The Vine - Spring 2024

The Vine Team

Director of Marketing

Rebecca Torpie

Editor

Paula O’Brien paulao@briarpatch.coop

Art Director

Holly Pesta

Contributing Photographers and Designers

Patti Glenn, Seanan Maher

Content Contributors

Alana Lucia, Chris Maher, Seanan Maher, Rebecca Torpie, Lauren Scott BRIARPATCH

3-5 Recipes from the Editor

6 From the General Manager

7 From the Board President

8-9 In-Season Produce

10 Community Spotlight

11 Owners’ Information

12 Calling All A-Fish-ionados of Tinned Fish

13 Sustainability Update

14-15 Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips

16-17 Recipes You’ve Wanted to Make But Were Too Intimidated

18-19 Celebrate AAPI Month With Fantastic Food!

20-21 Produce Pro-Tips on Storing Your Fruits, Veggies and Herbs!

22-23 Dive Into the World of Raw Fish

24-25 What Do You Do with THAT?

For

On our cover:

Pi in the Sky illustrated by Seanan Maher. Follow

Frittata

4-6 servings

The ratio of eggs to half and half (or cream) and cheese will give you a delightful richness.

Whatever you’ve got on hand can make great add-ins, like carrots, greens, beans, roasted veggies — even some leftover cooked pasta. Just make sure the egg/cream/cheese combo submerges your goodies and there isn’t too much watery liquid left over from the precooking — strain ‘em if need be.

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ lb tiny potatoes, sliced thinly ½ cup ham, diced

1 ½ cups fresh spinach, cut into ribbons

2 green onions, sliced

1 clove garlic, finely minced Generous pinches salt and pepper, to taste

Pinch smoked paprika

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

½ tsp Dijon mustard

8 eggs

¼ cup half and half or heavy cream

Recipes from the Editor

By Paula O'Brien, Editor

Got a lot of odds and ends in your fridge and pantry? Here are a few recipes to creatively tackle these “little bits” and turn them into the hero of your meal. Keep track of your improv, though, in case folks ask you to make the same thing again!

¾ cup shredded cheese, divided Preheat oven to 400º. Butter a standard pie pan (glass is best but whatever you’ve got).

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, 2 Tbsp water and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover/cook about 12-15 minutes, until softened. Drain any excess water from

the skillet and stir in garlic, ham, spinach and green onions. Cook until spinach is wilted and garlic fragrant. Place add-ins in prepared pan and spread out evenly. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, Dijon and dry seasonings. Fold in ½ cup of the shredded cheese. Pour over add-ins and top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake until eggs are set, about 15-20 minutes, more as needed. Once eggs

are set, remove foil and broil about 2 minutes for a crispy top. Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

“Bubble and Squeak” Patties

Makes 6-8 patties

Bubble and Squeak is a quintessential UK recipe for using up goodies from previous meals. The name likely comes from the sound the ingredients make when they’re being fried together in a pan. Be sure to use potatoes that are cooked to soft and somewhat lumpy goodness — so it makes good “glue” with a little fun texture element. If you start with super-creamy mashers, you’ll need a little flour to thicken things up.

1 Tbsp butter

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 egg, beaten

15-20 cooked Brussels sprouts, sliced, or 2 cups shredded boiled cabbage or other chopped cooked greens

2 cups cold leftover mashed potatoes, or cold crushed boiled potatoes

Salt/pepper to taste

4-8 Tbsp flour, if needed

¼ - ½ cup cooking oil

Optional: ¼ - ½ cup leftover shredded cheddar or Colby/Jack cheese

Melt butter in a non-stick pan and get it nice and hot. Add bacon, and as it begins to brown, add onion and garlic.

Next, add Brussels sprouts/shredded boiled cabbage/cooked greens and cook 5-6 minutes so everything colors slightly.

Remove everything from pan and add to a medium mixing bowl. Clean the pan.

Fold beaten egg into mashed potatoes. If potatoes are super creamy, sprinkle in a little flour to tighten everything up. Then, stir gently but thoroughly into bacon/ veggies. Adjust salt/pepper to taste.

Prepare a small plate with several Tbsp flour for dredging. Break off a little of the mixture, roll into a ball and then roll that in the dredging flour. Press gently into a patty.

Place non-stick pan over burner set to medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil to the pan. Once it heats up, do a “test fry,” where you cook just one patty to see if there’s enough flour to hold it together. Add more flour to mixture as needed, and once you’re happy with the results divide the rest into about 8 even balls and press into patties.

Gently lay some of the patties in the pan, giving them plenty of space. You’ll get the

best results if you don’t flip them often, as that might cause them to fall apart more easily. Cook on one side until they’re a nice brown color and flip them just once...a flexible silicone turner/ spatula works best for this. Depending on how thick/thin you’ve pressed the patties, it may take up to 4-5 minutes on each side.

Refrigerate leftovers in a storage container with a lid. To reheat, place in 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

BriarPatch Food Co-op

Savory Vegetable

Cobbler

Makes 8 servings

Topping a combo of veggies with biscuits is sure to please. Change the filling depending on what you’ve got on hand, including a few cups shredded rotisserie chicken in place of cauliflower, etc.

Filling

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1 ½ cups veggie broth

1 Tbsp hot sauce (like Cholula)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled/sliced

2 cups cauliflower florets

¾ lb mushrooms, sliced

1 cup peas, fresh or frozen

2 cups butternut squash, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled/cut into ½" cubes

2 tsp fresh thyme, minced, or 1 tsp dried

Biscuit Topping

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

Tbsp unsalted butter, cut in small cubes cup shredded cheddar cheese

Makes 1 10-inch pie crust

1 cup whole milk, plus extra to brush biscuits before baking

Optional: Freshly-chopped parsley, for serving

Prepare Filling:

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish. Whisk together veggie broth, cornstarch and hot sauce. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add celery, carrots, butternut squash and cauliflower. Cook/stir 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, peas and potato, stir to combine. Re-whisk cornstarch/broth/hot sauce and add to skillet. Stir in thyme.

Add veggie mixture to prepared baking pan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Pretzel Pie Crust

Got extra pretzels, potato chips, crackers, breakfast cereal? Then you’ve got what it takes to make a pie crust for a no-bake pie recipe. Just swap out the pretzel crumbs for whatever you’ve got, adjusting salt/sugar to taste depending on what you’re making the crust out of (the pretzels have enough salt so we didn’t include it below).

