Last Day!

So today's the last day of the Eat Local Challenge. You did it! Are there any meals that you planned to have as your last local meal? Or a favorite that you're going to bring back? Let us know! Also, has this challenge now changed the way you eat?

Home Stretch

So it's the home stretch of the Eat Local Challenge and I must say that I am a little sad. This challenge has really opened my eyes as to where my food is coming from and the abundance of local products that we offer at the co-op. The only item I truly missed was Ranch dressing, but I really shouldn't be eating that anyway! I hope everyone has enjoyed their challenge, whether they were able to stick to it or not and I hope to see you at the picnic!

RSVP today!

Don't forget that all participants of the picnic are invited to join us for our Participant Picnic on July 19th at 5pm. Friends and Family are Welcome! Email april (at) tidalcreek.coop to reserve your spot today!

Eat Local Challenge Approved!

Today our Tidal Creek deli has prepared a special dish for our Eat Local participants! Barbecue Chicken wings with a side of Orange Poppy Cole Slaw prepared with local ingredients. The perfect Summer local dish!

Sample Menu

Provided by Chef Michelle from the Tidal Creek Co-op deli

Just click on the Menu to make larger

Day 3

It's Day 3 of my Eat Local Challenge and I'm extremely positive! My belly is full and my wallet is happy! The past few days I have found myself actually grazing off of the items in my fridge instead of stopping on my way home from work to get take out! I also was lucky enough to find myself at the Farmer's Market this past weekend and I loaded up on green tomatoes!

The recipe is simple! I use flour and oil from my pantry reserve and local eggs. You slice the tomatoes. bread with flour, then egg, then back to flour and fry them up in a little under half an inch of hot oil! You can use a little corn meal or bread crumbs in the flour if you have it. Delish!!

~April

Local Food Shed

Tonight at Tidal Creek Co-op, upstairs in the Conference Room Suite 204, there is a FREE lecture discussing our local food shed. The class starts at 6pm and is being presented by our very own Local Hero Trace Ramsey. Everyone is welcome! We hope you can make it!

Fresh Tomatoes!

In our Eat Local Challenge brochure, we listed many sources and hot new spots for buying locally grown and prepared foods. (for a copy of this brochure, email april@tidalcreek.coop)

Today we received some up to the minute news on one of our favorite buying spots!

Mack Fleming at 52nd Street City Farm harvested 20 pounds of tomatoes this morning! These tomatoes are fresh off the vine and ready to be eaten! He also harvested 12 pounds of heirloom tomatoes! Visit Mack and his pounds of tomatoes at 5203 Oleander Drive behind Everything Peaceful.

One of our favorite recipes for heirloom tomatoes is the Heirloom Strata dish courtesy of Natural Health Magazine.

Just-Warmed Heirloom Tomato Strata

with Smoked Mozzarella, Basil, and Arugula [SERVES 6]

 6  medium-sized heirloom tomatoes

    salt and freshly ground

    black pepper to taste

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

  1 medium shallot, finely minced

  1 cup finely chopped green or purple basil

  1 tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  8 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into12 thin slices

  6 ounces or 1 large bunch arugula

1. Preheat oven to 375[degrees] F.

 2. Wash the tomatoes. If a tomato lacks a flat base, cut a
bit off the bottom so it can rest flat. Turn each tomato onto
its side, and cut it thickly on the horizontal into a base, middle,
and top slice, leaving the stem in place to preserve the beauty of
the whole fruit. Lightly season tomato slices with salt
and black pepper.

 3. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, basil, sugar, and
olive oil to make a vinaigrette.

 4. In a shallow baking dish, arrange the base slices of the 6 tomatoes;
layer each with a slice of cheese, then drizzle with 1 teaspoon
vinaigrette. Repeat with the middle slices, "capping" each strata
with a top slice and attached stem. Warm in the oven for about 10 minutes.

 5. Place the arugula in a medium bowl, lightly season with salt and pepper,
and add just enough vinaigrette to moisten, reserving the rest.

 6. Divide the arugula among 6 plates, or arrange on a large serving platter.
 Using a spatula, carefully remove the stratas and arrange them on top of the
arugula. Drizzle lightly with reserved vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Looking for more ways to prepare Mack's tomatoes? Click here for recipes!

Recipes, Recipes, and More Recipes!

In doing research today for the upcoming challenge, I ran across Local Harvest.
On their webpage, they have a specific page for our local farmer's markets. Their homepage actually allows you to search for farmer's markets according to your zip code! On the page for the Riverfront Farmer's Market there is a list of all the produce you might be able find in season at the market. And for each item there is an icon you can click for a recipe!
This local challenge might be easier than I first thought!

Recipes are at the bottom of this page!

Last Week

This is the last week we are accepting sign ups for the Eat Local Challenge, so be sure to sign up today!
Paper Sign ups can be found at any register OR
Follow this link to sign up online:ONLINE

Sign Up Now

Sign up now for the Eat Local Challenge '08. Pledge to eat a % of locally grown or produced foods from June 15th- July15th.
Paper copy sign ups can be found at our store at any register. Or sign up Online Now! Take two minutes and follow the link below!

ONLINE SIGN UP

Share Your Story

Now that you've joined the challenge, you can share your story! Become an author of this blog! Interested folks can email april@tidalcreek.coop to join. Sharing recipes, frustrations, excitements about the challenge and local eating is just another way that this Challenge can build Community!

Interested in being an author?
Email april@tidalcreek.coop

Early Sign Ups

The challenge will begin June 15th and last a month until July 15th. More and more info will continue to come out BUT if you think you're ready to join the challenge, online signups have begun!

Online Sign-up

More details to come! Check out Tidal Creek's webpage and this blog for more updates!