Go Veggies Cafe & Mini Market opens in Elmwood Village

Go Veggies Cafe & Mini Market, a new restaurant focused on improving and maintaining the health and well being of the Western New York community through healthy food options, has opened in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village. The new eatery, owned and operated by Genga Ponnampalam, is located at 264 Bryant St., just steps from Elmwood Avenue. The cafe also serves as a retail location for Go Veggies products.

Go Veggies Cafe specializes in fresh vegetarian dishes such as veggie burgers (six varieties), curries, cabbage rolls, veggie rolls, soups and salads. Dessert offerings include mango pudding, rice pudding and bean cupcakes. Gluten-free, soy-free and vegan options are also available. Go Veggies products are well-known throughout Western New York thanks to the company’s participation in the Elmwood-Bidwell, East Aurora, Williamsville and North Tonawanda farmers’ markets. Go Veggies products are also available at Dash’s Markets and the Lexington Co-operative Market.

Ponnampalam prepares his products using only the freshest ingredients available. “I come from a traditional vegetarian background, from an agricultural-based society in Sri Lanka, where various vegetarian dishes were prepared with health consciousness and longevity in mind,” he said. “As a result of these traditional cooking and eating habits, most of the people in this society lived a long and healthy life. The major medical conditions we face today are obesity, heart disease and diabetes which are largely a result of our diet. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk of most major illnesses.”

Go Veggies Cafe is currently open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. The cafe’s hours will be expanded soon, so please visit www.goveggies.com for updates and more information. Catering services are also available. Please call 908-2778 for details.

Post and photo courtesy of Joe Kirchmyer, Kirchmyer Media

Flying Bison Brewery Spreads Its Wings In Buffalo

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by Michelle Blackley

Flying Bison Brewing Company packages its beer in the heart of Buffalo. It is the first independent brewery to operate within city limits, since Iroquois Brewery shut its doors in 1972.

An award-winning brewer with over 30 years of experience, owner Tim Herzog made a strong commitment from the inception of this company, as merely an idea to establish Flying Bison Brewing Company and recreate what was once a flourishing industry. This commitment and a passion for quality beer have allowed Flying Bison to become what it is today.

Tours of the production facility are given Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons, and they include a small sample or larger tasting for a cost.

Seasonal flavors are available, along with Flying Bison’s regular selection:

Aviator Red

Ruby red and malty flavored with a medium body and a spicy hop signature to balance. Drinkable on its own, but full flavored enough to pair with your favorite foods. Some of our favorites are BBQ (of course, duh), roast pork, and anything spicy, available in bottles and on draft all year round.

Rusty Chain

A medium bodied Vienna style amber beer, it has a soft nutty, malt flavor with a hint of caramel. Just enough German hops to balance the finish. Available locally, the “chain” goes great with chicken, milder fish and especially with grilled vegetables. It is a great summer beer.

Buffalo Lager

This light bodied golden beer has a very balanced flavor with soft, clean finish. A great afternoon picnic beer, it matches well with lighter tasting foods, milder cheeses or just great all on its own. Available in bottles at local stores and on draft all year round.

For more information in Flying Bison Brewing Company, visit their website at www.flyingbisonbrewing.com or find them on Facebook at flyingbisonbrewing. Follow them on Twitter @flyingbison.

A Midsummer’s Night Picnic To Introduce Neil E. Garvey Foundation

From the Neil E. Garvey Foundation:

The friends and family of Neil Garvey are proud to introduce the Neil E. Garvey Foundation for the Arts. During his life, Neil Garvey fought tirelessly to help the theaters of Buffalo and Western New York, knowing that a strong community depends on a strong cultural component. The Neil E. Garvey Foundation for the Arts intends to continue that mission, to foster local theaters through fundraising initiatives, to build awareness for the many artistic endeavors throughout Western New York, and in turn to make Western New York a better place to live.