4 cups (5 oz) mini pretzels

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

½ Tbsp light brown sugar

Prepare Biscuit Topping:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Add butter and blend into flour using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup milk, cheddar and thyme, gently stirring just until a sticky dough forms. Do not over-mix.

Remove baking dish from oven and foil from dish. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop balls of dough on the filling — you should get about 12-14 biscuits. Brush biscuit tops with milk and return to oven, uncovered. Bake until biscuits are golden-brown and filling is bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.

Remove cobbler from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a food processor, pulse pretzels until finely ground (about 1 ¼ cups ground pretzels). Pulse in melted butter and brown sugar until combined.

Press evenly into 10-inch buttered pie dish. Bake 12-15 minutes, until firm. Let cool completely, refrigerating it once the dish is cool to the touch to speed process.

Check out our digital edition for a Chocolate Silk Pie recipe that goes great with the Pretzel Crust!

History of the Movement

By Chris Maher, General Manager

The origins of what we call the alternative and natural foods movement stretch back to the early 19th century when community influencers like Sylvester Graham and J. Kellogg began to write about the link between diet and personal health.

the late 1960s and it was out of this that BriarPatch was first formed as a buying club and soon after a retail store. The owners who supported the Co-op in those early years sought both personal and social transformation. This is still true today.

“The origins of what we call the alternative and natural foods movement stretch back to the early 19th century.”

The notion of “organic” foods entered the common vernacular a century later in reaction to the appearance of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and food additives that followed World War Two. This social change was followed by a corresponding new awareness of the potentially negative impacts of our agricultural and food production practices on our planet.

With the combined influence of personal health and environmentalism, the organic and natural foods industry hit maturity. The awareness of the connection of wellbeing with diet provided people with a personal connection to the food industry. Environmental activism added a political and social overlay. Both movements gained real traction in

In the ensuing years, the movement has grown and evolved and BriarPatch has done so too. Various trends and movements within the health community have led to shifts in what foods are considered healthy. Likewise, the environmental movement has evolved to consider concerns like animal treatment, worker rights and social justice. Most of these sub-movements bridge health consciousness and environmental stewardship.

This evolution has played out as changes and improvements in our co-op as well. While in our formative

years, BriarPatch was supported by our shoppers’ volunteer labor running the store, we have since grown to nearly 300 paid staff. We have worked hard to convey the success of the stores into competitive wages and compelling benefits. Within our industry, we have joined with other food co-ops around the country to increase both our purchasing power from our large suppliers and to ensure that the products they offer are made according to the standards our customers expect. Locally, we have built a network of mutual support with nonprofits and community groups that are aligned toward similar goals. We have worked with our regional suppliers to build and support a small-scale market for locally sourced products and a vibrant local economy.

All of this resonates with the concepts of right livelihood and ethical behavior and notions of working toward common good and improvement for all people — aspirations that are the very heart of what it means to cooperate.

Read the rest of the article in the digital edition of The Vine.

Spring — the time to take a fresh look at community

By Alana Lucia, BriarPatch Board President

For some, spring marks the true beginning of the year, and it certainly feels that way to me. Everything feels new, fresh, and delicate, and yet the roots beneath are as strong and vital as ever.

As we enter into this season of renewed vigor, I am reminded of the new opportunities for impact we have as a community market. We are able to support a region through the choices that we make as consumers. The new spring produce that comes in revitalizes our bodies and the economic impact fortifies our farmers and these delightful communities that we are a part of. It feels empowering to be able to identify areas where we would like to make changes and take the steps in that direction.

Economically, many of us are feeling the need to be as careful as possible with our resources. Utilizing that which we have to its fullest benefit is a practice inspired long ago from our grandparents and community elders. One of the habits I formed years ago was to save the scraps from my veggies in a freezer bag so

that I could later utilize them for broth, providing my family with a nutrientdense concoction that heals the body and soothes the spirit. The practice itself is economical, the broth is rich and delicious, waste is eliminated on many levels, and I feel empowered. I also feel a connection to the ancestors who have had similar practices throughout time from many different cultures throughout the world.

our ways to produce them, our recipes, our gatherings. Our bodies are stronger and healthier, our land is stronger and healthier, and our spirits are connected. And in so doing, we become stronger together.

It is my hope that we can see ourselves in all the varieties of people around us. All of us are doing our best with what we have. All of us have the need for

“The new spring produce that comes in revitalizes our bodies and the economic impact fortifies our farmers and these delightful communities that we are a part of.”

Another thing to appreciate about a community market that offers local food grown and produced by the people nearby and throughout our watershed is the connection that it brings to us all. So many of us are from different backgrounds and cultures, and the need for wholesome food links us to one another. We share our foods, we share

whole foods, clean water, fresh air and beauty. May we all take steps toward supporting each individual. May we all feel a connection to our food, our farmers, and one another. Each day, may we take steps toward health, connection, and peace.

In-Season Produce In-Season Produce

Celery

Cut the base part of the celery bunch off, leaving about 1-2". Place celery scraps cut-side-up in a bowl to cover the base. Replenish water daily and in 3-4 days you’ll see new shoots. Harvest the sprouts indefinitely and add to salads for a touch of savory celery-ness, or transplant outdoors once roots start to form.

Mint

Cut off a piece of the herb plant or bunch, slicing it 1” inch below the junction of a leaf and the stem. Remove any leaves along the base and place in a vase with a little water in indirect sunlight. Once roots start to form, transplant the herb outdoors.

Garlic

You’ve probably seen those green shoots coming out of a head of garlic that’s been sitting for too long. Place the sprouting cloves outdoors in the fall for mid-summer harvest next year. Put pointy-side up in the ground about 4-6 inches apart, 2 inches deep. Or, plant cloves in a pot and harvest the shoots for your garlicky gratification as they grow.

Romaine Lettuce

Ginger

The word “ginger” is derived from the Sanskrit word “singabera,” which translates into “shaped like a horn.” Leave on the counter or in the fridge too long and you’ll notice sprouts/rhizomes sticking out like little horns. They’ll sprout further when covered with a few inches of potting soil kept moist and warm in the sun, eventually getting up to 3’ tall!

