The Weekly Radish Highlights | Littleton Food Co-op

Beverage of the Week: Jun Kombucha

August 22, 2019 By Littleton Food Co-op

Real Kombucha is a fermented beverage that typically has most of the alcohol removed. Wild Tonic makes a popular line of Jun Kombucha that has only trace amounts of alcohol. New to the Co-op this week are a couple of varieties of Wild Tonic Hard Jun Kombucha with 5.6% alcohol. Their Blueberry Basil flavored Kombucha is one of their most popular items. This Gluten Free Beverage retains all of the probiotic benefits of regular Kombucha with a little kick. A number of customers have requested a hard kombucha this summer, and we’re glad to add this new offering from Wild Tonic. Now available in the Co-op next to our chilled wine! -Ed

Zucchini-Based Recipes for our Favorite Holiday

August 7, 2019 By Anastasia Maher

America’s favorite unknown holiday has fallen upon us. Did you know that more gifts are given today than any other major holiday? Okay, we made that up. But we didn’t make up today’s holiday (although we wish we could take credit for it). August 8th is National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day. This gloriously green holiday was born out of the simultaneous realization that zucchini grows bountiful right around this time and there is only so much zucchini one can eat. Farmers and gardeners alike came to understand that the best way to rid of their excess fruits of labor was to slip across property lines in the dead of night and leave the desired amount of zucchini on the recipient’s porch.

The problem with this method is not the delivery, because that’s flawless. The issue is that everyone focuses on the ceremonial act itself and not what happens afterwards, specifically on the recipient’s side. What are you supposed to do now that you have collected the ceremonial zucchini from steps outside your front door?

Here are 5 creative ways to use zucchini this summer:

1. Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

For many, this recipe won’t come as a surprise or seem creative. Different circular vegetable imposters have been trying to invade the chip market for years. The great thing about this specific variety is the second main ingredient– the cheese. We won’t say that the cheese makes up for the fact that you have to eat a vegetable, but it might make it a little easier to ingest (or convince hesitant family members). For those who want to dive into the world of vegetable chips this is a great place to start.

2. Shaved Zucchini Salad

This recipe is like someone extracted all of the tastes you associate with summer from your mouth and put them in a dish– a summer salad dish nonetheless. This Shaved Zucchini Salad has notes of citrus, that fresh vegetable taste, and just enough pumpkin seeds to add an extra crunch and remind you that summer is ever fleeting. The addition of the macadamia nuts makes it a heartier salad without taking away from the citrus.

3. Zucchini-Herb Fritters

Zucchini-Herb Fritters are another way to introduce vegetables into more foods without making it feel like a chore. This recipe can be thought of as the best of both worlds; you can still enjoy your potatoes while getting a serving of vegetables. In addition, the sauce strays away from a greek yogurt sauce to a garlic yogurt sauce. The only indecisiveness around this dish is whether to serve it as an appetizer or side dish.

4. Avocado Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Zoodles (zucchini noodles) is another food trend that has been trying to make itself mainstream over the past few years. What might turn people away from this idea is that it’s tempting to leave the zucchini alone. However, zoodles cannot carry themselves like regular pasta. In this recipe, the zoodles are enhanced with a creamy avocado pesto sauce. The added tomatoes at the end give volume to the dish.

5. Chocolate Zucchini Bread

We’ve all had zucchini bread, but how many of us can say they’ve had a chocolate version of the classic baking treat? If you’re looking for a way to sneak vegetables into the mouths of unsuspecting diners, this is the way to do it. You don’t even have to tell them there are vegetables in it (as long as you can come up with an alternative source of the tiny green flecks in the bread). This recipe also exchanges traditional oils for applesauce to up the healthy ante.

We hope this gives you some ideas to do with your newly gifted zucchini. Or maybe you’ve been inspired to have a smaller holiday so you can keep more of your harvest for yourself and try the recipes for yourself. Either way, we hope you have a great National Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day!

Hoppy IPA Day!

August 1, 2019 By Littleton Food Co-op

The first Thursday of August has been designated National IPA Day (we thought it was every day!). Let us help you celebrate “National IPA Day” properly today – just stop by the Co-op where you’ll have over 100 different IPA’s to choose from.

