National Garlic Day is April 19th, and falls exactly 6 days after International Kissing Day (thank goodness they didn't fall on the same day)! Sounds like the perfect opportunity to sing the praises of garlic - one of the oldest cultivated plants known. It was worshiped by the Egyptians as a god, used as currency, condiment, and cure, and was even thought to be able to ward off evil spirits. Not many foods have such a claim to fame! Read more on the fascinating history of garlic here.

Is it possible to love garlic too much? With as many health benefits as it has, we hardly think so! Here are just a few of the proven health benefits of this pungent vegetable...yes vegetable.

Is it possible to use too much garlic in a dish? For those who have tried the 40 Clove Garlic Chicken recipe, the answer is a resounding NO! Garlic adds zest to whatever dish it meets. Saveur magazine offers a good, long list of delicious recipes that feature our vegetable of the month.

Easter antipasta plate - 2017

Many of our volunteers celebrate Easter or Passover during this time of year. It's always a nice occasion to cook up a special feast. What cultural or traditional dishes do you prepare to celebrate during this time of spring and renewal? 

Lauren's partner Sudarshan likes to prepare a huge antipasto plate, like his Italian grandmother used to serve. They nibble on it all day long...to balance out the chocolate and sweets that are invariably present.

Joe & Tracy make a leg of lamb for Easter , and Joe's grandmother used to cook lamb and a ham for good measure.

Jeanette has fond memories of her Austrian grandmother sending her 3-D marzipan animals and chocolate Glückskäfer (luck bugs) .

Dwayne remembers his mother cooking pot roast or a ham for Easter...and always fresh tortillas. Can't go wrong there!

Tony remembers that  Easter Sunday was always celebrated at his Grandmother's farm. "Everyone brought decorated eggs that my uncles would hide. It always seemed like there were hundreds of eggs to find - which was a good thing because there were scores of grandchildren! Afterwards, we all would sit down at tables filled with every Southern treat one can imagine. It was a full day of feasting, fun and family."  

We always welcome new volunteers! Here are our current opportunities:

Delivery Drivers (4:30 - 6:30pm)

• Wednesday Driver, Route 7 (N. Rufina St.)
• Thursday Driver, Route 10 (N. St. Francis Dr.)
• Thursday Driver, Route 11 (S. on Cerrillos Rd.)
• Friday Driver, Route 1 (S. Rufina St.)
• Friday Driver, Route 6 (Miguel Chavez)
• Friday Driver, Route 7 (N. Rufina St.)
• Friday Driver, Route 12 (Pacheco St.)

Kitchen Volunteers  

• Monday AM shift (10am - 12pm)
• Wednesday PM shift (1pm - 3pm)

Substitute Volunteers

• Delivery Subs M-F (4:30-6:30pm)
• Delivery Prep M-F (2pm - 3:30pm)
• Delivery Coordinators (3:30 - 5:30pm)

Upcoming Volunteer Orientations

 

Monday, April 15th from 11:30 - 1:00

 

Please tell people who may be interested to call Lauren at 471-7780  

 

	The ancient grain fonio is gluten-free, fast-growing, and good for you!

Think you have a varied diet? A recent wildlife conservation non-profit hosted a conference on how diversifying the foods we eat is linked to preserving wildlife. Turns out, just three crops - wheat, corn and rice - make up nearly 60 percent of the plant-based calories in most diets. There is a push to re-introduce crops and foods that are more resistant to climate changes, have high yields, and are good for your health. Click here for the NPR article For A Healthier Planet, Eat These 50 Foods. Diversify!

Chef Joe wants to highlight the good work done by volunteer Nancy Jewell. November will mark  her second year volunteering in the kitchen on Thursday afternoons. Joe says, "Nancy covers it all - she knows how to cook off the food, do the dots, portion correctly, and always chips in on dishes. She moves around the kitchen and does it all." We appreciate your attentiveness to that which needs to happen in the kitchen. We see you handling so much - thank you Nancy!

Many thanks to the lively group of volunteers who joined us for the Volunteer Appreciation Party at Hervé Wine Bar. We had a great time mingling, sipping tasty beverages, and grazing on the hors d'oeuvres that everyone loved. A word of thanks to the management at Hervé for making the party possible, and a great success. If you missed the event, know that we try to host two volunteer parties each year. You can always catch the next one, which will be held later this year, in October or November.