Pekara Bakery has become well known in C-U for its excellent European-style baked goods. Common Ground Food Co-op is proud to carry a selection of their artisanal breads and pastries, which are baked each morning and delivered fresh daily, Monday through Saturday. Recently, we’ve begun to use Pekara bread for our housemade sandwiches and we are loving the results!
“Vote with your fork” has been the unofficial slogan of the local food and sustainable agriculture movement. Over the last decade as the public has learned more and more about the hidden costs of cheap food, millions of concerned individuals have sought out ways to positively transform the unsustainable industrial system of agriculture. Consumers have helped to create an alternative food system, that is taking root everywhere.
As the season changes and the holidays approach, many of us begin to think about cooking and baking, about sharing food and drink with loved ones. Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor and depth to your favorite holiday meals without adding calories. This month at Common Ground we are featuring seasonal favorites like cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and rubbed sage from Frontier Co-op in Norway, Iowa. Look for sales on these and other herbs and spices throughout the month to make your holiday bulk spice buying an even better value.
Try our Deli’s Roasted Butternut Squash sandwich. It’s a staff and customer favorite this time of year because of its rich flavors.
On the evening of September 20th more than 300 people gathered for the annual Meeting of Owners (MOO) at the Lincoln Square Mall. Hosted by the Board of Directors and planned by the CGFC staff, the event featured live music by Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen, delicious food from Huaraches Moroleon, and a cash bar featuring beer and wine from the Co-op.
Winter squash is so named because it matures in late summer and early fall, and most varieties can be stored throughout the winter. In fact, some don't really come into their own until they've been in storage for a few months. Originating in South America, winter squashes are incredibly versatile and nutritious. In addition to the butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash you usually see, we've worked with several growers to procure a wide variety of winter squash for CGFC.
Regional Producer Profile: Fermenti Artisan
Q & A with Owner Joshua Henson
What does your business name mean? How did you choose this name?
We are absolutely, completely head-over-heels in love with local tomatoes! For us, late summer is a great time of year. We've got all sorts of tomatoes coming in from many of our local farms. We've got gorgeous green, yellow, purple, and orange heirloom tomatoes, pints and pints of all varieties of cherry, grape, and other miniature tomatoes, firm and flavorful roma and paste tomatoes, and good ol' red slicing tomatoes.
In our minds, August is a time to really celebrate delicious, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes. We can't get enough of them in salads, cold soups, pizzas, and more. One of our absolute favorite ways to enjoy a juicy heirloom tomato is the classic BLT, which we are happy to announce we'll be featuring in our deli for the whole month of August!
