A couple weeks ago I posted on the wild and crazy happenings in US dairy of late. Since then I happened on the web site of the Cornucopia Insitute (CI), a group that defines itself as a consumer watchdog group for organic food products. In 2006 they published a paper (get the PDF here) about the organic integrity of milk.

The Cornucopia Institute points out that organic consumers assume, much of the time, that the milk they’re drinking is humanely raised, more nutritious and that the profits of its sale go more directly to the farmers who produce it. As the Institute shows, this is not the case for some of the nation’s most common dairy products, including Horizon Organics (owned by conventional giant Dean), Silk (owned by the same) and Aurora (which supplies supermarket organic brands like Safeway and Costco). These large “organic” producers are using factory farm practices and monopolizing principles to overpower smaller competitors and con organic consumers into paying more for less.

A quick heads-up before Shabbat about an exciting event happening this Sunday. Rachel Kriger is organizing a Rosh Chodesh “meeting in the garden”, to mark the start of Adar, when happiness springs anew, according to Jewish tradition. Rachel says:

We have the power to create happiness (or any other mood) whenever we choose. Practice remembering a spontaneously happy moment. Where were you? Who was with you? What did it feel like in your body? Where did you feel it? Can you generate that same feeling by remembering that moment? Could you create those sensations in your body now? 

One of my favorite quotes is: “You know you’re on the right track when your solution to one problem accidentally solves several others.” – Michael Corbett

So it was with glee that I learned about a spring cover crop, which is also a cash crop, which could ALSO — potentially — be used for karpas. One plant, solving three problems: soil erosion & nutrient loss, early spring revenue, and provision of a local/sustainable ritual food. Clearly, this is reason to get excited! However, the halacha must be consulted…

This is your brain with a shmethical dilemma

Dearest Shmethicist,

I recently decided to stop using my Teflon-lined rice cooker because I’m finally convinced that coating isn’t something I want flaking into my food and getting into my body. I figured there are still lots of people out there who don’t mind non-stick stuff and even prefer it, so I gave my rice cooker away for free. I also gave away a set of plastic mixing bowls when I bought stainless steel ones. I figured it would save someone money and keep those things out of the landfill. But later I talked to my mom and her reaction was that I should absolutely NOT subject other people to the things I wouldn’t use myself. She’s very conscious of sustainable practices and is a big advocate of fixing things rather than throwing them away and buying new ones, and she buys a lot of second-hand stuff herself. But she was certain that my rice cooker was better off in the trash.

What do you think? Send the old stuff to the dump, or give it to people who might buy it anyway?

Thanks,

Frying Pan into the Fire?

On Monday I was in attendance at the 3rd  annual Royal Wines gala event, “The Kosher Food & Wine Experience”. This year’s event was in the NY Metropolitan Pavilion, located on 125 West 18th Street between 6th and 7th Ave in Manhattan.

The event attracts people from all walks of life and all branches of Judaism are represented. The cost of entry is $100.00, but many industry people get complimentary tickets, including me. There were kosher wines from all over the world. I was especially struck by the quality of the wines from Spain.

The United Nations Environment Programme released a major report this week on the impact of the recent surge in food prices, a rapidly growing population, and declining agricultural yields due to environmental degradation. It is very clear that the solution to 21st century food problems is not to simply rely on technology and increased use of pesticides, fertilizers, and chemicals. Included among the findings of the report is the fact that agricultural yields through organic farming methods are higher than through industrial farming. It criticizes the use of cereal and grain as animal feed, connecting that in part to rising food costs. And importantly, it points out that climate change is a key factor in 21st century food security, as water scarcities, invasive pests and weeds entering new ecosystems, and increased drought put additional pressure on the already-stressed world food system.

So there I was at the Berkeley Bowl this morning, which is how my work day starts. As a personal chef, the first thing I do is go grocery shopping. But I digress. I had gotten there a little later than usual, and had longer lines to contend with. So I picked up some reading material for the wait.

The olive tree in this photo is reputed to be 2000 years old – give or take a century or so. It’s growing in a grove just above the village of Deir Hanna, in the North of Israel, one of five there that have attained record-breaking ages. I was a part of a group of ecology-minded people from Gezer, my kibbutz, and some friends who visited these trees on a trip to the nearby city of Sakhnin last summer. We went there to see new and traditional methods of building and water treatment. After we all stuffed ourselves silly on hummus and salads in downtown Sakhnin, our guide and friend Jan, a permaculture instructor and writer, led us up a winding hillside road to see these forgotten leafy treasures. (More about Jan, later.)