To properly introduce the Neil E. Garvey Foundation for the Arts, we are proud to announce our first fundraising initiative, the Midsummer Night’s Picnic! This event will take place at The Marcy Casino in Delaware Park on July 26, 2012, starting at 5pm. Join us for plenty of food, drinks and a celebration of the arts in Western New York. More information can be found at www.neilegarveyfoundation.com and tickets may be purchased by calling the Shakespeare in Delaware Park offices at (716) 856-4533.

Edible Toronto Looks At GMO Corn

 

Check out this video from Edible Toronto’s resident filmmaker and columnist Aube Giroux. It accompanies her cover story “A Bodacious Kernel of Hope” about genetically modified sweet corn and includes a very powerful interview with Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety in Washington, DC.

A Recipe For Your Weekend- Campfire Culinary

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Looking for some inspiration in the kitchen? Well, perhaps it’s time to think outside the kitchen. Our summer issue is packed with delicious, simple recipes and helpful tips for cooking outdoors over a campfire. Check out a few recipes here and then find more on shelves in the magazine.

Recipes by Laura Anhalt

Main Dishes

Stone-Cooked Whole Salmon

• 1 whole salmon, deboned, gutted and with the skin on
• Garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 lemon, sliced
• Salt & pepper as needed

The whole salmon should be clean and butterflied open. Rub the outside skin with salt and pepper and place it, opened and skin side down, on the stone it will cook on. Sprinkle the inside of the fish with additional salt and pepper and then add the garlic and lemon slices towards one side only and then fold it closed.

Transfer the rock with the salmon on it to the campfire and cook until done. Wait to flip it until the bottom side is thoroughly cooked.

Side Dishes

Stuffed Onions

• 3 large onions, whole
• 3 large garlic cloves, whole & peeled
• 3 oz cup of olive oil
• 3 oz of honey
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• Wooden skewers or tin foil

Mix the salt, pepper, olive oil and honey in a bowl or use a ½ gallon Ziploc bag. Set aside.

Cut the top and the bottom of the onion and then peel only the first outside layer of the skin. Make a vertical and clean cut down the middle of the onion and remove a few layers from the center core ( just enough space to stuff it with a garlic clove). Brush some of the marinade in the center of the onions, stuff one half with the garlic clove and put the onion back together, holding it with three skewers inserted at different angles. Coat the onions with the remaining marinate, and place them on the campfire grill until they become soft throughout and slightly charred on the outside. If you are using tin foil wrap, instead of using the skewers, wrap the prepared onions in foil and set them to cook and soften on the red hot embers flipping them at constant intervals to allow even cooking.

Three Sisters Succotash

• 1 cup of corn kernels
• 1 cup of zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup of canned black beans
• Thyme sprigs, as needed
• Salt & pepper, as needed
• ¼ cup of water
• Tin foil

Mix all of the ingredients together, season the mixture with salt & pepper and make tin foil pockets to contain the mixture. Seal them tight. It should render for about 4 servings. Place the pockets on top of the embers flipping them at constant intervals to allow even cooking.

Dutch Oven Breakfast Casseroles

Egg, Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

• 4 slices of bread
• ½ lb of sausage, cooked
• 8 oz of grated cheese
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups of milk
• 1½ tsp of dry mustard
• Butter, for greasing
• Salt & pepper

Line your Dutch oven with foil and lightly grease with butter. Crumble the bread into the Dutch Oven then top with crumbled cooked sausage. Cover with cheese. Mix the eggs, milk and mustard. Pour the egg mix onto the bread, sausage, and cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cover and place on the campfire red hot embers and using a shovel, place a few on top. It should be done in about 35 minutes.

French Toast Casserole

• ½ of a large loaf of French bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups of milk
• 4 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
• ¾ tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 4 tbsp of butter, cut into small pieces

Tear bread into 1-2 inch chunks. Put torn bread in an 8″ Dutch oven. Beat together all remaining ingredients, except butter. Pour over the bread. Dot the top with butter. Cover and place on the campfire red hot embers and place a few on top. It should be done in 30-45 minutes, when the eggs are set.

