Montgomery County Food Council: Creating a Robust, Local, Sustainable Food System

by Jennifer Roe

Montgomery County is home to one of the nation’s most renowned agricultural reserves – 93,000 acres of land, making up nearly one-third of the county.  But is this local, regional, and national treasure being maximized to address the increasing demand for healthy, fresh, affordable local food, the potential for new, profitable farm enterprises, and more?  Is Montgomery County doing as much as it can to support the creation of new food enterprises, promote healthy eating, and end hunger in our community?

According to the Montgomery County Food Council, the answer is not yet.

These were just a few of the concerns 86 Maryland stakeholders had when they initially met in December 2010.  This group of community activists, county government officials, entrepreneurs, farmers, nonprofits, and more, resolved to set up a food council that would develop collaborative and interdisciplinary policy and programming solutions to identified problems.  Through the work of an interim Advisory Board, the Montgomery County Food Council officially launched in February 2012 with the primary mission to create a “robust, local, sustainable food system.”

The Food Council is a volunteer-based organization with one paid staff member, part-time Food Council Coordinator Lindsay Smith and several Working Groups that help to drive much of the Food Council’s work.  Active Working Groups include: Food Access, Healthy Eating, School & Youth Gardens, Value Chain Analysis and Land Use, Zoning & Planning.

The Working Groups generally meet every other month and report back at general council meetings that also meet alternating months.  Each group has its own set of goals and objectives.  For example, according to Lindsay, the School & Youth Gardens group is currently mapping the number and location of school, community gardens, and other farm-based educational opportunities to determine base-line conditions.  The long-term goal of this group, and its nonprofit and other partners, is to increase the number of school and youth gardens in the County.

Through meetings, participation in community events, and more, the Food Council is connecting local producers, consumers, educators, emergency food service providers, entrepreneurs, and more.  The Food Council is working to become the information hub on the County’s food system, studying and sharing information on existing conditions, monitoring changes, and serving as the forum for diverse players to identify new opportunities for services, social enterprises, and businesses that increase local production and consumption of healthy, fresh food.   At the same time, the Food Council has plans to launch some of its own programming to increase public awareness of the importance of building a healthy local food economy where it sees unique opportunities to do so.

A member of the Bethesda Green Business Incubator, the Montgomery County Food Council has big plans on the horizon as they work to build more partnerships and become the main hub for information on the county’s food system.  According to Lindsay, “We are excited that we will be bringing on some new members and leveraging their experience, as well as Bethesda Green’s, to make some decisions about how to grow the Food Council’s capacity to become the primary, independent resource for information on the food system for Montgomery County residents. Further development and evolution is imminent!”

“We are excited . . . to become the primary, independent resource on the food system for Montgomery County residents.”

The Montgomery County Food Council is one of the first in Maryland and will continue to collaborate with partners in the County and across the region to achieve its mission. All community members are invited to get involved in the work of the Montgomery County Food Council. To learn more, visit their website,  sign up for their bimonthly newsletter by emailing info@mocofoodcouncil.org, or connect with them via social media — Twitter: @mocofoodcouncil; facebook.com/mocofoodcouncil.

Jennifer Roe is a recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh where she received her Master’s in Environment and Development.  She is passionate about building a just and sustainable food system where every individual has the opportunity to lead a successful, healthy life.

 

Green News & Events, Feb. 26

by Susanna Parker

Mayor Gray Releases Sustainable DC Plan

First announced in 2011, DC Mayor Vincent Gray’s ambitious Sustainable DC Plan was released late last week. Over the past two years, DC government, with cooperation and help from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, has been researching sustainability challenges and solutions, consulting with green building and infrastructure experts, and seeking feedback from citizens. The result is the 129-page Sustainable DC Plan, which Mayor Gray says will turn the District into the “healthiest, greenest, and most livable city” in the United States.

Implementation of the plan will occur over the next 20 years. Some parts will occur sooner – Gray wants to push for legislation to accelerate urban agriculture and farming, and the annual planting of 8,600 trees is scheduled to begin this year. Green space is a big focus of the plan – Gray is calling for eight parks to be constructed in areas with limited green spaces, and he envisions more connections between parks, walking trails & biking trails, and public transportation. Other aspects of the plan include energy efficient buildings that contribute electricity back into the grid, more electric vehicle charging stations, and the expansion of the Capital Bikeshare program.

For more information, and to read the entire Sustainable DC Plan, see the dcist article here.

The Sequester’s Effect on the Environment

While Congress avoided the fiscal cliff in January, the sequester (a package of across the board spending cuts) is set to take place this Friday, and will effectively recreate the first half of the recently dodged fiscal cliff. In an article on The Huffington Post, Mother Nature Network’s Russell McLendon discusses the possible environmental effects these budget cuts could have.

The first threat would be to the nation’s food safety; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that if these budget cuts occur, Food Safety and Inspection Service would be forced to send their employees on a 15-day furlough, which would effectively shut down the country’s meat processing. Another big impact would be felt by the National Park Service, which would see a $110 million loss if the sequester goes through. This would have impacts nationwide, as parks would open later in the season, temporary and seasonal employee positions would be cut, and a hiring freeze would be implemented. Scientific research could suffer as well – the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation have said they would be unable to issue the same amount of research grants and awards as in past years, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs. Finally, FEMA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FDA would all have to make large budget cuts, resulting in less public health safety programs and lowered disaster response.

For more information on the impacts of the sequester, please read the full Huffington Post article here.

Upcoming Green Events

• NonProfit Energy Alliance Workshop, Feb. 27, 9:00 am – 10:30 am at Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Avenue, Second Floor, Bethesda.

