Spring - Karma Co-op

SPRING
2010
Contents
The Members’ Newsletter of Karma Co-op
Spring 2010
Note From the Editor
3
Report From the General Manager
4
Report From the President
6
Recipe: Roasted Eggplant Dip
6
My Valentine’s Crush
7
Tony Neale and Wheelbarrow Farm
8
Karma Staff Q&A
10
The Little Cracker Company That Could
12
Committee News: Food Issues, Orientation
13
Recipes: Family Favourites
14
The Chronicle is published by members of Karma Co-op
739 Palmerston Avenue
Toronto, ON M6G 2R3
416-534-1470
416-534-3697 fax
www.karmacoop.org
The Chronicle is a link between members of this and other
co-operative communities; the only viewpoints herein
endorsed by Karma Co-op Inc. are those published as
reports of the board of directors and its committees.
This newsletter is printed on Enviro100 stock, which
contains FSC-certified 100% post-consumer fibre. The
paper is certified EcoLogo, processed chlorine free, and
manufactured using biogas energy. It is union-made in
Canada by Cascades Fine Papers.
Submissions
We welcome submissions from any Karma member,
staff, or board member! Submissions may be sent by
e-mail, to chronicleeditor@gmail.com. Upcoming
editorial deadlines are posted on the store bulletin
board. The Chronicle will publish any Karma-related
material, subject to editorial policy guidelines. Letters
to the editor must contain the writer’s full name and
telephone number, although names will be withheld at
time of publication upon request. All published articles
are eligible for work credits (letters to the editor and
announcements are not).
Chronicle staff for March:
Editor: Jennifer Ralston
Designers: Shawn Caza and Derek Chadbourne
Copy editor: Jennifer Ralston
Proofreader: Jennifer Ralston
Chronicle Committee
Shawn Caza, Derek Chadbourne, Philip Cox, Karen
Fliess, Andrea Fonseca, Jennifer Ralston
Photos
Shawn Caza, Derek Chadbourne
Contributors
Derek Chadbourne, Karen Fliess, Justin McNabb,
Sophie Muller, Sarah Pretty, Layla Rich, Kate Skipton,
Emily Van Halem
Note From the Editor
Fellow Karma members,
Help us make the Summer issue an even bigger
one! You have plenty of time to work on your
With this new Spring issue, The Chronicle begins
its quarterly publishing schedule. We hope to
begin bringing you seasonally relevant content
and recipes, as well as the information and
updates you are used to receiving from the
board, staff, and other members of Karma
Co-op.
submission, be it a profile, a recipe, coverage of
a Karma event… you name it. If it’s relevant to
our members, we want to see it! And of course,
if you have any desire to get involved with
our committee by working on issue design or
editing, we’d love to hear from you.
We really came back with a bang in February,
with lots of new material. Because this issue
follows close on the heels of the last one, you
may notice the Spring issue is a bit thinner.
But we’ve got some excellent pro-Karma sentiments, more insight into some suppliers and
products, and some fun new recipes to try.
The next deadline is Friday, May 14. You can
send all submissions, ideas, and volunteering
desires to chronicleeditor@gmail.com. We
can’t wait to see what you’ve got!
3
Report From the General Manager
ship size considerably. This is a vicious circle
that we should avoid because higher prices
will make it harder to grow our membership.
By Justin McNabb
Rather than my usual report, please
allow me to speculate a little on
member ship. With the recent member s’
forum, and the board starting to
discuss new possibilities, I thought I could
brief ly share a few thoughts. Change at
Karma is being talked about; not to damage
what we already have, but to keep Karma
financially viable. We do have increased
expenses, debt, and staffing costs. There are
some renovations to complete, and there is old
equipment to replace. We also have increased
competition from area food stores. It is clear
that Kar ma needs to attract more
members and keep our members longer.
Membership: one, two, or more types? As
you know, we currently have two types of
membership: working (yellow card) and
non-working (blue card). Is this system
too divisive? Is it an accurate ref lection of our membership? Many working
members don’t currently work, for a variety
of reasons. Many non-working members
have been working but are taking a break
because they are very busy—raising kids
is one example. Non-working members,
however, also contribute much-needed
extra cash through surcharges. There is
a belief that working members are more
active and more loyal to the co-op. The
longer I am at Karma the more I see that
levels of commitment vary tremendously by
individual, and by time of year, in a way
that is not reflected in the colour of one’s
card. Perhaps we could simplify and do
away with the colour coding? We could
have one type of membership and each
member may work or not, paying extra
for the privilege of not working. Actually,
this already exists. Isn’t the $20 flat fee
really a payment for the requisite two
hours of work per month at $10 per hour?