Cut off the root base of the lettuce head, with the bottom 1” of leaves, and place in ½” water on a windowsill. Refresh the water every other day and watch the leaves grow back. You won’t have a Caesar Salad for a long time, but fresh little leaves to pinch off and add to salads will sprout in a few weeks.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato ends can regrow sprouts, or slips as they’re called. Fill a pint jar with water and put several toothpicks into the sweet spud end so they’ll keep it from falling all the way in. Several weeks later you’ll have vines and leaves. Put the slips in the ground to keep growing, or harvest the leaves for a simple stir fry with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Don’t toss those sprouting veggie bits. Encourage them to grow even bigger with a little water, sun, and TLC. You’ll be able to harvest some goodies right from where the bits are soaking, or replant the newbies in the ground and be well on your way to fresh food!

Root veggies can easily sprout more greens out of the top portion. Just place the top, cut side down, in a shallow bowl of water. In a couple weeks, new greens will begin to grow. Harvest them as they are and allow more to regrow again and again.

Bok Choy

Bulb veggies can easily regrow edible shoots. Save 2-3" of the base and submerge the bottom half in a shallow bowl or small cup of warm water. Within a day you should start to see new leaf growth in the center of the plant!

GREEN-IT-UP Hummus

Makes 1 ½ cups

Green onions help make this ohso-tasty twist on the traditional hummus mmmmm-memorable.

1 garlic clove

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained with liquid (aquafaba) reserved

Juice from 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

½ cup thinly-sliced green onion rings

½ cup packed cilantro leaves and small stems

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 cup baby arugula leaves

¼ cup tahini

¼ tsp cumin

¾ tsp salt

¼-½ cup aquafaba (reserved from canned chickpeas)

Process garlic, cilantro, green onion, spinach and arugula in a food processor until finely chopped. Add chickpeas, lime juice, tahini, cumin, salt and ¼ cup chickpea aquafaba. Purée 30 seconds, scrape down sides and add 1-2 more Tbsp aquafaba as needed to make it nice and creamy. Can refrigerate 7-10 days, but best when freshly made.

Green Onions

Cut off the green parts and save the white ends with the tiny roots. Pop in a glass of water and watch the greens regrow...even after just a few hours you’ll see a difference! Keep on snipping off the greens and those little white ends will keep producing for a long, long time!

The patch is giving back! The Patch is giving back!

In 2023, BriarPatch shoppers rounded up over $33,000 to donate to local nonprofits in Placer and Nevada Counties!

This March, when you Round Up at the Register, you’ll support Hospice of the Foothills (Grass Valley) and Acres of Hope (Auburn). These two organizations put the physical, social and emotional well-being of people in our community at the forefront of their work.

You can receive up to TWO BriarPatch 15% off coupons every month through our PatchWorks program.

Meet one of our newest Nonprofit Neighbors: American River Conservancy. ARC works to conserve habitats within the upper American and Consumnes River watersheds, while focusing on land stewardship and educational opportunities. They have a plethora of volunteer opportunities including areas like environmental education, video production, fire ecology and so much more!

To learn more and to apply, visit briarpatch.coop/patchworks.

2023 was a big year for The Patch. With the opening of our Auburn location, we can double the impact on local gardens. In December, $1,434.68 was raised for Our Kids Place Preschool and Auburn Golden Gardeners!

BriarPatch donates 10 cents per pound of apples to two different local community or school gardens every month. Last year, BriarPatch was able to donate $13,441.81 to local school and community gardens to support their infrastructure. This is because shoppers like you bought 134,410 pounds of apples!

Apply to be an Apples for Gardens Recipient: briarpatch.coop/apples.

OWNERS’ Info

Why Be a Co-op Owner?

Owner Appreciation Months

Each year Owners can take 10% off one shopping trip in February, April, July, September and December. This schedule is subject to change.

5% off all BriarPatch brand supplements. Be well and save!

Opt into E-Receipts and automatic Register Round Up

Email hellobriarpatch@briarpatch.coop to sign up.

Vote and Become Involved

Vote for the Board of Directors, run for the Board and have a say in the strategic vision of the Co-op.

Be a PatchWorks Volunteer

Receive 15% off on up to two shopping trips each month when you volunteer at select nonprofits.

Patronage Dividend

Receive a dividend on purchases made in the store in years when the Co-op nets a profit.

Special Orders

Owners can get special savings for case discounts at our Grass Valley location.

Check out all owner benefits at briarpatch.coop/join-the-co-op.

Ends Policies

BriarPatch Food Co-op exists so that Owners, customers and members of our community have:

1. A successful and vibrant cooperatively-owned business that acts as a leader among local businesses and food co-ops nationally and contributes to

environmental stewardship through its business practices.

2. Access to high-quality, healthy products, especially local and organic food.

3. A community center where people experience a sense of connectedness, ownership and fellowship.

4. A stronger local food system.

5. A major employer that provides a healthy, equitable and considerate workplace for employees.

6. Access to education about food and consumer issues that encourages customers to make healthier food choices.

Board Members and Meetings

Board of Directors

Rachel Berry, Kwong Chew, Jonathan Collier, Richard Drace, Mark Fenton, Katie Ivy, Alana Lucia, Lindsey Pratt, Deborah Yashar

To contact all the Directors, send an email to: directors@board.briarpatch. coop. For individual Directors: first name and last initial (i.e. alanal@board. briarpatch.coop). Letters may be left at Customer Service.

Upcoming Board Meetings

The upcoming meeting agenda is available at least one week prior to the meeting. Owners are welcome to attend Board Meetings. Please contact Mary Hunter for more information: maryh@briarpatch.coop.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Board Committees

To find out more about the Board’s standing committees, please add the following Committee names to the subject line when you email us at directors@board.briarpatch.coop.

Board Development Committee

Finance Committee

Executive Committee

Governance Committee

CALLING ALL A- Fish -IONADOS: Tinned Fish in the Sustainability Spotlight

Eating is activism. This is the core concept driving Patagonia Provisions, an offshoot of the outdoor sports company, which offers high quality, responsibly sourced tinned seafood.

Patagonia recognizes it’s time for a big change—we need to fix how we treat our planet. Conventional ocean agriculture produces ¼ of greenhouse gas emissions, and we’re losing time to correct that. That’s why Patagonia Provisions is based around “regenerative organic agriculture” — a sustainable solution prioritizing the health of the earth and restoring the planet while benefiting from it.