Pepco Commercial & Industrial Program, DC Sustainable Energy Utility, and Bethesda Green are working together to host a workshop for participants of the NonProfit Energy Alliance. Participants and other non-profit organizations are encouraged to attend and learn about utility incentive programs that provide cash money for energy efficiency improvements. Attendees will learn about the programs available, savings realized by other organizations, and how to take advantage of these programs. For more information, and to RSVP, please visit the event website.

• GreenWheaton’s Green Drinks Happy Hour, Feb. 28, 5:00 pm, The Limerick Pub, 11301 Elkin Street, Wheaton

Join GreenWheaton for socializing and networking at their monthly Green Drinks Happy Hour. Learn more about their work toward an environmentally friendly Wheaton, and meet other sustainability-minded Montgomery County residents!

• Grow Your Health – Film Screening & Wellness Festival, Sunday March 10, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Woodson High School Auditorium, 9525 Main Street, Fairfax, Virginia

Presented by the Northern Virginia Whole Foods Nutrition Meetup Group, this afternoon event will feature local food, health, and wellness exhibits, a screening of the movie “In Organic We Trust” classes on gardening, a local food panel discussion, and lunch by Fields of Athenry Farm-to-Table Kitchen. The event is $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit growyourhealth.eventbrite.com.

Susanna Parker is a recent college graduate and volunteer with Bethesda Green. Her interest in sustainability leads her to look for green solutions in uncommon places.

 

It’s 100 Degrees Outside and We’re Cookin’ Inside

Farm to Freezer: Preserving fresh, local food to nourish the hungry

by Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

Last Sunday 10 volunteers came together to beat the heat by washing, chopping, and blanching fresh vegetables at St. John’s Church in Bethesda. In just four hours volunteers with Farm to Freezer prepared 50 lbs. of tomato sauce, diced zucchini, and roasted eggplant for the freezer. This food will be incorporated into healthy meals throughout the year for Bethesda Cares’ meals program that feeds the hungry in our community.

“Hooray for us!  It was actually a lot of fun and nice people to chat with too,” exclaimed Susan Wexler who joined the prep crew on Sunday. “Someone asked me if I was a professional; I said, well, I have spent a lot of time in kitchens!”

You don’t have to be an experienced cook to join us. The program seems to resonate with people for many reasons. Some people volunteer because they like to work in the kitchen chopping vegetables while getting to meet others. Some parents like this project to work along with their teens, while they earn student service learning credits. We welcome teens ages 13-15 with an adult, older teens and adults.

Diced, blanched zucchini ready for vacuum sealing, then into the freezer

Others like the idea of supporting Bethesda Cares’ social mission. Founded in 1988, Bethesda Cares was originally established as a lunch program to combat hunger in Montgomery County, providing meals to those living on the streets. Homeless men, women and children suffer from hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity every day. To help ensure the homeless in Montgomery County receive a warm and nutritious meal, Bethesda Cares serves lunch six days a week and dinner on Sundays to between 40-75 people that adds up 20,000 meals each year. Today, Bethesda Cares operates as a day drop-in shelter, serving hot meals daily, offering clothing and toiletries, outreach worker case management, referrals for supportive permanent housing, psychiatric counseling, prescription assistance, and eviction and utility assistance to county residents.

Still other people like to support family farmers and our local food system. Every year about 40 percent of good but uneaten food goes into the landfill—wasted along every part of the supply chain from farm to table. The idea for Farm to Freezer was born last January during a conversation I had with Sue Kirk, the executive director of Bethesda Cares.

One day’s produce donation waiting to be prepped for the freezer

“We are the official gleening organization of the Saturday Bethesda Fresh Farm Market, but we get many more vegetables than we can use in our meals before it goes bad,” explained Sue. A weekly donation just from one farm—Spiral Path organic farm has averaged almost 400 lbs. every week this summer, and we are not even at peak season yet! The organic produce that Spiral Path produces is just beautiful and it is a real crime to let it go to waste. Farmers get a tax deduction for their donation.

The spark of a Farm to Freezer project was born and six months later we are up and running thanks to generous support from community foundations, donated kitchens from partner churches, and in-kind donations from businesses including Whole Foods Bethesda, Zipcar, and Honest Tea. Even Compost Crew helps by donating their services to compost our food scraps.

Volunteers are key to the success of this whole project—we seek 10 volunteers for our weekly prep days. People can sign up via Bethesda Cares’ Meet Up site individually or as a group activity with friends, family or colleagues. With continued community support this project has the potential to grow into a self-sustaining enterprise, earning operating funds by selling tomato sauce and other preserved food at local farmers markets and even teaching food preparation classes. Fresh local food comes full circle—from farm, to freezer, to market, back to compost—benefiting our whole community along the way.

To volunteer, sign up on: Bethesda Cares MEET UP

To read more about this program and who it benefits, visit: Farm to Freezer website

To see our events as they unfold: Follow us on Facebook

 

Wrapup:TEDxManhattan’s Changing the Way We Eat 2012

They Came Hungry for Change and Left Inspired

By Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

Before settling into a full day of TEDxManhattan presentations, our local viewing party began with a different kind of meet and greet activity—human mapping. Participants moved around Bethesda Green’s spacious lobby in different spatial configurations as if it were a Google Map in response to: Where do you live within the DC metro area; who do you represent along the food value chain; and what one food-related issue do you want to voice your passion about?

