Sept./Oct. Catalyst 2015

september/october 2015

Every week is Eat Local Week at your Co-op

to local producers this year

Brenna & Rogan Stoops Bluebird Farm Lisbon, Iowa

$2,333,354

published by: NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP22 S. Van Buren St. • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 338-9441open daily 7am–10pm

1101 2ⁿd St. • Coralville, IA 52241 (319) 358-5513open daily 7am–10pm

3338 Center Point Rd. NE • Cedar Rapids, IA 52402(319) 365-2632open daily 7am–10pm

STORE SUPPORT OFFICES22 S. Linn St., Unit 2A • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 248-6400open Mon.–Fri. 8am–5pm

www.newpi.coop

EDITOR Allison GnadeMANAGING EDITOR Jenifer AngererDESIGN Melanie RolingPHOTOGRAPHY Ben Partridge & Melanie Roling CONTRIBUTORS Theresa Carbrey & Scott KoepkePRINTER Royle Printing, Sun Prairie, WI

Owners are welcome to share their views with the New Pi Board:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (year indicates when term expires)

PresidentJANET RAZBADOUSKI (2017)(312) 476-0943, [email protected]

Vice PresidentJON FOGARTY (2016)(319) 400-4911, [email protected]

SecretaryCAROLINE DIETERLE (2016) (319) 338-8674, [email protected]

TreasurerHENRY T. MADDEN (2015) (319) 338-5689, [email protected]

JEN KNIGHTS (2016)(319) 331-6631, [email protected]

CALVIN NORRIS (2017)(319) 355-2603, [email protected]

SARAH WALZ (2015) (319) 466-0908, [email protected]

Iowa City's Old Capitol Food Co.

Eat Local Recipes

Backpocket's Rootstock: Next Level Local

New Pi Cooking Classes

p. 8

p. 10

p. 14

p. 18

IN THIS ISSUE

Board of Directors MeetingsAll owners are welcome! September 23 6:30pm, New Pi Cedar Rapids 3338 Center Point Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52402 October 28, 20156:30pm, New Pi Store Support Offices22 S. Linn St., Unit 2A, Iowa City, IA 52240

October 24, 2015 Annual Owner Meeting - Details at right.

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5.NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP MISSION STATEMENTNew Pioneer is a cooperatively owned

business, fully serving the needs of the natural products consumer. We emphasize high quality, fair prices, and product information. We are an environmentally and socially responsible member of the community we serve.

New Pioneer’s mission is to serve the needs of its owners and to stimulate the local agricultural production of natural and organic

foods by providing a market for such foods. The Cooperative fully recognizes the value and dignity of work and shall place a high priority on the health, welfare, and happiness of all its employees.

The Cooperative shall strive to set a community standard for the best possible working conditions, training, wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement for its employees.

ANNUAL

Ask questions at the owner open forum, hear reports from the Board of Directors, enjoy refreshments,

& stick around for the election results.

Get involved!

Sun., October 26, 2-4 PMTHE KIRKWOOD ROOM AT GOVERNOR'S RIDGE

515 KIRKWOOD AVE., IOWA CITY, IA 52240

Saturday, October 24, KIRKWOOD ROOM

515 KIRKWOOD AVE., IOWA CITY, IA 52240

On the Cover: In their second year of farming, Bluebird Farm brings their certified organic produce to New Pi Cedar Rapids. For info, visit our blog at www.newpi.coop

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General Manager's Letter

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5.

Co-ops are the epitome of a local business. Unlike their conventional and natural chain counterparts, co-ops are both owned

and governed by those who shop the aisles. Because of this extremely local focus, co-ops inherently serve and offer a greater benefit to the communities we are located in. The co-op of co-op grocers, National Cooperative Grocers (NCG, which just happens to be headquartered in Iowa City, with offices located directly below New Pi’s store support offices) commissioned a national food co-op impact study a few years ago by the ICA Group, a nonprofit research organization. The study found that, for every dollar spent at a food co-op, on average $0.38 is reinvested in the local economy – versus just $0.24 when that dollar is spent at our chain counterparts. For every $1,000 spent at a co-op, $1,604 is generated in local economic activity, versus $1,365 when spent with our chain counterparts. Although co-ops are smaller, we offer a local economic multiplier affect greater than our size, generating benefits for communities that chains structurally cannot. For many years we’ve had a sense that this was the case, and now we have quantitative data that confirms it. In addition to co-ops’ local economy multiplier effects, all our profits stay local and are reinvested here. Although use of the word “local” has become ubiquitous, and to an extent does indeed reflect a positive change in how our food is being sourced: Matt Hartz, New Pi

General Manager

Co-ops work with, on average, more than twice the number of local farms and food producers that chains do. We are strongly committed to growing our local economy and continually increasing our support for local producers:

This far outpaces our business growth overall and reflects our firm commitment to seek and support our local producers. These figures are from the calendar year ending 2014 and our Cedar Rapids store opened in December 2014. Consequently, 2015 will yet again show meaningful increases in local purchases – one of the many reasons our owners widely supported our growth. We’re here because of your support, and with every purchase at the Co-op, you’re growing opportunities for local farmers and producers, and our local economy.

In co-operation,

June 8, 2015, while visiting her daughter in California.

We remember Elizabeth as a talented and lively chef with a knack for delicious, intuitive flavor combinations. She developed new menu items and beautiful catering trays for our community from 1999 to 2006. Liz created many of our most popular Co-op recipes, including Sake Salmon Salad, Jalapeño Cashew Spread, Mexican Wedding Cookies, the Wise Guy Rueben, and our ever-popular Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella salad.

Liz was proud of her Hispanic heritage, and was a key bilingual staffer facilitating communication among English- and Spanish-speaking team members.

