This post comes from Leslie Hatfield, Editor of the Green Fork blog where it was originally posted.

I’ve been working on a broad range of food and environmental issues since 2005, but food politics became especially personal for me came a few years ago, when I was helping a field producer for a popular comedy show research a story on rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone), a controversial man-made hormone supplement given to dairy cows to increase milk production.  The drug, at the time, was being marketed under the name Posilac by Monsanto (which sold it to Eli Lilly in 2008) and in the course of my research, I learned that Monsanto had also created DDT and more importantly – at least to me – Agent Orange, the chemical defoliant used by the US military during the Vietnam War and the likely cause of high rates of certain cancers, as well as birth defects, among millions of Vietnamese and thousands of veterans of that war, including my father.

At the time, Dad was about a year into treatment for prostate cancer, a common disease among all men but especially those who were exposed to Agent Orange, even sailors like him, who merely served offshore in the Navy, never putting “boots on the ground” but bathed in and brushed their teeth with desalinated ocean water contaminated with runoff.  The US government has acknowledged the association between Agent Orange and prostate and many other cancers, if only by paying exposed veterans, but no longer pays reparations to “blue water vets” like my dad. (This and several other things I’ll mention in this post are huge enough to warrant posts of their own, but Monsanto’s history is extensive, so click on the links for more details and try to keep up).  He’d had his prostate removed, which killed his sex life and caused him temporary incontinence, and was emotional all the time as a result of hormone therapy.  I was sympathetic to his plight but glad he was ok.  The people of Vietnam – who have also never received the reparations promised to them in the Paris Peace accords – have suffered much more serious fallout than men like my father, whose exposure to the chemical was limited.

I already knew a lot about Monsanto before I figured out the Agent Orange connection.  I knew that Posilac made cows’ udders hurt, and could cause pus to get into your milk.  I knew that Monsanto had long ago cornered the seed market and bought up the rights to Terminator technology, which, should they ever go back on their word not to use it, could put the world’s food production at the mercy of the corporate giant.  I knew the company had a very large team of lawyers, who’d been employed, at times, to sue or threaten to sue small farmers (Some of these farmers never even intended to grow GM crops but rather, found their fields to have been contaminated by drifting pollen.  You would think such a farmer could sue Monsanto for the contamination, but you would, unfortunately, be wrong.)

These days, not surprisingly, Monsanto is the subject of a number of growing controversies.  A series of “workshops” organized by the USDA and the Department of Justice (part of an investigation into possible antitrust behavior) start later this month, and at least two states – Iowa and Texas – are holding independent investigations in the anticompetitive realm, as well.  At a meeting with the Kellogg Foundation back in December, USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan called the DOJ investigation “long overdue.”

Indeed.

I would argue that, while competition in business is incredibly important, especially when dealing with seeds and by extension, food supplies, that if the US government is interested in protecting farmers, citizens, markets and global ecosystems, a broader – and deeper, and longer – investigation into the safety of genetically modified organisms is also long overdue.  Government agencies have approved all of the GMO products that are on the market today, but the overtaxed agency’s tendency to rely on industry science places too much trust in a company that my Dad thinks has proven would “rather make a buck than worry about what happens next.”

So it’s good to see that in addition to the antitrust investigations, the USDA is at least considering the regulation of two genetically modified crops, sugar beets and alfalfa.  Both glysophate resistant, otherwise known as “Roundup Ready,” they are designed to be sprayed with Roundup, Monsanto’s popular weed killer.  The overuse of glysophate as an herbicide is problematic in and of itself (carrying the risk of breeding “super weeds” that could build resistance to glysophate and require the application of ever more potent chemicals) but at issue is also the safety of ingesting a plant whose genes have been tampered with enough – by injecting, among other things, E. coli bacteria (is it just me, or does this stuff read like a John Grisham novel?) into them.

