Mark Strausman The Opt out Chef

Homemade matzoh with chopped sauteed tuscan chicken livers

    Making of matzoh without blessed flour can be a problem for many Jews.  My mission is not to debate that subject but rather to enhance tradition through culture.  Food and education in the Jewish religion are important subjets and holidays like Passover help us educate our children.  Make the matzoh in the same fashion that the Jews made it traveling through the dessert.  The dough has to be mixed and baked into matzoh in seventeen minutes.  The original was baked in a stone oven, so while explaining the process and history to the family you can use a Pizza stone, and if you want buy a separte on for passover and ask your rabbi about how the flour can be made kosher.  Either way you achieve it, the children know no that matzoh come from and oven not a box.  

1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds chicken livers cleaned from butcher
1/2 red onion minced
2 clove garlic sliced
6 capers
salt
blackpepper from the mill
1/4 cup cognac
1 tbsp butter optional

6 homemade matzoh

4 cups flour unbleached is better
1 1/2 cups water
salt
Herbs optional

Place the water and salt in a the mixing bowl and add the flour slowly until it resembles bread dough.  Roll out into round pieces and bake quickly in a preheat oven.  The oven should be set at 550 degrees and the stone should be in their for two hours.

In a large frying pan place the olive oil and garlic.  When then garlic is brown add the onions and chicken livers and sautee for two minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and add the capers.  Deglaze with the cognac and add the butter.  Cook until the liver are done, place on a sheet pan and cool.  Take a chef’s knife and chopp cold and place on top of matzoh to serve.

To borrow a phrase, things certainly do go better with Coca cola…at least if it’s kosher Coca cola!

I noticed a new item in my NYC supermarket today while I was browsing in the drink aisle. It was a floor stand for Coke that is kosher for Passover. Passover Coke has a yellow cap to distinguish it from regular Coke, which is kosher, but not kosher for Passover. I happen to be pretty familiar with the ingredient label for regular Coke, since I make it my business to notice such things. And, double-checked on the Coke website, it contains:

Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Caramel Color
Phosphoric Acid
Natural Flavors
Caffeine

Yes, regular Coke contains the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

Out of curiosity I looked at the label for Kosher for Passover Coke and saw that the second ingredient is sucrose! Passover Coke is not sweetened with HFCS! Sucrose is basically sugar, derived from cane or beets, or a mixture of both. If it tastes anything like Mexican Coke, which is made with sugar, and tastes like the Coke of my childhood, that’s great! Great, at least , for 8 days of the year, and not so great for the other 11 months and 22 days of the year. Because right after Passover Coke switches right back to using HFCS.

You might think: Wow. Corporate America is being really sensitive and responsive to different religions. Coke isn’t even looking for a pat on the back for making a special Coke for observant Jews. It doesn’t even advertise it. Truth is, I suspect that’s because Coke doesn’t really want everyone to know that for 8 days of the year they can drink Coke that’s made without the dreaded HFCS. If more people start demanding it, they might have to start making Coke with sugar, which is more expensive than HFCS, and that will cut into their profits.

By the way, why is HFCS kosher, but not considered kosher for Passover, you might ask?  HFCS is made from corn. Corn isn’t exactly chametz, (which means “leavened,” and applies to grains that can be made into flour and baked and so are forbidden at Passover, except in the form of matzoh) during Passover, but corn is on kind of a second tier of Passover forbidden foods, kitniyot (“small things”), which in at least one ancient Rabbi’s opinion might be confused with chametz. Observance of kitniyot varies among observant Jews, but I guess Coke isn’t taking any chances.     

I would feel special that Coke would make a special beverage just for my people, but unfortunately this all comes down to money. Without Passover Coke, the Coke sales would dive in Brooklyn during the 8 days of Passover, if not longer, considering that most Jews start the koshering process (clearing the house of chametz) the week before Passover begins. That would mean at least a 15-day loss of sales in every Jewish community across America. And I presume supplying Passover Coke creates brand loyalty, which is important.

That makes me wonder why Coke doesn’t want to create brand loyalty with another community: the whole food movement, which would include every college kid in the last 10 years who read Fast Food Nation.

If you want to drink soda, I say opt out of regular Coke (except for the 8 days of Passover) and drink Mexican Coke or other sodas made with sugar. At least until an image consultant tells Coca Cola that it’s time to use sugar, because HFCS shouldn’t be kosher for anybody! 
  

