LFC News July 14 2021

Jul 142021
 

Thanks to all the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Angela Chung, Chloe Cann, Julie O’Brien, Raffaela Ceddia, Sarah Willits, Susan Shaw and Vasundhara Kandpal.

We would love to hear from more of you and include some of your words about any food-related matters in future newsletters. Email us with your contribution(s).

Creating a beautiful, functional and plastic-free pantry

As envisioned a month or so ago, Angela Chung has now submitted her first article on eco-pantries. The subject is Pantry audit – create a beautiful, functional and plastic-free pantry and the full article can be found on our website.

The article starts by saying, “Have you ever felt it hard to find things in your pantry? Do you want to re-organise your pantry, but don’t know where you can start? Would you like to make your pantry much more functional and beautiful? I want to help you by sharing my tips from a recent pantry audit and organising session.” It then goes on to suggest a three step process:

  1. Remove all the goods from your pantry, especially those in plastic packaging. Get yourself set up with new jars and containers, either by investing in good-sized new jars or by re-using your rescued jam/pickle jars. For similar goods, stick to the same shape or size, making them easy to arrange on shelves.
  2. Place the jars on your shelves, ideally not more than two rows deep. Place frequently used items at eye level. Heavy bulk items can go on the bottom. Adjust shelf heights if needed. Items should be visible and reachable.
  3. Re-fill your jars rather than buying pre-packaged food. This will make your pantry beautiful, functional and sustainable. The best way to do this is to find a bulk refill store, and bring your empty jars or produce bags when you shop.

Use simple, flexible, and easily removable labelling because the jars will need to be washed from time to time. Either paint pens or chalk pens can be applied directly to the glass jars and stay on well. You can use an embossing label maker available if handwriting is not your thing (just make sure to keep using the plastic label tapes).

Read the full article.

* * * * *

Angela is a professional interior designer who recently started her own small business called Pop-Up Pantry, which is an online store delivering pantry and household cleaning products direct to homes within 10km of Macleod. Complementing the online store are three physical popup stores: Macleod Market (at Macleod College in Carwarp Street, every 3rd Saturday of the month, 9am-2pm) and Macleod (at 5 Melrose Avenue, every Wednesday and Saturday, except Macleod Market days, 11am–2pm).

A new food relief centre in Greensborough

Greenhills Neighbourhood House has a food relief centre that offers fresh food, pantry items and toiletries on Thursdays and Fridays each week (except between Christmas and New Years). They also serve low-cost barista coffee. More generally, they offer support to everyone and can also give referrals to other connected programs. In line with their model of ‘donate what you can and take what you need’, they accept donations from the local community. They often organise swaps (of books, puzzles, plants and clothes) to reduce waste in the community. They have community composting and recycling programs plus a number of veggies beds.

Read their Local Food Directory page on our website. Welcome Janelle, Sarah and colleagues!

A new mid week pop-up farmgate in Alphington

Melbourne Farmers Markets have started a midweek pop-up farmgate, every Thursday, 2-5pm, at Alphington Community Farmgate, 2 Wingrove Street, Alphington (access via the pedestrian gate on Yarana Road). It will feature at least five of their farmers’ market stallholders collectively providing free-range eggs, sourdough bread, veggies and fruit.

Hint of the week

If you want to know what local food organisations exist in a particular suburb (or postcode), you can do so by going to our Local Food Directory, typing in the name of the suburb (or postcode) into the relevant field in the righthand sidebar, and clicking the search button. For example, if I type in the name of my suburb (Eltham), I get a list of 1 farmers’ market, 3 community gardens, 1 food swap, 10 local food producers and 6 outlets of local food food. Clicking any of these 21 organisations then gives me a page about that organisation, including photos.

Riddle of the week

I am a fruit. If you take away my first letter, I am a crime. If you take away my first two letters, I am an animal. If you take away my first and last letter, I am a type of music. What am I?

Answer: a grape.

Every newsletter needs a good graphic

As so many of you liked the graphic of tubers etc by the Mizielinscys in last week’s newsletter, here is their map of Australia. It features four archetypal Australian foods: macadamia nuts, meat pie, pavlova and vegemite.

Vasundhara’s recipe of the week – mung bean dahl

Dahl is the Hindi (Indian language) word for lentil.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients

½ cup mung beans (use any other lentil – green lentil, red lentil black lentil)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
2 teaspoons turmeric
3-4 cloves
2 teaspoons salt, according to taste
2 cups fresh leafy veggies chopped (spinach, kale, silverbeet, bok choy, mustard greens, beetroot greens, etc)
1 teaspoon garam masala

Optional:
1 cup onions, diced
2 cups tomatoes, diced
2 green chillies
1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves
veggies – potatoes, okra, bottle gourd, beans, corns, peas
1 lemon

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the cumin and red chilli powder. Make sure you don’t burn the spices. Add water quickly. Add the lentils. Add the veggies, turmeric and salt. Add other veggies if you want.

Pressure cook on medium heat in a pressure cooker until it whistles or for 10 minutes. If not using a pressure cooker, boil until the lentil is soft and mushy.

