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Reaping the Faith

by Leah Koenig · March 5th, 2008
Farming, Hazon, Meat, New York, Organic, Politics, Seasonality, Spirituality, Sustainability, Tuv Ha'Aretz

gastronomica.gifThe most recent issue of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture includes an article I wrote called “Reaping the Faith.”

The article profiles Zaid and Haifa Kurdieh, two religious Muslims who combine their faith and farming (sounds familiar somehow…). It focuses on the concept of Tayyib, which some Muslims view as a mandate to eat sustainably and healthily, and compares Tayyib with the significantly more widespread Muslim eating mandate, Halal. It traces the history of faith and farming throughout other religious traditions including Judaism and Christianity. Additionally, it touches upon Zaid and Haifa’s struggles to secure visas for Muslim farm workers from Jordan and Egypt to work as apprentices on their farm. And, naturally, it gives a healthy shout out to Hazon’s Tuv Ha’Aretz program.

The extra exciting news is - the folks at Gastronomica are planning an evening of discussion around the article on Tuesday, May 13 at the beautiful new Astor Center in in NYC - check back here in the next couple of weeks for more information about the event.

Here are the first two paragraphs as a teaser (the article is unfortunately not available online). To purchase a copy or subscription, check out Gastronomica’s website.

Reaping the Faith
By: Leah Koenig
Gastronomica - Winter 2008


“There is no room for it” Haifa says, pressing a clove of purple garlic in my hands. I smile at this generous gift and watch her husband Zaid chat with a customer while weighing eggplants at their farmers market stand in New York City. It is a Sunday afternoon on the cusp of early fall. Heirloom tomatoes rest heavily in plastic flats, bulging with the recent rainfall. Their skin mimics the startling red of watermelon flesh and flamboyant orange of fresh apricots. Haifa offers me a slice of crumbly blue cheese, making me feel like a guest in their home rather than a customer.

Zaid and Haifa Kurdieh own and operate Norwich Meadows Farms in upstate New York, where they have been farming organically since 1998. Twice a week during the growing season they make the 225-mile drive to New York City to deliver produce to their community-supported agriculture (CSA) locations in the Bronx and Manhattan, and two farmers’ markets in lower Manhattan. This summer, they also opened a CSA in Norwich where members pick up their produce directly on the farm and can spend time working in the fields or greenhouse. Like many organic family farmers, Zaid and Haifa favor the direct farmer-to-customer relationships found at farmers’ markets and CSAs. They enjoy interacting with their neighbors and urban customers, and view it as an opportunity to build relationships and educate them about eating locally-grown organic foods. And like other small organic farms, Norwich Meadows Farms was started partly in response against the system of large-scale, faceless industrial farming, processing and packaging which has dominated US food production since mid 20th century. But despite many similarities, one thing sets Zaid and Haifa apart from other small-scale, organic farmers: their faith and practice as religious Muslims.

Purchase Gastronomica here.

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3 Responses to “Reaping the Faith”

  1. yaakov kirschen Says:
    March 5th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    I know that this is silly (and perhaps off topic) but I find the cover of Gastronomica (with the spoon casting the shadow of a fork) to be, well, disturbing.
    Don’t know why, but I do.
    Other than the scary cover your blog is a mouth-watering treat to these Jewish eyes.
    thanx,
    Dry Bones
    Israel’s Political Comic Strip since 1973

  2. yehudah the dude Says:
    March 6th, 2008 at 9:31 am

    A Fresh Crop of Food Enthusiast Courses Debuts This April
    At The Culinary Institute of America at Astor Center

    Contact: Jay Blotcher
    Media Relations Specialist
    845-905-4419
    j_blotch@culinary.edu

    New York, New York, March 10, 2008 – The month of April ushers in an impressive array of Food Enthusiast courses from the newly-opened Culinary Institute of America at Astor Center in downtown Manhattan. These classes are taught by The CIA’s celebrated chef-instructors in the college’s state-of-the-art teaching facilities. Here are the classes offered in April:

    Cooking with Fresh Herbs
    Apr. 5, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
    Store-bought or plucked from your window box garden, fresh herbs add unique flavor to everyday meals. This hands-on course will introduce you to the many ways that herbs can transform a recipe into a flavor-packed revelation. Become familiar with the numerous varieties available, and learn how to introduce fresh herbs to appetizers, soups, salads, entrées — even desserts. $225.

    Taste of CIA Boot Camp
    Apr. 7, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
    The CIA at Astor Center, New York City,
    In this demonstration course, explore the fundamentals of the CIA’s popular Boot Camp program. Learn fundamental cooking techniques and enjoy a tasting of gnocchi with basil pesto, pan-fried breast of chicken with prosciutto and mozzarella, braised fennel with Parmesan cheese, and glazed carrots. Participants will receive a copy of the CIA Best of Culinary Boot Camp DVD. $95 includes a 10% discount on future Boot Camp programs at our Hyde Park, NY campus.

    Small Bites, Big Flavors
    Apr. 9, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
    Served formally or casually, stuffed or skewered, hors d’oeuvre are a crowd-pleaser. In this demonstration course, learn essential techniques and recipes for creating a broad range of stylish small bites. Tastings include: palmiers and paillettes, hummus, tapenade, mozzarella roulade with prosciutto, and crab cakes with Creole honey-mustard sauce. $95.

    Vegetables: What to Produce with Your Produce
    Apr. 23, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
    In this demonstration course, become acquainted with vegetables that flourish during the winter season, Tastings include: chayote-jicama salsa; hoisin-caramelized root vegetables; artichoke and spinach risotto; and fettuccine with corn, squash, chiles, crème fraîche, and cilantro. $95.

    The Culinary Institute of America at Astor Center is located at 399 Lafayette St. in the heart of Manhattan’s East Village. To register for a Food Enthusiast class at Astor Center, call 800-888-7850 or visit http://www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts.

    Attention Members of the media: Media scholarships are available for those who wish to attend The CIA at Astor Center programs on assignment. Please contact Jay Blotcher at 845-905-4419 for more information.

  3. Leah Koenig Says:
    March 6th, 2008 at 9:46 am

    That’s funny Yaakov - I really like the spoon/fork image, but I can see what you mean :)

    Thanks for the info Yehudah the Dude - the classes sound cool.

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