The alfalfa case is further along (the USDA has already written an Environmental Impact Study on GE alfalfa — the sugar beet lawsuit would require one), and according to most people, the one to watch, as it may have broad implications for all genetically modified seed.  The organic industry is up in arms on both fronts, as are farmers, and a recent Consumers Union study reveals that consumers are freaked out, too.  The comment period on alfalfa ends today, and even the Canadians are watching, and they want you to weigh in, dear reader, as does Food Democracy Now.  For their part, Monsanto has a signon letter, too.

I may be comparing apples to oranges here, but at the root of the Agent Orange controversy and the fight against GMO beets and alfalfa are the same issue – public health.  I’ve written before in favor of the precautionary principle, and though I can imagine the comments this post will receive from Monsanto’s PR people, I would challenge any one of them to argue against it.

When the US and South Vietnamese governments decided to dump chemicals into the jungle, we were at war, and expediency and efficacy were the order of the day.  No doubt, there is a PR man out there who would find a reason that GMO beets and alfalfa are not only safe but imperative.  But he’d have a hard time convincing most folks.  When I called my Dad last night to ask what he thought about GMOs, he said he thought that he hoped we’d learned a lesson from what happened to him and others in Vietnam, that the government and the chemical companies were too quick to call a product safe and that there needed to be greater accountability — to people, not just to the bottom line.

Ever my father’s daughter, that’s where I come down on this stuff, too.

I visited Bread & Life last week as part of a Food Systems Network NYC meeting and was impressed by the efficiency and opportunity the facility offered. Yemi Oyename, Director of Food Services for St. John’s, gave us a tour. The award winning facility, renovated in 2008, contains a large industrial kitchen which serves out over 1,000 meals a day. Ms. Oyename laughs when telling us she quickly nixed the idea for a deep fryer, but in her humor you can see the dedication to not only feeding the poor, but providing healthy, whole foods.

Anthony Butler, Executive Director, spoke of a lack of “best practices” exchange among food pantries, mostly because the data does not exist. At Bread & Life, the computerized system lets them collect this data to see what food people want, what gets left behind and how often each member frequents the pantry. Bread & Life not only covers food services, but a realm of other issues including immigration and legal aid. One of their most successful programs helps people attain official state IDs, something many of us take for granted. They also provide a medical team, a tax event and access to personal voicemail and email.

This all encompassing action represents a proactive approach that many food pantries are taking to address the problems that perpetuate poverty. Light years beyond dull canned goods and processed foods, food pantries like Bread & Life are working on innovative, comprehensive programs that don’t just fill bellies, but also offer hope to those in need.

Reverend Robert Jackson of the Bed-Stuy Farm and the Brooklyn Rescue Mission spoke about the need for community support and fresh food. While hunger represents the most urgent need, how that hunger is addressed is important. Will it be through a CSA share and the garden in Bed-Stuy, or from government-provided packaged goods. Is the community involved in these decisions, or do mandates come down from somewhere above? Whether it is access to a garden or access to a computer, the extra efforts and sense of autonomy that Bread & Life and the Bed-Stuy Farm provide for their members may be the keys to success.

The Bed-Stuy Farm is presently collecting signatures and support to save their farm from being seized. To learn more, please visit their website.

It comes as no surprise that agriculture plays a role in the lives of Japanese school children. Food is a central part of the culture and many traditional practices, such as the tea ceremony, are passed on through generations. Each region has its specialties, and there is always a clear link to the surrounding seas. Children are not sent to school with Lunchables, but a healthy mix of rice and other tasty morsels contained in a Bento Box.

As obesity rates balloon and pizza and hamburgers remain staples of American children’s lunches, we should take a lesson from the Japanese. Peak kids’ interest in food, show them where it comes from, and incorporate a science lesson in the process. Perhaps then they will understand the importance of farmers and the value of good food. Not to mention playing in the dirt is fun!

