A letter from General Manager Sean Doyle: In June 2014 leadership at the co-op was approached by Bryant Neighborhood Organization (BNO) and Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO) to consider a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). Over the course of the past year we have had a number of conversations about whether a CBA would be appropriate for the co-op.
A CBA is fairly new approach to work with large corporations that typically focuses on holding that corporate entity accountable to the community that it is entering into with a development. These are large-scale developments, such as sports arenas and mass-transit development, in which hundreds of millions of dollars and public subsidies are involved. CBAs are also perceived to be adversarial in tone, often requiring cash payment from the developer to the community if the agreement is not fulfilled. Many of the stipulations included in a CBA could potentially put the co-op in financial jeopardy were we to agree to them.
This tone is not consistent with cooperative principles or values in that a co-op is created to respond to community need. Seward is already owned by the community, with 14,000 households in Minneapolis being owners. Nearly 15% of these households reside within the immediate geography of the Friendship store. Finally, as a community-owned business we are already accountable to the community through our democratically elected board of directors.
Instead of a CBA, we agreed that we would work to create a Mutual Benefits Agreement (MBA). To our knowledge we would be breaking new ground with an MBA — none exist. The ideas behind the MBA is self-help. One of the values of cooperation builds upon the desire of community to determine what is best for the future of the community. Additionally, the value of mutuality and self-help builds upon resiliency and not upon deficits. At its fundamental level, the vision for an MBA would be to articulate a vision of how the co-op and neighborhood groups could work together to benefit the community around the Friendship store. There are many shared concerns about livability that we all have for the 38th Street corridor. These include employment, affordability and overall development in the neighborhood. The idea behind the MBA is to look at the assets that each of our organizations have and to find a way to build on them together to more positively impact the community.
In January BNO and Seward started working to create the framework for an MBA. We invited CANDO to join this conversation. We started the process of having a community conversation about this at BNO’s spring meeting on April 25. The conversation at this meeting ended up being disrupted by a group of individuals — most of whom weren’t residents of Bryant neighborhood, but instead came from all over the city. For more information about the meeting, please read the Daily Planet article:
After this meeting BNO and the co-op decided to postpone the work of creating an MBA until after the Friendship store opens. BNO felt that they need to focus on regrouping as a neighborhood association. The leadership at the co-op decided we need to focus on ramping up operations. This includes getting the building built and equipped and ensuring we have the right product mix in the store. In coming months we have significant hiring and training of staff to do. Next spring we will reconvene to take up this conversation once again.
We are pleased to announce the hire of Lucas Almendinger as Executive Chef of the Co-op Creamery. The café, set to open in late July, will offer a menu created by Almendinger that features local fare, as well as a beer and wine selection. Almendinger comes to the Co-op Creamery following an impressive career at some of the Twin Cities’ most well-known restaurants. Most recently, Almendinger was Executive Chef at Minneapolis’ Third Bird. Almendinger will start June 1, 2015.
“We are very excited to bring Lucas on board, as we believe his passion and focus on elevating simple, local, and fresh dishes meshes perfectly with our plan for the Creamery café,” says Chad Snelson, Co-op Creamery Production Manager. “He has built an incredible portfolio of work across the Twin Cities and will bring a unique perspective and talent to the Seward neighborhood.”
Before opening Third Bird, Almendinger was Executive Chef at Union Fish Market, and previously worked with several of the Twin Cities’ top chefs, including Steven Brown at Tilia, Landon Schoenefeld at HauteDish, and Erik Anderson at Sea Change.
“The co-op already has a strong reputation for sourcing high-quality local food, and we will continue to build on that,” Snelson says. The Co-op Creamery menu will feature seasonal offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, using ingredients sourced from many of our long-time providers.
In addition to the café, the Creamery facilities will also assist in the expansion of Seward Co-op’s existing bakery, deli and meat production. The increased production capacity will enhance the support that the co-op already provides area farmers and producers.
Think of your grill like it’s the bat-signal from the old Batman series.
Your grill is a beacon of good smells that alerts your neighborhood what veggies and meats are best at Seward right now.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a delicious plume of grill-smoke from a co-op shopper’s Weber is probably worth twenty times that.
