Wasted Food: How did the NHL food recovery program come to exist?
Bernadette Mansur: The fellow who heads Rock and Wrap It Up, the food recovery program, Syd Mandelbaum, has been recovering food from arenas with different sports and clubs. He came in through a recommendation to one of the executives in the league. Because it was food donation and something that would be in the community, it was referred to me.

So I brought Syd in to meet [commissioner] Gary [Bettman] and the same thing happened. To get untouched but prepared food to homeless shelters was simply the right thing to do. And the way they do it is failsafe. They vet the shelters to make sure they have all their bases covered.

Gary then presented the idea to the owners at the June 2010 board meeting. And at that meeting, he gave the presentation and said let’s vote. It took about 20 seconds before everyone in the room raised their hands. It was a very simple decision to make. And then we found that nine of our clubs were already doing it!

How does the food recovery work, in practice?
The Concessionaires have these big carts and they go from stand to stand and pick up the unsold, untouched foods. They bring it to the loading platforms at the stadia. The shelter is responsible for picking up the food. That alleviates the issue of having the club or concessionaires drive it to the shelters. One of the questions that came up in the board meeting was on the Good Samaritan Act passed in the Clinton Administration. This US law was adopted in all the provinces in Canada. But the concessionaires were satisfied with the law and really love participating in the program.

What kinds of foods are/are not donated?
The food that is donated is concession food that has been prepared but not sold. And the majority of concessions have backup food–you never know when there will be an overtime. That also is donated. Some stadiums donate food served in the suites and some don’t.

Do the players get involved in any way?
They do get involved. Most of the players are playing when the pickup happens. But if a player isn’t playing that night, they may say ‘I want to pack the food up or give it to the people from the shelter.’ The players and the club employees really do feel good about it.

Have there been any obstacles to getting food donation established?
Some of the food service people took some convincing. They thought we were going to be donating raw foods. But in the end, everybody knows how worthwhile it is. And when they saw the people from the shelter pick it up, and they were so thankful–that goes a long way.

Do you have any league-wide stats for the amount of food rescued and what are the future goals for the program?
Through our clubs, we developed a data program where each of the clubs can have their food service provider put in how much they donated. At the end of this season, as a league, we’re going to have donated more than 100 tons of food to people who need it. Another way of saying that is that we’ve kept 100 tons of food out of the landfill.

How’d you come up with the idea for Veggie Trader?

A few years back we started noticing all the excess stuff growing in our neighborhood and going to waste. It was everywhere. While we think splattered plums on the sidewalk make for interesting abstract art, we do believe fruit has a higher calling.  We think much of the problem is folks don’t know what to do with their super productive orange tree. Or they plant too many beans, basil, or kale. We figured Veggie Trader would give people a forum to help put their backyards to maximum use.

What’s your vision for the site?

Next time you’re out for a walk, take a look around. There’s a wealth of food growing right in our own backyards. People love to garden. We plant fruit trees, grape vines and fuss over our summer tomatoes. But too often much of what we grow ends up wasted. At the height of the harvest season, there are only so many tomatoes or squash one family can consume.

The idea behind Veggie Trader is to bring people together to share in the bounty and put it all to good use. Gardeners can use the website to trade for variety, find charities to donate to, or even sell their excess to make a few extra dollars. Those simply looking for local food can quickly get in touch with neighbors who have it.

Who does the cool art and do lemons really lament their wrinkles?

Yes, they do! Lemons just want to be useful. They want to be enjoyed and squeezed in the prime of life… The art is entirely the handiwork of Tam, one of the creators of the site.

What was the first trade/sale?

It’s early yet and we don’t monitor trades, but we intend to make a place available on the site soon where people can share their experiences with us.  It will be interesting to see what people say, and we can’t wait to hear their stories.

What has been the most popular item?
This time of year, seeds and starts seems to be the most popular listings.

Any funny anecdotes, thus far?

More like a quote: “I wish I had this last year so I didn’t have a yard full of raccoons getting drunk off my fermenting plums.”

In your mind, is there a critical mass for how many users you need?

We’re only a couple weeks old and just want to get the word out so people know they now have a place to share their extra veggies or find local food. We think it’s a great idea and hope and expect it to grow and succeed. Over 600 people have registered for the site in just the past week, and there are over a couple dozen posts so far. A lot of people are telling us they can’t wait to come back and list their produce once the growing season really kicks in.  Right now, we’re encouraging people to post what they have and what they’re looking for.

How far do you think people will travel to swap or buy produce?

