Deli Grand Reopening

The Swarthmore Co-Op is going to be having a deli grand re-opening on Friday Feb. 3rd, for the redesign of the deli. We will be having 10% off every item in the Deli and Prepared Foods case.  There will be a ribbon cutting at 12pm, with the General Manager, the Deli Manager and members of the Co-Op Board.  So come out and join us.

Thank You

Jessica Haenn, Deli Manager

The Swarthmore Co-op Blend is HERE!!

Make a fresh discovery.

IT”S HERE!! Our amazing partners at One Village Coffee have just collaborated with us to create what we feel is their best blend yet:  THE SWARTHMORE CO-OP BLEND.  Available freshly brewed or by the bean, it is a delicious blend East Africa, Indoneasian, and Central American beans with a bold, rich taste and smooth finish.

One Village Coffee was a perfect choice for us to create out house blend.  Here’s what they say about themselves:

‘What we mean is that you’re now part of a burgeoning community here—a village, if you will. A village of growers, pickers; roaster and drinkers. A village where the population is sometimes just one person, and sometimes its numbers are immeasurable. A place where things are shared, discussed and ultimately treasured. A place that is seemingly without boundaries, and yet still manages to fit neatly into a cup. A place that you are now an official, card-carrying resident of.’

Sounds a lot like a Co-op, right?

As always, One Village Coffee uses USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance Certified beans and is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

We can’t wait for you to try our new coffee…it will be in store by Wednesday the 25th.  It was hand-picked and mouth-tasted by our very own Co-opers with the expert guidance of Steve Hackman, president/owner of One Village Coffee.  Be sure to tell us what you think.

Fun and Games outside the Co-op!

The gang at the Springfield Ice Rink.

We work hard and we PLAY hard!

Philadelphia CowShare and the Swarthmore Co-op

The Swarthmore Co-op has recently partnered with Philadelphia CowShare

Philadelphia CowShare provides GRASS-FED, ABH-FREE, LOCAL beef to the Swarthmore Co-op.  Our upcoming “Burgers and Fries:  The Sustainable Way” event on January 20th, where we will be grilling burgers and cooking french fries for a cost of $8 for Members and $10 for Future/Non-Members, will be fulfilled by the use of beef exclusively from Philadelphia CowShare. (Stop by the Co-op now until the 20th to purchase your ticket for this event.)

At the Co-op, we believe in using locally sourced products that are made using humane and natural methods.  Philadelphia CowShare has provided us with a unique opportunity to provide beef in our store that is produced and prepared in a way in which we truly believe and can stand confidently behind.

What are CowShares?

A Philadelphia CowShare is a way for individual customers to buy high quality, local, grass-fed beef in bulk by splitting the purchase of a cow with other people.

By buying a CowShare, you can:

• Receive High Quality Grass-fed Beef
• Simplify Meal Planning
• Support Local Farmers and Butchers

About Philadelphia CowShare’s Cows

They select cows from local farms near Philadelphia in Lancaster, Chester, Delaware, and Mercer counties. They personally visit each farm and talk with the farmer to guarantee the cows are grass-fed and free of growth hormones and antibiotics. They also require the farm to follow sustainable, organic farming practices, but do not require the USDA organic certification.

Cows are an essential part of a sustainable farming ecosystem. Cows keep the hills mowed and fertilize the land. Philly CowShare prefers to purchase cows that are part of a healthy farming ecosystem. They believe in rewarding and supporting the farmers who create a sustainable farming ecosystem. Philadelphia CowShare offers them an income source from their cows and gives you an opportunity to purchase high quality, local beef.

