Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Stand With Us--Tomorrow at 3:30 at Henninger High School

Tomorrow at 3:30 we hope to have 1200 members of the Syracuse Metro community gather for the ACTS Public Meeting at Henninger High School.  ACTS is the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse and it is our local inter-faith community organizing group.  Why am I posting about it on this blog?  Because tomorrow we are going to ask our state officials and Syracuse mayoral candidates to stand with us and make some changes around food access.

Maybe I've just been living in my own little world but until recently I didn't know that it is NOT illegal for corner stores to sell unexpired food.  Apparently there are no ordinances on the books that require these corner stores to sell any percentage of actual groceries--lottery tickets, cigarettes and beer make up the majority of sales.  For the South Side of Syracuse these issues are all the more shameful because there is no actual grocery store in that neighborhood. 

I thought the issue was bad enough when I understood that there was a huge food desert in the midst of our city.  It got worse when I understood how few people (children and elderly particularly) have little in the way of transportation to get them to, say, the Wegman's in Dewitt or the Regional Market--not without the trip taking the better part of a day, anyway.  But when I came to understand that the food available to them is more often than not, over a year past date--well I was through.

So if you have some time tomorrow afternoon come and stand with us to show our community and elected officials that we care.  Stand with us to show them that selling cereal that expired in June 2008 is unacceptable.  Stand with us and show them that a supermarket is needed in ALL parts of our city.  Come and support Mable Wilson (of the Newell Street Garden and Syracuse Grows) and show her that she and her community do not stand alone.

ACTS Public Meeting, Sunday, November 1

Henninger High School --600 Robinson St, Syracuse, NY 13206

I came, I ate, I had a Ball!

This was item number one on my still unpublished autumnal foodie bucket list--hitting the annual Testicle Festival at Rileys.  I finally made it yesterday for lunch and I have to say, I don't know whether it was the balls or the good company but after dancing on the edge of the flu this weekend I'm feeling MUCH better!  This is the last week for you to go nuts at Rileys so if you haven't checked out this neighborhood gem in a while--now is the time.  Their entire menu (which changes fairly often) is also great so you can go and have a great salad or salmon, or burger.  But for the record--the balls were delicious!  

Rileys  312 Park Street, Syracuse, NY 13203-1532
(315) 471-7111

Salt City Urban Art and Craft Market--This Saturday!

I've been looking forward to this for months!  If you remember my holiday shopping list from last year, then you'll know that having 40 of the best independent designers, artists and crafters from the area coming to Syracuse to sell their wares is a great thing.  This is a wonderful way to support our local talent.  I'm going to plan an early day at the Regional Market (well, my usual 7:30 am) to restock on muesli, yogurt, and biscotti, and then get to the Salt City Market to do a quick perusal before a work commitment--then back to the market in the afternoon to shop for real.

Check it out and support our local artists!

Salt City Urban Art and Craft Market, Saturday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Case Supply Building is located at 112 Wyoming St, between W. Fayette & Marcellus.

Rest in Peace Gourmet, and Thanks

So I'm away at a retreat center in the mountains outside of Asheville, NC--in a media blackout of sorts. But the sad news of the shuttering of Gourmet magazine reached me and  I am saddened beyond belief.  

There were rumors of Gourmet's pending demise earlier this year but I was unbelieving.  I understand the issues around ad pages and revenue streams and all the difficulties of paper journalism in these days but friends, we have lost more than a magazine.  We've lost an icon.  

Gourmet magazine was inspiration, beautiful photography, deep thought pieces on food politics and sustainability, and a connection to food around the world that was rarely surpassed.  And above all, Gourmet was motivation to fire up the gas burners, bring out the chopping boards and cook till no tomorrow.  A quick scan through many recipes here at Cookin' in the 'Cuse easily reveals my bias and love for Gourmet.

Before I left for this retreat I cooked up a big pot of stew from a recipe Ruth Reichl published in her memoir, Tender at the Bone.  It was her delicious pork and tomatillo stew from her days in Berkeley.  Though I had loved Gourmet for decades, I thought Ruth made it something really exceptional.  I wish her and all those who will be seeking new employment in the wake of this and other closures at Conde Nast all the best.  I hope we will be hearing from you again real soon.

HomeGrown-- Showing at Westcott Community Center this Saturday

Image courtesy of HomeGrown Website

Yes, it does seem that foodie flicks are all the rage these days.  It has been a veritable feast lately and now we have one more to add to our plates. 

"Homegrown is the inspiring true story of a family "living off the grid" in the heart of
urban Pasadena, California. They harvest over 6,000 pounds of produce on less
than a quarter of an acre, while running a popular website that is known around the world. The film is an intimate human portrait of what it's like to live like "Little House on the Prairie" in the 21st Century."

This film is showing in very limited release in our area.  Check it out SATURDAY at the Westcott Community Center.  Showings are at 10:30 am and 12:30 p.m. only. 

I'll be away doing continuing education and won't be able to make it, so if you go post a comment and tell us all about it.  For more information about the film check out the website here.

Big thanks to our friends at the Alchemical Nursery Project for bringing this film to the 'Cuse!