Nov. 30 update:

A romaine lettuce consumer advisory issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Nov. 20 has ended. Specific counties in California (Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Ventura) were identified as areas in which romaine contaminated with E. coli was grown.

Seward Co-op tracks origin and harvest date of romaine lettuce, and of all products containing romaine lettuce, to the best of our ability. On produce shelves, look to the product sign for harvest date of romaine lettuce. On the salad bar, look to the product sign for harvest date of romaine lettuce on the salad bar.

Nov. 20 recall:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised U.S. consumers not to eat any romaine lettuce, and that retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until it learns more about an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce. Out of an abundance of caution, Seward Co-op removed all romaine lettuce products from our store shelves and salad bars on Nov. 20.

Thirty-two people infected with the outbreak strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 11 states. The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified 18 ill people infected with the same DNA fingerprint of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria in two Canadian provinces. The CDC’s investigation is ongoing and their advice will be updated as more information is available.

Romaine lettuce and products containing romaine lettuce have been removed from Seward Co-op shelves, including all types of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, bags, boxes, precut lettuce, and salad mixes that contain romaine (baby romaine, spring mix and Caesar salad). Items made and packaged at Seward Co-op containing romaine lettuce have also been removed from both stores.

Grab & Go packaged items recalled include:
Chicken Caesar Salad
Cobb Salad
Greek Salad
Ham & Swiss Sandwich
Home-Style Chicken Salad Sandwich
Italian Focaccia Sandwich
Roast Turkey Sandwich
Tantalizing Turkey & Pesto Sandwich
Tempeh Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich
Walnut Basil Tuna Sandwich

Produce items recalled include:
LETTUCE, ROMAINE LOC OG EACH
LETTUCE, ROMAINE OG EACH
EARTHBOUND ROMAINE HEARTS OG 12 OZ
EARTHBOUND ROMAINE, BABY OG 5 OZ
JOSIES ROMAINE HEARTS OG
TAYLOR ROMAINE HEARTS OG 18 OZ
TAYLOR ROMAINE, BABY OG
URBAN ORGANICS JUST ROMAINE OG 5 OZ
URBAN ORGANICS ROSE BLEND OG 5 OZ
EARTHBOUND SALAD, HERB OG 5 OZ
URBAN ORGANICS RIVER CITY MIX OG 5 OZ
TAYLOR CHOPPED SALAD, TOAST SESAME OG 12.8 Oz
TAYLOR CHOPPED SALAD, ASIAN GINGER OG 12.8 Oz
URBAN ORGANICS CLASSIC DUO OG 5 OZ
URBAN ORGANICS SPRING MIX OG 5 OZ
EARTHBOUND SPRING MIX, CLAM SHELL 16 OZ
EARTHBOUND HALF & HALF SALAD CLAM OG
EARTHBOUND SALAD KIT, CAESAR OG 11 OZ

If you purchased these or other products containing romaine lettuce at Seward Co-op, they will be fully refunded at either our Franklin or Friendship store Customer Service desks.

People often joke about how much Minnesotans like to talk about the weather. When it comes to produce, however, weather is not just small talk–for the most part, it is the reason we have or do not have produce to sell.

This is true locally – a late frost in spring can wipe out an entire autumn apple crop and a hot summer can cause cool weather loving lettuces and radishes to bolt requiring our buyers to bring these items in from California. Perhaps because we know and expect extreme weather fluctuations in the Midwest uncertain produce availability is easier to understand.

On the contrary, we have come to expect a constant, consistent, and copious supply of produce from California and Mexico. But uncertain weather conditions on the Western seaboard can have a dramatic impact on the produce we take for granted.

The drought in California over the past few years has been the topic of weather conversations and has raised fears over produce prices and availability. However, it was winter precipitation courtesy of El Nino that caused recent disruptions in the supply chain. In the first week of January, from the deserts to the mountains there was anywhere from a quarter-inch of rain to 12-feet of snow in the Sierras. As a result, despite sourcing daily from four distributors we saw some significant shortages in the produce department.

For vegetable crops, the rain came at a critical time of transition. Some parts of the state were already harvesting but others were preparing fields for planting. The rain prevented crews from doing either. The delay in planting will continue to impact availability in the coming weeks.

