All posts by Gary Huber

Who moved my cheese?

January 24, 2011
by Gary Huber

Last fall, I signed up for a cheese class at Prairieland Herbs with my friend Amy. I was a little apprehensive, wasn’t making cheese hard? I mean, all that measuring and temperatures and rennet? Wasn’t rennet hard to get and didn’t rennet fail sometimes and then bye bye milk?

Weeeelll, this cheese class cleared up all those myths and more!

Miss Effie (aka Cathy Lafrenz) is a great teacher, no pressure, and lots of fun. Plus she knits, bakes, quilts, and spins and basically if its DIY, she’s all over it!

I used Picket Fence whole milk (3%) in class and made a luscious ball of cheese. I used 1% this time, and made a nice lowfat ball of cheese.  So use the milk your diet will allow.

(You will want to use an instant read thermometer, trust me)

Beginning to curdle.

Heat one gallon of milk to 55 degrees, add 1 1/2 tsp citric acid crystals dissolved in 1/2 cup non-chlorinated water.
It will begin to curdle.

Adding rennet.

Heat it a bit more, to 90 degrees, then add 1/4 tsp liquid rennet (a coagulating agent, from animal or vegetable source), mixed with 1/4 c cool non-chlorinated water, and continue to cook to 100-105 degrees, it will curdle even more, and begin to separate, that watery liquid is the whey. Be sure to check the temp of the whey too, not just the curds.

When it reaches 100-105 degrees, turn off the heat and wait until it begins to solidify and pull away from the sides, about 5-15 minutes, or more, your experience may vary dependent on the milk and the rennet and any other unseen things that are out to get you that day.
When the whey is clear (if the whey is still milky, keep waiting until it clears) the curds will be shiny, thick, clumpy clods, then pour your curds gently into a colander and drain. You may choose to save the whey to use in baked goods, soups, it does still contain many nutrients.

Draining curds. Drain your cheese well, gently pressing out all the whey, heating and squeezing.

Place the curds into a microwaveable bowl and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute on high, take it out and squeeze out more whey and stretch it. Use a wooden spoon as its hot, or use your hands if you like pain. Heat it again for 35 seconds on high, and repeat the squeezing and stretching. Do that one more time. Now is the time to add some sea salt if you choose, just sprinkle on and knead it in.

Fini!!

As you stretch and knead, begin to smooth it into a ball, if it breaks instead of stretching, reheat for 35 seconds again.
When it looks smooth and shiny and feels like a solid ball of cheese, its done!

I highly encourage you to take a class, I’m not sure I would have been successful the first time on my own if I hadn’t taken a class. But if you don’t have access to a teacher or a class, then just go for it. Use whole milk for your first time, but don’t use ULTRA pasteurized, I’m told it won’t work. Whole milk will give you a lovely product, exactly what you want the first time out.

Homemade Mozzarella
Recipe Type: Cheese
Author: Merry Amann
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Last fall, I signed up for a cheese class at Prairieland Herbs with my friend Amy. I was a little apprehensive, wasn’t making cheese hard? I mean, all that measuring and temperatures and rennet? Wasn’t rennet hard to get and didn’t rennet fail sometimes and then bye bye milk? Weeeelll, this cheese class cleared up all those myths and more!
Ingredients
  • 1/4 tsp liquid rennet
  • 3/4 cup cool, chlorine-free water (most bottled waters are chlorine-free)
  • 1 gallon milk (2%, 1%, or skim)
  • 1 1/2 tsp citric acid
  • Salt, optional
Instructions
  1. Heat one gallon of milk to 55 degrees, add 1 1/2 tsp citric acid crystals dissolved in 1/2 cup non-chlorinated water. It will begin to curdle.
  2. Heat it a bit more, to 90 degrees, then add 1/4 tsp liquid rennet (a coagulating agent, from animal or vegetable source), mixed with 1/4 c cool non-chlorinated water, and continue to cook to 100-105 degrees, it will curdle even more, and begin to separate, that watery liquid is the whey. Be sure to check the temp of the whey too, not just the curds.
  3. When it reaches 100-105 degrees, turn off the heat and wait until it begins to solidify and pull away from the sides, about 5-15 minutes, or more, your experience may vary dependent on the milk and the rennet.
  4. When the whey is clear (if the whey is still milky, keep waiting until it clears) the curds will be shiny, thick, clumpy clods, then pour your curds gently into a colander and drain.
  5. Place the curds into a microwaveable bowl and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute on high, take it out and squeeze out more whey and stretch it. Use a wooden spoon as its hot.
  6. Heat it again for 35 seconds on high, and repeat the squeezing and stretching. Do that one more time.
  7. Now is the time to add some sea salt if you choose, just sprinkle on and knead it in.
  8. As you stretch and knead, begin to smooth it into a ball, if it breaks insteads of stretching, reheat for 35 seconds again. When it looks smooth and shiny and feels like a solid ball of cheese, its done!