As the title of this post suggests, harvest season has come to Shimokita. Not only have I been the recipient of more cabbage and daikon radish than I could possibly know what to do with, but I have also gotten to experience harvesting some of these grains and veggies with my students in the past couple weeks.  Each of my schools, both Elementary and JH, have their own gardens varying in diversity.  The students have all actively participated in prepping the land, sowing the seeds, and now reaping the harvest.  One sunny day last week, the entire school (all thirty-six students!) harvested daikon during 4th period.  Not being incredibly familiar with daikon radish, I was surprised at how large some of these daikon were once unearthed.  It amazes me that something that starts out as teeny-tiny as a seed can grow as big as my leg within the course of a a couple months!

At another school this past week, I got to harvest sweet potatoes with my 1st and 2nd grade students.  First we tore away all the vines growing on top of the mounds, then I got to watch and help as a bunch of six and seven year olds dug around in the dirt to see who could find the biggest sweet potato!  In the end, we dug up around

30 sweet potatoes and each student got to take home a couple.  They are delicious, and so easy to make!  Just wrap in tin foil, stick in the toaster oven a couple times and a perfect warm snack!

Probably my favorite and most interesting garden experience this week, however, was the rice harvest on Friday with another of my elementary schools.  They planted the rice in spring and let it mature all through the summer.  About a month ago, all the rice in Japan started changing color – from that fresh, vibrant green to varying shades of beige and yellow.  Not only do the leaves change color in Fall, here, but so too does the rice, and it makes for a pretty beautiful landscape.  As for harvest day, we arrived after lunch and each student selected a small scythe.  Then, everyone descended into the rice paddy after being shown the correct way of slicing: you grab the clump of rice with one hand, bend forward in a lunge with the opposite foot in front, and slice towards you with the corresponding hand to the foot.  The aim is to slice the stalks as close to the ground as possible.  Then, the decapitated stalks are left to the wayside and finally bunched together with twine, and hung out to dry in various methods.  The method preferred at this harvest is common, where the rice bunches are draped over a large-scale towel-rack looking thing, but I have also seen little fairy tee-pees propped around the perimeter of the paddy, or another method where the rice is splayed out in layers on a central pole, resembling stunted Dr. Seuss trees more than anything.

The work was not overly challenging, but it was rather uncomfortable being bent over at an awkward angle for so long, and without a team of youngsters helping, it would not only be uncomfortable but incredibly time consuming.  Makes sense that a life-time of such work, in conjunction with a serious lack of calcium, would bend the spines of so many of these old Japanese obaasans.  The work succeeded, though, in giving me a sense of appreciation for where my rice comes from, and the lesson was not lost on my students, either.  In Japan this is an incredibly valuable lesson to teach, as rice is typically part of every single meal, of every single day.  I would also argue that teaching children early on that the food they consume can be easily grown at home is a really important piece of information.  Especially when a child can experience and understand the efforts and rewards that go into the growing and eating of food.  In terms of immediate rewards for the Friday harvest…we get to eat the rice at the Omochi Making Party in November!  Now that’s some upcoming gratification!

Let’s start at the beginning – what is HFCS? Sugar as we know it traditionally came from sugar cane and later from sugar beets. HFCS was developed from corn in the late 1950s, refined for industrial production in the 1970s, and introduced into many processed foods from 1975-1985 – a big dietary and nutritional change that went largely unnoticed over the past 35 years.

One clue into what HFCS is – it was developed in a lab, not grown and milled. There is a long process that corn goes through to become HFCS, you can read a good description here. A simple (ha, I just read it again, it’s not simple) explanation is that corn is milled into corn starch, then processed to yield corn syrup (which is almost entirely glucose), then enzymes are added to change the glucose into fructose. The fructose, which is very sweet, is mixed with the first round of corn syrup to make it the strength that is needed, most often 42 or 55 percent fructose. It is highly refined, extremely sweet and has preservative properties.

Why is HFCS bad for our health? There are many theories about HFCS and its connection to personal health. You can find studies stating that it is no worse for a person than regular sugar, and studies saying that HFCS leads to obesity, diabetes, cancer – because of its synthetic makeup. HFCS is in thousands of processed foods including, but not limited to: bread, peanut butter, ketchup, tomato sauce, soda, fast food, cereal, salad dressing, yogurt, sauces, jam/jelly, ice cream… you get the idea.

