From the kitchen of Co-op member-owner Cynthia Foster

Iowa is a state where tomatillos grow well. The problem is that most people only think of them for salsa. While the salsa is great and I have a few recipes if you want one, the real magic happens when you roast a combination of tomatillos, onions, carrots, red bell pepper, and a few cloves of garlic. Place these roasted vegetables in a food processor and chop until it is a very thick sauce. Then your seasoning – salt and pepper to taste. Now you have a cooking sauce that will go over chicken, pork chops, and fish or in some casseroles and soups. It’s tangy and can be used to make over tried and true old recipes. See below for the cooking sauce and a delicious recipe to go with it.

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Fall is here, and as has become our custom, we celebrated last month at our much-awaited sixth annual Fall Food Fest! Rooty, the carrot welcomed dozens of people as they came to the Cedar Falls Community Center to enjoy food samples, a photo booth opportunity, face painting from the Hearst Center for the Arts, and lively music spun by DJ Jumpsuit.

Local food trucks, Kubo and La Calle, were outside selling delicious meals, while indoors local producers and other vendors provided food samples and some local food items for sale including the new Farm Shed Market with fresh fresh juice, squash and garlic from Kaiser Farm, and Yellow Table Farm’s lamb sausage and fresh garlic. In addition, guests sampled Homan Honey, sautéed mushrooms from Solstice Farm, crunchy cucumber and temporary veggie tattoos from Whistling Thistle Farm, and Country View Dairy yogurt. The UNI Local Food Program educated people about Greens to Go which provides fresh produce in areas of the community that don’t have easily accessible fresh grocery options. And no one could miss the popcorn smell wafting from Fitkin Popcorn who provided the popcorn cube given to our 1000^th member-owner. Continue reading→

Before we get into this month’s column, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make this year’s Fall Food Fest a smashing success! From the farmers, producers, and restaurateurs to the musicians, to the face painters, to all the volunteers who helped move tables and chairs, hung posters around town, and more. This is what it means to build community. This is what happens when people work together for a cause. It’s amazing to see. And it’s exciting that we crossed the 1,000-member mark at the event. This is a win for our entire community!

ELECTIONS

As of press time, the deadline to apply to serve on the Co-op board of directors hasn’t arrived, but will have by the time you read this. So I won’t be able to announce the slate of candidates here. We’ll do that in a separate email. Stay tuned for more details soon, as the voting period begins Oct. 14.Continue reading→

It’s just around the corner – Jon Steinman’s only Iowa stop is this month, right here in our community!  Find out why the fascinating new book, Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants is making waves across the country, and why the largest grocers exert influence over the global food supply, which impacts all of us here in the Cedar Valley.

In cooperation with the Hearst Center for the Arts, your co-op is hosting Canadian journalist and author Jon Steinman.  Jon will share the amazing work food co-ops are communities are doing across the country.

The event is free to attend at the Hearst Center for the Arts on Wednesday, October 30 from 7 – 8 p.m. Check out the book ahead of the event if you wish, but regardless, come join us at the end of the month. You won’t want to miss this!