That’s because grilling has to be the best way to cook, whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or committed carnivore. In fact, many vegetarians agree that the grill is the best way to prepare veggies there is and look forward to summer as much as carnivores do. By cooking vegetables quickly over a grill’s hot coals, you’re searing the outside of the grillable while keeping moisture in and slightly carmelizing the natural sugars in your vegetables and fruits. A win/win/win for the smart vegetarian.
Grilling tip! Place thin or delicate vegetables in a foil packet and rest it over high heat. Poke a holes in the foil to let that smoky goodness in. That will keep them from getting burned on the grill.
Huffington Post has some very inventive veggie grilling recipes here. Highly recommended. The broccoli marrow recipe is a great one and we’re also enticed by the Quinoa Sliders.
As for meat, grilling is great, of course, but a long, slow barbecue is even better. Local Blooming Prairie ribs that have spent four hours smoldering in a bed of smoke at 275 degrees? Slathered with Daddy’s Sam’s Slopping Sawce? That’s going to send quite a delicious signal about co-operative ownership to your neighbors.
Want to try your hand at something really tasty, like our Korean Short Ribs from Blooming Prairie? Here’s an excellent recipe for Korean BBQ Ribs that can be adjusted for more natural ingredients found at Seward Co-op.
One more grilling tip! To test meat to see if its done, a metal skewer is the way to go. Stick it into the middle of the meat while it’s still on the grill, then hold the skewer to your forearm. If the metal is cool, keep it on the fire. If it’s warm, you’re at medium-rare. If it feels hot on your skin, tell the neighbors to grab their plates and come on over.
We have some delicious organic blueberries in the Produce Department right now, some of the sweetest of the year so far. They’re from California, but the price makes them a great choice for all the grilling you’re going to do this Memorial Day Weekend.
What? Grill blueberries? Oh, yes. Here’s a simple, tasty recipe for fruit cobbler on the grill — or, better yet, cobbler on a campfire — that will wow your friends or camping mates this weekend.
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
3-4 medium-sized ripe peaches, pitted and halved
Olive oil or melted unsalted butter for the fruit
4 tablespoons unsalted butter for cast iron pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, sucanat, turbinado sugar, honey, syrup, or other favorite sweetener
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup blueberries (or whichever berries are local, in-season)
A cast-iron skillet, especially if you’re grilling/cooking on a campfire
Directions:
Stoke a grill or campfire to medium-high heat.
Cover both sides of peaches with olive oil, melted butter, or other fat to keep peaches from scorching too much; place on grill (or in cast iron skillet if you’re cooking on a campfire), cut-side down, cover, and cook until charred/softened, 4 to 5 minutes per side — less if the peaches are quite ripe.
Once the peaches are grilled/cooked, transfer to a cutting board with a spatula and, when cool to the touch, cut the halves into slices.
Put the butter in a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet and place it on the grill to melt butter.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well-mixed. Add buttermilk; whisk it up.
Once butter is melted, pour batter from bowl into in cast iron skillet; do not mix with the butter. Scatter the grilled fruit and berries over the batter beautifully (do not mix this either. Arrange stunningly and lovingly.)
Cover pan with foil and grill cobbler until the juices are bubbling and the batter is golden, about 45 minutes on a grill — maybe an hour on a campfire.
Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with a fruity stout by the lake.
Store Specials |
Owner Deals |
May 20 – Jun. 2 |
May 20 – Jun. 2 |
Seward co-op today issued a voluntary recall of our Seward Co-op Bakery’s Sweet Lovin Brownies due to a piece of metal found in today’s batch. No illnesses or injury have been associated with this product.
All Sweet Lovin Brownies were removed from the shelf today, Wednesday, May 20, 2015.
The price of this recalled product was $8.99 per pound on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.
If you purchased the above product, do not consume. Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Customer Service desk.
sk.
While we anticipate the regional greenhouses and fields to produce in earnest, we are already enjoying an ephemeral bounty from forest and stream with wild-crafted watercress, nettles, and ramps. Harvested by trusted and familiar P6 farmers from Keewaydin and Harmony Valley farms (both in Wisconsin), these wild-crafted plants are nutrient dense, distinctly flavorful, and fleeting.
