GET YOUR DAY ON TRACK

As if working from home were not hectic enough, many of us are now responsible for children who no longer have the benefits of school to enjoy while they leave us in peace for a few precious hours.

That is why I am such a fan of our local friends at Atomic Coffee Roasters!

Starting as a café in Beverly, Atomic has expanded to a second generation and is now served at cafes and restaurants throughout Greater Boston and is blazing a trail to other areas with its locally-sourced, roasted, and packaged coffees.

Speaking of trails, Atomic has partnered with the New England Mountain Bike Association to celebrate another great thing to do with your family in the summer and all year ‘round. For each bag of their delicious Singletrack coffee (which combines small-farm beans from Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Honduras) sold, Atomic will contribute $2 to the Association to help them preserve open space that can then be enjoyed on wheels or by foot. 

As Atomic was founded by professional cyclists and as some of us need a little help getting off the couch and on our bikes, the percolating partnership is a perfect match!

In addition to finding this and other amazing coffees (like their seasonal Simple Summer, their out-of-this-world Space Cadet, their canned cold brew, and other blended and single-origin varieties) on their website (drinkatomic.com), visitors can find recipes and tips for ideal brewing conditions and more!

Need to get your gears turning this summer (or anytime)? Go Atomic!

drinkatomic.com

MAKING DISHES THAT FULFILL WISHES

Many moons ago, we touted the wonderful work of a woman who has become one of my dearest friends in the food industry- Jeanie Gruber. 

At that time, the experienced therapist and caterer was sustaining and supporting her clients’ and friends’ minds, bodies, and souls by making amazing homemade foods in her shop in Newton in between visits to her second hometown of New Orleans.

When COVID shut that down, Jeanie quickly devised a new plan that allows her to keep cooking and sharing but for a very different community.

WISHDISH is an organization that serves the homeless. But instead of just doling out food at a soup kitchen or making dishes with whatever the food pantry has available, WISHDISH engages and serves individuals in the community directly. After partnering with area shelters, Mis Jeanie visits the residents, asking each of them about the dishes they most remember. Once she has been offered each of international recipes (which range from curries gumbo to plov and porridge to eggplant parm and frybread to Mulligan stew and Shepherds pie, and even to a take on her own famous matzo ball soup), and Jeanie crafts enough of an authentic edition of each request to serve the entire community! In this way, Jeanie and her WISHDISH team not only feed the body but satisfy the soul by showing care and respect for people who many others simply pass by without even a look or smile.

Having established the program in Boston and New Orleans, Jeanie is looking for other communities to support and is also planning a series of city-specific cookbooks that will also share the stories of those who shared their favorite recipes so she can continue to show love through food while supporting those most in need.

As I have touted many times before, there are many organizations that support people in need. And while many of them make a truly vital difference, as is the case with so much of what she has done, nobody does it like Miss Jeanie does!

For more information and to offer support, please go to www.thewishdishproject.org

A Sap-py Story

A Sap-y Story

From Indigenous Peoples to five-star hotels, maple is the sweetener of the moment

By Matt Robinson

Each spring, hundreds of farmers put taps in thousands of trees and collect the magical elixir that is derived from their xylem- sap. This sap is then boiled down at a ratio of 40:1 and transformed into what has become one of the world’s favorite flavorings – maple syrup.

“Maple sugaring has been part of the spring tradition for centuries,” explains New York State Maple Producers’ Association Executive Director Helen Thomas, whose family has been producing maple products for over 200 years.

First made by the indigenous peoples of what is now eastern North America (talk about an “occupation”!), the practice was adopted (as was the case with so many others) by European settlers who “refined” production methods and eventually made it into an entire industry that, despite global climate changes and other challenges, appears to be expanding. Even though real maple syrup is only made in a relatively small part of the United States and Canada, many of the world’s finest restaurants are using more maple in their recipes than ever before!

“Pure maple syrup has become…one of those flavors that people just love to try new things with,” asserts third-generation maple man Steven Anderson of Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup in Polk County, WI.

Unlike other sweeteners, sap offers many nutrients. 

A comparison of nutrient content in syrup v. other sweeteners

As it does not involve the intense cultivation, heavy pesticide and fertilizer use, soil degradation, and other ecological problems related to other popular sweeteners, such as corn, cane, and beet sugar, it is also better for the environment. According to Adam Wild, co-director of Cornell University’s maple syrup research center, maple sugaring encourages “healthy and intact native ecosystems where sap is harvested year after year from the same trees.” Maple forests also sequester carbon, provide diverse habitats for wildlife, filter water, stabilize soil, and provide land for recreation. 

“Maple syrup is unique in this aspect,” Wild maintains, “with a flavor unlike anything else!” 

Though the province of  Quebec continues to lead the world in production, with 70 percent of the world’s output and exports alone reaching a value of over C$487 million (abouyt $US360 million), syrup is also produced in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin with the Green Mountain State leading the American way with an annual yield of over 2,000 gallons!

Even in VT, however, many family farms have been forced to close, as can be seen in The Sugarhouse Project, an online catalog of VT family sugarhouses that was recently launched by Dori Ross, the owner of Tonewood Maple (which itself was recently closed then the border was). In addition to tracking the demise of family farms, Ross has also tracked the impact of climate change and maintains that, over the past 50 years, nearly 20 tree-tapping days have been lost and that tappable trees south of the Canadian border may run out before the end of the century.

Another way to learn about the history of maple farming is at Hurry Hill Farm in Edinboro, PA, which not only offers annual tours (this year’s having been converted to a “drive-by” format so people could still participate) but also includesthe 1956 Newbery Medal awarded to Virginia Sorensen for her acclaimed children’s book, Miracles on Maple Hill, which, explains Farm owner Janet Woods, “is set in and around…Edinboro.

Though many appreciate maple’s history, others look forward to continued growth and diversification. 

“The maple industry has grown,” observes Cecile Brannon of Branon Maple, whose 4,300-acre single-source organic family farm in Fairfield, VT, has been passed down through four generations, ”and the demand is getting better!”

According to Ian Ackerman of Ackerman Maple Farm in Washington County, VT, among the reasons maple’s growth are the realization that maple syrup is a natural sweetener that has health benefits, the movement to get back to what he calls “the roots of food,” the use of maple in everyday cooking, and the desire to are “shop small.” 

“[Shopping locally] saved a lot of businesses from going under,” he attests, citing his own farm as one that was saved, thanks to what he sees as a “maple community.” 

While Anderson admits that family farms like his are still prevalent, he is amazed by how sap collection has changed. Many who once used buckets and horses now use webs of pressurized tubing and reverse osmosis to take sap from the trees to the evaporators. 

“[They] are more efficient than I could have ever imagined,” Anderson muses, noting that some collections are run by apps! As maple is now easier than ever to collect and process, many people with just a few trees are getting in on the sweet science.To fulfill this growing desire, Vermont Evaporator Companyproduces systems designed for home use. 

“They let hobbyists with even a few…trees produce top-quality syrup,” explains Founder Kate Whelley McCabe, suggesting that home production can be a great family project, especially when everyone is stuck at home.

In addition to home sappers, McCabe and her husband have sold to inns, distilleries, schools, and other “tree-to-table” institutions.

“[They] use our products to make the…syrups that inform their hospitality and…dishes,” McCabe observes.

While industrial production has consolidated, resulting in what McCabe sees as “bigger outfits making more and more gallons per year,” she also observes, “a parallel trend” she calls “micro maple” that involves people making syrup on their own land for use in their own business 

“This…revolution opens up new geographical markets,” she says, noting how it also allows other varieties of trees to be used, instead of just the famed Sugar Maple.

Among those who have expanded the menu is Michael Farrell,CEO of New Leaf Tree Syrups (which has sugarhouses in VT and NY). Citing the increase in home cooking as a “silver lining” of the pandemic, Farrell (who served as director of Cornell’s maple center for 13 years) still admits that the pandemic has been “tough for small producers who sell a lot of their syrup to people who normally come visit their sugarhouse.” However, he notes, “online sales and traditional retailers have seen a significant uptick in sales over the past year.”
When asked what makes his company different, Farrell explains that New Leaf focuses on what he calls “forest-based infusions” that use less traditional tree saps “to add unique, diverse flavors from our forest.”

As many are not aware that syrup can come from other types of trees, Farrell’s products have become popular with home chefs and professional ones as well. 

One of Farrell’s fans is Andrew Luzmore from Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, NY, who was initially intrigued by Farrell’s efforts to market “alternate” tree syrups and quickly became a believer.

“Through the restaurant’s menu,” Luzmore maintains, “we try to support and showcase the diversity of plants…needed to foster a resilient ecosystem.”

“The biggest thing that most people don’t get is that it is a natural sugar that is better for you than most other sugars and it goes great with almost any food,” Anderson says, “Using maple syrup to cook with is our number one point we want to get across.”

While most eat maple in its syrupy form, there are now more ways than ever to enjoy this sweet all-natural treat. Among these are maple sugars and maple creams that are used by people with allergies as alternatives to nut- and dairy-based products.

At Red Maple Eatery in Luck, WI (which is also the birthplace of Duncan yo-yos!), Bill and Kelly Anderson mix Anderson’s syrup into everything from cinnamon rolls to root beer to tartar sauce. They also offer complimentary syrup on “Maple Monday” and sell bottles of syrup so guests can enjoy it at home.

“In this area, Anderson’s Maple Syrup is a household name,” explains Kelly, who admits that her husband is related to the maple-making family, “[so] it was natural for us to add it to our menu.”

Another chef who uses syrups collected on his own property (and in his eponymous restaurant in Earlton, NY) is Damon Baehrel.

“A variety of tree saps from our property…have been a huge part of the foundation and development of my…cuisine,” Baerhel explains. In addition to Maples, Baerhel also taps Birch, Hickory and Sycamore trees, the harvesting of which he says, “literally changed my life…. It was truly overwhelming to discover the nearly endless…flavor, color, and texture possibilities of the other trees!” 

In addition to using saps in sauces, Baerhel also cooks and brines with them, pairs saps with wines and other offerings, and freezes sap to use as flavorful and nutritious ice cubes.

“There are countless…ways I utilize tree saps,” he says.

Speaking of wines, the folks at Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits in Cambridge, VT, have actually sold their grapevines and are going all-in on maple.

“We have been producing wood-fired maple syrup for four generations,” explains Owner David Boyden, noting that, unlike others, his syrups are not homogenized.

Closing his tasting room in December of 2020, Boyden now focuses on his maple-based liqueurs, including Vermont Ice Maple Crème, Apple Crème, and Maple Bourbon Crème (all of which feature wood-fired syrup and other farm-based ingredients) leaving their famous mulled wine called Glögg as the only vestige of vines.

Having “grown out” of the farmers market space, 30-year maple maker Rob Hausslein of Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind in Londonderry, VT, now specializes in what he calls, “value-added maple products,” among which are smoked syrups and a maple-infused Sriracha sauce.

“Think barbecue” Hausslein suggests, “not breakfast.”

Another creative maple maker is the Branon’s Fairfield, VT, neighbor Runamok Maple who, according to Co-owner Laura Sorkin, “decided to distinguish ourselves by taking maple to new places with our line of smoked, barrel-aged, and infused maple.” They recently introduced a “Sparkle Syrup” (made with food-grade mica) and some limited-release infused syrups with spices from Burlap and Barrel.

Perhaps one of the best-known maple-loving chefs is Laura Theodore, creator and star of the popular PBS series The Jazzy Vegetarian, who recently partnered with Anderson’s as well!

“Since vegans do not eat honey,” Theodore explains, “ I use maple syrup in place of honey in any recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener.”

From baked goods and beverages to salad dressings, and sauces, Theodore turns to sap. And in all episodes of her ninth season, she turned to Anderson’s.

“It’s featured in about ten recipes this season,” Theodore says. “We plan to share some jazzy recipes from the season with Anderson’s and continue to spread the sweet word!”

While chefs and cooks are highlighting real maple syrup in everything from meat rubs to doughnut toppings, according to Jason Lilley, a sustainable agriculture professional at the University of Maine, “there are more partnerships related to value-added maple.” Applications of maple have even been developed in the medical field and the pet food industry!

Among the many manufacturers tapping maple in new ways is Kate Weiler of Drink Simple of Sudbury, MA, who uses the sap to make refreshing, rehydrating drinks.

As “dedicated triathletes,” Weiler and her partner, Jeff Rose, were “continually disappointed by drinks that were either loaded with sugar or faux-healthy sweeteners or devoid of taste.” When the dynamic duo came upon maple water, they were “transformed…and inspired” by something so energizing that was available literally right in their backyards. Weiler also notes that, while it offers natural hydration similar to coconut water, maple water has lower sugar, is more sustainable, and is also naturally full of antioxidants and prebiotics, all of which are increasingly popular among consumers

“It is also better tasting,” Weiler asserts, “[and] is imbued with a bit of Mother Nature’s magic to empower a healthy mind, body, and soul.”

For those for whom maple water may not be so tempting (even when mixed with natural fruit juices, as Drink Simple does), Weiler and Rose partnered with Athletic Brewing of Stratford, CT,to make non-alcoholic maple brown beer and with Loco Coffee of Holliston, MA, to make maple-infused cold brew. They also collaborate with many restaurants that use their products in everything from cocktails and coffee to oatmeal, wellness shots, and more. 

Athletic’s Head Brewer John Walker cites “similar interests in an active and healthy lifestyle, shared values and passion for high-quality…natural ingredients” as the reasons he collaborated with Drink Simple. 

Loco Co-Founder Dan Bresciani cited geographical and philosophical similarities as great reasons to partner, as both companies are in MA and both want to make drinks that taste good and are good for people.

“Maple Water was a perfect match for us,” Breciani suggests, “as we are trying to make coffee taste great and be better for you without all the added sugar.”

