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A Note from Peter, the Creamery's Fishmonger
Dear Hilltown Fish Lovers,
Now that the crazy business of summer is on the wane, I want to draw attention to  our twice-a-week fish list. In the past few weeks fish orders have fallen off. I suppose everyone is out catching brook trout or fly fishing on the Westfield River so they don't need to order fish from the Creamery. Let me just say that I really enjoy putting our lists together, making sure we offer all kinds of sustainably harvested or raised seafood. I speak with the fish department at Black River Produce at least three times a week to find the freshest and most delicious seafood offerings. Go to the website (click here), or better yet come on down to the store and see what we've got this week. If what you want is not on the list, I can most likely get it. Just ask!
Thank you,
Peter
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Cheese of the Week!
This Saturday's sampling cheese is Fontina Val d'Aosta DOP, a raw cow's milk cheese from Northern Italy. This centuries-old cheese is named for the village of  Fontinaz and Mont Fontin in the northern Italian region of Val d'Aosta. A semi-firm cheese that is aged three months, Fontina tastes of alpine grasses with a hint of nuttiness. Fontina is a rich, buttery cheese that finishes like truffles. It's excellent for fondues or au gratin dishes.
Come in this Saturday and taste this incredible cheese. Remember we'll take 10% off the price during the sampling. Hope to see you!
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Things Go Better with DDT?
 Here's one we just had to pass on to you. Collector's Weekly website has compiled a list of what author Hunter Oatman-Stanford calls "What Were We Thinking? The Top 10 Most Dangerous Ads." These aren't from some murky, nineteenth-century past. Indeed, the cheery DDT graphic seen here is from a magazine ad published during the lifetimes of many readers of this newsletter, that is, 1947. Click here to see all ten ads (when we were babies, did our moms really mix our milk with 7-Up?). We might want to keep these ads in mind while we consider the messages in the advertising onslaught we're bombarded with today. (Did we hear someone say, "Mmm, mmm, good: I love my GMOs"?)
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Alice's Recipe: Honey Glazed Turnips
Without even trying, my food tastes change with the weather, with the seasons. A couple of weeks ago, I was residing in summer, settled in, at home. The tomatoes and basil, the corn, the peppers and eggplant were familiar friends. Now as I enjoy those "high summer" treats, I feel as if I'm visiting that taste terrain. I'm standing at the shoreline between summer and autumn, and my tastes are migrating to the cooler weather foods. My first impulse is to build a meal around root vegetables and grains, with smaller bits of the hot weather delicacies as accompaniments.
Today's tastes have turned to turnips! Last week, Amy and I were given a cherished jar of Cummington Fair award-winning honey (congratulations and thanks, Keith and Alice!). Its amber beauty is a joy to look at, but it is calling out to us to be tasted and appreciated. Although our garden turnips will be more flavorful in a few more weeks, Amy noticed that a few really needed to be harvested. So for lunch today we'll have two of Amy's favorite side dishes, Honey Glazed Turnips and some quickly sautéed swiss chard. We'll fix a plate with sliced tomatoes, salt, and balsamic vinegar. I'll also sauté a freshly picked leek and some treasured, local king stropharia mushrooms (available at the Creamery, thanks to our mushroom-growing buddy, Sy) in butter and olive oil, add a bit of cream scooped from the top of our local raw milk (from Taproot Commons Farm), and simmer until slightly thickened. I'll make some fresh pasta, pour on the mushroom cream sauce, and top it with some parmigiano reggiano and salt. We had this for supper several nights ago and swooned with delight. Another local feast!
(Click here for a link to the recipe.) |
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Getting the Hilltowns Connected
Don't forget to show your support for WiredWest Communications Cooperative Corporation's efforts to bring a broadband network to the underserved communities of western Massachusetts. WiredWest is a municipal cooperative of towns working with state and local organizations to build a financially sustainable, state-of-the-art fiber-optic network of superior yet affordable high-speed Internet, phone, video, and more to serve everyone, a network that will drive regional economic development, create jobs, improve education and health care, and provide a sustainable future for our communities.
You can show your support for WiredWest by visiting WiredWest.net and completing the online support form or by picking up a card at the Old Creamery or the Cummington Community House and mailing it.
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Following is one of a series of weekly articles in recognition of the United Nations' International Year of Cooperatives.
Getting Great Food: Grocery Co-ops
Co-ops like the Old Creamery are locally owned grocery stores--with a delicious difference. What sets them apart?
Co-ops work hand-in-hand with local farms and food producers to bring you and your family fresh, local food. You don't have to wait until farmers market day to stock up on seasonal specialties--they're at the co-op every day!
Co-ops help build healthy communities. By shopping at the co-op, you become part of a community that supports sustainable production methods, healthy and delicious foods, and the growth of your local economy. (To read more, click here.)
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Help Wanted!
The Old Creamery is looking for Part-time Deli Staff: must be able to work hard and have fun; and must be good with people and food. Talk with Alice or Toni for more information, at the store or by calling 413-634-5560.
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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 expanding listing for Sarah Stockwell-Arthen's Saturday workshop on Traditional Pickling; or click here to see the expanded listing for the September 14 "Taste the View" dinner and auction to benefit CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture).
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!
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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.
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Many items are on sale every week at the Creamery. Look for the brightly colored shelf tags. These items are 15%-45% off regular prices. Click here for a list of all the items that have recently gone on sale. In addition to the items on the list, there are always dozens of additional items on sale. Enjoy the savings!
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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.
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Kimberly, Hattie, Michael, Susi, Sylvia, Patty, & Deborah, your Old Creamery Co-op Board of Directors; and Alice & Amy, proprietors |
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445 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, Massachusetts 01026
413.634.5560
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