Winter Warmers - Park Slope Food Coop

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11-01-27 pp1-12_Layout 1 1/26/11 7:40 PM Page 44 January 27, 2011 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NYMEMBERSHIPRESIGNATIONTO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN,I had the unfortunate experienceof joining the Park Slope Food Coopthe week before Christmas, but,before I was even able to shop orwork on my assigned shift, I wasaccused of lying.With my kids grown and away atschool and due to the recession, myhusband needed to relocate to Canadafor work, I figured this was finally agood time for me to join theCoop. Knowing that I would have thetime to commit to working, I registeredweeks ago and attended my orientationappointment for theWednesday before Christmas.I needed to return after the orientationmeeting to bring proof ofaddress. One of my sons was in thecar waiting for me while I did this. Wewere on our way to pick up my otherson from college. My husband wasarriving from Toronto the next day forthe Christmas holidays.Once I had finished showing myproof of address and finishing otheradministrative tasks, I briefly chattedwith the member who was taking allthis information. We talked about howeconomical and delicious the Coop is.I told her about my son in the car,the other son at the Culinary Instituteand my husband, all large men and all‘foodies.’ I explained that I wanted tobring in my son when I shopped forour Christmas Eve dinner, and wastold it was not a problem as long as Iregistered them as visitor. And, I volunteeredthat my husband no longerlives with me because he had to moveto Toronto for work. Unsolicited, Ishared all this information with themember as a matter of course thatwas my “enrollment” conversationwith the member.When I arrived home that nightthere was a message from the Coopstating that there was a problem withmy registration and that I should callthe office.I could never have expected norcould have imagined what the “problem”was.The staff member at the desk toldme that I had not been registered theprevious day because someone in theoffice notified her that she had overheardme say I had a husband waitingfor me in the car.I was flabbergasted by this miscommunicationof what I said the previousday. I attempted to right thiswrong info by repeating what I hadstated.With no apology or attempt to saythat perhaps she was mistaken, it wasdecided that rules are rules and that Icould shop once on that day but onlyif I “sign my husband up, too.”Therefore, I was guilty until proveninnocent, my word was not good. Iwas presumed to be a liar based onhearsay.I said that more than half of myfriends are members of the Coop, thattwo were present that day who couldvouch for me, and that I had his twophone numbers, land line and cellphone in Canada in my phone. Notgood enough.She and the general supervisor saidthat during the week my husband wasvisiting he should bring in proof of hisCanadian residence to become amember (then ostensibly turn rightaround and resign) and they wouldmake this one exception to allow meto shop now.And, though he will never be ableto work at the Coop and barely eat thefood I will bring home from there, hestill would need to sign up.Gee, I thought, this was becomingreminiscent of the behavior of otherregimes throughout history. But, alas,not those associated with “democracy”or in line with the Coop’s missionstatement:“We oppose discrimination in any form.We strive to make the Coop welcoming andaccessible to all and to respect the opinions,needs and concerns of every memberThose values were lost during thisconfrontation.On my work shift day scheduled forthe week after New Year’s, my husbandhad taken ill during his time off(as is often the case for people duringthe holidays after stressful work).I wasdepressed by the thought of returningto the Coop.In fact, I would rather saw off myhead than drag him in to disprove theaccusation that I was a liar.I not only withdraw my membershipbased on this appalling accusation,but it has forever tainted myvision of the Coop. Shame on you.Anita GlestaEXTREMELY POLITE OREXTREMELY STUPIDDEAR GAZETTE:As I was waiting on a very longline this past Friday, I suggested thatthe person in front of me can startunloading at a checkout stationwhere a customer was packing up.The unloading part of the counterwas completely empty. The person Iwas talking to refused to budge andthought I was being very impolite.After processing a buyer, and whilethe buyer is packing, the checkoutperson stands there like a bump on alog waiting for the customer to finishpacking. If each instance wasted 2minutes (sometimes a lot more)multiplied by 1,000 customers a day(just a rough guess) that’s 33 1/3hours of completely wasted timeevery day, 233 1/3 hours every week,and 12,333 hours every year, 505DAYS! Who has so much time towaste. When I mentioned this to theperson directing people to checkout,she said a lot of checkout people liketo wash the counter after each customer.Doesn’t happen. Yes, bepolite, but be efficient! I’m gettingolder very quickly and don’t likewasting time through sheer stupidity.Go to a supermarket (God forbid)and see if people wait until the previousperson is safe at home in theircozy abode before proceeding. Canthis be made a stated policy? Itwould hasten the procedure andPlow to Plate Movie Series Presents . . . All in This TeaBy Adam RabinerMany of the films featured in thePlow to Plate movie series havefocused on food and how it’s produced.But the series is equallyinterested in