If we compare HFCS to sugar with the theory that the two are no different, they are still both problematic for our health. Sugar, which for hundreds of years was eaten only in very small quantities, is today consumed in enormous amounts in the U.S. (some estimates range up to 150 pounds per person per year), contributing greatly to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and many other health problems – many of them preventable. Moderation is the key for the healthy inclusion of sweeteners in our diets, whether sugar or HFCS.

If we look at HFCS as a synthetic creation that is different from plain old white sugar, some of the concerns that arise are:

• Because of the way that HFCS is processed in the body, it is said to limit the secretion of the hormone leptin, which signals the body that we’ve had enough to eat. Without the proper signal to stop eating, we consume more than necessary.
• Insulin resistance is also caused by the way HFCS is processed in the body.
• HFCS is sweeter than most sugars. Because of this, our taste buds adjust to sweeter and sweeter products, causing cravings for more sugar and leading to an unhealthy diet.
• Mercury has been found in HFCS. Part of the production process often uses mercury-grade caustic soda. Mercury was recently found in 9 out of 20 samples from 3 different manufacturers.
• The corn used to make HFCS is mostly genetically modified varieties. Genetically modified food presents a whole other set of problems that I will address as part of this series. When the Corn Refiners Association was questioned about GMO corn in HFCS, they defended themselves by saying, ”While the corn used to produce high fructose corn syrup may or may not have been produced using genetically enhanced corn, existing scientific literature and current testing results indicate that corn DNA cannot be detected in measurable amounts in high fructose corn syrup.” Hmmm, what did it turn into? Didn’t it start out as corn?
• The rapid rise in obesity in the U.S. correlates to the introduction of HFCS into processed food.
• Type 2 diabetes is on the rise, and is often linked to HFCS.
• HFCS can cause mineral imbalances in the body, converts to fat more than other sugars, and can increase the concentration of uric acid, slow down the immune system – among other notable side effects in the body.

With all of these problems, why would we continue to ingest this supposed “food”? In fact, many companies are now moving away from HFCS, replacing it with “real sugar.” That’s enough for me to believe something is wrong with it. A few of the companies that have started to make a switch in some of their products are Pepsi, Coke, Pizza Hut, Kraft, and ConAgra – big names! Sweet Surprise – the Corn Refiners Association’s website defending HFCS – pops up on any website I consulted for this blog post that had Google advertising (paid ads come onto the site matching the topic of the site). They are trying hard to dispel the truth – HFCS is not a positive nutritional addition to anyone’s diet.

Sustainability Issues Related to High Fructose Corn Syrup

How does HFCS relate to sustainable food and agriculture?

• Corn is a heavily subsidized crop in the U.S. Because of this, many farmers grow corn and nothing else. People often say that our government is subsidizing obesity by continuing corn subsidies. The subsidies keep farmers from growing vegetables and fruit and from growing diversified crops – a very important part of sustainable agriculture.
• Most of the corn used for HFCS is genetically modified. In fact, it is hard to stay away from GMO corn even if you want to. The Sethness Caramel Color company had this to say about their caramel color made from corn: “In the United States, genetically modified varieties of yellow dent corn are not segregated from traditional yellow dent corn. Consequently, corn wet millers purchasing corn on the open market are most probably using an agricultural raw material that does contain some GMO corn.” Yellow dent corn is most of the corn crop in the U.S. and is not edible by humans.
• HFCS has replaced sugar in many processed foods mostly due to the fact that it is cheaper than sugar. It is cheaper than sugar because of taxpayer-funded government subsidies for corn and government tariffs on imports of sugar. Basing decisions about food on the cheapest product available is what led to the industrial food system that we are now fighting against.
• Intensive corn production is taxing on the environment – especially on soil and water.

How to Avoid HFCS?

It’s not new news to most people that HFCS isn’t good for you, but it’s still confusing. Because it’s so confusing, my gut instinct is to just eliminate HFCS from my diet. HFCS is most likely damaging to my health, so I don’t want to ingest it.

