2012 5lextalk winter

News from the Lexington Cooperative Market • Winter 2012

LexTalk

Co-op Trivia Game was a BIG HIT at the Annual Meeting! Page 3

{taste THE season}

S

haring is the real message of this season. Making food for family and friends; thinking of the perfect gift; sending warm coats to the shelters, opening our homes for visitors. It can seem daunting and yet...at some point, it’s here and we have to just go with the flow! That most often means eating with others. There is more behind the simple sharing of meals than any expensive gift or fancy meal. Most people don’t even care, we just all like to be together. Enjoy that togetherness, that’s what we all remember.

handmade pies / spiral hams / cakes & cookies / fresh turkeys Thanksgiving Tasting

Saturday November 17, 11am-2pm Try our delicious all natural turkey, sides, pies and treats!

Holiday Open House Owners, pick your day for shopping with a 10% discount. December 13, 14 or 15th!

Details coming to your mail box!

CO-OP EXPANSION VISION 2015

After 18 months of study, reflection and engagement with owners, in April 2012, the Board of Directors finalized its vision for the Co-op’s future…

Our Goal is to Double the Co-op’s Impact by 2015.

• More Access to healthy

local foods • More Knowledge about consumer issues and co-ops • More Local farmers, owners, food jobs and community • More Sustainable food practices and infrastructure • More Space to shop and work in

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jennifer Nalbone, Marty Knauss, Hope Hoetzer- Cook, Derek Bateman, Alison Wilcox- Lanfear, Caitlin Merna, Patrick Finan, Matthew Caldiero, Roy Cunningham For questions please email board@lexington.coop

BOARD MEETING DATES DECEMBER 3RD JANUARY 7TH

Give thanks for all that we have to be grateful for Appreciation not only makes us feel good, it motivates us to make a better co-op for our community, and we thank you for it.

Happy Holidays! We love the holidays because we get to feed so many people so much good food. At this time of year, I always like to pause and give thanks for all that I have to be grateful for. In my position at the Co-op especially, I could fill a book. Here is a highly abridged version.

I am thankful for all of the appreciation that we receive from you our owners every day. On the Co-op stairwell, we have a sheet of paper where our staff can write down I am thankful for the hard work of “great things overheard in the store”. our staff, which put forward their I love it. Every day as I arrive for best effort every day to create a great work I get something new to smile co-op for our community. They bring about: “the annual meeting always their passion, skill, their work and Tim Bartlett re-ups my enthusiasm for an organiza- General Manager their fun to this co-op each and every tion I already love,” “I never get a bad day to make it an organization that I cashier at the Co-op,” or my favorite “I love, love am proud to be a part of. Thanks to their LOVE this place!” This appreciation not only hard work and your patronage, we are thrilled makes us feel good, it motivates us to make a to be able to distribute $25,000 in dividends better co-op for our community, and we back into the community this year. thank you for it.

I am thankful for the generosity of our ownI am thankful for all the owners who participate in the governance of your co-op. Nearly 10% of active owners voted this year, and passed a new set of bylaws that will allow us to grow together. We had 150 owners who came to the Annual Meeting, played Coopardy and learned about our BIG Direction for the future. Our co-op is a consumer-run democracy, and that only means something when we educate ourselves and participate in selecting the co-op’s leaders.

I am thankful for all of the owners who sustain this co-op and make it so vibrant.

Every day more than 1,300 people come through the Co-op’s doors and use it to put food on your tables. We are honored to see so many smiling faces every day and to have the opportunity to know you better and meet your needs.

A Home-like Environment Where Children Learn Through Play

E A R LY C H I L D H O O D C E N T E R

Offering LifeWays Programs For ages 1½ to 5 years old Full and Half days • Year round Enrolling Now! 81 816-0078 816 816www.therosegarden.us 257 Lafayette Avenue • Buffalo 2

I am thankful for all of our farmer and producer partners who bring us good food.

In Western New York we are blessed with some of the world’s best soils, and also with skilled farmers who work the land. Our co-op would not be the same without the strawberries and vegetables of Tony Weiss, the apples of Dan Tower, the grass fed beef of Tim & Rachel Grant, etc etc etc, and we are grateful every day for their stewardship of the soil.

ers, who this fall donated $2,200 to the Oles family whose barn burned down, and last year donated more than $7,600 in dividends to the Food Bank of WNY. Thank you to all of you who make this community Co-op what it is and what it will become. You prove that we are truly stronger together.

We have an exciting holiday season planned for you, with fresh turkeys, spiral hams, clementines, owner appreciation days, pies, and more, more, more. We hope that your holiday plans include time with loved ones sharing good food. Whatever traditions you keep, please pause this year and take a moment to be thankful for all that we have.

– Tim Bartlett, General Manager

A Member-Owned Cooperative Garden Center

Unique holiday gifts for that special gardener on your list! … at your year-round garden center 428 Rhode Island St. Buffalo, NY Tel: 716.362.8982 www.urbanroots.org

ELECTION RESULTS

Annual Meeting 2012

Bylaws changes PASSED with

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Annual Meeting for owners on October 24!