 

Oops…I sprouted!!

January 13, 2011
by Gary Huber

I love the New Year.  Its a good time to wipe the slate clean, put the past behind and start something fresh.  Like many people, I have a list of things I would like to do in this new year, not resolutions, but goals, very fluid goals.  I must not have set my goals too high, as I have accomplished three things on my list already, that’s okay, I discovered a few more to add.

One new thing I’m doing is growing sprouts.  Sue Schumacher, a fellow Coop-er and friend, turned me on to these right about the turn of the year, December 30, to be exact.  So I sent off an order to Sprouthouse.com, and received my Easy Sprouter and 2lbs of seeds, because I didn’t trust what their Holiday salad mix was, and began sprouting right away.  I ordered a pound of seed mix containing alfalfa, clover, radish and broccoli.

 

The directions were meandering, as in, I was looking for 1., 2., 3 etc.  So thank goodness for the internet and Google.com, lots and lots of info out there.  Sproutpeople.com, has the best information.

1.  Rinse the Easy Sprouter and all the lids and insert.

2.  Put the flat-ish bottom seed insert into the perforated inner vessel and snap into place then put the whole thing into the solid outer vessel.

3.  Pour 1/4 c of seed mix into it, and fill with room temperature water.  Let soak for at least 6 hours.

4.  Pour off some of the water, then take the inner vessel and try to get as much moisture out of it as possible.  I held it in my sink and shook briskly  down until no more drops of water fell.

5.  Tap the vessel until seeds spread out and coat the bottom third.

6.  Put back into outer vessel, rotate until its sitting up and off the bottom, cover with the dome cover and let sit away from heat and bright lights.

7.  At least twice a day, rinse  with room temp or cool water, then soak the seeds for 5-10 minutes, take care to shake the seeds dry when done soaking and rinsing.

8.  In about 3 days, you should have sprouting action, keep soaking and rinsing until the sprouts are the appropriate length for eating and have grown tiny little leaves.

9.  Your sprouts will be white and the leaves pale pale green.  Sue said to up the nutritional value, green them up by exposing them to light for about 8 hours, you will do this after they get leaves and right before you put them in the fridge.

Sprouted!!

I was able to store mine in the fridge in the container, I just made sure that it was as dry as I could get it, too much moisture and you basically are making food for the composter.  Sue stores her sprouts, rinsed and in a paper towel lined ziplock.

The difference between my home grown sprouts and the store purchased was huge!  If I could have everyone who has ever had a bad sprout experience taste these homegrown ones, they would be hooked.  They were crunchy, fresh and darn near addicting.   I began to want to put them on everything.  One of my favorite snacks became crackers, with Laughing Cow Light garlic and herb spread, with a pile of sprouts on top.  My second favorite was hummus, cucumber,  and greek yogurt on flatbread with sprouts.  I was sad when I finished my first batch and immediately began sprouting another one.

I don’t have any concerns with salmonella, as I am pretty clean about my sprouts, but I do want to caution about letting them sit in a too warm enviroment, as you could start to grow mold or fungus.  My kitchen is pretty chilly, and they grew anyway, so they don’t really need much warmth and light.  Cooler temps and dimness seems to be the way to go.  I remember my mother sprouting mung beans in a glass pickle jar in the cupboard!  Which is another DIY way, but I decided to buy the kit.