No idea, but we designed Veggie Trader in the hopes of bringing people together in their local communities. However, one person did ask how she might search the entire country for produce instead of simply by zip code.  We told her how she could do this, but noted traveling across the country is a long way to go for homegrown fruits and veggies!

Is the action thus far just in warm weather states?

We’ve seen people registering and posting listings all across the country. It’s hard to determine a pattern just yet though.  I can say a lot of people from Southern California and Arizona have visited the site.  Then again, we seem to be getting a lot of people registering in Ohio as well.

Did you consider starting in one location and expanding to different cities slowly?

At first we thought about starting up just in our home base of Portland, Oregon.  But then we realized Veggie Trader can be just as useful in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, or anywhere in the country. There’s been a tremendous amount of interest from all over.

We have lots of changes we plan to make to Veggie Trader to make it better and easier to use.  If people have suggestions, we encourage them to contact us via the site and let us know how we can make it a better
resource.

1. Enhanced Autogenous Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (EATAD) sounds complicated—Can you explain it for us non-science folks?

In short, the EATAD process is microbial digestion it is technology very similar to the High Temperature Liquid Compost technology Converted Organics acquired from United Organic Products in January this year. Each process relies on the same principle that allows nature to remove waste in a forest. Microbial digestion utilizes naturally occurring bacteria and oxygen to digest feedstock.

The process takes place in a closed, carefully monitored tank, as a way to greatly accelerate the digestion. What would take months to happen in nature can be quickly converted to a useful all-natural fertilizer product in a matter of days.

2. Why is it important to compost food waste?

According to the U.S. EPA, “Food leftovers are the single-largest component of the waste stream by weight in the United States. Americans throw away more than 25 percent of the food we prepare, about 96 billion pounds of food waste each year” most of which ends up in landfills.

Our business not only diverts food waste from landfills, but it uses the material to its full potential by recycling it and using it for another purpose. Converted Organics operates a closed loop model for waste management. We reuse discarded food scraps to produce an organic product that is then recycled back into the earth.

3. I’m partial to processing food waste via anaerobic digestion. Tell me why you see composting as a better solution?

As stated on the U.S. EPA’s website, “The decomposition of food and other waste under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are the largest human-related source of methane in the United States, accounting for 34 percent of all methane emissions. Recover (i.e. food donations) and recycling (i.e., composting) diverts organic materials from landfills and incinerators, thereby reducing GHG emissions from landfills and waste combustion.

Compared to anaerobic digestion, Converted Organics offers a better solution for managing food waste. In order to harness the benefits of anaerobic digestion, one would have to collect and store the methane gas, which is created from the anaerobic process, and then find a way to utilize that gas as a source of energy. Doing this requires more complicated technology and equipment than it does to create and maintain a Converted Organics facility.

4. How many facilities are now being constructed and how many are in the pipeline? What’s the company’s vision for the future (aside from flying cars powered by trash)?

We are completing a facility in Woodbridge, N.J. and retrofitting a facility in Gonzales, Calif. We have announced plans for a third plant in Johnston, R.I., and we have numerous other sites under active consideration.

5. Your site says your equipment is 99.7% effective in eliminating odors. How bad is that 0.3%? And how do you combat the “ick factor” all composters face?

The food waste at our facilities is processed in closed vessels, and we use the most effective technology to clean ambient air and decrease odor. Also, Converted Organics fertilizer is not made from manure or sludge-based products that are typically associated with offensive odor. Our process, which really is an accelerated composting process, removes all odor. Our fertilizer is odorless and will not become odorous after watering or sitting exposed to extreme sun and heat.

6. From what you’ve seen, is the amount of U.S. food waste shrinking, growing or staying about the same?

We think it is growing. More and more of our society is disposable and food is no different. Society is trying to create degradable packages to enable us to throw away more things. On one hand that is good for companies like Converted Organics, on the other, it is a trait that is not good for the environment. As issues associated with Wasted Food become more mainstream, we hope to see some changes.

7. What has surprised you most about food waste in the US?

It is surprising that so much food waste, which is an extremely valuable product in itself, is wasted! Food wastes comprise the third largest solid waste category—almost 48 million tons per year—but in general food wastes are not recycled. Less than two percent of food wastes in the US are managed through composting.

8. What amount of food waste will your facilities process on a daily basis and where will that waste come from, primarily (households, restaurants, food processors)?

The majority of the food waste that we process comes from food processors. Our facility in California has the capacity to process approximately 125 tons of food waste a day. Our New Jersey facility is approved to process 500 tons per day, but when fully operational at the end of this year we will process 250 tons of food waste per day. We need to make additional investment to get to 500 tons.