97.5% of your vote!

Thank you! The changes allow for us to continue to grow together.

New Board Members Jennifer Nalbone Alison Wilcox-Lanfear Matthew Caldiero

Thank you to all of the candidates who volunteered to serve our Co-op!

4th Year Patronage Dividends Returned!

At the Annual Meeting we played a Co-op trivia game, a few of the questions are below, enjoy!

How many pounds of Equal Exchange coffee support one coffee growing family for one year?

What is the ‘Food Shuttle’?

A. Our pet name for the co-op grocery carts.

B. A food donation system that picks up unsellable food from stores to be donated.

C. Vehicles that use watermelons as wheels Answer: B - The Food Shuttle program is a Western New York wide program that collects unsellable foods from various grocery stores, including our co-op. It goes to food pantries around the city, and prevents good food from being wasted.

A. 101

B. 56

C. 32

$25,732 is being returned to owners in this year’s patronage dividend distribution

Answer: C - 32 pounds of coffee!

How many pounds of Equal Exchange coffee do we buy as a Co-op each month?

A. 380

B. 1485

Patronage dividend checks are out, so please redeem! It’s good for you and the co-op when dividends are redeemed, as the co-op pays taxes on all unclaimed dividends.

To Redeem: You can have the check applied toward your grocery bill, receive cash, or donate it to the Food Bank of WNY.

C. 10,000

Answer: B- 1485 pounds per month, which means that over the course of last year, we supported 17,820 coffee growing families by buying Equal Exchange coffee at the Co-op!

2.1% in profits were generated by our Co-op

this year thanks to the strong patronage of our owners and the hard work of our staff.

$7,696 were donated to the Food Bank last year by Co-op owners. Your generosity helped to purchase over 46,000 pounds of food for the hungry!

Energy Co-op

Goldfard

“I am thankful for the generosity of our owners, who this fall donated $2,200 to the Oles family whose barn burned down, and last year donated more than in dividends the Food Bank of WNY. “ – Tim Bartlett, General Manager GOL783-Coop Newsletter Ad:Layout 1 $7,600 11/15/10 4:43 PM toPage 111562-bc_Layout 1 9/27/11 9:10 AM Page 8

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Values-based financial planning and socially responsible investing for individuals, families and businesses.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC

Energy Cooperative of America, Inc.

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DINNER TIME

Spiral Hams, raised with care 100% free of

nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, preservatives and artificial ingredients. Delicious and easy to serve!

Fresh, never frozen turkeys available for your

holiday dinners. Our selection of turkeys are raised without antibiotics, preservatives, nitrates or hormones and have never been frozen, ensuring the best tasting, most tender bird for your holiday!

Let Lexi's Kitchen add to your sides this year

SIDES RULE! GREEN BEANS Try Fennel and Green Beans with Orange & Almonds this year! Toss 1 lb trimmed green beans with 1 T olive oil. Separately, toss 2 large fennel, cut into wedges with 1T oil, season with salt & pepper. Roast fennel at 425° 15 min, then flip fennel and add green beans. Roast until beans are crisp-tender, 12-15 min. Serve drizzled with 3 T orange juice, top with 1/4 cup sliced almonds, orange zest, and fennel fronds.

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• Stuffings to fill you with goodness!

Cornbread Stuffing Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing Awesome Vegan Stuffing

POTATOES In some families- it’s a fight to make the mashed potatoes ....everyone thinks they do a better job! This year, add some spice to the tradition with a pinch of chipotle, or switch to scalloped potatoes with herbs.

SQUAS

Glaze your squash th year with Maple syru and Garam Masala... forget the butter. Or strongertogether.com of inspiring squash re

There's always room for pie Better prices Excellent ingredients Handmade crust!

Perfect Pumpkin Scrumptious Local Dutch Apple Rich Pecan Very Berry Vegan choices available.

• Cranberry Relish- Lexi’s famous fresh, raw

cranberry relish with a bit of zip from citrus.

• Natural Turkey Gravy made from all natural turkeys - perfect to have on hand!

• Savory Mushroom Gravy (vegan) a delicious version that surprises all palates!

SH

his up, .don’t look on m for lots ecipes!

• Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta • Creamy Mashed Potatoes • Vegan Mashers we take the classic and make it without the butter.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS Roasted, pan seared, or topped with a sauce, these baby cabbages are sometimes the lonely green on the table. This year, Lexi’s Kitchen is roasting them with Pancetta bacon and gala apples. YUM!

Available in servings for 4-6.

Call Lexi's Kitchen to order, 886-2667

CRANBERRIES Try ROASTING 1 lb cranberries with 1 1/4 c sugar, 3 tbs oil, 2T mixed fresh herbs and 1/2 tsp salt. Roast for 15 min at 425°. Bring 1/4 c red wine to boil, then stir into cranberries.

Roast cranberries again until they bubble and shrivel, 10-15 min. Cool down, add HERBED CANDIED WALNUTS: In saucepan on med heat, stir 3T sugar, 3T wine until syrupy.

