From farm to dorm

With so many colleges campuses supplied by the same food services as maximum security prisons, the dining hall isn’t where most students hope to find a healthy and delicious meal.

At the University of Massachusetts, Ken Toong, has worked tirelessly to change the preconception that the “DC” (UMass slang for Dining Commons) is where appetites go to just dine. As the director of UMass Dining Services, Toong is a strong supporter of local agriculture and has been feeding the 14,000 students who eat on-campus meals, a selection of fresh produce and meals prepared with ingredients harvested from the Valley’s local farms since 2001.

The efforts of Toong and UMass Dining Services will be showcased at the 15th annual “Taste of UMass.” This years event features 75 food booths, all based upon the theme of World Street Food.

Joe Czajkowski Farm, specializing in jams/jellies, produce, and cider, as well as Diemand Farm specializing in local roast turkey, will be at the event. Joe Czajkowski is an alumni of UMass; both farms have great food items that UMass Dining can utilize.

A special guest appearance will be made again by celebrity Chef Martin Yan, PBS’s Yan Can Cook, who will host a cooking demo.

Aside from healthy eating, student will also have the opportunity to gain extensive knowledge on topics significant to local agriculture like sustainability through inter-active displays and food sampling. The overall goal of the “Taste of UMass” is to educate students on food, and make it fun. Students have the opportunity to compete in events like UMass Idol, or the Student Iron Chef Contest. The famous annual officially sanctioned Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a must see.

The event will take place on Thursday, April 23 at the Mullins Center from 4:30-8:00pm.

Why buy local?

Over the last decade buying local seems to have become the latest trend in food in the U.S., but this idea has been going on for quite some time here in the Pioneer Valley.

Those wishing to live a healthier lifestyle often turn to buying locally grown food rather than shopping at larger chain stores. There are many perks and benefits, and besides, what’s better than supporting your local businesses? – something very common here in the Valley.

Farmers’ Market Facts:

• Every dollar paid to a Farmers’ Market is a dollar reinvested into your community vs. only 18 cents of every dollar, when buying at a lare supermarket, go to the grower. 82 cents go to unecessary middlemen.
• Local food is fresher than anything in the supermarket, therefore it is tastier and more nutritious.
• The best organic food is what’s grown closest to you – this is a perk for those looking to eat strictly organic.
• Farmers’ Markets allow you to meet the people who are growing your food, and who you are buying it from. This cultivates consumer loyalty for the farmer.
• Farmers’ Markets offer a wide variety of food – from fruits and vegetables to herbs, spices, dairy products, eggs and even wine.
• Farmers’ Markets help to save energy costs – Most produce in the U.S. is picked four to seven days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped an average of 1500 miles before being sold. This is a huge waste of energy. By buying local you’ll be helping to preserve the environment.
• Local farm practices are much more sustainable and ethical in comparison to large scale farming where food is massed produced. Often times in large scale farming soils and water are destroyed and polluted through use of chemicals.
• Food from local farms is less likely to be infected with e-Coli, GMO-contamination, and other health scares that are portrayed by the media.

Overall, farmers’ markets bring people in communities together unlike shopping in a large supermarket. They are friendly and welcoming. Many can be found here in the Pioneer Valley.

Fresh Side

If you’re ever looking for some healthy, fresh, Asian cuisine, be sure to checkout Fresh Side in Amherst Center.

This little eatery and tea place serves a wide variety of salad, soup, pasta, and rice dishes, as well as teas.

The tea roll, an original invention of Fresh Side, is a combination of Japanese Maki Roll and Cantanese Dim Sum. All tea rolls are made with paper thin wheat flour wraps. You can be assured that each order is made with fresh ingredients and is served with house made sauces.

All tea rolls come with the choice of two or four pieces. There are fourteen different varieties.

Coffee, tea, sweets and desserts are also available. For $4.76 you can get a pot of hot tea, cider, or coffee, as well as two tea rolls or a choice of dessert.

Fresh Side is open Sunday through Saturday, 11am to 10pm.

Do I cook dinner, or order takeout?

As a college student, something I struggle over every night is whether not to cook dinner. Living off-campus certainly has its perks, but it definitely makes it a lot more difficult when it comes time to have a meal.

Though I do thoroughly enjoy cooking, as a student it’s hard to set aside time to make dinner. Living on-campus, many students have the option of walking to the dining commons. I could get a meal plan, but I feel that kind of defeats the purpose of having a kitchen. Also, it is expensive.

