OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK SLOPE FOOD COOP Established 1973 Volume NN, Number 21 October 24, 2019 Dining Options— From Mild to Wild By Rene Brinkley s Park Slope Food Coop Amembers, we have all vol- unteered to food shop off the grid. We have said no to big- box supermarkets and hello to a food shopping community that supports local farmers, has high-quality meat and produce, a variety of food and non-food items, and afford- able prices. Similar to some members, I joined the Coop because of the large variety of produce at below-farm- ers-market prices. But after the excitement of buying famil- iar foods wore off, I ventured down the Coop aisle looking for something new. My search started in the produce aisle. I tried things like Ugli fruit (cute is over- ILLUSTRATION BY VALERIE TRUCCHIA rated) and stinging nettles (which really can sting you PSFC Members React to if not handled properly). Then I worked my way down the bulk aisle, trying ancient New Retirement Rules grains—including bulgur, By Hayley Gorenberg stop working. Several are per- kasha, and millet. I also sam- he recent GM decision to plexed and even “MIFFED—in pled strange-sounding beans Tease PSFC retirement rules capital letters!” over what they like mung, which I absolutely may siphon off a surprising perceive as an abrupt change. loved. Over my Coop shop- PHOTO BY CAROLINE MARDOK number of reliable and experi- After the August GM wid- ping years, I embraced a new Fred Hua cooking a special dinner for the Gastronauts in enced workers from key shifts, ened retirement options, the food mantra: buy it and try it. his restaurant called “In the Back of Zekes Bar.” though others may decide to occasional retirement here or I searched for recipes online stay on despite their option to CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 and sometimes asked other offers a number of non-tra- Restaurant, combined his love Coop shoppers for sugges- ditional dining options that of books with his passion for Next General Meeting on October 29 tions. The PSFC helped pique range from mild to wild. food and created the Table of The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on my food curiosity. But where Contents (TOC) dinner series. the last Tuesday of each month. The October General Meet- would that journey lead once Book to Table Each multi-course meal is ing will be on Tuesday, October 29, at 7:00 p.m. at John Jay I stepped outside the Coop For those looking for inspired by scenes from a clas- Educational Campus, 227 Seventh Ave., between Fourth doors? Just as New York something more than a farm- sic book. For example, for the and Fifth Sts. City offers many alternative to-table meal, there is a first dinner event in 2012, the The agenda is in this Gazette, on www.foodcoop.com and food-shopping options— book-to-table reading series meal was inspired by Ernest available as a flier in the entryway of the Coop. For more including farmers markets, curated by a Brooklyn chef. Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. information about the GM and about Coop governance, food coops, and CSAs—it also The chef, Evan Hanczor of Egg CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 please see the center of this issue. Sat, Oct 26 • Pumpkin Decorating 2:00 p.m. IN THIS ISSUE Fri, Nov 1 • Film Night: Frozen River 7:00 p.m. The Great Re-shelving Project ...........................2 Safe Food Committee Report ...........................6 Coop Tue, Nov 5 • Plow-to-Plate Movie Series: Coordinators’ Corner ..................................7 Los Lecheros 7:00 p.m. Welcome, Governance Information, Mission Statement ..... 9 Event Calendar of Events ...................................10 Wed, Nov 6 • Learn About Cheese at the Coop 7:00 p.m. Letters to the Editor .................................12 Labor Committee Report..............................13 Highlights Thu, Nov 7 • Food Class: Napa Kimchi 101 7:30 p.m. Hearing Officers Committee Report, Community Calendar ....14 Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue. Classifieds ..........................................15 Exciting Workslot Opportunities........................16 Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com 2 October 24, 2019 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY The Great Re-shelving Project By Leila Darabi the aisles of the Coop span f you’ve been to the Coop in what was once three sep- Ithe past few weeks, you may arate buildings. The area have noticed an uptick in peo- where shoppers exit the pro- ple paging over the intercom duce aisle (780 Union Street) and traipsing around the store requires crossing over to the looking for common items— center building (782 Union garlic, mushrooms, sparkling Street) and