Senator Leahy Visits Vermont Soy!

Hey all,

Exciting events this past week: Senator Leahy came to Vermont Soy to hold a press conference regarding the Food Venture Center. The Senator announced funding for the Food Venture Center, which will soon be moving up to Hardwick, right across from Vermont Soy. The Center is a certified kitchen and incubator for small businesses. For example- if you are a small farmer and want to produce pesto out of the basil that you grow, you can't make it in your personal kitchen and then sell it in markets around the area. You would have to make that pesto in a certified kitchen, which many small farmers and producers do not have the resources to do. And that's where the Food Venture Center comes in. You can rent time and space at the Center, and produce your pesto in a certified kitchen without having to build one yourself. The FVC also provides consulting for small businesses- both businesses that are already established and businesses that are still in the works.

Senator Leahy is excited about the Food Venture Center, and it was wonderful to have his support of the project.

Check out some of these pictures from the event above! More pictures will follow.

Be well everyone,
Beth

Center for Ag. Economy Open House

Hey Everyone,

Just thought I'd let our local friends know that there is an open house coming up at the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick. Here are some details:

Center for an Ag. Economy Open House and Movie Night!

Please join us at the Center for an Agricultural Economy for our long awaited open house on Thursday, August 27, 2009. We will be serving cookies and cider, and showing the documentary “The Red Wagon: Facing Hunger” starting at 4:00. The Red Wagon is a short film that explores the problem of local food insecurity and highlights the organizations feeding the hungry in Vermont. Cookies and cider will be provided, discussion is encouraged.

When: Thursday, August 27, 2009 from 3:00-6:30 pm

Where: Center for an Agricultural Economy, 41 Main Street between Claire's and the Co-op

Please call the Center at (802) 472-5840 for more information. Background on The Red Wagon can be found at http://www.132main.com/projects/projects_redwagon.htm

If you're around, be sure to come down and check it out! I've heard the Red Wagon is a great film, so come take advantage of that and meet all the wonderful folks who work at the Center.

Be well,
Beth

And Now: Recipes!

Hey all!

2 updates in one day, I know. But we've had some requests for recipes, and there are a couple that I would like to share.

Ginger Tofu Soup

Ingredients:
8 oz fine egg noodles

2 Tbsp. olive oil

10 scallions, including tops, sliced diagonally - 1 in. long

5 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

7 c. chicken broth, or vegetable broth

1 small head cabbage thinly sliced

14 oz. Vermont Soy Artisan Tofu cut into 1/2 in cubes

salt and pepper to taste

Cook noodles, drain and toss with oil. In large pan, heat oil, saute scallions and ginger for 1-2 mins. Add broth, bring to a boil, add cabbage and cook 1-2 mins. Add noodles, tofu, salt and pepper to taste.

(Adapted from recipe from Sally Lonegren)

And a second recipe:

Thai Red Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of oil

3 or 4 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tablespoons of minced ginger

1 onion chopped

2 carrots, sliced into quarter-inch rounds

1 red bell pepper

1 15-ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk

2 to 3 tablespoons of red Thai curry paste, depending on your taste

3 tablespoons soy sauce

14 ounces Vermont Soy Artisan Tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Fresh basil or cilantro leaves (optional)

Pour oil into a skillet. Once oil is hot, add garlic and ginger, and saute over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and heat until it softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and red pepper, and saute until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and soy sauce and stir until the paste is well-blended with the coconut milk. Add tofu and lower heat. Simmer for 4 or 5 minutes.

Ladle over rice or noodles and sprinkle with torn basil or cilantro leaves, if using. Serves 4.

(Adapted from May 18, 2003 Washington Post article)

If you have any recipes using our tofu or soymilk that you think we might be interested in, let us know!!

Peace,
Beth

August Update

Hey Folks,

It's time again for a Vermont Soy update! Today, the temperature is hot hot hot- it feels like Massachusetts weather! Hazy, hot and humid. At my house, we just started eating the first ripe tomatoes from our garden last week, and we've made some awesome tofu stirfry dishes with broccoli, beets, carrots, and cauliflower that we just harvested minutes before cooking. I LOVE harvest season.

As usual, we have been crazy busy here at Vermont Soy, and I have to remind myself to take some time at the end of the day to reflect and share some thoughts with our online friends. Production is rocking right now- we just increased the volume of tofu we are able to produce in one day, which is awesome and more efficient. For the past several months, we've were lucky enough to have Morgane come and help in production as well. Morgane was Vermont Soy's production intern, and she was visiting from France, learning about tofu and soymilk and perfecting her English. She was wonderful- a hard worker, and great fun to be around. She left to return to France on Friday, and we're all going to miss her.

Vermont Soy has been attending some fun events lately. Sophia and I traveled down to Sugarbush Resort in Waitsfield last Monday to participate in A Taste of the Valley- a great evening where local chefs, growers, and producers all come together and hand out samples of special dishes they create. Sophia made over 25 nori (sushi) rolls with cucumbers, gingered carrots, rice, and Vermont Soy's Maple Ginger Baked Tofu! They were a big hit with all the folks that attended, and we were really able to spread the word about Vermont Soy. I was in Burlington last week, doing a few different events as well. I spent a morning sampling out our Baked Artisan Tofu and Fresh Soymilk at Healthy Living, which is an awesome store in South Burlington- definitely worth checking out. I also went to an event at the Intervale, which is always a great place to visit. Every Thursday during the summer and into the early fall, the Intervale hosts an event with an informational workshop, a Slow Food Vermont tasting, live music, and great food! Admission is by donation and benefits the Intervale. Also definitely work checking out.

If you ever want to know if Vermont Soy is attending a specific event, head over to our website and click on the "events" section. You will see a calendar of events, and you can click on them to receive more details! This way, you can stay up to date and come visit us if you'll be in the area. Some exciting Vermont Soy news is that our Maple Ginger Baked Artisan Tofu recently got approved to be in Whole Foods Markets throughout the Northeast, so I'll be headed down to Massachusetts soon to do some demos with the tofu in various Whole Foods. I'll put it in on the calendar, so if you live in the area, definitely stop by and sample some tofu!

So keep up with your gardens, friends, and we'll check in again in the next few weeks. As always, contact us with any feedback or questions at info [at] vermontsoy [dot] com.

Be well,
Beth