I will remember Elizabeth for the relaxed and joyous meals she prepared for me and for the Co-op community. I think I will freeze some grapes and pop them in my white wine to keep it chilled and beautiful. It is the kind of fun and graceful note Elizabeth would have enjoyed. – Theresa Carbrey, New Pi Education & Owner Services

Former Co-op staffer Elizabeth Weinberg passed from this life on

REMEMBERING ELIZABETH

Growing Opportunities for Local Farmers & Producers

{ } In just the last five years at New Pioneer, our local purchases have increased by 83%. Our purchases from local produce farms are up 76%, and 179% up with local meat producers.

september/october 2015 • www.newpi.coop 3

Butterflies have charmed us since time immemorial. Their beauty and power of transformation are amazing. Sadly, butterflies are in trouble, their numbers

dropping precipitously. The monarch population has dropped by more than 80% over the past 20 years. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, there were over 1 billion monarchs 20 years ago, and now numbers have plummeted to around 56 million. Unlike many stories of ecological distress, sympathetic humans now have the chance to help revive monarch butterfly populations. A new group, Monarchs in Eastern Iowa, has created a campaign to gather monarch eggs, raise young caterpillars, help them “hatch” into butterflies, and release them into the wild. Patty Ankrum of Mount Vernon, Iowa, felt the call to be a “citizen scientist” and learn all about the monarchs’ life cycle in order to promote their survival. ‘Monarchists,’ as these enthusiasts are known, gather eggs deposited on milkweed leaves and place them in containers (donated by New Pioneer!) to mature. After three to five days, the eggs hatch into tiny striped caterpillars. The human ‘foster parents’ supply fresh milkweed leaves (one leaf per day for about two weeks), and clean the container. The caterpillars grow rapidly! Then the monarch caterpillar forms a green, golden striped chrysalis. Two weeks later, the adult monarch butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, pumping fluids from its body to inflate its wings. Then you set it free! Everyone is invited to assist with the raising and release of monarchs. Contact Patty through www.monarchsineasterniowa.blogspot.com or their Facebook group to receive eggs and a container. The main limiting factor is finding enough fresh milkweed leaves for the hungry caterpillars. Milkweed formerly grew in many fields, but herbicide use has reduced the number of plants dramatically. This is an easy place for you to take part! Plant milkweed for monarch habitat in your front, back, or side yard, or start a pollinator haven of butterfly, bird, and bee-friendly plants (see www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/plant-lists). Very importantly, reduce and eliminate herbicide and pesticide use, and encourage your neighbors and employers to do the same. We all can help save the butterflies.

Monarch caterpillars need milkweed to survive. After munching about one milkweed leaf per day, the caterpillar spins a spot of silk, attaches its back feet to it, and hangs in a "J" shape until it turns into a beautiful chrysalis. It emerges two weeks later as a monarch butterfly and flies off to either lay eggs on milkweed, or begin its long seasonal migration to Mexico. New Pi donated containers for raising caterpillars into monarch butterflies to the Monarchs in Eastern Iowa project to help bolster the sagging population.

Monarch

Theresa Carbrey, New Pi Education & Owner Services

Saving theNew Pi Community Outreach

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter4

New Pi Community Outreach

I teach the life skill of patience in the garden, but, ironically, often struggle to apply that lesson to my own work in local food issues. While we continue to take baby steps, here in

Iowa we still import most of our food. That’s why I’ve gone back to the drawing board to refocus my energy on neighborhoods. Each year I am honored to work with the United Action for Youth’s (UAY) Community Youth Leadership Program. These 11th graders are involved in Service Learning Projects, and some of them have partnered with me on garden and compost education in their old elementary schools through New Pi Soilmates. This year, I’m excited to introduce a new development I’m calling the Small Food Project. Think of it as a hybrid seed: part lemonade stand with veggies, part micro-CSA, all sprouted by kids (of all ages!) who are growing local food security at the most fundamental level in their own backyards, while learning the life skill of perseverance. I'll be planting this seed with UAY, and hope it takes root with other New Pi Soilmates partners at school environmental clubs, 4-H, FFA, Boys and Girls Club... the possibilities are delicious! ‘Small Is Beautiful’ was a popular phrase when I was a kid. When I work with a new school garden club on design and labor considerations, my catchphrase is ‘start small and get smaller.’ What I’m trying to reinforce is the ancient wisdom of efficiency. You don’t

Scott Koepke, New Pi Soilmates Organic Garden Educator

need a lot of space to grow a lot of food. My students do a simple web search for “yield calculator” to discover that. Want to grow enough lettuce (both spring and fall crops) for a dozen families whose houses I can see from my front porch? Repurposed turfgrass can feed whole communities. But so what? Some folks don’t care where their lettuce comes from. They are free not to participate in the Small Food Project. But, hopefully, over time, they will be convinced that choosing to support kids and their adult mentors at home, rather than Big Food grown thousands of miles away, is simply the right thing to do. This effort will obviously require some basic garden education and resources from community partners to make it sustainable. But that education and resource support is entirely manageable. New Pi Soilmates will continue to provide free instruction from seed to harvest, and private sponsors will continue to donate materials. More public support is needed as well. That may include creative, incentivizing language in the municipal code that allows for the sale, on-site, of produce grown in a residential zone, or amending the city weed ordinance to recognize cover crops as beneficial for creating healthy local soil, not a nuisance. When you boil it down, all we want to do is grow more food here. I hope public officials will put in efforts to make that as easy as possible.

The Small Food Movement: It All Starts At Home

Scott talks with the garden club at Kenwood Elementary in Cedar Rapids.