Once they all agree on the goal of doing business together, they have a checklist they run through that includes:

Cattle practices:

• Cattle have been raised on pasture with minimal confinement as needed to care for the land (i.e. snowy months) and animals (i.e. weight checks, vaccinations, sorting, transport, etc.).
• Cattle’s diet consists of natural grasses, legumes, alfalfa and/or range farm/forage. No supplemental grains or grain-based manufactured ration, reprocessed animal tissue, animal by-products, fecal material, food waste or by-products are allowed at any time. Minimal supplements are allowed.
• Cattle are fed hay made from the same plants found naturally on pasture, preferably from the same pasture the animals graze during the growing season.
• Cattle have access to fresh water at all times.
• Cattle have access to shelter during inclement weather.
• Calves should be kept with their mothers after birth and weaned when they are capable of growing on a grass-fed diet without their mother’s milk.
• No synthetic hormones, growth promotants, or steroids are given to the animals at any time in their life.
• No preventative antibiotics or other medications are allowed with the exception of those required by the USDA (e.g. 5-way virus vaccine).
• The farm must be managed to promote healthy animals including rotational grazing, vaccination, and low stress handling.
• Cattle should be medicated to treat illness or injury in order to minimize suffering or death. If an animal is visibly ill, it should be separated from the herd to minimize the spread of the ailment and should be treated immediately. If antibiotics or other medications are used as part of the treatment of a Philadelphia CowShare animal, the farmer must notify Philadelphia CowShare immediately. Philadelphia CowShare will not purchase animals that have had antibiotics or other medication administered into or passed through the blood stream that may result in medication residue in the meat.

Land practices:

• The land should be managed to promote continual forage growth without the assistance of chemical herbicides or pesticides.
• Fertilization techniques should reuse organic by-products from the farm such as cow and poultry manure.
• Increasing the nitrogen levels in the land is the most difficult aspect of cattle farming. Nitrogen fertilizers are allowed as needed provided they are closely monitored and administered to increase the organic matter in the soil and do not impose health risks to the animals.
• Farmers should test the nutrients of the soil and supplement with minerals where needed to promote healthy top soil and forage.

What is dry-aged beef?

Dry-aged beef is beef that has been hung in a cool, clean, climate-controlled environment for a period of time. Dry-aging beef intensifies the flavor and tenderizes the beef. Enzymes break down the muscle and connective tissue in the beef and make it more tender and flavorful. All our beef is dry-aged for at least 14 days.

Why is dry-aged beef more expensive?

Dry-aged beef is more expensive than wet-aged or non-aged beef for three reasons. First, a meat processor must have an environment suitable for dry aging. Second, the process simply takes longer. Finally, the meat loses moisture or weight during the process. Our beef can lose 10% of the weight over 2 weeks.

Beef that is wet-aged is vacuum-sealed in plastic and typically aged during transit. Because it is aged in its own juices, more moisture is absorbed by the beef resulting in less weight loss. When you buy beef by the pound, you are paying for the moisture that was retained in the beef during the wet-aging process. With dry-aged beef, you are paying for a more intense flavor of beef and less liquid. Most beef sold in supermarkets is wet-aged or not aged at all.

For more information visit:  www.phillycowshare.com

For an interview of the CowShare peeps:  Click Here

Big Sky Bread is coming to the Co-op

Starting Friday, January 13th, The Swarthmore Co-op will be carrying breads from Big Sky Bread in Wilmington, DE.  They will be delivered fresh, Tuesday and Friday every week.  We will e carrying the following variety:

French Whole Grain
A mixture of wheat, rye and white gives this bread a chewy interior and firm crust making this one of our favorites.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Whole Wheat, Whole Rye Flour, Water, Salt and Yeast.

Italian Peasant
Inspired by world famous Italian bakers this crusty loaf has a full flavor and a chewy interior.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, and Yeast.

Rustic Sourdough
Inspired by world famous bread bakers of Paris, this thick crusted loaf has a full sourdough flavor and a chewy texture.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, and Yeast.

Seven Grain
A true Europran bread. Ferminated grains infused into a moist slighty sour hearthy bread    Ingredients: Whole Wheat,Whole Rye,unbleached wheat,whole oats,flax seeds,millet,teff,salt and yeast

Honey Whole Wheat
A whole wheat bread sweetened with clover honey. Our best selling bread.    Ingredients: Freshly Ground Whole Wheat, Water, Honey, Yeast and Salt.

Old Fashion White
A significant loaf of “grannys white bread” but we left out the bad for ya stuff! Made the old-fashioned way, this bread’s ingredients are simple and all natural.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Honey, Yeast and Salt.

German Rye
A great loaf of traditional rye formed into a sandwich style loaf.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Dark Rye Flour, Sauerkraut, Onions, Caraway Seeds, Rye Sour, Yeast, Salt, and Dry Malt.