Another maple-based beverage is MapleMama in Wendell, MA. When asked why he used maple, Founder Joe Laur explained that, like Bresciani, he wanted to create a new beverage that would satisfy sweet teeth without ruining them. 

“When we…learned how to tap the maple trees in our backyard, our love affair with Mother Earth’s own sweetener began,” Laur explains, “but when our kids got older and started asking for soda pop—that’s when we discovered the real magic of maple!”

While Drink Simple and Maple Mama are available (and popular) all over, many independent makers are also in love with the sappy stuff.

As might be expected (as it is located in the heart of maple country), one of the venues that use maple in many recipes is the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal.

“We like to work with Quebec’s artisans and local products in general” explains Communication Manager Francois Parmentier, noting maple is even used in Maison Boulud, “so working with maple is just consistent with our values.”

In partnership with Chef Riccardo Bertolino (who has worked with Daniel Boulud in many of his restaurants around the world), Philippe Charest-Beaudry- co-presidentof Les Douceurs de l’érable Brien in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Rochelle, Quebec – uses maple fordry rubs, jelly, popcorn, and soft candies.

“The attributes of maple make it a perfect product to get used more in…everyday cooking,” Charest-Beaudry says, citing such reasons as its unrefined nature, eco-friendly production process, and the facts that maple is vegan (unlike honey) and contains more nutrients than any other sweetener. 

While many mixologists use maple as an ingredient, some adult beverage producers are incorporating it in their products,

Boston Harbor Distillery has been partnering with the Ackermans since before they officially opened.

”Arelationship ensued over quality maple syrup and spirits that we had yet to make,” explains Founder Rhonda Kallman.,noting that she uses Ackerman’s syrup instead of sugar. “We’ve grown together ever since and have a long way to go together! “

Edinboro’s Cart/Horse Distilling makes maple rum and offers used barrels to area maple makers like Shumake’s Sugar Shack to help them give a bit of added flavor to their maple products.

“We love using natural and local products in our spirits,” explains owner Jessica Lemmon, “so it was a natural…to experiment with how we could wrap in our flavors with other local delicacies.”
As many customers are aware of the maple industry in the area, Lemmon suggests “[folks] love it when we do crossover product,” and suggests that the collaborations have made for “a great sense of community!”

While production may vary according to climate and other elements, the demand for and diversity of uses of maple continue to grow and what was once a small family farm concern is now an international industry.

“Our industry has seen a huge influx of interest and even new competition,” Anderson observes, “but in the end, it will make our industry strong…because everything tastes better with pure maple syrup!”

Put it Back on the Plate!

Food waste is a BIG problem, but we all have LOTS of help

While many may have been raised with the parental claims of “Children are starving in [some foreign country or other],” food insecurity is every bit as much of a problem in the United States (if not more). In fact, in 2020, over 50 million Americans (including 17 million children) were unsure as to from where or when their next meal might come. And each day that COVID-19 remains in play, those numbers only increase.

At the federal level, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been doing all it can to maintain and expand food support programs. According to USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison Dr. Jean Buzby, food loss and waste are issues in both developed and developing countries. However, she has observed “real momentum in the increased interest in and activities to reduce food loss and waste both domestically and internationally.” For example, more than 30 national food sector companies in the United States have already signed on to the 2030 Food Loss and Waste Champions pledge to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. Dr. Buzby also notes that the United Kingdom reached a 27% reduction in food waste between 2007 and 2018 and continues to improve!

Another major player is Compass Group. In fact, according to Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Culinary Amy Keister, Compass is “the world’s leading foodservice company” and, as such, has a broad perspective on the issue of food waste.

“Reducing food waste is a no-brainer from every perspective,” adds Bon Appétit Company’s Chief Strategy & Brand Officer Maizie Ganzler, who will also speak at the FoodTank event. “It’s good for the environment, it cuts costs, and it cuts labor.”

“Stop Food Waste Day is a huge opportunity to remind ourselves, as eaters, that we can make change…to build more social justice and equity, to fight the climate crisis, and to build more sustainable food systems,” comments FoodTank President and Co-founder Danielle Nierenberg, who will also serve as co-moderator for the Summit.

Explaining how Compass launched Stop Food Waste Day in 2015, Keister says that, as her team had long known that 40 percent of our food supply is wasted and individuals throw away nearly 300 pounds of food each year, they felt that they had to be involved in order to continue to lead in the food space.

“While reducing food waste has been inherent in our own operations for many years,” Keister explains, “we recognized that our chefs had a lot of tips, insights and passion…to share…[to] make addressing the issue fun, exciting and impactful.”

Through Stop Food Waste Day, Keister and her colleagues have been able to reach millions around the world. “What started as initiatives to reduce food waste in our own kitchens,” Keister observes, “has quickly grown to be a movement that brings together consumers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities all focused on fighting food waste.”

When asked how the pandemic has affected her organization and the people it serves and supports, Keister concludes that, while nobody could have predicted the many different impacts of Covid-19, the “silver lining” involves the innovation that has occurred on account of people facing this new challenge.

“We’re continuing to develop new models and adapt…based on shifts in workplace trends and what diners are looking for,” she says. “At the same time, we’ve stayed true to our values and our commitment to being responsible stewards of our environment hasn’t wavered.”

Among the many innovations that have arisen is the development of new technologies to take undersized or blemished produce and convert it into purees that can then be reformulated into healthy foods. Dr. Buzby also mentions that many food containers have been redesigned to preserve freshness longer, thereby reducing waste and saving money. And while protecting the earth may be important to many, protecting the budget can be more so, especially when unemployment is relatively higher with the pandemic.

“Consumers should know that wasting food is a waste of money,” Dr. Buzby urges, noting that an average family of four wastes nearly $1,500 worth of food each year. “With every meal, consumers can save food, save money, and protect the environment.”

In an effort to streamline and support their communal efforts, the USDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently extended their formal collaboration for three years. Together, they are working not only to save food, but to allow those who donate and share it more protections. “For example,” Dr. Buzby says, “we are working with the nonprofit ReFED to evaluate technical implementation of food loss and waste reduction strategies. We are [also] working with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance to educate private sector partners about their protections for donating food under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.” This act, which is named for the late Congressional leader who crossed political lines to try to end hunger in America, protects those who donate to non-profit organizations from liability, even if the donated food should later be proven to have caused harm (e.g., by being spoiled). Under this protection, the realm of organizations that donate or repurpose food has exploded and many restaurants are also becoming involved.

One of the many organizations that supports the USDA and other government agencies in their efforts to stave off hunger is JEE Foods (which stands for Jobs, Education and the Economy), a student-founded organization that started at Butler Tech Ross High School in Butler County, Ohio. Collaborating with a school in South Korea, the students worked to identify the core factors of hunger and came up with three: unemployment, lack of education, and an unstable economy. As these issues are prevalent in the United States and globally, the students knew they had their work cut out for them. However, by narrowing their focus from the global community to their own, the students were able to get a handle on this often overwhelming situation.

“We took a step back and analyzed our own community,” says Butler County Coordinator Levi Grimm, noting that his team decided to begin “at the root of the problem” by not only providing food but also providing education.
“At JEE Foods we like to say ‘breaking the cycle of poverty by creating a cycle of improvement,” Grimm mentions, noting how easy it is to fall into poverty and how difficult it can be to emerge from it again.

“Once someone is living paycheck to paycheck,” he observes, “it’s tough to get ahead. Oftentimes there is very little assistance…and getting a better paying job usually requires some form of higher education which is hard to obtain whilst money issues are present.” These are some of the factors that led Grimm and his team to come to their trio of core challenges.

To help stave off this slippery slope and support those who may be most likely to succumb to it, JEE Foods not only rescues and redistributes unused food (reaching over 70 nonprofit organizations across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, with plans to scale nationwide), reaching out especially to people who live in areas where fresh produce and other nutrient-dense foods may not be available, they also provide culinary and job training to those in need of support and a new direction. When the pandemic struck, Grimm and his colleagues connected with the USDA to help their constituents take advantage of the Farmers to Families food box program.

“We pivoted to the food boxes,” Grimm explains, “since restaurants were closed for quite some time and there wasn’t much food to rescue.” 

While supply was down, however, demand was higher than ever. Even so, JEE was able to answer the call by working with partners to make more efficient and effective deliveries.

“In 2019,” Grimm recalls, “we reached 20,000 pounds of rescued food. In 2020, we crossed the threshold of 1.48 million pounds of food rescued.” So far this year, JEE has rescued over 3 million pounds of food and predicts that number is set to rise to 5 million pounds by the end of 2021. Even so, Grimm realizes that JEE cannot reach everyone in need.

“We can become discouraged when life hits where it hurts,” he says, “but knowing that we are able to help at least one person keeps us pursuing forward.”

Though they continue to grow and help more people and though they have the capacity to make use of food donations of any size – from a single sheet pan to a semi-trailer full – Grimm maintains that his biggest goal is to put JEE out of business. 

“Our hope is that one day the need for us won’t be there,” Grimm maintains.

While JEE continues to grow, another player at the national level is Food Rescue US (FRUS), which was founded in 2011 with the mission to help end hunger and food waste in America. Using proprietary software, FRUS engages volunteers to rescue donated excess fresh food from grocers, restaurants, and other sources that would have otherwise been thrown away and deliver it to social services agencies that feed individuals and families who are food insecure. 

“This is a win/win,” observes CEO Carol Shattuck. “Rather than the excess food ending up in landfills where it would create methane gas which contributes to global warming, the food is given to people who really need it.”

While it is not in all 50 states, FRUS has service centers in 20 and in the District of Columbia. In all of their 36 locations, FRUS works with food donors (e.g., grocery stores, restaurants, corporate dining facilities, schools, convention centers, etc.) who provide their excess food. 

“With food insecurity on the rise and greater awareness of the negative impact of food waste on our planet,” Shattuck suggests, “it is gratifying to partner with so many food providers who understand the critical role they play in helping to solve both food insecurity and food waste.”

Another food-saving organization with offices nationwide is Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC), which was founded in 2013 by Robert Lee, a Korean immigrant who grew up in a family that had experienced food insecurity.

“They struggled to maintain food security and refused to allow any to go to waste,” explains New England Coordinator Dana Siles, who notes that, ”the life experiences of our food donation recipients are often indistinguishable from Robert’s parents’ story.”

Since it launched in 2016, RLC’s Massachusetts branch (RLCMA) has transported over a half million pounds of food from nearly 100 food donor partners to over 100 human service agencies and 365 homes. As all of their staff is volunteer (including over 600 delivery helpers), all of the food is transported and delivered at no cost to the recipients!

“The need for food distribution to shelters, human service agencies and low-income households is immediate and pressing,” Siles observes. “Meanwhile, up to 40% of food is thrown out. That’s where RLCMA steps in. 

By combining the sweat equity of their volunteers with the latest technology, RLCMA (and all RLC branches) links leftover food from businesses to human service agencies.

“We strategically match food donors…to recipients,” Siles explains, “and bridge the gap by engaging community members…to achieve immediate and lasting food equity.”

Unlike many food recovery organizations, RLC has no minimum pickup size, encouraging donations of any excess. “This approach helps us address the niche gap often neglected by food rescue organizations,” Siles suggests, “connecting more points of food production and distribution to more communities.”

RLC also has no restrictions regarding budgets and tries to prioritize smaller organizations that require free assistance. 

“Through communication,” Siles says, “we learn the unique needs of each organization and the populations they serve to best serve our community.”

According to Siles, food costs in MA are nearly 18% more than the national average and Bay State residents have experienced the highest projected change among all American states in terms of both food insecurity and child food insecurity as a direct result of the pandemic. “Norfolk and Middlesex Counties were among the five counties across the entire country with the highest projected percentage change in child food insecurity between 2018 and 2020,” she notes. As public transportation has proven riskier to use during the pandemic, those who live in so-called “food deserts” (i.e., places where fresh food is scarce or hard to come by) must depend more heavily on food pantries. Unfortunately, these are often no safer, as they often involve long lines and enclosed spaces.

“Weakened immune systems, winter weather, and multi-generational households all conspire against these most vulnerable communities,” Siles points out. “Residents who were already struggling financially prior to the pandemic are in even greater distress.”

That is why RLCMA began waiving fees in March of 2020. Despite this loss in funding, RLCMA has seen a huge upswing in terms of overall support.

“Businesses have… increased their in-kind meal donations by 58% over the last year,” Siles says, thanking such diverse dining deliverers as the Asian Bon MeLombardo’s Italian restaurant and event space, the Oasis Caribbean Restaurant and IRIE Jamaican Style RestaurantSuya Joint African Cuisine, the Cape Verdean Nos Casa Café, the Haitian-Asian Neighborhood Kitchen, the new Peruvian place Tambo 22, and, most recently Tatte Bakery, who has donated over 3,000 pounds of bread and baked goods from their 12 locations in and around the city. “To date, our corps of Rescuers has delivered over 45,000 meals to 50 different HSAs and 365 homes.”

As many food partners have expressed a need for free pickups in order to continue donating their excess food as they rebuild their businesses, Siles is keen to mention that RLCMA (and many organizations like it) are more in need of financial and volunteer support than ever.

“Our goal is to increase both the frequency of deliveries and the number of families we can assist,” Siles says. “By delivering prepared meals directly to homes, we are giving those who require food assistance the ability to increase their intake of nutrient-dense food while reducing their need to leave the safety of home to access it, and supporting local businesses while doing so.”  

Boston is also home to Lovin’ Spoonfuls. According to COO Lauren Palumbo, the organization was created in 2010 based upon the recognition that hunger is a problem of distribution more than one of supply.

“There is enough food to go around,” Palumbo maintains, noting that her organization works on a different model than most others.

“Before Spoonfuls,” Palumbo observes, “most non-profits running food or meal programs relied on food bank donations consisting of shelf-stable products only. Our focus at Lovin’ Spoonfuls is on fresh, healthy food to meet the nutritional needs of people facing food insecurity.” 