And this is great news because tinned fish is having its moment in the foodie culture spotlight.

Patagonia

Provision’s mission statement:

“Everything we eat impacts our home planet. That’s why we make delicious, nutritious foods that help fight the environmental crisis.”

The fish Provisions has packed into its cans is caught using traditional, oceansafe methods, and only from places where the fish are naturally abundant. This change in production doesn’t sacrifice flavor. Patagonia offers a variety of options, either to consume as-is or use as the perfect base for a sustainable snack. Their selection gives a nod to the delicious and

enduring Spanish tradition of tinned fish as a genuine delicacy. At BriarPatch, we’re proud to offer their smoked or spicy mussels and mackerel, and white anchovies flavored with roasted garlic.

Tinned fish is a great addition to your pantry, convenient and bursting with flavor. Open a can and you’re more than halfway to a simple snack by just adding some crackers, or make it a full-on

meal when you pair the fish with pasta, scrambled eggs, Caesar Salad or toast loaded with avocado, cottage cheese and fresh herbs (bonus points for adding a poached egg to that one!).

Here’s a simple recipe for a busy worknight dinner that’s also fancy enough for date night.

Pasta with Smoked Mussels, Tomatoes & Peas

Makes 4 servings

Tomatoes and smoked mussels bring loads of umami to quick-cooking, convenient pasta. Pair with a simple salad…voilà!

1 lb pasta — shapes or noodles

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Tbsp tomato paste

½ cup white wine

1 can Patagonia Provisions smoked mussels (4.2 oz)

Several pinches curry powder

¼ - ½ tsp chili flakes, optional Salt/pepper to taste

¼ cup parsley, chopped

Optional: 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for two minutes, then add garlic and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes more to soften and add a little color. Stir in tomato paste and then add cherry tomatoes. Cook for a minute or two before deglazing with wine. Add peas and cook one minute more. Add smoked mussels and juice from their can. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente, reserving some of the pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.

Add pasta to sauce along with some cooking water (if needed), toss to coat. Add parsley and toss again. Serve.

By Lauren Scott, BriarPatch Sustainability Coordinator

COMPOST WAS Made FOR YOU AND ME

Are you compost curious?

Or a seasoned composter looking to spice things up?

Experienced a compost fail?

Read on to build the perfect pile, and find the composting method that aligns with your interests.

Try an active pile if you enjoy yardwork. If you like to nerd out on soil biology, go with a worm bin. Love making ferments? Add Bokashi to your home brew projects. Here are just five of the many compossibilities to try.

Active/Passive Pile. Classic backyard compost of layering food scraps (nitrogen) with carbon in a 1:30 ratio by weight in an open-air pile or an enclosure. Actively manage the pile by aerating/watering or leave it for a slower, passive approach. A great option if you have substantial amounts of food/ yard waste and enjoy spending time in the yard. Beware: Piles are susceptible to animals and pests.

Tumbler. A tumbler is a closed, ventilated container that spins for aeration. Purchase a tumbler or DIY with a 55-gallon drum. It also requires a 1:30 nitrogen-carbon ratio and water. A great option if you’re concerned about animals or want a movable system. Tumblers lack the benefit of direct soil contactworms and soil microbes. Use them to “pre-compost,” then finish compost in a pile when less susceptible to animals.

Worm Bins. Worms naturally make their way into an outdoor compost pile, and

you can also harness their incredible digestive abilities in a container system. Purchase worms and a bin locally or create your own with a few totes. Worms require PH-neutral, aerated, and moist bedding such as shredded cardboard, dried leaves and aged manure. Avoid feeding processed, acidic and spicy foods. A great option if you have limited space and want a nutrient-dense soil amendment. Worms can adjust to varying amounts of food but require consistent inputs to stay alive.

Bokashi. Japanese word meaning “fermented organic matter.” Food waste is layered with lactobacillusinoculated substrate in a sealed container, yielding nutrient-rich “pre-compost” to bury. You need an anaerobic environment, ideally indoors since fermentation prefers 60º to 80º. A great option for a small space. Works best with two alternating buckets, allowing one to ferment completely.

Bury food waste. A great option if you prefer no maintenance and enjoy digging holes. Bury all organics, including animal products, at least 8” deep to deter animals.

Troubleshooting imbalances in nitrogen, carbon, water and oxygen:

• Rotting smell. Add carbon and aerate.

With a worm bin, add less food waste until worm population has grown enough to handle more.

• Nothing is happening. If compost isn’t decomposing, ensure at least a cubic yard of material. Then, add more nitrogen and water. Make sure your carbon-nitrogen ratio is by weight, not volume.

• Final result. Your final product will look different depending on

methods and inputs. Sift compost through a wire screen, tossing larger pieces back in the system. With piles/ tumblers, avoid adding new material to compost that’s mostly decomposed — start a second system.

If we’ve piqued your interest, dig in deeper! Local master gardeners and garden centers are great resources. Scan the QR code to go to the digital Vine and learn more.

ECO-FRIENDLY LAUNDRY TIPS Get a Load of This!

Oh, the joy of fresh clean clothes, sheets and whatever else needs a bath in the sink or washing machine. Take a moment to reflect on your laundry routine and make sure you’re not trading stains and static for chemicals that aren’t healthy for you or the planet.

Simple choices, like using ½ cup distilled white vinegar instead of fabric softener in your laundry loads, lessen your carbon footprint and do add up over time. So can washing in cold water, as it’s said that 90% of the energy used by your washing machine goes towards heating the water. Wait until you’ve got a full load to push the wash button

— 8% of household greenhouse gas emissions are related to doing laundry! Here are a few DIY recipes to make your laundry clean…and green!

Laundry Detergent

The ingredients in laundry detergent, as well as the containers it’s sold in, significantly impact the environment. These days, options such as laundry strips provide concentrated cleaning without the water or large plastic packages. You can also make your own powdered laundry detergent using this simple recipe.

Makes 3 cups

1 bar castile bar soap (like Dr. Bronner’s or Kirk’s)

1 cup Ecos OxoBrite

1 cup washing soda

½ cup kosher salt

Working in a well-ventilated area, cut soap bar into chunks.

Fit a shredding blade in a food processor, and use a towel or other cloth to block any holes where soap powder can escape. Add soap chunks and process. Fit the food processor with a chopping blade. Add remaining ingredients and process to a very fine powder.