Sometimes it is hard to choose, but we are here to help. Here’s just one recommendation from our staff: Mayflower New World American IPA. After all, who could possibly know more about creating a “New World IPA” than our friends at Mayflower Brewing, descendants of the original (European) New Worlders? New World IPA is a 6% unfiltered IPA, which means plenty of Haze. This IPA is built on pale malt with wheat malt added for head retention and a smooth mouthfeel. The beer is loaded with El Dorado, Mosaic, and Citra hops creating big aromas of pineapple and mango.

Try this or one of the other 99 IPA’s in stock at the Co-op to celebrate National IPA Day right!

What to Wear to the Biggest Little Farm Film Premiere

July 31, 2019 By Littleton Food Co-op

We’re all very excited for the FREE film premiere evening of The Biggest Little Farm, which is happening this Saturday August 3rd at 6pm at the Bethlehem Colonial. Besides the fact that the theme of this movie is right up our alley, due to us being local foodie / farm nerds here at the co-op, we’re also looking forward to the opportunity to get dressed up for a big night out. Before the movie starts are co-hosting a reception in partnership with Meadowstone farm , and we thought we’d have a little fun with the theme and encourage a little bit of hollywood glamour to the north country. When you’re there you can nosh on local delicacies, hobnob with the farmers who live in our area, and get your photo taken by the “paparazzi”.

But what to wear?? The theme of the evening is “Barnyard best”. To start we thought we’d take our cue from those who know the farm better than anyone – the animals that actually live there! Check out these very fancy critters for some fashion inspiration:

1. A very fancy pig! We love the fringe scarf with the frilly hat. The pom pom necklace pulls the look together! What accessories are in your closet?

Photo: Barbie the pig / Beth Redwood

2. Such ladylike ducks! This look is a little old fashioned but there is no question that the hats are perfect for summer. If you do wear a big hat, just take it off before the movie starts.

Photo: Brian Harrington

3. Such a dapper goat! The bow tie and the pocket square just scream “debonair”. Whether you’re a goat, or a guy, or a gal, a bow is just the thing.

Photo: William Selden

4. A glamorous chicken! The soft feathery grey updo really offsets the string of pearls. Put your hair up for a cool summery look.

Photo:Frenchblueandpeachypink

5. A four-legged gentleman. There is something to be said for excellent tailoring, especially in a tweed jacket. A classic blazer and a nice tie should do the trick.

Photo: William Hill/Splash

6. Tiny chick in a top hat. You’re never too tiny (or floofy) to look your absolute best. Take a cue from this adorable chicken and wear a cute hat.

Photo: Julie Persons

We hope you’ve found some style inspiration from our barnyard friends, and we will see you at the movie! There are still a few tickets left at the co-op, so be sure to come by and pick yours up before the big night!

For more info on The Biggest Little Farm premiere, check out the event page!

6 Brands with A Fair Trade Story to Tell

July 29, 2019 By Anastasia Maher

If you’re looking to become a more conscientious consumer, specifically when it comes to fair trade products, you’re in luck: many of your favorite brands at the Co-op are already fair trade certified! What does this mean? Fair trade is when producers pay what is considered a “fair” price to the farmers they work with. This above and beyond amount, which is known as the “fair trade premium,” can then be used to improve the livelihood of the farmers–things like electricity, running water, and education suddenly become accessible. Fair Trade USA is one of the many organizations that certifies that a product can put a fair trade symbol on their packaging. Here are 6 brands sold at the Co-op with products certified by Fair Trade USA:

1. Annie’s

Read more about Annie’s mission to use sustainably sourced cocoa

2. Pacific Foods

Read how Pacific Foods is part of ethical supply chain

3. HiBall Energy

Watch and tag along with the founders of HiBall Energy on a trip to see where their fair trade sugar originates

4. Kashi

Learn more about how Kashi sources their cocoa responsibility

5. I Heart Keenwah

See what happened when the co-founder of I Heart Keenwah saw the effects of fair trade up close

6. Larabar

Read about Larabar’s trip that deepened their appreciation for fair trade practices

All of these brands use fair trade practices according to Fair Trade USA. To see the full list of products verified by Fair Trade USA, visit their website.

How to Prepare for Lobsterpalooza 2019

July 25, 2019 By Littleton Food Co-op

Our favorite Crustacean-themed holiday is just days away, and we’ve been feverishly getting ready for the big day. Here are a few tips to help you plan for Lobsterpalooza this year!