Luckily, we still have root crops stored from local harvests to sustain us. Some such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, and onions are familiar staples. Others, like celeriac, are less frequently used but offer hardy substitutions when their tender counterpart (celery) is unavailable. Underappreciated and underutilized in the winter months are the roots in the brassica family: turnips and rutabagas.

Turnips are one of the earliest cultivated vegetables. What began as a spindly root has developed over centuries into several varieties ranging in color from pure white to deep magenta and in flavor from sweet to pungent. The white salad turnips of the summer tend to be crisp, juicy and sweet. The gold, scarlet, and purple top turnips are also crisp but tend to be denser and more assertively flavored. While winter turnips have a lovely mustardy flavor raw, their buttery sweetness is drawn out when tossed in oil and roasted.

Rutabaga or swede is closely related to the turnip and may be a cross between the turnip and cabbage species. Rutabaga is milder, sweeter and starchier than a turnip. The pale yellow flesh is rendered sweeter and more golden by cooking. Boil and mash rutabagas for a rich and peppery alternative to mashed potatoes, add to soups, or roast with rosemary and thyme along with other winter vegetables such as squash, onions, potatoes, and beets.

Winter Roots Soup

1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 ½ cup celeriac, peeled and roughly diced

3 cups mix of rutabaga, turnips, and russet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced

2 ½ quarts organic chicken stock

½ cup single cream

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3-4 Tbsp. truffle oil

In a large pot, cook the onion in the olive oil for about five minutes until translucent and soft but not browned. Add the diced vegetables, a bunch of thyme tied with kitchen twine, and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the cream, bring back to a boil, then remove the thyme and purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then add the truffle oil tablespoon by tablespoon until the soup is flavored to your taste. Keep in mind, the oil can vary in strength depending on the brand. Finish with chopped parsley and thyme.

Ginger Glazed Turnips
Now is the perfect time to make these ginger glazed turnips as all of the ingredients are in their prime.

The yellow ginger harvest has begun in Hawaii and we are once again receiving weekly shipments direct from Kolo Kai farm. This ginger is the freshest we see all year – harvested on Mondays we receive shipments each Wednesday. The papery skin is just starting to develop so for the most part no peeling is required. Juicy and tender, the ginger grates like butter.

Citrus season is also in full swing and while a navel or Valencia orange would work well for this recipe, one could also play around with specialty citrus. Try a TDE tangerine for a robust orange flavor with a pert but balanced acidity. Or a blood orange for its berry-like accent. Or choose from any of the many rotating oranges, tangerines, or mandarins that will come and go over the next few months.
When selecting turnips, choose from scarlet, gold or purple-top turnips.

1 lb. turnips, scrubbed and cut into wedges

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1-inch piece of ginger, grated

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. honey

Juice and zest from ½ orange

3-4 sprigs thyme

Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the turnip wedges and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the turnips begin to caramelize (about 10 minutes). Add the ginger, garlic, honey; stir to combine. Add orange juice and thyme and cook until the juice has reduced into a glaze. Finish with zest and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Rutabaga Latkes
Just about any recipe that calls for potatoes can be made more flavorful and healthful by substituting with rutabaga. Latkes, or potato pancakes, are often associated with Hanukkah but they have far reaching roots in many European cuisines. They are incredibly versatile–they can be made with a number of different vegetables and can be made savory or sweet. My personal favorite are rutabaga latkes with smoked salmon and crème fraiche.

1½ lbs. rutabaga, grated

½ cup white onion, grated

1 tbsp chopped garlic

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

4 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp Grapeseed oil

Heat oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent but do not brown. Add rutabaga and cook until just tender. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool in a large bowl. Once the vegetables have cooled, add the salt, pepper, and eggs. Stir to coat the vegetable mixture. Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Using a small ladle or measuring cup, add scoops of mixture to the skillet and flatten. Cook until browned on both sides. Serve with lox and crème fraiche garnished with chives.

For the most part, even a light frost signals the end of the growing season across the north. But for many members of the brassicaceae family (Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, collard greens), cooler temperatures trigger a survival response that enables them, to not only survive, but improve with hard frosts. As temperatures plummet, these plants sweeten, as starches are converted to sugars as a form of anti-freeze.

