, myself, my dog subjected to this violation of human rights. At the same time, perhaps if enough SF and Bay Area residents sign the petition and fight the good fight then this can be stopped???? I hope so, I don't want to have to abandon my home. It takes 500,000 signatures to get a measure on the state ballot, StopTheSpray.org has about 3,000 so far, with about 100 new per day. So, go sign up, contact Gavin Newsom, Carole Migden, Arnold, the CDFA, and other legislators, and spread the word to everyone you know!

    Sue V.

    February 11, 2008

    Good Questions: "Dude, where can I score some purslane?"

    Purslane

    After I posted "The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating," which listed purslane as one of the ten, Maria K. from San Diego asked...

    Q: "Where can I find purslane? I grew up with the stuff; my mom prepared it for us to eat."

    A: Though commonly used in many countries around the world, purslane (Portulaca Oleracea) has yet to really catch on here in this country. Also called pigweed or hogweed, this succulent leaf is excellent in stews and soups, yet also goes well with fresh cheeses like mozzarella or cottage cheese due to its salty, sour, zesty flavor. And it’s a tasty complement to pork and fish.

    I personally was introduced to purslane by cucumber man, Mr. Atallah, at Ferry Plaza farmers market. Mr. Atallah has THE most delicious cucumbers. He and his wife, Jane, sell mediterranean (my favorite) and Japanese cukes starting around April. The cukes are seedless, burpless and have a thin, sweet skin so there's no need to peel. I wait with bated breath for those first cukes of the season. Atallah is not certified organic but he cares a lot about producing a safe product. He does not allow any pesticides -- organic or conventional -- to be used on his crops. Back to our story...one day, he pulled me aside, whispering, like a pot dealer at a concert at Golden Gate Park. "You must try thees purslane," he said with his Lebanese accent. I looked around making sure there were no cops, grabbed the green stalk from his hand and snarfed it up knowing it must be some good shit if Mr. Atallah was whispering.

    That was my introduction to purslane -- in a shady off-stall deal at Ferry Plaza with Mr. Atallah. At the time, I didn't know purslane contained Omega-3 fatty acids. Now (after reading the Men's Health article) I'm even more in love with purslane. It turns out that purslane is the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids of any green, leafy vegetable*. Purslane contains the EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) form of Omega-3, which is rare for a plant source of fatty acids**. Purslane is also naturally high in magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, and iron. A bounty of nutrition!

    But Maria, unfortunately, purslane is not easy to find. It's in season from April through November and your best bet is farmers' markets. After that I would try foraging for it on your own or looking for it at a Mexican market (ask for "verdolaga"). When foraging, make sure that you snap a stem and make sure there's not a white, milky sap inside. According to Wild Man Steve Brill, if there's milky sap inside you may have picked spurge, a poisonous plant that grows in conditions similar to purslane. So let's give you a clear description: As you can see in the photo above, purslane’s leaves are paddle-shaped. They lack leaf stalks and are about 1/2 to 2 inches long. The stems are smooth, branched, reddish, 4 to 10 inches long and, as mentioned, filled with water. In late summer and fall, tiny yellow, five-petaled flowers appear on the plant. When the flower dies, you'll notice a capsule of minuscule black seeds in its enlarged base. Purslane grows from late spring to fall on sunny lawns and meadows, but can also be found growing in partial shade. Good luck and happy foraging!

    *Biochemists Norman Salem, Jr. and Artemis Simopoulos discovered this in 1986.

    **The most common dietary source of Omega-3s are cold water fish like Salmon. Omega-3s aid the body in the production of compounds that effect blood pressure, clotting, the immune system, prevent inflammation, lower cholesterol (LDL), prevent certain cancers and control coronary spasms. In addition recent studies suggest that Omega- 3s may have positive effects on the brain and may aid in such conditions as depression, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, autism, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity and migraines. Though very beneficial, there are few good dietary sources other than seafood for Omega-3s. (Some oils, nuts, grains and other leafy vegetables do contain Omega-3s)

    February 07, 2008

    Recipe: Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons

    Wintersquashsoup_2

    I don't know about you but all this talk about the spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth has got me hankerin' for a little SOUP.