Iowa City . Coralville . Cedar Rapids coupon valid thru October 31, 2015www.newpi.coop

$1 off any deli sandwich valued $5.99 or greater.

Come see for

yourself!

How do our ingredients stack up?

New Pi's Cinnamon Rolls (Vegan)Ingredients: Organic unbleached flour, brown sugar, organic Fair Trade sugar, Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks, egg substitute, yeast, spices, vanilla, sea salt.

B

Ingredients: Organic wheat flour, water, Spectrum non-GMO canola oil, organic flour, Fair Trade sugar, salt, yeast.

New Pi's White BreadD

New Pi's Picnic Potato SaladIngredients: Organic potatoes, organic red onions, local cage free eggs, celery, apple cider vinegar, Spectrum non-GMO canola oil, organic Fair Trade sugar, pepper, mayonnaise, salt, parsley, garlic.

F

Competitor's Potato SaladIngredients: Potatoes, salad dressing (soybean oil, water, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, egg yolk, modified food starch, salt, spices, calcium disodium EDTA [to protect flavor]), onions, prepared mustard (distilled vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric color, paprika, spices), Dijon mustard (distilled vinegar, mustard seed, water, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices), sugar, water, salt, beta carotene (color), yellow food color (water, yellow 5, yellow 6, citric acid, sodium benzoate [preservative]), black pepper, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium benzoate (preservative), eggs, green onions.

E

New Pioneer Food Co-op is famous for our good, clean foods – free of artificial sweeteners, colorings, preservatives, and trans fats. It’s not that we don’t like potato chips (we have a pretty awesome selection of potato chips, actually). We just know

that the most delicious foods don’t need to be made with preservatives, carcinogens, or additives that hold their flavors back. Before an item makes it to our shelves, we check its ingredient label to see whether it’s real food, to take the guesswork out of grocery shopping, and to ensure that the products we carry are simply the best in organic, natural, and local foods for you and your family. We took a look at three conventional products found at your average grocery store, and offer them here in comparison to their New Pi equivalents to save you the legwork, and find out just how different our products really are:

Apples to Apples? Comparing Ingredient Labels

A

Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malt barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin monomitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, dextrose, yeast, contains 2% or less of each of the following: soybean oil, sugar, salt, mono and diglycerides, corn starch, defatted soy flour, calcium propionate (preservative), monocalcium phosphate, calcium stearoyl lacticate (CSL), ascorbic acid, wheat flour, enzymes, malted wheat flour, calcium sulfate.

Competitor's White BreadC

CB D

Ingredients: Enriched bleached wheat flour (flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean and/or cottonseed oil), sugar, soybean oil, yeast, dextrose, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, margarine (partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, water salt, mono & diglycerides, soy lecithin, sodium benzoate as preservative, artificial flavor, beta carotene as color, vitamin A palmitate added), mono & diglycerides, salt, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda), cinnamon, soy flour, dry whey, modified food starch, caramel color, corn starch, cream cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, carob bean gum), sodium stearoyl, lactulate, cultured buttermilk solids, enzymes, ascorbic acid, added dough conditioner, natural and artificial flavors, glucono delta lactone, sorbic acid and sodium propionate (preservatives), lactic acid, polysorbate 60, disodium phosphate, maltodextrin, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, titanium dioxide (as color), xanthan gum, eggs, azodicarbonamide (dough conditioner), corn oil, beta carotene (as color), alphatocopherol, as preservative.

Competitor's Cinnamon RollsA

“Calcium and sodium propionate have the potential to permanently damage your stomach lining by exacerbating gastritis and inducing severe ulcers.” – www.Livestrong.com

“Processed foods rich in fructose can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and its related consequences by failing to manage appetite.” – www.LifeExtension.com

Foods closest to their natural state are naturally more nutrient-dense than processed foods.

A good rule of thumb for eating clean is to ask yourself if the ingredients sound like something you would cook with in your own home.

Good food doesn’t need additives!

F

E


Local Producer: Old Capitol Food Co.

New Pi’s proud to cook with Old Capitol’s local, organic tofu. Love our Kung Pao Tofu and Curried Tofu Salad? We think it’ll make you even happier now.

Iowa City’s Old Capitol Food Co. Takes Off with Tofu

Next Level Local:

Purity is priority at Old Capitol Food Company, which is why entrepreneur and driven perfectionist Jake Gratzon is taking us to shake hands with his water

system. It could be about as long an introduction as you like, since it starts with filters, softeners – the whole works – and ends with a reverse osmosis filtration system for water perfection:

“We only use the purest water we possibly can, because tofu is predominantly water, after soybeans,” Jake points out. On the note of soybeans, tofu is entirely soy, so Iowa is where tofu ought to be made, given our proclivity for growing ‘corn and beans.’ “Most tofu is produced in New York," Jake notes, carrying a fossil fuel price tag to get it here. Old Capitol Food Co.’s proud to source entirely USDA organic soybeans from Iowa farmers for their Iowa-born tofu.

What kind of people make tofu? Well, these days, young motivated people. “I enjoy cooking [tofu] and have for many years,” Jake notes. But his background’s not in tofu studies, if that’s a thing. This band of three all just graduated from the University of Iowa in the past year: Jake studied ceramics and accounting, Matt has a BFA in graphic design (spending lots of time in printmaking and the metal shop), and Tim, who’s helping with the nuts and bolts phase of the start-up, studied sustainability and environmental studies. Put them all together and what do you have? Food entrepreneurs, of course! (Okay, so maybe that wasn’t an obvious answer, but it floats our boat.) A few years ago they started the first of hundreds of trial tofu batches to hone their recipe. In kitchen space at PS1 in downtown Iowa City, “We got our feet wet and did some

Allison Gnade, Editor


testing,” Jake recalls. Recipe finalized, they found a space they could turn into a certified kitchen in the far reaches of east side Iowa City. “We decided to just go for it, and build this place out.” Iowa, the Land of Tofu?