One thing I’ve tried to do is cook a large meal, than save leftovers for another night. This is usually what I end up doing, but by the third night I’m usually tired of whatever it is that I looked three days ago.

Breakfast and lunch have never proved to be much of a problem. I usually eat cereal, toast, or will make granola bars or muffins for a week and then freeze them. This makes breakfast so much easier. All you have to do is pop it in the microwave. The Food Network has so many easy recipes on their website that take no time to prepare, and are very tasty.

Lunch can be easy too. There’s always the traditional PB&J, or deli meat. This doesn’t require much. A loaf of bread, and whatever condiments you prefer.

It’s always dinner that is the problem. College students are notorious for ordering takeout. This may make your life easier, but it can get very expensive, and it is not very healthy. Most of the time items can be $7, plus tip if you request delivery. For what you spend on two nights of takeout, you can buy a week worth of groceries for dinner. Try stopping by Stop & Shop, or Maple Farms Foods. Both have decent prices.

Things like tacos, stir fry and rice, salads, grilled chicken are all easy to prepare.

Should you wish to order takeout, Amherst is the place. Consult UMass links, for a large list of takeout places all over town. You won’t be disappointed. There are places places with pizza, subs, sandwiches, salads, calzones, pretty much anything your heart desires.

Just remember – doing this too much can put a strain on your wallet, and when you wonder where that extra five pounds that you gained came from you’ll know why.

The religion that is Rao’s

Anyone in Amherst, resident or student, has more than likely heard of Rao’s cafe. This local coffee shop has long been a center for people to gather, whether it is to study or talk.

Rao’s attracts a wide variety of people. Walking in it is easy to see that the place is a melting pot. Students, businessmen and women, and people of all different nationalities can be spotted in Rao’s enjoying a cup of locally roasted coffee.

In addition to coffee, Rao’s offers a wide variety of tea, milk and juice based drinks, as well as three pastry cases, filled with muffins and scones, cookies, granola bars, gourmet pastries, and sandwiches. There is even a menu you can order food off of. Like many of the establishments in the Pioneer Valley, Rao’s is locally owned and operated and uses most of its ingredients from local farmers.

You can be guaranteed that the coffee from Rao’s is fair-trade as well. The cafe, owned by Rao’s Coffee Roasting Company specializes in “coffees of origin”, also known as varietals. These coffees come from high altitude, tropical regions of South America, Africa, Arabia, India and Indonesia.

Some people would even go as far to say that they are obsessed with Rao’s, and that coffee is like a religion. The coffee shop is a strong competitor with Starbucks, and it is quite possible that many people in Amherst prefer it over the large-chain-store.

Many people are all about supporting local businesses, and Rao’s is a fine example.

The company is also a supplier to a wide variety of upscale restaurants, cafes, and hotels all across the U.S. Besides providing wholesale coffee gourmet coffee, Rao’s Coffee Roasting Company also serves as a “full service coffee solution” for many businesses. Rao’s distributes coffee brewing equipment and accessories, as well as provides in-house equipment setup, servicing, maintenance, and training to wholesale clients stretching from Western Massachusetts to Boston.

The coffee is served on the University of Massachusetts campus, and there is even a coffee shop that was opened recently at Mount Holyoke College.

Rao’s is definitely a place to check-out is you are looking to discover the local scene in Amherst. The cafe is located at 17 Kellogg Ave in Amherst.

Sheila Bair speaks at UMass

By: Michael Messina & Lucas Correia

Click here for video!

On Friday, March 27, 2009 students and faculty, as well as general residents of the Pioneer Valley, convened at the Flavin Family Auditorium at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts for a discussion with a prominent political figure. Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), presented a lecture and then took questions concerning the current mortgage crisis, which has risen as a result of the U.S. economic downturn.

 

Bair noted that the situation the country is in right now is largely due to improper policy-making decisions and corrupt ethical behavior.

 

“When the temptation of quick fees up front is there, it can really strain your ethical commitment,” she told her audience. Bair noted that in order for the U.S. economy to function properly in the future, stronger policies that make economic sense need to be enforced.

 

Anna Carter, a resident of Amherst, said that she has been following Bair for years, and thinks she is the right person to be handling such a critical issue.

 

“I really liked her presentation,” she said. “It just confirms that she’s a responsible, reliable person.”

 

UMass students on both the graduate and undergraduate level also were strongly represented in the crowd. Many students were curious to hear what Bair, who predicted an economic crisis long before it happened, would present as a solution. Some also took advantage of the gathering as an educational experience.