When is the best time to come to the co-op? Well, that depends. We have TWO deliveries scheduled, direct to us from the seacoast. The first delivery will be ready for our 7AM opening, which is perfect for you earlybirds. People usually line up before the store even opens, and we usually run out of lobster pretty fast! Then there’s another truck arriving mid-morning for a second round, so if you get here around 11am you can cheer with everyone else as the truck rolls up. That can vary a little bit though, because even lobsters sometimes get stuck in I-93 traffic. We hope everyone will hang out, have fun, and enjoy a lovely day of lobster-based bargains.

Also, we’re limiting lobsters to 10 per customer, so that there is plenty to go around. Lobsterpalooza is for one day only – Saturday July 27 2019, and the deals are good only while supplies last. Standard restrictions apply. Questions? Stop by the service desk and ask! See you Saturday!

Sip on Fair Trade

July 22, 2019 By Anastasia Maher

Last week, we highlighted the prevalence of slave labor in the chocolate industry and some companies who are forging the path away from inhumane working conditions. While slavery in chocolate is perhaps the most famous un-just food system, similar hardships and ethical conundrums pop-up across food group lines. Luckily, there are similar companies using their buying power through fair trade to change human conditions around the world. This week, we take a look at beverages making a difference.

To many American homes, coffee is a staple; however, a world of complexity lives behind the grounds. Coffee is an extremely volatile industry whose prices tend to slope down rather than up. Fairtrade organizations stepped in to ensure farmers “receive a fair and stable price for their coffee that covers average costs of sustainable production.” On the consumer side that might be hard to believe; however, most coffee farmers receive only 2% of their coffee’s retail price. A fair trade premium guarantees that coffee farmers will have an income regardless of the market, and can hopefully use that money for self-improvement. This phenomenon, the goods and the bads, occur across multiple industries that come together to make our favorite drinks. For companies who continue to use slave and child labor, “transparency alone doesn’t solve farmworker issues or issues of modern slavery, but it’s a necessary precondition for addressing these issues” according to the director of the CRS Coffeelands program Michael Sheridan. Another step in the right direction is engaging in fair trade. The following beverage companies have an independent fair trade verification and can be found at the Littleton Food Co-op:

*Similar to chocolate, we sadly can not guarantee that all the beverage options on this list are produced without slave or child labor. We know there are many smaller companies out there who choose not to become verified fair trade organizations even though their practices exceed the requirements. In addition, fair trade verification organizations themselves can be very laissez-faire in the enforcement of ethical farming practices, so many question the validity of a fair trade label. These conversations are leading us down the road towards more humanitarian production methods and trade deals for all industries.

Resources:

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/farmers-and-workers/coffee/about-coffee

https://medium.com/@MarinaTMartinez/coffee-slavery-destruction-and-shortage-c915d430390e

https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/04/13/in-brazils-coffee-industry-some-workers-face-conditions-analogous-to-slavery/

https://foodispower.org/our-food-choices/coffee/

The Sweetest Chocolate

July 17, 2019 By Anastasia Maher

All chocolate is sweet. Yes, sometimes there’s sea salt or a hearty nut involved, or a bitter aftertaste, but the overwhelming amount of chocolate can be lumped into the “sweet” category. So how do you get sweeter than sweet? You make it through fair trade processes and without slave labor.

Slave labor is considered to be any labor that invokes a human rights violation. Unfortunately, this burden often falls on one of the most vulnerable populations: low-income children. Sometimes, it initiates from a malicious place, but other times it comes from a place of desperation of families wanting to create a better life and farmers needing to cut costs because of the low price of cocoa. No matter the origin, many children spend their adolescence doing hard labor on farms instead of studying in school. The fair trade movement is about correcting this practice through “better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world,” according to the Fairtrade Foundation. Companies can become “certified fair trade” through a selection of independent organizations.

When most people discuss unethical labor and practices in the chocolate industry, they are referring to the Ivory Coast of Africa. Ivory Coast farmers supply about 30% of the cocoa beans needed to sustain the world chocolate market. Children here can be paid just 85 cents a day for contributing to a billion dollar industry. While these inhumane conditions have existed since long before any chocolate was sold in stores, large-scale movements to actually do something about it only came into focus around the last turn of the century. The overarching goal of these movements was obviously to eradicate child labor. That goal has sadly not been reached. What has come from this is more consumer awareness of foods’ value chains and the emergence of new chocolate companies who want to lead the way in ending such poor conditions in the Ivory Coast. You may recognize them as the “higher priced brands.” This is because the organizations pay a “fair trade premium” to their farmer partners so they can collaboratively work to end cycles of poverty.