Whole Wheat Three Seed
Lots of poppy, sunflower and sesame seeds added to our most popular clover honey sweetened whole wheat bread.    Ingredients: Freshly Ground Whole Wheat, Water, Honey, Poppy Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Yeast, and Salt.

Lite Cracked Oat
Unbleached wheat flour with rolled oats, oat bran and cracked wheat make this one of our favorite sandwich breads.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Honey, Cracked Wheat, Oat Bran, Rolled Oats, Yeast and Salt.

English Muffin Bread
Nooks & crannies waiting for your favorite breakfast spread.    Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Water, Nonfat Dry Milk, Honey, Corn Meal, Yeast, Salt and Baking Soda.

The aromas wafting around The Big Sky Bread Bakery and Cafe in Brandywine Hundred make you think you’ve wandered into a Norman Rockwell painting. Oven-crisp breads. Bubbling soups. Fresh-brewed coffee.

The names on orders at this artisanal bakery read like a who’s who in Delaware, and the lunch crowd looks like a J.Crew catalog come to life. But a van also pulls up every evening to take 60 to 100 pounds of owner Patrick O’Neill’s handcrafted breads to some of Delaware’s poorest citizens.

“We pick up at least two very large bags of big, crusty breads every night,” Nathalie Thomas, food service manager at the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Wilmington. “They don’t save it for the next day like some places. The make it fresh every day, so he gives it to us.”

O’Neill, a Culinary Institute of America grad, was a personal chef on mega-millionaire Meshulam Riklis’ jet when Riklis, 54, was married to actress Pia Zadora, 23. It was more adventure than job. He met DiMaggio and Merv, and he plated his veal and peppers for Sinatra.

After stints at Winterthur, Kennedy Center, Longwood Gardens and a St. Thomas resort, O’Neill opened Big Sky Bread about 11 years ago with an emphasis on health.

At first, the European breads he loved from his childhood in the Woodside section of Queens were the centerpiece of his business, flanked by other handmade loaves with names like Alpine Whole Wheat Sunflower. Then, bread was blacklisted.

Late in 2004, the NPD Group, a market research firm, reported that 9 percent of Americans polled were on a low-card diet. It was a problem of jumbo proportions for bakeries, even those whose fat-free products do double duty as health food.

“Most Americans newer finish a diet book,” O’Neill says with a smile. “If you read the South Beach and other diet books, they say to eat healthy grains. They never read that part. They read ‘no carbs,’ and that’s the end of it. The Atkins diet changed my business a lot. It cost me about 40 percent of my bread business.”

Big Sky successfully retooled itself as a bakery with a café. Healthy comfort food. Turkeys roasted daily. Chicken salad that starts with Purdue breast meat. Potato chips made in-house. Four to six soups du jour. Sandwiches served with chips, fruit or sweet California carrot sticks. And, for kids, upscale peanut butter and preserves that are a perennial winner in the International Fancy Food and Confection Show.

O’Neill especially likes it when parents tell him their children ask for bread instead of sweets at snack time.

Mark Soja of Brandywine Hundred, a self-described foodie whose hobby is cooking, has been buying bread at Big Sky since it opened. “The breads are whole-grain. Their Italian peasant is very crusty on the outside with an airy, chewy center,” he said. “They do a great job with the breads, and the granola is great. I like the fact that they use whole almonds in the granola.”

Granola is one of Big Sky’s most popular products. One customer buys 25 pounds of Big Sky granola at a clip, and eats it for breakfast daily. O’Neill has photos of American soldiers eating it in Iraq.

Bog Sky products are shortcut-free, with no chemicals or hydrogenated oil. Customers note the brevity of ingredients on its labels. The one on the Italian peasant bread reads: “Flour, water, salt and yeast.” The flour is stone-ground at a Montana mill.

O’Neill says he does with ingredients, mixing, temperature and fermentation what mega-bakeries do with oil and chemicals. It takes a staff off 11. His Italian peasant bread ferments for eight hours.

For Big Sky’s owner, the best part of his business is working with his hands – and handing the product over to a happy customer. “You can feel something and know it’s right,” O’Neill says. “It’s very satisfying.”