Lots of information available online in regards to the nutritional value of sprouts, but Sue made a compelling statement when she said its a good way to get your greens in the winter, home grown and as local as your kitchen counter.

An Iowa Food Coop Christmas…

December 5, 2010
by Gary Huber

We are so lucky to have access to some of the best that Iowa as to offer.  Don’t you want to share that with the ones you love?  Why don’t you give your family and friends an IFC Christmas this year.  You would be supporting local businesses and proudly giving them the best!

Since everybody is growing beards and hunting, how about a Hunter’s Delight Basket?  Fill it with Ebersole jerky, TimberRidge beef sticks, Griffieon Farms summer sausage and a Heart of Iowa Bay Rum shaving bar for when hunting season is over.

What about a Party Hostess basket filled with yummy Gouda cheese from Frisian Farms, Cheddar cheese bread from Threshing Floor, a ring bologna from Griffieon Farms, Summer Sausage from TimberRidge, and for something different, Goat and Pepper Cheese Sticks from LaVentosa. Dont forget to take your hostess a lovely poinsettia from Homestead!

Or maybe its just All About Me. This basket could include a delicious wine from Jasper Winery or Rosey Acres Winery, Organic Herbal Baths from Rosebud Botanicals, lotion from Griffieon’s Farmhouse Suds, a soft washcloth from Heart of Iowa and of course, fudge from Wagner Enterprises.

Perhaps you would like to help someone live a greener life and help protect our enviroment and body from chemicals by putting together a Green Clean basket.  You could give Grandma’s Soap Multipurpose Cleaner and also their Wood Cleaner, Laundry Soap from Heart of Iowa, hand soap from Rosebud Botanicals, a Griffieon Family Farms crocheted dishcloth,  and maybe a set of hand-embroidered tea towels too. If you really want to up the green clean value, add a flat of wheatgrass from Wheatgrass to Go! Then they will be clean inside AND out!

If you know someone who is a DIYer, give them a Pork Belly from Iowa Farm Families and a bundle or two of Apple Wood from Berry Patch Farm so they can cure and smoke their own bacon.  Not into the curing part? Give them a pork roast and some apple wood to smoke their own Canadian bacon.  Maybe they would rather make their own laundry soap? Grandmas Soaps offers a make your own Laundry Soap kit.  If they love to can give them a bushel of apples from Berry Patch to make their own apple butter or can their own pie filling.

Now this would be a basket I would love to receive.  A Good Morning World Breakfast Basket! It could have Greene Bean Coffee, eggs from Raccoon Forks, Wild Rose or Annas place, Crooked Gap bacon from their heritage hogs, Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls from Daily Bread or English Muffin Bread from Country Lane Bakery,  maybe even the Buckwheat Pancake mix from Country Lane too and honey from Novae Vitae as a sweet treat to top it all off. Of course a jar of jam from Twin Girls Garden is always a welcome gift!

Grandma’s  Soap is offering gift baskets already put together for you, Live Now Rest Later offers personalized silver jewelry for that hard to buy for person.  For something different, what about a gift ham? Iowa Farm Families offers quarter, half and whole pit hams.  Or a pie?  How about a delicious pie from Wagner Enterprises? Woven rugs, caps and berets from Two Cedars Weaving to keep them warm, a beautiful shawl from Hibbs Farm plus Rosebud Botanicals Lip Balms make great stocking stuffers.

Or, just give them a gift membership to the Iowa Food Coop, to quote National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation “Its the gift that keeps on giving”.

Iowa Food Coop Open House!!

November 27, 2010
by Gary Huber

Come and join us for our holiday Open House!

We are hosting some of our best Producers in an open house celebration at our pick up site in Merle Hay Mall!

December 4, beginning at 11am our fabulous producers will be giving away samples of their products.  Meet the fine folks from Wild Rose Pastures, Grandma’s Soap, Griffieon’s Family Farm, Ebersole Cattle Co., Wheat Grass To Go, Wagner Enterprises, Raccoon Forks Farm, Hedgeapple Farm, Anna’s Place Poultry Products, Two Cedars Weaving just to name a few!  Meats, fall veggies, soap, poinsettias, baked goods, candy and much much more will be available for purchase too.

