Out and About, with the Co-op

This Labor Day weekend, the Old Creamery Co-op makes a presence at two area events: Co-Cycle in Amherst on Saturday, and the Plainfield Firefighters Barbecue on Sunday!

Saturday's event, Co-Cycle, is a picnic-style lunch and outdoor cooperative expo that will welcome back fourteen cyclists from Hampshire College who set out on a cross-

Camille

country journey from San Francisco to Amherst to celebrate cooperatives and the cooperative movement. The day will feature displays by cooperatives showcasing product and food samples, raffle prizes and giveaways from area co-ops, and sandwiches and salads, courtesy of River Valley Market. The Old Creamery will have a table staffed by volunteers, who will give out Creamery-baked cookies and brownies. Among the raffle prizes will be an African basket from the Creamery. The event takes place at Kendrick Park at the corner of East Pleasant and North Pleasant Streets in Amherst from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cheese of the Week!

This week's sampling cheese, Bodensee Käse, is made with raw cow's milk and is an excellent example of an Alpine cheese. Produced on the Swiss-German border, Bodensee is influenced by the cheese making traditions of both countries. This semi-soft cheese has a smooth creamy texture with butter and cream flavor notes. The flavor is full and rich with a hint of nuttiness. The natural rind is repeatedly washed with annatto, providing a lovely orange color. This cheese is a real treat as it is not often exported.

Thoughts for Food

"Last week Dow Chemical donated $1.2 million to defeat Proposition 37 to label genetically engineered foods, which will appear on the ballot in California this fall," writes the Food Democracy Now! team this week. "At the same time, Dow happens to be petitioning the US Department of Agriculture for the approval of a new genetically engineered soybean that tolerates the extremely toxic chemical herbicide 2,4-D, a major component of the Vietnam War-era defoliant Agent Orange." Food Democracy Now! goes on to cite studies linking the herbicide to a plethora of illnesses and other health issues. You can learn more and sign a petition to the USDA condemning this genetically engineered soybean by clicking here.

Michele Simon has penned an article for Grist that refutes Monsanto's "reasons" for opposing Proposition 37 in California. You can read the article, "Monsanto's 10 most misleading talking points on GMO labeling," by clicking here.

Alice's Recipe: Thai Coconut Soup

This time of year, Amy and I eat very simple foods that bring out the best of the amazing ingredients (freshly harvested produce) that are at our fingertips. This is true Italian peasant food--great, fresh produce, prepared simply with plenty of olive oil (or butter), fresh herbs, and salt, complemented by cheese, crusty bread, and rice or pasta. But sometimes I have a hankering for something jazzier--a bit exotic, perhaps unfamiliar, even exciting! It has to be something quick, nourishing, and comforting. There's one dish that always satisfies, Thai Coconut Soup.

Full of wonderful, crisp vegetables, a comforting stock, and alluring flavors, this easily prepared soup is perfect when our food desires wander from our familiar Mediterranean terrain to the exotic East. Feel free to substitute the vegetables with others that are ready from your garden, farmers market, or CSA share.

(Click here for a link to the recipe.) 

Following is one of a series of weekly articles in recognition of the United Nations' International Year of Cooperatives. 

Help Wanted!

Some other job positions at the Creamery will open up at the end of the summer. It's your chance to be part of the stellar Creamery team and earn some extra moo-la (knock it off, Camille!). If interested, call the Creamery at 413-634-5560.

Part-time Cashier: Must be able to work hard and have fun; must be good with people and numbers. Talk with Alice or Amy for more information.

Part-time Deli Staff: Must be able to work hard and have fun; must be good with people and food. Talk with Alice or Carly for more information.

Time to Check the Calendar 

The Old Creamery's Community Calendar is your place to post, and check for, happenings in the Hilltowns. The Community Calendar can be found on the Old Creamery's website under "News & Events." You can click on any event in the calendar to pop up an expanded information box. For instance, click here to see the expanded listing for the Plainfield Firefighters Barbecue on Sunday, September 2.   

We'd also love to hear from you with any suggestions, compliments, gripes, or other comments about the Old Creamery Co-op's weekly email and website. You can email them to info@oldcreamery.coop. Thank you for your help!

Help us spread the word! Consider encouraging your friends to sign on to receive the Creamery's weekly email newsletter. Better yet, encourage them to become member owners of the co-op. You can forward this email to your friends and relatives, and rest assured, we won't clog their inboxes and we will respect their privacy. We will not disclose your or their email addresses to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time. Thank you for your interest, commitment, and support.  

Your continued patronage supports the Creamery's transition to a community-owned, values-based cooperative. Thank you for supporting the Old Creamery Co-op as a member-owner, as a shopper, as a friend. We value every contribution to the success of the Old Creamery Co-op.

Kimberly, Hattie, Michael, Susi, Sylvia, Patty, & Deborah,     

your Old Creamery Co-op Board of Directors;

and

Alice & Amy, proprietors   

Please pass this message on to your friends  

and encourage them to join our mailing list

Click here if you would like to become a Member-Owner 

    Quick Links

445 Berkshire Trail

Cummington, Massachusetts 01026

413.634.5560