the Scallion for March 11, 2010
| March 11, 2010 | REGENT MARKET CO-OP E-news |
eat your vegetables |
Defiant RMC Staffers Refuse to Dress Up Like Leprechauns
Madison — The staff of the Regent Market Co-op announced today their unanimous decision to boycott the store’s marketing plan for St. Patrick’s Day. “There’s no way we’re putting them on,” said John Wendt, referring to the leprechaun suits made for them to wear in the store. “We’re in open rebellion on this one.”
The Marketing Committee of the co-op board had agreed earlier to the plan submitted by Catherine O’Leary, a long-standing co-op member. O’Leary designed and made a dozen of the “folklore-themed” costumes using a one-size-fits-all pattern.
“My sister-in-law up in Manitowish has a little fabric shop going out of business” she explained, “and there was lots of green material left. Plus a whole lot of velcro.”
“Here’s a better idea,” staffer Barnaby Urich-Rintz said. “Why doesn’t the board put them on and come stand around the store on St. Patty’s? Maybe they won’t have a problem facing 150 West High students at lunchtime.”
“Well, I’m sorry the staff is reacting this way,” said Mrs. O’Leary, clearly offended. “The leprechaun suits are just adorable, if I say so myself. I know I can sell them to Trader Joe’s.”
Reached for comment, board president Brad Wolbert said, “We’ve got another new competitor, the soon-to-be Willy West. We thought we ought to get a little creative with our marketing. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Leprechaun costume designed for RMC staff
Randy Recommends . . .
This week “green” means more than “environmentally aware.” Everyone is a little bit Irish this week, and no blarney, Randy has a deal for you. For St. Patty’s day, buy a beef brisket and get a head of green cabbage for free. (Stop next door at Mike’s Wine Shop for some Guinness to go with, a bargain at $7.95.)
Two new products are in:
- the famous Krinkle popcorn from Reedsburg
- a wonderful, green-gold, citrus, fair-trade olive oil, brought to usfrom Palestine
Randy has some great smoked salmon and chub from the Schwartz Fish Company in Sheboygan. This is a small Wisconsin business that’s all about doing things right.
There are also more of those great salmon filets from Norway on special for $9.99/lb, originally $12.99. Your doctor and Randy both recommend it! And, how about a Sour Cream-Caper Sauce to go with that luscious smoked salmon? Check out RMC’s twitter feed for a recipe.
Cooking from the Shelves of the Little Store
This week’s recipe is another from Dave Weber and Trudy Karlson. They both learned good home cooking from their mothers. Through the CSA they joined some years back, they discovered the many ways there are to use root vegetables. As this recipe shows, they’ve branched off a little from their mothers’ traditions of mostly mashing.
Easy Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 4 smallish cooking apples
- 2 or more T butter
- 2 T brown sugar, molasses or honey
- 1/4 C apple cider
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Peel and dice sweet potatoes into good size chunks.
- Peel and chop apples into smaller pieces.
- Put in covered casserole or Dutch oven. Add butter, either meltedor in several pieces. Toss with brown sugar and cider.
- Bake for 45 minutes to an hour until sweet potatoes are soft. Addsalt to taste. If there is excess liquid, stir to encourage apples tolose shape.
For a savory option, omit sugar and cider and add 1 T good curry powder and 1/4 C chicken broth.
This recipe is extremely adaptable and tolerates variation in amounts, oven temperatures, additional ingredients like currants, and even cooking time.
Joan Peterson is the editor of “Cooking from the Shelves of the Little Store.” She welcomes your recipes! Send yours with a short bio to her e-mail address.
RMC’s Member of the Week
Beth Wroblewski
Here’s Beth accosted by the photograher at her favorite section of the
store, the meat counter. Her family gets all their meat there. On
this day, she was taking home some of Randy’s Norway salmon for
dinner. The best kind of member, Beth comes into the RMC sometimes
twice a day!