More than 70 people attended the second annual local viewing party co-hosted by Bethesda Green, Full Plate Ventures, and SlowFood DC. As the only TEDxManhattan viewing location in the Metro DC region, we had a very diverse group of participants that provided a rich mix of locales, interests, ages, and community sectors. Throughout the day people mixed and mingled, grouped in two different viewing rooms, and feasted on delicious and homemade fare — responding to our local, seasonal potluck challenge.

Seasonal Local Potluck Challenge

People shared some new terms and concepts they learned throughout the day, including: Food labeling transparency, green carts (in the Bronx), aquaponics vs. aquaculture, good food = good health, food traceability,  neurogastronomy, and Land Link. The inspiring TEDxManhattan presentations, sponsored by the Glynwood Institute will be posted online soon. Our local program featured several new initiatives and entrepreneurial businesses bubbling up in Montgomery County.

Land and Labor Link

The national demand for local food has exploded and continues to grow, yet in our region the supply can’t keep up with demand. The problem stems from a lack of affordable, accessible land in which to grow food locally along with a lack of training for a new generation of farmers without family farm ties and available labor to farm. Kristina Bostick, senior conservation specialist with Montgomery Countryside Alliance described Land Link and Labor Link, two new programs launched this year to facilitate linking farmers with farmland and labor. “We are proud to announce the first match between land owner and farmer this year!” Kristina reported.

This farmer and land link will expand our supply of locally-grown table crops in years to come without the volatility of short-term leases.

Montgomery County Food Council

The new Montgomery County Food Council launches this month with a diverse group of stakeholders whose mission is to foster a robust, local, and sustainable food system in Montgomery County. This independently organized diverse group of stakeholders is charged with improving the environmental, economic, social and nutritional health of our local food system. “The public is welcome to join the broad-reaching Council network by attending monthly meetings, joining a Council working group, or joining as a capacity partner organization,” explained Council Coordinator Claire Cummings on ways the public can get involved.

On-line Food Marketplaces

In the last few years, a plethora of on-line market places have sprung up on the web to help people find local sources of sustainably-grown food. Among the many direct farm to consumer sites include: Local Harvest, which shows you where to find farmer’s markets;  Real Time Farms, a crowd-source online, nationwide food guide that gives you local farmer’s market and eatery locations; and Arganica, a food-buying club that delivers in the DC Metro Region.

Foodem.com is a new on-line food marketplace that matches wholesale food sellers and buyers. “I saw the need  to make wholesale food distribution more efficient and competitively-priced as an alternative to the largest national distributors like US Foods and Sysco,” explained Kash Rehman, CEO and founder of Foodem, who launched in 2010. “I’m very excited to connect local farms with local restaurants and food institutions as a way to grow the sustainable food movement.”

Tracing our Food to its Source

As food contamination outbreaks continue to make headlines, there’s a growing need to know exactly where our food comes from.  Also, small farmers don’t have the budgets to effectively market their products. Dick Stoner, of Locale Chesapeake, shared his exciting entrepreneurial labeling venture. “Locale Chesapeake uses  new affordable technology—such as bar codes, QR codes read with smart phones, and radio frequency ID tags to provide both traceability and better marketing so that farmers can share their story about their growing practices and unique products,” said Stoner.

It Takes a Community to Feed the Homeless

Today, one in six Americans is food insecure, meaning that individuals are not getting adequate nutrition for themselves and their families. Even in affluent Bethesda, the non-profit Bethesda Cares serves 20,000 meals to the homeless every year. Executive Director Sue Kirk outlined the grim reality of their clients—the long-term homeless population that are the hard to reach.

Yet, food—especially a hot meal is a great way to connect, to engage, and offer additional social services and medical resources needed to break  long-term homelessness.

“We are so fortunate to have a vast network of government, business, community groups, houses of worship, and volunteers who partner with Bethesda Cares,” explained Kirk.

Viewing TEDx

At the end of the day, participants offered their reflections. “This was an immensely invigorating and inspiring event,” shared Ashley Shaloo. Others pledged new habits they plan to adopt, including to deepen their commitment to buy local, compost more aggressively, join a CSA, garden more at home.

Next up: A new six-week discussion circle will begin in March using the Northwest Earth Institute’s curriculum, Hungry for Change: Food, Ethics and Sustainability, led by Marney Bruce, Simplicity Matters. Contact Marney marneyb@earthlink.net for more information.

We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors for this event: South Mountain Creamery, Honest Tea, and Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company.

TEDxManhattan’s “Changing the Way We Eat” is a one-day event in New York City that was simulcast at viewing parties all over the world.

Bethesda Green brings business, government and community together to promote a healthy economy and sustainable living practices in order to reduce our collective impact on the environment.

Cheryl Kollin of Full Plate Ventures, LLC is passionate about building sustainable, regional food systems. She provides business consulting and educational programming to social enterprises to enhance their profitability while serving their social mission.

SlowFood DC is a community that promotes and celebrates local, seasonal, and sustainable food sources; works to preserve the culinary traditions of the region’s ethnically and culturally diverse populations; and supports the right of all people to enjoy good, clean, fair food.

 

A Feast for Your Intellect and Appetite

Getting Ready for TEDx Manhattan 2012 Viewing Party

by Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

We’ve had an overwhelming response to attend our TEDx local viewing party — Changing the Way We Eat — this Saturday, Jan 21.  While formal registration for the event is closed, guests are invited to visit throughout the day.  If you plan to join us for breakfast or lunch, please email cheryl@fullplateventures.com.

Lunch is our local, seasonal potluck lunch challenge (see details below).  Free weekend parking is available in the public garage on Woodmont Avenue, a block from Bethesda Green.

If you can’t stay for the whole day, select your visit by program offerings.  See our calendar page for more information about the TEDx presentations.  Here’s the line up:

9 am – 10:30 am — Welcome to Bethesda Green and Who’s in the Room?

