LexTalk

Inside: Your Hertel store, Western New York CSA shares & Pi Day is March 14!

Celebrate our anniversary during the Bulk Sale with Lexi’s decadent Chocolate Stout Cake!Saturday, March 12, 11am-2pm

News from the Lexington Cooperative Market March/April 2016

The year was 1971. Wonder Bread was the bestselling bread in America. DDT was a legal insecticide, and Alar was commonly sprayed on apples. The rise of supermarkets was homogenizing our food system. Academics and business pundits were pushing the theory that the purpose of business was to maximize shareholder value. And here in Buffalo, a small group of regular people was deciding to swim against the tide of food system homogenization and shareholder profits by forming the Lexington Co-op.

Our Co-op was formed 45 years ago on March 17th, by people who wanted access to good, wholesome natural foods in a friendly environment. Our founders believed that a business could be run for the people and by the people. They began by ordering in bulk – whole grain flours, organic dried beans, bushels of local apples and crates of squash and broccoli. Starting out small with a weekly pickup in the People Art Coffee House, soon our co-op needed its own space, and moved next door to 230 Lexington Ave.

Over the next several years, transition was the only constant as our co-op grew, moved, and sometimes struggled. Until the mid 1980s, all decisions were made by the members, and most of the big decisions were made at monthly meetings of the general membership. There were storied arguments over whether to sell tuna, sugar and coffee. There were lengthy discussions about consensus decision making versus representative democracy. And there were a lot of members putting in a lot of work to get food on the shelves, develop handbooks and policies, and to push this little co-op forward.

From the beginning, Lexington has benefited from the stewardship of a broad array of people. Our excellent cashiers carry on a tradition of friendliness and community that began with the cashier collective of the 1980s. Our produce buyers are only the most recent co-operators to drag themselves out of bed at 4am to pick up broccoli while building the co-op’s relationship with our great local farmers.

Members, staff, managers, board of directors are all stewards of this fine co-op; giving it our best and passing it down to the next generation.

I recently asked one of our long time members what the co-op means to her, and she told me this story. “I was in the co-op the other day with my daughter. She loves the bulk area – she always has 20 questions. The co-op to me is an opportunity to have a conversation with her about food. And to have a conversation with her about co-ops. The co-op is not an idea or a concept. It’s an actual place that I can step foot in and see the values I hold dear in action every day.”

The Lexington Co-op is an experiment. An experiment in the idea that a

business can be run by the people who use it. An experiment in the idea that a business does not have to build wealth for individuals, but can build value and wealth for a community. Each time you walk in the door, each time you tell your friends about the co-op, each time you vote in our elections, you are helping to change what is possible. You are helping to show that a business that is built on collaboration, on shared equity, on cooperation —can thrive and be successful.

Every day I feel lucky to be a part of this co-op and its traditions of learning and growing and changing. Our BIG Direction is an ambitious plan for a thriving co-op in every community that wants one. Our ambition is grounded in a belief that the more people have access to the community power that is at play in the co-op, the better the world will be. Our next step is our plan for a Lexington Co-op store on Hertel Ave. We are excited to carry on and grow our founders’ commitment to good food and community ownership.

Thank you to every member-owner, staff member, leader, investor, farmer and supplier who has brought us through 45 years of evolving co-operation. Here’s to 45 more!

Board Meeting Dates

April 4May 2

Please email board@lexington.coop to attend.

Tim Bartlett, General Manager

Happy 45th Anniversary to the Co-op!

6

Photo: YEAH! Buffalo

1678 Hertel Avenue

Cover photo by Joe George

Tell us what you want to see, smell, eat and feel when you walk in to your Hertel store!

You own this store. Tell us your hopes and dreams for the co-op on Hertel by emailing expansion@lexington.coop, or visit the customer service desk to jot down your thoughts.

Your team on Hertel

Tim BartlettProject Manager

Jad CordesOwner’s Representative

Mike, Tom & Mercedes of R&P Oak Hill, Contractor

News from

You! You own it

More salad bar!

More parking!

Hertel Ave

Bulk Produce

Frozen

WellnessGrocery

Dairy &Refrig.

Frozen CheeseMeat & Seafood

Lexi’s KitchenBakery

IndoorSeating

1678 Hertel Avenue

Your Store

More registers!