Stir in 3/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 tsp ea of fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. Roast on baking sheet: 425° for 8-10 min. Cool and add to cranberry mixture.

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Dinner with Friends

Many of you raved about Lexi’s scrumptious meal for our Annual Meeting in October. We’re excited to provide you with recipes to make the entrees at home. We hope you love them!

Chicken Marbella 2 chickens, 2 ½ lbs each, quartered ½ head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed 2 T dried oregano Course salt & ground pepper, to taste ¼ cup red wine vinegar ¼ cup olive oil

Mushroom Lentil Pie ½ cup pitted prunes ¼ cup pitted green olives ¼ cup capers with a bit of juice 3 bay leaves ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white wine ½ cup Italian parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper, salt, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 3. Arrange chickens in a single layer in a large, shallow baking pan and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done with thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonful’s of pan juice and sprinkle with parsley. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

6. To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If it has been refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature. Spoon some of the reserved juice over chicken.

Roxanne

8 large/10 medium potatoes 2 tbsp Earth Balance spread ½ cup soy creamer Salt to taste 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 oz button mushrooms

1. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water.

Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl.

2. Stir the Earth Balance into the potatoes until melted, then add the soy milk and mash until fluffy. Cover and set aside. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet.

Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

4. Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the optional wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, thyme, and pepper. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.

5. Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

6. Lightly oil a 2-quart (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Pour in the lentil mixture, then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide each mixture evenly between them.

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty Let stand 5-10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

Hunt Reality

Ginny and the Angels

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3½ cups cooked lentils (with a little of their cooking liquid) 2 tbsp dry red wine, optional 1-2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons seasoning blend (such as Herbamare or Mrs. Dash) ½ tsp dried thyme Freshly ground pepper to taste

Holiday Traditions are the Best!

Donuts are a treat...

These deep-fried Israeli delicacies symbolize the miracle of the burning oil lamps in the ancient Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Plump up each fried dough ball with your favorite fruit jam. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar.

•2 tablespoons active dry yeast •1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 °) •1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, extra for rolling •2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, extra for dusting •2 large eggs •2 T unsalted butter, room temperature •1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg •2 tsp salt •3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for bowl •1 cup seedless raspberry jam 1.In a small bowl, combine yeast, water, and 1 tsp sugar.

Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.

2. Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms.

3. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked, about 8 minutes (add more flour if necessary).

It’s a Nog - A - thon!

Byrne Dairy Egg Nog

Organic Valley Eggnog

Stats: Traditional dairy eggnog, local

This year we’ll have several varieties of nog - traditional dairy egg nogs, and several dairy free varieties as well. Here’s a rundown of what the products have to offer. Look for them in the refrigerated drink case at the Earth Balance Soy Nog front of the store!

Stats: Non-Dairy (soy), organic!

Rafella Marcantonio- Natural Health

4.Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 -1 1/2 hours.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 min.

6. In med saucepan over med heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370°. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.

Roll in sugar while warm. Repeat with each dough round.

7. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut.

Repeat with all doughnuts.

Stats: Traditional dairy eggnog, organic, winner of national taste tests!

So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog Stats: Non-Dairy (coconut), rich flavor, hint of coconut

Silk Soymilk Nog Stats: Non-Dairy (soy), organic!

Credit Union

Lexington Co-operative Market members are eligible to join the Buffalo Co-operative Federal Credit Union. Borrow from us for purchasing a car, making home repairs, or paying off high interestbearing credit cards. ...You'll be directly supporting Buffalo's economy!

Visit our website at www.coopcreditunion.com for more information and to download a loan application.

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Make the Best Holiday Cheese Board CHEVRES & SOFT CHEESES

Lively Run Chevre-any flavor, they’re all great! local!

First Light Farm & Creamery local!

Double Cream (Goat and Cow’s Milk Chevre) Cypress Grove of CA • Midnight Moon • Purple Haze • Humbolt Fog The Creamiest • Belletoile Brie • Champignon Brie • Buttermilk Blue

SEMI to HARD CHEESES

Pair your cheese with Ines Rosales flatbreads, aged salami or dried fruit from our bulk section!

God's Country Creamery raw cow's milk and local with cool names!

• Heavenly Havarti • Gridly Gruyere French Comte Spanish Manchego Italian Piave Raspberry Ale Sartori Bella Vitano from Wisconsin

Holiday Owner Appreciation Days

December 13-15

Join us - pick your day for a one time 10% off shopping trip!

On Saturday stop by for roasted chestnuts, hot cocoa & carol with friends at 12 noon!

Want to keep getting Edible Buffalo Magazine?

Wow, how fast a year went by! We’re glad to have been able to gift you with local food knowledge and fun in 2012, now you get to choose if you’d like to continue to support them: Edible Buffalo is offering a special online version and rates only to Co-op owners through December 24th, 2012!

Online subscription - 5 issues for just $6/year (regularly $12/yr) or print subscription- 5 issues for just $16/year (regularly $32/yr) * The online version has great benefits like hyperlinks that connect you to all the articles, plus additional content and multi-media components (video, audio)!

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To order, go to www.ediblebuffalo.com - happy reading!