“We built this whole place ourselves,” Jake grins. They hardly left out a thing, building everything from scratch from the lofted office space to laying attractive, graphic flooring in their certified kitchen, to their silkscreen exposure unit (for making their own labels), to their own tofu baskets, presses, and whey vacuum. This is definitely Iowa tofu from the ground up. Making tofu is an interesting process, with surprising similarities to making cheese. Jake and Matt take the craft very seriously: “We take our time and care in all parts of the process. There’s a lot of human influence in how it turns out.” Their organic Iowa soybeans are soaked overnight, blended in a high power blender, and strained to remove the solids from the soymilk.

A boon for local farmers: The remaining solids, called okara, are a byproduct of making tofu. It still has nutrient value, so they give it to a local farmer to feed her pigs. After heating the soymilk, a coagulant is added – in this case, traditional Japanese nigari – magnesium chloride, basically a food grade, purer Epsom salt, Jake clarifies. “The secret with coagulation,” he notes, “is not going too fast. A lot of industrial tofu producers over-coagulate.” Taking care not to rush the coagulation, “gives better flavor, consistency, and texture to the tofu.” After it coagulates, they ‘break the curd’ with a wooden paddle. “This is where the art of tofu making comes in,” Jake explains. They follow “a slower, more traditional process that provides a more delicate consistency, while still allowing it to be firm. Some people say tofu can be grainy; this eliminates that graininess.” It separates into curd and whey (similar to the cheese making process), and they use their specialized vacuum to pull out the whey. The guys hand-pack it into their cloth-lined forming basket, wrap it up, and put it into their press (the fifth they’ve built, making adjustments along the way), where they increase the pressure it until it’s properly pressed and fully drained. Then they trim it, cut it into blocks and, cool it in two flushes of reverse osmosis water to bring it down to temperature: “A big part of tofu [making] is properly chilling it,” Jake explains. After the cooling process, they pack it in fresh, pure water and send it on its merry little way.

Fresh IS Best

“I don’t like any other tofu on the shelf,” Tim admits. Old Capitol’s has a very clean flavor and, “the texture is less gelatinous; it’s more firm. When you grill it, it forms a skin on the outside, like chicken. It soaks up marinade a heck of a lot better,” Tim adds, with about an hour of marinating time for theirs equivalent to an overnight marinade for mainstream tofu. While other tofus might have “a sour or bitter aftertaste,” the freshness of theirs offers “a very clean flavor,” Jake points out.

“Our stuff is just born – you can still teach it. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and you can’t teach old tofu new tricks either,” Jake laughs. When they deliver their tofu to New Pi’s kitchen, it’s “tofu made yesterday. You won’t get that really… anywhere,” Jake says. He compares fresh tofu to fresh mozzarella – when it's fresh, you know it. When it lands on our shelves for you to take home and cook with yourself later this fall, you can bet it’ll fit that bill.

Tofu Tostadas or Tacos . Walnut Pesto Pasta with Tofu . Tofu Salad (a vegan riff on egg salad) Grilled Marinated Tofu Steaks: Pretty much any meat marinade, or Tim’s partial to an apple juice marinade, heavy on the garlic, with maple syrup or brown sugar. “The maple syrup and brown sugar give it a nice glaze,” Tim adds. Or try a marinade of soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, and black peppercorns, or add fresh sage, rosemary, or any herbs you like.

Their Favorite Ways with Tofu

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Local Recipes

In case you need a little inspiration for Eat Local Week (Sept. 14-20), our folks have you covered. Check out our blog at www.newpi.coop, Facebook, and Instagram (newpioneercoop) for more delicious local eats, and please post what you’re eating so we can enjoy it vicariously too!

Eat Local! RECIPES

Brussels Sprouts Grinnell Heritage Farm, Grinnell, Iowa & Bloomin' Wooley Acres, Nashua, Iowa

Yellow Squash Flint Ridge Organic Produce Kalona, Iowa

Potatoes Oak Hill Acres Atalissa, IowaKale

Grinnell Heritage Farm Grinnell, Iowa

Garlic Echollective Farm & CSA Mechanicsville, Iowa

Oyster Mushrooms Mushroom Mills, Columbus Junction, Iowa & Anything But Green Gardens, Vinton, Iowa

Rainbow Swiss Chard Grinnell Heritage Farm Grinnell, Iowa

Sweet Potatoes Organic Greens Kalona, Iowa


Eat Local! RECIPES

Chicken Saltimboca 4 Kalona Echo Dell Farm or Heartland chicken breasts, skin on 5 slices La Quercia Prosciutto 4 fresh local sage leaves kosher salt and black pepper Preheat the oven to 375°F. Carefully remove the skin from the chicken and reserve it. Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it out so that it covers 20% more surface area and is of uniform thickness. Season both sides well with salt and pepper. Lay the sage leaf on one side of the chicken, then top with the prosciutto. Roll the chicken like a burrito with the sage and prosciutto on the inside. Wrap this roulade in the reserved skin.

From the Kitchen of: Tony Carter Walsh, New Pi Chef

Roasting 101 with Chef Matt Steigerwald

Local vegetables in season have a higher sugar content, so you’ll get more sweetness from roasting them when they’re at their peak than at any other time of year.