Unlike local kales and cabbages, which have grown sweeter as the seasons progress from summer to fall, local Brussels sprouts reappeared a little over a month ago and are truly a seasonal treat both in timing and flavor. A slow-growing crop, Brussels sprouts are started in the spring but aren’t harvested until the late fall, ideally after a transformative frost. We source organic Brussels sprouts from the Thimmesch Farm (La Farge, Wis.), Keewaydin Farm (Viola, Wis.), and Wisconsin Growers Cooperative (Mondovi, Wis.) and receive fresh deliveries up to four days a week.

Select small, bright green sprouts with tightly compact heads. Store in an uncovered bowl in the fridge for a few weeks or longer. The outer leaves may wilt with time but they can be removed just before cooking.

Brussels sprouts may be prepared whole, halved, quartered, chopped, or pulled apart leaf by leaf for salads or tossed in oil and baked for a variation on a kale chip. If cooking whole, be sure to score the base with an ‘x’ to allow the heat to penetrate the core for more even cooking. In their prime, Brussels sprouts are delicious very simply seasoned withbutter or olive oil, lemon juice, salt and roasted in the oven until browned and tender.

I also love a sweet late season Brussel sprouts salad with a warm vinaigrette.

5 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. grainy mustard

1 Tsp. sugar

1 small shallot finely sliced

¼ cup lardons

¼ walnuts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts finely sliced

½ cup loosely packed arugula

Shaved Pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Warm the vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the mixture into a small bowl with the sliced shallot. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a skillet, brown the lardons then remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. To the same skillet, add the chopped walnuts and cook also until slightly browned. Remove from heat and add the shallot mixture and a pound of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Toss until the sprouts are well coated. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the arugula, thinly shaved Pecorino, and the reserved lardons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brussels Sprouts

For the most part, even a light frost signals the end of the growing season across the north. But for many members of the brassicaceae family (Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, collard greens), cooler temperatures trigger a survival response that enables them, to not only survive, but improve with hard frosts. As temperatures plummet, these plants sweeten, as starches are converted to sugars as a form of anti-freeze.

Unlike local kales and cabbages, which have grown sweeter as the seasons progress from summer to fall, local Brussels sprouts reappeared a little over a month ago and are truly a seasonal treat both in timing and flavor. A slow-growing crop, Brussels sprouts are started in the spring but aren’t harvested until the late fall, ideally after a transformative frost. We source organic Brussels sprouts from the Thimmesch Farm (La Farge, Wis.), Keewaydin Farm (Viola, Wis.), and Wisconsin Growers Cooperative (Mondovi, Wis.) and receive fresh deliveries up to four days a week.

Select small, bright green sprouts with tightly compact heads. Store in an uncovered bowl in the fridge for a few weeks or longer. The outer leaves may wilt with time but they can be removed just before cooking.

Brussels sprouts may be prepared whole, halved, quartered, chopped, or pulled apart leaf by leaf for salads or tossed in oil and baked for a variation on a kale chip. If cooking whole, be sure to score the base with an ‘x’ to allow the heat to penetrate the core for more even cooking. In their prime, Brussels sprouts are delicious very simply seasoned with butter or olive oil, lemon juice, salt and roasted in the oven until browned and tender.

I also love a sweet late season Brussels sprouts salad with a warm vinaigrette.

5 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. grainy mustard

1 Tsp. sugar

1 small shallot finely sliced

¼ cup lardons

¼ walnuts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts finely sliced

½ cup loosely packed arugula

Shaved Pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper

Warm the vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a small saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the mixture into a small bowl with the sliced shallot. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

In a skillet, brown the lardons then remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. To the same skillet, add the chopped walnuts and cook also until slightly browned. Remove from heat and add the shallot mixture and a pound of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts. Toss until the sprouts are well coated. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the arugula, thinly shaved Pecorino, and the reserved lardons. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

At Seward Co-op, organic ramps are like robins or the first day of baseball for some: Traditional signs of spring that we dream about longingly in winter.

But ramps might be unknown to many folks. That’s why we found this great recipe, to spread the love we have for ramps — a green, delicate, but oh-so pretty celebration of springtime.

RAMP PESTO PIZZA

Step One. Take this terrific recipe for Ramp Pesto from the Rodale Institute’s Organic Life website.