 

“I’m an accounting major, so I know a lot about public accounting,” said UMass junior Meagan Simoneau, “but I don’t know that much about the governmental side.” Simoneau was also curious about what Bair had to say about shifting from the policies of the  Bush Administration to the Obama Administration.

 

She also said that compensation systems nationwide need to be adjusted, and that executive management as well as traders and other institutions should be “rewarded based on long-term performance and not just short-term profit. I think if we can get that right, we can really buttress our vigilant efforts to teach, instill and inspire ethical behavior.”

 

Bair said she has a special place in her heart for middle class America, and stressed that anyone in her position should have compassion for people who are trying to recover from a faulty mortgage loan, because they are not completely responsible for this failure. She explained how many citizens were tricked into signing mortgages they didn’t understand but thought would be secure and affordable.

 

“These are people who have jobs and families,” she said, “and don’t have Ph.Ds in finance and 20 hours extra time to read through complex mortgage documents.”

 

Bair concluded her speech with a hopeful message to all in attendance. She said that the situation is starting to look up from her perspective, and she urged everyone to have faith in the FDIC and that she is putting all of her heart into her job.

 

“We’ll continue working very hard at the FDIC to protect people’s money and to have our voice in policy debates and important reform discussions going on right now.”

New England weather

By: Michael Messina & Lucas Correia

The winter of 2009 has been one of the harshest the Pioneer Valley has seen in the past few years. Snowfall on the University of Massachusetts campus has been quite extensive, and temperatures stayed below freezing for weeks at a time. The extreme weather conditions even caused final exams in December of 2008 to be postponed, leaving many students stranded until almost Christmas Eve.

However, as time has gone on, weather conditions may finally be looking up for New Englanders. The passing of the vernal equinox on March 20 raises the question, “Has spring finally sprung?”

Recently, average temperatures have increased. However, weather patterns have been extremely scattered. Through the past few weeks, residents experienced negative sub temperatures on some days, yet were surprised to have the following days bring a temperature up to 60 degrees.

It’s tougher for students to get around on a college campus in the winter. Frigid temperatures often make it tempting for one to just stay in bed and not risk lowering their immune system and getting sick. Paths that guide students can often be slippery and muddy, making the walk to class that much more difficult. The cold also creates many wind tunnels on campus. The most infamous one can be found while walking past the 27-story Du Bois Library.

The weather always manages to work its way into regular conversations, especially in the New England area where conditions are so sporadic.

“I grew up in New England my entire life, so I’m as used to it as you can be,” said UMass senior Kelly Mahan, “But it’s pretty crazy, going from 20 degrees to 60 degrees is just ridiculous.”

The general attitude of the student body intimates that winter has worn out its welcome, and Spring, hopefully, is right around the corner. Some students can already be seen wearing flip flops and shorts.

University staff have already begun spring cleaning processes on campus, both for the convenience of students traveling to class, as well as the presentation of the University to perspective students who will soon be submitting their final decisions to the Admissions office.

As weather becomes warmer, the full seasonal colors return to the campus. The UMass campus comes back to life and motion. The first visual cue is the unfreezing of the campus pond, and the return of ducks and geese.

Frisbees can be seen coasting through the air, along with students jogging around the campus hills. Some students can even be seen sunbathing… in April! Each residential area on campus begins planning its own party, and the buzz about the University’s spring concert begins to emerge.

“Every day you wake up and you don’t know what to expect,” commented UMass junior Stephanie, “but that’s the fun of it living in Massachusetts.”

Many of these seasonal aspects of the spring semester are already visible, but unfortunately it’s still March. The average conditions over the next few weeks will indicate whether or not Spring is here to stay.

Artisanal Bakeries in the Pioneer Valley

When asked to research the number of artisanal bakeries in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties as part of an assignment for my internship at Edible Pioneer Valley I immediately thought to myself, “what is an artisanal bakery?”

Well, it turns out that artisanal bakery is like the organic farm of bread and pastries. Artisanal bakers are professional craft bakers who bake bread, pastries and other products that have all natural ingredients like flour, yeast, water and sourdough. What makes a loaf of bread special from an artisan bakery is it contains no artificial leaveners or preservatives, unlike bread that is made from production-line operations.

Like organic fruits and vegetables, bread from an artisanal bakery is suppose to be healthier for you and much more natural.

There are a large number of artisanal bakeries in the Pioneer Valley, many of which have opened within the past century. These bakeries opened with the idea that they would make natural, healthy bread – unlike the infamous stuff from Wonder.