How to avoid HFCS:

• Start reading labels – don’t buy anything with HFCS. The less HFCS in your diet, the more your taste buds will adjust to less sweet flavors. One popular product that has HFCS is Heinz Ketchup. Kids (and adults) love ketchup! If you buy the Heinz organic ketchup, the ingredients don’t include HFCS. Don’t forget to keep in mind that it still contains sugar!  You can also buy organic brands of ketchup with no sugar if you prefer that route.
• Use natural sweeteners (in moderation) – raw honey, sucanat, maple syrup, agave (bonus – low glycemic index), fruit juice, apple sauce, brown rice syrup – be creative.
• Cut out soda. Even if that soda doesn’t have HFCS, one can of soda includes the total amount of added sugars that a person should have in a day.
• 100% Fruit juice is a great soda replacement – but it still has lots of sugar, cut it with water or seltzer for a refreshing treat. Or have a glass of water with lemon.
• Cook. When you cook, you can control what goes into your food. I sweeten desserts with apple sauce and salad dressings with agave.

Ease into this! If you start reading your labels and realize that you are buying many products with HFCS, pick one to eliminate, and see how it goes. Find a good replacement for the product, and soon you will be ready to tackle the next.

I’m sure this has brought up questions, please feel free to comment below.

This series “Sustainable Food: If This Doesn’t Convince You, Nothing Will” is by Dawn Brighid, marketing manager for Sustainable Table, a program of GRACE.

A few articles and websites for further reading:

The Corn Refiners Associations website to promote HFCS

The Murky World of High-Fructose Corn Syrup

The Fat of the Land: Do Agricultural Subsidies Foster Poor Health?

Not so Sweet: Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Dark Sugar: The decline and fall of high fructose corn syrup

High Fructose Corn Syrup

These videos are just too amazing to pass up – the first is the real ad supporting HFCS from the Corn Refiners Association and the second is a spoof from the guys who made the movie “King Corn” – enjoy!

The people behind Gaining Ground, a non-profit farm in Concord, Massachusetts, don’t just believe that the hungry shouldn’t have to subsist on canned and boxed food donations. They make sure they don’t, by converting this principle into 30,000 pounds of organic produce grown between April-October. Then, they donate it all to hunger relief organizations in their region.

Their philosophy exemplifies the current trend of democratizing organic foods. But this farm has been around since 1994, which says a lot about the integrity and longevity of its intention. “Simplicity makes us nimble,” said farmer Verena Wieloch. “We aren’t beholden to supporting our own huge infrastructure to make the farm successful. If a crop fails, it’s not the end of the farm. We’re not counting on every dollar for every pound of potatoes to make our living.”

They lease their land from the town and receive funding from individuals, family foundations, and the local community chest. Their annual student read-a-thon, Read For Seeds, encourages 3rd graders from the local public schools to get involved with community service. The kids generally raise 15% of the farm’s yearly budget. But Gaining Ground keeps a tight budget of $150,000 which means that volunteerism is tremendously important, and team leaders work to inspire their volunteers to feel as enthusiastic about community responsibility as they feel themselves.

“I’m not a farmer. I’m a farmer enabler,” says board member Stona Fitch. The same holds true for the rest of the board, which is comprised of financial people, writers, locals and parents. On Saturdays, they also head up Concord Food for Families, which gives a direct deposit of freshly picked crops to 30+ families in the area. Last Saturday in the rain, they filled a truck with squash, greens and onions, set up a table behind the Armory, and gave their produce away. They also talked to their customers about how to cook the vegetables, teaching them not only about nutrition and recipes but also about the pleasures of cooking.

Read the rest of the article here.

If you want to get involved with bk Farmyards and show your support, they are having a fundraiser this Saturday at The Compound Brooklyn. There will be live bands, a silent auction, belly dancers, dance groups and much more. Participating local business’s include Franny’s, The Farm, Edible Brooklyn, Get Fresh Table and Market and Brooklyn Kitchen. It’s a pretty impressive lineup! The festivities start at 3:00 and rock on until midnight. You can check out their Facebook page or click their site for more information.