A re o u r f e e s t o o h igh ? Com pared w ith
other membership-based businesses,
t h ey d o n’t s e e m t o b e. H oweve r, s o m e
o f o u r “ O r i e n t a t e r s ” h ave m e n t i o n e d
that prospective members, especially
couples, are frequently discouraged by the
initial cost to join Karma.
Are our prices too high? It is possible to find
some cheaper products elsewhere, as many
stores will sell products below their cost in
order to attract customers who will inevitably buy higher-priced goods also. I believe
that Karma Co-op is less expensive overall
and also has a great selection for a store of
our size. Unfortunately, our prices may have
to go up unless we do increase our member-
4
Conversely, we could expand the membership types to fit different lifestyles and levels
of commitment. These have been suggested:
S t u d e n t m e m b e r s h i p s ; Te m p o r a r y
member ships; Associate member ships;
Group memberships; Rewards memberships. A selection of expanded membership types may make joining K ar ma
more attractive to more people. One local
example of a successful membership-based
business we could look to is AutoShare.
Their members may choose from different
plans that best reflect how much they intend
to use the service. AutoShare also has a
discounted membership fee for households.
whether the 50% rule was too strict. Interestingly, I was the only one representing a
co-op with the goal of 100% member sales.
We could consider some for m of nonmember shopping. This might involve giving
the surcharge to non-members and giving a
discount to working members, which could
be another incentive to joining Kar ma.
Certainly, we must be very cautious before
we make any major changes to our membership system. Karma has been around for
almost forty years; in that time, many other
food co-ops have failed. So we must be
doing something right!
What about selling to non-members? Co-ops
are required by law to do 50% of their
business with their own members. Karma
prefers to be a members-only store, which is
a self-imposed practice. Last year I attended
a forum of Ontario co-ops who discussed
[W hat do you think? Send a letter to
The Chronicle and make your opinions
known! –Ed.]
5
Report From the President
Roasted Eggplant Dip
By Sarah Pretty
By Emily Van Halem
Dear Fellow Members,
Thanks to Karma’s great selection of Ontario-grown
products, this recipe features quite a few local ingredients.
It has been an exciting couple of months at Karma
Co-op.
In our communication last month, we were very pleased
to announce that a contract between Karma Co-op
and CUPE Local 1281 was ratified. I would like to
echo the board’s thanks to the members of the union;
to Ken Godevenos, our negotiator; and to Harry Koster,
Margaret Knittl, Arel Agnew, and Howard Kaplan for
the tremendous amount of time and effort they have
devoted to this project.
1 medium or 3 small eggplants (~1 lb.)
1/3 c. fresh cilantro, packed
2 1/2 tbsp. peanut butter*
2 tbsp. Filsinger’s apple cider vinegar**
1-2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. curry powder (or 1/8–1/4 tsp. curry paste)
1/4 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. honey or other sweetener
1/8–1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8–1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Justin McNabb and the board, particularly Arel
Agnew and Howard Kaplan, are working hard at the
implementation process.
On Sunday, February 21, the board held a Members’
Forum at the St. Alban’s Boys’ & Girls’ Club on Palmerston Avenue to continue discussions we ran out of
time for at the AGM. In particular, potential changes
to simplify and improve our membership policy were
discussed. A discussion document is being produced and
distributed to membership and there will be coverage in
the next issue of The Chronicle, so keep your eyes peeled
for that. I would like to thank Hilary Gibson Wood for
all her efforts in coordinating the event. I would also like
to thank Corey Berman, Howard Kaplan, Angela Lee,
Danielle Thibodeau, and Ben Watts for their significant
contribution to the success of the event.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Poke a few holes in the
whole eggplant(s) with a fork, and place on a baking
pan. Bake for 30–40 minutes (a bit longer if using a
larger eggplant) until it’s soft and slightly collapsed.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool a bit. Then cut
it open, remove the seed clumps, and scoop out the
flesh. Put the flesh and all the other ingredients into a
food processor and blend. Serve it warm or cold, as a
spread, dip, or—as I prefer—by the spoonful before
it leaves the food processor.
