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Month: February 2021

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Food by Letter Uncategorized

Oliver Lemon’s Honors Front-Line Heroes

Celebrates Supermarket Employee Day - February 22, 2021

On February 22nd we are joining supermarkets and food manufacturers nationwide in celebrating the first-ever Supermarket Employee Day. FMI—The Food Industry Association, has proclaimed this new holiday to recognize employees at every level for the work they do feeding families and enriching lives.

With more than 40,000 individual stores that sell food and grocery items in the U.S. alone, supermarkets are the backbones of our communities. Millions of supermarket employees come to work daily to keep shelves stocked and to provide communities with essential services that help them survive and thrive.

Despite supply chain disruptions or work-force reductions, supermarket employees have demonstrated trojan efforts to keep communities going. Supermarket employees have personified compassion and courage when communities have most needed to be encouraged.

We invite all Central Oregonians to stop in one of our stores on February 22 to congratulate and thank local supermarket heroes. Better yet, honor your favorite heroes on your social media and use the hashtags, #SupermarketEmployeeDay and #SupermarketHeroes.

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Food by Letter Uncategorized

Food by Letter – D is for Dairy

D is for Dairy

Dairy

June might be national dairy month but we’re celebrating now! Why? Because milk, yogurt, cream, and cheese are just the BEST!

Milk, yogurt, and cheese are sometimes called nature's nearly perfect food, providing a healthy amount of calcium and other essential nutrients. Helping to build healthy bones and muscle isn’t the only way dairy can help you stay healthy, some of those other nutrients support metabolism, vision, circulation, and glowing skin. This liquid powerhouse was first collected from animals over 10,000 years ago and is now consumed by more than six billion people worldwide.

Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and protein. Helping to build healthy bones and muscle isn’t the only way drinking milk can help you stay healthy. The other vitamins in milk benefit the body in other ways:
Vitamin A: Helps maintain vision, healthy skin and a healthy immune system
Vitamin B12: Builds red blood cells and helps maintain the central nervous system
Riboflavin: Helps convert food into energy
Niacin: Helps with the normal function of many enzymes in the body
Potassium: Helps maintain healthy blood pressure

FBL Recipes
Homemade Butter - No Churn Required

The first cow arrived in America in Jamestown in 1611. Until the 1850’s nearly every family had its own cow. We might not be able to get our fresh cream from Bessie in the backyard, but we’re taking inspiration from yesteryear with this easy throwback recipe for making your own butter at home...churn not required.

What you need
1 mason jar
Heavy cream
Salt

How to Make It
Step 1: Fill your jar up half way with heavy cream and seal it with the lid and screw-ring.
Step 2: Begin shaking the jar from top to bottom for about 6-8 minutes. First it will get quiet, then it will begin to thump and slosh.
Step 3: Shake again for 30 seconds to 1 minute more. You will be able to see your butter, along with some buttermilk too.
Step 4: Open the jar and sprinkle in salt to taste. Seal the jar again and shake another 30 seconds to mix in the salt.
Step 5: Scoop butter out onto a plate and you're ready to enjoy!
Step 6: (optional) Form the butter into a ball. Massage and compress it with your hands under cold running water.

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Food by Letter Uncategorized

Food for February. You donate. We match.

Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s Shoppers Raise
$75,015.67 to Alleviate Hunger

Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s customers and colleagues have proudly raised $75,015.67 to help alleviate hunger in Central Oregon. The money raised, as a result of the markets’ Food for February fundraiser, will be used to purchase groceries at cost for Family Kitchen of Bend, Sisters Kiwanis Foodbank, and Meals on Wheels of Central Oregon.

Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s shoppers generously donated throughout the month of December, and the 100% employee-owned markets matched the funds for a combined total of $75,015.67. This program was designed to make the most of donation dollars, with Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s working closely with their wholesalers to purchase thousands of pounds of food, including fresh produce and meat, from the shopping lists of Family Kitchen, Kiwanis Foodbank, and Meals on Wheels of Central Oregon.

It is not commonly known that February is one of the hardest hitting months for hungry families in Central Oregon. Money is tight after the holidays, donations dwindle, and food pantries are depleted. Since 2011, Food for February has raised over $345,000 for hungry families in Central Oregon, including $159,000 in matching funds from Newport Avenue Market and Oliver Lemon’s. “We are humbled by the generosity of our customers, and absolutely could not do what we do without them. Thank you for making sure our neighbors have nutritious meals, especially during such difficult times.” said Lauren G.R. Johnson, CEO of Rudy’s Markets Inc.

"I remember how I felt the first time the Newport Ave. Market folks told us that Family Kitchen was going to be the recipient of their Food for February program. I cried. And at the time, I truly thought it was simply food for just February! Boy, was I wrong! To have a local, employee-owned market involve not only their staff, but also their shoppers in this effort to bring quality ingredients to our diner population - it's just beautiful. Every year I get that same feeling all over again. It's such a fantastic picture of an entire community in action for the benefit of all," says Donna Burklo, Program Director, Family Kitchen

“We are proud to have Oliver Lemon’s of Terrebonne as a community partner. The Food for February fundraiser will help hundreds of our senior neighbors receive fresh and nutritious meals. We want to thank everyone over at Oliver Lemon’s for being a friend to older adults in the Redmond area,” says Brice Mercer, Operations Manager, Redmond Senior Center