10:30 am – 12:05 pm — TEDx Session 1 – ISSUES

12:05 pm – 1:20 pm — Local Lunch Potluck Challenge

If you join us for lunch, please bring a seasonal, locally-grown and/or locally produced dish to share — homemade is encouraged — according to the category by last name.  Honest Tea, hot tea, and coffee will be provided.  There is a refrigerator but no warming facilities.

A-H — appetizers, bread, cheeses, spreads, veggies

I-P — main dishes, side dishes

Q-Z — desserts including fruit

Our Local Discussion Panel

• Growing Legacy On Metro’s Edge — a film teaser by Mark Leisher Productions
• Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve — Kristina Bostick, Montgomery Countryside Alliance
• Introducing the new Montgomery Food Council — Caroline Taylor, Montgomery Countryside Alliance
• Local Food Goes Digital: Connecting local food producers with buyers on the web — Cheryl Kollin, direct to consumer; and Kash Rehman, Foodem for wholesale markets
• Tracing your food from farm to fork — Dick Stoner, Maryland Small Farmers Cooperative
• Hunger in Bethesda? — Susan Kirk, Bethesda Cares

1:20 pm – 3:15 pm — TEDx Session 2 – IMPACT

3:15 pm -3:45 pm — Hunger For Change – Intro to new local discussion circle with Marney Bruce, Simplicity Matters

3:45 pm – 5:30 pm — TEDx Session 3 – INNOVATION

5:30 pm – 5:45 pm — Closing thoughts at Bethesda Green

This TEDx local viewing party is presented by: Bethesda Green, Full Plate Ventures, and SlowFood DC.

We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors’ food and drink donations for this event: South Mountain Creamery, Honest Tea, and Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company.

 

Changing the Way We Eat 2012

View Globally, Act Locally

By Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

Why spend your Saturday at Bethesda Green staring at a webcast all day?  “I have a fascination with learning about sustainable food production, healthy living, and nutritious and traditional cooking methods,” offered one registrant who signed up for Changing the Way We Eat 2012, a viewing party January 21 at Bethesda Green. When the topic is the state of our food system and progress toward sustainability, people with various interests come to take a seat at the table. Last year’s event drew 46,000 viewing streams from 11 countries including the 40 attendees at Bethesda Green’s viewing party.

TEDxManhattan 2012, the independently organized TED talk, hosted by the Glynwood Institute has a full lineup of speakers engaged in various aspects of our sustainable food system, including public health officials, community organizers, public policy advocates, farmers, restaurateurs, business entrepreneurs, and writers.

Speakers include: representatives from Johns Hopkins’ Public Health, The Humane Society, The James Beard Foundation, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, and Food & Water Watch.

Bethesda Green, Full Plate Ventures, and Slow Food DC are co-hosting the second annual viewing party. During the national breaks, local speakers will share their knowledge of our burgeoning sustainable food movement and what’s emerging in Montgomery County. “This is a great way to learn about what’s happening right here in our community,” said Beverly Firme, who writes the Green Around Town column for Bethesda Patch, the community’s hyper-local online newspaper. “It’s also a great way to connect with others.”

“I’m a public policy graduate student interested in food issues; I’m hoping to learn more about organizations and projects and to network.”

We’ve built in morning activities to get to know who’s in the room. Once again we offer our Seasonal Local Pot-Luck Lunch Challenge—the challenge of course is to demonstrate that we can eat locally—even in January.

Seasonal Local Pot-Luck Lunch Challenge, 2011 viewing party

There are many community-based initiatives and entrepreneurial businesses popping up this year that I’m excited to share with attendees at our lunch-time panel:

Growing Legacy On Metro’s Edge — watch a film teaser from this documentary-in -progress about our local food system and the Montgomery Country Agricultural Reserve. Produced by Mark Leisher Productions and Montgomery Countryside Alliance.

Introducing the new Montgomery Food Council — a group of diverse stakeholders, launching in February, will examine how well the local food system is serving its community, then find solutions to take action toward improving it.

Connecting producers with buyers – check out some of the on-line and social media resources to help find and connect local food producers with buyers, both retail and wholesale.

Know your food from farm to fork — How do you know where your local food actually comes from and if it is produced sustainably? Learn about seal of approval programs and how new apps bring the farm to you.

Hunger in Bethesda? Bethesda Cares and partner congregations feed the homeless every day in our affluent community. Learn from those making a difference.

“I work for the Center for Food Safety. I am also very concerned personally about these issues.”

No need to stay for the whole day–drop in as your schedule allows.

Changing the Way We Eat 2012
TEDxManhattan Viewing Party
Saturday, January 21, 2012 9am-5:30pm

Bethesda Green
4825 Cordell Avenue, Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814

Viewing Party Schedule and Pot-Luck Lunch Challenge Details

Register to attend — FREE event

TEDxManhattan’s “Changing the Way We Eat” is a one-day event in New York City that will be simulcast at viewing parties all over the world. Visit Invited Speakers to see the TEDx speakers. The full list and schedule will be published closer to the event.

Bethesda Green brings business, government and community together to promote a healthy economy and sustainable living practices in order to reduce our collective impact on the environment.

Cheryl Kollin of Full Plate Ventures, LLC is passionate about building sustainable, regional food systems. She provides business consulting and educational programming to social enterprises to enhance their profitability while serving their social mission.

SlowFood DC is a community that promotes and celebrates local, seasonal, and sustainable food sources; works to preserve the culinary traditions of the region’s ethnically and culturally diverse populations; and supports the right of all people to enjoy good, clean, fair food.