Alternately, grate the soap on the finest holes of a box grater and then mix the powder with the other ingredients in a bowl. Watch your fingers when grating!

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 Tbsp per load to top- or frontloading high-efficiency washers. Use ¼ cup for regular top-loading washers.

Pre-treat Stains

Give your cleaning a boost with some simple ingredients. You probably already have a lot of these things on hand.

Here’s a recipe for a stain-treating spray. Making small batches will ensure you’re spraying fresh ingredients on your clothes that work more effectively.

PRE-TREAT & STAIN TIPS

Smelly Clothes — Pre-soak in water with 1 cup baking soda per gallon.

Light-Colored Fabrics — Fresh or bottled 100% lemon juice has natural bleaching action. Also, mix citric acid powder and water for a good soak.

½ cup dishwashing liquid, such as Seventh Generation Free & Clear Dish Soap 1 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% solution) Using a funnel, add ingredients to a dark-colored spray bottle. Seal bottle and shake to mix.

Spray directly onto stained parts of clothes. Work into the fabric with softbristled brush or fingers and let sit 5-10 minutes. Wash garment as usual.

DIY Wool Dryer Balls

If you’re not already using wool dryer balls, then let this be the one thing you do to make your laundry eco-friendlier. Using wool balls means your laundry gets dry up to 25% faster. They’re nontoxic and eliminate static naturally, reduce clumps and wrinkles and are quieter than other types of dryer balls. They also mean less lint, since as they bounce around they help separate your laundry items and keep them from rubbing together as much. Oh, and they also help get rid of clingy pet hair!

You can buy dryer balls or make them yourself following this simple process. Be sure to use natural animal fibers untreated with chemicals, as that’ll help control static better and the fibers will hold together better in a ball.

Materials:

100% wool (or other animal hair), not treated with chemicals — yarn, roving/ batting or sweaters/coats

Cotton string

Pantyhose or an old, thin sock

Cooking Pot

Hot Water

Equipment:

Scissors

Crochet hook or large needle

Stovetop

Clothes Dryer

If using an old garment, cut into ribbons/ strips.

Yellowing/Mildew and Tannin Stains — Soak in distilled white vinegar and water.

Oily Stains — Reach for cornstarch to absorb oil. Shake it on and rub the area a little.

Red Wine/Rust Stains — Table salt is a light abrasive and absorbing agent before stains set.

Wind fabric strips/yarn into a ball. Wrap around your fingers to start the ball, switching directions often to get a ball that’s equally round. Wrap tightly until the ball is about 2 ½” diameter, like a tennis ball. Using the crochet hook or needle, secure the end by tucking it under several other strands. Make several balls before going to the next step.

Put balls into an old sock or pantyhose leg, tying off with cotton string between each one.

Add pantyhose/sock to a pot of hot water, bring to a boil. Remove pot from burner, allowing balls to soak until water is cool. You may see dye released from the fibers, unless using natural or white. This shouldn’t be an issue when balls are finished/used in the dryer.

Squeeze any excess water from balls, put in dryer on high heat. Once dry, cut strings between balls and remove from sock/ hose. Balls will be smaller, look fuzzy

and you shouldn’t be able to unwind them. These are the cores of the final dryer balls. Wrap these cores with wool yarn or fabric strips until balls are about 3 ½” diameter. Repeat soaking/drying process.

Balls can be recharged/reused for hundreds of loads. To recharge, put into stocking/thin socks and wash with hot water and gentle cycle. Dry on high heat in the dryer. If you see more static, balls are falling apart or recharging won’t refresh them — it’s time to replace them.

Get the “Hang” of Using a Clothesline or Drying Rack

With the fast pace of a fully-booked life these days, who has the time to air

dry clothes? — and that’s IF you have the space to do that. If you do have the space, it’s a great way to save on your electric bill and wear and tear on your laundry, and the UV light from the sun effectively kills bacteria. And did you know there’s actual science behind how good line-dried laundry smells? That distinctive, unique smell is thanks to the photochemistry reaction when solar rays hit wet fabric. At least hang up your bedsheets and see how it goes…

Recipes you’ve always wanted to make but were too intimidated

Ever wanted to cook something but…it seemed a little daunting? Too much of a hassle? Fear not! Here are a few things that may be on your list, and some inspiration to get 'em off the bucket list!

Bananas Foster

Makes 4 servings

Flambé (“flamed” in French) is any dish doused in alcohol and lit on fire. There’s nothing subtle about it, and you’re sure to get ooh’s and aah’s not just for the sheer pyrotechnics but also for the flavor it imparts. Here are a few pointers to make your Bananas Foster experience memorable for all the right reasons.

Look for spirits at least 40% alcohol — enough oomph to give you a flame.

Pick complementary flavors — Rum (spiced or regular), banana liqueur.

Quantity — Not too much liquor per serving, so the booze won’t overpower.

Finish the main cooking — Flambé is just used to burn off alcohol, so get that pan away from the burner before you light up.

Long-Handle Lighter — Give yourself some control, and distance from the fire.

4 medium bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp freshly-ground nutmeg

½ tsp salt

½ cup spiced rum

¼ cup banana liqueur

For serving: 1 pint vanilla ice cream

Optional: 4 slices pound cake

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and add dark brown sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Add bananas, cooking for 1 minute on each side. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, stirring gently around the bananas.

Pour in banana liqueur and spiced rum, shaking/swirling pan to distribute evenly. Remove pan from burner’s flame, and gently tilt it so sauce pools a little on one side. With a long-handle lighter, light the pool of sauce. Baste bananas with flaming sauce until flame goes out, gently swirling pan if flames get too high.

Divide pound cake (if using) and ice cream between four plates/bowls and pour hot bananas and sauce over ice

Gravlax

Makes about 10 servings

Gravlax is fresh salmon cured with a combination of salt and sugar. Why not make your own? It’s easier than you think and the flavor/freshness difference from what you buy is worth the effort. You control the amount and type of curing ingredients — like fresh herbs! Use it in recipes that call for smoked salmon, within a few days (unless frozen after prepared).

2 lb sashimi-grade salmon, bones removed and skin on

½ lb rock salt

½ lb granulated sugar

1 Tbsp white peppercorns

1 ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, divided

Roughly grind white peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Combine with 1 cup dill, sugar and salt.