9. Do you compost at your home? Do you use Converted Organics products in your garden or lawn?

Many of the employees at Converted Organics are environmentally conscious and practice composting at home. As soon as our granular product becomes readily available, I’m positive that everyone here at Converted Organics will be using it to fertilize their lawns and gardens.

10. Where can people find your products?

We are in the process of adding an application to our website that will allow customers to enter their city and zip code, which will then display the nearest locations where Converted Organics is sold. We will be available at retail outlets in the spring of 2009.

Fortunately, composting is a relatively easy change. Chances are, you already separate your food scraps from your other waste. Composting merely requires that you set aside your food waste instead of washing it down the disposal or scraping it into the trash.

In yesterday’s post about garbage disposals, a reader asked about the specifics of composting. So let’s talk about diverting food waste from landfills and sewer lines.

For that purpose, I called on North Carolina’s composting expert, Brian Rosa. In addition to being a good friend, Brian is the Organics Recycling Specialist at North Carolina’s DPPEA.

What’s the best compost bin for beginners?

You don’t need a bin. A pile will work fine. But a bin confines the materials and is more aesthetically pleasing. If you’re in a small urban setting, the Earth Machine will work fine.

What’s the most important thing to do when composting?

Stir it and make sure there’s enough moisture. There should 60 percent moisture throughout the pile at all times. Use the “squeeze test.” If you squeeze it and it sticks together it’s right. If it crumbles it’s not right. And put all kinds of materials in there. Two browns to one green, roughly.

[WF: browns being dry organics like leaves or hay and greens being wet organics like food waste. See the ABC's of Composting section.]

And the most important thing not to do?

Be sure not to ignore it. The more you fool with it, the more it’ll break down [i.e. decompose]. But you don’t have to mix it more than once every three or four days.

Also, don’t dump and run. If you are going to do that, keep dry stuff around—cover it with browns like paper, leaves or straw.

What about composting with worms–what kind of worm bin is best for beginners?

A 10-12 gallon tub with holes for ventilation will handle food waste from two people. You’ll need one pound of worms.

Any particular bin you’d steer people to?

Can-O-Worms is a pretty good brand. And Vermitechnologies Unlimited is a good site for buying worms.

What’s the most important thing with worms?

Keeping the bedding 12 inches deep. The bedding can be shredded newspaper (in 1 inch strips), office paper or junk mail. Just be sure to remove those plastic windows from envelopes.

Also, keeping the bedding moist (70 percent moisture). If you squeeze it and water drips, that’s right. If water doesn’t drip out, it’s too dry.

What’s the biggest worm bin no-no?
They’re pretty forgiving. You can ignore them for a long time, like I do, the poor guys. I haven’t looked at them in about a month. If it starts to smell, it’s because it’s gone anaerobic. It’s probably too wet. Stir it up or add some more dry stuff.

Any parting words (with a composting joke, please)?
Composting is both an art and a science. Most importantly, thought, you need a sense of humus.

—

Suggested Reading:

Easy Composters You Can Build

Compost This Book (well worth the quarter it costs, used)

Let it Rot!

Worms Eat My Garbage

—

WF: Not knowing when things go bad and what to do with past-its-prime food often leads to waste. To what extent, if at all, do you think Americans have lost their food knowhow?
MN: Did we ever have it? I am not aware of any research on this point.

We’re a nation that demands homogenous, perfect produce. Who’s most to blame for this—Growers? Wholesalers? Retailers? Consumers? Aryans?
Aliens? My impression is that it’s just something that happens. Retailers can’t sell produce that looks bad.

Do you think more restaurants might follow T.G.I. Friday’s lead and start to serve smaller portions for less money? Why/why not?
If people don’t buy smaller portions, companies won’t serve them.

Do you see the USDA reinstating its Coordinator of Food Recovery and Gleaning that existed under Secretary of Ag Dan Glickman and the Clinton administration? If so, would you support my underdog candidacy?
I didn’t know it had one then but I can’t imagine the USDA would see this as a high priority. I most definitely would.

I’ve found that a perceived abundance of food leads to waste. How much, if any, will today’s global food shortages and rising food prices affect how Americans value their food?
We already see signs that package sizes are decreasing, people are eating out less, and restaurants are getting stingier. That might help.

Did your parents use the ‘Clean your plate, there’s children starving…’ command? What’s your take on that tactic?
Yes, but it always seemed irrelevant. Lots of research now shows that people eat more when more food is on their plates and the bigger the portion, the more eaten.

So your advice to parents would be to serve smaller portions and avoid the ‘Clean Your Plate’ command?
Definitely.