 

Yamas’ Special Brunch Menu: It’s Greek to Me!

By Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

Tony Alexis, owner of Yamas Mediterranean Grill is preparing a special brunch menu in honor of Crete: Roots of Mediterranean Diet, a presentation by chef author Nikki Rose.  These two events are co-hosted by Bethesda Green, Full Plate Ventures and Yamas. Tony’s menu celebrates the flavors of his and Nikki’s home country and treats us to some unusual fare. As I reviewed his menu, I had to look up what some of these unusual ingredients and dishes are for this American palate. I hope this primer will entice you to join us for these two educational food events on December 11, from 12:30-3:30pm.

These descriptions are taken from Wikipedia. As you read down the menu you will find:

Meze

Mezés (μεζές) a collective name for a variety of small dishes served as an appetizer. Dips are served with bread loaf or pita bread.

EVOO The most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cuisine is olive oil, which is frequently used in most dishes. It is produced from the olive trees prominent throughout the region, and adds to the distinctive taste of Greek food. Tony uses Extra Virgin Olive Oil  (EVOO) imported from Greece.

Tzatziki, τζατζίκι  is a Greek sauce for souvlaki and gyros and in meze. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, sometimes lemon juice, and parsley—served cold.

Souvlaki, Σουβλάκι, is a popular Greek fast food consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It may be served on the skewer for eating out of hand, in a pita sandwich with garnishes and sauces, or on a dinner plate, often with fried potatoes. The meat is traditionally lamb in Greece.

Kefalotyri Cheese κεφαλοτύρι is a hard, salty yellow cheese made from sheep milk and/or goat’s milk in Greece and Cyprus. In taste it vaguely resembles Gruyere, except it is harder and quite saltier. A very hard cheese, kefalotyri can be consumed as is. This is a popular and well-known cheese, establishing its roots in Greece during the Byzantine era. Young cheeses take two to three months to ripen. An aged kefalotyri, a year old or more, is drier with a stronger flavour, and may be eaten as a meze with ouzo, or grated on food.

Gigantes

Gigantes γίγαντες πλακί, is a Greek dish known in English as giant baked beans cooked in a tomato-based sauce.

Loukániko λουκάνικο is the common Greek word for pork sausage, but in English it refers to the specifically Greek sausages flavored with orange peel, fennel seed, and various other dried herbs and seeds, and sometimes smoked over aromatic woods. Greek sausages are also often flavored with greens, especially leeks.

Galaktoboureko (γαλακτομπούρεκο) is a Greek dessert of semolina-based custard (sometimes flavored with lemon or orange) in phyllo. It may be made in a pan, with phyllo layered on top and underneath, or rolled into individual servings and served or coated with a clear, sweet syrup.

Author Chef Nikki Rose will share her Greek heritage and take us on a culinary tour of her home  and share her new book, “Crete: The Roots of Mediterranean Diet”. Join us on December 11 with a free presentation at Bethesda Green, followed by special brunch at Yamas Mediterranean Grill.

Event: Presentation by Chef-Author Nikki Rose
Bethesda Green
4825 Cordell Ave. Suite 200
Bethesda, MD  20814

Admission is free

12:30 – 1:30pm

Immediately following the lecture and around the corner:

Event: Celebrating the Flavors of Crete
Brunch at Yamas Mediterranean Grill
4806 Rugby Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814

$30 (includes a complimentary beverage)

1:30 – 3:30 pm

To register for Nikki Rose presentation, Yamas Brunch, or  to purchase Crete: The Roots of the Mediterranean Diet book on Yamas website, click the green “start ordering” button; click “Delivery”, then select the events you’ll attend. If you only wish to attend the free book presentation, please send me an email: Cheryl@fullplateventures.com. Online Registration is open 11am-9pm. Register Here.

Yamas Brunch Menu
Served Family-style

Mezze Sampler For Sharing:
Tzatziki, Dolmas,
Spanakopita, Gigantes
Dodoni Feta and Kefalotyri cheese and olives w/ Pita

Local mixed greens salad
w/ EVOO (olive oil) vinaigrette

Choice of:

*Yamas Grill platter – Lamb Chops (2 per person)
2 Souvlaki with Tzatziki over Fries
*My Big Greek Omelet – with Spinach, Feta
and Tomato with side of Greek Potatoes & Locaniko (Greek sausage)

Greek or American Coffee & Dessert:
Greek Yogurt with Greek Honey & Walnuts
Choice of Baklava, Galaktobouriko or Rice Pudding

(coffee fortune readings upon request!)

 

The Epitome of Healthy Eating: Take a Taste from Crete

By Cheryl Kollin, Full Plate Ventures

I met Nikki Rose recently at Yamas Mediterranean Grill with owner Tony Alexis. The three of us sat down to discuss Nikki’s new book and Tony’s Greek traditions as we munched on stuffed grape-leaves, olives, and tzatziki.

“Many people around the world are striving to ‘return to the land,’ while many people in rural Crete have never left the land,” chef and author, Nikki Rose describes of her homeland. This Greek American author has demonstrated for more than 15 years that the nutritional benefits of the cuisine of Crete can be applied wherever we live. In her new book, Crete: The Roots of the Mediterranean Diet, Nikki draws many parallels with her family home of Crete to the growing interest of eating a healthier diet based on non-commercially processed, fresh, seasonal, and sustainably-grown food in the U.S.

Nikki organizes seminars and study abroad programs in Crete through her program, Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries (CCS). She has received numerous awards from National Geographic, the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity and many other organizations for her success in creating sustainable travel, community-based tourism and culinary seminars that bring focus to the expanding inquiry into sustainability. Her book is a culmination of her experience and work on the island.