If you have family or friends who are still undecided, this would be a good time for them to sample what the coop has to offer before joining.  If there was something YOU wanted to try before buying this is a good opportunity for you too.  I’m not kidding, Ebersole’s jerky AND beef sticks are out of this world!  Wagner Enterprises caramels are a delicious treat, and don’t you deserve that after all that Christmas shopping?

So come out to our pickup site at Merle Hay Mall, its located on the southside, just inside the doors across from the parking garage, we are next to the Post Office. We will be sampling from 11am to 4pm, and gift memberships will be available too! 

See you there!

Merry

How to roast your brand new Heritage Turkey!

November 16, 2010
by Gary Huber

Many of you have ordered your Thanksgiving turkey, perhaps this is the first time you will roast a heritage turkey.  Here are a few tips and more than one opinion on the best way to prepare your bird.  I’ve included the links.

A tip from Local Harvest.org

http://www.localharvest.org/features/cooking-turkeys.jsp

Remember having to cover the breast with foil to keep it from drying out while the rest of the bird cooks — not with a heritage turkey. Their smaller breasts create a better balance between the dark meat and white meat, which means roasting a bird to perfection is much easier since white meat cooks quicker than the dark meat. If the breast is covered during roasting, it should be done with oiled parchment paper — not foil — which is then removed 30 minutes before the turkey is finished roasting.

Heritage turkeys are also much more lean and smaller than sedentary commercial birds. This means that fast cooking at high temperatures is a better method than slow roasting — another big plus since you won’t have to set your alarm to get the bird in the oven to be done in time for an early dinner. Heritage turkeys should be cooked at 425-450 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140-150 degrees F. Butter or oil can be added under the breast skin to add flavor and moisture during roasting.

Heritage Turkey recipe from Localharvest.org

Tips from Saveur  Magazine http://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/Heritage-Turkey-Tips

What exactly is a heritage turkey? According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, it’s a naturally mating bird with a slow growth rate that spends most of its long life outdoors. (By contrast, industrially raised turkeys live in cages, are bred to grow quickly, and can reproduce only through artificial insemination.) In terms of flavor, a heritage bird is worlds away from the dry, tasteless turkeys most of us have grown up eating on Thanksgiving.

Unlike other turkeys, heritage birds live long enough to develop a layer of fat beneath the skin, which imparts a rich flavor to the meat. Mary Pitman, of Pitman Farms, says that they also “have larger thighs and legs because they still run and fly”; that produces especially dark, juicy meat from those parts. There’s no better time to switch to these sustainably raised animals; as farmer Frank Reese, a tireless advocate for heritage turkeys, says, “The best way to save these historic breeds is to eat them.” We couldn’t agree more.  Below are tips and sources.

Skip the brine. Mary Pitman points out that the “real, authentic taste of a turkey” comes through when the turkey hasn’t been brined.

Wrap it up. Heritage breed birds, unlike industrially raised turkeys, have breast meat proportionate to the rest of their bodies. Although that’s good news for authenticity and flavor, the more modest-size breasts can dry out quickly; to offset that effect, barding (wrapping the bird with bacon or pancetta), topping the breast or the whole turkey with oil-rubbed paper or cheesecloth, or rubbing butter under the skin will help keep the meat moist.

Experiment with different preparations. Roasting may be the traditional cooking method, but heritage turkeys, owing to their robust flavor, cook well when braised in turkey or chicken stock, white wine, or even beer. They’re also delicious when fried in peanut oil.

Shorten the cooking time. Because heritage turkeys are almost always smaller than industrially raised birds, they require less time in the oven. When a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165 degrees, remove the bird.

Cook carefully. SAVEUR kitchen director Hunter Lewis recommends crisping the bird at 500 degrees for 20 minutes, then roasting at 325 degrees. As white meat and dark meat cook at different rates, some people cook the breast and legs separately.

Consider game recipes. Before deciding how to prepare your heritage bird, check out recipes for such game birds as guinea hen and pheasant, which, like heritage turkeys, are naturally lean and pair well with earthy flavors like herbs and bacon.