Place two large, slightly overlapping, pieces plastic wrap on work surface. Spread half of curing mixture in the shape of the salmon.

Place salmon on salt, skin side down. Top with remaining curing mixture and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in a large

baking dish (like a Pyrex casserole) and top with a small cutting board and 3-4 14-oz cans of beans, etc., as weight. Refrigerate 12 hours. Turn salmon over, it will be wet from liquid that’s come out. Replace weights and return to fridge. Repeat this process two more times, for 36 hours total curing time.

Unwrap salmon, scrape off salt. Rinse and past dry. Return to fridge, uncovered, for 4-10 hours. This will allow salmon to dry and salt to permeate flesh more evenly.

Sprinkle ¼ cup dill over flesh side of salmon, for garnish and flavor. Slice thinly at an angle, not cutting through skin. Serve with toasted bread and lemon wedges.

Dutch Oven Bread

Here’s your opportunity to make bread in just a few hours and with the most basic of ingredients — flour, water, yeast and salt. This no-knead dough is quite sticky and will conform to whatever shape you put it in. A Dutch oven is the perfect spot to make this miracle come together quickly and easily. Bake the dough right away, or wait up to a week until the time’s right… at which point the dough will be more tangy, like sourdough, and rise a little less.

Find the Dutch Oven Bread recipe in our digital edition.

Poached Eggs — Salad Lyonnaise

What’s so great about poached eggs? Well, for starters, they’re cooked in a way that yields an extremely delicate, round little package of eggy goodness. Some folks say they taste better than other egg preparations because they’re cooked without flavor-changing oil or rapidly boiling water that can “wash away” some of the taste. And the whites are just firm enough to contain the decadent, oozy golden yolk. It’s not hard to poach eggs but doing it well can take a little practice.

Poached Eggs

Makes 1

1 large egg

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Pot of water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, reduce heat to low.

Stir vinegar into water. Using a small glass bowl to cradle the egg, carefully place into the water, hesitating briefly with the bowl part-way in the water but also holding the egg in one place so it can set slightly in a more compact form. This way, if you’re just making one it’ll have a more compact shape, and if you’re making more, each egg will get space so it doesn’t connect to others.

dressing that comes together with the piercing of the poached egg yolk!

4 cups torn frisee

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ lb slab bacon or pancetta, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 shallot, chopped

2-4 Tbsp sherry vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard Salt

4 poached eggs

Cook about 3 - 3 ½ minutes, removing egg with a slotted spoon. Dab on a paper towel to remove excess water and serve immediately.

If making poached eggs ahead of time, transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. After a few minutes, remove/dab with paper towel and place on a plate with a bit of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap so a dry skin doesn’t form on the eggs.

Repeat with as many eggs as you’d like. You can also cook simultaneously if the pot has enough space. Best not to overcrowd.

Salad Lyonnaise

Makes 4

Here’s a great way to show off your newfound talent for making poached eggs. This salad is a sophisticated combo of flavors and textures, with a

Black pepper Chopped chives, for garnish

Optional: 1 cup croutons

Put greens in large salad bowl.

Put olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When hot, add bacon. Cook slowly about 10 minutes, until thoroughly crisp. Add shallot and cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar and mustard to the skillet and bring just to a boil while stirring. Turn off heat.

Cook eggs according to the poached egg recipe.

Gently reheat dressing if needed. Pour over greens (they’ll wilt a little), toss and season with salt/pepper to taste. Add croutons on top. Top each portion with an egg and chives and serve immediately. Each person breaks the egg over their salad.

Celebrate AAPI Month Fantastic Food! Celebrate AAPI Month Fantastic Food!

Northern Marianas Islands - Kelaguen

If you can’t find any fruit bat for traditional kå’du fanihi, kelaguen is the next best dish from the Marianas Islands. Another staple of CHamoru food, kelaguen is similar to ceviche, using a marinade of lemon juice, fresh coconut, green onion, salt and native red chili peppers like donne’ sali to “cook” raw meat (either seafood or beef) instead of using heat. It’s served cold or at room temperature, and often eaten with the CHamoru equivalent of tortillas: titiyas

Guam - Hineksa’ Aga’ga’

Rice has played an important role in the Marianas for centuries. Due to the high amount of labor it requires to farm, rice began as a highly valuable resource, reserved as a ceremonial food only for special occasions. Today, rice is a staple on dinner tables, and this traditional short grained “red rice” is the most popular base form for the grain considered an icon of CHamoru culture. The coloring of the rice comes from achiote seeds.

with with

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and in celebration we’ve prepared a quick tour of some of the most famous dishes originating in the US Pacific Territories and Hawaii.

Hawaii - Poke

While many are now familiar with poke through its popular modern iteration — blending Hawaiian and Japanese traditional flavors into one dish — the roots of poke are deceptively straightforward. What began as cut-offs from fishing catches as a quick snack, eaten immediately and seasoned with only sea salt and inamona — a condiment made from kukui nuts and salt — eventually evolved into the poke we know and love today — at its most basic level, marinated raw fish, and some fresh sliced veggies on top of sushi rice. This gradual evolution and addition of ingredients came about due to Hawaii’s contact with the British and Spanish in the early 19th century, and eventually the Chinese and Japanese. Today, a “traditional” bowl of poke would have not much more than raw tuna, salt, inamona, limu (seaweed) and sweet Maui onions. Find a fresh and easy poke recipe as part of our “Raw Fish” article in this issue!

American Samoa - Pani Popo

Although its origins are unclear, these sweet Samoan coconut buns are an iconic staple of Samoan culture and cooking. Although the base components, pani (buns, not the same as bread or dinner rolls) and popo (coconut, specifically coconut cream) seem simple, do not fall for those who would suggest you buy premade dinner rolls and dip them in coconut cream from the can. True panipopo is made from scratch, with thick dough and a homemade coconut cream sauce poured over the buns before baking them.

PRODUCE PRO-TIPS ON VEGGIES AND HERBS!

(All together now) Countertop, please, unless you’ve got a cool dark spot like the garage for pomegranates and citrus to hang out in.

Put the whole gang into a brown paper bag with our banana buddy, who’ll help us get nice and ripe. Keep an eye on us though, since we might be ready to enjoy faster than you think, especially those wacky avocados.