Located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Crete is the largest island in Greece and the southernmost island in Europe.

Serving Aspasia cheese

With its snow-capped mountains, mild and rainy winters, and summer temperatures averaging 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the island’s climate supports over 4,000 years of agricultural practices. Olive oil, whole grains and beans, and a variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs grown in Crete form the basis of the classic Mediterranean diet—widely touted as a much healthier cuisine than the heavily processed, industrially-raised meat, and fast food that many Americans have embraced for more than half a century.

Nikki promotes dining the Cretan way centered on Meze, or small plates of a variety of foods, much of which is served raw or cooked simply, which is ideal for busy people. She also sees Meze as a perfect way to introduce children to a variety of foods. “Serve produce first and children will eat more of it before they get distracted or load up on meat and starch and nothing else,” Nikki writes.

The author invites us to experience the rhythm of the seasons through narrative and beautiful photos, and introduces us to how food is traditionally prepared. Nikki describes the wonderful flavor of zucchini blossoms, fava beans eaten raw as a snack, and mizithra, a fresh cheese. Seasonal favorites include figs, lemons, oranges, apricots, pomegranate, walnuts and almonds. Fisherman pull octopi out of their hiding places and bedazzle observers by tenderizing their catch on the rocky coast.

Chef Dimitris cooking with Horta

When the annual rains return in autumn and winter, horta or wild greens burst forth, olives are harvested and pressed for oil, and grapes are distilled into a spirit called raki—a symbol of hospitality that is also used in natural medicine.

Tony Alexis related his own boyhood horta experience as new immigrants from Greece in the 1970’s. “On weekends my parents, their friends and I would drive out to Tyson’s Corner area to pick horta along the roadside. Passersby would look on with curiosity at our wild greens forging, which we considered a seasonal delicacy!”

Nikki and Tony will bring the flavors of Crete to Bethesda on December 11^th. Nikki will share her knowledge about the culture and cuisine of Crete at Bethesda Green. Autographed copies of her book will be available for sale at the event or can be ordered online at www.cookingincrete.com. Proceeds benefit ongoing CCS initiatives. Afterwards, Tony will cook up a special Greek brunch from his native country. Join us for this fascinating and delicious celebration of the cuisine of Crete. Reservations required for both events. Register here; for more details call (301) 312-8384.

This event is co-hosted by Yamas Mediterranean Grill, Bethesda Green, and Full Plate Ventures.

Yamas Mediterranean Grill Yamas means, “to your health”. Owner Tony Alexis celebrates his Greek heritage by serving this healthy, delicious cuisine in downtown Bethesda.

Bethesda Green, incubates, educates, and initiates by connecting business, government and community through programs and services to promote a healthy economy and sustainable living practices in order to reduce our collective impact on the environment.

Full Plate Ventures provides business consulting to social enterprises to enhance their profitability while serving their social mission.

Crete’s Culinary Sanctuaries Eco-Agritourism Network  is an award-winning educational travel programs celebrating Crete’s cultural and natural heritage.

Event Announcement:

Crete: The Roots of the Mediterranean Diet
enjoying the benefits of one of the world’s healthiest cuisines wherever you live

Sunday, December 11, 2011
Join us for an intriguing glimpse into Crete’s culinary heritage. Enjoy a unique brunch
featuring dishes celebrating the flavors of Crete.

12:30-1:30 pm — Presentation by Chef-Author Nikki Rose (free)

Bethesda Green
4825 Cordell Ave. Suite 200
Bethesda, MD  20814

1:30-3:30 pm — Celebrating the Flavors of Crete Brunch

$30 (includes a complimentary glass of wine)

Yamas Mediterranean Grill
4806 Rugby Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814

Register here for both events; for more details call (301) 312-8384.

 

Green News & Events, October 31, 2011

by Dan Rudt                                                                                                                               

EPA Recognizes Maryland’s Panera Bakery-Cafes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on October 25 that Panera Bread’s 35 Maryland locations are on EPA’s list of top green power purchasers among retailers. Panera Bread of Maryland purchases 100 percent of its electricity through wind power renewable electricity certificates (RECs). The company’s purchase of more than 11 million kilowatt hours is equivalent to avoiding the yearly carbon dioxide emissions of 1,350 passenger vehicles. “Supporting clean power makes good business sense and is good for the communities we serve,” said Brian J. Lemek, owner of Lemek, LLC, franchisee for Panera Bread bakery-cafes in the state of Maryland.

The EPA Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,300 partner organizations that are voluntarily purchasing green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Purchases of green power also help accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and produce no net increase to greenhouse gas emissions.

Leggett Seeks Applicants for Ag Advisory Committee

County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking applicants to fill seven vacancies on the Agricultural Advisory Committee. Four positions are for farmers selected to represent the farm community, and three positions are for non-farmers. The 15-member committee advises the County Executive and County Council on all matters affecting agriculture in the County. Farmer representatives serve three-year terms and non-farmer members serve one-year terms. Members serve without compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for meetings attended. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday evening of each month in Germantown. The deadline for application is November 12, 2010.

County Rebates Still Available for Homeowners

Eric Coffman of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection this week gave Bethesda Green an update on the Montgomery County Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program. As of Tuesday, October 25, more than 250 residents are participating in the program, reserving a total of $310,000 for a variety of energy efficiency projects. The roughly 75 jobs completed to date have created (in combination with the state Home Performance and Utility Programs) more than 2,000 hours of work for local energy efficiency professionals. The County still has almost $800,000 of funding available for Montgomery  County residents to help improve the efficiency of their homes.