Another recipe for your cooking your heritage bird from Local Sustainability

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Rinse your 10-15 lb turkey well with cold running water, both inside and out. Pat dry inside and out. Rub the inside of the turkey with mixture of 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper. Use skewers to pin the neck skin to the underside of the bird and fold the wings behind the back, and then tie drumsticks together to reduce cavity space.

Rub the entire turkey with butter. Sprinkle approx. 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper on the outside of the turkey. Place turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan. Add 1-1/2 cups water to the bottom of the pan. Place open in oven for 30 min. Remove from oven, baste exterior with natural juices and melted butter from the pan. Cover tightly, return to oven. Continue to bake for 15-20 min per pound.

Add 1 medium diced onion to cavity. At this time you can add a small amount of herbs to the cavity. Rosemary, or sage impart a nice flavor. Return to oven in tightly sealed roasting pan. Bake according to time/weight ratio noted above.

To check doneness, the drumsticks will feel tender when pressed, and juices from the turkey will run clear. If using a meat thermometer, insert it into the inner thigh area, near the breast, but not touching the bone. It should reach 180 degrees.

30 mins before turkey is near completed baking time, remove cover, baste with the juice and butter mixture from the pan. Return to oven in open roasting pan to brown lightly.

Lastly, if none of those trip your trigger, here are a few more links with tips for cooking your turkey:  More Heritage Turkey Tips

I hope this helps and I sincerely wish each of you a happy, healthy and food stuffed Thanksgiving!

Happy Eating and Leftovers!

Merry

Oh my Lard!

November 4, 2010
by Gary Huber

 

I had heard someone mention that she renders her own lard, it was Diane Starkey to be exact, I then read a little about it on Mary janes Farm forum. I then realized that Crooked Gap Farm was having a pie bakers special on lard, so jumped at this opportunity to make my render own.

 
I use lard in my pie crust, ask my family, it makes the best pie crust, but I didn’t realize that the store brand that I buy is partially hydrogenated which equals bad and unhealthy. Well I’m not gonna eat that much less serve it to my family, so rendering my own lard is the only logical step, right? I’m not changing my crust, I’m certainly not gonna stop making pies!

I did as much research as I could find, and of course there is tons of info out there. But knowing myself, I needed an idiot proof way to do this the first time out, so crockpot lard it is.

RENDERING LARD IN YOUR CROCKPOT

Use clean largemouth jars and clean lids and rings.

(1) My lard arrived in 4 – 5 pound chunks, and was already ground up. If yours is not, cut into very small chunks or grind, it makes the whole process much nicer. You can use frozen, or thawed, it didn’t matter much in my case.

(2) Put the lard in your crockpot, add a 1/2 cup of water, cover, turn on low and let cook for about 3 hours. Check it, stir it so nothing browns or burns. I checked and stirred every hour or two.

ground, unrendered lard in crockpot

(3) when most of the fat is melted down, (12 hours for me), start filtering and putting into wide mouth jars or containers. I put a funnel in my jar, then a strainer, then a coffee filter. Filter while you jar as once it starts cooling it doesn’t filter very well. You do want to filter and not just strain, especially if you intend to use for pastries, it makes a nicer end product and no pork odor. Start filtering and jarring before the lard starts browning. When jar is full, lid it and put in the fridge. You can keep it in the fridge or freezer. Opinions vary! I am keeping the jar I have opened in the fridge, and freezing the rest.  Im told it keeps a long long time in the freezer.  Resist the urge to store it outside the fridge or freezer, I have heard too many sad stories of rancid lard for me to think that is a good idea.

newly rendered lard, this will turn a creamy white as it cools

(4) what is left in the crockpot will need to keep cooking, but keep checking and stirring and pouring off, filtering and jarring until its just solid stuff and its difficult to get any more liquid out. This lard will be light but will turn white when it cools.

(5) transfer out these semi solids to a tall pot and keep cooking on medium low watching carefully and stirring so it doesn’t burn. As the liquid rises to the top, scoop out solids and oils and filter and jar as before, just stir the solids around so the liquid filters into the jar. Keep doing this until the solids are nearly dry. Keep watching and stirring so it doesn’t burn. This lard is amber, but will turn creamy white as it cools. This will be good for savory dishes and frying.

chicharrones from ground lard

(6) cook these solids, which are now called chicharrones until crispy and dry, but don’t overcook. These are good salted for snacking, but I am saving these as a special treat for my dog 🙂

I am baking pies tomorrow, so I will see how my lard stands up, I have a feeling it will be pretty awesome, I will keep you posted!