    I cut this recipe out from a 1996 Bon Appétit magazine. I have been using it all winter, every winter since.

    Enjoy.

    WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GRUYERE CROUTONS

    My notes are indicated in red.

    In France, this soup would be prepared with a baking pumpkin. A mixture of butternut and acorn squashes mimics the French pumpkin's exceptional taste and texture. Pour a lightly chilled rosé with this colorful first course. Either a Rhône Tavel or a Provençal Bandol would be lovely.

    Soup:
    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
    1 large onion, finely chopped
    4 large garlic cloves, chopped
    3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
    4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
    4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
    1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (the dried really doesn't do this recipe justice. I'm just saying.)
    1 1/4 teaspoons minced fresh sage (dittoroosky)
    1/4 cup whipping cream (crème fraîche would be fantastic as well)
    2 teaspoons sugar (I personally delete this *ingredient)

    Croutons:
    2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
    24 1/4-inch-thick baguette bread slices (I usually use Grindstone Bakery multi-grain spelt. They also have a fantastic gluten-free, btw. But if you want to go SAD on me, use the baguette.)
    1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
    1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
    1 teaspoon minced fresh sage

    For soup:
    Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.  

    Working in batches, puree soup in blender. (I use this stick blender, immersing it directly into the pot.) Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
    (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)

    For croutons:
    Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve. I sprinkle some olive oil on top of the soup before adding croutons.

    Serves 8.

    *evil

    photo credit: Le Champignon

    LBAM Spray Campaign to Hit SF Bay Area

    Lbam_2 The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are developing their plans for the 2008 Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) eradication program in nine Central California counties along the coast and in the Bay Area. According to information from StopTheSpray.org, August is the targeted date for potential aerial pesticide spraying in the SF Bay Area.

    They will be using aerial pheromone treatments along with other techniques. A pheromone is a natural scent that an insect produces to communicate with a potential mate. Pheromone use for this pest works by confusing the male moth, which disrupts the mating cycle, thereby decreasing or eradicating the pest population. The CDFA says that pheromones are not harmful to people, pets or plants. In actuality the spray with all of its inert ingredients has not been through long-term toxicity testing. Some of the inert ingredients are known carcinogens.

    Listen to KPFA Terra Verde radio show for the interview with Chela Vasquez of the Pesticide Action Network; Nan Wishner, chair of the Albany Integrated Pest Management Task Force and John Russo of StopTheSpray.org.

    Some of the facts I heard on the show:

    - There have been 643 documented complaints of adverse reactions. And this is only complaints to doctors. Many more don't have insurance or didn't go to the doctor.

    • LBAM is considered only a minor pest in Australia, the country its origin.
    • LBAM has been in Australia for 100 years
    • LBAM has been here for at least a decade according to independent biologists contradicting what the CDFA has said.
    • Spraying is slated for Alameda, Contra Costa, SF, Marin, San Mateo, Solano, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties
    • Concentrations of the inert ingredients are unknown. This information is protected under trade secret rules
    • CEO of Suterra (manufacturer of the pesticide Checkmate being used) Stewart Resnick donated $144,000 to Gov. Schwarzenegger's re-election campaign.
    • Combined total cost of the program in USDA funds in 2008 is $97 million
    • The state of California is spending $500,000 on a PR firm to convince the public that the aerial spraying is OK

    Community information meetings:
    San Francisco: 2/11/08 Women's Building 7:30pm 3543 18th St. Rm A
    Berkeley: 2/24/08 5pm Berkeley Hillside Club 2286 Cedar St.

    Go to StopTheSpray.org to sign the petition.

