[Fareshares_newsletter] Fareshares Newsletter May 2014

Mon May 5 08:56:58 UTC 2014

FARESHARES NEWSLETTER MAY 2014

Posted on 4 May, 2014 [1] by fareshares [2] 

THE QUINOA QUESTION 

Joanna Blythman explained the unpalatable truth about quinoa [3] in The
Guardian at the beginning of last year: 'ethical consumers should be
aware poor Bolivians can no longer afford their staple grain, due to
western demand raising prices.' 

Not long ago, quinoa was just an obscure Peruvian grain you could only
buy in wholefood outlets like Fareshares, but now Whole Foods Market(R)
is the brand name of an expensive US supermarket chain that has a London
store in Kensington High Street [4]. And they bloody love quinoa [5]! 

'Quinoa was, in marketing speak, the "miracle grain of the Andes", a
healthy, right-on, ethical addition to the meat avoider's larder (no
dead animals, just a crop that doesn't feel pain). Consequently, the
price shot up - it has tripled since 2006 - with more rarified black,
red and "royal" types commanding particularly handsome premiums.' 

Not only does the wholesale price of organic quinoa creep up every other
month, as our suppliers update their catalogues, but often we can't get
any type of organic quinoa for love nor money. Every week, we are asked
for quinoa, which sells swiftly, but when one volunteer ordered
non-organic quinoa from the wholesaler, another returned it for not
being organic. Because Fareshares is strictly organic. 

Ms Blythman's article concluded, 'There are promising initiatives: one
enterprising Norfolk company, for instance, has just started marketing
UK-grown fava beans (the sort used to make falafel) as a protein-rich
alternative to meat.' This company is Hodmedod's and, guess what, they
now market British-grown quinoa [6]! But it's not organic. Not yet.
Although this article (page 3) [7] might indicate that it's in
transition [8] . 

So, Fareshares friends, the question is, should Fareshares make an
exception to its strict policy and stock Hodmedod's British-grown quinoa
[9] even though it's not yet organic? This topic shall be raised at our
meeting on May 15 at the Pullens Centre, where Hodmedods British-grown
quinoa will be served for your evaluation. Please join us and let us
know your views via our Facebook page [10]. 

#HOWDOWEDOIT? : SOYA MAYO 

Summer's in the offing and salads with it and, with them, mayo. Not the
emulsion of egg yolk and oil invented by a chef in the Napoleonic navy
for his Admiral, Mahon, while anchored in the world's second largest
natural harbour, in the Balearics, also called Mahon. No, Vegans don't
do eggs, remember, nor eggy sauces, so we are obviously not talking
about traditional Mayonnaise, or aïoli. We are mostly talking Plamil Egg
Free Mayonnaise [11]. We are also talking to a lesser extent about
Infinity's more expensive & less popular own brand vegan Mayo [12]. 

Plamil EFM [11] comes in six varieties, of which Fareshares regularly
stocks two; which two could may change in response to consumer demand!
You may also note that its price on their web site is £2.26, but
Fareshares shelf price is £1.76, a full fifty pence cheaper than the
manufacturer's recommended retail price! #HOWDOWEDOIT? 

#HOWITSDONE: SOYA MAYO 

Better than shop bought is home made. The ease of making your own vegan
mayo depends upon having the correct apparatus: it really needs a
blender or a food processor that enables one to add the oil in a slow
steady stream as the machine is running. That said, I've made it using a
stick mixer in a pint glass. 

You'll need twice as much oil as soya milk, so make sure you've enough
and don't use good olive oil, for instance, except perhaps at the end,
to give your 'mayo' some class. The recipe below was adapted from much
larger quantities and incorporates mustard powder and apple juice
concentrate as a sweetener. You might use Dijon, or any mustard, but it
is worth getting conc. AJ, which adds a certain_ je ne sais quoi_. 

Soya milk 60ml
 Mustard Powder half teaspoon
 Vinegar 10ml
 Salt big pinch
 Apple juice concentrate 3/4g
 Vegetable Oil 125ml 

* Mix all the ingredients, except for the oil in a blender or food
processor, or in a bowl if you intend to whisk.
 * Add the oil very slowly to the other ingredients, blending
continuously, until it has a mayonnaise consistency.
 * Pour it over new potatoes, mix it with shredded cabbage & carrot to
make coleslaw, or chopped celery, apple & hazelnuts to make Waldorf
salad. 

FARESHARES VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES & MAY MEETING 

Perhaps you've been thinking about joining Fareshares' pool of
volunteers, but even if you can't do shifts in the shop- that's-not,
perhaps you have a special skill that you could donate? Accountancy, for
example, or graphic design. 

Although it's nobody's business, Fareshares does occupy the same
consensus reality as Marks&Spencer and is obliged to follow many of the
same procedures. So, if you think you can tell us why we 're perpetually
on the brink of insolvency, or how to make better signs, we'd be glad to
hear from you. 

Why not come along to Fareshares May meeting, to be be held on Friday
16th at The Pullens Centre, 184 Crampton Street, SE17! 

Hot food will be served at 6:30pm, upstairs, before the meeting takes
place, downstairs, at 7:30pm. All prospective and past members of
Fareshares are welcome to eat with us, but only present members of the
collective may participate in its business meeting. Others may hang out
upstairs until the meeting is done and we finish the evening with cake.
Please bring cake! 

-- 
Fareshares Food Coop
56 Crampton Street
Thursdays: 2-8
Fridays: 4-7
Saturdays: 3-5

Links:
------
[1] https://fareshares.org.uk/2014/05/04/newsletter-may-2014/
[2] https://fareshares.org.uk/author/fareshares/
[3]
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/vegans-stomach-unpalatable-truth-quinoa
[4] http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list
[5] http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/crazy-quinoa-team-member-pick
[6] http://hodmedods.co.uk/blog/hodmedods-british-grown-quinoa-update/
[7]
http://issuu.com/transitionfreepress/docs/tfp_issue4_winter2013_online
[8] http://transitionfreepress.org/2013/11/28/new-edition-has-landed/
[9] http://hodmedods.co.uk/product-category/dried-pulses/quinoa/
[10] https://www.facebook.com/FaresharesCoOp
[11] http://www.plamilfoods.co.uk/egg-free-mayo
[12] http://www.infinityfoodswholesale.co.uk/products/branded_food/
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