Seasonal Produce

October 15, 2010
by Gary Huber

While I realize this may not be the most timely of posts, it is an important one.  I was drafting the latest announcement to our members, you the owners of this Iowa Food Cooperative, and I came across a message I had sent early in the year. It was intended to address the concerns around sparse picking in the way of vegetables, and greens.  I recall I checked ‘the Google’ and quickly found a great resource: The National Resources Defense Council (NDRC) has created a great listing by state. In that long-ago email, I posted this same link to Iowa’s in season produce.

As my wife & I have become increasingly dependent upon seasonal food and days get colder, I begin to think about pumpkin-pie and apple cider, and Turkey. Oh yes! Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Our stairs have become an impromptu root-cellar. I have big feet, and I’m always afraid I’m going to make some accidental mashed potatoes as I head downstairs.

According to the NDRC this is what we can look forward to this season:
Apples, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bunching Greens, Cabbage, Carrots , Celery, Collards, Garlic, Head Lettuce, Kale , Kohlrabi , Leeks, Lettuce Mix, Onions , Oriental Greens, Ornamental Corn, Parsnips, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Snap Peas, Snow Peas , Spinach, Turnips, and Winter Squash.

Lots of good stuff in there. I look forward to this fall season as a close to my first year as board-member and I believe 4th year as conscientious consumer of local foods. What I mean by that is that I have been a fan of the idea for some time, it was about 4 years ago now that Lori introduced me to the bounties of Turtle Farm CSA, an IFC Member by the way, and her passion for ‘Good Eats’ (a nod to Alton Brown there).  Well I’ve rambled enough. Here’s to a wonderful upcoming season of thanksgiving. Support your local farmers, and lets not forget those artisans, makers of things too.


Easy as Pie…Pumpkin Pie!

October 4, 2010
by Gary Huber

I think I have finally found the perfect fresh pumpkin pie recipe. This might even pass the husband test. This was this best pumpkin pie I ever made, and it might even be the best I ever tasted!

My issue with fresh pumpkin pies has been that they taste blah. Not pumpkiny, but watery, pulpy, just not good at all. So I researched a few recipes and hit upon one that seemed good. This recipe also gave me tips on how to make the filling smooth etc., and a secret ingredient, molasses. Wouldn’t you know I didn’t have molasses? Well they don’t call me the queen of punt for nothing! I used dark karo syrup and brown sugar and it worked. Next time I will use molasses, in fact, next time I will try the recipe exactly as written. Sure, right, but there’s a first time for everything!

I am going to give you the recipe as I made it, also the original before I changed it. Make them both, you decide.

Be aware that sometimes your pumpkin may just not be a tasty pumpkin. I try to use sugar pie pumpkins. I try to choose ones that are small but heavy for their size.

Homemade Fresh Pumpkin Pie as I made it

Single, unbaked crust
2 large eggs
1/2 c fat free evaporated milk
1 1/2 c pumpkin puree (instructions below)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp dark Karo syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I use Penzey’s)
1/8 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs until frothy, add milk. Whisk in pumpkin, sugar, syrup, butter, salt and spices. Whisk until well blended.
Pour filling into crust, bake until center is firm, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie – original recipe

Unbaked single crust
2 large eggs
3/4 c milk
1 1/4 c pumpkin puree
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp dark molasses
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat until just starts to bubble around edges. Remove from heat.
Beat eggs until frothy, add milk stirring constantly. Stir in pumpkin, sugar, butter, molasses, salt and spices. Whisk until well blended.
Pour into prepared our crust, bake until center is firm 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

How to make pumpkin puree

Split pie pumpkin in half cross wise, remove seeds and fibers.
Place cut side down on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325 until tender, about 1 hour.
Scrape pulp away from skin, discard skin.
Place pulp in blender or food processer, process in batches until smooth.
Push puree through a course sieve. Puree can be stored in freezer for up to 6 months.