    February 06, 2008

    "Open Letter to Hillary Clinton" Uncovers the Politics of GMOs

    The following letter was written by Linn Cohen-Cole and posted to a raw dairy news group. I'm posting it here as I watch the evening news waiting for the California primary results to come in.

    The issues presented in the letter regarding Monsanto are real and urgent, and Ms. Cohen-Cole has done a good job discussing the links between Monsanto and the Bill Clinton administration. (Yes, we're talking about the same Monsanto that is most likely involved in the contamination of 56 Superfund sites, wanton and "outrageous" pollution, and has plans to patent a genetically-bred "superpig"), but her discussion focuses on Bill Clinton and not Hillary Clinton. People can determine for themselves how much of the blame should by association go to Hillary.

    I wasn't previously aware of any relationship between the introduction of GMOs in our food supply and Clinton administration shenanigans until I read this letter, so it was an eye-opener for me. I did a little bit of investigation tonight and could not find any direct rebuttals to the the letter. But then again, I don't have 12 hours to devote to a proper research effort. Is this a smear campaign? It doesn't seem like it. It seems like a really pissed off mom-citizen who wants people to know what the backstory is. The letter has been published in quite a few places so perhaps a rebuttal is in the offing. Until then, I leave you with the letter and the very compelling links within it so that you may do your own fact-checking and verification. If you discover anything that either confirms or denies the information presented in the letter, please post a comment. ~Carla

    An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton from a Wellesley College Alumna

    by Linn Cohen-Cole

    Dear Hillary,

    By polling logic, I should be your supporter - Democrat, older woman, white, liberal. I was even in a dorm with you in college. I have pulled for you for years. But something this past summer fundamentally changed my responsibility to my children and grandchildren. In the time I have left in my life to protect them and others, I need to speak out.

    I saw a News Hour piece on Maharastra, India, about farmers committing suicide. Monsanto, a US agricultural giant, hired Bollywood actors for ads telling illiterate farmers they could get rich (by their standards) from big yields with Monsanto's Bt (genetically engineered) cotton seeds. The expensive seeds needed expensive fertilizer and pesticides (Monsanto, again) and irrigation. There is no irrigation there. Crops failed. Farmers had larger debt than they'd ever experienced

    And farmers couldn't collect seeds from their own fields to try again (true since time immemorial). Monsanto "patents" their DNA-altered seeds as "intellectual property." They have a $10 million budget and a staff of 75 devoted solely to prosecuting farmers. www.grist.org/comments/food/2008/01/17. Since the late 1990s (about when industrial agriculture took hold in India), 166,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide and 8 million have left the land.

    Farmers in Europe, Asia, Africa, Indonesia,South America, Central America and here, have protested Monsanto and genetic engineering for years.

    What does this have to do with you?

    You have connections to Monsanto through the Rose Law Firm where you worked and through Bill who hired Monsanto people for central food-related roles. Your Orwellian-named "Rural Americans for Hillary" was planned with Troutman Sanders, Monsanto's lobbyists.Genetic engineering and industrialized food and animal production all come together at the Rose Law Firm, which represents the world's largest GE corporation (Monsanto), GE's most controversial project (DP&L's - now Monsanto's - terminator genes), the world's largest meat producer (Tyson), the world's largest retailer and a dominant food retailer (Walmart).

    The inbred-ness of Rose's legal representation of corporations which own controlling interests in other corporations there and of corporate boards sharing members who are also shareholders of each other's corporations there, is so thorough that it is hard to capture. Jon Jacoby, senior executive of the Stephens Group - one of the largest institutional shareholders of Tyson Foods, Walmart, DP&L -is also Chairman of the Board of DP&L and arranged the Wal-Mart deal. Jackson Stephens' Stephens Group staked Sam Walton and financed Tyson Foods. Monsanto bought DP&L. All represented at Rose.

    You didn't just work there, you made friends. That shows in the flow of favors then and since. You were invited onto Walmart's board, you were helped by a Tyson executive to make commodity trades (3 days before Bill became governor), netting you $100,000, Jackson Stephens strongly Bill for Governor, and then for President (donating $100,000).