Add the garam masala.

Squeeze fresh lemon (optional, lemon goes really well with some of the lentils) and add fresh coriander.

Read more of Vasundhara Kandpal’s recipes on our website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link last week was the graphical representation of around 60 edible and medicinal roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs.

Joke of the week

Courtesy of Susan Shaw.

An elderly man living alone in Eltham wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was difficult work since the ground was hard. His only son, Paul, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Paul,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over because you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Dad.

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Dad,
Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.
Love, Paul.

At 4am the next morning, the police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologised to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Paul.

Read more jokes.

Upcoming events – introduction

Website calendars

By type of event: All once-off events, Cooking, Everything else, Garden tours, Free.

By Council area: Banyule, Boroondara, City of Yarra, Darebin, Manningham, Maroondah, Moreland, Nillumbik, Whitehorse, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges.

In the list below, events costing $10 or less are in bold.

For Covid-related reasons, some of the events below may have been cancelled or deferred.

This week’s featured events

Winter garden wonder

On Sunday, 25th July, 1.30-3pm. Free. At the Span Community Garden in Thornbury. Book your place.

In this workshop, you will learn about:

  • Why it’s great to grow your own food.
  • Composting and creating healthy soil.
  • How to propagate herbs and save seeds for next season.
  • Seasonality and how to create a productive patch at home.
  • Local community gardens that you can join.

Click here to read about Span Community Garden.

Flavours of Coburg food tour

8 planned occurrences during the balance of 2021, on Saturdays 14th August, 4th September, 18th September, 2nd October, 16th October, 13th November, 27th November and 11th December, each 10am-1pm. $49 ($16 per hour). Meet at Coburg library. Book your place.

You will experience the cultural delights of 6 different countries over 8 unique food stops. With a mixture of sweet and savoury tastings, you will soon discover that Coburg is an ideal foodie destination for anyone who’s tired of the ‘standard’ menu items you find in most modern cafes. Bursting with atmosphere, each foodie stop brings its own ‘personal touch’ with business owners proud of their cultural heritage, so obviously reflected in the food they prepare, the way they serve it and the way they interact with their customers. But that’s not all … you will also pop into a Middle-Eastern gold jewellery shop to learn the cultural significance of various pieces, learn some local history and the best local foodie tips.

Upcoming events – not cooking

Newly announced
July
August

Upcoming events – cooking

Newly announced
July
August
In Richmond
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 15th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Friday, 16th July, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Friday, 16th July, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 17th July, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 17th July, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Going native Australia: Saturday, 17th July, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 18th July, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vegan cooking master class: Sunday, 18th July, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 22nd July, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • The cuisine of Central Italy: Thursday, 22nd July, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 23rd July, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Friday, 23rd July, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 24th July, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Saturday, 24th July, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Saturday, 24th July, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 25th July, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Sunday, 25th July, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Sunday, 25th July, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 29th July, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vegetarian cooking class: Thursday, 29th July, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 30th July, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 31st July, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Saturday, 31st July, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 31st July, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 1st August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 1st August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 1st August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • A seafood feast: Tuesday, 3rd August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 5th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Sicilian food: Thursday, 5th August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Friday, 6th August, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 7th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 7th August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 7th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 8th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 8th August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Sunday, 8th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 12th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • The cuisine of Central Italy: Thursday, 12th August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Friday, 13th August, 2-4pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Friday, 13th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 14th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Saturday, 14th August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Going native Australia: Saturday, 14th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 15th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vegan cooking master class: Sunday, 15th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vegetarian cooking class: Tuesday, 17th August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 19th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • La cucina della Puglia: Thursday, 19th August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Friday, 20th August, 2-5pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Chinese cooking master class: Friday, 20th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 21st August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Saturday, 21st August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Saturday, 21st August, 6.30-9pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 22nd August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Sunday, 22nd August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Japanese cooking master class: Sunday, 22nd August, 6.30-9.30pm; $189 ($63 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 26th August, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • La cucina Toscana: Tuesday, 26th August, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Vietnamese cooking master class: Friday, 27th August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Thai cooking master class: Friday, 27th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 28th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Korean cooking master class: Saturday, 28th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 29th August, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Mexican cooking master class: Sunday, 29th August, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Spanish cooking master class: Sunday, 29th August, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Thursday, 2nd September, 6.30-8.30pm; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • The cuisine of Central Italy: Thursday, 2nd September, 6.30-10.30pm; $105 ($26 per hour); Richmond.
  • Street food of Asia: Friday, 3rd September, 2-4.30pm; $168 ($67 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Saturday, 4th September, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indian cooking master class: Saturday, 4th September, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Indonesian cooking master class: Saturday, 4th September, 6.30-9.30pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Dumpling party: Sunday, 5th September, 10am-midday; $111 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Italian cooking master class: Sunday, 5th September, 2-5pm; $168 ($56 per hour); Richmond.
  • Pizza making party: Sunday, 5th September, 6.30-8.30pm; $127 ($64 per hour); Richmond.

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