navigating a small water. You’re not imagining area packed with essential things. Your favorite items may grocery items before pass- have moved. ing under the arches to com- Don’t worry, it’s all part of a plete their shop in the third master plan to reduce bottle- building (784 Union Street) necks around the store. where most dry goods can be found, not to mention meat ILLUSTRATION BY CATY BARTHOLOMEW The Universal Shopping and poultry. Route impossible to push a cart In Search of Mangoes here from the other side of Most grocery shoppers— Your favorite items may down the bulk aisle, now sits You may recall that the front aisle one. and especially seasoned Coop in a prime spot on the front endcap between aisle one and While the tropical fruit members—enter a store with a have moved. Don’t worry, endcap of aisle two. In other two used to hold tropical fruit, shelves are tilted forward to strategy, and tend to follow the it’s all part of a master words, as you enter the store including papayas and man- enhance the display of their same route. plan to reduce bottlenecks and roll past the eggs, it’s on goes. These displaced items contents, Astrinsky worries “If you think about entry into around the store. the left as you enter the pro- ended up around the corner, that tropical fruit placement almost any supermarket, you duce aisle. above the large bins of onions remains under the radar. go to produce first,” explains “Now that it’s being stocked, and above the bins of garlic “People haven’t quite General Coordinator Elinoar Navigating this section of we’re selling more seltzer,” and shallots that shoppers understood that yet. I think we Astrinsky. “Your whole meal is the store can be treacherous, Astrinsky confirms. may have noticed also moved need to do some tweaking with based on the fresh things. And even on a weekday. Aisle two it’s the other things, the dry always seems to be packed. goods, that you’re adding to “There’s always a U-boat the things that are appealing in bulk to be stocked. Seltzer to you. And the freshest things used to be here, but it never are the produce.” sold well. There was never a We tend to shop around the time when we could just stock MOVED ITEMS periphery of a grocery store, it easily,” Astrinsky says. dipping into the center aisles One major change in for specialty items. This is where to find popular items Applesauce & Pumpkin Purée 6A also no accident. Supermar- involved finding a better kets, including the Coop, must place to put the seltzer. And stock frozen and refrigerated so the puzzle began. Baking (Chocolate, Flavorings, etc.) 2B (across from bulk) items where there is access to electricity—in other words Coop Tetris Canned Fruits 6A along the walls. Moving the LaCroix meant finding shelf space elsewhere, Coconut Water 2A The Aisle Two Problem and moving the items on that While the produce aisle shelf, and so on and so forth. may be the star of the show— Groceries buyer Gillian Chi, Dried Chilies and Mushrooms 6B (hanging) and by far the busiest section beverage buyer Ross Gibson, of the Coop—most members and coffee buyer Cody Dodo, Glassware, Ball Jars 5A then round the corner, pass teamed up to make it happen. the cheeses, and swing left All in all, they did a lot of Juice 2A (across from bread) into aisle two. measuring and some tricky “That’s really what our mem- math to add and move shelves bership does, they’re shop- to fit new products. Mangoes & Papayas Produce (above potatoes) ping the periphery plus bulk,” So, where did things end Astrinsky says. “There’s always up? A handy “Moved Items” Packaged Flour, Sugar, Baking Mixes 2B (across from bulk) this kind of chockablock kind chart posted around the Coop of thing that happens.” serves as a key. The seltzer (across from bulk) Part of the problem is that used to sit unshelved Packaged Grains, Hemp & Chia Seeds 2B architectural. As many know, on a U-boat, making it Salad Dressing 3A Seltzer & Mineral Water Endcap (across from spices) Soda & Iced Teas 2B (across from coffee) SodaStream Canisters 2A (bottom shelf) Smoothie Pouches 6A Water Bottles 3A Water Filters 2A PHOTO BY WILLIAM FARRINGTON Afiri Farrington with water containers now found in aisle 3A. Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY October 24, 2019 3 MEMBER SUBMISSION Film Showing and Art Installation Tracks History of Housing Discrimination in Park Slope By Erik Lewis ave you heard of the Park HSlope Riot of 1973? Did you know that city planning survey forms of the 1930s identified “Negro Infiltration” PHOTO BY WILLIAM FARRINGTON as a “Detrimental Influence” Receiving workers Lora Clarke and Kristin Baganz for many Brooklyn neighbor- restocking sparkling water in the new location between hoods? Were you aware that aisle 2A and 1B.