When you buy us, make sure we still have roots. Give us a bottom-heavy glass with water so we can drink while we hang out waiting for you to snip off our greens for your meals.

Treat us like a bouquet of flowers, with a fresh cut to our stems before you pop us in a jar of water. Cilantro, parsley and mint want to be in the fridge, while basil likes to be on the counter in a place that doesn’t get too warm. An inverted clear plastic bag over our leaves’ll help keep things fresh.

We’re happy to hang out on the counter for a few days, but please keep our banana buddies separate since they’ll make us ripen super quickly...unless you’re in a hurry to enjoy us.

We like to get “hosed,” stored in old pantyhose that is...pop us in and tie a string between each of us. Stash us in a place that’s cool and dark, and the airflow’ll keep us nice and dry until it’s time to eat.

FUN MYTH:

Green potatoes will give for the present solanine

Apples, melons, citrus, pears, mangoes, pomegranates, persimmons

Ripening fruit

Green Onions

Countertop fruit

Herbs

Onions

STORING YOUR FRUITS,

The Produce section is a beautiful display of nature’s bounty, but how do you take care of your precious goodies once you get them home? Spoiled food is a waste of money and energy, so here are a few basics to keep your fruits, veggies, herbs and shrooms looking and tasting good a while longer. Special thanks to our Produce Team for sharing their knowledge, and also check out these tips from the experts themselves!

Stash us in a brown paper bag with a paper towel, for plenty of airflow and minimal moisture. We can only stay about five days, and then give us a bath and cook us up.

Mushrooms

Berries

When you get home, compost any squishies and then give us a home with nice airflow and a piece of paper towel to soak up any excess moisture. We like the fridge shelves, and don’t give us a bath until you’re ready to enjoy us!”

Trim our greens, so our roots will stay fresher longer. We like the coolest part of the fridge, with an airtight container with wall-to-wall paper towel carpeting. Don’t wash us ‘til it’s time to eat.

you food poisoning or be lethal — you would have to consume around 5lbs+ in one sitting to be toxic enough to make you sick and 10-20lb+ to potentially be lethal.

BriarPatch

Chances are you’ve had sushi before, but what about the other glorious ways to enjoy fresh, flavorful, raw fish? Ceviche, poke, tiradito and kaisendon are all great ways to enjoy the unrivaled taste and texture of high-quality fillets.

Delicious dishes start with the freshest fish possible, and storing it carefully for just a day or two, max. Here are some great tips from Ryan Dodge, the meat and seafood manager from our Auburn store:

Whole Fish — Look for clear eyes and a clean fresh smell, shiny flesh. Dry or cracked skin is no bueno! Sunken eyes are also bad.

Fillets — Flesh should be firm and appear moist. The coloring should be even with no darkening. Edges should not appear dry if fresh. There should NOT be a strong fishy or ammonia smell, which would indicate deterioration.

Storage — Always store fish with a bag of ice on top when leaving the store. (Ask any clerk and we’ll provide this.) Max storage time in fridge should only be two days.

Poke — Poke evolved from a snack enjoyed by fishermen while they were still at sea processing their catch. “Leftover” bits of raw fish were traditionally mixed with spices, seaweed flakes and other easily available ingredients for a tasty, protein-packed meal. They were on to something, since these days you’ll see prepared poke available in many places just waiting for you to enjoy, including BriarPatch! Here’s a great recipe to get you started on your poke journey.

“I only buy fish the day I’m going to cook it.” – Ryan

Dive Into the World of Raw Fish

Easy Peasy Poke

Makes 3 servings

1 ahi tuna steak, about ¾ lb

2 Tbsp tamari

2 tsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp chili oil

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 avocado

1 medium cucumber, sliced thin

1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

¼ cup microgreens

3 cups cooked sushi rice

Cut tuna into 1-inch pieces. In mediumsized bowl, stir together tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil and chili oil. Marinate tuna in poke sauce in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cut avocado in slices right before serving. Divide warm sushi rice in three bowls. Divide marinated tuna on top of rice among the bowls. Place cucumbers, carrots and avocados in small decorative sections in bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and microgreens.

Ceviche

4 servings

Peru’s national dish, and a popular meal in many other Latin and South American countries, ceviche traditionally uses small cubes of white fish like sea bass. Other variations feature shrimp, scallops, red snapper, halibut or mahimahi. The flavorful brine features citrus juice, which mingles with the fish and effectively “cooks” it in the acid. This brine — leche de tigre — is a legend in its own right and is often tossed back with a shot of Pisco, or as hair of the dog. This recipe is a Mexican variation of the dish. 1 lb fresh raw fish or shrimp, diced into ½” cubes

Juice of 4-6 limes (about ¾ cup)

1-2 garlic cloves, through a garlic press

1 – 1 ½ tsp salt (start with smaller amount and adjust to taste)

¼ tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

½ red onion, thinly sliced with the grain

1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, de-seeded/deveined and very finely chopped

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¾ cup cooked sweet corn kernels

Optional: ½ lb calamari rings

Optional: corn chips or toasted tortillas, for serving

Add sliced red onion to a bowl with lime juice, salt/pepper and toss to coat well. Add fish, (and calamari, if using) fresh chile and garlic. Mix gently. Add cilantro, corn and olive oil. Stir to combine and marinate in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.

Remove from refrigerator and adjust salt and heat. Serve with chips or toasted tortillas (tostadas).

Tiradito

4 servings

Tiradito, also from Peru, is thinly-sliced fish (like sashimi) that’s topped with sauce just before serving, offering much more of a contrast between fish and the other ingredients than with ceviche. Peruvians of Japanese descent created this dish in response to the cultural need for sashimi-style dishes. This recipe is adapted from a traditional Peruvian one that calls for ingredients that are harder to source outside of Peru.

1 lb fish, thinly sliced ***

1 large sweet potato

1 ear sweet corn, or about ¾ cup kernels

Juice of 7-8 limes

1-2 Tbsp lemongrass turmeric paste (we like Mekhala)

2 cloves garlic

1 handful fresh cilantro (stems/leaves ok)

1 small habañero pepper, very thinly sliced Salt/pepper to taste

Peel and cut sweet potato into ½" rounds. Boil 8-10 minutes until soft and set aside.

Boil sweet corn for 3-5 minutes, remove from heat and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Remove kernels from cob as needed.