Any advice from your own kitchen on how to avoid food waste?
Buy small amounts more frequently.

You’ve told us ‘what to eat’ and you’re always getting asked what you eat, so I have to ask: What do you not eat? What ends up getting wasted in your home?
I follow my own advice in letter and spirit: eat less, move more, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and don’t eat too much junk food. I don’t worry so much about waste because I grow vegetables on my terrace and have a great compost bin. Anything wasted gets recycled.

—

What’s the most important thing about storing bread?

Obviously the best way to enjoy bread is to eat it freshly baked. If you’re going to store bread, the best way is in a bread box, to keep air away from the loaf.

I tend to keep my bread in the oven. It’s like a big bread box in that it keeps almost all the air out. But you have to remember to take it out before you turn on the oven. I’ve forgotten to do that a few times and that can get ugly.

Should We Store Our Bread in Plastic Bags?

Plastic bags are not good. They wick moisture away from the inside of the bread and pull it to the crust, which ends up softening the crust. The crust should be like a protective layer. If you cut a fresh loaf, rest it on the crumb [the non-crust, or inside].

If not plastic, what then?

If you’re gonna store it, you want to use Paper bags or something that allows the bread to breathe.

Never put bread in the fridge. While it’ll last longer, it will get dried out.

How do you avoid bread getting moldy?

Mold grows in moist conditions. It happens more frequently in the summer because it’s hotter out and more humid, which provides a playground for those organisms.

The best storage technique is to keep bread in a controlled environment, but it’s a time/conditions thing. Having your house air conditioned helps. Air needs to be able to move around a little bit. A bread box is almost completely air tight, but it still allows a little air to move.

How about a vacuum sealer?

A vacuum sealer is not a great thing because it sucks out all of the air. It could implode your bread because there’s air in the bread.

What’s your take on freezing bread?

The freezer is a good solution. I usually freeze what I don’t need, double wrapping it in a plastic bag. Then reheating it really is like having a fresh baked loaf. Like we say on our bags, baking frozen bread for 40 minutes at 350 is like making Frankenstein—it really comes alive!

—

[thanks to Zingerman's for the use of their fun bread artwork]

How did T2T get started?

Joseph Gitler noticed the discrepancy between a growing phenomenon of poverty and the waste of good food being discarded by caterers and wedding halls. That was the initial start of Table to Table – one guy, working from home with a station wagon and no help, picking up good food and distributing it to shelters and soup kitchens.

A short while later, the Leket project was initialized totally by chance when a farmer who’d heard about the operation asked if he could do anything with slightly damaged crop that was about to be destroyed. The rest is history.

What is the biggest challenge T2T faces on a daily basis?

The biggest challenges T2T faces today is enlarging our operations, finding new and additional sources of food to rescue, not to mention the growing economic pressure of rising oil prices, deteriorating shekel-to-dollar exchange rate and the cost of operating an organization that relies heavily on logistics and transportation of perishable goods.

Is word getting around about what food recovery means?

I think so. We are part of a growing international trend and not a local operation. T2T is also part of the recycling boom. We don’t recycle food of course, but we help maximize utilization of resources – instead of expanding production and incurring additional manufacturing costs to feed the needy, we rescue existing food that would have been thrown away and provide it to many thousands of Israelis. We have made a name for ourselves amongst Israel’s agriculture community in Israel and we receive calls every day from farmers who are aware of our activities and want to help. Food manufacturers and marketing agencies are also aware of our activities and are continuing to grow at a solid pace.

Estimates on US food waste range from about 27 to 50 percent. A recent UK study estimated a third of British food is wasted. Is there an estimate for Israel and do you have any reason to think there’s more or less food waste there than in the US or UK?

I do not have the statistics for Israel and all the guesstimates are what they are. But one thing is clear: A tremendous amount of good food in Israel is thrown away. Anyone who has been to a wedding and witnessed the amount of food being thrown away can attest to that fact. I recently went to a wedding that served the first course around 11:30 pm. You can imagine how much of the food was actually thrown away and not consumed by the guests.

There is also a cultural issue involved. Israel is known for the lavish and generous food presented on happy occasions like weddings and bar mitzvahs, and the breakfast buffets served by hotels around the country are well known throughout the world. We tend to serve more food than less, so we tend to throw away more than less as well. In agriculture I believe we are the same as anywhere in the world: We are mechanized and as efficient as anyone in the world and therefore our results would be practically the same.