2 bunches ramps, washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/4 lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if more needed
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, mix together Ramps, parsley, pine nuts, Asiago, and lemon juice until you get a chunky puree.
2. With a machine running, add olive oil in a slow stream, until mixture is smooth; add more oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Store covered in the refrigerator. Makes about 1 cup.

Step Two. Use the finished Ramp Pesto in this pizza recipe.

by Hannah B., Produce staff

This week a customer asked me if the local spinach we have right now is a different variety than the kind we had last week, because the leaves are so much thinner and flatter, and also somewhat pointed.

Meanwhile, I spent some time researching Vidalia sweet onions to see what makes them different from other sweet onions.

In both of these cases, different varieties could be the answer – but growing conditions are really what have the biggest influence on flavor, texture and appearance of at least these two particular vegetables.

Which begs the question: What do we mean when we talk about growing conditions? It’s the amalgamation of weather, soils, hours of sunlight or anything else that occurs as the plant is growing. In the case of the spinach, it is the lengthening days and, yes, warming temperatures that are causing the changes. I suspect that this spinach was grown in a hoop house, where the temperatures would be quite a bit higher than outdoors. The Vidalia onions are grown in 20 counties in Georgia where the soil lacks sulfur, which means that they don’t develop the heat associated with other onions. We have Vidalias right now-enjoy them while you can, for they are only available for another month or so.

I’ve noticed that vegetables in the early spring are as a rule tender, mild, and very green,ramps being an outstanding exception to the mild rule. I’m not sure what the reason is for this scientifically, but poetically it makes sense that the first edibles to emerge from the soil would be cleansing and easy to eat. Some of the exceptional local products this week areasparagus, zucchini, and watercress-sounds like an excellent salad. Individually, here are some suggestions for quick preparations.

Asparagus is best when the stems are thick-a slender stalk is often starting to become stringy. You should prepare and eat this vegetable almost as soon as you acquire it. When I was growing up, we ate asparagus for every meal as long as it was in season. One way that we dealt with the bounty was to marinate it-steamed, laid in a pyrex baking dish and covered with a vinaigrette, it grew more flavorful overnight.

Zucchini has been coming in small but increasing amounts from Wisconsin Growers for the past couple of weeks. This looks to have been grown in a hoop house-it’s been too cold for zucchini plants to thrive outside yet. Fresh, young zukes should be cooked only briefly to preserve the texture, and with simple seasonings, so you can enjoy the flavor.

The watercress, wild-crafted from clear streams at Keewaydin Farms is the real thing. As the days grow warmer, it can become quite spicy, but this first batch is mild, with a radishy bite. Add it to salads, sandwiches or soups.

We love Kolo Kai ginger and turmeric. It’s not local, but it is fresh. Kolo Kai is an organic farm in Kauai. The farmers, Ben and Colette, harvest the roots to order and then ship it priority mail, so what ends up in our store is never more than a week old. This year, we couldn’t carry it during the winter, because it was so cold that the packages froze on the way to our store. We’re safely past polar vortices, so we’ve resumed ordering it, and wow, the turmeric is the best I’ve ever seen.

Lastly, pint containers of California blueberries have arrived. For as long as I’ve worked here, this has been the signal that the warm months have come to stay. My favorite way to eat them is mixed with Seven Stars yogurt and Nature’s Path heritage flakes. Something about the crunchy flakes and tangy yogurt really brings out the sweetness and juiciness of the berries.

by Hannah B., Produce staff

This week a customer asked me if the local spinach we have right now is a different variety than the kind we had last week, because the leaves are so much thinner and flatter, and also somewhat pointed.

Meanwhile, I spent some time researching Vidalia sweet onions to see what makes them different from other sweet onions.

In both of these cases, different varieties could be the answer – but growing conditions are really what have the biggest influence on flavor, texture and appearance of at least these two particular vegetables.

Which begs the question: What do we mean when we talk about growing conditions? It’s the amalgamation of weather, soils, hours of sunlight or anything else that occurs as the plant is growing. In the case of the spinach, it is the lengthening days and, yes, warming temperatures that are causing the changes. I suspect that this spinach was grown in a hoop house, where the temperatures would be quite a bit higher than outdoors. The Vidalia onions are grown in 20 counties in Georgia where the soil lacks sulfur, which means that they don’t develop the heat associated with other onions. We have Vidalias right now-enjoy them while you can, for they are only available for another month or so.

