Searching for a Valentine’s Day recipe? This one is a real keeper.

Made with phyllo dough and baked brie, this scrumptious delight will wow your loved ones and make you look like a kitchen rock star (even though it’s so simple to bake).

INGREDIENTS
¼ c. Lucille’s Kitchen Jam (any flavor, but Strawberry Verjus is lovely for Valentine’s Day)
½ lb. wheel brie or camembert cheese (leave rind on)
½ lb. frozen phyllo dough, 10–12 sheets, thawed
½ c. (or more!) butter, melted
Fresh rosemary, thyme or lavender; optional
Red and green grapes; optional
Apples, sliced; optional
Pears, sliced; optional

METHOD

Thaw phyllo dough thoroughly before using. Keep dough ready for use and moist by covering with a damp cloth.

Spread preserves heavily on top of the brie.

Lay out three sheets of thawed phyllo dough in an asterisk pattern — like an X with a third “line” of dough across the middle of the X. Spread melted butter on each individual sheet of dough.

Place the wheel of brie in the center of the “asterisk” and begin folding the dough around the wheel of brie, spreading more melted butter on the phyllo as you wrap.

When finished, make another asterisk of dough and wrap as before. Turn cheese over after applying each wrap of phyllo (for even distribution). No need to be too precious with the dough, though. Wrinkles, slight tears, and odd folds in the dough actually make the pastry look beautiful and unique after baking! Brush phyllo-wrapped brie with more butter. When in doubt spread more butter.

Place the completely wrapped cheese in a shallow, greased baking pan. Bake in a 425 oven 8–12 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with optional herbs and pears if desired.

Serve with crackers.

Serves 6–8

Photo via Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

On an icy visit to Len Busch Roses (LBR) in Plymouth recently, there was a fizz and spark in the greenhouses.

“Everything builds up to this,” said Jason Lenz, LBR’s director of business development. “It doesn’t get any bigger than Valentine’s Day.”

Here at Seward Co-op, you’ve see Len Busch Roses’s flowers all year long—though maybe not quite so many as you’ll see in the next two weeks. Indeed, you may smell roses from the parking lot before you ever enter the store, we’ll have so many.

Sadly a good-smelling rose is a rarity in many American stores these days.

“Smell these,” Lenz said offering a bouquet of a dozen scarlet roses. He smiled as members of his tour took in the flowers’ scent. “Raspberries, right?”

Comparing LBR roses’ outstanding fragrance to inexpensive commodity roses from the giant rose-industry “farms” in South America isn’t really fair. Have you ever purchased a rose bouquet from a big-box grocer or garden store recently? The price is attractive, of course, but those flowers often have no appealing smell (if they open at all).

“Those roses have to travel all the way from Ecuador,” Lenz explained. “So they’ve been bred for hardiness and longevity, while that classic rose fragrance has just gone away, year by year.”

Sadly for a company with “Roses” in its name, LBR has watched its rose production diminish from 50,000 stems per year to 10,000–15,000 per year (due to their concentrating more on growing alstroemeria, gerbera daisies, tulips, tropicals, and ferns). Because the South American rose industry is so enormous, streamlined, and inexpensive, it puts huge pressure on smaller American producers like LBR to lower their prices.

“And now it’s Africa undercutting South America,” Lenz said, referring to titanic industries in South Africa and Kenya, which are even cheaper and have massive global reach. A rose can be cut in the morning in Kenya and appear in a British grocery that same night.

So how does a flower producer in Plymouth compete? Mainly by telling a story of sustainability and local pride. That’s why LBR is a P6 producer after all.

In 1965, founder Len Busch began his company by growing pom poms and then expanding to roses four years later. Though his son Patrick is CEO now, Len is still around.

“He comes in once a month to give us our beatings,” Lenz joked.

Since 1965, the company has grown to include over 500,000 square feet of greenhouses and an intricate steam system run on salvaged brush from local communities, chipped for two boilers that provide the steam (on this particular day, a line of gray-barked, brittle Christmas trees was ready to provide steam for the Valentine’s Day rose buds). This system provides over 90 percent of the energy needed at LBR.

