To Master the Art of Panettone and Pan D'oro
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IN THIS ISSUE News and Events • Pg 2 County Perspectives • Pg 3 Planning in the Air • Pg 4 New Businesses • Pg 7 Food Matters • Pg 8 Homelessness • Pg 9 LIGHT AND Bulletin Board • Pg 10 PEACE TO ALL Community Artists • Pg 11 VOL. 48 NO. 12 DECEMBER 2018 CIRCULATION 13,000 NEIGHBORS SPEAK OUT Transit News BY KENT PETTERSON The joint Transit Task Force of the West 7th Business Association and the Fort Road Federation has continued to meet monthly. Within the context of transit improvements, one of the group’s first tasks has been to get a better understanding of neighborhood concerns through asking the question – “What does an improved West Seventh mean to you?” The Task Force has developed suggested operating principles in the following areas: Support of current businesses; Housing; Streetscape; Transit needs; West 7th traffic; Mississippi River; Parking; Bicycling and Pedestrians. We would like to expand the input to these and your added principles. On January 30 of the New Year an open meeting to help guide our neighborhood future will be convened by the Federation and the West 7th Business Association. Details of time and location will be available in January. In the meantime, please save the date and be ready to bring your thoughts and ideas. In other news affecting transit improve- Back to the Sources ments, the City of St. Paul has announced a public hearing for December 5 at City Hall, Cossetta’s Goal: Room 300, at 5:30 p.m. to take comment on the Preliminary Design Study for Canadian Pacific Ford Spur. The spur owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway has been aban- To Master the Art of doned in part through the neighborhood and on to the Ford site. New uses for walking, biking and transit have been proposed. If you Panettone and Pan d’Oro have questions you can call Mike Richardson at 651-266-6621. You can make comments at Chefs Ron, Jaime, Marco and Charlie the hearing or in writing to mike.richardson@ ci.stpaul.mn.us BY JERRY ROTHSTEIN ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ Ronald Bohnert, Executive Chef-Retail/Culinary; The Ford Site Plan proposed by developer the Cossetta Alimentari is much more than a St. In the 1800s the Cossetta family Jaime Martinez, Executive Chef of Bakery and Pastry Ryan Cos., has been in the news. The plan does Paul landmark and destination for all things from Production; and Marco Failla, a Pastry Maestro from not contain a central focus on transit. Instead it the Italian kitchen. Within its West Seventh came to St. Paul from Calabria, Catagna, Sicily, here for a year as a consultant to has a water feature that flows to Hidden Falls headquarters is the equivalent of a block of shops assist with the Panettone/Pan d’Oro project. and the Mississippi River. The daylighting of in any Little Italy [mine was on Arthur Avenue Italy, and settled in a little Italian Each of these chefs brings fascinating histories water to Hidden Falls is a significant feature of in the Bronx]. A fine restaurant; a relaxed dining to the work. Charlie studied and performed opera; the 2013 Great River Passage Plan adopted in area, cafeteria style; pizzeria; Pasticceria with neighborhood called “The Levee.” Ronald was chef at the Radisson downtown for 23 the City of St. Paul Master Plan. pastries and gelato; Italian Market with meats, By 1911 they had opened a tiny years, followed by 18 years at the Stone Ridge Golf News out of Ramsey County indicates that breads, prepared foods and salads, and imported Club; Jaime started off as an engineer and explored completion of the proposed streetcar transit specialities. Down the block, Cossetta Eventi food market called Cossetta’s, Animal Husbandry, before coming to Chicago to improvements for Riverview is not expected offering individualized menu planning and catering cook in an Italian restaurant and then to the Cities until 2032, including four years of disruptive for gatherings of two to two thousand. which drew customers from far and to open one at the Mall of America — he has been construction. But when you look deeper into the Cossetta culture with Cossetta’s for 19 years; and Marco assisted There is little dispute of the need for and its highly trained cohort of more than 300 staff, wide who appreciated their quality the world-renowned Iginio Massari at his school, transit improvements in the West End. At the you find that Cossetta never rests on its laurels. foods and genuine hospitality. Cast Alimenti in Brescia, when discovered by the start of the Riverview Corridor Transit Study This year, the team involved in bakery and pastry Cossetta team, who were