A fun way is to use one sheet pan for everything, starting with the densest vegetables and adding softer ones to it later. The goal is to caramelize them, which adds some nice flavor. I like a high heat (425°F) and I use the upper half of the oven – it’s always hotter. Chop and toss harder vegetables, like potatoes, carrots, and root vegetables, with oil or fat and season them aggressively, since they’re dense. If you’d like to include heartier herbs like sage leaves or rosemary, include them right from the start. If everything’s about golf ball size, they’ll be about half done in 15 min., so add softer veg to same pan then: onions sliced into wedges, summer squash, even half ears of corn. It’s nice to toss lighter vegetables like these with a non-creamy salad dressing like a balsamic, which will speed the caramelization and add a nice sweetness. If you like some heat, slice hot peppers lengthwise and throw them on the sheet pan in the oil, and you’re basically making a spicy oil on the pan. And/or, split a garlic head crosswise thru all the cloves, drizzle it with oil and salt, and put it flat side down on the pan. You’ll be roasting the garlic and getting that flavor into all that oil to mingle with everything else, seasoning as you go. Throw leafy greens like kale, chard, or a half head of romaine (flat side down) in for the last 5-10 minutes. If you’d like, when everything’s tender, toss it in a bowl with fresh herbs (basil, fresh thyme, minced chives) and the heat of the vegetables will help bring out the flavor. – New Pi’s Chef Matt Steigerwald

Brussels Sprouts Grinnell Heritage Farm, Grinnell, Iowa & Bloomin' Wooley Acres, Nashua, Iowa

Yellow Squash Flint Ridge Organic Produce Kalona, Iowa

Potatoes Oak Hill Acres Atalissa, Iowa

Poblanos & Hot Peppers Echollective Farm & CSA Mechanicsville, Iowa

Onions Flint Ridge Organic Produce, Kalona, Iowa & Echollective Farm & CSA, Mechanicsville, Iowa

Butternut Squash Friendly Farm, Iowa City, Iowa

Flint Ridge Organic Produce, Kalona, Iowa & Echollective Farm & CSA, Mechanicsville, Iowa

Broccoli Bluebird Farms, Lisbon, Iowa Dave Glass, Wayland, Iowa & Organic Greens, Kalona, Iowa

Carrots Grinnell Heritage Farm, Grinnell, Iowa & Flint Ridge Organic Produce, Kalona, Iowa

Continued >


Place a sauté pan over high heat. The pan should be large enough to hold the breasts comfortably without crowding at all (if crowded, cook them in batches). Coat the pan with olive oil and place the roulades seam side down into the pan. Allow to sear for 1-2 minutes, then place into the preheated oven. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip. Cook another 10 minutes or until the skin is uniformly golden and the internal temperature is 165°F. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Chicken Saltimboca Continued from reverse...

Iowa City . Coralville . Cedar Rapids

Cook bacon on a hot griddle (350˚F) or pan until it begins to crisp. Add onion and stir for about 2 minutes. Add steak and adobo spice and cook for 5 minutes, until beef is cooked through. While beef is cooking, warm and puff tortillas on griddle or in a pan on both sides. Add peppers to the steak mixture on the griddle and stir. Dress each tortilla with cheese and a scoop of the meat and pepper mixture. Top with avocado and Pico de Gallo.

Iowa City . Coralville . Cedar Rapids

Alambres (Steak & Bacon Tacos!) 2 strips Beeler’s or New Pi bacon, sliced into short, thin strips ¼ local yellow onion, chopped into thin strips ⅓ - ½ lb. local steak, sliced into thin strips or small pieces (stew meat’s a great option!) 2 t. adobo cumin seasoning (local Frontier Mexican Seasoning works well) 1-2 Echollective poblano chilies, or colorful sweet peppers, chopped into thin strips 6 El Norte flour tortillas ½ c. Milton Creamery Chili Pepper Cheese, or mozzarella 1 avocado, trimmed and sliced Pico de Gallo Salsa (equal parts chopped tomato, onion, and cilantro, or La Reyna’s or Cheryl’s), optional

From the Kitchen of: Genie Maybanks, New Pi Customer Service

"I often roast my veggies with just olive oil, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of cumin seeds, or fennel seeds for something less assertive. Or, make a dressing by roasting tomatoes with garlic and onion, puree them, and finish with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and any herbs you like: thyme, rosemary, marjoram, basil, and parsley all work well." – Matt Lee Pullen, New Pi Iowa City Produce

"I use New Pi's pesto as a dressing on roasted veggies! " – Lawrencia Blind, New Pi Cedar Rapids Produce

"I love roasting broccoli with root vegetables – they all get a little charred on the outside – and tossing them with rice for a salad. It’s nice for a busy family: we roast vegetables on Sunday and incorporate them into easy meals throughout the week. And it’s a great way to eat well on a budget. " – Ben Partridge, New Pi Marketing Coordinator

Favorite Ways with roasted vegetables


Beeler's Pure Pork (Le Mars, IA)

Echo Dell Organic Chickens (Kalona, IA)

Larry Black Lamb (Crawfordsville, IA)

Sobaski Family Farm (Washington, IA)

Bear Creek Valley Farm Organic Beef (Edgewood, IA)

Heartland Fresh Farm Chickens (Donnellson, IA)

Ferndale Market Turkeys (Cannon Falls, MN)

Thousand Hills Cattle Co. (Cannon Falls, MN)

No Antibiotics or Added Hormones

Hinterland Farm (Lone Tree, IA)

Schultz Organic Farm Turkeys (Rochester, MN)

Favorite Ways with roasted vegetables


Local Producer: Backpocket Brewery

Rootstock – New Pi’s second private label cooperative beer: A field ale of the Belgian persuasion brewed with winter squash from Friendly Farm in Iowa City and organic beets and carrots from Grinnell Heritage Farm in Grinnell by Backpocket Brewery in Coralville – exclusively for your Co-op!