Coffman suggests applicants ask for electronic copies of audits, proposals and invoices from service providers to make the application process easier. He says the vast majority of projects have been approved within 48 business hours of receiving the application. A few notices to proceed have gotten caught in spam filters, so if an applicant doesn’t hear from them in a week, he suggests they log into their account online. If they still have not received approval, he asks that applicants contact help@mcenergyfunding.com. One last tip for applicants: Make sure to check the “other sources of funding” link on www.mcenergyfunding.com for information about state, federal, and utility company incentives.

Bethesda Central Farm Market to Stay Open Year-round

The Bethesda Patch reports, in an October 26 article by Anna Isaacs, that the Bethesda Central Farm Market will remain open on Sundays throughout the winter at its location on Elm Street between Woodmont and Wisconsin avenues. According to the article, market co-founder Mitch Berliner expects at least 20 vendors to offer a variety of products this winter. Read the Patch article here.

Pepco Pledge to Save Campaign

Pepco is conducting a multi-pronged Pledge to Save Campaign in support of the state of Maryland EmPOWER initiative, which seeks to reduce energy consumption 15 percent by 2015. Pepco Maryland customers can make a “Pledge to Save,” signaling their commitment to reduce electricity use and entering them for a chance to win a $250 Lowe’s Home Improvement gift card. The deadline to submit a pledge is December 1, 2011.

Another feature of the campaign is a children’s art contest. Kids ages 5-10 (grades K-5) are invited to draw a picture illustrating what they are doing to save energy at home, at school or at play. The contest deadline is November 15, 2011. Six winners will be chosen and each will receive a $100 gift card. Pepco has started posting entries on the campaign’s Facebook page. Also for kids, the Energy Detective Activity Book teaches what electricity is, why it is important to conserve it, and what we can do to use less of it.

Upcoming Green Events

Open House about the proposed Purple Line Project, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, National 4-H Youth Conference Center, 7100 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase. Hosted by the Maryland Transit Administration  (MTA). The Purple Line is a proposed 16-mile light rail line from Bethesda to New Carrollton. Help design a project that best serves the community. Learn about the  benefits and status of the Purple Line Project, light rail systems and stations, and what’s next.

Learn How to Protect the Seneca Creek Watershed, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Izaak Walton League of America – Rockville Chapter, 18301 Waring Station Road in Germantown. Great Seneca Creek is the largest watershed located entirely within Montgomery County and is a source of drinking water for much of the area. Meet local watershed partners and discuss ways to work together to improve local water quality. Sponsored by the City of Gaithersburg, Montgomery County Dept. of Environmental Protection, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, and Seneca Creek Watershed Partners.  For more information please contact Audra Lew at 301-274-8110 or e-mail alew@icprb.org.

Bethesda Green Happy Hour, Thursday, Nov. 3, 5 pm – 8 pm, The Parva Restaurant and Lounge, 7904 Woodmont Avenue. You are invited for casual conversation and networking. Meet the Bethesda Green Incubator Companies and learn more about the Incubator. Enjoy complimentary appetizers in Parva’s beautiful second floor lounge. Donation requested at the door. RSVP at the Bethesda Green Meetup page.

Thursday, Nov. 3, “Wind Jobs Potential for Montgomery County” expo, featuring local businesses that would create offshore wind energy jobs, 6 pm – 7 pm. Followed by a Town Hall Forum: Maryland Offshore Wind Power for Montgomery County, 7 pm, Featuring: State Delegate Ben Kramer and State Senator Manno, along with health, economic, environmental experts, and local businesses. Mid County Community Center, 2004 Queensguard Rd., Silver Spring. Hosted by the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. Register at CCAN Website. Background information here.

E-cycling day @ Whitman High School, Sunday, Nov. 6, noon – 4 p.m., Walt Whitman High School parking lot, 7100 Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda. Bring your old TVs, computers, small appliances, etc. Help spread the work and share this flyer with others.

Local Food Goes Digital, Monday, Nov. 7, 6 pm – 8:30 pm, Chef Tony’s Restaurant, 4926 St. Elmo Avenue, Bethesda. Support the Montgomery Countryside Alliance. Join us for cocktails and appetizers at Chef Tony’s Restaurant, specializing in seasonal, fresh and locally-grown cuisine. Learn how Foodem.com, a web-based marketplace, is connecting local farmers, food distributors and specialty food manufacturers with restaurants, schools, hotels and grocers. By doing so, Foodem.com does its part for the sustainable food movement by satisfying the growing consumer and business demand for more local, sustainably-produced, and healthier food choices. Cocktails and appetizers will be available at a discounted price. Part of the sales will be given to Montgomery Countryside Alliance, preserving and enhancing Montgomery  County’s Agricultural Reserve. Please RSVP by November 5.

Bethesda Green Education, Outreach and Marketing (EOM) Group Meeting – Newcomers Welcome! Thursday, Nov. 10, 4 pm – 5:30 pm., 4825 Cordell Ave., corner of Woodmont Ave., Suite 200, above the Capital One Bank, Bethesda. A team of volunteers, EOM supports all of Bethesda Green’s communication efforts. From recycling to energy efficiency, sustainability to green building/design, EOM expresses the organization’s various areas of expertise in a clear and concise manner via various media.  New members are welcome to join. More information here, or contact Bethesda Green Communications Director Dave Heffernan, dvheffernan@bethesdagreen.org.