there to learn as much as in 2014, we were told it was a long ten-year production spent the time needed to plan, learn, Cossetta believed that “Good food they could about Panettone. [Massari has garnered process to reach a studied conclusion and gather resources and produce Cossetta Panettone, countless honors and prizes in his career — perhaps build even the least ambitious of options. We the traditional Italian sweet-dough Christmas cake. is the Quality of Life” and to this the most telling of his mastery is The Master of are now faced with a projected additional Its tradition of more than 500 years originated in Master Yeast Masters Award.] Marco is affiliated eight years of delay. This is unacceptable. passion, and continues today with a passion for day this remains Cossetta’s motto: with a group of chefs in the areas of pasta, pastry, Please join us on January 30 to discuss our quality that this team holds close. “Qualita di Vita. Cibo Buono.” bread and general Italian cuisine, with whom vision for the future of the West End that Inspired by Dave Cossetta, the team consists of includes transit that works for everyone. Charlie Schwandt, Executive Chef of Production; ’’’’ ’’’’ ’’’’ COSSETTA'S, PG 3 West Enders Making a Difference: Joan Rodman the items we have. When they come in we ask BY PAT TUPPER One horse that I was grooming got so relaxed for an ID and enter that into our computers. We When Joan Rodman, avid gardener, fisherman, that he lowered his head and went to sleep do this solely because the demand is so high the outdoor enthusiast, and activist retired from the while I worked.” Joan is now in her third year people are limited to coming in once a week. Right nursing profession, she had already determined as a volunteer at the ranch. “Anyone interested now, many of the formerly homeless are getting that she wanted to stay busy. She also wanted a in the program can find more information at the their apartments at the Dorothy Day Center and variety of jobs and did not shy away from doing website “This Old Horse” (www.thisoldhorse.org they need basics like pots and pans or dishes. something that she had never done before. or 651-437-1889) she said. There are local ranches Small items like toothbrushes that are still sealed Her first volunteer opportunity came when she at Hugo, Hastings, Goodhue and other Minnesota in their plastic wrappers, soaps, etc. are also noticed an ad in The Villager asking for people to locations. All are nonprofit and all are dedicated to useful. Jewelry is prized.” “Yes, we provide clothing. If you want to help start a community garden. Volunteers were providing retired horses, abused horses or horses donate, make sure the clothes are clean, free needed to turn a piece of former farm land into a that are victim to changes in their owner’s life of stains, have all their buttons and belts. Baby productive garden. Duties would include working status with a safe haven to live out their years. with other volunteers, recruiting people, clearing “The nonprofit receives horses from many states. clothes are particularly valued, but again have to the land of weeds, dividing the area into 36 plots Some are retired race horses, some retired polo be free of stains. Tents and sleeping bags can be and assigning them to gardeners. That first year only ponies or police horses, and others whose owners used by homeless people.” about half of the plots were utilized; the following are unable to continue to care for them. The ranch “The best thing to do if you have questions year word had spread and all plots were filled. where I work received a small group of mustangs about an item is to call and ask if we can use it. “People raised crops that they liked; We accept donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays Joan and her new buddy from North Dakota that includes animals that are one grandmother grew pumpkins for her blind. The university is now studying the mustangs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.” Joan currently has no plans to stop volunteering. grandchildren; another grew vegetables from her she commented. Undeterred, the ranch assigned to try to determine the cause of the blindness.” native area of Alsace Lorraine.” she said. her a mentor to teach her what to do and Joan Since grooming horses is not full time, Joan Editor’s note: this is part of a series exploring After five years or so, Joan decided it was time became a groomer, arriving for her 1½ hour shift continues as a volunteer at Joseph’s Coat, the seniors who have lived or worked in the West to try something new. A news program on WCCO every week. “Those horses are just like big dogs. free store for low income and homeless persons.