Farmer-Brewer-Co-op:

Taking Local Beer to the Next Level

Allison Gnade, Editor


I always knew I wanted a job that was more than a job,” Backpocket Brewery owner Jake Simmons tells me. “My background is in the sciences and I was

getting a PhD in microbiology.” He switched to working in labs in the private sector, and, “It was interesting… but I couldn’t get excited about it.” Jake made the big jump: dropped that lab job and set off with his mid-twenties still in hand to find something that’d make his mind bubble in the morning. “Instead of data for the sake of data,” as he saw it, he wanted: “To create something tangible I could share – something people could enjoy, and I could enjoy.” Enter: the brewery business. “At that point, some microbreweries had opened up, but not like today,” Jake alludes to our current fun upswing in local craft breweries. He got into home brewing, and then professional brewing, and just kept moving: “Ultimately I was the brewer at a brewpub in Northeast Iowa, Old Man River.” Wanting to go into production bottling, that business grew into the one we know today as our own Backpocket Brewing in Coralville, Iowa. Clean Ingredients for Focused Flavor

“The dominant narrative in the craft beer world is the extreme,” Jake notes, hitting peak strong hops, at the moment. In Backpocket’s beers, “We, more than most microbreweries, strive for balance. While we have fun with it too,” their standby favorites aren’t something that “blows out your taste buds. We have a lot of German beers: the Germans have a long history of creating go-to beers you’d keep in your back pocket (if it would fit) – in the abstract idea of a back pocket. We set out to make full flavored, sessional beers; go-to beers.” Jake’s favorite? Their Wooden Nickel, “A peated bock, which is a very unique hybrid style. If you go to Chicago, you won’t find it. It has a distinctive flavor – earthy, smoky flavors.” Backpocket's ingredients are influenced by the German beer purity law, Reinheitsgebot (literally “purity law" or “purity order”): “We adhere to the general idea that you don’t throw additives in just for the sake of extending shelf life or speeding up the brewing process – we don’t do that.”

Rootstock: The Brew “We’re excited with this project,” Jake nods, particularly about using “novel, local sources of sugar,” a key part of the brewing process, since yeast lives on sugar. “We’re supplementing the sugar that would usually come from barley with starchy, high sugar vegetables,” specifically local organic carrots and beets from Grinnell Heritage Farm in Grinnell, and local winter squash from Friendly Farm in Iowa City. This will be Backpocket’s first field beer (a beer including and showcasing vegetables in the brewing process): “The vegetables will contribute a lot of flavor.” They’ll be roasting them and adding them in during the second stage of brewing, with “a strain of yeast that’ll give it a fruity character, and a Belgian funk. The flavor will be really interesting!”

Taking Local Beer to the Next Level

From Left: Backpocket Brewing owner Jake Simmons, Friendly Farm’s Kyle Tester, & Backpocket Head Brewer Matt Scholbrock.

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Mystery WinesWe’re here to please you, and these won’t be exceptions!

Château Tour Boisée Minervois “Marielle & Frédérique” 2013We've been working with this venerable producer since 2001. Marie Claude and Jean-Louis Poudou have guided this winery from strength to strength and this lovely blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah is what I consider 'classic' Languedoc-Roussillon, with a soft and inviting nose of mulberries and toffee. Double-plus: certified organic since 2013. Pair with roasted vegetables or meats. – Tom

Belcrème Chardonnay 2013We owe this to a tip from a LONG-time customer... and I’ve got to say that this is one of the best full blown, let 'er rip and tip, California Chardonnays I’ve had under $20 in quite some time. It’s rich and opulent, creamy and ripe, packed and stacked, BUT with minerality to balance the succulence and it’s not quite as show-boaty as past vintages. This is a good thing as one can consume more than one glass without undue fatigue. – Tom

Anne Delaroche Côtes du Rhône 2013I am head over heels in love with Southern Rhône reds. This clear ruby wine is produced at Château La Galinière in the town of Châteauneuf-le-Rouge, certified organic since 2006. Organic farming is taking off in France, with wine growers, including Grand-Cru vineyards and famous Burgundy producers, making the switch to organic to focus on nourishing the soil to maintain its characteristics and get the vines to push roots deeper in the ground to find vital minerals. This mineral- and earth-driven wine shows the richness of a tradition that spans thousands of years. – Mercedes

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Clava Quintay Sauvignon Blanc 2014 YUM!! Chile just seems to have it down when it comes to white wines, in particular Sauvignon Blanc. This is raised entirely in stainless steel which lets the FRUIT shine through – I get grapefruit and lime, green apple, and a variety of citrus smells, all repeating in the mouth with pitch-perfect acidity, literally making my mouth water for a second (and third) taste. Give this little pup a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. – Tom

Allegrini Valpolicella 2014 This lovely blend of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara, raised in stainless steel, retains all the freshness and vitality of fruit right off the vine. The nose: inviting cherries and herbs. With perfect acidity, this will be at home with antipasti, pasta with tomato sauce, and hearty fish dishes. – Tom

Fritz Müller Müller-Thurgau NV (non-vintage)OH YEAH. This is what gets me out of bed in the morning: the chance to foist off unusual wines on you, the unsuspecting public. Look here, if you like Vinho Verde, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Sauvignon Blanc, you have GOT to try this. Apricot and honeysuckle rush with a backbone of luscious peach, and the tiniest hint of spritz (almost imperceptible). With a very reasonable alcohol content of 11%, you've got the PERFECT Slurpee cup wine. – Tom

