Of the many reasons to love eating with the seasons, I find the anticipation of the next season’s harvest perhaps the most satisfying. The feeling of excitement for the return of certain fruits and vegetables after months away – when they are in their prime and often when we like to eat them most.
This summer, we’ve had our fill of vine-ripened tomatoes, succulent stone fruit, and hydrating melons – all of which require no heat or fuss to enjoy. As summer winds down and the weather cools, cool season bulk greens such as arugula, spicy mix, salad mix, and spinach have returned from Heartbeet Farm and we have been enjoying deliveries of late season raspberries. We’ll have both until the frost. We also have squash, sweet potatoes, and fall apples to look forward to cooking with and feasting upon for months to come.
In the past few weeks, squash availability really blossomed. Now, beyond the standard butternut and spaghetti squash we have acorn, blue hubbard, buttercup, red kabocha, red kuri, and delicata. Over the next few months, this list will grow to include over a dozen winter squash varieties each with unique flavors and textures suited to different preparations.
Butternut squash makes a richer and nuttier pie than any pumpkin pie I’ve tried. Roasted buttercup is my favorite for a pureed soup. For a quick snack, halve a delicate squash lengthwise, brush the flesh side with olive oil and tuck a clove of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme in the cavity and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Roast until soft and fragrant. Add a little butter, salt and pepper and eat right out of the skin.
I love simmering thick wedges of a red kuri squash, skins on, in 1 cup dashi (Japanese broth made of kombu and bonito flakes), 2 Tbsp. mirin, 2 Tbsp. sake, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and a pinch of salt until the broth is reduced by half and the squash is tender. Equal parts savory and sweet, this makes a delicious side or could be eaten over rice with a little of the cooking broth poured over.
Squash risotto is perhaps my favorite way to eat winter squash. In a heavy pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and a little olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cups of squash (butternut or buttercup are great here) cut into ½ inch cubes. Cook until the squash begins to soften – around 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of Arborio rice, stir to coat the squash and cook for a few minutes until the rice begins to appear translucent. Add ½ cup of dry white wine, stir until the wine has evaporated. Add in heated vegetable or chicken stock ½ cup at a time allowing each to be absorbed by the rice up to 3 cups in total. When finished, the rice should be tender but not soft and the squash should be fully incorporated. Add ½ cup of grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and garnish with sage and more parmesan.
To navigate the many squash varieties, look to Produce staff. Information is also posted next to squash displays with basic flavor profiles and suggested uses. In the next Sprout! newsletter, Snow, Seward Co-op’s Produce Buyer, profiled the squash varieties expected from our local farms this year. Perhaps the best way to become familiar with the different squash varieties is to try and taste them all!
Of the many reasons to love eating with the seasons, I find the anticipation of the next season’s harvest perhaps the most satisfying. The feeling of excitement for the return of certain fruits and vegetables after months away – when they are in their prime and often when we like to eat them most.
This summer, we’ve had our fill of vine-ripened tomatoes, succulent stone fruit, and hydrating melons – all of which require no heat or fuss to enjoy. As summer winds down and the weather cools, cool season bulk greens such as arugula, spicy mix, salad mix, and spinach have returned from Heartbeet Farm and we have been enjoying deliveries of late season raspberries. We’ll have both until the frost. We also have squash, sweet potatoes, and fall apples to look forward to cooking with and feasting upon for months to come.
In the past few weeks, squash availability really blossomed. Now, beyond the standard butternut and spaghetti squash we have acorn, blue hubbard, buttercup, red kabocha, red kuri, and delicata. Over the next few months, this list will grow to include over a dozen winter squash varieties each with unique flavors and textures suited to different preparations.
Butternut squash makes a richer and nuttier pie than any pumpkin pie I’ve tried. Roasted buttercup is my favorite for a pureed soup. For a quick snack, halve a delicate squash lengthwise, brush the flesh side with olive oil and tuck a clove of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme in the cavity and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Roast until soft and fragrant. Add a little butter, salt and pepper and eat right out of the skin.