Overall, the artisan breads you’ll find around the Pioneer Valley are very similar. They all incorporate flour and water, as well as a leavener such as yeast or sourdough. Sometimes bakers will add in special ingredients like herbs, cheese, olives or dried fruit. They are all baked in wood-fired or gas-fired ovens. The overall goal is to have the outside of the loaf of bread be crusty, and the inside be chewy and soft.

In Amherst alone there are a few artisanal bakeries. Perhaps the most famous is Henion Bakery, located at 174 North Pleasant St.

Along with Henion in Amherst are WHEATBERRY, located at 321 Main St. WHEATBERRY is one of the newer bakeries opened in 2005. The Black Sheep is also another popular name in town, also located on Main Street.

Other famous artisanal bakeries in the valley include Hungry Ghost Bakery, located in Northampton at 62 State Street. Also, there is Bread Euphoria in Haydenville at 206 Main St.

El Jardin Bakery, based in Holyoke, was started by the nonprofit group Nuestras Racies. The overall goal of this group is to promote sustainable development.

You can find El Jardin’s, as well as many other artisanal bakeries products at local markets like Cushman Market, in North Amherst, and Atkins Farm Country Market, also located in Amherst.

The Pita Pit: a healthy lunch or dinner alternative

What’s great about The Pita Pit is it offers healthy alternatives for lunch or dinner. The Pita Pit definitely sticks to it’s slogan of “fresh thinking, health living.” The goal of this establishment is to provide a variety of options on the menu that are healthy, tasty alternatives to something like a burger and fries or a sub.

Originally founded in Canada in 1997, The Pita Pit came to the United States two years later and can now be found on college campuses all across the country.

On the University of Massachusetts campus there are three Pita Pit’s. One in the Campus Center at The Marketplace Cafe, one in the Worcester Dining Commons, and one in the Southwest living area of campus in the Hampden Dining Commons.

The Pita Pit has a wide variety of options from turkey, chicken and beef pitas, to vegetarian pitas. Originally only a white pita was offered, but now a choice of a wheat pita is offered as well for those who are looking for a healthy alternative.

You can choose a wide variety of toppings for your pita like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, olives, bean sprouts, etc.

A favorite of many students is the Chicken Caesar Pita. This includes grilled chicken, fresh romaine lettuces, Caesar dressing and cheese served on a white or wheat pit. Extra toppings can be included as well as the choice to add bacon.

The Pita Pit at The Marketplace Cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Those choosing to eat there have the option of ordering breakfast at all hours.

The Worcester Dining Commons Pita Pit is open Monday through Saturday 5:00pm to 1:00am.

The Southwest Cafe Pita Pit is open seven days a week 5:00pm to 1:00am.

All Pita Pits offer a choice of a salad as well. YCMP and meal exchanges are accepted at all locations.

Maple Farm Foods: locally grown produce for a great price

These days I’m finding food to be increasingly expensive. As a college student who lives off-campus and doesn’t have a meal plan, I’m always searching for the best deals I can find on food, especially produce.

After much debate with my friends, we determined that generally Super Stop & Shop has better deals on produce items than Big Y. Well, my recently my housemate just introduced me to a place that beats both of them: Maple Farm Foods.

Last week on the snow day my housemate and I set out on an adventure in the snow to go food shopping. After going to Stop & Shop, he told me that we should go to Maple Farm Foods market for all our produce. I had heard of this place before, and that it was suppose to be cheap, but had never actually stopped in myself.

When I got there I was completely shocked. The prices were incredibly cheap. Some examples of things I found were a bag of 12 oranges for $2.99, Gala and Fuji apples for $1.49 a pound, carrots for 59 cents a piece, and fresh jumbo eggs for $1.39 a dozen. These are all great deals.

What’s great about Maple Farm Foods is that all produce items are from local farmers in the Pioneer Valley.

You can pretty much find any fruit or vegetable you are looking for. Besides that they have a wide variety of pastas, coffee, tea, and dairy items. There is also a deli where you can buy items like freshly made chicken and tuna salad for $6.99 a pound.

Maple Farm Foods is part of CISA (community involved in sustaining agriculture), which promotes the buying of local food versus going to a larger chain store.

Overall the store has a lot of greats deals for everyone in this rough economic time, but will especially help ease the burden on the ever dwindling college students wallet.

Maple Farm Foods is located right off of Route 9, in Hadley at 10 South Maple Street. The store is open all year round, seven days a week from 9:00am to 8:00pm.