What’s the estimated break down on the amount of food you recover during the daytime vs. night vs. Project Leket (field gleaning)

Currently we collect around 50,000 prepared meals a month, we expect to almost double in the summer when more catered events take place. This amount is divided about evenly between daily pickups from IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) and corporate dining rooms and catering companies at night.

Project Leket collects 150 tons of produce on average; we expect to double the amount by this time next year. As for manufactured goods we collect around 25-35 tons per month with a wide variety of merchandise.

Is the amount of food waste increasing, decreasing, or remaining steady?

The amount of food waste will eventually decrease slowly, although since we have not tapped all available resources we expect to see a rise of the amount we collect in the short term. The reason for the decrease of amount of food is the efficiency standards that caterers and all the food industry will have to employ based on estimates of world food shortages and the price hike of ingredients.

Have food and gas prices increased dramatically in Israel? If so, how has that affected your operation?

Gas prices have steadily rose in Israel and are now reaching $7.00 per gallon. Combined with the falling shekel–to-dollar exchange rate we are experiencing very difficult times in maintaining our operations, not to mention expanding and drilling deeper into our current donor database. Compared to last year we have ‘lost’ NIS 1 for each US dollar we receive as a donation. This has mostly impacted our “operating costs like fuel, manpower and utilities. Even without the current price hike, the dollar effect is significant enough, combined with the price hike it is evolving into a real crisis for all charities that are dollar dependent.

Kibbutzim are a uniquely Israeli phenomenon—how do they contribute to Table to Table?

Kibbutzim are indeed a unique phenomenon, and although they are slowly moving away from agriculture they are still a significant source of the country’s produce. We work with the kibbutzim and deal with them as we deal with any food donor we have. They are usually receptive to our requests and are a good partner in our operations. As we have not tapped all available resources it is difficult to say or compare, but as far as I can see to date there is no difference between the donors.

It is important to understand the motivation of a farmer to donate. Aside from the community service he is providing, which of course in itself is a major factor, there are the economic factors as well. The economics are relatively simple: what is the current going rate of his produce compared to the cost of picking and transporting it to the wholesale market? If it doesn’t make economic sense the farmer is not going to pick the crop, but if he knows about Table to Table he will donate the produce. If not, the produce will eventually will be destroyed.

What kind of events have the most excess food—weddings, bar mitzvahs, other?

The events that have most excess food are of course weddings. There are typically twice as many guests at a wedding than at a bar mitzvah; thus the amount of food is doubled and therefore the possibility of collecting excess food is bigger. Also, typically there is more food presented at a wedding as opposed to bar mitzvah.

Any truth to the rumor that there’s more excess food when Americans have their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in the Holy Land, as opposed to Israelis?

I’ve never heard this, but I find it hard to believe if we assume that local residents will have more guests to invite to a celebration than folks visiting from abroad. Then again…

After having the misfortune of attending elementary school with me in suburban Boston, Matt has risen to prominence in the culinary world. He is co-owner and Master Cheese monger at Farmstead, an extraordinary cheese shop in Providence, R.I., with an accompanying bistro La Laiterie.

Do you have any general advice for storing cheese?

Absolutely. Cheese is a living thing–literally–there are enzymes and bacteria that continue to thrive within the chemical makeup of the cheese even as it sits on the store’s shelves or in your fridge. Consumers must be conscious of this and treat all artisan cheeses with careful attention and they might actually be required to do a little ‘cheese maintenance’ from time to time.

What basic rules should we follow?

1. Allow the cheese to breathe. In other words, do not wrap it in plastic wrap, place it in Tupperware containers, Ziplock bags or anything that might inhibit the opportunity for the cheese to take in some fresh air.

The best wrapping for cheese is either butcher paper, fancy imported cheese paper, waxed paper or parchment. Even aluminum foil is a better way to wrap your cheeses than plastic wrap. Air circulation is crucial with regards to the life of the cheese.

2. You should store your cheeses either in the crisper drawer of your
fridge or, ideally, in a wooden wine box, somewhere in the fridge. Inside the crisper drawer or box, place a small square of basic, clean, kitchen sponge, lightly dampened, to provide a slight bit of humidity. Fruits and vegetables work well, too. That is why the crisper drawer is suitable to cheese storage- often these items provide enough natural moisture in the air, to keep the cheese happy and just moist enough.

3. Lastly, never freeze cheese. The problem with freezing cheese is that when it is defrosted, the water molecules within the milk actually swell and then burst-so you are left with a watery, bland, and “washed out” cheese.