beverages. Already ithas explored the alleged malfeasanceof Coca-Cola bottlers inColombia, the negative economicand environmental externalities ofbottled water, and the unfair trade ofglobal coffee markets. Now theseries turns its attention to a veryquaint and lovely drink, namely tea.However, this film is neither anangry indictment nor a dire warning.It is a gentle and lyrical movie filledwith beautiful Chinese string music,attractive images of tea and China,and wonderfully poetic words of loveand appreciation for the film’s subject.Mostly, though, the viewer justenjoys spending time with David LeeHoffman, an American tea importer,as the film follows his efforts toidentify and procure the highestquality product. Hoffman is anomad, friend of the Dalai Lama,Buddhist, pioneer of fair trade, successfulbusinessman, early andSAFE FOOD COMMITTEE REPORTstrong advocate of sustainable andorganic production, and an allaroundgood guy....All in This Tea begins with a choreographedtea ceremony featuringdozens of identically costumed youngwomen performing perfectly synchronizedmovements at an oolong competitionin Hangzhou in 1997. The filmitself takes on a ceremony’s meditativeand tranquil qualities and theviewer in some ways becomes drawnin as a participant. A tea ceremonycreates a vocabulary for richly experiencingtea’s subtle nuances, and, similarly,the film is engaged in an almostspiritual effort to describe the ineffable.Hoffman has highly attuned tastebuds and is an expert at discoveringthe best quality product. Sniffing ahandful of tea leaves, he mightexclaim “sensational,” or nod his headin distaste and spit out the word“chemicals.” But a deeper languageeludes him. At one point, speakingwith German filmmaker Warner Herzogover some freshly brewed tea,Hoffman declares that there is novocabulary that can say what the teatastes like. Herzog counters: “I imaginethings like walking through a forest.There are leaves on the ground. Ithas just rained. The rain has stopped.It’s damp, and you walk…and somehowthat’s all in this tea.”The film is an elegy to tea, which isvariously described as “shavings onangels’ wings,” “the spirit of Cleopatra,”“buttery,” “vegetal,” “rich,” “fragrant,”and “oceanic, seaweed, notflowery.” Tea’s flavors are determinedby soil, minerals, neighboring plants,water, elevation, sunlight and shade,the skill of the farmer, and hundredsof other variables. No two teas arealike; drinking good tea is imbibingnature. Drinking tea is resurrectingarcheology; sharing in the same sensualexperiences as were found in thecourt of a Chinese emperor or thetimes of Queen Victoria: it’s …all inthe tea.A deep and abiding respect fornature and efforts to restore its healthis Hoffman’s deeper mission. At thetime of the film’s making, traditionalChinese tea farmers were a dyingbreed, and the Chinese governmentRead the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.comwas supporting industrial tea manufacturing,chemical fertilizers and pesticides.However, largely due toHoffman’s tireless efforts, traditional,organic and sustainable tea productionis on the rise in China andaround the globe. This movie mayvery well further this trend by inspiringyou to trade in your Lipton teabags for some premium Darjeeling. ■...All in This Tea:Tuesday, February 8,Park Slope Food Coop,second floor, at 7:00 p.m.Tea will be served.
11-01-27 pp1-12_Layout 1 1/26/11 7:40 PM Page 5Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY January 27, 2011 5make everybody a little bit happier.I’ve written about this several times,but this stupid attitude continues.Let’s be logical and efficient, and, atthe same time polite.Al EttlingerFOOD FIGHTStewing in a moodBrooding before good foodYearn, burn, turn. Yearn, burn, turn.I nourish my nutritionwith fruity intuition.Fruit fruition fosters feeding,sewing seeds for another day.I insist that I exist andsubsist on edible sustenance,when I provide provisionsthat nurture my nature.I’m naturally dietarywhen I remove the die in diet.Die yet? Not yet!I swallowmy gluttony whole.Gluten whole wheat.Grovel my grub,gulp at the pub,before and after.I crack my crackersI’ve got room to consume.and, toast my fleshy meaty roast.Can you picture my epicure,your gourmet, my gourmand?Whether we devour, feast,crunch or nibble,We gnaw sucking succulentsAnd dine on fine wine.Len HeislerTWEEDLE TWINS ATHARVARDTweedledum and TweedledeeWent to school in Mass.,Came up with a social network,Computing skills didn’t pass.Beseeched the help of digital whiz,A prodigy with a grin,But he turned out to be a snake—Trust no one but a twin.Leon FreilichTHANK YOU PSFC –SIGNED CITY HARVESTDEAR COOP,Thank you for your food donationof 3,195 pounds in November 2010,which City Harvest distributed, freeof charge, to community programsthroughout New York City.Now serving New York City formore than 25 years, City Harvest isthe world’s first food rescue organization,dedicated to feeding thecity’s hungry men, women and children.This year, City Harvest will collect26 million pounds of excess foodfrom all segments of the food industry,including restaurants, grocers,corporate cafeterias, manufacturersand farms. This food is then deliveredfree of charge to nearly 600community food programs throughoutNew York City using a fleet of 17trucks, bikes and volunteers on foot.Each week, City Harvest helps over300,000 hungry New Yorkers findtheir next meal.Thank you from all of us here atCity Harvest, the agencies we serveand the hungry New Yorkers thatbenefit from your generous contributions.We look forward to