In a blender, combine lime juice, lemongrass/turmeric paste, garlic and cilantro until very smooth. Add salt/ pepper to taste.

Arrange thinly sliced raw fish (or veggie alternative) and pour the sauce on top. Arrange sliced sweet potato and corn kernels alongside fish. Add sliced habañero to taste.

Serve immediately.

***Substitute sliced hearts of palm for the fish for a veggie alternative.

Find more raw fish recipes in our digital edition.

What Do You Do with THAT?

Next time you swing by the display of protein-filled possibilities at the Meat and Seafood counter, maybe it’s time to think outside the display case. You’ve probably been to restaurants that have “secret menu” items, and now here’s your chance to go beyond the standard selection and ask the butchers to bring out the best of what they have to offer for your foray into tail-to-snout cooking. Here’s a simple guide to help get you started...

Offal — it’s actually quite delicious! Otherwise known as the organ meats in general terms, they’re packed with nutrients. On the more ubiquitous side you have chicken liver paté, or you could certainly venture out to the tasty and more exotic menudo soup with tripe (lining of the stomach). Feeling plucky? Try your hand at haggis, made with pluck, minced sheep liver heart and lungs, stuffed inside of a sheep’s stomach (with veggies and seasoning, of course!).

Rocky Mountain Oysters — Montana Tendergroin, Cowboy Caviar, Swingin’ Beef, whatever you call it, calf testicles are delicacies in the West. Montana holds (you guessed it — rowdy) testicle festivals every year and in some cultures eating them is said to promote virility. A simple dredge and deep-fry does the trick.

Hearts — Chicken or duck hearts taste a lot like the dark meat from other parts of the bird, but with a slightly gamey and metallic flavor that’s noticeable but not overpowering. They’re bitesized, with a pleasantly chewy texture, and lend themselves to all kinds of seasonings and marinades. Try them grilled, deviled or cooked confit-style.

Salmon Collars — Thanks to Japanese chefs, these are now more widely used in American cuisine (formerly eaten by fishermen). They are the collarbone and rich belly meat, cut just behind the gills, and are wonderful brushed with oil and grilled and then served with ponzu sauce. Brine them in brown sugar and salt for a few hours, then broil with a bit of fresh garlic and oil for 8 minutes. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and they’re ready to enjoy!

— We love menudo. The band and the soup. It’s made with tripe, hominy, fresh herbs and a pepper-based soup. Kitchen dance as you make it.

Chicken Feet — Popular across many cuisines around the world — from Mexico (“patitas”) to Indonesia (“ceker”) to South Africa (“walkie talkies”), chicken feet are loaded with collagen and considered great for the immune system due to their high mineral content. They are prepared in myriad ways, as deep-fried snacks, in soups or pickled in aspic.

Chicken Hearts

Makes 4 servings

Chicken hearts are tasty, quick-cooking and milder in flavor compared to beef heart. This is a basic recipe you can vary with extra herbs, spices, onions and mushrooms. Don’t overcook them, as that makes them tough. They should be just tender and a bit chewy.

1 lb chicken hearts

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp dried thyme

2 Tbsp finely sliced green onion, for garnish

Optional: 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, for garnish

In a small bowl, combine all salt/ pepper/spices. In a large bowl, toss chicken hearts with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle spice mix over hearts and toss again.

Heat a large frying pan over mediumhigh heat for 3 minutes. Add seasoned chicken hearts and cook, stirring often until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes and lowering the heat if the pan becomes too hot.

Divide hearts between four plates. Top with pan juices and garnishes before serving.

Chicken Liver Bacon Pâté

Makes about 2 cups

This is a great recipe for getting people to try chicken liver, thanks to its new best friend, bacon!

1 lb chicken livers, rinsed/dried and connective tissues removed

½ lb bacon

4-5 garlic cloves

2 ¼ tsp dried rosemary

2 ¼ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp salt

⅓ cup bacon grease/butter

2 tsp non-alcoholic whiskey (we like Ritual Whiskey Alternative)

Herbs for garnish

Cook bacon until crisp, pour bacon grease into a measuring cup.

Sauté garlic for a few minutes over medium heat in the same pan (with a little bacon grease still in there).

Add chicken livers, rosemary and thyme. Cook until livers are no longer pink in the center. Remove all from pan to cool. Add enough butter to measuring cup with bacon grease to equal ⅓ cup.

Add ⅓ cup fat, salt, bacon and liver mixture to a food processor, reserving some of the bacon for garnish (optional). Process until it forms a paste, then add the non-alcoholic whiskey and process again to incorporate. Transfer to a bowl, garnish and serve immediately with crackers, crostini or veggies.

If not serving right away, store pâté in fridge and let warm to room temperature before serving.

More than a Store.

BriarPatch is a neighborly kind of grocery store, serving up high-quality healthy foods and natural products to the people who live, work and play in the watersheds of the Yuba, Bear, American and Sacramento Rivers.

Since 1976, we’ve promoted a resilient and sustainable local economy by supporting businesses, organizations and brands that are committed to a healthy, equitable world.

As a co-op, we take things like food, social and environmental justice seriously. But we also know how to have fun! By modeling community-mindedness and our cooperative principles, we hope to inspire you and your friends to do the same.

Nevada Memorial Hospital has been recognized

as a Top Rural Hospital—the only facility in California to earn such an honor. This distinction by the nation’s leading safety reviewer is a reflection of our team’s commitment to deliver exceptional clinical care. And while awards like this are gratifying, they don’t tell the whole story: one that’s built on compassionate listening and a steadfast belief in the healing power of humankindness. Learn more about us at DignityHealth.org/SierraNevada.

Protect yourself from rising PG&E rates and power outages with solar power, battery backup, and generators.

SOLAR POWER

Lower your energy bills

Protect your home from power outages

Reduce your environmental impact

BATTERY BACKUP

Maintain power when PG&E is down

Store power for times without sunlight

Gain independence from the grid

HOME GENERATOR

Reliable backup power for your home

Charge your battery during periods without sunlight

Keep the essentials running during power outages

GAIN INDEPENDENCE FROM

IN A HURRY?

WE DO GRAB N’ GO!

Every day in our “Grab & Go” section, we offer delicious meals — soups to entrées — fresh from our kitchen, packaged and ready to enjoy!