With increased regulation on the floral industry, LBR has had to institute a rather involved IPM (integrated pest management) system, using spiders, wasps, and other beneficial insects to control mites that enter the greenhouses. LBR spends $25,000 a month on this system.

“Oh, yes, we take [sustainability] very seriously here,” Lenz said.

Today, the company employs 180 full-time workers who enjoy full benefits, and this stands as a stark contrast to South American and African flower companies, too. The global flower industry in third-world countries has frequently faced serious charges of abuse aimed at them, including: child labor violations, low pay, exposure to toxic pesticides and fungicides that have been banned in the U.S., firing injured or pregnant workers, etc. Meanwhile, longevity at Len Busch Roses in considerable.

“I started working here 27 years ago,” Lenz said, a little sheepishly. “Started when I was 15, went to college, then came back to get a job [here] in Plymouth. What can I say? It’s a great place to work.”

Paying a little extra for LBR roses than the commodity roses you’ll find at other stores makes a ton of sense. It’s not just an investment in your sweetheart, but also in the Earth, and for the greater good as well.

Seward Co-op’s Flowers and Plants from Len Busch Roses (Plymouth, MN)

Starting Thursday, February 12th, Seward Co-op will carry these flowers for Valentine’s Day.

Cuts
Gerbera Daisy – 3 stem bunches for $6.99
Alstroemeria – 10 stems for $12.99
Stargazer Lily – 2 stems for $7.99
Asiatic Lily – 3 stems for $7.99
Tulips – $9.99
Roses- 12 stems for $29.99
Snapdragons- $14.99

(We’ll also have Mixed Bouquets at various price points – but these are not totally local grown)

Potted Plants (locally grown; many of these aae in the store now!)
Cyclamen – 6-inch for $12.99
Kalonchoe- 6-inch for $12.99
Bulb gardens – 4-inch for $5.99/ large $12.99
Orchids – 4-inch for $23.99; 2-inch for $14.99
Azaleas – 6-inch for $21.99

Also from LBR (but not locally grown)

Jasmine wreaths (beautiful scent!)
Azalea trees
Many mixed bouquets
Single roses sleeved with greens
Half dozen rose bunches
Cut orchid bouquets

Read about this Saturday’s event Seward Co-op’s Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Sampler

This is Valentine’s Island. It’s a beautiful place located just offshore the Seward Deli Hot Bar and due north of the Frozen Section.

Sure, about a month ago it was Christmas Island and a month forward in time, it will be Mardi Gras or St. Patrick’s Day Island.

But right now it’s the place to find sweets for the sweet.

For example, you’ll find a great deal on Yum Earth Organic Lollipops over on Valentine’s Island, $8 per bag of thirty. It might sound odd but these really are the yummiest lollipops ever, and that’s without taking into account the 100% daily recommended allowance of Vitamin C. You’ll also find 30 Valentines Day cards included in each bag which sets up your kid is for Valentine’s Day at school. (Plus? Don’t panic, they’re organic…)

There are two great recipes over on Valentine’s Island, too. The Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe might sound strange but because avocados are so fatty, they make surprisingly delicious treats (avocado ice cream is absolutely wonderful). Also, check out the Browned Butter Cookie Bars using Cordillera chocolate (chunks of Cordillera chocolate are located right there by the recipes).

Boxes of chocolates from Seattle’s Chocolates (below left) are on sale from $4.99 to $19.99 per heart-shaped box, and pretty Fair Trade earrings from World Finds are on sale too, ranging from $9.99 to $14.99.

In late January, Seward Co-op participated in “Label Day at the Capitol” with local nonprofit organization Right To Know MN (RTK-MN).

RTK-MN is a campaign started by concerned citizens to make the labeling of GMOs the law in Minnesota. On Monday, Jan. 26, a bill was introduced in both the MN House (H.F. 351) and the Senate (S.F. 335) relating to commerce, to provide consumer protection and to require disclosure of genetically modified food. Many co-op shoppers may find the bill an interesting read, in particular the “purpose” and “findings” sections. It requires labeling of food products, stopping short of labeling seed and animals fed genetically modified seed.