55 parking spaces!Almost three times the parking

Service Meat & Seafood Counters

10,000 sqare feet

1678 Hertel Avenue

812-7641

More ways to save with Co+op Basics!Looking to stretch your grocery budget? So are we! It’s our job to navigate the grocery industry on your behalf, and we’re pleased to introduce our new Co+op Basics program. Co+op Basics offers everyday low prices on many popular grocery and household items. Field Day is a fantastic new Co+op Basics brand. From oil to beans to toilet paper, you’ll find new value-priced items throughout the co-op.

Don’t worry, we aren’t paying our farmers or employees any less. We’re simply committed to improving our selection so that everyone can find more value when shopping the co-op. Starting this month, you’ll find dozens of Co+op Basics items in the store. Just look for this sign!

$aving at the Co-op

10% off all bulkfor everyone!

45th Anniversary

March 10-12

BULK SALE

In March 1971, thirty-three people decided to buy groceries together in bulk and formed the Lexington Real Foods Community Co-op. We are thankful for their vision of a friendly store with healthy foods that was open to everyone.

Every March we celebrate our founders and our anniversary with our annual bulk sale! Enjoy over 100 items on sale, including extra deals for owners on Bulk Basics. Stop by and bulk up!

Make bulk buying even more sustainable by bringing your own containers from home!

Seder

Platethe

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil with butter in a large stock pot over med-high heat. Add onions and sauté 5-10 min until onions are soft and translucent. Add half of the garlic, cook another minute, then add broth and bring to a boil. Add peas, return to a boil, simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in green onions, mint, sour cream, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Puree soup in a blender until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper.

To make the pesto, put parsley, mint, garlic, pine nuts and lemon zest and juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until blended well. Top each bowl of soup with a large spoonful of pesto, and serve warm or chilled.

Soup3 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp butter1 cup yellow onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced4 cups vegetable broth6 cups fresh or frozen peas2 green onions, diced2 tbsp fresh mint, minced1/4 cup sour cream

Pesto1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves1/4 cup fresh mint leaves1/4 cup pine nuts1 lemon, zest and juice2 oz Parmesan, shredded2 tbsp olive oilSalt & black pepper, to taste

Mint Pesto Pea Soupmake it

Garrett Valley All Natural HamsPrecooked, preseasoned, spiral sliced and ready for your oven! These hams are fantastic quality and have unbelievable flavor. We love them for holidays because an easy, no-fuss meal means more time around the table. Tip: Boost flavor with a coating of fig jam before baking!

Beitzah An egg! Passover eggs are hard boiled, then roasted in the oven or over a flame.

Egg Dye KitsTotally natural fruit and vegetable extract dyes from Natural Earth Paint.

Lexi’s Scalloped PotatoesThinly sliced yukon golds layered in an uber creamy parmesan swiss sauce, baked to crispy perfection. Great with Easter ham! Get the recipe at lexington.coop/blog or get ‘em ready to go from Lexi!

Maror Bitter herbs like horseradish, romaine lettuce, endive, and curly parsley.

Charoset Sweet, paste-like mixture made of nuts, apples, cinnamon, red wine, and sometimes walnuts and honey.

Karpas Vegetable — usually parsley, boiled potato, or celery — that gets dipped into salt water during Seder.

Zeroah The only meat on the Seder table. Usually a lamb shank bone, but a roasted beet is a vegetable alternative.

Spring Celebration Time!

Seder (sade-er) is the center of the experience of the Jewish spring festival of Passover. It’s an elaborate, festive dinner on the first night of the week-long holiday. Seder means ‘order,’ and Seder foods are eaten in a particular order during the meal. Friends and family celebrate together, and the traditional seder plate sits center table!

From strongertogether.coop

Matzo crackers are a crisp, flat and unleavened. The Seder plate is accompanied by a stack of three.

Bonus: Matzos!