Companies leading the way towards an equitable chocolate industry include:

*We want to take a second to acknowledge the imperfections of this list. First, just because a company is not on this list doesn’t mean they engage in unethical practices. Sometimes, small companies do not have a big enough following to be recognized for their efforts, and/or they choose not to register with a third party organization even though they qualify. Even the large corporations that have become synonymous with child labor in the chocolate industry are setting goals for fairer conditions in the near future. Secondly, these third party certifications have come under fire for their ways of enforcement that allow farmers to easily sidestep an inspection. However, these imperfect systems are raising awareness of this prevalent issue, which is the first step in improving our global food systems.

Some resources to learn more:

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/feb/24/ivory-coast-cocoa-farmers-fairtrade-fortnight-women-farmers-trade-justice

https://blog.equalexchange.coop/child-labor-in-the-cocoa-industry/

https://laborrights.org/in-the-news/was-your-chocolate-produced-using-child-slave-labor

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/business/hershey-nestle-mars-chocolate-child-labor-west-africa/?utm_term=.02d92c8e75c9

Beverages of the Week: Summer Beers from White Birch

July 10, 2019 By Littleton Food Co-op

White Birch Brewery from Nashua, NH is one of the local beers that we have carried here at the Co-op since the very beginning. We were both founded in the Spring of 2009!

Lately White Birch has gotten into the summer spirit with 3 new beers that push the envelope. First up is a Pineapple Double IPA called Mahalo, which means thank you or grateful in Hawaiian. If you or a friend like pineapple and enjoy double IPA’s, this is definitely a must try – but be careful, this beer has a 9.2% ABV!

Other new items from White Birch include a couple of sours to add to our collection. Orange Creamsicle tastes like (you probably guessed) that ice cream favorite on a stick. For those looking for your antioxidants, White Birch Purple Monster would be the perfect choice. This sour has blueberry and pomegranate added. Who’s up for a purple beer?

Try these new offerings or your old White Birch favorites, now available at the Littleton Food Co-op.

You Have Your Lobster, Now What?

July 6, 2019 By Anastasia Maher

For many of us, lobster is a summer delicacy whose dark exterior can’t be resisted during a sale like Lobsterpalooza. It’s Saturday evening and you have returned triumphant from the Co-op–and maybe taken a nap (or two) to recover from the early morning and the excitement you exuded at the store prior. But…now what? Here are ten lobster-based recipes with ingredients worthy of your bargain crustacean:

Even if you’ve never cooked a lobster, there are recipes floating around that you’ve probably at least heard of. Like the more-classic-than-classic Maine Lobster Roll. If you want to dine like our neighbors to the east, try this Maine Lobster Roll recipe. A heartier classic is Lobster Mac and Cheese, which combines multiple rich cheese flavors with the decadent taste of the lobster, like in this recipe. Another recipe commonly found on the seafood restaurant docket is Lobster Bisque. Now that you have the tools to make it at home you can add as much lobster as you want to each serving.

While the classics are great, if you’re going out of your cooking comfort zone by purchasing lobster in the first place, why not try something completely new? This first recipe wins the award for “most seasonal.” Fresh lobster is already a tried and true sign of summer. It’s like adding three exclamation points to the end of the word any time you use it in a sentence-even if it’s in the middle. But this Lobster Salad with Sweet Corn and Tomatoes is like sky-writing the word “summer” in all capital letters across the beach on a hot July day.

A way to bring lobster into the day time that’s not in roll-form is in this colorful Lobster Cobb Salad. If you want the pasta without the cheese this Lobster Pasta with Herbed Cream Sauce is a delicious alternative. Plus we won’t tell anyone if you throw some fresh parmesan on top. The most popular way to cook lobster is boiling or steaming it, but you can also grill it to get that summertime smoky aroma. On the other hand, you can heat up the oven for some savory Baked Stuffed Lobster Tails. Either way, you get to enjoy a delicious meal with the natural seafood flavors you love.

Now even though whole lobsters are the focal point of Lobsterpalooza, lobster in a recognizable form does not have to be the focal point of your dish. Take these Loaded Lobster Burgers, for example. They disguise themselves as regular patties, but one bite reveals their rich flavor that pairs so well with the homemade aioli and salsa (and more) that sit upon it. Last but not least, you can never go wrong with pizza. This Brown Butter Lobster and Spinach Pizza is a great way to introduce skeptical crowds to the power of lobster.

How will you be preparing your Lobsterpalooza lobster? Share with us on social media!

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