Snack food makers are the evil empire. Why?  Because pretzels are basically made of flour, salt,malt, water and yeast. AKA the pretzel’s in the pictures.  Majority of store bought hard pretzels have the same ingredients plus a few extra. The cheaper the pretzel the more ingredients. Corn, canola oil, corn syrup, and then those words we can’t pronounce and have no clue about (chemical natural but chemicals) all in the 100 calorie snack pack. To be fair Snyder’s of Hanover are corn free they have canola oil in them and du what did Micheal Pollin say about canola oil? But hey if you do not have time to bake Snyder’s works compare to the other brands. The best are the Martin’s pretzels sold on line and the union square green market. Made the same way today as in 1900. Flour,water,malt,salt and yeast. I keep repeating the same ingredients, settle for nothing less.

No buy,make or source.  Opt out.

Please support this organization they care about you!!!

GREENHORNS.
 
Much afoot in March for us young farmers, much underfoot too.
Snowdrops from where I sit, and frisking squirrels shuffling acorn dregs.
And geese flying south over the Hudson. And saucy springtime birdsong.
And so many logistics, mis-matching bolts, awkward voltages.
 
Spring is uncoiling, and we Greenhorns are in full gallop coordinating the
COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTION of our DOCUMENTARY FILM.
 
ACTION right now!
 


Those lawmakers up there on the hill seem to have forgotten about us young farmers over winter.  Last week, ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service which provides an invaluable trove of information (including our national apprenticeship listing) and expert technical assistance to farmers, lost $2.8 million in funding.
 
This cut was adopted by Congress as part of a Continuing Resolution, basically an extension of the 2010 fiscal year budget to keep the government operating until April 8th.
 
This news comes to us from National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. The National Young Farmers’ Coalition is a member organization and we encourage you all to join NSAC’s mailing list to receive pertinent updates such as this.
 
We have few precious days to act.
 
Contact your Congressman/woman today (http://www.congress.org/) and tell them to restore ATTRA’S funding in the next Continuing Resolution.
 
Call or write, leave a bold impression, and pelt them with celeriac.  Here’s what we have in mind for beginning farmers:
 
“I want to farm, you need farmers. By cutting ATTRA’s funding, you and your fellow Congressmen and women have just imperiled the organization that hosts the nation’s most comprehensive list of agricultural apprenticeships. Without that list, we cannot find our next farm job, which hinders us from taking the next step to becoming a professional farmer. This is a disservice to the future of agriculture in America and to your constituents’ ability to join a critical sector of our economy. Restore ATTRA’s funding in the next Continuing Resolution.”
 
UPDATES

Film is out and screening. We are BARELY able to keep up with the increase in emails, interest, reporters.
 
We ended up not being able to afford to do color correction, but have decided to be OK with that. Perhaps once we’ve sold a bunch of DVDs and get a few more grants we’ll go back and digitally enhance the already radiant young farmers. Maybe. Maybe it can be a stylistic low budget choice. 
 
In case you didn’t already get the memo, we are distributing the film ourselves. This is called COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTION. Which means that if you want to see it, you can look on the website for the REQUEST A SCREENING link. Whether you already have a space in mind to host a screening or just really want to see the film, fill out the form and film outreach coordinator Patrick Kiley can help you conceive and execute a community screening. And keep checking our events page to see who’s hosting a screening near you.
 
Press releases and PUSH out we are waiting to do at the tail of our little southern mission, so that means mid-April. That is also the time when we roll out our new website.
 
If you are a longtime listserv-member, mixer attendee, blog enjoyer, and you want to find a way to help us out in our SUPER grassroots distribution campaign, here are some things to think about for late April/May and BEYOND.
 
1. If you aren’t already farming…START.
 
2. Mobilize your farmers market/CSA/advocacy group/church/college/posse/museum/library/ sewing circle for a community screening.
 
3. Contact Patrick (film@thegreenhorns.net) if you would like to help with the greenhorns film and event outreach more long term.
 
4. If you need help finding other young farmers to organize with, use our map, Serve Your Country Food.
 
Sorry—these are boring logistics, but frankly grassroots is a lot of logistics. 
 
RADIO UPDATES
 
Wonderful new farmers on the radio podcast  are broadcasted now! Catch up on the two latest episodes (#68 & #69) with a Midwestern urban farmer, Matt Jose, in Indianapolis, and with newly organic cotton farmer in Texas, Eric Herm, with a sneak peak of his book “Son of a Farmer, Child of the Earth” on the Leonard Lopate show.

RECENT HAPPENINGS
 
FarmHack at MIT was super awesome. You can watch the video here. But frankly the video is long; an easier way to get involved in technology exchange would be to tune in to the FarmHack blog.
 
I’m currently sitting on the shores of Otsego Lake doing a screening with the FARMERS MUSEUM. They have a super cool museum here: a village of    historical buildings housing blacksmiths, print shops, heritage breeds, implement collections, coopers, carpenters, bee keepers. Apparently the central New York region was on the forefront of the modern beekeeping movement back in the times — and pioneered the Langstrof method that is prevalent today.
 
