The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes by Bryant Terry Our Book
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BLM_NewspageV3.qxp_BLM_Newspage 7/1/20 3:25 PM Page 1 BLACK LIVES MATTER July 1, 2020 On June 6, 2020, Guido’s released a statement in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement with a promise to return to you with an actionable company plan on July 1. Today, we are sharing an updated statement that includes our plan. Guido’s Fresh Marketplace has been fortunate to serve and support 3. Alignment with Anti-racist Organizations: We are in the our community over the past 40 years. We recognize that we have a process of becoming a Corporate Sponsor of the Berkshire County responsibility to use our position of privilege to speak and act Chapter of the NAACP, and are looking forward to giving support against racial injustice, both here in our community and beyond it. to the food and wellness initiatives underway within the chapter. We are also excited to begin working with Multicultural BRIDGE in Guido’s Fresh Marketplace stands in solidarity with the Black Lives many ways, including as a member, a supporter of their food sus- Matter Movement. Although our current action is spurred by the tainability programs, and as students of their educational programs. deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and oth- We continue to reach out to new organizations as we grow and di- ers who have been murdered in recent months, we stand up today versify our community partnerships. against the murders and marginalization of countless Black, Brown, Indigenous, Trans, and Queer people that have occurred since our 4. Education Within the Company: In July of 2020, we will begin country’s inception. the process of a workplace assessment with BRIDGE, as well as an introduction to Cultural Competency for our managers. We look As the owners of Guido’s, we are learning that we have been part of forward to working with BRIDGE to build a plan to help our com- the problem by not prioritizing this work in the past. We under- pany be a safe and inclusive place to work and shop. Our goal is to stand that the work of dismantling white supremacy is an ongoing give every Guido’s team member the opportunity to learn and en- and lifelong commitment. We do not take this lightly. Over the last gage with Cultural Competency education and BRIDGE’s work. several weeks we have been listening, learning, and meeting as a company. We will assume responsibility for creating and stewarding 5. Creation of a Working Group: This summer, we will create a work- an air of welcoming and belonging for all patrons and community ing group at Guido’s whose work will include, but not be limited to: members. Our goal is to be a company that is safe and inclusive for increasing the representation of Black-owned business on our all staff and customers, and to support our community in an equi- shelves, ensuring that the food we carry is culturally appropriate for table and meaningful way. With this in mind, we set forward the fol- a wide variety of customers, and continuing to guide and shape the lowing plan. execution of this action plan. 1. Continue with our Current Commitment: It has always been 6. Accountability: We will share updates on our progress on this ac- one of our main priorities to feed underserved populations through tion plan biannually, across all company communication channels. financial and in-kind support of local food insecurity programs. We use our digital and in-store platforms to increase awareness around We know that this is just the beginning. We share this statement with food insecurity, and we often collaborate with our customers in you as a means of holding us accountable, but also because you, too, matching donation programs. In addition, we have recently in- are part of the Guido’s community. We look forward to the essential creased and promoted the ways that all patrons can shop afford- work ahead, and we each embrace the opportunity to, as the author ably in our stores. We also have used the venue of the Guido’s and educator Austin Channing Brown says, “become a better human Cookbook Club to celebrate the work of Black and Brown authors, to other humans”. We will strive to do this work with patience, com- and to learn about ingredients and cooking techniques from passion, and integrity. Now is the time, and we know this work will many cultures. change our stores and our community for the better. 2. Food Access in the Region: From this point forward, we will be more attentive not just to what goes out, but to who it goes to. We Respectfully, will engage in a deeper study of the needs of our community, and, as we continue to grow our food donation and community support initiatives, we will take into account the people who may not be reached by the programs in our current network. We will grow the programs with those people in mind as we work towards more Matt and Chris Masiero, Co-owners equitable and inclusive food accessibility in Berkshire County. It feels like years ago that we anxiously watched the news to see if COVID-19 was going to be something that might affect our stores. Before we knew it, we were having daily meetings on new safety protocols, scrambling to load up on sanitizer, and watching Governor Baker’s press conferences like they were the final season of Game of Thrones. The first major change was the line outside the stores. We knew we had to limit the numbers inside to keep everyone safe, so we put a friendly face outside to help everyone through the transition. Over time, the line has become an experience in itself, and it’s been amazing to see people helping others, being so patient, and even making new friends (at a safe distance, of course)! Each day, we looked for new ways to support our staff through the stress of coming to work in a pandemic. We worked to bring moments of fun into the day, ordering lunch from special businesses or all wearing Hawaiian shirts on a designated day. We communicated with other grocery stores, learning what worked and what didn’t, and created new safety measures to keep the staff and customers safe. And then there was our Curbside Program! We built new teams to shop for customers who couldn’t come into the stores, and we got better at picking exactly the right product (most of the time), just as a customer might do if they were in the aisle themselves. We miss seeing your faces. We miss the time when we could just let everyone in, and customers chatted in the aisles. We miss sharing samples of our favorite recipes, hosting the Guido’s Cookbook Club potluck, and handing out paper copies of our newsletter. But much has been gained. We’ve seen countless people shopping for their neighbors. We’ve met so many new volunteers from food pantries, stopping by to pick up cases of produce. We’ve experienced the courage, resilience, and commitment of our staff in new ways. We’ve witnessed more acts of small kindness than we could ever recount. And, after forty years in business, we’ve fully come to know the responsibility and privilege of being an essential business that gets to feed this community. What will the rest of 2020 bring? We couldn’t even venture to guess. This month, we’re so happy to bring the newsletter back, even if it’s only a digital version. Our Cookbook Club returns too, in a new, online format. Most of all, we’re ready to meet the challenges as they come. We’ve got a great staff, an amazing community of customers, and a steady supply of delicious food to help fuel us through it all. Read on for the best of July in our stores. 3 MATT’S JULY PRODUCE PICK CC UU CC UUMMBBEERRSS Cucumbers are the perfect summer food. They’re cooling, “ delicious, and abundantly available from local farms. – Matt Masiero “ “ 4 OUR JULY RECIPE: Cucumber Salad with Peanuts From Alana Chernila, Marketing Manager: You’ll find versions of this simple cucumber salad in many different Asian cuisines. It acts as more of a condiment than a side salad, adding crunch and spice to the plate. Serve alongside grilled shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Serves 4 Ingredients 1 pound cucumbers (2 medium) 2 teaspoons salt 1/8 teaspoon red chile flakes (or more or less to taste) 1/4 cup chopped scallions (from the white and tender green parts) 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and roughly chopped 1. Roughly peel the cucumbers. Quarter each lengthwise (to create long spears) and then cut the spears into ½-inch pieces. Transfer the cucumber pieces to a colander and sprinkle with the salt, tossing, to distribute the salt. Let the cucumbers sit for 10 minutes. 2. Give the cucumbers a quick rinse in cold water, working to remove some but not all of the salt. Taste a cucumber. It should be pleasantly salty. If it’s too salty, rinse a bit more. 3. Combine the cucumbers with the chile flakes, scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir to combine, and top with the peanuts. Note: This salad can be made up to a day ahead. Simply store in the refrigerator, and add the peanuts just before serving. 5 JULY MEAT Prime NY Strip Steaks $19.99/lb Mojito-Lime rubbed Chicken Wings $3.99/lb Schaller and Weber World Famous from New York: Wieners $4.99/12 oz.