In closing, I would like to remind you all that Karma
is still very much in need of new members. Please
continue to introduce your friends and family to Karma.
We would like to launch a formal membership drive in
the coming months, but the Community Development
Committee is short on active members. If you would like
to help, please email community@karmacoop.org.
As always, the board welcomes you to join us at our
board meetings at 90 Olive Street the first Monday of
every month, and to send us your comments and suggestions at BoardNews@karmacoop.org.
*Karma carries a locally grown peanut butter by
Kernal. Who would have thought peanuts could
be grown in Ontario? Apparently they’re a great
replacement for tobacco, a once-common crop in
Southern Ontario which is now oh so passé.
6
**Filsinger’s Organic Orchard is located in Ayton,
ON and produces all things amazingly apple: cider,
cider vinegar, butter, and sauce.
My Valentine’s Crush
By Emily Van Halem
isn’t cheap. But that brings me back to my rant
about why we should be paying the true cost of
our food and not buying into a food system that
pays farmers a pittance for what they put in; that
allows the use of toxic chemicals to be applied
and essentially washed out into the surrounding
ecosystem; that effectively pushes local farmers
out of the system and erodes rural economies…
all so we can get the most bang for our buck. Now
that’s inequitable if you ask me.
This article is a revised version of a post I wrote
for my blog leading up to Valentine’s Day. I
thought Karma members might be able to relate,
even though Valentine’s Day is now behind us!
I thought that with Valentine’s Day on our minds,
now would be a good time to share with the world
the fact that I have a crush. My crush isn’t into
all the consumer crap of Valentine’s; loves local,
sustainable food; and always lifts my sprits when
I get overwhelmed by the world’s problems. My
crush is always there for me. Well, as long as I get
there before 9 pm. Yeah, ok, I have a crush on my
food co-op.
No, it’s not cheap, but as far as natural food or
organic food stores go, Karma’s actually leading
the pack in many ways—particularly in the bulk
section. I actually did a price comparison of
28 items across three stores: Karma, a natural
food store known for its good prices, and a
conventional bulk food store. (Yes, I comparison
shop for fun. Don’t tell.) I was actually surprised at
how well Karma fared! Of the 28 bulk items I
looked at, Karma beat the natural food store on
24 of them (for the equivalent organic product).
Between the bulk store (conventional) and Karma
(organic), prices were better at Karma for twelve
of the items! I don’t know about you, but I think
that’s pretty impressive.
Unfortunately, not enough people have access
to the satisfaction I get every week. My Sunday
afternoons are spent lazily perusing the small,
ramshackle, basement-like space that is Karma
Co-op. Take your average grocery store, remove
85% of the middle aisles which are generally
full of incomprehensible food labels, remove the
high-gloss finish and the 40 kinds of toothpaste,
and you get Karma.
Karma Co-op has been the revolutionary in red
since the ‘70s, when peace and love flowed like
Joni Mitchell’s River. Now, a little older and a
little wiser, Karma is home to a range of folks like
me who care about the earth, their health, and
local communities, and are fortunate enough to
be able to afford the price premium that comes
with caring.
Most people I tell about my little love affair are
quick to point out how expensive Karma is, and
that it’s inaccessible to everyday people, students,
and, particularly, those with low incomes. There’s
definitely some truth to that argument. Karma
Ok, I know this sounds like someone’s paying me
to go on and on about the place, but I can assure
you they are not.
It’s just a love affair that I wanted to share.
7
For more musings about food issues, as well as recipes
featuring local, sustainable ingredients, stop by Emily’s
blog, Feel Good Food. www.feelgoodfood.net
An Introduction
to Tony Neale and
Wheelbarrow Farm
By Derek Chadbourne
Tony: A combination of social justice concerns,
a decade of restaurant work, and a love of
gardening.
Me: When did you start farming?
Tony: This will be my third year at Wheelbarrow
Farm. I did a year at Linnaea before that and a
summer of roofing before that. So anywhere from
3 to 5 years ago, depending on how you count it.
Me: Where is the farm?
Tony: One hour northeast of Toronto, near
Uxbridge.
Me: And why did you pick that area to start a
farm?
Tony: My dad works in Newmarket and was the
one who bought the property. We needed somewhere close, where he could commute to. I had
like two bucks in my pocket, so buying a farm
wasn’t a reality. So I work the land and rent from
him.