Unlike other organizations that bank foods (and therefore are often limited to shelf-stable products), Spoonfuls picks up perishable foods that would otherwise be discarded from grocery stores, wholesalers, farms, and farmers markets and distributes them on the very same day to nearly 200 pantries, meal programs, shelters, and other non-profit organizations, including the food pantry at Boston Medical Center, the Boston Public Health Commission, Catholic Charities and Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and the USO. “We don’t store… food,” Palumbo explains. “That’s driven by the need to ensure it quickly reaches people who need it. It’s also driven by our belief that direct distribution creates direct access.” 

Over the past 10 years, Spoonfuls has grown from serving Boston to reaching over 40 cities and towns and serving over 32,000 people each week with fresh, healthy food. 

“We’re the largest food rescue operation in New England today,” Palumbo says proudly, noting that the organization’s efforts are funded by grants and private philanthropy and supported by what she calls “hospitality partners” – a group that includes chefs and other hospitality professionals.

 “They’ve been and continue to be such an important draw for us,” she says gratefully. “Plus, so many of them are working to amplify our message that there’s a better place for good food than a landfill.” 

As the message of alternative ends for food continues to spread, Palumbo sees this as “a silver lining” to the pain so many hungry people have endured, especially in the past year.

“People are talking about wasted food like never before,” she says. “They’re looking for ways to make food last and share it with others. We hope to harness that interest and engage even more champions in food rescue.”

Another Boston-area organization that helps stave off hunger for thousands of people by “rescuing” and redistributing food that would otherwise go to waste is Food For Free

“Our goal is to provide fresh, healthy, delicious food for individuals and families who are in need,” explains Director Sasha Purpura, “and we go to those communities to make sure people are getting the nutrition that they need.”

As the Bay State has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, hunger is more of a challenge than in other areas.

“One of our biggest challenge…has been keeping up with the demand and the unprecedented need for food here in Boston,” Purpura says, noting that the USDA has recently cut deliveries for its Farmers to Families food box program, leaving many pantries without ample supplies. “The pandemic continues to stretch the emergency food system to a breaking point.”

In order to continue to provide those who used to rely on the USDA program, Food for Free has created their own boxed food program called the Just Eats Grocery Box that provides boxes of fresh vegetables for low-income households. 

“The boxes…are filled with fresh produce and wholesome pantry staples like rice and beans,” Purpura explains, “[and] are designed to be grab-and-go, the preferred method of distribution during the pandemic to keep workers, volunteers, and participants as safe as possible.” She notes that the foods in the boxes are not only those most requested by constituents, but also “more culturally appropriate to a wider group of people.”

Food for Free delivers this food to individuals, families, and also to other emergency food programs. Food for Free has over 80 community partners, including the Boston Area Gleaners and the Greater Boston Food Bank. Through a partnership with Lindentree Farm in Lincoln, MA, Food For Free operates its Field of Greens program that grows fresh, healthy produce that is often difficult to obtain through the emergency food system. Recently, Clover Food Lab also donated 650 Clover Meal Boxes to those experiencing food insecurity. 

“The hunger crisis can feel so shocking and overwhelming,” says Clover Founder and CEO Ayr Muir. “We are so lucky to have Food For Free right down the street from us doing amazing work, and we were so excited to partner with them…. I am so proud of the Clover team and of our customers who came together in huge numbers to donate hundreds of full, nutritious meals to our neighbors. We can’t solve this problem, but we can do what we do best – cook for lots and lots of people.”

Clover has also established a food matching program in which they donate a third box of food for every two that are donated by others.

Food For Free’s longstanding Home Delivery program delivers bi-monthly boxes of produce and pantry staples to elderly and disabled Cambridge residents who are unable to easily access food pantries. Unlike other anti-hunger groups who may rely on their own pantries and base of operations to distribute food, Food For Free works to meet individuals and families in need in the places they access daily such as public schools and housing developments as distribution points. This approach of  “meeting people where they are” makes it easier for individuals and families in need to access healthy food.

“We are working with local public schools to provide meals and groceries,” Purpura explains, “and helping local housing developments create their own free food markets.”

Allocating $25,000 per city to some of the most hard-hit communities, Food for Free has been able to purchase food to support other community food programs.

“In the last year, Food For Free distributed 4.7 million pounds of nutritious food throughout Greater Boston,” Purpura recalls, which more than doubled the amount of food they distributed the previous year. 

Despite the increased support, however, Purpura admits that there is still much to be done, even as the economy begins to recover.

“There’s still so much work to do as the food insecurity rates continue to rise here in the state,” she says, noting that the need for volunteers is as high as that for food. “Now, more than ever before, we’ve had to come together as a community to make sure people are getting the food and nutrition they need.”

And while some organizations hope for a day when they will no longer be necessary, Purpura has a different view of success.

“We envision a future where everyone in our community – regardless of age, income, or ability – has consistent access to fresh, healthy, delicious food,” she concludes.

In an effort to help their friends and neighbors wash down all the donated food, Steeped Coffee in Scotts Valley, CA, has created a number of supportive systems, including the You Give We Give program (in which the company matched gift box purchases with donations to front-line workers and provided free deliveries to hospitals, fire and police stations, and clinics) and the more recent Stay Home, Stay Steeped campaign that provides free home delivery on all coffee, cups, kettles, and gear.

“We are always looking for ways Steeped can serve as a positive force for good,” Founder and CEO Josh Wilbur says, noting how these programs have allowed Steeped to, as he puts it, “meet the moment now and into the future as a vehicle for other organizations.” 

After giving away over 70,000 packs of their pre-measured, ethically-sourced, sustainably-packaged, hand-roasted premium coffees, this certified B Corporation took their giving to the next level with their Packs for Good program, through which they donated 20% of all sales to the national food-support organization Feeding America and other organizations that fight hunger across the country.

 “There is no doubt we’ll never forget these times,” Wilbur observes, “but it’s what we do for others, even the small things, that will be remembered. As a startup in these crazy times, Steeped is looking to do anything within reach to make a difference and encourage others to do the same. We know that every small act will all add up to make a big difference!”

As many people enjoy cookies with their coffee, MySuperFoods in Summit, NJ is another generous company to consider. Founded by the dynamic duo of entrepreneurial mothers Silvia Gianni and Katie Jesionowski, MySuperFoods makes cookies and snacks that are intended for kids yet are delicious and nutritious for people of any age. In addition to organic ingredients that are full of whole grain and fiber and free of nuts, each snack features a special character that encourages customers to eat and be well. On top of supporting and satisfying their customers, the team at MySuperFoods also supports food banks from NY and NJ to CA and TX.

“Our company purpose is to make SuperFoods for SuperKids…[and] provide families with a variety of nutrient-dense snacks they can rely on and turn to for delicious, convenient options,” Jesionowski explains. “At the heart of our brand is a social mission to help fight food insecurity in the US.” To date, the MySuperFoods family has donated over 235,000 snacks to kids in need through six food bank partners.  

“We donated all of the available product that we had at the start of the pandemic,” Jesionowski recalls, “and then started receiving orders from food banks because their typical supply chain froze up. It felt good to support them while we fought for our own brand to survive!”

While some food-related non-profit organizations strive to expand and reach more people, sometimes it is the smaller-scale servers that support the most.

Law firm office manager David Coughlin has been volunteering at the Wednesday Night Supper Club at the Paulist Center in Boston for 30 years, serving as director for four years and currently as lead cook.

“Pre-pandemic, we provided a hot [sit-down] meal every Wednesday to homeless and elderly people,” he recalls. “In the pandemic, we are preparing meals to go.”

The Club is sponsored in part by Project Bread, who runs the annual Walk for Hunger in Boston and supports hunger relief efforts across MA.

Coughlin notes that there is a similar service program that is hosted Friday nights at the nearby Unitarian church.

“They have a paid professional chef I believe,” he says. “Otherwise, [they use] lots of volunteers.”

Boston-area locals have also been receiving support from the Festekjian family, owners and operators of Anoush’ella restaurant. Despite the fact that they had to close restaurants in other neighborhoods due to Covid, the Festekjians not only kept their Boston flagship open, but used it as a community center where hundreds of free meals were distributed to out-of-work hospitality workers.

“It all started when we had to close the Lynnfield [MA] location due to the pandemic,” Raffi Festekjian explains. “We didn’t want the food to go to waste, so [my wife] Nina and I brought it all to the South End location. Initially, we decided to offer meals for free out of work hospitality workers and that’s where it began and where we continued throughout the pandemic [donating] up 65 free meals a day, seven days a week.” 

Making the most of his entrepreneurial spirit and ties to the medical community, Steve Peljovich of Michael’s Deli in Brookline, MA (who was recently profiled in a Chef Chat© column) worked with some local doctors to create a program called Local Meals for Local Hospitals that donated and delivered hundreds of locally-sourced meals to hospital workers in the area. In a further effort to support his community, Peljovich (a former manager at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston who is also often called upon to feed the Boston Bruins and who also donates to the Shawn Thornton Foundation), enlisted support from other restaurants in Brookline to provide more food to those in need and is now providing hundreds of meals to the Brookline Food Pantry.

“One of the big reasons I wanted to leave the corporate restaurant business” Peljovich offers, “was so that I could have a greater impact on my local community.” Peljovich credits his Cuban immigrant parents with instilling in him the value and importance of having a positive impact on others. “It has been so fulfilling to continue to feed frontline heroes through multiple organizations that are coordinating the efforts!”

In nearby Newton, MA, the Iliades family of Farm Grill & Rotisserie has been donating soups and support to the Newton Community Freedge at the Newton Food Pantry.

“I believe it is important to help anyone at any time,” says Alexi Iliades, “especially during a crisis like the current pandemic. The community of Newton, where our family is from and our restaurant is based, has embraced and supported us for the last 25 years. Now it’s our turn to give back to the people who are our friends, customers, and really a second family. That is what a community is and it’s who we are at Farm Grill & Rotisserie.”

In the Mid-Atlantic region, Chef David Guas is not only satisfying hungry folks at his Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar &  Eatery Co. in Arlington, VA, he is also the founder of Chefs Feeding Families (CFF).

“Being a small business owner,” Chef Guas explains, “my first concern when the pandemic hit was to keep my staff working and 
to keep their families fed.” Once that was taken care of, Guas looked around his community to see who he could support next. He quickly came to see the 300 kids who were on a meal plan at the Key Elementary School while the school was shut on account of the pandemic.

“How would they and so many others be fed?” Guas asked himself. “So we started cooking. That’s what [chefs] do – we feed people!”

CFF as co-founded with Real Food for Kids, another community organization that not only helps feed students, but also helps them find employment in the restaurant community.

“I started cooking for the community on March 17, 2020,” Guas recalls proudly, “and it was the first rapid relief response in the DC area to feed local students and families nutritious, plant-based meals.”

In order to ensure that nobody feels isolated or embarrassed, Guas makes sure that CFF does not ask for identification when people come to ask for food. “By not requiring ID,” he explains, “it opened the doors for us to reach so many more families in need.” As their meals are plant-based, CFF is also able to welcome people with special dietary needs.

“It was important to us that we were presenting healthy and inclusive options that would appeal to as many people as possible,” Guas says, noting how the rise of food insecurity and cheap, poor-quality, highly processed foods have contributed to what he (and many others) sees as “a skyrocketing increase” in childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity-related cancers.

Since its creation, CFF has invited and served so many people in that it has grown to 17 distribution sites and involved other chefs, including Tim Ma of American SonPizzeria ParadisoSilver DinerRASAMightyMeals (which also happens to be the official meal prep company of the D.C. United soccer team!), and the Green-certified catering company Design Cuisine. With the support of generous sponsors, donors, and local community members, CFF has served more than 125,000 free grab-and-go meals to families in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

“CFF recognizes it has a crucial role to play by continuing to…serve the community for the immediate and long-term,” Guas concludes, noting that he recently added family meal kits to the CFF menu. “These…sustainable initiatives will have the power to create lifelong behavioral changes and improve health outcomes for all children and their families.”

Further south in St. Petersburg, FL, Chef Robert Hesse is offering food and function from his Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz food truck. As Chef Hesse’s childhood and adolescence included homelessness and prison, he has dedicated himself to helping other teens at risk. 

“You’d be surprised at the amount of work ethic you’ll find in a convicted felon,” Hesse observes, noting how kids who faced challenges similar to those he faced offer a useful combination of “street smarts and drive” that allows them to learn quickly and turn their lives around so that they can then help others as well.

Based upon the old adage of teaching someone to fish versus just giving them fish, Chef Hesse’s No Kid 86’d program (“86” being restaurant lingo for taking something off the menu) offers at-risk youth and their families and communities not only donations of food, toys, and school supplies, but also job training so they can make their own lives better. 

“We want to offer that same opportunity to as many people as we can,” Hesse says.

Using music as a source of strength and support, Philadelphia’s Share Food Program recently started a program in cooperation with over 800 schools and 150 community-based food pantries, along with the Bynum Hospitality Group (who operate South Restaurant & Jazz Club, Warmdaddy’s, and Relish), the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association and Jazz Philadelphia. 

“We’ve launched a series of special food box distributions for restaurant workers and jazz musicians in need,” says Share spokesperson Marjorie Morris, who also mentions the organization’s recently developed the Knock Drop & Roll home delivery program for seniors and people with disabilities.

 “The jazz community has been so supportive of us over the years,” says Bynum Manager Harry Hayman, who is also the founder of the Feed Philly Coalition, “we are happy to be working with Share and to help them out in their time of need.”

As the largest hunger relief organization in Philadelphia and one of the largest independent food banks in the nation, Share distributes food to an expansive network of 800 schools and 150 community-based partners across and outside of the City of Brotherly Love.

Marking the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, Burns is keen to remind everyone that, “emergency food relief efforts are even more critical now and in the months ahead.”