Watercress is a semi-aquatic perennial that grows in clean, flowing waters. A member of the Cruciferae family (think kale, mustard greens, arugula) watercress has a verdant brightness with a gentle bite. Watercress is high in vitamins A, C, E and K, calcium, iron and potassium, as well as numerous trace minerals and phytochemicals. To take full advantage of these robust nutrients, eat watercress raw. Add to salads and sandwiches or use as a bed for grilled or baked fish.
Many may have unpleasant memories of the stinging sensation brought on by a brush with nettles and would be full of surprise to hear that when prepared correctly they are both safe to eat and nutritious. Nettles are high in iron, potassium, manganese, calcium and vitamins A and C. Prepare nettles by rinsing and discarding the stems. Plunge the leaves in a pot of boiling water and cook until slightly wilted (2-4 minutes). Drain and press gently to remove excess water. Add to egg dishes or substitute for basil to create a woodland pesto.
Ramps are wild allium found in wooded landscapes of eastern North America and Canada. Their broad, flat leaves are milder than the bulb – the flavor of which is equal parts onion and garlic and can be quite pungent. If you enjoy this flavor, eat ramps raw –add to salads or garnish meats and fish. If raw ramps are too strong, cooking takes a little of the edge off. Brush with olive oil and grill or chop and add to egg dishes.
Pick up these spring ephemerals while they are still available as their days are numbered. On the horizon is rhubarb and hopefully wild-crafted morels.
4 TBSP butter
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 medium gold potato peeled and diced
2 cups hot water
2 cups creamy milk (1 cup whole milk, 1 cup cream) brought to a boil
9oz chopped wild greens (nettle*, watercress, dandelion, ramps)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large saucepan until it foams. Add diced onion and potatoes – stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add hot water and boiled milk. Return to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fully cooked. Add the greens and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook at this point or the soup will lose its bright green color. Blend and serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil. If prepared in advance chill quickly after blending to retain the color.
*the nettles will cook in the soup so there is no need to prepare them in a hot bath beforehand
(adapted from Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen)
The Co-op Creamery isn’t open yet, but you can almost hear the happy co-op owners inside chatting about a food revolution when you see the new sign, can’t you?
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.
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.
(1) 24 oz ounce pizza dough, Sunrise Flour Mill (from Frozen Section at Seward), thawed
1 cup Ramp pesto (see above)
2 cups spinach, chopped roughly (fresh overwintered Savoy spinach from Gardens of Eagan Farm!)
2 cups artichoke hearts, jarred, drained, chopped
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Divide thawed dough evenly in two on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the doughs out into two circles to form two pizza crusts. Move pizza crusts to pizza pan or stone. Spread crusts evenly with Ramp pesto, then arrange spinach, artichokes, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese on top.
3. Place the two pizzas in the hot oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove the pizzas from the oven and let the pizza cool for a few minutes. Cut into slices and serve.
As always with material on the Seward Co-op wesbite, call ahead if you’re making a special trip for ingredients to make sure we have them in stock!
WINNER ANNOUNCED: The winner of the One-Year Nice Ride Minnesota membership is @mshoward03 (who follows Seward Co-op on Instagram)! Congrats to @mshoward03 & thanks to everyone who entered the #ridetoseward drawing.
~Drawing closed: Noon, Thursday, 5/21/15~
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Want a membership to Nice Ride Minnesota? Have one on us! This membership is a $65 value, but it could be yours for free.
Just respond to @sewardcoop on Twitter or Instagram , or “@Seward Community Co-op” on Facebook, with the hashtag #biketoseward, and we’ll enter you into a drawing for this 1-year Nice Ride membership.
A winner will be chosen Thursday at noon, so post soon!
What is Nice Ride? From their website:
Nice Ride is a non-profit bike sharing system, and anyone can become a member. Simply take a bike when you need one [there’s a station at Seward Co-op and lots of other great businesses too], and return it to any station in the system when you arrive at your destination. It’s fast, easy and affordable.
Great for going to a Twins game so you don’t have to worry about parking, a quick ride up to the Walker Art Center, or cruising along the Mississippi River for a picnic.
Big thanks to our friends at Nice Ride Minnesota for the complimentary membership and best of luck, Seward shoppers!
(Employees of Seward Co-op not eligible to win.)