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Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz 2013Introduced to the wines of Michael Chapoutier from France almost 20 years ago, I was amazed by what he was able to do with the Syrah grape (especially in the northern Rhone), and still feel that way to this day. This vintage hits it out of the park. The nose!!! Oh, the nose. Deep, brooding dark fruits, smashed plums and blackberries with that gorgeous backdrop of roasted meat and leather. Violets? Sure. A hint of earth and that wild, feral mushroom scent? Check. This is really classy stuff. – Tom Bench Cabernet 2012Per the winemaker: “Vibrant nose with violets, huckleberry, and a touch of vanilla spice. The palate is elegantly wound with dusty tannins and a supple velvet texture. The long seamless finish ebbs and flows with black currant, dark cocoa, and forest floor.” We sampled this SIX months ago and have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a Cabernet from Alexander Valley that really revved me up and this one most certainly has my motor running in the red. – Tom

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THIS TOP TEN HITS ALL CORNERS OF THE WINE TASTING/DRINKING GLOBE: Something to please the most ardent California Cabernet and Chardonnay drinker, and a glorious Shiraz. What, you want Italian? This one’s a gem. But what about France, you say. We've got a couple wines that take advantage of all the goodness that is Grenache, the grape. Now THAT would be a great movie title... These wines will bring you happiness. – Tom, New Pi Wine Guy

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Mercedes Costoyas Perret,New Pi Iowa City & Coralville Specialties Lead

Melissa Arp,New Pi Wine, Beer, & Cheese Coordinator

New Pi's Sept. & Oct. Top 10 Wines

Tom Caufield,New Pi Wine Guy


Buy Local

Field to Family Festival

Field to Family’s annual Local Foods Festival aims to bring the community together to support local

farmers, locally grown healthy foods, and a stronger community food system. Field to Family once again thanks New Pioneer Food Co-op for sponsorship of the Festival at the Blue Ribbon Level. The Co-op's support is integral to our Farm to School Chapter, Local Food Finder, and our Festival. We share an appreciation for local foods and healthy communities. Thank you New Pioneer Food Co-op owners for your support! This year’s festival will feature current initiatives related to local foods in our community and invite folks to get involved, volunteer, donate, and actively participate in the work to build a stronger, healthier local food system. – Michelle Kenyon, Field to Family Program Director

Eat Local Week Sept. 14-20 Local Food Fair WED., Sept. 16 5:00-7:00pm Iowa City Farmer’s Market, Chauncey Swan Learn about local food related initiatives in Johnson County from advocates, farmers, and local food entrepreneurs with booths, educational materials, and food tasting. Culinary Walk Thurs., Sept. 17 5:30-8:30pm

Stroll through downtown Iowa City and enjoy delicious dishes made from local ingredients at 7 area restaurants. Visit www.fieldtofamily.org for more information. Early Bird Rates: $20; $15 for students. All ticket prices $30 after Sept. 13. Tickets for sale at New Pioneer Food Co-op and www.fieldtofamily.org

Farm to School Farmer Fair Sat., Sept. 19 9:00 am-noon

Iowa City Farmer’s Market, Chauncey Swan Featuring Farm to School Farmer Fair, School Garden Produce Booth, Food Tasting, and more hands-on activities as part of the annual Kid’s Day event. Fun for the whole family! Free

Share the Harvest Dinner Sun., Sept. 20 5:00-8:00pm

Share Wine Lounge, 210 S. Dubuque St. Featuring entrées from five local chefs with ingredients procured from local farmers, paired with Iowa craft beer. Keynote by Doug Alberhasky: "Past, Present, Future of Local Craft Breweries.” Tickets can be purchased at New Pioneer Food Co-op and www.fieldtofamily.org. $50

More information can be found atwww.fieldtofamily.org


CLASSES AT NEW PI CORALVILLElet's get cookin'!

New Pi's Cooking Classes

Healthful South Indian Cooking Made Easy, with Mindful Singing

with Usha R. BalakrishnanThurs., Sept. 10, 6-8pm$20/person Join Usha as she demonstrates the preparation of Zucchini Koottu with Mung Dahl Sauce, Savory Coconut Rice with Cashews, Ginger and Lemon Carrot Kosmalli Salad, Spiced Kale Karee, and Tomato Rasam soup. Learn the basics of classic vegetarian cuisine from the Tamil Nadu region. Usha, trained in Carnatic vocal music style, will add a dollop of song performances – while the food is being prepared – to celebrate the birthday of the Indian elephant god Ganesh.

Pizza from Scratch

with New Pi’s Chad ClarkTues., Sept. 15, 6-8pm$15/person

Join Chad Clark as he prepares pizza, beginning with the dough and ending with a dazzling array of possible toppings. He’ll share his opinions on the best mix of cheese and discuss how to season the pizza sauce. Come learn how to make the best pizza ever at home. Chad will demonstrate basic thin, cracker crust, and herbed crust.

Pickles Gone Wild: Homemade Probiotics

with Chef Katy MeyerThurs., Sept. 24, 6-8pm$15/person

Fresh pickled veggies are tasty, easy to make, and are healthful, probiotic-rich foods! Live culture enthusiast Katy Meyer, owner and chef at Trumpet Blossom Café, will demonstrate the preparation of various pickled vegetables, and offer samples of her favorite ferments and cultured foods from the Co-op shelves.

End of Summer Pestos

with New Pi’s Genie MaybanksTues., Sept. 29, 6-8pm$15/person

Pesto means “paste” in Italian, referring to the smooth texture of the traditional mix of crushed fresh basil, ground pine nuts, grated Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil. Join Genie as she demonstrates the preparation of a variety of “pestos,” some conventional, some shockingly new: Traditional Basil, Pistachio Cilantro, Mint Pea, and Macadamia Dill. She will also demonstrate the preparation of homemade Yogurt Cheese flavored with fresh herbs.