Moving from Music to Art, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), in Salem, MA has partnered with the Salem Pantry to support people in their community.

“The mission of The Salem Pantry is to eradicate hunger in the Salem community by providing residents in need with nutritious foods in an atmosphere of dignity and respect,” explains Executive Director Robyn Burns, noting that her organization operates 10 distribution sites around the city and also makes deliveries to home-bound individuals and households that have been impacted by COVID-19. “We also partner with the Greater Boston Food Bank to operate a food distribution hub for the greater North Shore to support other organizations to access food.”

In addition to the Food Bank and the PEM, the Pantry has also forged alliances with local food producers, including Shaws Supermarkets and Baldor Food Distribution and with local companies like A&J King Bakery and Patriot Seafoods. “Partnerships are instrumental to our success,” Burns maintains. “These partnerships provide for donations of fresh baked goods, frozen meats and seafood, fresh produce and more. This allows us to provide a consistent offering to our Pantry guests.”

When asked specifically about the partnership with PEM, Burns replies, “Joining forces with PEM during COVID has provided an opportunity for Salem Pantry to expand our impact within Salem and the North Shore. Our Feeding Community partnership has allowed…us to think creatively and innovatively about supporting our community during the pandemic and beyond.”

PEM’s Director of Annual Giving Blair Evans Steck adds, “At PEM, we believe strongly that we have a civic responsibility to our neighborhood and our community at large. When we heard about the dire need for food and the efforts The Salem Pantry was undertaking to meet that need, it was clear to PEM that we had an opportunity to amplify their work. We teamed up to launch Feeding Community, an effort designed to raise awareness, secure essential funding, and recruit volunteers to support the food pantry’s life-sustaining operations.”
With the help of over 400 donors, PEM was able to launch a $20,000 challenge gift. “We are [now] moving forward with our plans to assist the pantry’s volunteer needs and other ways,” Steck says, “where we can address feeding the body and the soul through art making, free PEM admission coupons for volunteers, and more. We are thrilled that this initiative is resulting in a longer-term, mutually-beneficial partnership with The Salem Pantry!”

On the other coast, Replate has been helping the hungry in and around San Francisco since 2015 and now serves a great portion of Northern CA.

Replate began as a nonprofit called Feeding Forward,” recalls COO Katie Marchini, noting that co-founder Maen Mahfoudhad come from Syria, “where he saw firsthand the impact of food insecurity…and was surprised to find parallel disparities in the U.S.” After participating in a nonprofit accelerator, Feeding Forward expanded throughout the Bay Area. Eventually, the organization split into two pieces with Replate serving as the nonprofit arm.

“The mission was to prevent food insecurity and mitigate climate change in a simple, safe, and efficient manner that is supported by efficient technology,” Marchini explains “Replate creates technology and activates the community to reliably redistribute surplus food to those experiencing food insecurity.“

As they have continued to expand, Replate has also picked up some prominent partners, including AmazonBeyond MeatDoorDashNetflix, the University of San Francisco, and Whole Foods

“We’ve grown our service through word of mouth referrals and an active mission to identify new and substantial sources of food surplus across various industries,” Marchini says.

Even with these strong supporters, however, Replate has had to face shortages in supply due to the pandemic.

“COVID impacted our recipient partners significantly,” she admits, “as many more Americans now face food insecurity and venues to distribute food shut down or ceased operations.”

Fortunately, Replate has been able to reconfigure its service model by delivering directly to it constituents’ doorsteps.

“[It’s] a project we called Replate Home,” Marchini says, noting that her organization has also sought out new donor partners, including grocers and other food delivery services. 

Though the pandemic has posed challenges it has also engendered learning. “We’ve learned how important and fragile the food system is,” Manchini notes, “specifically when it comes to logistics and supply chain management.”

In addition to striving to support communities, Replate also seeks ways to distribute resources in a sustainable way that provides greater access while reducing their carbon footprint. 

“We measure the impact of our partner’s donations so they know the impact they’ve made each month in terms of meals provided, carbon dioxide diverted, water saved, and soon the nutritional content of the food delivered,” Manchini explains.

And while this learning has helped Replate continue to streamline and update their systems to make their deliveries more efficient and effective, the largest lesson that Manchini and her team have learned relates to what she calls “the extensive power of food.”

“When a person doesn’t have to worry about where they will get their next meal,” she observes, “they can work, they can go to school, they can support themselves and their families…[and] they can ward off graver illnesses.”

In fact, Manchini points out, some of Replate’s recipients have been able to avoid entering the homeless population thanks to their ability to use their budgets to pay for rent and utilities instead of food. 

While many organizations strive to support hungry people across the country and around the world, many others are more focused on a particular community or neighborhood.

Among the food reclaimers who are helping organizations like Replate support more people are their San Francisco neighbors at Regrained, who take the grains left over from the production of beer and turn them into nutritious snacks.

According to Co-founder and Chief Grain Officer Dan Kurzrock, he and his colleagues were exploring “upcycled” food before it was a thing. Recalling early brewing adventures while still under 21, Kurzrock explains that he was “shocked” by the waste that was produced in the process.

“Every six-pack we brewed left us with [a] pound of grain,” he says, admitting that all of it ended up in the dumpster until the day when he actually tasted the leftovers and realized that, “It was not waste at all…. It could be food!”

Though he initially used the “spent” grain to make bread (selling just enough to afford more grain to make more beer), Kurzrock eventually collaborated with the USDA to design and patent a system that opened the door to what he termed “edible upcycling.” In 2019, Kurzrock and some food-saving friends cofounded the Upcycled Food Association, which today has 150 members from all over the globe.

“The movement is being hailed as a megatrend within the industry,” Kurzrock maintains. “These are exciting times!”

Go Stick It!

While March may be National Nutrition Month, a few of its 31 days do not seem to be in keeping with this theme. While many may celebrate the mathematically-inclined Pi day on March 14 (3.14, get it?!), other pie-related days may not be so good for your brain and may, in fact, make your personal radius increase. Among these are National Banana Cream Pie Day (March 2) and National Pound Cake Day (March 4). That March 5 is recognized as National Cheese Doodle Day may not be so dandy Sticking out above all of these, however, is March 28, which is National Something-on-a-Stick Day.

While whomever it is that assigns these national days did not specify what you should eat to celebrate the day and, in fact, suggest to use it as a day to master chopsticks or skewer fruit or veggies for kabobs), the advocates of this annual celebration of all foods portable (if not potable) agree that pretty much any food can be served (and improved!) on-a-stick. Each year, new ideas emerge and new challenges await.

According to Charles Cox of food service company Concessions by Cox, “anything will sell if [it is] on a stick.“ In his nearly 70 years in the business, Cox has seen an explosion of sticked foods and now admits that “nothing surprises me!”

When people think of foods on a stick, items like cotton candy and popsicles may come to mind. For anyone who has visited a county fair, however, the menu expands exponentially!

At the Minnesota State Fair (which many consider to be the granddaddy of skewered foods), nearly 1/5 of all of the over 500 food items that are available are available on a stick.

“ Food on a stick is often sold at celebrative events with lots to see and do,” says Rey O’Day, executive director of the National Independent Concessionaires Association (NICA), “making walk- around- food the perfect solution for enhancing the guest experience.”

According to Minnesota Fair representative Lara Hughes, as the fairgrounds cover 322 acres packed with activities and shows, food on a stick is “the perfect answer [because] fair guests can eat their food on-the-go and not miss a thing.”

Though the history of the national observance may be shrouded in mystery,Hughes’ colleague, Danielle Dullinger, explains that the first stick-y food at the Fair arrived in 1947, when Pronto Pup opened their first kiosk on the fairgrounds. Since then, Dullinger asserts, “it has blossomed into so much more.” And while she agrees with Hughes that the ability to carry your food as you peruse the massive grounds is key, Dullinger adds that, as there are so many foods to try, many people spend most of their day carrying one food until they can reach the next kiosk and stick another stick in their mouths.

“Guests walk from booth to booth,” Dullinger observes, “to take in all that the fair has to offer – all while enjoying their portable concoction on a stick.”

According O’Day, this concept is known among fair insiders as  “grazing.”

“Fairgoers walk from stand to stand tasting many foods or bring different foods together at a table or standing together and share them,” she says. “Sticks work well to do this!””

In fact, O’Day explains, when talking to each other at various venues, concessionaires often ask each other, “”How’s the grazing going today?”

While “grazing” has long been a feature of state fairs, Dullinger notes how, in recent years, the social media appeal of sticked foods has become a major issue.

“The trend in the world of food is to make sure your product is ‘Instagram worthy,’” she maintains. “Does this food photograph well? Will it be the most talked about item? Word of mouth via social media is increasingly a factor for food vendors when trying to come up with new and unique items each year”
Perhaps that is why a trend started with hot dogs has expanded to such diverse dining destinations as deep-fried candy bars and cheese, bacon, egg rolls, pork chops and the Gopher State’s beloved tater tot hot dish. Walking around the grounds in Minnesota or other fairs and venues, however, you will soon see that these are just the beginning!

Among the most prolific and progressive of fair food fans is Dominic Palmieri. In addition to being a CCE (Certified Concessionaire Executive), Palmieri is also the CEO of Odyssey Foods LLC. Known as “The Midway Gourmet,” Palmieri oversees several stands at the Los Angeles County Fair and the Arizona and California State Fairs (among others), most of which offer various (and widely diverse) foods on sticks.

“We love foods that are on a stick,” says the NICA past president, noting that he has been offering such foods for over 35 years, starting with meatballs on sticks and corn on the cob that used the peeled-back husk as the carrying mechanism. “We love foods that are creative and innovative with different textures and spiciness and flavors!”

When asked how the explosion of stick-based foods has altered his own outlook on business, Palmieri (who began his cooking career stirring spaghetti sauce for “Pasta King” Art Ibleto at the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA and who has gone on to be featured on Food Network’s ”Carnival Kings” and several other shows and networks) replies, “Having the ability to sell multiple food items on a stick has greatly impacted our business and our bottom line. We have been able to innovate new interesting foods that are appealing to today’s modern fair go-er.”

Among Palmieri’s favorites are deep-fried Twinkies and cheesecake, shrimp and pizza on-a-stick, the “Big Daddy” corn dog (a 14-inch pecan-smoked sausage dipped in corn dog batter, deep-fried and then topped with cheddar cheese and crushed up flaming hot Cheetos), and what he calls “The Big Rib” (a two-pound beef behemoth that uses its 17-inch bone in place of a wooden stick, much like the giant turkey legs that are popular at county and medieval fairs). In addition to knowing a lot about today’s fair foods fans, Palmieri also has deep knowledge of the history of food that came on sticks. According to him, sightings of stick-set foods go back hundreds of years!

“Around the mid-12th century,” he says, “it is been documented that the Turkish peoples started doing kebabs where they actually cooked their meat on a stick and eventually started eating it right off of the stick.”
As for modern marvels, Palmieri suggests that the creation of cotton candy and the advent of candy apples around the turn of the 20th century started the contemporary craze.

“As concessionaires became more creative,” he maintains, “[it] led to a large array of foods that are now sold on a stick. “

While each of these new items competes each year for the longest lines (and now most likes), there are also smaller competitions within the world of stuck foods. And while most of their foods are served at fairs, the fights are not always so fair.

Among the most notable (and contested) battle is that between Pronto Pupand the corn dog. Ask nearly anyone at the Minnesota Fair and they will have already taken a side. According to Gregg Karnis, who is the son of Jack Karnis who first brought Pronto Pup to the Midwest after a trip to Portland, OR, the difference is in the ingredients. In addition to corn meal (which is the mark of the corn dog), Pronto Pups also have corn, wheat and rice flours, and less added sugar than the famously sweet corn dog. Karnis is also proud to point out that the sausages that surround the stick and are surrounded by the corn-y crust are made from meats in nearby Wisconsin, perhaps hinting at a “farm-to-stick” movement being afoot.

While there are legends of vendors coming up with batter-fried hot dogs in the early 1940s and selling them at fairs in California and Texas as early as 1938 (among these the story of Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogsfounder Neil Fletcher, who is not only credited with giving Texas the corn dog, but also giving Faye Dunaway a bag of cash in “Bonnie and Clyde” nearly 30 years later), Pronto Pup is both the original corn dog and the first food served on astick at the Minnesota State Fair. It was also the primary purveyor to promote with pulsating lights and later became the home of the worlds largest corn dog and the first riding mechanical corndog!Such savvy sales techniques have kept Pronto Pup at the head of the dog pack, and the 34 tons of dogs sold represent about 55 percent of hot dogs sold each year!

While that may seem to be enough to claim superiority, as so many people come to Minnesota from so far away, they know not Pronto and may be more comfortable with the corn dog they get at home. Even Karnis himself has been known to question the sense of his father’s opening the first Pronto Pup franchise east of the Rockies.

“Who in the world would put a stick in a hot dog and dip it in batter and deep-fry it?” he queried, suggesting that the question was moot as, “everybody loved the taste.!

Soon after Jack Karnis brought Pronto Pup to Illinois, a Minneapolis businessman tried one and suggested he bring them to Minnesota. The rest is sticky food history, filled with many members of the Karnis family reuniting each summer at the Fair to sell Pups as pronto as possible. And while the recipe has not changed much, Gregg realizes the need for further innovation, So while his father invented the wheel on which Pronto Pups are cooked, Gregg devised a spearing device that can put up to 50 dogs on-a-stick simultaneously!

Speaking of innovation, each year, new foods become available on-a-stick in Minnesota and elsewhere.

At the Los Angeles County Fair, hot dogs on sticks are also popular and go by a much simpler name.

Hot Dog on a Stickis by far the most famous and notorious on-a-stick brand,” asserts Hot Dog on-a-Stick spokesperson Kathleen Shaffer, noting that the company was founded in 1946 at Muscle Beach by Dave Barham.