Me: Is he a good landlord?
Tony: Yeah, pretty good. We get along and he
enjoys the farming life.
Me: Did he have any background in farming?
Tony: No. He doesn’t actually do the farming,
Ever wonder who the person is behind the
pictures on the wall at Karma? I do. As a relatively new member, I see lots of pictures and
have no idea what they are about. A series of
them hangs above the produce section. There are
pictures of pigs and fields and some feller with a
beard. Well, that feller is Tony Neale on his farm,
and this is his story. Because of my not having a
car and his being in the snowy earth, we decided
to do the interview over Google Chat. That’s on
the computer, for those who don’t know. [The chat
has been formatted for readability. –Ed.]
Me: Hey, Tony.
Tony: How ya doing?
Me: Good, thanks. So, can you give me a bit of
background about yourself ? Tony: Born and raised in the GTA ‘burbs
(Brampton, then Burlington). Took Poli-Sci and
History at U of T. Took an 8-month ecological
farming course at Linnaea Farm in B.C.
Me: What got you interested in farming?
8
though he and my brother like to build things
around the property.
Me: So it’s a family affair?
Tony: Yup. My mom lives out East, but has also
been supportive, including a handsome donation
of $5000 when I started.
Me: What is your philosophy when it comes to
running the farm and working the land?
Tony: My farming philosophy is freestylin’. I like
to get a whim, think on it for a bit and then follow
it through. To me, farming is creative problemsolving; and while I have deadlines and certain
things I need to do, I like deciding as much as
possible what gets done for the day when I wake
up and look at the field. I work the land as ecologically as possible. I’m not certified organic, though
I follow and exceed the rules for organic certification. It’s also important to me [that] the food
I grow is accessible. Oftentimes organic food is
out of reach for many families. I work with three
apprentices. Since they work for room and board
and a small stipend, I try and make the work as
educational as possible (this includes educational
field trips). I have become friends with many of
the people who work for me and enjoy almost
everyone who has passed through the
farm. Of course, at lunch we bond over
30 Rock episodes. Classic!
Me: What do you grow on your farm?
Tony: Pretty much all vegetables
possible in this region, as the CSA model
demands it. I also grow berries, fruits
(apples, pears, cherries), nuts (walnuts,
hazelnuts), and grapes. Heritage breeds
of pigs, chickens for eggs and meat,
as well as turkeys. I’m thinking about
raising ostriches, but that’s just for riding.
Me: Hahaha. That would be some ride!
Tony: That’s one of the great parts
about farming. Within reason, you can
do some pretty crazy things and no one
is going to stop you.
Me: Why do you offer apprenticeship?
Tony: One, there is a demand for it. People either
want to learn about farming or want to connect to
the land. There aren’t very many formalized ways
for people to gain this education or experience.
On the other hand, I need the help. Vegetables
are systematically underpriced, which is one way
that the countryside subsidizes cities. As such,
it’s very hard for farmers to make money and it’s
very hard for farmers to pay decent wages that
Canadians are willing to work for. This is why we
see tens of thousands of farmers being flown in
from Mexico and Jamaica every year to Ontario.
My options are: grow less food, hire migrant
workers, or have an educational exchange with
young people who are willing to trade their
labour for food, shelter, and a great opportunity.
I should say that there are some farms (few and
far between) that are able to pay decent wages for
farm help. I’m just not at that stage yet. Even if I
were, I would probably still offer apprenticeships
because I enjoy the relationship and like teaching.
Me: Well, thanks, Tony. I think that is
everything. I appreciate the time you took to chat
with me. Tony: Cool, thanks. Ciao!
9
Karma Staff Q&A
Collected by Kate Skipton and Sophie
Muller
In our last issue, we introduced you to
Michael and Paul. Now, meet some more
of Karma’s friendly staff.
Greg Miller
other “clerks” around. Here at Karma you
have a WAY different model, because not
only are there staff who have been here
for varying years, but also no one feels
like their opinion is less important than
another staff member’s.
What are the best and worst parts of
your job?
What do you do at Karma?