For more information on bk Farmyards, check out their website, their recent coverage in the NY Daily News, and this video of Stacey at Foxtrott Farms below.

NYC’s Cool New Backyard Farms: Growing More Than Just Produce from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

As Reverends DeVanie and Robert Jackson, founders of the Bed-Stuy Farm and Brooklyn Rescue Mission, will tell you, their building may look decent, but the people inside are hungry. For those living on food stamps or relying on the mission’s food pantry, access to fresh fruits and vegetables is especially limited. Founded in 2002, the farm seeks to fill the fresh food gap and provide other essential amenities to the people of Central Brooklyn, where many are just one paycheck away from homelessness. So far, the effort has been a whopping success, providing fresh produce to over 4000 people each month and producing over 7,700 pounds of it a year. Not only does the farm feed local residents, it provides a sense of community and educates young and old about the importance of fresh food.

In many food pantries, it is rare to see fresh produce, even the wilted but still nutritious vegetables that most grocery stores discard. Common contributions include non-perishable goods such as canned vegetables, bottled water and dry pasta. Reverend Robert Jackson remembers a large donation of Godiva Chocolate around one Mother’s Day – not exactly the nutrition-packed food so many in this neighborhood lack.

Most people living below the poverty line do not have a community farm in their backyards. Many live in “food deserts” – areas where access to grocery stores is limited and fast food chains abound. I am lucky to live in a neighborhood with numerous grocery stores and healthy food outlets, but walk 10 blocks south and I would be hard-pressed to find a decent grocery store. In many such areas, McDonalds and Popeye’s spot the landscape, charging enticingly low prices.

When food stamps and food pantries are your only option, having a healthy diet can be challenging. An individual or family receives their monthly food stamp allotment at the beginning of each month. In order to stretch that money, many buy the cheapest products available. As a result, in the short term their families may be fed and full, which is obviously essential, but there may also be long-term harm to their personal health.

When people think about our failing healthcare system, they may ponder the lack of access to doctors, hospitals and medicines. Increasingly, though, health experts and policymakers view good nutrition as an important part of preventative healthcare. That’s because the most common preventable deadly diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes, are directly related to diet.

Recently there has been an effort to make Farmers’ Markets more accessible to food stamp recipients. You can read more about the New York effort here.  When the federal government switched from paper to electronic food stamps – known as EBT -

Farmers’ Markets were not equipped to accept the new form of payment, which requires an electronic reader.  In the past few years this has begun to change, to the benefit of both farmers’ market vendors and food stamp recipients, who can buy fresh food in season at the markets, sometimes getting better quality at a lower cost than what they would find at a grocery store, assuming they could even get to one.  Correspondingly, elected officials, community activists, farmers and policymakers have been working to bring more farmers’ markets to the low-income neighborhoods where food deserts are the norm.

While the idea of a farmers’ market may sound frivolous in the face of widespread hunger and illness, it is actually a very viable solution to help fill the nutritional gap. With a farmers’ market, there is no need to build a permanent structure, which makes it much quicker and easier than the months or years it can take to cite a supermarket. The success of a farmers’ market in a food desert can also demonstrate the demand for better quality food, encouraging supermarkets to open in an underserved community. Meanwhile, access to fresh fruits and vegetables has been proven to promote health and when an impoverished community gains a farmers’ market it is inevitably cause for celebration.

There are so many problems involving health, hunger and poverty in the United States that it can be difficult to judge which steps to take. There is much talk of action, and ideas are abundant, but implementation is more difficult. Yet, concrete work is being done by people like DeVanie and Robert Jackson, along with all of the farmers’ markets that are making it possible for low-income people to share in the bounty. Those of us who can enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables are on a path to a healthier and more fulfilling life. Hopefully further substantial action will be taken to make us just part of a healthy majority.