“[Dave] wanted to create easy to eat delicious food perfect for on-the-go beachgoers,” Shaffer explains, noting that, as with so many great food creators, his recipe was inspired by his mother’s home cooking. “After his beachside stand became popular, he started selling at state fairs and eventually grew the concept in malls across the West.”

Today. Hot Dog on a Stick has 60 shops nationwide, as well as kiosks in Asia. 

O’Day points out that, as some of the members of the family who still run the company are vegetarian, they recently released Cheese on a Stick.

“It’s now an iconic brand,” Shaffer concludes. “Hot Dog on a stick is the ultimate feel good food. Our menu is nostalgic and our “on a stick” offerings are loved by families looking for an easy to eat snack or meal while enjoying the beach, strolling the malls or throwing a party. Everyone loves Hot Dog on-a-stick! “

Everyone, perhaps, except people who do not eat meat. Fortunately for them, there are innovators in the on-a-stick space too!

In Boston, a self-proclaimed “local recipe developer” who goes by the title of “La Pheegan Chef” (a.k.a., Charlie Lumpkins) came up with Sassy Jack Chick’n™ a vegan meat alternative that is served- you guessed it – on-a-stick.

When asked what inspired him, Lumpkins recalls growing up “in a small tight community” in Sacramento, California, where a neighbor took him to a local Greek festival. It was there that Lumpkins encountered the gyro.

“It was amazing,” she says. “Up until then the only food I had ever eaten on-a-stick were the usual suspects – the corndog and the popsicle.”
Since her “Greek food experience,” however, Lumpkins has become enamored with both Mediterranean and Asian foods, many of which are served on skewers.

“When you bite into Sassy Jack Chick’n,” Lumpkins asserts, “you taste the savory flavors of my mix cultural background [of] Latin, Native American, and Southern African American…all wrapped into something that is uniquely all-American, because even though it leans on all of these flavor profiles, it is something all its own. It is sassy, bold, unconventional and unique, just like me, just like all of us!”

According to O’Day, this cultural mix is a growing trend at fairs and also at restaurants.

“We are seeing tastings in many cities that are being done as drive-throughs,” she notes, “and many are emphasizing foods on a stick so that patrons can pick them up as they drive by.” 

Seeing the lack of edible sticks as a problem (particularly in the vegan community), Lumpkins channeled this stick-y passion into his jackfruit-based “chicken” on-a-stick treats. Like any good entrepreneurs, Lumpkins started creating and selling them out of his home, but now works with local commissary Commonwealth Kitchenand sells at restaurants and festivals throughout the area, including Boston’s famed Vegetarian Food Festival and the Vegan Masquerade Ball.

“Why stop at the outer deliciousness?” he asks. “Why not invite the stick to the mouth party!”

While most items on-a-stick go into the mouth, the realm of entry has expanded so that some items are fed directly to the brain.

Christopher Danielson is a Minnesota curriculum developer whose popular program Talking Math with Kids has expanded on the fairgrounds into a new interactive program called Math On-a-Stick.

“On-A-Stick grew out of wanting to help parents to support their children’s math learning in ways that parallel literacy,” Danielson explains, noting how the program is especially effective at countering alleged math phobias (especially among parents) with fun math-based offerings that, like so many other things at the Fair, can be taken with you.

When asked who inspired him, Danielson recalls visiting the Alphabet Forest (a literary adventure space that was created by local children’s book author Deb Fraser) with his then seven-year-old daughter, 

“As soon as I walked in there,” he says, “I knew I needed to build the math version.”
In just one year, Danielson designed his program and pitched it to the Fair and the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics, “and the next year we were up and running!”

The one issue that remained was coming up with a title.

“The Minnesota State Fair is famously home to a wide variety of foods on-a-stick,” Danielson reasons (noting that the Minnesota Fair is so serious about foods on-a-stick that they have “On-A-Stick” codified in their style guide with hyphens and capitalization being mandatory), “so I went with Math On-A-Stick, fully expecting that once we got far enough down the line, someone would say, ‘OK. Now what are we really going to call this thing?’ But no one ever objected and so it stuck!” 

Going back to Greek delights on sticks, Lumpkins’ neighbors at Farm Grill and Rotisseriein Newton, MA, have been perfecting the traditional kebab for 25 years.

“When I visited Greece as a child,” says Alex Iliades (who, like the Karnis, is the son of the venue’s founding father), “kebabs were sold everywhere as street food. They were great for a quick, easy bite to satisfy your hunger and go about your day.”
Inspired by an old family recipe, Alex marinates his kebabs for a minimum of 48 hours, using spices imported from Greece that are also sold at his sister shop, the Greek International Marketin West Roxbury, MA.

“We cook our kebabs over a strong grill with a lot of heat to give them a nice char,” Iliades says suggesting that the “beauty” of having the meat and vegetables on individual skewers come both from the blending of the flavors and the efficiency of the cooking process. 

“We can flip everything at once,” he observes, “and all the ingredients cook uniformly!”

So perhaps the food on-a-stick thing is good for the creators as well as the customers! This would at least partially explain the explosion on-a-stick offerings.

Since 2010, Thuy-Vy Bui has been selling her eggroll on-a-stick at the Minnesota Fair and elsewhere.

“We wanted to be able to bring a fan favorite out to the greater parts of Minnesota,” Vy Buiexplains, “as many of the original customers at our restaurants have since retired and moved further out from the cities.”

Starting at the Olmstead County Fair in Rochester, MN, Vy Buimaintains that the eggroll was an instant hit because “people in Minnesota are totally used to seeing food on-a-stick”

Echoing Vy Bui, Fried Fruit and Olivesco-owner Carol Helmer (who, like Karinis and Iliades, comes from a line of food makers and seems stuck on the on-a-stick format) attests that, “people…at events are always looking for foods that are easy to eat while walking around…not real messy, easy to share and not very filling so they can taste all the amazing foods.”
Perhaps this is why her relatively healthy helpings are so popular and have been for 30 years.

“This is what on- a-stick provides,” she continues. “It’s fun and not something you typically eat at home.”

Helmer goes so far as to suggest that many people make the hunt for stuck foods the main attraction at the fair. 
“People actually…try to eat everything at an event that comes on-a-stick,” she suggests, “or they have a contest of how many sticks of your product they can eat in one day. It is all about a unique fun experience!”

Put it Back on the Plate!

Food waste is a BIG problem, but we all have LOTS of help

For more on food waste and what we can ALL do about it, check out the Food Tank Stop Food Waste seminar April 28.

While many may have been raised with the parental claims of “Children are starving in [some foreign country or other],” food insecurity is every bit as much of a problem in the United States (if not more). In fact, in 2020, over 50 million Americans (including 17 million children) were unsure as to from where or when their next meal might come. And each day that COVID-19 remains in play, those numbers only increase.

At the federal level, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been doing all it can to maintain and expand food support programs. According to USDA Food Loss and Waste Liaison Dr. Jean Buzby, food loss and waste are issues in both developed and developing countries. However, she has observed “real momentum in the increased interest in and activities to reduce food loss and waste both domestically and internationally.” For example, more than 30 national food sector companies in the United States have already signed on to the 2030 Food Loss and Waste Champions pledge to reduce food waste by 50% by the year 2030. Dr. Buzby also notes that the United Kingdom reached a 27% reduction in food waste between 2007 and 2018 and continues to improve!

Another major player is Compass Group. In fact, according to Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Culinary Amy Keister, Compass is “the world’s leading foodservice company” and, as such, has a broad perspective on the issue of food waste (one that Keister will discuss at FoodTank’s online summit on food waste which will take place on April 28, which is Stop Food Waste Day).

“Reducing food waste is a no-brainer from every perspective,” adds Bon Appétit Company’s Chief Strategy & Brand Officer Maizie Ganzler, who will also speak at the FoodTank event. “It’s good for the environment, it cuts costs, and it cuts labor.”

“Stop Food Waste Day is a huge opportunity to remind ourselves, as eaters, that we can make change…to build more social justice and equity, to fight the climate crisis, and to build more sustainable food systems,” comments FoodTank President and Co-founder Danielle Nierenberg, who will also serve as co-moderator for the Summit.

Explaining how Compass launched Stop Food Waste Day in 2015, Keister says that, as her team had long known that 40 percent of our food supply is wasted and individuals throw away nearly 300 pounds of food each year, they felt that they had to be involved in order to continue to lead in the food space.

“While reducing food waste has been inherent in our own operations for many years,” Keister explains, “we recognized that our chefs had a lot of tips, insights and passion…to share…[to] make addressing the issue fun, exciting and impactful.”

Through Stop Food Waste Day, Keister and her colleagues have been able to reach millions around the world. “What started as initiatives to reduce food waste in our own kitchens,” Keister observes, “has quickly grown to be a movement that brings together consumers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government entities all focused on fighting food waste.”

When asked how the pandemic has affected her organization and the people it serves and supports, Keister concludes that, while nobody could have predicted the many different impacts of Covid-19, the “silver lining” involves the innovation that has occurred on account of people facing this new challenge.

“We’re continuing to develop new models and adapt…based on shifts in workplace trends and what diners are looking for,” she says. “At the same time, we’ve stayed true to our values and our commitment to being responsible stewards of our environment hasn’t wavered.”

Among the many innovations that have arisen is the development of new technologies to take undersized or blemished produce and convert it into purees that can then be reformulated into healthy foods. Dr. Buzby also mentions that many food containers have been redesigned to preserve freshness longer, thereby reducing waste and saving money. And while protecting the earth may be important to many, protecting the budget can be more so, especially when unemployment is relatively higher with the pandemic.

“Consumers should know that wasting food is a waste of money,” Dr. Buzby urges, noting that an average family of four wastes nearly $1,500 worth of food each year. “With every meal, consumers can save food, save money, and protect the environment.”

In an effort to streamline and support their communal efforts, the USDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently extended their formal collaboration for three years. Together, they are working not only to save food, but to allow those who donate and share it more protections. “For example,” Dr. Buzby says, “we are working with the nonprofit ReFED to evaluate technical implementation of food loss and waste reduction strategies. We are [also] working with the Food Waste Reduction Alliance to educate private sector partners about their protections for donating food under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act.” This act, which is named for the late Congressional leader who crossed political lines to try to end hunger in America, protects those who donate to non-profit organizations from liability, even if the donated food should later be proven to have caused harm (e.g., by being spoiled). Under this protection, the realm of organizations that donate or repurpose food has exploded and many restaurants are also becoming involved.

One of the many organizations that supports the USDA and other government agencies in their efforts to stave off hunger is JEE Foods (which stands for Jobs, Education and the Economy), a student-founded organization that started at Butler Tech Ross High School in Butler County, Ohio. Collaborating with a school in South Korea, the students worked to identify the core factors of hunger and came up with three: unemployment, lack of education, and an unstable economy. As these issues are prevalent in the United States and globally, the students knew they had their work cut out for them. However, by narrowing their focus from the global community to their own, the students were able to get a handle on this often overwhelming situation.

“We took a step back and analyzed our own community,” says Butler County Coordinator Levi Grimm, noting that his team decided to begin “at the root of the problem” by not only providing food but also providing education.
“At JEE Foods we like to say ‘breaking the cycle of poverty by creating a cycle of improvement,” Grimm mentions, noting how easy it is to fall into poverty and how difficult it can be to emerge from it again.

“Once someone is living paycheck to paycheck,” he observes, “it’s tough to get ahead. Oftentimes there is very little assistance…and getting a better paying job usually requires some form of higher education which is hard to obtain whilst money issues are present.” These are some of the factors that led Grimm and his team to come to their trio of core challenges.

To help stave off this slippery slope and support those who may be most likely to succumb to it, JEE Foods not only rescues and redistributes unused food (reaching over 70 nonprofit organizations across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, with plans to scale nationwide), reaching out especially to people who live in areas where fresh produce and other nutrient-dense foods may not be available, they also provide culinary and job training to those in need of support and a new direction. When the pandemic struck, Grimm and his colleagues connected with the USDA to help their constituents take advantage of the Farmers to Families food box program.

“We pivoted to the food boxes,” Grimm explains, “since restaurants were closed for quite some time and there wasn’t much food to rescue.” 

While supply was down, however, demand was higher than ever. Even so, JEE was able to answer the call by working with partners to make more efficient and effective deliveries.

“In 2019,” Grimm recalls, “we reached 20,000 pounds of rescued food. In 2020, we crossed the threshold of 1.48 million pounds of food rescued.” So far this year, JEE has rescued over 3 million pounds of food and predicts that number is set to rise to 5 million pounds by the end of 2021. Even so, Grimm realizes that JEE cannot reach everyone in need.

“We can become discouraged when life hits where it hurts,” he says, “but knowing that we are able to help at least one person keeps us pursuing forward.”

Though they continue to grow and help more people and though they have the capacity to make use of food donations of any size – from a single sheet pan to a semi-trailer full – Grimm maintains that his biggest goal is to put JEE out of business. 

“Our hope is that one day the need for us won’t be there,” Grimm maintains.

While JEE continues to grow, another player at the national level is Food Rescue US (FRUS), which was founded in 2011 with the mission to help end hunger and food waste in America. Using proprietary software, FRUS engages volunteers to rescue donated excess fresh food from grocers, restaurants, and other sources that would have otherwise been thrown away and deliver it to social services agencies that feed individuals and families who are food insecure. 

“This is a win/win,” observes CEO Carol Shattuck. “Rather than the excess food ending up in landfills where it would create methane gas which contributes to global warming, the food is given to people who really need it.”

While it is not in all 50 states, FRUS has service centers in 20 and in the District of Columbia. In all of their 36 locations, FRUS works with food donors (e.g., grocery stores, restaurants, corporate dining facilities, schools, convention centers, etc.) who provide their excess food. 