Label Day at the Capitol was an opportunity for citizen activism—for RTK-MN’s coalition of farmers, health advocates and families to meet with their elected representatives and voice their support for the bill. One criticism of state labeling advocacy is that bills and ballot initiatives are a patchwork effort in which different areas of the country create different regulations for GMO labeling. In fact, the language of Minnesota’s bill was written (and revised and revised) while referring to materials and strategy from other states that have successfully passed legislation. In particular, Vermont and Oregon, where a ballot initiative was very close to passing last fall. Each statewide campaign will build on the strength and lessons of those before, becoming robust enough to withstand legal challenge, and ultimately, bring us to federal labeling rules. Currently, 66 other countries require GMO labeling.

Those involved with RTK-MN come to the labeling conversation from a unique angle. Some have environmental concerns in mind, while others are concerned about adverse health effects or safety of the food supply. Labeling is a bipartisan issue, and exclusionary to no one. After all, everyone is an eater and consumer. Right To Know MN and Seward Co-op call the campaign a “big tent” under which all are welcome. Check out Right To Know MN’s action center here and get involved. Let’s label GMOs!

Joe and Bonnie Austin, Hill & Vale in Wykoff, MN

For many years, Joe and Bonnie Austin from Hill & Vale have been supplying the metro area with 100-percent, all-pastured, natural grain-finished beef that tastes better than most any beef I’ve ever had. After many attempts to pass the farm on to a successor or young farmer, Joe and Bonnie have elected to retire.

Obviously, this will have a big impact on Seward Co-op’s community of owners, customers, and workers.

The good news is that small-town meat processor Geneva Meats out of Geneva, MN knows Hill & Vale’s business inside and out. Owner Paul Smith has been processing Hill & Vale’s meats for years. Along with his son Jared and a neighboring farmer, Paul will continue on the path paved by Hill & Vale under the new brand “Blooming Prairie Natural Beef.”

Blooming Prairie is going to grow with Seward Co-op as we expand into the Bryant Neighborhood with the Friendship store, which is something that Hill & Vale was concerned about being able to achieve.

As Seward Co-op’s Meat & Seafood manager, I’m so sorry to see Joe and Bonnie leave, but it brings into perspective the amount of work and care that goes into raising livestock. There are standards and protocols to be met both with cattle and farmland, knowing how to manage a herd of many different ages, so that Seward can have the proper size animal delivered to us weekly. Also, there’s the matter of building a relationship with a reputable processor, and ensuring that there is a standard of quality that is met with every steer.

I am very happy that we can continue this cycle instead of needing to rely on a much larger beef operation. The animals will continue to be hand-selected when ready, delivered by the farmer personally, processed in a local small-town establishment with whom we have built a relationship, with weekly deliveries to us here at Seward. We can continue to say that all the Blooming Prairie Natural Beef in the case is from the same steer, ordered straight from the farmer and prepared for you by our highly skilled butchers.

We very much appreciate the care and work Joe and Bonnie Austin from Hill & Vale have put in over the years. They are owners here at Seward, and as much as we’ll miss doing business with them on a weekly basis, we are excited for them to relax and “retire.”

We are proud to say they are lifelong friends of ours.

Fresh Turmeric from Kolo Kai in the Produce Department (January 27th).

Growing up, the only ginger I knew came in powdered form and was most often added in modest amounts to batters for cookies and cakes. Now, decades later, ginger – fresh ginger – has become a staple ingredient in my kitchen.

Indigenous to southern China, ginger thrives in India, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Peru, so, for us, the closest we get to “local” ginger is a few deliveries each summer of baby ginger grown in hoop houses at Seven Songs Farm in southern Minnesota.

But we do have a direct relationship with a farm in a region where ginger grows gloriously and naturally. A few years back we started purchasing from Kolo Kai, an organic farm on the north side of Hawaii’s Kauai Island. Kolo Kai is run by Colette and Ben Ferris who have been farming organically since 1980 and specializing in ginger and turmeric since the late 1990s.

