In Season: Fall

           As the weather gets colder, and the leaves start to turn to shades of autumn reds and oranges, we are presented with a whole new line of produce that are officially in season. This new colony of vegetables will be making their way to the markets and then to their born fate – our plates. From root vegetables and leafy greens, to legumes and herbs, the fall has some tasteful, healthy produce in store for us to indulge.

Although you can get most produce year round, regardless if it’s “in season” it tends to not be quite as good. So when the time of year comes around when particular things are in their prime, it’s a very exciting time down here at F & C. Because we’re in such close contact with where we get our produce, we’re quick to make sure that we are fully stocked the minute what we need is in full bloom.

Here are a few rooted greens to expect, and what to look for as you pick and choose your perfect produce:

Avocados: Great source of vitamins A,C, and F, potassium, fiber and iron.

Choose ones that yield when you gently press them with your thumb. They should be a uniform shade of bluish black.

Beets: Great source of folate, potassium and vitamin C.

Choose beets that are firm, with smooth roots without any splits. You know they’re freshest when the greens are still attached.

Pumpkin: Great source of vitamin C, A, and folate.

Choose "pie pumpkins" or small pumpkins - they're easier to cook with. Pick ones that seem heavy for their size, with thick hard skin and no blemishes.

Broccoli: Great source of vitamin C, folate, and fiber.

Choose broccoli that has firm stems, with heads that are a dark green/purple color. The buds should be closed, with no evidence of any yellow flowers.

This is the season for a vast variety of excellent fruits and veggies. Listed above were just a few! Happy hunting on all of your produce endeavors for this fall!

Taste Of The Nation

For those of you that follow us on twitter, or have dined out at any of our restaurants this week, you’ve been made aware of our participation in the Share Our Strengths™ No Kid Hungry campaign. I’d like to take a moment to thank, and appreciate those who donated this week, whether it was at one of our restaurants, or any other participating eatery – you’ve contributed to our goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015 and for that, we thank you.

With so many restaurants participating in the Great American Dine Out, it was really great to see everyone support each other during the tweet-a-thon on Monday as we all “RT’d” for each other, promoting one another’s contributions to No Kid Hungry. Speaking of the tweet-a-ton…WOW! What a success! The tweet-a-thon drew so much attention I was literally watching thousands of dollars being donated by restaurants all day long. We even got No Kid Hungry to be a trending topic in Dallas, Texas.

Although this may be the end of the Great American Dine Out for us, this is not the end of our fight to end childhood hunger in America nor is it the end of our efforts with Share Our Strengths™. As Share Our Strengths™ continues their fight year round, you can too! Visit them at http://www.strength.org/ to learn more about how YOU can get involved. As time goes on, we will continue to do our part and take action, and we hope you do the same. To everyone that dined out at a participating restaurant, this week, you took a bite out of something that really mattered. You took a taste of the nation, and made a difference with every bite.

The Great American Dine Out

               As the season begins to turn, and the weather starts to turn cold, we all prepare for the next few months that will be spent mostly inside. During these months, we’ll put down our salad forks and pick up a soup spoon to compliment the weather with warm and cozy comfort food. However, this is not a luxury that we are all able to endure. Try to imagine being a young child, coming inside after hours of jumping in leaf piles, and not being able to refuel with a nice meal. Think about how it feels to go off to school, and when lunch time comes around, everyone around you unloads their lunchboxes but yours is nothing but empty. These are all scenarios that we plan on changing, but we need YOU to help!

      September 19-25, 2010 we will be taking part in the Great American Dine Out. We’ve partnered up with Share Our Strengths™ in effort to end childhood hunger, right here in America. Here are the steps we’re taking to make a difference:

       • The Share Our Strengths™ Tweet-A-Thon: Lend a helping hand and log on to Twitter on Monday September 20th from 9am – 4pm and join us on our Twitter feed for all day contests and giveaways! The twitter follower that RT's the message to the most people that day wins a $50 and a secret super surprise. Not too shabby huh?

      • In Store Donation: Come on in and donate just $1 and get $1 off your next in house purchase. Just by dining at one of our restaurants you're supporting our endeavor to end childhood hunger in America.

          

           More than 16 million kids who are eligible for meals don't get them, but we plan on changing that. Only 1 in 6 eligible kids get free meals, but we strive to fix that. Help end the year on a good note by contributing to a bigger picture and changing a child’s life. We’re asking you to join us in our stride towards ending childhood hunger in America, and help bring a full plate to a child’s table.

Supermarket Struggles

                                      Organic ∙ Local ∙ Conventional
      It seems to me that buying groceries is no longer easy when you try to lead a healthy lifestyle. While strolling through the produce section, you’re confronted with three different labels: organic, local and conventional. Making the choice can be quite mind boggling when you’re trying to shop consciously, but aren’t looking to break the bank. These are all things that as a small business, we consider when we pick and choose our products.
      In short, we believe that buying mostly local is the best route. When you buy local, not only are you reducing the size of the foods carbon footprint, but you are supporting your community. Think about purchasing locally grown grapes with a conventional label, or grapes labeled organic that are from Spain. The organic grapes have not only traveled half way around the world, but in order to remain fresh, the grapes have been sprayed with preservatives. Not quite as organic as you thought huh? Also, many local farms practice organic farming, but may not be able to afford the USDA Organic label, because it is very expensive to get certified. Get to know your farmers and how they grow their food    
      Now, here’s a little break down in picking and choosing based on what it is exactly that you’re buying. Commonly known as “the dirty dozen”, the twelve most contaminated produce products include: sweet bell peppers, celery, peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, pears, imported grapes, cherries, potatoes, lettuce, and spinach. These are things that should be bought organic whenever possible. Commonly known as “the clean 15”, you have leeway with: onions, avocado, asparagus, sweet corn, mango, pineapples, cabbage, sweet peas, kiwis, broccoli, eggplant, papaya, tomato, sweet potato, and watermelon.
     These are all things to keep in mind while shopping and do help make the experience easier, and more enjoyable. Food should be comforting and joyous, not stressful and confusing. Here at Fresh&Co, we plan on taking an even bigger stride by heading down the Union Square green market every Friday to look at, feel, and individually select certain produce - and the only foot prints left from that will be our very own on the side walk.