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Currently, the Bedstuy Farm is in danger of losing its wonderfully sunny plot. If this happens, the more than 4,000 people who depend on the farm’s fresh vegatbles will be left with few nutritious options. To learn about how you can support the farm, click here.

Zucchini belongs to an extensive family of plants known as cucurbits. Cucurbits all have vine-like qualities and most produce edible fruits, whether eaten as fruits or vegetables. Relatives to the zucchini in the cucurbit family include the watermelon, the cucumber, and the more elusive chayote and cassabanana. Like all cucurbits, zucchini started its development in Latin America. Remains of the zucchini’s ancestors have been found in Mexico dating back to 7000 BC. During the period of European colonization, a form of squash was taken over to Italy where, through mutation, it morphed into the common zucchini that we know today. Zucca is the Italian word for squash, with zucchini meaning “little squash.”

Zucchini is low in calories and high in healthy goodness. According to nutritiondata.com, one cup of cooked zucchini contains 10% of the recommended daily value of magnesium, 40% of Vitamin A and 10% of Vitamin C. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, is touted as a digestion aid and, if summer’s got you feeling hot, apparently it will help cool you down.

Zucchini is prepared in a plethora of ways all over the world. In Mexico, the flowers are extremely popular and they are stuffed and fried or incorporated into quesadillas. In Italy, zucchini is often breaded and fried or sautéed in olive oil. In France, it is slowly sautéed along with tomato and onion to make ratatouille, or made into a gratin. Zucchini is incorporated into Thai and Vietnamese cuisine through quick stir-fired, and wrapped into light summer roles. In Lebanon, it is stuffed with minced meat, rice and herbs, and baked, and in Greece the flowers are filled with Feta – obviously a very versatile veggie. To see Sustainable Table’s Zucchini recipes, click here!

Confession: When I was younger I hated sauerkraut. Most people will read that and think, Well, no bother. Just don’t eat the stuff. It’s not like one is presented with it often!

But, being that I am half-Latvian, sauerkraut was presented to me more often than most people would consider normal. Perhaps normal for you would be that one year at a family picnic when your eclectic Aunt Betty, having just returned from Germany, wanted to share the joys of sauerkraut along with a rousing schuhplattling. Or perhaps it was on a vacation 3 years back and it appeared mysteriously, slathered on a hot dog.

But, as I said, being half-Latvian, sauerkraut was seemingly everywhere. Forget the odd family picnic or bizarre vacation hot dog.

This sauerkraut receives it's fuchsia-hue from beets. You can also use red cabbage for a less brilliant, but still pinkish blush.

On our regular journeys into the depths of Chicago’s Latvian neighborhood we would find my grandmother at home, stirring a large batch of sauerkraut. (Think stock pot size– enough for everyone to take home!) At the yearly Latvian block party, buckets of sauerkraut from every family on the block would be on the offering– right there, next to the jelly bean guess-the-quantity competition (which, thank you, I won one year). You know block parties, one little nibble from your own grandmother isn’t enough, you have to look good in front of the neighbors. During cold Chicago winters, my own mother would raise the stock pot and pour in the ‘kraut. Eventually, the operation was moved to a portable burner in the garage so the smell wouldn’t saturate the house during the 4+ hour cook time– and of course, so we could have sauerkraut more often.

As a child I thought sauerkraut was, well, sour. It was also funny looking. And it smelled weird.

I’m not talking about the sauerkraut that is served cold with sausage on the side (though ours was most often served with kielbasa on the side). My family’s Latvian sauerkraut is slow cooked for hours until it reaches caramelization. It sits there on the plate, a deep amber mass, fit for a rustic Baltic meal: a side of meat with mustard and dark Latvian rye bread.

As a child I recall my polite no thank you’s when it was being served, but was always met with the parental, “Okay, just a little then.” So there it sat on my plate being pushed around and spread out to appear if at least not enjoyed, partially consumed.

But years pass and tastes change and that sourness now seems more sweet. My grandmother, uncles and mother still make a stock pot full of sauerkraut, and sometimes I even find myself behind the stove on a cold New York City night taking out the stock pot. But the start to sauerkraut, whether it’s slow cooked, or uncooked and cold, begins with fermentation.