I love simmering thick wedges of a red kuri squash, skins on, in 1 cup dashi (Japanese broth made of kombu and bonito flakes), 2 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp sake, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of salt until the broth is reduced by half and the squash is tender. Equal parts savory and sweet, this makes a delicious side or could be eaten over rice with a little of the cooking broth poured over.
Squash risotto is perhaps my favorite way to eat winter squash. In a heavy pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and a little olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cups of squash (butternut or buttercup are great here) cut into ½ inch cubes. Cook until the squash begins to soften – around 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of Arborio rice, stir to coat the squash and cook for a few minutes until the rice begins to appear translucent. Add ½ cup of dry white wine, stir until the wine has evaporated. Add in heated vegetable or chicken stock ½ cup at a time allowing each to be absorbed by the rice up to 3 cups in total. When finished, the rice should be tender but not soft and the squash should be fully incorporated. Add ½ cup of grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and garnish with sage and more parmesan.
To navigate the many squash varieties, look to Produce staff. Information is also posted next to the squash display with basic flavor profiles and suggested uses. In the next Sprout!, Snow Aukema, Seward Coop Produce Buyer has profiled the squash varieties expected from our local farms this year. Perhaps the best way to become familiar with the different squash varieties is to try and taste them all.
Seward Co-op is issuing a voluntary recall of Kevita Strawberry Acai Probiotic Beverage (16 fluid ounces; retail $3.39) due to the possible presence of glass pieces in the product. We have pulled the product from our shelves.
The affected product’s UPC code is UPC: 0085331100305 with a Best by Date of 2/7/2016. The product would have been sold between June 21, 2015 and Sept. 21, 2015. If you have purchased the product and are in doubt, do not consume the product. Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Franklin store Customer Service desk.
Store Specials |
Owner Deals |
Sept. 16 – 29 |
Sept. 30 – Oct. 20 |
Store Specials |
Owner Deals |
Sept. 2 – Sept. 15 |
Sept. 2 – Sept. 15 |
On Saturday, Aug. 15, Seward Co-op hosted its career fair in the Sabathani Community Center, across the street from the future Friendship store. The fair was an immense success, with nearly 400 people attending to participate in interviews with Seward Co-op managers and to learn about working at the co-op.
The co-op promoted the event through neighborhood outreach, which included weeks of canvassing; a postcard invitation to residents within 1.5 miles of the store; advertising in neighborhood publications; and announcements airing on KMOJ and La Raza 1400. In efforts to reduce as many barriers as possible for applicants, the co-op also provided Spanish- and Somali-speaking interpreters. Several community-based neighborhood groups distributed the career fair information to their respective constituencies, as well.
Hiring a staff that represents the diversity of the Bryant neighborhood in which the Friendship store is located is a priority for Seward. With approximately two-thirds of the hiring at the Friendship store complete, 62% of Friendship staff (38 employees) identify as People of Color. In the spring of 2014, the co-op set hiring goals to be a more inclusive workplace. Our organization-wide goal is a staff that is, at a minimum, comprised of 32 percent Persons of Color by 2019. As of August 2015, 113 of 363 Seward Co-op staff, or 31% of total staff, identify themselves as People of Color.
As we move closer to opening the Friendship store and beyond, we will continue our efforts to attract a diverse pool of applicants. Owners and customers will be able to meet the new staff when we open the doors of the store at our annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
We are proud to introduce the management team of the Friendship store! This talented group of leaders brings a wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds to the co-op.
Raynardo Williams, Store Manager
Samuel Bjorgum, Produce Manager
Nick Cronin, Assistant Store Manager
Karl Gerstenberger, Meat & Seafood Manager
Angel(ika) Matthews, Deli Manager
Diane McCarthy, Wellness Manager
Vivian Mims, Front End Manager
Rebecca Yuzefovich, Grocery Manager
As a former entrepreneur, I am accustomed to the work required to bring a vision like the Friendship store to fruition. I’m used to being very hands on; I like getting my hands dirty on projects. My undergraduate degree in business administration is from National American University and I hold a master’s degree in management from Hamline University. This financial service and retail management background means I’m used to immersing myself into projects like the Friendship store, working long hours as I did as a retail manager for Aldo Shoes.