Montgomery County’s first “Know Your Farmer,” Call-In Webinar, Wednesday, November 16, 8 pm. Montgomery Victory Gardens hosts “Challenges and Opportunities Facing Organic Agriculture in the 21st Century,” a discussion with Montgomery  County farmers Nick and Sophia Maravell.  Nick is the operator of Nick’s Organic Farm in Potomac and one of only four farmers sitting on the prestigious National Organic Standards Board, while his daughter Sophia, who has studied organic agriculture throughout the world, is one of our nation’s new generation of aspiring farmers. Register here.

Montgomery County Green Business Crash Course Webinar, November 17, 8:00 – 11:00 am. Offered in partnership by Montgomery College and Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. The course instructor will guide you through the application process to accelerate your certification. More info and registration.

 

Green News & Events, October 26, 2011

by Dan Rudt

Funding Threatened for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Tom Pelton of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation warns that if Congress slashes $23 billion from the federal Farm Bill, as it appears poised to do by next week, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative could be eliminated. The program funds farm runoff control projects in parts of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Maryland’s Eastern Shore; and the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The funds help farmers pay to construct fences to keep cattle out of streams, build manure control facilities, and plant strips of trees and grasses along waterways, among other things. Losing those funds, Pelton claims, would make it much more difficult to reach pollution control goals for the Bay.

States Agree to Form Northeast Electric Vehicle Network

Ten northeast states (including Maryland) and the District of Columbia announced the formation of the Northeast Electric Vehicle Network on October 19 to expedite the deployment of electric vehicles in the region and promote the use of alternative fuels. As part of their ongoing collaboration through the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), the participating jurisdictions will promote all clean vehicles and fuels and facilitate planning for and the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and related infrastructure throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. The group will also work together to attract additional public and private investment in infrastructure for clean vehicles.

Americans Believe U.S. Headed in Wrong Direction on Energy

A poll released on October 19 by The University of Texas at Austin found fewer than 14 percent of Americans think the country is headed in the right direction on energy. The 3,406 respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the job that 26 different organizations, corporations, institutions and government bodies were doing to address energy issues. Congress — with ratings of 8 percent satisfied, 71 percent dissatisfied — ranked dead last. “This survey shows that the public craves leadership on energy issues,” said Bill Powers, President of The University of Texas at Austin. The majority of Americans see energy prices as high and likely to increase. Four out of five are interested in learning more about how to reduce their energy use.

Energy Department to Invest $60 Million in Concentrating Solar Power Technologies

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced on Tuesday (10/25) a $60 million investment over three years for applied scientific research to advance Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies. CSP technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight to produce heat, which can then be used to produce electricity. The funding is meant to support research into technologies that have the potential to dramatically increase efficiency, lower costs, and deliver more reliable performance than existing commercial and near-commercial CSP systems. DOE expects to fund roughly 20 – 22 projects, and encourages industry, universities, and National Laboratories to apply.

2012 Beginner Farmer Training Program Accepting Applications

Future Harvest-Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture is accepting applications up to November 30 from new farmers interested in participating in the Beginner Farmer Training Program. Five to ten trainees, mostly college graduates with some farming experience and a commitment to a career in sustainable and/or organic agriculture, will be selected to participate in the free program that begins on January 13, 2012 with a two day conference. Participants will attend workshops one evening per week for eight weeks in February and March at the new Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture. They will undergo field training on a weekly basis at an organic farm in Baltimore Country or Harford County and participate in farm tours and workshops from May through August at various sustainable farms in the region.

Upcoming Green Events

Peter Doo LEED EB: O+M Event, Thursday, October 27, 8:00 – 11:00 am, Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Ave., 2^nd floor. Building owners, managers, developers and other building professionals are invited to attend a special presentation on LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance. Details here.

BG101, Thursday, October 27, 4:00 – 5:30 pm, at Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Ave., 2^nd floor. Join us for an orientation about Bethesda Green, our history, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Maryland Clean Energy Summit, Thursday, October 27 – Saturday, October 29, Hilton Inner Harbor, Baltimore. Includes a consumer trade show and conference sessions that are FREE TO THE PUBLIC – on Saturday 10/29 9:30 – 2:30. Test drive a Chevy Volt, learn how to use your smart phone to control your home’s thermostat and lighting while you’re away, how to finance home energy improvements and much more. Click here, then scroll down to “Saturday, October 29^th” for more information about the free consumer event.

Audubon Naturalist Society Annual Meeting, Friday, October 28, 6:00-9:30 pm (Program starts at 6:30 pm), Woodend Sanctuary,  MD. Featuring “Looking Back & Forward at Our Region’s Water,” a lively talk by longtime environmental reporter and renowned author Tom Horton. Silent Auction items include six original, framed J.J. Audubon stone lithographs and other rare works of art. More information here.

“The Age of Stupid” Film and Discussion, Friday, October 28, 6:30-9:30 pm, The Festival Center in Adams Morgan, 1640 Columbia Road, NW.  View the climate-change blockbuster film, followed by discussion w/ Mike Tidwell, Director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network. More details here.

Rockville Bike Advisory Committee (RBAC) Invites You to Try Nancy’s Bike Route, Saturday, October 29, 2:00 pm. Ride starts at Rockville Memorial Library, heading south toward Bethesda.  Details here.

Bethesda Green First Thursday Happy Hour, Thursday, November 03, 5:00 – 8:00, The Parva Restaurant and Lounge, 7904 Woodmont Avenue. You are invited for casual conversation and networking. Meet the Bethesda Green Incubator Companies and learn more about the Incubator. Enjoy complimentary appetizers in Parva’s beautiful second floor lounge. Donation requested at the door. RSVP at the Bethesda Green Meetup page.