NOFA-NY Announces Scholarship Program Toward Participation In CSAs

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The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) is announcing a program to make local, organic vegetables available to Rochester and Buffalo residents at an affordable price: the Neighborhood Farm Share Program. The Neighborhood Farm Share Program provides qualifying residents of Buffalo and Rochester with financial support to participate in local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. Participants receive up to a $100 reduction in cost for a CSA share from a local farm. The participant pays the remainder of the cost of the share. Interested participants should complete an application for the Neighborhood Farm Share Program as well as a membership form for the CSA. Both of these are available from NOFA-NY: www.nofany.org/farmshare or by calling – 585-271-1979 ext. 505.

Limited opportunities to obtain fresh produce are one of the key factors that contribute to high rates of obesity and chronic disease. Many Rochester and Buffalo-area residents are looking for consistent access to sustainably and locally grown vegetables. One method is to buy directly from the farmer through a marketing scheme called, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). In the CSA direct-marketing relationship between consumers and a local farm, consumers pay, up front, for a season’s worth of produce and, in return, receive a weekly delivery of the freshest vegetables. Each share typically feeds a four-person family, although shares can be split to accommodate smaller families and singles.

The project features a mid-summer to fall CSA share, with delivery starting the second weekend in August. Applications for financial assistance are due August 3rd. Consumers who are interested in joining CSA and finding out about the scholarship program should contact NOFA-NY at (585) 271-1979 ext 505 or foodjustice@nofany.org.

NOFA-NY is a non-profit organization that aims to build an organic and sustainable food system which makes healthy food available to all in New York. Financial support is made possible a generous donation from the Rupp Family Foundation, the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program, and participating CSA farms: Porter Farm in Elba, NY and Peacework Farm in Newark, NY. NOFA-NY staff are happy to give presentations on CSA and the scholarship program at churches, workplaces, or community centers in the Rochester and Buffalo Area.

CORRECTION: The form for PORTER FARMS Buffalo Registration quotes the wrong amount for sign up.  It is supposed to be $240, as stated on the Neighborhood Farm Share Application.  The corrected form can be found here.

Post courtesy of Kristina Keefe-Perry, NOFA-NY. 

A Recipe For Your Weekend- Blueberry Pudding Cake

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This week’s installment of A Recipe For Your Weekend comes to us courtesy of Pat LaPoint from Hill-n-Hollow Farm in Pavilion, NY. Blueberries are in season now for a short time, so grab them while you can!  You can find more information about U-Pick blueberries from Hill-n-Hollow on their Facebook page.

Blueberry Pudding Cake

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt (1/8 tsp.)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 tbsp. butter, softenened

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

Toss the blueberries in the cinnamon and sprinkle with lemon juice. Spread blueberries evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir in milk and softened butter. Spoon batter over the blueberries.

Topping Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water

Mix together sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle mixture over top of batter. Slowly pour water over all (DO NOT STIR!).

In an oven that has been preheated to 350°F for at least 15 minutes, bake until the cake tests done (about 50-60 minutes). Serve with French Vanilla or Blueberry Ice Cream, or topped with blueberry syrup or whipped cream.

Serves 4-6.

Pre-Industrial Festivities At Homestead Festival On Saturday July 14

The Buffalo Audubon Society will be holding its annual Homestead Festival Saturday, July 14^th, 2012. Activities run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, 1610 Welch Road, North Java NY 14113.

The Homestead Festival focuses on pre-industrial life. This year’s festival will include many exhibitors demonstrating old time arts and crafts like blacksmithing, candle making, flint knapping, broom making, hearth cooking, woodcarving, basketry and more. Participants will meet settlers, rangers and mountain men, and even meet Charles Darwin in person!

Activities for children include leather working, tin stamping and other crafts. There will be homemade ice cream, and other foods made the traditional way, all to the sound of live bluegrass music.

The 400-acre Beaver Meadow Audubon Center is only 15 minutes south of East Aurora. Visitors can walk 8 miles of trails during the festival and experience a range of habitats and environments while reconnecting with nature.

The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under and free for children 3 and under.

The Buffalo Audubon Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that promotes appreciation and enjoyment of the natural world through education and stewardship.

