The Week in Locavoria - Sept. 21, 2009
Sustainable agriculture had a great week as we get set to bid adieu to Summer, 2009. The USDA, Eastern Europe, Providence, Rhode Island, NYC, the state of Ohio, the investments sector, and the Heinz Family Foundation all made strides towards helping promote sustainability in agriculture.
Eastern Europe
Desipite grumblings of mega-corporations and a new book predicting the demise of civilization all because of local foods, the organics craze has spread across the world, most recently in Eastern European countries. In a well research but scantily linked article by the AFP, we learn of organic produce storming the countries of Poland, Romania, Hungary, even Transylvania (muahaha!).
USDA - Know your Farmer
At the Chef's Collaborative Summit last week the USDA announced a new program called "Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer". To kick off the program, there's a week long schedule of events. For the Celebrity Chef Day, White House chef Sam Kass will be serving up vittles at the USDA cafeteria. Kass is heading the First Lady's food policy team. Man, I can't believe how the White House is getting behind good foods!
Providence
In Rhode Island there's an unbelievable number of organizations getting together to promote sustainability and healthy foods. If you're anywhere near Providence, be sure to check out the Sustainability Festival Sept. 26. The Providence Farmer's Market also has an innovative Winter Harvest program that should serve as a model for communities everywhere.
NYC
In the Big Apple, they've identified 10,000 acres of unused back yard space ripe for cultivation. An organization called bk farmyards is now offering to farm people's backyards, in a program similar to Sharing Backyards.
Agriculture 2.0
It looks like the investment sector is catching on to the sustainability movement. In the first ever "Agriculture 2.0 Summit", an investment firm called new seeds brought together 150 luminaries from the sustainability movement, investment banking, and big business.
Ohio
In the Buckeye State, the governor declared Sept. 20-26 as Agriculture Week. Goals include broader public awareness and sustainable practices like less pesticides. The state is also promoting sustainability with a special license plate program. Cool idea!
Joel Salatin
The Heinz Family Foundation, who've contributed generously to sustainability for a long time, have just awarded their Heinz Award to Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm. Anybody who's seen Food, Inc. or read the Omnivore's Dilemma will remember Joel as the sustainable farmer who champions the idea of "Beyond Organics", which in the face of "big Organic", I can really get behind.
Recipe of the Week - Skillet-Baked Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza
This unusual pizza with pears, provolone, gorgonzola and walnuts on a home made crust is deceptively delicious. It's particularly satisfying to make with your own crust. This recipe makes two crusts at once: I'm convinced that this is a recipe that just can't be halved. There's something about the way the yeast, honey, water, salt and flour commingle that dictates how much you have to make.
For the crust:
2 cups bread flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup bulghar wheat
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tbs clover honey
In a large measuring cup, mix the water, honey and yeast, and let sit for 10 minutes. Add to the flour and salt and knead and rise, or let your bread machine do that part. After the first rise, you're ready to go! Split the dough in half as this will make two 12" pizzas.
For the topping:
1/2 cup provolone
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup parmeggiano reggiano
1/4 cup gorgonzola
1 pear, thinly sliced
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 475F. Lighly oil a 12" iron skillet and spead the dough along the bottom and a bit up the sides. Lightly brush the dough with olive oil and top with the garlic, then the parm, then the provolone and mozzarella, and finally the pear, gorgonzola and walnuts. Top with a bit of salt and straight into the oven for 13-15 minutes, just until bubbly and brown around the edges. Let stand for four minutes, and serve.
Posted by LocaVori on September 21, 2009 at 2:34 p.m..