Food Justice out in Oregon was super awesome, I got to meet Vandana Shiva. You might have seen the article in New York Times about Oregon’s young farmers culture emerging. We also made a short little profile film of Clint Lindsey A2R Farms. And the Just Food CSA in NYC Conference was good fun as well. You can catch up via the video here. Great event this past weekend in New Hampshire at The Wild Miller Gardens at Tuckaway Farm, brick oven pizzas from Flatbread and delicious locally sourced beers from Throwback Brewery.
 
Thank goodness farm conference season is winding down, it’s been quite a hustle of Panels and Mixers and Screenings and Driving across many states. Good mailing lists, good rosy cheeks, lots of beer!
 

UPCOMING EVENTS
 
BIG tour still up ahead in the South and Northeast in April. Then Midwest tour in July. Northwest/Cali/Southwest sweep in October/November.
 
26 March 2011, LIVINGSTON MANOR, NEW YORK @ Catskills Art Society
27 March 2011, GREAT BARRINGTON, MASS @ Project Native Film Festival
3 April 2011, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA @ Soil Kitchen
7 April 2011, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA @ Morven Farm
12 April 2011, BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA @ Appalachian State University with Blue Ridge Women in Ag
15 April 2011, BAR HARBOR, MAINE @ College of the Atlantic
16 April 2011, PORTLAND, MAINE @ Space Gallery
16 April 2011, WASHINGTON, DC @ Letelier Theater and city farms/gardens
17 April 2011, CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE @ St. Paul’s School
19 April 2011, POULTNEY, VERMONT @ Green Mountain College
19 April 2011, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA @ The Loft, UCSD
28 April 2011, SHELBURNE, VERMONT @ Shelburne Vineyard



ALSO…It’s Not Too Late to Register for the No Farms No Food Rally & Lobby Day
March 30, 9:00 to 4:00, Empire State Plaza, Albany
Register online here:
http://newyork.farmland.org/no-farms-no-food

Join farmers, local food advocates, town officials and hunger relief volunteers to meet with legislators at the State Capitol about the critical importance of farms and food to New York State.

Speakers include: Commissioner of Agriculture Darrel Aubertine; Assemblyman Bill Magee, chairman of the assembly agriculture committee; Reverend Robert Jackson of the Brooklyn Rescue Mission, Richard Ball, Schoharie Valley Farms.



SO…what does all of this mean for you? Well. If you live in those places and want to coordinate with us to rally up a posse for an educational session, for a galvanizing conversation, for a screening, a bonfire, or some beer? Please indicate as much on the web-form. Patrick is keeping up with that impeccably. By filling out that form you help us keep your contact information handy, not scattered in a gmail somewhere. Thank you…
 
 
 
Seed Circus touring also starts in April, many in conjunction with museums and artist types. Our call is still open for entries so send us your most creative brainstormings.
 
SEED CIRCUS EVENTS
 
13 April 2011, WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA @ the  southeastern center for contemporary art
7 may 2011, NEW YORK, NEW YORK @ the new museum festival of  ideas for the new city
5 june 2011, WETHERSFIELD, CONNECTICUT @ comstock ferre
25 june 2011, WHALLONSBURG, NEW YORK @ whallonsburg  grange hall, route 22 & whallons bay rd
july 2011, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA @ the oakland museum
 
Thank you all so much for being a part of this community of practice.
 
With MUD crusts and dirty snow,
 
Severine v T Fleming, director
Laura Cline, graphic design
Jordan Kinley, webisode production
Laura Hanna, editor
Brooke Budner, graphics
Hannah Bernhardt, project management, policy, radio, USDA
Saundra Ball, research, statistics, development
Olivia Sargeant,  Seed Circus Connecticut
Louella Hill, Seed Circus Oakland
Lulu Mclellan, West Coast Warrior
William McFarlane, mapping
Louisa Denison, East Coast GIS
Rachel Horn, ETSY
Ines Chapela, logistics
Paula Manalo, wiki, guidebook
Chandler Briggs, blog+profiles
Pete Fitzpatrick, Sound Design
Anya Kamenskya, West Coast organizer/photo
Patrick Kiley, outreach/screenings coordination
Hallie Chen, Farmhack
 


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The Greenhorns
PO Box 808

Rhinebeck, New York 12572
US

Clinton Corners is blessed to have Wild Hive cafe.  Agriturismo restaurant uses there amazing products for this local sustainable farm. They produce amazing polenta, locally milled flours, wheat berries and many more amazing products. You can visit them at the farmers market in Union Square or what I suggest is head to the farm and store. Besides Agriturismo this is the best breakfast in Hudson Valley.

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