Best: Coffee in the morning/late afterI’m a shift manager (I close and open the noon. And Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1.
store) AND the Member Labour Coor- Worst: There aren’t that many “worst”
dinator (I train cashiers, help members parts of my job here, but I could defiunderstand why they’re falling behind nitely think of some frustrating aspects.
in their hours, do status changes, answer The most common one is members getting
general questions, etc. Oh, and help coor- confused and annoyed by the co-op’s policy
dinate shifts for members).
of penalizing working members who’ve
fallen behind in their work commitments
How long have you worked at Karma? and, while down in hours, are charged the
Creeping up on over five years now... five dreaded 10% surcharge.
and a half, I believe.
You are shipwrecked on a desert
Do you think working for Karma is island and you’re allowed one food,
much different from working for a one drink, and one activist. What do
non-co-op? you take?
For sure! I had the great fortune of Oh, geez. I would take coffee to drink,
working for Dominion years ago (now because I subsist off it and if I’m going
known as Metro...sooo hip) and there to be deserted on an island, I imagine I
you’re just a cog in a machine. You could find some source of fresh water to
showed up for your shifts but you were help me brew my freshly ground mountain
very low on the pecking order, because the blend. And then I would need no food to
whole store structure catered to the “full- bring with me because I would fashion
timers,” people who had been there for some spears for spear fishing in the surf
years and were part of the store’s benefits while the tide is high, and perhaps even a
plans and so could wander about and boss 10 bow and some arrows to hunt wild game
(depending upon what creatures inhabit
this island, ‘cause I’m assuming early
European settlers were marooned there
back in the fifteenth century on their way
to find a new route to China, and so now
all the goats and sheep and pigs that they
had on board with them have populated
the island. Ooh, and if there are sheep
then I can fashion some clothing from
their wool! And bedding!). And I think I’d
rather bring a mild-mannered cat instead
of an activist. Perhaps my roommate’s cat
(Rodney the danger cat), since I know him
and we sometimes get along. Any activist
might spend a lot of time telling me “how
it is” and “what to do” and, though not
really bossing me around, giving me the
sense that they were in charge, and I
wouldn’t like that. If I’m on a deserted
island, then all bets are off ! Lord of the
flies! (Plus, fact: cats are cuddlier than
activists).
Frank Norquay
What do you do at Karma?
I order grocery, meat, dairy, and coffee; I
clerk and do shift managing.
How long have you worked at Karma?
One and a half years.
Do you think working for Karma is
much different from working for a
non-co-op? It’s way different—when one person is
profiting, you have one boss and you
might not be particularly passionate about 11
making them richer. At Karma, you are
contributing to a community project
whose overflow goes back to the community. Good times!
What are the best and worst parts of
your job?
Best: I love the community vibe at
Karma—you can really get to know
people, you can be yourself, and everyone
is passionate about good food, the
planet, and sharing. I’ve grown pretty fond
of our suppliers too: AMJ, Zara’s, w00t!
Worst: The co-op structure can be very
inefficient and bureaucratic. You can’t
just show up and start making the changes
that you want to see—you have to be part
of a democratic process that can suck
the juice out of your idea. Of course, this
comes in pretty handy when you disagree
with someone else’s vision!
You are shipwrecked on a desert
island and you’re allowed one food,
one drink, and one activist. What do
you take?
Food: Milford Bay Smoked Gravlax. Drink:
Filsinger’s apple cider. Activist: Activists
are fine and good when you need some
righteous rage happening, but I’m pretty
sure I wouldn’t want to live with one. But
if they’re easy on the eyes, pleasant and
engaging, and can fish with their bare
hands, they’d be OK by me.
The Little Cracker Company That Could:
Evelyn’s Crackers
By Derek Chadbourne
Ed were in the catering business and used to
serve homemade crackers with the dinners they
catered. The crackers were such a hit that Dawn
and Ed decided to try them as a retail business.
I first met Ed Rek and his crackers at a product
display in our very own Karma Co-op. I had gone
in to pick up some snacks for a gathering that
night. He was just packing up his crackers and
there were still a few in the bowl, so I tried one.
The cooks started selling their crackers, named
after their daughter Evelyn, in 2008 at the local
farmer’s market, and have slowly been working
their way into specialty shops and grocery stores.
Dawn cooks out of a kitchen in North York called
the Toronto Food Business Incubator, partially
funded by the city of Toronto to help fledgling
businesses get on their feet (the rest of the funding
is provided by provincial grants). She shares the
space with six other companies, but soon the
cracker business will have to find a new space.
