Greetings!
Mid-summer greetings from my summer post here in Camptown PA. My days are filled with working in a busy camp kitchen helping to prepare breakfast and lunch for 180 campers and counselors. The kids have embraced the real food made from scratch and are not complaining of missing the excessive candy, soda and junk food from previous years. Chef Ellen Thomas tells me that her numbers are below last years costs!
Here’s wishes for a happy, healthy and fun filled summer!
Susan 🙂
| Slow Food USA’s New School Food Campaign |
 |
 As a co-leader of Slow Food Westchester, I’m thrilled to be involved with Slow Food USA’s new focus that brings awareness to school food issues. The Time for Lunch campaign has a 3 fold plan. #1 Sign the Petition and pass it on to everyone (and we mean everyone) you know. Here’s the link to the petition: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/ #2 Contact your Legislators Pick up the phone, write a letter, have your kids write letters. This makes a huge impact and can really make a difference! Lobbyists for big food corporations, junk food and agribusiness may have the money, but we have the numbers of dedicated eaters who are now paying attention to what happens in DC. Those folks you elected to congress DO listen when you call. As few as 10 phone calls can change a vote on a key piece of legislation! Here’s the link to learn more about contacting your legislators: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/contact_your_legislators/ #3 Organize an EAT-IN on the National Day of Action, Monday September 7, 2009. An eat-in is a combination pot-luck and a peaceful protest! It’s a great opportunity for you to build community and support around school food issues. Slow Food makes it easy! They’ve got a great toolkit on their site and will offer support to help you set it up. Here’s the link to learn more about the National Day of Action: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/organize_an_eat_in/ |
| Summer Camp Recipe: Ballibay Granola |
|
 I’ve been making this nut free granola for the campers at Ballibay. They love it on top of their yogurt (which is made in our kitchen) or on top of our breakfast porridge (steel cut oats, quinoa and amaranth). It’s easy to make, healthy and delicious. Much better than store bought versions. 2/3 cup maple syrup Whisk the maple syrup, vanilla and oil together. fold in the seeds, coconut and the oats. Continue stirring until everything is slightly moist. Sprinkle with cinnamon and spread onto baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Put sheets into a 350 oven, check every 10 minutes and stir until all of the granola is lightly browned. Let cool, add raisins. Store in airtight containers. |
|
Summer Food Politics
|
 |
| While I’m tucked away at camp, the food revolution continues to brew across the country. The Food Inc movie, more cookie dough and ground beef recalls and the growing concerns around the rising cost of healthcare are causing people to re-think their food choices. Forward thinkers are looking at the big picture: We won’t have healthcare reform without food system reform.
The mayor of San Francisco recently issued a sustainable food mandate. His vision of a food system with good food for all San Franciscans, shorter distances between consumers and producers, protections for worker health and welfare, reduced environmental impacts, and strengthened connections between urban and rural communities will hopefully set the standard for other cities and towns to follow suit. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman says America is on it’s way to being a boiled frog because of creeping threats like climate change. Keep in mind that 1/3 of all greenhouse gases are agricultural in origin. Some good news: The Obama administration announced Monday that it would seek to ban many routine uses of antibiotics in farm animals in hopes of reducing the spread of dangerous bacteria in humans. Considering 70% of all antibiotic use in this country is in livestock, this could put a dent in big drug company profits. |