Any tips on buying cheese?
The above reasoning is the perfect example why it is best to purchase cheese in small amounts. Only buy (from a reputable cheese monger, no less), the right amount of cheese for you to consume within the week. Holding onto large amounts of cheese, for long periods of time will not do justice to the cheese, its texture or flavor, nor your guests’ palette. Buy just what you need, when you need it. Keep it fresh.

Talk to me about mold and cheese. If you trim off the moldy bits, will the interior remain good? How much mold is too much?

Mold is kind of like your best college friend coming to couch surf at your place. It can be great, but not forever. Usually if a cheese begins its life with some type of mold on the ‘rind’ (exterior) or ‘paste’ (interior), this particular mold will not affect the cheeses longevity or flavor. It was introduced by the cheese maker for a reason, and it is seen as something that will enhance the desirable qualities of the cheese.

Keep an eye out for ‘rogue’ molds- those that either seem to take over a cheese from inside out, hereby creating great rifts and moldy cracks within the paste,or those which seem to engulf the cheese from the outside: big fuzzy mold all over cheese can sometimes be bad depending on the cheese style.

The rule of thumb is that it is not going to kill you- so if you are uncomfortable with the sight of mold, trim it away and continue to nibble on the ‘good’ area, of unaffected paste.

The big aspect of cheese mold acceptability is that you stay away from any black, orange, or pink molds. These are no good and can be a true detriment to your cheese…and potentially your sensitive stomach if eaten in large doses.

Don’t some cheeses incorporate mold? Are all blues “moldy?” Others?

Yes–some cheeses are designed to have mold be an intimate and necessary part of that cheese’s particular make up. Technically speaking, all blue cheeses have ‘mold’. They are, what is called, ‘inoculated’ with different strains of blue mold- either Penicillium Roqueforti or Penicillium Glaucum. These molds are beneficial to the overall flavor characteristics of the cheese, and contribute greatly to the textures, smells, and nuances of the product.

Additionally, some soft ripened cheeses rely heavily on various strains of mold. Cheeses like Camembert, Brie, and Charouce all benefit from a mold strain recognized as “Penicillium Candida” or also known as “P.Camemberti.” Sounds familiar, right? For good reason. Additionally, many cheeses are the carriers and couriers of various strains of bacteria.

Many washed rind cheeses such as Raclette, Epoisses, Taleggio or even Limburger benefit from a bacteria called “Brevibacterium Linens”, or “B. Linens.” This particular bacteria is the one responsible for the orange or reddish mold on these ‘washed rind’ cheeses, and promotes the funky, musty, farm qualities- as well as a defined vegetative pronunciation in cheeses of this variety.

In layman’s terms: the more orange and sticky the rind, typically, the funkier and ‘gamier’ the flavor and smell. What do I mean by that? Well, how about old wet gym socks on a dirty sheep in the rain? Get the picture now?

OK, I have to ask: What’s your favorite cheese?

Right now? That is the question I have to answer because few people know it, but artisan cheese is such a seasonal item.

Any given Spring, we are blessed with fresh, un-ripened cheeses: chevre, brebis frais, ricotta, feta and mascarpone. Then in the Summer we get hit with local buffalo mozzarella, aged sheep’s milk cheeses like young pecorinos and slightly bloomy goat’s milk cheeses–those with ashed exteriors and wrinkly, moist rinds.

In the Fall, it’s time to move towards the heartier table cheeses–those with more pressed and condensed paste such as Gruyere, Marechal, Roth Kase Reserve, Pleasant Ridge. The nutty, sweet and caramelized cheeses reign in this season. Lastly, Winter brings the dense, fatty and creamy cheeses of Northern Europe as some of my favorites: Vacherin, a dense & creamy Stilton from the UK, spicy Cabrales from Spain or triple crèmes are a good bet this time of year too–Delice, Brillat-Savarin, ‘Kunik’ from Warrensburg, New York…

In other words, the best I can answer this question is to tell you that you should be enjoying cheeses in a seasonal manner. Do what makes sense, is practical and ‘relevant’– enjoy lighter more mild cheeses in warmer weather with a glass of Rose or Sparkling Wine, and indulge with some heavy, high-fat cheeses in the Fall or Winter, when it is cold outside. Listen to your primal cheese urges!

How did you get so into cheese?

Well, I suppose it is a pretty long story. The short of the long of it is that I was employed as a dishwasher and then prep cook as my first summer job, when I was 16.The first time I picked up a cook’s knife and was shown how to slice an onion was a transformative moment in my life, and ever since then I’ve been in the pursuit of creating delicious, exciting and thoughtfully sourced food. After a tempestuous and fruitless year at ‘regular’ liberal arts college (Which was anything but at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.!), I decided to take a year off from academia and work in professional kitchens.