    Food and friends, in Clinton terms:

    Bill's appointed friend Mike Espy, Secretary of Agriculture, who immediately significantly weakened federal chicken waste and contamination standards, opening the door to major expansion of Tyson's chicken factory farms. Espy resigned, indicted for accepting bribes, illegal contributions, money laundering, illegal dispersal of USDA subsidies, .... Tyson Foods was the largest corporate offender.

    But what Bill did for Monsanto "genetic engineering" goes beyond inadequate concepts of giving corporate friends influence: He unleashed genetic engineering into the world. And then he helped close off people's escape from it.

    Genetic engineering is many orders of magnitude different from "normal" (even polluting) business in its potential biologic ramifications. The warning myth of Pandora'a Box - letting irretrievable things rush out into nature - has become real. The narrowing change to the world from nuclear fission and fusion is the closest parallel.

    What did Bill do?

    1. Bill's put Monsanto people in at the FDA, as US Agricultural Trade Representatives, on International Biotechnology Consultive Forums, and more ... (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/072600-03.htm or http://www.monitor.net/monitor/9904b/monsantofda.html or http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Revolving-Door.htm.

    2. Bill's FDA gave Monsanto permission to market rBGH (a GE bovine growth hormone), the first genetically engineered product let loose on us (or did tomatoes with fish DNA get there first?).

    3. Despite reports of bovine illness and death, Bill's FDA did not recall it or put warnings on it. Even "a very angry, very vocal nationwide consumer base" had no impact. "

    4. Bill's FDA wouldn't even label rBGH as "present" in milk.

    5. When dairy farmers tried to label their own milk rBGH-free so the public could choose, Bill's USDA threatened all dairies that their products could be confiscated from stores. Michael Taylor, USFDA Deputy Commissioner, was formerly Monsanto's counsel.

    6. How were consumers to protect their family, given Bill's FDA enforced public blindness, except to buy only organic? But Bill's FDA tried to close off that last escape, proposing to include in "organic" standards, "the dirty three" a : genetic engineering of plants and animals, use of irradiation in food processing and use of municipal sewage sludge as a fertilizer. The FDA backed down. Had this gone through, Monsanto could have finally labeled rBGH milk ... as "organic." And animal waste from factory farms, a pollution nightmare for Tyson and others, could have been sold as fertilizer.

    USDA head Dan Glickman: "This is probably the largest public response to an [Agriculture Department] rule in modern history." In fact the response was 20 times greater than anything ever before proposed by the USDA.

    Personally, I resent years of effort to protect my children and now grandchildren, from that crap.

    Politically, Bill sided against small farmers and against the public's right to know, and with Monsanto.

    A snapshot of our food:
    Oils: Sheep died in India after feeding on Bt cotton fields.

    We feed our children Bt cotton, as cottonseed oil in peanut butter and cookies.

    Grains: 49% of US corn acreage was planted in Bt corn in 2007. A French study proved Monsanto's GMO corn causes kidney and liver toxicity.

    Soft drinks and candy have highly concentrated Bt corn, in the form of high fructose Bt corn syrup. The US food system depends most on two crops, soy (90% GMO, 90% of traits owned by Monsanto) and corn, the largest crop (60% GMO, nearly 100% Monsanto traits). "[E]ssentially our entire food supply is genetically modified, to the benefit of one company." The Grocery Manufacturers of America in 2000 estimated that 70 percent of US food contains GM traits.

    Meat: Steroids bulk up atheletes. Monsanto steroids bulk up animals - more weight, more profit. We feed our children steroids in meats. Is this why our children are fattening, like Hansel and Gretel?

    Poultry: Bill's USDA weakened chicken waste and contamination standards and attempted to allow sewage sludge as fertilize crops. I will say more about disease from industrialized poultry farms waste, at the end of this letter.

    Milk: Over 30 scientific publications have shown increased levels of IGF-1 in m