I’ve noticed that vegetables in the early spring are as a rule tender, mild, and very green, ramps being an outstanding exception to the mild rule. I’m not sure what the reason is for this scientifically, but poetically it makes sense that the first edibles to emerge from the soil would be cleansing and easy to eat. Some of the exceptional local products this week are asparagus, zucchini, and watercress-sounds like an excellent salad. Individually, here are some suggestions for quick preparations.

Asparagus is best when the stems are thick-a slender stalk is often starting to become stringy. You should prepare and eat this vegetable almost as soon as you acquire it. When I was growing up, we ate asparagus for every meal as long as it was in season. One way that we dealt with the bounty was to marinate it-steamed, laid in a pyrex baking dish and covered with a vinaigrette, it grew more flavorful overnight.

Zucchini has been coming in small but increasing amounts from Wisconsin Growers for the past couple of weeks. This looks to have been grown in a hoop house-it’s been too cold for zucchini plants to thrive outside yet. Fresh, young zukes should be cooked only briefly to preserve the texture, and with simple seasonings, so you can enjoy the flavor.

The watercress, wild-crafted from clear streams at Keewaydin Farms is the real thing. As the days grow warmer, it can become quite spicy, but this first batch is mild, with a radishy bite. Add it to salads, sandwiches or soups.

We love Kolo Kai ginger and turmeric. It’s not local, but it is fresh. Kolo Kai is an organic farm in Kauai. The farmers, Ben and Colette, harvest the roots to order and then ship it priority mail, so what ends up in our store is never more than a week old. This year, we couldn’t carry it during the winter, because it was so cold that the packages froze on the way to our store. We’re safely past polar vortices, so we’ve resumed ordering it, and wow, the turmeric is the best I’ve ever seen.

Lastly, pint containers of California blueberries have arrived. For as long as I’ve worked here, this has been the signal that the warm months have come to stay. My favorite way to eat them is mixed with Seven Stars yogurt and Nature’s Path heritage flakes. Something about the crunchy flakes and tangy yogurt really brings out the sweetness and juiciness of the berries.

Just Local, owned by Rufus Haucke of Keewaydin Farms, sources products from many small-scale organic vegetable farms in the Viroqua, Wis., area and distributes them in the Twin Cities under the Just Local label. Just Local / Keewaydin Farms was the featured Know Our Grower, May 22 – June 4. Demo: Saturday, June 1.

Grower: Rufus Haucke

1. When did you begin farming and what inspired you to pursue farming as a profession?
I grew up on my family’s dairy farm and always loved growing and eating fresh garden veggies. I left the farm for a time and went out to explore the world. As I was working in Colorado as a ski bum, I realized how much I missed being able to grow my own food, the farm, as well as the Driftless region. I returned to the family farm in 2004 to get back to the land and back to the fresh food that I love.

2. Why did you decide to establish Just Local and what criteria do you use to determine whether a farm can become a part of Just Local?
I established Keewaydin Organics and Just Local Foods in 2005. Working with other small farmers in the community helped me meet the demand from the bank of customers I was working with when I got back into farming in 2004. Keewaydin Farm was not able to produce enough on its own, so by partnering with other farms I along with a few others were able to grow and harvest enough volume to keep orders filled for our customers. Keewaydin Organics and Just Local now has grown to a pool of more than 100 farms that we work with throughout the season. For partner farms we look for small family farms that are certified organic and/or farm using sustainable agricultural practices. We also like to feature unique items that many larger distributors don’t carry, such as a wider variety of specialty hot peppers, herbs, and even wild-crafted items.

3. What distinguishes your products from other local produce (i.e., signature products)?
The most unique fact about our product is the freshness and the timely turn-around from the field to the customer. All of our orders are custom picked to order and is on the shelf 24-48 hours later. We also now have our Fresh-Cut local line that is a relatively new concept in the produce world.

4. What is your favorite way to enjoy your own produce?
My favorite produce would have to be in the spring with the greens and salad mixes that come around this time of year. I love to be able to just go outside and pick a salad for lunch or dinner right from the field. I also like to try anything and everything that is growing. . .picking a spear of asparagus and eating as I walk through the field, or a handful of fresh green beans or snap peas. . .even sunchokes dug right out of the ground!