Touching any living thing that’s so inconceivably old is awe-inspiring. But unlike the other ancient trees I’ve walked around – giant old-growth redwoods, whose looming trunks? John Muir aptly described as “cathedrals,” reminding you of your petty insignificance – these trees connect one directly to human history. They’re recognizably agriculture, planted by humans in familiar patterns. Rather than growing tall and stately, their trunks have spread outward, becoming ever more twisted and gnarled with time – sometimes even splitting into separate trunks – as though they’re hunkering down to withstand the ravages of eons.

Thanks to Hanniel Levenson for this guest post.  Hanniel is the Environmental Rabbinic Intern at The Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs. Hanniel majored in Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University and was awarded a Master of Science degree in environmental policy at Bard College. A self-described post-denominational Jew, Hanniel sees a strong connection between the environment and Judaism and plans to pursue this avenue in his Rabbinical studies at The Academy for Jewish Religion. He is also a painter, a competitive gymnast, who has competed on the national level, as well as a recently Registered Yoga Teacher.

The Federation for Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC), one of the main pillars of Conservative Judaism, under the direction of its Executive Director, Rabbi Charles Simon, has taken the initiative to realize Conservative Judaism’s denominational- wide commitment to create a sustainable future.  And it begins in the synagogue.

Jewish tradition is filled with environmentally conscious laws, stories, and leaders. Couple this with strong social action and you have Shomrei Ha’aretz –  “Stewards of the Land.”

“Local? No, no. None of this here is local,” said the sour-faced woman wrapped in blankets next to her table of produce. “But at least I’m honest. You see that guy over there? He’s selling strawberries as ‘home grown.’” The woman scoffed and shook her head. “Home grown! In February!”

I knew better than to expect local strawberries at this time of year. (Although I wondered if maybe that guy’s hometown was in Mexico… I really want to believe people). I was just trying to find potatoes and greens for some brunch dishes.

Many thanks to Richard Lederman for this guest post. Dr. Lederman studied Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Bible, but has spent the last 30 years in Jewish communal service. His latest position was as Director of Public Policy and Social Action for United Synagogue and also worked with Hekhsher Tzedek. Dr. Lederman is currently working as an independent consultant and educator. He has been thinking for some time about the connection between the mitzvot pertaining to the production, consumption and distribution of food, as well as the ownership and distribution of land and how these relate to the contemporary movement for ethical and sustainable processes for food production and distribution.

Who would have thought 100 years ago, 50 years ago, that early 21st century Jews would be joining an organization focused in part on the mitzvah of shmita, a mitzvah that technically only applies to the land of Israel, where the most urgent topic of discussion is discovering the possible loopholes around it.

As announced at the Hazon TuBishvat seder, Adam Jackson and Amanda Melpolder will be the new co-Editors-in-Chief of The Jew and the Carrot.  Both are delighted to be leading the JCarrot team of enthusiastic and talented Associate Editors and writers.  They are looking forward to building on Leah Koenig’s hard work and moving the Jew and the Carrot forward and forging new directions for the blog.

Sometimes you can’t quite plan the perfect gift, but it makes itself apparent to you if you’re paying enough attention. My father just celebrated a major birthday, and he’s notoriously hard to buy gifts for. Lucky for me, things worked out so that I didn’t have to buy him a gift he wouldn’t want but instead was able to make him something he really has been able to enjoy.

My parents came back from their last visit to California this winter with some lemons from the tree outside the house where I grew up. Citrus, is of course, in season there. We used a number of them for tea, but we had so many that I was worried about them going to waste. So, inspiration hit – I’d make marmalade! And, knowing my father’s love of lemon, it would also make the perfect birthday gift.

Recipe below the jump. 

Not too long ago, I was in New Orleans on a three-day work conference.  Having never been to the Crescent City before, I decided to seek out many of the city’s culinary delights.  But after I had tucked into a bucket of boiled shellfish, enjoyed a platter of jambalaya,  étouffée,  and maque choux, at Mother’s Restaurant (World’s Best Baked Ham), slurped down a fried oyster po’boy and munched on a muffuletta – I was acutely aware that the only kosher thing I had enjoyed during my brief stay was a bucket-sized plastic cup of beer.

So, what could be kosher in New Orleans a city famed for its Creole cooking – a cuisine dependent on many non-kosher foods?  According to one kosher-keeping Tulane alumni, and a couple of rabbinical students, it is tough to keep kosher outside of one’s home in NOLA.  Before Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city there had been several vegetarian restaurants and the Creole Kosher Kitchen in the French Quarter – although to date none have reopened.  Possibly the only kosher restaurant left in town is Casablanca and the Kosher Cajun Deli located in the suburb of Metarie.  Café du Monde, the French market cafe famed for its beignets (fired dough doused in powdered sugar) and chicory coffee received its kashrut certification in time for Chanukah this past year.  But are there any traditional New Orleans dishes that are kosher?