I think the goal with the Friendship store is to make it a staple in the community by upholding and representing our owners and constantly taking steps to create something that reflects the Seward Co-op Ends Statement.
After working a season on an organic vegetable CSA farm in Wisconsin, I started working in a co-op produce department (at a different co-op). That was 10 years ago, and I’ve been working in co-op produce retail ever since. I have been employed at Seward Co-op for seven years, and I am excited to serve South Minneapolis as Produce Manager at the Friendship store. I’m passionate about sustainability, resilience, and justice in our food systems, and I love providing visually engaging displays of fresh nutritious produce. In my free time, I paint in my studio and attend art events with my partner Justine who is also a visual artist.
I was raised in South Minneapolis, and I graduated from South High (Go Tigers!). I have spent the majority of my professional life in food service as a chef. Outside of work, I am the father of two amazing little children. I am so excited to be a part of the Friendship store. I firmly believe that the Seward Co-op continues to be committed to the same goals it has been committed to for the past 43 years: living-wage jobs; support for small, local farmers/producers; and investment in local neighborhoods. I believe that the Friendship store will play an integral role in connecting the people of the Bryant-Central neighborhood with nourishing food that is essential to a long and balanced life. I also believe Seward Co-op is an engine for socioeconomic change and that the work we do day in and day out makes the world a better place.
My zeal for food and co-ops started early. My grandparents were Hanover (New Hampshire) Food Co-op managers starting in the 1940s. I grew up in a household that valued organic vegetable gardening and scratch cooking/baking. I started cooking professionally in 1994 at Stars/Chez Panisse/Oliveto (San Francisco/Berkeley/Oakland), where I learned to appreciate farm-direct suppliers, wood-fired cookery, and meat craft. My transition into the meat processing profession started in 2008 with courses at Iowa State and the University of Minnesota, which led to a sausage production manager job at Lorentz Meats. I’ve been at Seward since 2010, where I’ve worked as a butcher since day one. I’ll soon be a graduate of the Saint Mary’s Master of Management–Cooperatives and Credit Unions program.
My responsibility at the new store will be managing the Meat and Seafood department. I’m looking forward to serving our new neighborhood, developing a fun and skilled team, and increasing the economic viability of local meats. I’m very excited to help create a path for people to learn the craft and trade of cutting meat. Learning and personal growth are what it’s all about.
I was born and raised in Duluth, Minn. We moved to St. Paul in 1994, and I attended Humboldt High School on the west side. I graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in the Twin Cities in the spring of 2007 with a degree in culinary arts. After a few years I moved to Madison, Wis., in the summer of 2009. In the late fall of 2009 I was hired as the sous chef for Fresh Madison Market, which was a new grocery store set up in the campus area of the University of Wisconsin. In 2011 I applied for a sous chef position with the Willy Street Co-op. I had never really understood at the time what a co-op was or the level of production their off-site kitchen produced in one day. Let’s just say I had my work cut out for me. Three months into the sous chef position I was promoted to the Production Kitchen Manager role, and I stayed in that position for four and a half years. Working for Willy Street was one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs of my career, and I am truly grateful that I was able to experience it. When I started with them they were very much in the same boat that Seward Co-op is in now, opening a second store and becoming a multi-site organization.
I was raised in Minnesota and currently live in South Minneapolis near the Friendship store. I worked for Lakewinds Food Co-op and opened the Wellness Department in the Richfield store in a little over a year ago. My leadership style has been most impacted by being a mother. That has taught me to lead, cooperate, problem solve, be a good listener and work very hard. I am most excited to build an excellent team that understands Seward Co-op’s mission in the community and that can have fun at the same time. I feel my challenge may be to find a balance between work and home life, but the support of the Seward family will be there for me also. A fun fact about me is that I am from a large family and I am twin.