“With food insecurity on the rise and greater awareness of the negative impact of food waste on our planet,” Shattuck suggests, “it is gratifying to partner with so many food providers who understand the critical role they play in helping to solve both food insecurity and food waste.”

Another food-saving organization with offices nationwide is Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC), which was founded in 2013 by Robert Lee, a Korean immigrant who grew up in a family that had experienced food insecurity.

“They struggled to maintain food security and refused to allow any to go to waste,” explains New England Coordinator Dana Siles, who notes that, ”the life experiences of our food donation recipients are often indistinguishable from Robert’s parents’ story.”

Since it launched in 2016, RLC’s Massachusetts branch (RLCMA) has transported over a half million pounds of food from nearly 100 food donor partners to over 100 human service agencies and 365 homes. As all of their staff is volunteer (including over 600 delivery helpers), all of the food is transported and delivered at no cost to the recipients!

“The need for food distribution to shelters, human service agencies and low-income households is immediate and pressing,” Siles observes. “Meanwhile, up to 40% of food is thrown out. That’s where RLCMA steps in. 

By combining the sweat equity of their volunteers with the latest technology, RLCMA (and all RLC branches) links leftover food from businesses to human service agencies.

“We strategically match food donors…to recipients,” Siles explains, “and bridge the gap by engaging community members…to achieve immediate and lasting food equity.”

Unlike many food recovery organizations, RLC has no minimum pickup size, encouraging donations of any excess. “This approach helps us address the niche gap often neglected by food rescue organizations,” Siles suggests, “connecting more points of food production and distribution to more communities.”

RLC also has no restrictions regarding budgets and tries to prioritize smaller organizations that require free assistance. 

“Through communication,” Siles says, “we learn the unique needs of each organization and the populations they serve to best serve our community.”

According to Siles, food costs in MA are nearly 18% more than the national average and Bay State residents have experienced the highest projected change among all American states in terms of both food insecurity and child food insecurity as a direct result of the pandemic. “Norfolk and Middlesex Counties were among the five counties across the entire country with the highest projected percentage change in child food insecurity between 2018 and 2020,” she notes. As public transportation has proven riskier to use during the pandemic, those who live in so-called “food deserts” (i.e., places where fresh food is scarce or hard to come by) must depend more heavily on food pantries. Unfortunately, these are often no safer, as they often involve long lines and enclosed spaces.

“Weakened immune systems, winter weather, and multi-generational households all conspire against these most vulnerable communities,” Siles points out. “Residents who were already struggling financially prior to the pandemic are in even greater distress.”

That is why RLCMA began waiving fees in March of 2020. Despite this loss in funding, RLCMA has seen a huge upswing in terms of overall support.

“Businesses have… increased their in-kind meal donations by 58% over the last year,” Siles says, thanking such diverse dining deliverers as the Asian Bon MeLombardo’s Italian restaurant and event space, the Oasis Caribbean Restaurant and IRIE Jamaican Style RestaurantSuya Joint African Cuisine, the Cape Verdean Nos Casa Café, the Haitian-Asian Neighborhood Kitchen, the new Peruvian place Tambo 22, and, most recently Tatte Bakery, who has donated over 3,000 pounds of bread and baked goods from their 12 locations in and around the city. “To date, our corps of Rescuers has delivered over 45,000 meals to 50 different HSAs and 365 homes.”

As many food partners have expressed a need for free pickups in order to continue donating their excess food as they rebuild their businesses, Siles is keen to mention that RLCMA (and many organizations like it) are more in need of financial and volunteer support than ever.

“Our goal is to increase both the frequency of deliveries and the number of families we can assist,” Siles says. “By delivering prepared meals directly to homes, we are giving those who require food assistance the ability to increase their intake of nutrient-dense food while reducing their need to leave the safety of home to access it, and supporting local businesses while doing so.”  

Boston is also home to Lovin’ Spoonfuls. According to COO Lauren Palumbo, the organization was created in 2010 based upon the recognition that hunger is a problem of distribution more than one of supply.

“There is enough food to go around,” Palumbo maintains, noting that her organization works on a different model than most others.

“Before Spoonfuls,” Palumbo observes, “most non-profits running food or meal programs relied on food bank donations consisting of shelf-stable products only. Our focus at Lovin’ Spoonfuls is on fresh, healthy food to meet the nutritional needs of people facing food insecurity.” 

Unlike other organizations that bank foods (and therefore are often limited to shelf-stable products), Spoonfuls picks up perishable foods that would otherwise be discarded from grocery stores, wholesalers, farms, and farmers markets and distributes them on the very same day to nearly 200 pantries, meal programs, shelters, and other non-profit organizations, including the food pantry at Boston Medical Center, the Boston Public Health Commission, Catholic Charities and Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and the USO. “We don’t store… food,” Palumbo explains. “That’s driven by the need to ensure it quickly reaches people who need it. It’s also driven by our belief that direct distribution creates direct access.” 

Over the past 10 years, Spoonfuls has grown from serving Boston to reaching over 40 cities and towns and serving over 32,000 people each week with fresh, healthy food. 

“We’re the largest food rescue operation in New England today,” Palumbo says proudly, noting that the organization’s efforts are funded by grants and private philanthropy and supported by what she calls “hospitality partners” – a group that includes chefs and other hospitality professionals.

 “They’ve been and continue to be such an important draw for us,” she says gratefully. “Plus, so many of them are working to amplify our message that there’s a better place for good food than a landfill.” 

As the message of alternative ends for food continues to spread, Palumbo sees this as “a silver lining” to the pain so many hungry people have endured, especially in the past year.

“People are talking about wasted food like never before,” she says. “They’re looking for ways to make food last and share it with others. We hope to harness that interest and engage even more champions in food rescue.”

Another Boston-area organization that helps stave off hunger for thousands of people by “rescuing” and redistributing food that would otherwise go to waste is Food For Free

“Our goal is to provide fresh, healthy, delicious food for individuals and families who are in need,” explains Director Sasha Purpura, “and we go to those communities to make sure people are getting the nutrition that they need.”

As the Bay State has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, hunger is more of a challenge than in other areas.

“One of our biggest challenge…has been keeping up with the demand and the unprecedented need for food here in Boston,” Purpura says, noting that the USDA has recently cut deliveries for its Farmers to Families food box program, leaving many pantries without ample supplies. “The pandemic continues to stretch the emergency food system to a breaking point.”

In order to continue to provide those who used to rely on the USDA program, Food for Free has created their own boxed food program called the Just Eats Grocery Box that provides boxes of fresh vegetables for low-income households. 

“The boxes…are filled with fresh produce and wholesome pantry staples like rice and beans,” Purpura explains, “[and] are designed to be grab-and-go, the preferred method of distribution during the pandemic to keep workers, volunteers, and participants as safe as possible.” She notes that the foods in the boxes are not only those most requested by constituents, but also “more culturally appropriate to a wider group of people.”

Food for Free delivers this food to individuals, families, and also to other emergency food programs. Food for Free has over 80 community partners, including the Boston Area Gleaners and the Greater Boston Food Bank. Through a partnership with Lindentree Farm in Lincoln, MA, Food For Free operates its Field of Greens program that grows fresh, healthy produce that is often difficult to obtain through the emergency food system. Recently, Clover Food Lab also donated 650 Clover Meal Boxes to those experiencing food insecurity. 

“The hunger crisis can feel so shocking and overwhelming,” says Clover Founder and CEO Ayr Muir. “We are so lucky to have Food For Free right down the street from us doing amazing work, and we were so excited to partner with them…. I am so proud of the Clover team and of our customers who came together in huge numbers to donate hundreds of full, nutritious meals to our neighbors. We can’t solve this problem, but we can do what we do best – cook for lots and lots of people.”

Clover has also established a food matching program in which they donate a third box of food for every two that are donated by others.

Food For Free’s longstanding Home Delivery program delivers bi-monthly boxes of produce and pantry staples to elderly and disabled Cambridge residents who are unable to easily access food pantries. Unlike other anti-hunger groups who may rely on their own pantries and base of operations to distribute food, Food For Free works to meet individuals and families in need in the places they access daily such as public schools and housing developments as distribution points. This approach of  “meeting people where they are” makes it easier for individuals and families in need to access healthy food.

“We are working with local public schools to provide meals and groceries,” Purpura explains, “and helping local housing developments create their own free food markets.”

Allocating $25,000 per city to some of the most hard-hit communities, Food for Free has been able to purchase food to support other community food programs.

“In the last year, Food For Free distributed 4.7 million pounds of nutritious food throughout Greater Boston,” Purpura recalls, which more than doubled the amount of food they distributed the previous year. 

Despite the increased support, however, Purpura admits that there is still much to be done, even as the economy begins to recover.

“There’s still so much work to do as the food insecurity rates continue to rise here in the state,” she says, noting that the need for volunteers is as high as that for food. “Now, more than ever before, we’ve had to come together as a community to make sure people are getting the food and nutrition they need.”

And while some organizations hope for a day when they will no longer be necessary, Purpura has a different view of success.

“We envision a future where everyone in our community – regardless of age, income, or ability – has consistent access to fresh, healthy, delicious food,” she concludes.

In an effort to help their friends and neighbors wash down all the donated food, Steeped Coffee in Scotts Valley, CA, has created a number of supportive systems, including the You Give We Give program (in which the company matched gift box purchases with donations to front-line workers and provided free deliveries to hospitals, fire and police stations, and clinics) and the more recent Stay Home, Stay Steeped campaign that provides free home delivery on all coffee, cups, kettles, and gear.

“We are always looking for ways Steeped can serve as a positive force for good,” Founder and CEO Josh Wilbur says, noting how these programs have allowed Steeped to, as he puts it, “meet the moment now and into the future as a vehicle for other organizations.”

After giving away over 70,000 packs of their pre-measured, ethically-sourced, sustainably-packaged, hand-roasted premium coffees, this certified B Corporation took their giving to the next level with their Packs for Good program, through which they donated 20% of all sales to the national food-support organization Feeding America and other organizations that fight hunger across the country.

 “There is no doubt we’ll never forget these times,” Wilbur observes, “but it’s what we do for others, even the small things, that will be remembered. As a startup in these crazy times, Steeped is looking to do anything within reach to make a difference and encourage others to do the same. We know that every small act will all add up to make a big difference!”

As many people enjoy cookies with their coffee, MySuperFoods in Summit, NJ is another generous company to consider. Founded by the dynamic duo of entrepreneurial mothers Silvia Gianni and Katie Jesionowski, MySuperFoods makes cookies and snacks that are intended for kids yet are delicious and nutritious for people of any age. In addition to organic ingredients that are full of whole grain and fiber and free of nuts, each snack features a special character that encourages customers to eat and be well. On top of supporting and satisfying their customers, the team at MySuperFoods also supports food banks from NY and NJ to CA and TX.

“Our company purpose is to make SuperFoods for SuperKids…[and] provide families with a variety of nutrient-dense snacks they can rely on and turn to for delicious, convenient options,” Jesionowski explains. “At the heart of our brand is a social mission to help fight food insecurity in the US.” To date, the MySuperFoods family has donated over 235,000 snacks to kids in need through six food bank partners.  

“We donated all of the available product that we had at the start of the pandemic,” Jesionowski recalls, “and then started receiving orders from food banks because their typical supply chain froze up. It felt good to support them while we fought for our own brand to survive!”

While some food-related non-profit organizations strive to expand and reach more people, sometimes it is the smaller-scale servers that support the most.

Law firm office manager David Coughlin has been volunteering at the Wednesday Night Supper Club at the Paulist Center in Boston for 30 years, serving as director for four years and currently as lead cook.

“Pre-pandemic, we provided a hot [sit-down] meal every Wednesday to homeless and elderly people,” he recalls. “In the pandemic, we are preparing meals to go.”

The Club is sponsored in part by Project Bread, who runs the annual Walk for Hunger in Boston and supports hunger relief efforts across MA.

Coughlin notes that there is a similar service program that is hosted Friday nights at the nearby Unitarian church.

“They have a paid professional chef I believe,” he says. “Otherwise, [they use] lots of volunteers.”

Boston-area locals have also been receiving support from the Festekjian family, owners and operators of Anoush’ella restaurant. Despite the fact that they had to close restaurants in other neighborhoods due to Covid, the Festekjians not only kept their Boston flagship open, but used it as a community center where hundreds of free meals were distributed to out-of-work hospitality workers.

“It all started when we had to close the Lynnfield [MA] location due to the pandemic,” Raffi Festekjian explains. “We didn’t want the food to go to waste, so [my wife] Nina and I brought it all to the South End location. Initially, we decided to offer meals for free out of work hospitality workers and that’s where it began and where we continued throughout the pandemic [donating] up 65 free meals a day, seven days a week.” 

Making the most of his entrepreneurial spirit and ties to the medical community, Steve Peljovich of Michael’s Deli in Brookline, MA (who was recently profiled in a Chef Chat© column) worked with some local doctors to create a program called Local Meals for Local Hospitals that donated and delivered hundreds of locally-sourced meals to hospital workers in the area. In a further effort to support his community, Peljovich (a former manager at the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston who is also often called upon to feed the Boston Bruins and who also donates to the Shawn Thornton Foundation), enlisted support from other restaurants in Brookline to provide more food to those in need and is now providing hundreds of meals to the Brookline Food Pantry.

“One of the big reasons I wanted to leave the corporate restaurant business” Peljovich offers, “was so that I could have a greater impact on my local community.” Peljovich credits his Cuban immigrant parents with instilling in him the value and importance of having a positive impact on others. “It has been so fulfilling to continue to feed frontline heroes through multiple organizations that are coordinating the efforts!”

In nearby Newton, MA, the Iliades family of Farm Grill & Rotisserie has been donating soups and support to the Newton Community Freedge at the Newton Food Pantry.