Chazeret A second bitter herb, usually romaine lettuce

Arden Farm East Aurora, NYFarmer: Dan RoelofsPickups: Buffalo, East Aurorawww.theardenfarm.com

Becker Farms Gasport, NYFarmers: Oscar Vizcarra Jr & Heather NedroscikPickup: Amherst, Gasport, Buffalo, Lockport, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, North Tonawandawww.beckerfarms.com

Native Offerings Farm Otto, NYFarmers: Deborah & Stewart RitchiePickups: Buffalo, Orchard Park, Amherst, East Ottowww.nativeofferings.com

Platodale Farm Arcade, NYFarmers: Kent Miller & Hannah PrutsmanPickups: Buffalo, North Buffalo & Tonawanda farmer’s marketswww.platodalefarm.org

Porter Farms Elba, NYFarmers: The Porter FamilyPickups: Elba, Buffalo, Kenmore, Alden, Cheektowaga, Hamburg, Amherst, E Amherst, Lockport, Wheatfield, Youngstown, West Seneca, Clarence, Grand Island, Tonawandawww.porterfarms.org

Promised Land CSA (Oles Farm)Alden, NY Farmer: The Oles FamilyPickups: East Amherst, Lancaster, Snyder, Alden, Buffalo, home deliverywww.promisedlandcsa.com

Thorpe’s Organic Family FarmEast Aurora, NYFarmers: The Thorpe FamilyPickup: East Aurorawww.thorpesorganicfamilyfarm.com

Support Local: Buy a CSA share! CSA stands for community supported agriculture. Some farms offer ‘shares’ of their harvest for purchase each season, which helps them to plan for the year. CSA members pay a sum in advance, then receive a weekly share of whatever the farm is growing! A share during the week of July might include zucchini, herbs, lettuces and blueberries, where a September share may be squash, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and apples. Every farm is different and offers their own unique mix of crops.Learn more at each farm’s website.

Shopping farmer’s markets is always a great way to support local!Visit lexington.coop/blog for farmer’s market listings.

Deborah Ritchie of Native Offerings Farm

Support Local: Buy a CSA share!

3.14=Pi(e Day)Break out your calculator rolling pin, pi(e)’s big day is March 14!

Pie Lexicon

Crumb/dutch top Streusel topping - a chunky mixture of oats, butter & sugar.

Double crust Pastry crust on bottom and top

Lattice top Strips of pastry crust woven like lattice atop fruit filling

Cookie/graham crust Bottom-only crust made of cookies or graham cracker crumbs.

Single crust No top! Bottom-only crust; pastry, cookie, shortbread, etc

Galette Free form pies. Single crust, with crust edges folded over the filling.

Pot Pie Pies with savory, stew-like fillings. Double or single crust.

Hand Pie Small single serve pies, usually half-round with a fruit filling.

À la mode: what does it mean?A: Pie served with a scoop of ice cream. Thank you, France!

PIETrivia

3.14 or ‘pi’ is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, used in trigonometry and geometry formulas. Lucky for us, 3.14 is also representative of March 14 - the perfect day to celebrate pie!

Pastry Crust Yield: 2 pie crusts

1 ½ cups flour1 ½ teaspoons sugar¼ teaspoon salt

1. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. 2. Cut cold butter into small pieces. Use a fork or two butter knives to work the butter into the flour, leaving the butter in small, pea sized bits. 3. Add water, gently work dough just until mixed. 4. Wrap dough in plastic, refrigerate at least 15 minutes.Pie crust can be made the day before baking.

10 tablespoons butter, chilled1/3 cup ice water

Get recipes for pies of all kinds including key lime at lexington.coop/blog.

Easy-freezyHomemade

Shopping farmer’s markets is always a great way to support local!Visit lexington.coop/blog for farmer’s market listings.

Make Yours

Grab a frozen crust from Wholly Wholesome. Tender, delicious and ready to bake!

Buy Yours

Handmade with all-butter crust and scratch-made fillings, pies from Lexi’s Kitchen never disappoint!

Fill It

• Cherry• Peanut Butter

• Blueberry• Key Lime

Pi Day became a national event in 2009, officially recognized by the House of Representatives through Resolution 224. So dig into a pie mid-month. Bake one at home, or make it easy and grab one from Lexi.

Sweet, savory, hot or cold - get your paws on a pie March 14!

807 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222716.886.COOP

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBUFFALO NYPERMIT #801Open to Everyone

7 am - 11 pm daily

w w w . l e x i n g t o n . c o o p

Celebrating 45 years of community and great food in Buffalo! 1971-2016