I have been trying to get off the wheat lately—I
like to think it’s for health reasons, but it’s mostly
for the waistline reasons—but I can’t resist a
good-looking cracker, so I tried one. I have to say,
and I said this to Ed, that these were good enough
to put me back on wheat—although the price is
steep. I was going out to a board-game night at
a friend’s and I wanted to bring some cheese and
crackers—and why not Evelyn’s Crackers?
Dawn, Ed, and Evelyn came from the U.S. to settle
in Canada. They are originally from the Philadelphia area. Dawn had been in Toronto before and
Evelyn’s Crackers, like most great things, came
about as an accident. Dawn Woodward and
12
had kept in touch with friends. She had always
wanted to move here. One of the major reasons
was the farmer’s markets in the city. “You just
don’t have that kind of thing in Philadelphia,” Ed
says. Fresh food, especially organic food, is very
important to the two former cooks.
“We made crackers because every farmer’s market
has someone who makes bread, and crackers were
easier to make than bread,” says Ed. The main
ingredient of the crackers is a heritage wheat
called Red Fife, named after the farmer who first
grew it in the Peterborough area in the 1800s.
What about that price? “Well,” Dawn explains
unapologetically, “you get what you pay for. All
of our ingredients are organic and locally grown.
What we can’t get locally, we make sure is fair
trade. If you look at the same quality of crackers
that come from England, our crackers are only 20
cents more.”
“It’s the economy of scale,” says Ed. “Because
we do not mass produce, because we use organic
ingredients, we can’t keep the quality and lower
the prices.”
And what lies in the future for this small cracker
company? They are currently working on making
a new label, complete with bar code. This way,
the fledgling cracker company can get into larger
shops like Whole Foods. This does not necessarily mean, however, that they want to become a
bigger company.
Committee News
Food Issues Committee
The Food Issues Committee is continuing to work
on the GMO project, as well as on the ongoing
task of making sure the products in the store are
in line with Karma’s Product Policy. In January
and February, committee members attended the
Canadian Organic Growers Conference and the
Guelph Organic Conference to network with
others in the field, and to gather ideas on best
practices.
Orientation Committee
T he Orientation Committee provides an
overview of how Karma works to potential new
members. All potential Karma members need to
attend an orientation prior to joining Karma.
Dawn sums it up when speaking about their
Orientations are held on Wednesdays, Saturphilosophy. “We don’t want to expand outside of
days, and Sundays throughout the month.
Ontario and, for that matter, probably not even
out of Southern Ontario. The food we make I f yo u o r s o m e o n e yo u k n o w i s i n t e rmust use sustainable ingredients and support ested in attending a session, please email
local farmers, and you can’t do that if you’re as orientation@karmacoop.org to find out on
big as Ritz.”
which days the sessions are being held.
13
Recipes: Family Favourites
mixture can be cooked right away or stored in
the fridge for several days.
4) Heat a heavy skillet and add 3-5 tbsp. of oil.
Shape mix into patties, using 2-3 tbsp. mix for
each patty. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle
a breadcrumb on contact, put several patties
in the pan, ensuring that you leave sufficient
room so they can be easily flipped. Fry until
golden on the underside, flip and wait until
golden-ness has been achieved again.
5) Serve in pita bread (I like the pocket sort),
stuffed with green salad. Lots of crunchy
additions to your salad will make your falafel
especially yummy—try lettuce, sprouts, sliced
radishes, cucumber, tomato, and/or avocado.
A great dressing for this salad is 1 part tahini,
1 part yogurt, 2 parts olive oil, 1 part cider
vinegar, salt, pepper, and ground cumin.
By Layla Rich
Here is a collection of three recipes that are
favourites in our family. I hope that you enjoy
them as much as we have!
Falafel (Serves 4-6)
Adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook by
Mollie Katzen
My father refers to falafels as the Middle
Eastern equivalent of a hamburger. They are
tasty, good for you, and easy to make. The
falafel mix also freezes well, so make extra and
toss it in the freezer for an easy meal when you
are feeling lazy.
Falafel mix ingredients:
4 cups cooked chickpeas (canned are fine; two
15-oz. cans are sufficient)
2 tsp. cumin (I love cumin, so am always more
generous with it)
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup finely minced onion, or 6 minced
scallions
1/4 cup (packed) minced parsley
1 tbsp. lemon juice
A few dashes of cayenne pepper or crushed
chilies (or more to taste)
1/3 cup flour
Oil for frying
Goodwiches (serves 4–6)
I’ve never tried this recipe on a large audience
before, but it’s certainly a family favourite and
I believe that you will like it if you like all the
ingredients. The leftovers make a great packed
lunch, but take the filling separately from the
shell or it will get soggy by the time you go to
eat it.