“I believe it is important to help anyone at any time,” says Alexi Iliades, “especially during a crisis like the current pandemic. The community of Newton, where our family is from and our restaurant is based, has embraced and supported us for the last 25 years. Now it’s our turn to give back to the people who are our friends, customers, and really a second family. That is what a community is and it’s who we are at Farm Grill & Rotisserie.”

In the Mid-Atlantic region, Chef David Guas is not only satisfying hungry folks at his Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar &  Eatery Co. in Arlington, VA, he is also the founder of Chefs Feeding Families (CFF).

“Being a small business owner,” Chef Guas explains, “my first concern when the pandemic hit was to keep my staff working and 
to keep their families fed.” Once that was taken care of, Guas looked around his community to see who he could support next. He quickly came to see the 300 kids who were on a meal plan at the Key Elementary School while the school was shut on account of the pandemic.

“How would they and so many others be fed?” Guas asked himself. “So we started cooking. That’s what [chefs] do – we feed people!”

CFF as co-founded with Real Food for Kids, another community organization that not only helps feed students, but also helps them find employment in the restaurant community.

“I started cooking for the community on March 17, 2020,” Guas recalls proudly, “and it was the first rapid relief response in the DC area to feed local students and families nutritious, plant-based meals.”

In order to ensure that nobody feels isolated or embarrassed, Guas makes sure that CFF does not ask for identification when people come to ask for food. “By not requiring ID,” he explains, “it opened the doors for us to reach so many more families in need.” As their meals are plant-based, CFF is also able to welcome people with special dietary needs.

“It was important to us that we were presenting healthy and inclusive options that would appeal to as many people as possible,” Guas says, noting how the rise of food insecurity and cheap, poor-quality, highly processed foods have contributed to what he (and many others) sees as “a skyrocketing increase” in childhood obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity-related cancers.

Since its creation, CFF has invited and served so many people in that it has grown to 17 distribution sites and involved other chefs, including Tim Ma of American SonPizzeria ParadisoSilver DinerRASAMightyMeals (which also happens to be the official meal prep company of the D.C. United soccer team!), and the Green-certified catering company Design Cuisine. With the support of generous sponsors, donors, and local community members, CFF has served more than 125,000 free grab-and-go meals to families in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

“CFF recognizes it has a crucial role to play by continuing to…serve the community for the immediate and long-term,” Guas concludes, noting that he recently added family meal kits to the CFF menu. “These…sustainable initiatives will have the power to create lifelong behavioral changes and improve health outcomes for all children and their families.”

Further south in St. Petersburg, FL, Chef Robert Hesse is offering food and function from his Fo’Cheezy Twisted Meltz food truck. As Chef Hesse’s childhood and adolescence included homelessness and prison, he has dedicated himself to helping other teens at risk. 

“You’d be surprised at the amount of work ethic you’ll find in a convicted felon,” Hesse observes, noting how kids who faced challenges similar to those he faced offer a useful combination of “street smarts and drive” that allows them to learn quickly and turn their lives around so that they can then help others as well.

Based upon the old adage of teaching someone to fish versus just giving them fish, Chef Hesse’s No Kid 86’d program (“86” being restaurant lingo for taking something off the menu) offers at-risk youth and their families and communities not only donations of food, toys, and school supplies, but also job training so they can make their own lives better. 

“We want to offer that same opportunity to as many people as we can,” Hesse says.

Using music as a source of strength and support, Philadelphia’s Share Food Program recently started a program in cooperation with over 800 schools and 150 community-based food pantries, along with the Bynum Hospitality Group (who operate South Restaurant & Jazz Club, Warmdaddy’s, and Relish), the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association and Jazz Philadelphia. 

“We’ve launched a series of special food box distributions for restaurant workers and jazz musicians in need,” says Share spokesperson Marjorie Morris, who also mentions the organization’s recently developed the Knock Drop & Roll home delivery program for seniors and people with disabilities.

 “The jazz community has been so supportive of us over the years,” says Bynum Manager Harry Hayman, who is also the founder of the Feed Philly Coalition, “we are happy to be working with Share and to help them out in their time of need.”

As the largest hunger relief organization in Philadelphia and one of the largest independent food banks in the nation, Share distributes food to an expansive network of 800 schools and 150 community-based partners across and outside of the City of Brotherly Love.

Marking the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, Burns is keen to remind everyone that, “emergency food relief efforts are even more critical now and in the months ahead.”

Moving from Music to Art, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), in Salem, MA has partnered with the Salem Pantry to support people in their community.

“The mission of The Salem Pantry is to eradicate hunger in the Salem community by providing residents in need with nutritious foods in an atmosphere of dignity and respect,” explains Executive Director Robyn Burns, noting that her organization operates 10 distribution sites around the city and also makes deliveries to home-bound individuals and households that have been impacted by COVID-19. “We also partner with the Greater Boston Food Bank to operate a food distribution hub for the greater North Shore to support other organizations to access food.”

In addition to the Food Bank and the PEM, the Pantry has also forged alliances with local food producers, including Shaws Supermarkets and Baldor Food Distribution and with local companies like A&J King Bakery and Patriot Seafoods. “Partnerships are instrumental to our success,” Burns maintains. “These partnerships provide for donations of fresh baked goods, frozen meats and seafood, fresh produce and more. This allows us to provide a consistent offering to our Pantry guests.”

When asked specifically about the partnership with PEM, Burns replies, “Joining forces with PEM during COVID has provided an opportunity for Salem Pantry to expand our impact within Salem and the North Shore. Our Feeding Community partnership has allowed…us to think creatively and innovatively about supporting our community during the pandemic and beyond.”

PEM’s Director of Annual Giving Blair Evans Steck adds, “At PEM, we believe strongly that we have a civic responsibility to our neighborhood and our community at large. When we heard about the dire need for food and the efforts The Salem Pantry was undertaking to meet that need, it was clear to PEM that we had an opportunity to amplify their work. We teamed up to launch Feeding Community, an effort designed to raise awareness, secure essential funding, and recruit volunteers to support the food pantry’s life-sustaining operations.”

With the help of over 400 donors, PEM was able to launch a $20,000 challenge gift. “We are [now] moving forward with our plans to assist the pantry’s volunteer needs and other ways,” Steck says, “where we can address feeding the body and the soul through art making, free PEM admission coupons for volunteers, and more. We are thrilled that this initiative is resulting in a longer-term, mutually-beneficial partnership with The Salem Pantry!”

On the other coast, Replate has been helping the hungry in and around San Francisco since 2015 and now serves a great portion of Northern CA.

Replate began as a nonprofit called Feeding Forward,” recalls COO Katie Marchini, noting that co-founder Maen Mahfoudhad come from Syria, “where he saw firsthand the impact of food insecurity…and was surprised to find parallel disparities in the U.S.” After participating in a nonprofit accelerator, Feeding Forward expanded throughout the Bay Area. Eventually, the organization split into two pieces with Replate serving as the nonprofit arm.

“The mission was to prevent food insecurity and mitigate climate change in a simple, safe, and efficient manner that is supported by efficient technology,” Marchini explains “Replate creates technology and activates the community to reliably redistribute surplus food to those experiencing food insecurity.“

As they have continued to expand, Replate has also picked up some prominent partners, including AmazonBeyond MeatDoorDashNetflix, the University of San Francisco, and Whole Foods

“We’ve grown our service through word of mouth referrals and an active mission to identify new and substantial sources of food surplus across various industries,” Marchini says.

Even with these strong supporters, however, Replate has had to face shortages in supply due to the pandemic.

“COVID impacted our recipient partners significantly,” she admits, “as many more Americans now face food insecurity and venues to distribute food shut down or ceased operations.”

Fortunately, Replate has been able to reconfigure its service model by delivering directly to it constituents’ doorsteps.

“[It’s] a project we called Replate Home,” Marchini says, noting that her organization has also sought out new donor partners, including grocers and other food delivery services. 

Though the pandemic has posed challenges it has also engendered learning. “We’ve learned how important and fragile the food system is,” Manchini notes, “specifically when it comes to logistics and supply chain management.”

In addition to striving to support communities, Replate also seeks ways to distribute resources in a sustainable way that provides greater access while reducing their carbon footprint. 

“We measure the impact of our partner’s donations so they know the impact they’ve made each month in terms of meals provided, carbon dioxide diverted, water saved, and soon the nutritional content of the food delivered,” Manchini explains.

And while this learning has helped Replate continue to streamline and update their systems to make their deliveries more efficient and effective, the largest lesson that Manchini and her team have learned relates to what she calls “the extensive power of food.”

“When a person doesn’t have to worry about where they will get their next meal,” she observes, “they can work, they can go to school, they can support themselves and their families…[and] they can ward off graver illnesses.”

In fact, Manchini points out, some of Replate’s recipients have been able to avoid entering the homeless population thanks to their ability to use their budgets to pay for rent and utilities instead of food. 

While many organizations strive to support hungry people across the country and around the world, many others are more focused on a particular community or neighborhood.

Among the food reclaimers who are helping organizations like Replate support more people are their San Francisco neighbors at Regrained, who take the grains left over from the production of beer and turn them into nutritious snacks.

According to Co-founder and Chief Grain Officer Dan Kurzrock, he and his colleagues were exploring “upcycled” food before it was a thing. Recalling early brewing adventures while still under 21, Kurzrock explains that he was “shocked” by the waste that was produced in the process.

“Every six-pack we brewed left us with [a] pound of grain,” he says, admitting that all of it ended up in the dumpster until the day when he actually tasted the leftovers and realized that, “It was not waste at all…. It could be food!”

Though he initially used the “spent” grain to make bread (selling just enough to afford more grain to make more beer), Kurzrock eventually collaborated with the USDA to design and patent a system that opened the door to what he termed “edible upcycling.” In 2019, Kurzrock and some food-saving friends cofounded the Upcycled Food Association, which today has 150 members from all over the globe.

“The movement is being hailed as a megatrend within the industry,” Kurzrock maintains. “These are exciting times!”

A Sap-y Story

From Indigenous Peoples to five-star hotels, maple is the sweetener of the moment

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Each spring, hundreds of farmers put taps in thousands of trees and collect the magical elixir that is derived from their xylem- sap. This sap is then boiled down at a ratio of 40:1 and transformed into what has become one of the world’s favorite flavorings – maple syrup.

“Maple sugaring has been part of the spring tradition for centuries,” explains New York State Maple Producers’ Association Executive Director Helen Thomas, whose family has been producing maple products for over 200 years.

First made by the indigenous peoples of what is now eastern North America (talk about an “occupation”!), the practice was adopted (as was the case with so many others) by European settlers who “refined” production methods and eventually made it into an entire industry that, despite global climate changes and other challenges, appears to be expanding. Even though real maple syrup is only made in a relatively small part of the United States and Canada, many of the world’s finest restaurants are using more maple in their recipes than ever before!

“Pure maple syrup has become…one of those flavors that people just love to try new things with,” asserts third-generation maple man Steven Anderson of Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup in Polk County, WI.

Unlike other sweeteners, sap offers many nutrients. 

A comparison of nutrient content in syrup v. other sweeteners

As it does not involve the intense cultivation, heavy pesticide and fertilizer use, soil degradation, and other ecological problems related to other popular sweeteners, such as corn, cane, and beet sugar, it is also better for the environment. According to Adam Wild, co-director of Cornell University’s maple syrup research center, maple sugaring encourages “healthy and intact native ecosystems where sap is harvested year after year from the same trees.” Maple forests also sequester carbon, provide diverse habitats for wildlife, filter water, stabilize soil, and provide land for recreation. 

“Maple syrup is unique in this aspect,” Wild maintains, “with a flavor unlike anything else!” 

Though the province of  Quebec continues to lead the world in production, with 70 percent of the world’s output and exports alone reaching a value of over C$487 million (abouyt $US360 million), syrup is also produced in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin with the Green Mountain State leading the American way with an annual yield of over 2,000 gallons!

Even in VT, however, many family farms have been forced to close, as can be seen in The Sugarhouse Project, an online catalog of VT family sugarhouses that was recently launched by Dori Ross, the owner of Tonewood Maple (which itself was recently closed then the border was). In addition to tracking the demise of family farms, Ross has also tracked the impact of climate change and maintains that, over the past 50 years, nearly 20 tree-tapping days have been lost and that tappable trees south of the Canadian border may run out before the end of the century.

The symbol for Tonewood Maple’s maple protection program

Another way to learn about the history of maple farming is at Hurry Hill Farm in Edinboro, PA, which not only offers annual tours (this year’s having been converted to a “drive-by” format so people could still participate) but also includesthe 1956 Newbery Medal awarded to Virginia Sorensen for her acclaimed children’s book, Miracles on Maple Hill, which, explains Farm owner Janet Woods, “is set in and around…Edinboro.

Though many appreciate maple’s history, others look forward to continued growth and diversification. 

“The maple industry has grown,” observes Cecile Brannon of Branon Maple, whose 4,300-acre single-source organic family farm in Fairfield, VT, has been passed down through four generations, ”and the demand is getting better!”

According to Ian Ackerman of Ackerman Maple Farm in Washington County, VT, among the reasons maple’s growth are the realization that maple syrup is a natural sweetener that has health benefits, the movement to get back to what he calls “the roots of food,” the use of maple in everyday cooking, and the desire to are “shop small.” 

The Ackerman family with their evaporator

“[Shopping locally] saved a lot of businesses from going under,” he attests, citing his own farm as one that was saved, thanks to what he sees as a “maple community.” 

While Anderson admits that family farms like his are still prevalent, he is amazed by how sap collection has changed. Many who once used buckets and horses now use webs of pressurized tubing and reverse osmosis to take sap from the trees to the evaporators. 

“[They] are more efficient than I could have ever imagined,” Anderson muses, noting that some collections are run by apps!

Steven Anderson with his wood-fired evaporator

Asmaple is now easier than ever to collect and process, many people with just a few trees are getting in on the sweet science.To fulfill this growing desire, Vermont Evaporator Company produces systems designed for home use. 