Hands On: Veggie Sushi

with Chef David BurtThurs., Oct. 1, 6-8pm$15/person

Dazzle your guests with platters of homemade sushi! Sushi Roll, also called Nori Maki, features seasoned rice and various fillings rolled up in sheets of toasted nori, a sea vegetable formed into paper-like sheets. Students will have a chance to try their hand under the supervision of instructor David Burt, Chef at Four Square Meals.

Italian Seafood Dinner

with Chef Gianluca Baroncini Tues., Oct. 6, 6-8pmAlso offered Tues., Nov. 10, 6-8pm$30/person

A superb seafood dining experience requires fresh ingredients and a chef with a lively imagination. Join Chef Gianluca Baroncini of Baroncini Ristorante as he demonstrates three of his favorites: Citrus Shrimp Salad with Fennel; ‘Fruit of the Sea’ pasta featuring clams, scallops, shrimp, and calamari in a basil tomato sauce; and Bell Pepper Cream Salmon, Asparagus, and Potato. For dessert: Frutti di Bosco con Gelato, created with berries, limoncello, and biscotti, accompanied by ice cream.

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REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Visit our Classes & Events Calendar for great cooking classes at

www.newpi.coop, or contact Ben Partridge at (319) 248-6428 if you need assistance.

Classes feature sample-size portions and are held at New Pi Coralville

unless otherwise noted.

UPCOMING CO-OP EVENTSFor further details, please visit “Classes & Events” at www.newpi.coop

Field to Family Culinary Walk at New Pi Iowa CityThurs., Sept. 17, 5:30-8:30pm, see p. 19 for details

Book Reading of Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious – Children Welcome! Free with local author Jacqueline Briggs MartinSat., Sept. 19, 10:30am-noon, freeNew Pi Cedar Rapids, 3338 Center Point Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Blue Cross®, Blue Shield®, and the Cross® and Shield® symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. Wellmark® is a registered mark of Wellmark, Inc © 2012 Wellmark, Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Blue Zones, LLC and Healthways, Inc. All rights reserved.

let's get cookin'!Dinner at Downton Abbey

with Chef Valérie MartinThurs., Oct. 8, 6-8pm$20/person

Public television’s epic drama Downtown Abbey explores class, romance, and social change on an estate in Britain in the 1920s. Join Chef Valérie Martin as she demonstrates the preparation of upper class favorites Vichyssoise (Potato and Leek Soup), Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Dried Fruit, Yorkshire Pudding, and a surprise dessert.

Indian Butter Chicken Dinner

with Pramod Sarin Tues., Oct. 13, 6-8pm$15/person

From Punjab, India, Pramod Sarin comes from a family of excellent cooks. Discover the appearance, scent, and flavor of spices favored in Indian cooking, as well how to release the flavor of the spices to season food. Pramod will prepare dishes including Butter Chicken, Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower), Potato Raita, and Rice Pulao, with samples of Chai Tea.

Contemporary Japanese Dinner: Ginger Pork

with Satomi KawaiThurs., Oct. 15, 6-8pm $20/person

Satomi Kawai learned to cook with her grandparents in her hometown of Wakayama, Japan. Join Satomi as she demonstrates the preparation of Ginger Pork with Shredded Cabbage, Satomi Style Potato Salad, Miso Soup with Tofu, Seaweed, and Green Onion, as well as white rice. Enjoy samples and traditional Japanese tea.

Hands-On Tamale Party

with Bill SchintlerTues., Oct. 20, 6-8pm$15/person

Tamales are prepared by placing masa corn flour dough and a filling in a corn husk, then rolled and steamed. Meat, vegetarian, and vegan fillings will include Chicken and Pork Green Chili, Spicy Cheese, and Sweet Potato with Bean. The class will take a turn creating tamales to take home. Side dishes to sample include Albondigas, Guacamole, Queso Flameado, and Salsa Verde.

Plant-Based Fall Feast

with Chef David BurtThurs., Oct. 22, 6-8pm$25/person

Savor the flavors of the fall harvest with Chef David Burt! A plant-based diet can help keep you lean and fit, whatever your age. Join David, who loves fresh, local, and organic, as he demonstrates the preparation of Spiced Sweet Potato Chips, Pinto Bean and Barley “Meatballs,” Butternut Squash Sauce, Roasted Root Vegetables, and Green Cabbage Ragout, with an amazing dessert: Red Beet Mousse.

Braised Lamb Dinner

with Chef Andy SchumacherTues., Oct. 27, 6-8pm$30/person

Chef Andy Schumacher has received accolades for his work at his Cedar Rapids restaurant and bar, Cobble Hill Eatery & Dispensary, winning the 2015 Best Chef Midwest Semifinalist James Beard Foundation Award for Excellence. Andy will demonstrate the preparation of Fried Squash Fritters, Hearty Greens in Sherry Browned Butter Vinaigrette, Braised Lamb Shoulder, and a surprise apple dessert.

Spicy Fusion Tacos

with New Pi’s Genie MaybanksThurs., Oct. 29, 6-8pm$25/person

Tradition guides many of our culinary decisions, and mixing up traditions can be a lot of fun. Join Genie Maybanks as she demonstrates the preparation of Asian Shrimp Tacos with Sesame Carrot Slaw, Korean Ginger Pork Tacos with Cilantro and Citrus, Argentinean Steak Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce, and a unique twist on Alambre-style tacos made with chicken, bacon, and poblano peppers.

Dinner on the Titanic

with Chef Valérie Martin Tues., Nov. 3, 6-8pm

Capture Wild Yeast & Make Fabulous Sourdough

with Chef Tim Palmer Thurs., Nov. 12, 6-8pm

Visit www.newpi.coop for details.

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Documents

Sept./Oct. Catalyst 2015