This proved for me to be the best decision ever. I honed my skills on someone else’s time, and I was really able to focus on the craft of cooking without outside distractions (ahem, like school). This year off fed my interest and to my parents delight, I enrolled at school again the following Fall–only this time it was culinary school at The New England Culinary Institute.

In Vermont, I was surrounded by all sorts of hand-crafted, artisan foods-from beer to cheese, hearth baked breads- you name it. It was inspiring. My years at culinary school flew by as I completed my associates degree with honors and then my bachelor’s degree in Food & Beverage Management. For one of my final projects, I wrote a dissertation on the marriage of Vermont Craft Beers and Vermont Artisan Cheeses. For the project, I traveled to local farms, tasted amazing local cheeses and before I knew it, I was bitten by “the bug.”

Later, after a few years of cooking professionally for some pretty amazing restaurants in and around the Boston area, Portland, Ore., and Phoenix, Ariz., I took a job as the Cheese Buyer at Formaggio Kitchen, in Cambridge, Mass: the hallowed and infamous gourmet food boutique and cheese shop.

From here, my boss and mentor Ihsan Gurdal sent me all over Europe to source and study cheese for the store. I forged relationships with cheese makers and developed my life long devotion to petrified milk. As I began bringing in more and more American artisan cheeses to my boss’ dismay, I felt a disconnect between the direction of my passions and the direction of the store. So in 2001 (Post 9/11), my girlfriend and Catering Manager of Formaggio–Kate, and I headed out to California so that she could attend The Culinary Institute Of America in Napa, for the accelerated Baking and Pastry program.

While in Napa, I worked for Cowgirl Creamery and Tomales Bay Foods–famed Bay Area cheesemaker, importer, distributor and retailer, as their Bay Area Assistant Wholesale Manager. One year later, missing New England seasons, our close friends and family, Kate and I moved back to the East Coast and opened our little artisan cheese shop, and gourmet store, Farmstead, in the Fall of 2003.

— —

Thanks, Matt, for sharing your advice and life story culinary background. Also, I appreciate the use of “bloomy” as an adjective/shout out. Did anyone else catch that?

After overseeing Pro Bowl activities in Honolulu (poor guy!) and getting started on next year’s Super Bowl, Jack Groh, director of the NFL Environmental Program, was nice enough to answer some questions by e-mail:

How did Super Bowl food recovery begin?

Prepared food was being donated when I first joined the NFL in 1993-4 but not in a coordinated way. In about 1995-6, we asked to take over coordination of that project since it was a significant source of waste and therefore had an environmental impact. Since then we have worked closely with food banks and food recovery organizations in each host community to maximize the recovery of prepared foods and donate that food to soup kitchens, shelters, churches, etc.

At your average Super Bowl party, how much food is recovered?

We do not work with individual private parties – only large events directly connected to and sanctioned by the NFL or by the local Super Bowl host committee. The total amount collected varies widely from year to year depending on many factors including the weather, the number of sanctioned events, the capabilities of the local food recovery organizations, the geographical location of events, etc.

How much extra food do party planners prepare?

Not exactly sure – they do have their own “yardstick” that they use, depending on how many people attend a particular function.

What foods are recovered from the Super Bowl game itself (amount, kind)?

It varies a great deal each year. Some stadiums have existing arrangements with food recovery organizations – some do not. The type of food varies but usually includes everything from “stadium” food like hot dogs, chips, etc. up to high-end appetizers and desserts served in the suites.

Of the venues you approach to recover food, what proportion (roughly) turn you down now compared to 15 years ago? If they decline to participate, what are their reasons?

Very few decline to participate and the ones that do typically cite liability and corporate policy. In some cases we have helped the local food bank overcome these policies and left them with an ongoing relationship with a facility that did not previously work with them. Since most states have “Good Samaritan” legislation that protects donors, we use that as a starting point to discuss the issue.

Is there a league MVP (player) in terms of their environmental commitment? Is there one team who stands out in supporting the NFL Environmental Program?

There’s no MVP at this time, but several teams including the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, NY Giants, Miami Dolphins and others have implemented their own independent policies and projects for greening their operations.

Do you have a favorite NFL team?

One of the teams that made an impression on me this year was the NY Giants. They were the first team to go to Super Bowl and get actively involved in the NFL’s environmental initiatives there. The Giants organization participated in both the food recovery and the material donation projects in Arizona…We are hoping to get other Super Bowl teams involved the same way.

— —
Despite his shrewd dodging of that last question, we all thank Jack for his time and efforts.