“When I asked Collette from Kolo Kai about
galangal, she described it as a ‘monster.'”

At Kolo Kai, ginger is planted March through May. In August, the first round of white ginger is harvested and in its youth it is tender with little to no fiber. In October, the white ginger begins to become more fibrous and by November the mature skin is set. Yellow ginger harvest begins late December. We just finished our run of white ginger and we’ll see our first delivery of yellow ginger any day. Kolo Kai also grows the aromatic galangal or Thai ginger and turmeric both of which we have had available and will continue to order as it is available.

Each root (technically a rhizome or modified stem) is hand harvested at Kolo Kai. Afterwards, it is washed by hand with a sprayer, rinsed, sorted, rinsed once more and then laid out to dry on wire racks to prevent mold. Once dry, the stumps are trimmed, inspected, packed, and shipped. A crop that was harvested on a Monday arrives at the co-op on the Thursday of the same week.

Fresh ginger should be smooth and shiny. Mature ginger has a tough papery skin that should be removed prior to eating. This can be easily done without sacrificing too much of the flesh by scraping the skin with the edge of a spoon.

Yellow ginger has a refreshingly bright aroma with a dynamic flavor profile that ranges from floral and citrus to aromatic woods and pepper. This variety is less delicate than white ginger and is more potent. When juiced, yellow ginger results in a golden yellow, punchy elixir full of bite. Slower to mature than white ginger, we typically see our first shipment of yellow ginger from Kolo Kai in January. When yellow ginger is not available from Kolo Kai, we try to keep a steady supply on our shelves from Peru or other Hawaiian producers.

White ginger may also be referred to as Chinese or blue ring ginger. Quicker to mature than yellow ginger, white ginger is harvested earlier and is the first shipment we receive from Kolo Kai. When young, the skin is translucent with pink scales and the flesh is tender with very little fiber. As it matures, it develops a shiny tan skin and may develop a characteristic blue-gray cast to the flesh. White ginger is sweeter, mellower, and juicier than yellow ginger.

Galangal or Thai ginger is more fibrous than yellow or white ginger with notes of eucalyptus, pine, and camphor but little to none of the lemony flavor found on other gingers. Commonly used in Southeast Asian, particularly Thai cuisine, galangal is often paired with lemongrass and other aromatics to flavor sauces and soups.

Harvesting galangal is not for the faint of heart. When I asked Collette from Kolo Kai about galangal she described it as a “monster.” The twisted, gnarly roots are treacherous to get out of the ground. Each root is dug out by hand which is more time-consuming but results in a cleaner project. For the most unwieldy to harvest, a pick ax is used wrestle segments of galangal out of ground. Not surprisingly, not many ginger farmers also grow galangal. For this reason, while yellow ginger has become a stable feature in the produce department we typically only see galangal for a few months out of the year.

Baby ginger is sometimes called spring ginger and may arrive with the remains of the stem, pink tips, and tender, pale thin skin that does not require peeling. Milder in flavor than even yellow ginger, baby ginger is often used raw in salads or pickled in Asian cuisine. The past few summers we have had a few deliveries of baby ginger from Seven Songs farm. Grown from Hawaiian seed ginger, the roots are cultivated under hoop houses throughout the summer.

Turmeric is a relative of ginger in the Zingiberaceae family. With its papery skin, mature turmeric may be mistaken for ginger. However, once the skin is peeled back a vibrant orange flesh is exposed that is entirely unlike ginger. Turmeric has been used as a sort of natural food coloring (think mustard, yellow cheddar and some butter) and natural dye for skin and fiber. The pigment is derived from curcumin – a phenolic compound that is also a powerful antioxidant and preservative. Widely used in folk medicine, turmeric has been gaining mainstream popularity for its potential range of benefits including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Also unlike ginger, turmeric has a woodsy, dry earth aroma and an equally earthy, slightly bitter flavor. Add fresh to season roast or stir-fried fish and meat, curries, and soups. Pairing turmeric with carrot results in a nice balance. Try adding turmeric to a carrot soup or make a truly orange juice with carrot, turmeric, and orange – both delicious and nutritious.