My way of doing things

Cut pumpkin, remove stem. Place cut side down on greased baking sheet, seeds pulp and all.
Bake at 350 until tender, scrape away seeds and fibers, discard. Then scrape pumpkin pulp into bowl, discard shell. Blend until smooth with stick blender.

Iowa Food Cooperative 2nd Annual Meeting

October 2, 2010
by Gary Huber

Dear Iowa Food Coop Members,
You’ve seen the mentions in the regular e-mails and the last newsletter; the time is fast approaching for

The 2nd Annual Membership Meeting of The Iowa Food Cooperative!

We highly recommend you attend this get-together to help guide the Iowa Food Cooperative into the coming year.

What:

  • The 2nd Annual Membership Meeting!
    • Town-Hall, Potluck & Business Meeting

Where:

When:

  • Saturday, October 16th
  • 4:00 – 4:30 Town Hall Meeting
  • 4:30 – 5:30 Potluck Dinner
  • 5:30 – 6:00 Board Member Elections & Acknowledgements
  • 6:00 – 6:30 Presentation – Urban Agriculture by Jason Grimm
  • Announce Results of the Elections
  • 6:40 – 7:00 Business Meeting

Town Hall Meeting: This meeting is for those who of you who have any specific requests or suggestions, or if you want to tell us how we’re doing. We’ll be expecting you promptly at 4:00.  If you can’t make it to the Town Hall Meeting, we will also have a suggestion Box for your feedback.

The Potluck: Last year’s potluck was a hit! So we’ll do it again! Like last year, we are asking each family to bring one main dish plus one side dish (a salad, vegetable or dessert).  To keep our gathering as “green” as possible, please also bring your own table service, utensils, and cup for beverages.
(*Coffee, lemonade, and water will be provided by the coop. As this is a school please do NOT bring alcoholic beverages.)

Producer Members – please bring some of the foods you grow for your pot luck contribution or make a dish using the food you grow.

All Attendees – Bring your recipes for the foods you bring to share. You may also e-mail them to recipes@iowafood.coop. We’ll post those on the website too! When you bring or share a recipe with us, be sure to include the following: name and source of recipe. If you have used ingredients that you bought through the coop, it would be nice to have the producer’s name for those ingredients, too.

You can find new recipes and those from last year here: https://iowafood.coop/category/recipe/

The Meeting: The business portion of this get-together will be a short business meeting with presentation of our Annual Report and election of four new board members.  We will also have a short presentation by our guest speaker, Jason Grimm. Jason is the Food System Planner with Iowa Valley RC&O in Amana, and coordinates the Iowa Corridor Food and Agriculture Coalition; he is also working to establish a food cooperative in the Iowa City area.  Jason’s presentation will be on “Urban Agriculture.”

Volunteers & RSVP:

  • IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR SUFFICIENT BEVERAGES AND SEATING, PLEASE RSVP BY OCTOBER 9th TO DAVID COUCH.
  • If you bring your children please bring a game for them – these adult events can be kind of boring for them.
    • We will need a volunteer to supervise the children.

See you on October 16th!

David Wade Couch
V.P. Membership & Education
The Iowa Food Cooperative

& Awards Presentation

What is your favorite?

September 27, 2010
by Gary Huber

When I joined the Coop last year, all that was available made it difficult to make those first choices.  Whose eggs?  Which bacon?  So I just dived right in and chose producers with pretty names.   Of course, now I realize there really isnt a bad choice to make, they are all good!

But my first choice on my first order was the one that sealed my loyalty to the Coop.  The eggs.  Anna’s jumbo eggs to be exact.  I realized after cooking those first two eggs that I had never really had good eggs before.  Those eggs were so good, they didn’t even need salt and pepper, or toast, or even bacon.  They were so good they had to eaten alone to savor every bite.

Of course, over the last year and a half, I have ordered many items that have become favorites, Griffieon smoked ham hocks, anything from Homestead, (especially the seedlings, only ones to survive this year in my garden!), La Ventosa chicken, Tesdale garlic, Huber carrots, well you get the picture.

So what are your favorites?  Must haves?  What things do you stay up until 1 am, waiting for the shopping cart to open so you can get it before anyone else?