Sisters Molly and Anna figure that most folks receive too much rice with their orders and never end up eating it. So why not pass it along to those who will?

Molly and Anna were kind enough to answer some questions by e-mail:

How’d this idea come about?

We were sitting at the kitchen table one night about two years ago, trying to concoct dinner out of leftovers in the fridge. As usual, we had about four extra boxes of rice from Chinese food takeout from the past few weeks. On a whim, we threw a couple of eggs into a skillet with the rice and some spices and voila: the idea dawned on us that adding eggs to leftover rice was a quick and easy route to a tasty and nutritious meal. We had always wanted to reuse our extra rice, so we realized that giving away the box with a hard-boiled egg inside might be just the thing.

This fall, after seeing several other projects that addressed similar food recycling issues, we felt a strong pull to put our idea into action with the hope that it would start new conversations about conservation and community dialogue. We then started the blog, which we soon turned into the website.

What made you think to throw a hard-boiled egg in the box of rice instead of something else?

Eggs are quick to cook, and hard-boiling them is easy and relatively sanitary. We like the tastiness, nutritious value, and economical aspect of eggs, as well as the fact that eggs last a relatively long time (at least a month when boiled). We were so seduced by the name Egg in a Box that we couldn’t look back, but we think that the egg is just the beginning. Absolutely, other foods can go in the box, and the project isn’t strictly for extra Chinese food.

Some people seem to “soup up” their Egg in a Box. What’s the most elaborate one you’ve seen or heard about?

The “Deviled Egg in a Box”: the original package is spiced up with a paprika, salt, pepper, mayo, and mustard blend, either mixed into the rice or on the side.

Would you advocate folks making Eggs in a Box for themselves or just to give to hungry people? Soon after we launched our website, people started asking us that same question–one person, in the discussion section of the site, even
calculated the calories saved by his eating an Egg in a Box vs. fast food, and the money that could be saved, in one year. His results were astonishing; one could really save a lot of money and gain health benefits from rice and eggs, while keeping cooking a quick and simple task. We believe that either way, for yourself or for another, Egg in a Box achieves its goal — making sure food isn’t wasted.

Are you just leaving these boxes around, Replate style, or do you hand them to people? If the former, how do you know what happens to the boxes? If the latter, what kind of feedback have you received from recipients?

We have tried several methods so far. For our first test runs, we wanted to see people’s reactions rather than leave them out (also, we hoped that they would actually be eaten if we saw to it that they got into people’s hands). It was a winter day in New York when we first went out and although the first two people we approached did not want to take food at all, we got a truly enthusiastic response from one man who practically shouted “Yeah!” and vigorously accepted the box.

Another woman seemed very interested in the box but had a stockpile already. I later took another box downtown with me with the hope of leaving it in the FoodBox on W. 14th Street & 6th Avenue (in New York), but ultimately decided against leaving it there because I worried that no one would find our concoction in that busy spot. That
could definitely change as FoodBox, we hope, expands. We actually do want places to drop off the boxes, so it would be ideal to team up with a project like FoodBox.

How often do you eat Chinese food?

We think of the Chinese food restaurant on the corner of our childhood block as our second kitchen, if that is any indication. It’s the first place we want to go when we get back into town, and the food we miss most when we’re away. I’d say on average, at least once a week, but if we let ourselves, we’d have it maybe 3x a week. The place we order from has these really Seinfeld-like moments, too, where the wait staff knows everything about your life from your phone number.

And does Egg in a Box have a special place in its heart for Egg Drop Soup?

We somehow skipped out on growing up on Chinese soups, but without a shred of doubt, Egg Drop Soup would be our soup of choice if we do take on that part of the cuisine. Actually, it should be the honorary soup of this project, and perhaps will be served at our launch banquet…

Does this strategy work best with traditional Chinese takeout containers or any of the newer styles? If newer, which ones?

It could work with, we think, any of the new styles, plastic or simple white flat box (we’ve seen this one often used for Thai food, for instance). There is something delightful about the traditional box, and it holds a spoon and napkin very well under the lid and/or metal handle, but really, anything goes. We think that a plastic spoon is the best and easiest utensil to give with an Egg in a Box, for that matter. And, although we obviously have a soft spot for Chinese food, we wholeheartedly believe that any kind of cuisine that comes with rice would be a perfect place to jump in, too.

The chicken or the egg–any insight into which came first?

If we’re talking about which one arrived first, it depends on the incline of the terrain, how fast the chicken can run, and whether the egg is hardboiled or not. Obviously, a hardboiled egg will roll faster downhill, but only a chicken can run uphill.