2013 All About Food Conference

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Come to the 2013 All About Food Conference and learn about local food, local farmers and food access in Macomb County.

My Food Bucket List

Remember the popular movie, The Bucket List? Everyone caught on to the idea that life is short and why not make a list of all the things you should do in this lifetime. Well I do I think I have one of those lists but my longer list is about food. I started a folder of recipes and foods that I need and want to make in my lifetime and experience while I can still taste!

Actually its not just one folder but several folders in my nice antique 4 drawer file cabinet. I am a magazine ripper outer of pages. I love to save the pictures and the recipes. My first love was baking and so I have saved all of these cake, cookie and pie recipes. When we have dinner parties (did I really just say that – believe me they are very informal) I am usually picked to bring the dessert – because I do really love desserts!

My latest bucket list creation was a Lemon Meringue Pie – I wanted to make if from scratch and Oh, by the way lemons are not local and not part of this story today! Anyway, I had never made fresh lemon meringue pie probably because I am usually a chocolate freak but as I am maturing, I do find myself wanting the tart flavor of lemon rather than chocolate all the time. The lemon custard filling turned out great because fresh lemon is so awesome and the meringue which I was so nervous to make also came out perfect. Now this is where you get to use power tools in the kitchen – I got to use my little kitchen torch to brown the top of the meringue! I do think what is very important is to read the recipe instructions thoroughly before you start, pick a day where you have lots of time and use the best ingredients for MAXIMUM outcomes. I got to take the pie to friends that night and we cut it into four pieces and ate the whole thing – It was a wonderful thing! You can find recipes here: Lemon Meringue Pie.

Another bucket list food project was a Boston Cream Pie – my friends said why not just buy pudding for the filling? I could have but I really did want to learn the technique of making custard from scratch. And OH MY once you have had the real thing I don’t know how you settle for a boxed pudding!

So what is it that you have always been wanting to make? Start YOUR Bucket List Today!

World Champion Pizza Maker in Clinton Township

Check out this story about local pizza in Clinton Township!

http://www.candgnews.com/news/local-restaurant-wins-world-pizza-making-title

What a great local pizza story – Detroit Style Pizza – local World Champion Pizza Maker!

Sounds like dinner on Friday night!

I like supporting local restaurant businesses!

Donate That Surplus Garden Produce – Fresh Produce Donation Guidelines for Gardeners

Hungry people need good food – we want to provide safe, nutritious food to those who might otherwise go without.

Community and school gardens, orchards, farms, and home gardens can be great sources of fresh local produce for food pantries.

Food banks and pantries generally welcome donations of fresh produce from community gardeners.

However it is important to check with them before making a delivery to determine if they can accept produce that day, they may not want 10 more bags of zucchini and you need to know whether they can handle fresh produce at their site.

If gardeners are concerned about liability for donating food – check out the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.

Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act:  in 1996, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was signed.  The Act encourages the donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations that, in turn, distribute to those in need.

This bill makes it easier to donate because it protects the donor from liability when they donate fresh produce.  It protects people from civil and criminal liability should the product, donated in good faith, later cause harm to the needy recipient.  It also standardizes donor liability exposure and it sets a liability floor of “gross negligence” or intentional misconduct for persons who donate.

 

Handling Produce:

• Be sure to offer only quality produce to food pantries and discard any that isn’t fresh
• It’s important to handle fresh fruits and vegetables safely to minimize any risks of foodborne illness
• To reduce risks, don’t ‘mix produce and keep each in separate containers/bags.
• Donate freshly picked produce.
• Donate produce free from mud and dirt as much as possible
• Select the best produce – free from holes, bugs, and soft spots
• Donate produce with no signs of mold, spoilage or bruising

If you have a large donation, please call the food pantry a day ahead of time. Find out delivery times and days of operation.  The food pantry may have a preferred delivery day of the week and time of day – so you don’t interfere with other operations.

Pick produce and plan to deliver it as soon as possible – preferably on the same day you pick for best use.

On the day you plan to deliver the produce, harvest the produce/vegetables early in the morning while they still have the coolness of the night.  If they have dew, wipe them dry with paper towel.  Each item should be visibly inspected for serious bruising, insect damage and ripeness.

Do not donate produce that you would not buy for your own family.

 

Produce that is overripe, has mushy spots or is seriously blemished should be added to the compost pile but not donated.

There may be some foods that can easily become over ripe or inedible.  Vegetables like GIANT summer squash, such as zucchini which aren’t very edible when they are overly large – should not be donated.  There is only so much you can do with large zucchini – like grating it for cooked recipes – that people may not be able to use and it goes to waste and becomes a problem for the food pantry to discard.  Sweet corn can become overripe quickly as well.

IF you used pesticides in your garden, take the time to clean each vegetable as recommended by the pesticide manufacturer on the label before you let anyone eat it.

Package your produce in supermarket bags and take them to the pantry at the requested time.  You may want to set up a weekly time schedule with the pantry for additional produce throughout the growing season.

For further information about safe handling of fresh produce go to:  FDA’s Safe Handling of Raw Produce information.

For a listing of organizations and food banks in your area – search the internet or check local telephone directories.

In Southeast Michigan, Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) has educators who provide Community Food Systems educational programming and assistance. For more information, you can contact Kathe Hale, at halek@anr.msu.edu.