Ingredients:
Large flour tortillas
Mayonnaise
1/4–1/2 cup BBQ sauce
4 onions, sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets and lightly
steamed
6 dill pickles, sliced
Oil or butter
Method:
1) Rinse the chickpeas and drain them well.
2) Combine all ingredients except flour and
oil in a food processor or a medium-sized bowl
and process—or mash with a potato masher—
until you have a uniform mixture.
3) Add flour, and stir until combined. This
14
Method:
Melt butter over medium-low heat or put a few
glugs of oil into a frying pan. Toss in onions
and caramelize (i.e., cook slowly until they
become very brown). Add BBQ sauce. Now
you are ready to assemble your Goodwich. (We
always did this at the dinner table—everything
can be placed in bowls on the table and people
can help themselves to as much or as little of
any topping as they want). Start by putting
mayo on your tortilla, spread it around, and
add the other ingredients to taste. Enjoy!
Mary Ann’s Best-Ever
Mushroom Soup
Adapted from The Grub Bag by Ita Jones
This is a wonderful soup—especially in winter!
Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
Butter
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, or more if you want
to remove the stems (white, cremini, Portobello or a combination work well)—cleaned*
and sliced (if they are small mushrooms, quartering will do)
5 tbsp. pot barley
Salt & pepper
3 fist-sized raw potatoes, peeled & cut into
1/2-inch cubes
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3-1/2 cups milk
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Sour cream (optional—for garnish)
Method:
1) In a large pot, melt approximately 2 tbsp.
of butter over medium heat. Add onion and
sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and a 15
bit more butter, and continue to sauté another
10 minutes over medium-low heat.
2) Add barley, and salt and pepper to taste.
(Keep tasting now and then to check this.)
Add potatoes and stock. Cover and simmer
the soup for 45 minutes, or until potatoes and
barley are cooked. Up until this point, everything can be done the night before, in which
case you do step 3 right before you plan to eat
the soup.
3) Add milk and heat the soup VERY slowly,
stirring constantly, just until the brink of
boiling. (Err on the side of less hot, because
this soup will curdle if you boil it).
4) Garnish with sour cream and parsley, and
enjoy with a green salad and good bread.
*A clean, damp cloth works very well for
cleaning mushrooms, and won’t make them
soggy (unlike running them under water).
Mission Statement
Our aim is to:
• create a community of actively participating members;
• foster a healthy connection to the food we eat, the people who grow it, and the
other organizations who share our beliefs;
• co-operatively educate ourselves on environmental issues; and
• exercise political and economic control over our food
by operating a viable co-operative food store.
Contact Your Co-op — and Get Involved!
Board of Directors: board@karmacoop.org
Building Committee: building@karmacoop.org
Chronicle Committee: chronicleeditor@gmail.com
Community Development Committee: community@karmacoop.org
Finance Committee: finance@karmacoop.org
Food Issues Committee: foodissues@karmacoop.org
Member Labour Coordinator: mlc@karmacoop.org
Orientation Committee: orientation@karmacoop.org
Web Committee: web@karmacoop.org
Hours of Operation
Monday 11 am – 7 pm
Tuesday 11 am – 9 pm
Wednesday 11 am – 9 pm
Thursday 11 am – 9 pm
Friday 11 am – 9 pm
Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
Staff List
General Manager: Justin McNabb
Assistant General Manager: Michael Armstrong
Staff: Rachel Climenhaga, Paul Dixon, Talia McGuire, Greg Miller, Frank Norquay, Shannon Waterman
Bookkeeper: Denise Stapleton
Membership Secretary: Marilou Lawrence
Member Labour Coordinator: Greg Miller
Board of Directors
Sarah Pretty – President and member of the Supervisory Committee
Howard Kaplan – Treasurer
Reg McQuaid – Secretary
Arel Agnew – Negotiation Committee Member
Corey Berman – Operations and member of the Supervisory Committee
Hilary Gibson Wood – Communication
Art Jacobs – Building Upkeep and Repairs
Angela Lee – Committees
Danielle Thibodeau – Community Engagement
Ben Watts – Communication