As one can imagine, northern Europe plays host to some frigid winters. (If you cannot imagine, I spent an August in Latvia, their warmest month, and wore a sweatshirt the whole time there. Of course, families were basking in Speedos on the beach, but to each their own.) Cabbage was, and still is, a mainstay of the cuisine. It grows well in cool climates and once fermented, it has a long shelf life, feeding a family through a brutal winter. A little salt and a crock pot is all it takes and in a few days natural bacteria in the air take over for a lacto-fermentation (ending as lactic acid converts sugars to acid).

Once fermented, kept raw, sauerkraut is very high in vitamin C. In fact, it was sauerkraut, and other fermented foods, that cured early explorers of scurvy (not barrels of oranges*) . Further, all those sugars, converted to acids, lower the pH and are good for digestion. And some believe that fermented foods keep them healthy and can fight against disease and illness from the avian flu to ulcers and cancer to hangovers. (A hangover cure might also explain why my Latvian family can drink like a fish through the night and wake up raring to go.)

It should be noted that all these benefits occur when the sauerkraut is eaten raw, uncooked. If you want the same beneficial bacteria to play in your stomach and don’t want to make it yourself, seek out raw sauerkraut on the store shelves. Most of the sauerkraut you find in bags has been quick fermented with vinegar and will not have the same positive results.

Should you want to make it yourself, it’s easy and a fun experiment for any kitchen! You can add a plethora of vegetables to the mix. In my batch, pictured above, I have cabbage, beets, carrots and kohlrabi. You can even add hot pepper flakes for a kimchi-like variation.

NOTE: Never use aluminum as your fermentation vessel, or aluminum tools to stir or taste. A ceramic crock or large glass 1 to 5 gallon containers are ideal. Clean everything well so only good bacteria have an opportunity to multiply (a run through a dishwasher or hand washed with hot water and soap is fine).

Sauerkraut

Serving size = about 6. Active time = 20 minutes. Inactive time = 1 to 3 weeks, depending on temperature (hot temperatures speed up fermentation)

2 medium to large heads cabbage (red or green), about 5 lbs

3 carrots

1/4 cup Kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons caraway seeds (optional)

Shred the cabbage and carrots using a food processor (or finely by hand), as you would for coleslaw. Set in a bowl and toss with salt, garlic and caraway seeds. Transfer to your fermentation vessel (see note above). Using your fist, pack the vegetables firmly into the bottom of your vessel to release as many air bubbles as possible.

(This is where a glass vessel is nice because you can see your progress.) Juice should escape from the cabbage and just cover the vegetables. If not, add a little water and a bit of salt until vegetables are just covered. (The older your cabbage, the less juice it will have!) Place a weight inside your container, keeping as much of the cabbage underneath as possible. A ceramic plate or food-grade plastic bag filled with some salt water (in case the bag breaks) works well. Cover the fermentation vessel with a kitchen towel or a few layers of cheesecloth and secure. Set aside on counter.

After 2 to 3 days, taste the cabbage; fermentation will have begun!

Continue to taste until it reaches a tartness you like, 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the temperature in the room. After day 3, you might notice a film developing on the top of the brine. Skim it off every day or two, but don’t wait more than 2 days. Once the vegetables have reached a flavor you like, transfer to the refrigerator. It will keep for many months.

If you are going out of town after your fermentation has begun but is not finished, just transfer your container to the fridge and replace it to your counter when you return. Cold temperatures slow fermentation. Never eat fermented foods that taste “meaty” or smell off– your nose is powerful, trust it! This is a sign the wrong bacteria have taken over (rare, but it can happen). Fermented foods should smell tangy, tart and fresh.

Other additions include curry, turmeric, hot pepper flakes, dill, onions, turnips, kohlrabi, radish or other vegetables and seasonings in your sauerkraut!

*Editor’s note: Wasn’t it barrels of limes? Hence the term “limey”?