“They let hobbyists with even a few…trees produce top-quality syrup,” explains Founder Kate Whelley McCabe, suggesting that home production can be a great family project, especially when everyone is stuck at home.

In addition to home sappers, McCabe and her husband have sold to inns, distilleries, schools, and other “tree-to-table” institutions.

“[They] use our products to make the…syrups that inform their hospitality and…dishes,” McCabe observes.

While industrial production has consolidated, resulting in what McCabe sees as “bigger outfits making more and more gallons per year,” she also observes, “a parallel trend” she calls “micro maple” that involves people making syrup on their own land for use in their own business 

“This…revolution opens up new geographical markets,” she says, noting how it also allows other varieties of trees to be used, instead of just the famed Sugar Maple.

Among those who have expanded the menu is Michael Farrell,CEO of New Leaf Tree Syrups (which has sugarhouses in VT and NY). Citing the increase in home cooking as a “silver lining” of the pandemic, Farrell (who served as director of Cornell’s maple center for 13 years) still admits that the pandemic has been “tough for small producers who sell a lot of their syrup to people who normally come visit their sugarhouse.” However, he notes, “online sales and traditional retailers have seen a significant uptick in sales over the past year.”
When asked what makes his company different, Farrell explains that New Leaf focuses on what he calls “forest-based infusions” that use less traditional tree saps “to add unique, diverse flavors from our forest.”

As many are not aware that syrup can come from other types of trees, Farrell’s products have become popular with home chefs and professional ones as well. 

One of Farrell’s fans is Andrew Luzmore from Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, NY, who was initially intrigued by Farrell’s efforts to market “alternate” tree syrups and quickly became a believer.

“Through the restaurant’s menu,” Luzmore maintains, “we try to support and showcase the diversity of plants…needed to foster a resilient ecosystem.”

“The biggest thing that most people don’t get is that it is a natural sugar that is better for you than most other sugars and it goes great with almost any food,” Anderson says, “Using maple syrup to cook with is our number one point we want to get across.”

While most eat maple in its syrupy form, there are now more ways than ever to enjoy this sweet all-natural treat. Among these are maple sugars and maple creams that are used by people with allergies as alternatives to nut- and dairy-based products.

At Red Maple Eatery in Luck, WI (which is also the birthplace of Duncan yo-yos!), Bill and Kelly Anderson mix Anderson’s syrup into everything from cinnamon rolls to root beer to tartar sauce. They also offer complimentary syrup on “Maple Monday” and sell bottles of syrup so guests can enjoy it at home.

 “In this area, Anderson’s Maple Syrup is a household name,” explains Kelly, who admits that her husband is related to the maple-making family, “[so] it was natural for us to add it to our menu.”

Another chef who uses syrups collected on his own property (and in his eponymous restaurant in Earlton, NY) is Damon Baehrel.

“A variety of tree saps from our property…have been a huge part of the foundation and development of my…cuisine,” Baerhel explains. In addition to Maples, Baerhel also taps Birch, Hickory and Sycamore trees, the harvesting of which he says, “literally changed my life…. It was truly overwhelming to discover the nearly endless…flavor, color, and texture possibilities of the other trees!” 

In addition to using saps in sauces, Baerhel also cooks and brines with them, pairs saps with wines and other offerings, and freezes sap to use as flavorful and nutritious ice cubes.

“There are countless…ways I utilize tree saps,” he says.

Speaking of wines, the folks at Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits in Cambridge, VT, have actually sold their grapevines and are going all-in on maple.


“We have been producing wood-fired maple syrup for four generations,” explains Owner David Boyden, noting that, unlike others, his syrups are not homogenized.

Closing his tasting room in December of 2020, Boyden now focuses on his maple-based liqueurs, including Vermont Ice Maple Crème, Apple Crème, and Maple Bourbon Crème (all of which feature wood-fired syrup and other farm-based ingredients) leaving their famous mulled wine called Glögg as the only vestige of vines.

Having “grown out” of the farmers market space, 30-year maple maker Rob Hausslein of Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind in Londonderry, VT, now specializes in what he calls, “value-added maple products,” among which are smoked syrups and a maple-infused Sriracha sauce.

“Think barbecue” Hausslein suggests, “not breakfast.”


Another creative maple maker is the Branon’s Fairfield, VT, neighbor Runamok Maple who, according to Co-owner Laura Sorkin, “decided to distinguish ourselves by taking maple to new places with our line of smoked, barrel-aged, and infused maple.” They recently introduced a “Sparkle Syrup” (made with food-grade mica) and some limited-release infused syrups with spices from Burlap and Barrel.

Perhaps one of the best-known maple-loving chefs is Laura Theodore, creator and star of the popular PBS series The Jazzy Vegetarian, who recently partnered with Anderson’s as well!

Laura Theodore (a.k.a., “The Jazzy Vegetarian”)

“Since vegans do not eat honey,” Theodore explains, “ I use maple syrup in place of honey in any recipe that calls for a liquid sweetener.”

From baked goods and beverages to salad dressings, and sauces, Theodore turns to sap. And in all episodes of her ninth season, she turned to Anderson’s.

“It’s featured in about ten recipes this season,” Theodore says. “We plan to share some jazzy recipes from the season with Anderson’s and continue to spread the sweet word!”

While chefs and cooks are highlighting real maple syrup in everything from meat rubs to doughnut toppings, according to Jason Lilley, a sustainable agriculture professional at the University of Maine, “there are more partnerships related to value-added maple.” Applications of maple have even been developed in the medical field and the pet food industry!

Among the many manufacturers tapping maple in new ways is Kate Weiler of Drink Simple of Sudbury, MA, who uses the sap to make refreshing, rehydrating drinks.

As “dedicated triathletes,” Weiler and her partner, Jeff Rose, were “continually disappointed by drinks that were either loaded with sugar or faux-healthy sweeteners or devoid of taste.” When the dynamic duo came upon maple water, they were “transformed…and inspired” by something so energizing that was available literally right in their backyards. Weiler also notes that, while it offers natural hydration similar to coconut water, maple water has lower sugar, is more sustainable, and is also naturally full of antioxidants and prebiotics, all of which are increasingly popular among consumers

“It is also better tasting,” Weiler asserts, “[and] is imbued with a bit of Mother Nature’s magic to empower a healthy mind, body, and soul.”

For those for whom maple water may not be so tempting (even when mixed with natural fruit juices, as Drink Simple does), Weiler and Rose partnered with Athletic Brewing of Stratford, CT,to make non-alcoholic maple brown beer and with Loco Coffee of Holliston, MA, to make maple-infused cold brew. They also collaborate with many restaurants that use their products in everything from cocktails and coffee to oatmeal, wellness shots, and more. 

Athletic’s Head Brewer John Walker cites “similar interests in an active and healthy lifestyle, shared values and passion for high-quality…natural ingredients” as the reasons he collaborated with Drink Simple. 

Loco Co-Founder Dan Bresciani cited geographical and philosophical similarities as great reasons to partner, as both companies are in MA and both want to make drinks that taste good and are good for people.

“Maple Water was a perfect match for us,” Breciani suggests, “as we are trying to make coffee taste great and be better for you without all the added sugar.”

Another maple-based beverage is MapleMama in Wendell, MA. When asked why he used maple, Founder Joe Laur explained that, like Bresciani, he wanted to create a new beverage that would satisfy sweet teeth without ruining them. 

“When we…learned how to tap the maple trees in our backyard, our love affair with Mother Earth’s own sweetener began,” Laur explains, “but when our kids got older and started asking for soda pop—that’s when we discovered the real magic of maple!”

While Drink Simple and Maple Mama are available (and popular) all over, many independent makers are also in love with the sappy stuff.

As might be expected (as it is located in the heart of maple country), one of the venues that use maple in many recipes is the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal.

“We like to work with Quebec’s artisans and local products in general” explains Communication Manager Francois Parmentier, noting maple is even used in Maison Boulud, “so working with maple is just consistent with our values.”

In partnership with Chef Riccardo Bertolino (who has worked with Daniel Boulud in many of his restaurants around the world), Philippe Charest-Beaudry- co-presidentof Les Douceurs de l’érable Brien in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Rochelle, Quebec – uses maple fordry rubs, jelly, popcorn, and soft candies.

“The attributes of maple make it a perfect product to get used more in…everyday cooking,” Charest-Beaudry says, citing such reasons as its unrefined nature, eco-friendly production process, and the facts that maple is vegan (unlike honey) and contains more nutrients than any other sweetener. 

While many mixologists use maple as an ingredient, some adult beverage producers are incorporating it in their products,

Boston Harbor Distillery has been partnering with the Ackermans since before they officially opened.

”Arelationship ensued over quality maple syrup and spirits that we had yet to make,” explains Founder Rhonda Kallman.,noting that she uses Ackerman’s syrup instead of sugar. “We’ve grown together ever since and have a long way to go together! “

Edinboro’s Cart/Horse Distilling makes maple rum and offers used barrels to area maple makers like Shumake’s Sugar Shack to help them give a bit of added flavor to their maple products.

“We love using natural and local products in our spirits,” explains owner Jessica Lemmon, “so it was a natural…to experiment with how we could wrap in our flavors with other local delicacies.”
As many customers are aware of the maple industry in the area, Lemmon suggests “[folks] love it when we do crossover product,” and suggests that the collaborations have made for “a great sense of community!”

While production may vary according to climate and other elements, the demand for and diversity of uses of maple continue to grow and what was once a small family farm concern is now an international industry.

“Our industry has seen a huge influx of interest and even new competition,” Anderson observes, “but in the end, it will make our industry strong…because everything tastes better with pure maple syrup!”

Cheers to the Independents!

Since I last recorded for WBZ, I have been promoting my new book on the Ivy League called Lions, Tigers, and…Bulldogs?(which is available at lionstigersbulldogs.com, by they way). I have hosted events around Boston, and in Harvard Square and am looking forward to bringing the book and the story of how it came to be to more places.

Wherever I have gone, many of the friends I have made through doing these spots have generously donated their wares for my guests to enjoy and I wanted to take a moment to thank them.

First and foremost is the team behind Q’s Nuts, who have always sent me their latest and greatest to share with family and friends. I was also allowed to debut new fruit bars from Zego snacks at my Harvard Square event, In addition to supporting my book presentations, Elaine Peterson of Lark Fine Foods has also supported my daughters in their efforts to knit scarves for the homeless. On the beverage side, Maple Mama Beverages, Pricklee, and Waku have all helped slake the thirst of voracious readers throughout the region.

As an independent writer and now author, I feel a strong need to support my fellow independents and entrepreneurs and am very grateful for all they do to help me. And as a help to my fellow entrepreneurs I recommend that if you need seeds to grow your tree (entrepreneurship) you can always access quickly and easily through no credit check loans.

Please join me in support these and other independent producers and purveyors.

Thank you!

www.lionstigersbulldogs.com

www.qsnuts.com

www.larkfinefoods.com

www.maplemamabeverages.com

www.pricklee.com

www.livewaku.com

www.zegofoods.com

Sweet Feet for Strikes @ King’s Legacy Place in Dedham – Sept 16

Matt regularly appears with Jordan Rich on “Connoisseur’s Corner” which airs on WBZ (1030 AM) on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:25 AM and 3:25 PM.

Recent samples can be found at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1002-Connoisseurs-Corner-28654273/.

The following is a “script” for one of Matt’s segments:

For the tenth year running, members of Boston sports royalty will gather at King’s in Dedham for the Sweet Feet for Strikes fundraiser for Boston Medical Center’s pediatric initiatives.

On September 16 from 6-9 PM, guests are invited to bowl, eat, drink and hang with the legendary likes of Super Bowl-winning host James White and Super Bowl ringmaker Robert Kraft, and past participants like Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork, Don’t-a Hightower, Matt Light, Andre Tippett, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and some sixth-round pick named Brady. And while autograph hounds are discouraged at what has become one of the largest athlete-attended events in the region (which is really saying something, considering how thoughtful and charitable our champions are!), just the chance to be in the same room as these folks is prize enough!

Originally known as the Mayo Bowl (after event founder Jerrod Mayo), the event was handed to White a few years back but has not lost any of its luster or legacy. In fact, the Sweet Feet events have raised over $2.5 million and enabled hundreds of Boston’s inner city children to receive exceptional care at BMC.

In addition to bowling and hob-nobbing with some of our many all-time greats, guests will also be invited to participate in a live and silent auction and take part in a special award ceremony at night’s end.

So while any night at King’s can make you feel like one, hanging with famous folks while doing good for kids will surely make you (and them) feel that much better!

www.sweetfeetforstrikes.com

Hood Keeps Flavor Coming with help from Puritan and Co. and Kate Bowler

– Matt Robinson

While everyone knows that H.P. Hood (www.hood.com) is New England’s largest and most-popular dairy, many may still consider it a bit old fashioned. However, with such contemporary creations as Planet Oat milk products and national distribution, the Lynnfield-based company continues to make MA and its cows proud!

Among Hood’s most poplar products is it ever-expanding line of cottage cheeses. To celebrate the latest additions – cracked pepper and fresh strawberry – Hood held a special launch party at Puritan & Co. (www.puritancambridge) that featured the recently-published recipes of poplar food blogger and chef Kate Bowler (www.domestikatedlife.com).

From cottage cheese canapé and no-oven toasts (the lack of heat and prep make them perfect for summer dining and entertaining)

To a full sundae bar that did not lose a drop of flavor or fun despite the fact that there was not a scoop of ice cream in sight, Bowler and the Hood team came up with an entire menu of protein-packed and deliciously refreshing options that are perfect for any meal and any appetite.

So if you think that Hood is just milk or if you have not thought about them since that milk came in bottles, its time to grab a spoon and see all that Hood has to offer your Domestikated Life.