As a young girl, I was immersed in my community with a vast array of opportunities to see things optimistically. I believe a big part of my customer service skills developed as I was surrounded by my parents’ employers, extensive travels and their social activities. I was the youngest of four and the only girl. I attribute my inclusion of all individuals and socially responsible practices to my familial structure and experiences. I graduated from St. Paul Central High School and attended the University of Minnesota for two years, where I was the UMN’s first African American Homecoming Queen (without perks). I spent several years away from Minnesota. I continued to expand my socially responsible practices as the wife of an officer in the United States Air Force and mother of our two children. My daughters and I moved back to Minnesota for their formative education, and they both have B.A. undergraduate degrees. Moving was a great decision. I was able to obtain an associate degree in hospitality management, and I have a desire to complete a B.A. sometime soon. At my last place of employment, Courtyard by Marriott, I served as Operations Manager.
As Front End Manager of the Friendship store, I’m looking forward to all of the new experiences and providing exceptional customer service to all who enter the co-op.
I was born and raised in South Minneapolis. For the past 14 years, I lived in Israel on a kibbutz (a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture). I moved to Israel where I met my husband and had three children. While living on the kibbutz, I worked in various branches including laundry and clothing repair, children’s daycare and HR at one of the factories. For the past seven years I worked in our community grocery store in various roles including stocking, front end, replenishment buying, lead buyer, and assistant manager. In the last three years I was the General Manager for the store. I love working with people and enjoy the dynamic vibrant energy of working in grocery. I am excited to bring a wide variety of nourishing and healthy options that we can introduce and provide to our customers.
Co-op Month Jamboree featuring Wisconsin Growers Co-op
On Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 3 p.m., celebrate National Co-op Month by supporting the many cooperatives that fill Seward Co-op’s shelves. Meet with members of Seward’s Board of Directors, and sample treats from local and national co-op producers. We’ll also be featuring Wisconsin Growers Co-op as part of our Know Our Grower program.
Our annual Know Our Grower series continues as our growing season thrives. Know Our Grower is an opportunity to connect shoppers with the talented group of local farmers producing our food and sample recipes that allow their flavors to shine.
Wisconsin Growers Co-op was founded in 2006 to help 20 families maintain ownership of their farms. Its members are dedicated to the idea that if farmers take “good care of the soil, the soil will pay back with high-quality produce.” This mindset has proven effective; Wisconsin Growers often brings us produce all year long, from greenhouse radishes at the first sight of spring clear around the calendar to over-wintered parsnips. The key to the longevity of their growing season are labor-intensive, fossil fuel-free farming methods. On nearly 40 acres of the co-op’s land, these farmers plant, tend, and harvest crops exclusively using horses, horse machinery, and hand tools. In addition to more popular produce items such as potatoes, onions, and radishes, the Wisconsin Growers Co-op offers unique heirloom squash varieties, such as Queensland blue and Long Island cheese.
Wisconsin Growers’ Sweet Potato Pancakes
3-4 lbs sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop, and mash
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter.
Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.
Serves 4.
Enjoy Life Foods announced a voluntary recall involving Semi Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips (10 oz.; retail $5.69). The recall is being issued due to the potential presence of the following undeclared allergens: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and/or dried fruits.
Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Franklin store Customer Service desk.
The affected product’s UPC code is UPC: 853522 000306 and would have been sold between May 31 and Aug. 31, 2015. Complete information about the recall is available here.
General Mills announced a voluntary Class 1 recall involving 10 ounce bags of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Beans produced over two days in March 2014. The recall is being issued as a precaution after one package of finished product tested positive for the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes. No related illnesses have been reported.
Affected product is not currently on the shelves at Seward Co-op; we are not currently stocking this item. We have carried 10 ounce cut beans in the past as a promotional item ($2.00 sale price; $2.79 reg. price). Other sizes and varieties of Cascadian Farm products have not been affected.
If you purchased 10 ounce bags of frozen Cascadian Farm Cut Beans between July 30, 2014 and Aug. 7, 2015 with “Better If Used By” dates of 04-10-16 or 04-11-16, please return them to Seward Co-op for a full refund.
The affected product’s UPC code is 21908-50345 and has “Better If Used By” dates of 04-10-16 and 04-11-16. Complete information from General Mills is available here or by calling 800.624.4123.