About Rudy’s Market Inc. Since opening its flagship grocery store in 1976, Rudy’s Markets have been the No. 1 choice of foodies in Central Oregon. Today, Rudy’s Markets Inc. operates three locally founded, 100% employee-owned specialty grocery stores in Central Oregon: Newport Avenue Market in Bend, and Oliver Lemon’s in Sisters and Terrebonne. Rudy’s Markets offers shoppers both mainstream and hard-to-find food items as well as kitchenware and unusual gifts. Its stores support local producers, and offer an expansive selection of high-quality, in-demand food and beverage items, including over 600 varieties of craft beer. For more details, go to www.newportavemarket.com www.oliverlemons.com

About Family Kitchen Guided by the belief that nobody should be hungry, the Family Kitchen has been providing meals to anyone in need since 1986. Family Kitchen serves three dinners and four lunches each week, averaging 4,500 meals per month served by over 250 volunteers. Our diners are treated with respect and are asked nothing but to leave with a full stomach. Family Kitchen operates as a separate entity sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Church (EIN 93-0427371). For more information, please visit www.familykitchen.org.

About Sisters Kiwanis Foodbank In its three-decade history, Sisters Kiwanis has been involved in the development and support of many community organizations, including Scouts, Campfire, Little League, organized soccer, Habitat for Humanity, and Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation to name just a few. In addition, Kiwanis volunteers maintain and staff the community food bank, which provides emergency food boxes for less fortunate citizens in the area. Food Bank Open Thursdays, 9am-2pm 328 W. Main Street, Sisters, OR 97759. For more information, please visit www.sisterskiwanis.org/food-bank/

About Redmond Oregon Senior Center Meals on Wheels of Central Oregon is a community-based program of the Redmond Senior Center. It provides adults, 60 years or older, either home-bound or having difficulty shopping/cooking, a nutritious meal, a friendly visit, and a quick safety check. According to the last census, over 23% of the Redmond, Terrebonne and Crooked River Ranch population is 50 or older. By 2025, the number of seniors is expected to double. With rising food costs and the lack of public transit, many older citizens are finding it harder to access nutritious meals. Redmond Senior Center’s vision is that no senior will go hungry or become overwhelmed with social isolation. Staff and volunteers are working to help our senior neighbors survive and thrive during these challenging times by providing fresh and healthy meals along with a warm friendly smile. For more information, please visit www.redmondseniors.org

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Uncategorized

Food by Letter – C is for Coffee

C is for Coffee

C is for Coffee

There is a legend of a goatherder who noticed how energetic his flock was after nibbling only the red berries off a certain bush, not the green berries because they weren’t ripe. He sampled the berries himself and was surprisingly energized. He shared his discovery with a monk who threw them in the fire disapprovingly. An enticing aroma billowed from the roasted beans and the goatherder quickly pulled them from the fire and dropped them into water to save them. Thus, the first cup of hot java!

 

Light, Medium, Dark: What’s The Difference?

Coffee roasting is one of the most influential factors of coffee taste. Roasting transforms green beans into the aromatic and flavorful coffee that wakes our senses in the morning. You’ve likely heard the terms light, medium, and dark roast before but do you know how the roasting process affects the flavor and potency of your coffee? Pour yourself a cup, settle in, and get ready to drink in the roasting details.

Light Roast:
Light Roast coffees are characterized by their light brown color, lack of oil on the beans, and light body. These beans are allowed to reach a temperature of about 350º–400º. When roasting, beans typically pop at around 350º. This popping sound (known as the “first crack”) serves as the signal that the beans have reached a Light Roast. A common misconception is that Light Roasts don’t have as much caffeine as their darker, bolder counterparts. However, the truth is exactly the opposite! As beans roast, the caffeine slowly cooks out of the bean. Therefore, because lightly roasted beans cook for a shorter time and at a lower temperature, they retain more caffeine from the original green coffee bean.

Medium Roast:
Medium Roast coffees are brown and have a little thicker body than a Light Roast. Unlike Light, Medium starts to take on a bit of the taste from the roasting process. They tend to carry much more of a balanced flavor with a medium amount of caffeine. A Medium is roasted until just before the second crack, usually at about 410º–430º.

Dark Roast:
Dark Roast coffees are dark brown, even close to a blackened color. The beans are characterized by drawn-out oil that glosses the surface. Coffee made from a Dark Roast has a robust, full body. To be considered Dark, beans roast to a temperature of about 465º or essentially the end of the second crack. If beans roast much hotter than this, the coffee will start to taste more and more of charcoal.

When it comes to roasts, personal preference plays a huge part in what you might like. The best way to learn? Try them out for yourself!

FBL Recipes
Gingerbread Pancakes 

Adapted from Sweet on Texas: Lovable Confections from the Lone Star State
Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Difficulty: Easy · Yield: 16 pancakes


Ingredients
2 eggs
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brewed coffee (regular or decaf), cold or at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt


Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Add the buttermilk, coffee, and 1/2 cup water. Stir in the vegetable oil.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined — don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
  4. Lightly grease a large sauté pan or griddle with nonstick spray oil. Heat the pan until hot, and then spoon out 1/4 cup batter per pancake. Cook the pancakes until the tops look dull and a few of the bubbles pop, about 3 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another minute or so.
  5. Serve immediately or transfer the cooked pancakes to an ovenproof dish in a warm oven until the entire batch is finished. Serve garnished with butter and syrup.

Note: For an even greater flavor depth, try these with inventive syrups. I’m thinking cozy cranberry-orange or pomegranate would be especially nice during the holidays or winter. A light citrus one would complement them on warmer days.