For more information you can contact Beaver Meadow Audubon Center by phone at (585) 457-3228 or e-mail them at info@buffaloaudubon.org.

Post courtesy of Ellen George, Beaver Meadow Audubon Center

Taste of Summer at Perry Chalk Art Festival

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Visitors to the 2012 Perry Chalk Art Festival can rest assured that both their fine art and their fine foods requirements will be fully met with the return of “Taste of Summer” to this year’s event. Taste of Summer takes place in downtown Perry from noon to 3pm on July 14th. Festival-goers can sample succulent seasonal dishes inspired by local, in-season ingredients simply by purchasing “Taste” tickets at participating restaurants and other outlets.

Jacquie Billings Barlow of the Hole in the Wall Restaurant and Lounge is the event coordinator. “This year’s Taste of Summer features seven restaurants, two wineries, and an herbal tea maker,” states Billings Barlow. “We’ve also expanded our event by an hour to better accommodate our guests and chalk artists.”

According to Barlow, a $1 Taste ticket purchases a sample of each dish. “For your ticket, you will get a one or two bite meal from each chef. We’ll have appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts, with each dish showcasing the signature design of its culinary creator. It’s an exciting opportunity for diners to experience the work of our region’s most talented chefs in one beautiful and festive outdoor setting.”

Participating restaurants include the Hole in the Wall Restaurant and Lounge, Piffard’s Yard of Ale, Natural Oasis of Rochester, Questa Lasagna and Rainy Days Café and Bakery in Mount Morris, The Club at Silver Lake, and the Glen Iris Inn of Castile. Samples of locally made beverages will be available from Lakewood Vineyards, Standing Stone Vineyards and from Garden Faerie Creations, an herbal tea maker.

Perry designer Scott Safford will return to enhance the tented event with festive elements, and the elegant setting will be complete with a musical performance by Derek Rechberger.

“I have personally experienced the culinary talents of these chefs,” states Billings Barlow, “and know that you will enjoy what they create for the Taste of Summer!”

Pre-sale tickets are available at $15 for 20 Taste tickets at participating restaurants, at the Perry Town Hall, and on-line via PayPal at www.perrychalkfestival.com ($.75 surcharge per ticket applies). Tickets can also be purchased at $20 for 20 tickets on the day of the event.

The Perry Chalk Art Festival will be held from 8:30am to 4:00pm in downtown Perry, New York on July 14th. Festival-goers can enjoy the temporary outdoor works of an estimated 35 professional artists, cheer on teen artists competing for prizes, marvel over the creations of the featured chalk artist or chalk their own square in the Festival’s Chalk Quilt.

There will be music from Kelly’s Old Timers, Creek Bend and Emerald Isle, demonstrations, projects and activities for kids and delicious homegrown produce and unique gifts at the extended Farmers’ Market and Perry Public Market. Other dining options, including the Perry United Methodist Church Chicken Barbecue and many food vendors will also be available.

For more information about all the events taking place at the festival, please visit www.perrychalkfestival.com, contact Meghan Hauser at 585-237-5375 or email celebrate@lastnightperry.com.

This special event is made possible through generous contributions from the Village and Town of Perry, from the Perry Chamber of Commerce and from local businesses, volunteers and organizations. The event was also was made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Post, photos courtesy of Meghan Hauser.

A Recipe For Your Weekend- Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients: 

• 1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• 1/4 cup Tamari
• Freshly milled black pepper to taste
• 1 1 ½ -2 lb. flank steak

 Recipe: 

Marinade: Put the ginger, onion, garlic and cilantro (or parsley) in a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. Add the wine, Tamari, oil, and pepper and process to combine. Put the flank steak in a baking dish just large enough to hold it and spread the marinade over it. Let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for a minimum of 4 hours.

Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Remove the steak from the marinade and drain well. Place the steak on the hot grate and grill until cooked to taste, 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium-rare, 2 minutes more per side for medium, rotating the steak 90 degrees after three minutes if a crosshatch of grill marks is desired. Thinly slice the steak across the grain.

Recipe contributed from Becker Farms, Summer 2010 issue