workingwith you in the future as we continueto fight hunger in New York.Sincerely,Jilly StephensExecutive DirectorCity HarvestON HOW THE COOPMADE ME REALIZE I’MNOT THE GOOD PERSONI THOUGHT I WASTO THE EDITOR:I have been a member since 2003.I’ve been in good standing, badstanding, my record for make-upsowed is 26, and I’ve left for a yearand been granted amnesty. I’vebeen yelled at, pushed, bumped,rebuked and scolded like a child. Anold lady called me stupid and mademe cry once over processing herreturn of a croissant. I cried in thearms of an office coordinator whoconsoled and reassured me that itwasn’t my fault. His soothing waysrestored my faith in the Coop.Again. Through all of these trialsI’ve persevered and championed themerits of the Coop in my own mindas well as sheepishly explained tomy friends the reasons why I continuehere. The ones who know me thebest also know that I’m a bit of asadist; a sensitive sadist.After twelve years in the city I’vefinally managed to harness thetime and space constraints andput them to work for me. The hardestpart has not been survival. Mybiggest challenge has been to tryto see the good in people and thehumor in situations that wouldordinarily bother me. I’ve beenworking in the customer- serviceindustry since the age of fourteen,and I believe most people aregood. I consider it my job to seethe best in people. I need tobelieve that I’m a good person. Istrive for this every day.Then there’s the Coop. I’m struckthat at this point in my life, a timewhere I have figured out the key tomy happiness, which is to be a goodperson and see the best in people, Ihave the least tolerance for FoodCoop members. The other day Iscoffed out loud at a mother whoinformed me that she would be thenext one to get a cart instead of me.A man got pissed when I hit hisankles in front of me with my cartbecause he stopped short and Ioffered no apology. A woman grewimpatient with me when her receiptwould not scan. Instead of calmlyexplaining to her the situation as Iwould in my place of business, I wasindifferent, if not a little keen tomake her wait a little. None of thismind you, makes me feel good. Onthe contrary, it makes me feel very,very bad. Perhaps I am not the goodperson I thought I was. Must tryharder.Julia Duncan-RoitmanLETTERS POLICYWe welcome letters from members. Submission deadlinesappear in the Coop Calendar. All letters will be printed if theyconform to the published guidelines. We will not knowingly publisharticles which are racist, sexist or otherwise discriminatoryThe maximum length for letters is 500 words. Letters mustinclude your name and phone number and be typed or very legiblyhandwritten. Editors will reject letters that are illegible or too long.You may submit on paper, typed or very legibly handwritten, orvia email to GazetteSubmissions@psfc.coop or on disk.FairnessIn order to provide fair, comprehensive, factual coverage:1. The Gazette will not publish hearsay—that is, allegations notbased on the author's first-hand observation.2. Nor will we publish accusations that are not specific or arenot substantiated by factual assertions.3. Copies of submissions that make substantive accusationsagainst specific individuals will be given to those persons toenable them to write a response, and both submissions andresponse will be published simultaneously. This means that theoriginal submission may not appear until the issue after the onefor which it was submitted.The above applies to both articles and letters. The only exceptionswill be articles by Gazette reporters which will be required toinclude the response within the article itself.RespectLetters must not be personally derogatory or insulting, evenwhen strongly criticizing an individual member's actions. Letterwriters must refer to other people with respect, refrain from callingsomeone by a nickname that the person never uses himselfor herself, and refrain from comparing other people to odious figureslike Hitler or Idi Amin.What Is That? How Do I Use It?Food Tours in the CoopWe get to do all this — the fretting,the striving, the sleepless turning in the nightthe quick dash through the coldthat would take our life if we lingeredThe sparrows are puffed in the bushesthe pigeons crowd together in the eavesthe squirrels are closeted in....where do the squirrels go?We come together and crow over the coldIt feels good to remark on the weatherFor a few moments a strangerbecomes our best friendWe communicate understandingand are understoodWe are all oneunder the same weatherYou may have the thicker coator longer to walkbut the cold bites us all the sameand would take the life out of any of usgiven the chanceEach of us was given a stove of heatWe pile up together under a blanketand the cold has to waitfor another timeLet us welcome the cold and all it's tricksthe snow, the sleet, the stinging windLet it make us bright with fearbring us together round a firemake us hug each otherwarm lips with lips and.....Let it connive with the holly daysto bring us together merrilyLet us deck our halls against itadorn trees to celebrate iteat heartily to fend it offThe cold, the cold, the bitter coldHow cold to be without it!The Park Slope Food CoopBringing us in from the coldby Myra KlockenbrinkMondays February 7 andFebruary 28noon to 1:00 p.m.and 1:30 t0 2:30 p.m.You can join in any time during a tour.Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com
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Winter Warmers - Park Slope Food Coop

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