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The Local Food Guide 2015

July 7, 2015

We all know that the food we nourish ourselves with affects our bodies. But how often do we think about the fact that what, and where, we choose to eat affects the health of the local economy and environment? Our everyday food choices also reflect our personal values.

When you choose to patronize businesses in the Local Food Guide that source from local farms, you make a direct contribution to a system that supports fair food: food that is healthy and safe, local and regional, and humanely produced with fair business practices. Right now, much of the food produced in our country comes from factory farms that prioritize financial profit over other values.

Fair Food is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that works to connect and support an interdependent, regional system of local food that includes you, your favorite shops and restaurants and the local farms that supply them. Through education, advocacy and advising local businesses and farms, Fair Food helps make healthy and affordable food choices available to all of Philadelphia. You can support their work and find out more at fairfoodphilly.org.

Explore the Guide
In #75 July 2015 Tags food, Fair Food Philly, community, homepage
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Photo by Mark Likosky | Brian Versek and Dan Howling in their Northeast Philadelphia mushroom growing facility.

Photo by Mark Likosky | Brian Versek and Dan Howling in their Northeast Philadelphia mushroom growing facility.

Mushroom obsessives launch underground farm

July 6, 2015

by Emily Teel 

Mushrooms grow from a network, a web of interconnected genetic information called mycelium. Even though it’s invisible to the human eye, soil mycelium is constantly growing, individual spores sending out threads called hyphae and building connections to one another. Something similar happened when Dan Howling, Brian Versek and Tyler Case met. Mycopolitan, Philadelphia’s first mushroom farm, is the result.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags food, community, main, homepage, profiles
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6 low-key, world vegetarian restaurants you should know

July 6, 2015

There are hundreds of places in Philadelphia where you can get great vegetarian food. Many are now offering specials, like Meatless Mondays at dive bar stalwart Tattooed Mom’s, when vegetarian entrées are half off, and Tiffin Tuesdays, when they offer deep discounts on their vegetarian menu as well (even when you’re ordering online and getting delivery!). But when you want some tastes from around the world and an all-vegetarian menu, you can enjoy a relaxing meal no matter where you live in the city.

 

Center City

New Harmony
135 N. 9th St. 

Don’t miss the all-you-can-eat dim sum and other Chinese favorites like General Tso’s “chicken.” You can BYOB, it’s vegan, and there is an option for karaoke if you want melody with your harmony.

V Street
vstreetfood.com
1221 Locust St.   

All-vegan world street food-inspired creations (and a full bar) from the celebrity chefs at Vedge who promise a seasonally focused menu with bold spices and adventurous flavors. Open for happy hour and dinner, and reservations are recommended. 

 

Northeast Philadelphia

Taj India 
taj-india.com
10863 Bustleton Ave.

Indian food is usually a safe bet when you’re looking for lots of vegetarian options, but everything on the menu at Taj India is fair game. The BYOB also offers vegan options, and they use freshly ground herbs and spices in all of their dishes. 

 

Germantown 

Nile Café
facebook.com/NileCafePhilly
6008 Germantown Ave.

Get plentiful portions of vegan and vegetarian soul food at the counter of the Nile Café. Sandwiches, platters and lots of vegan desserts are served up here to the Germantown community. 

 

South Philadelphia

Govinda’s Gourmet Vegetarian
govindasvegetarian.com
1408 South St.

Govinda’s offers flavors from around the world, from Kofta subs and yellow lentils to chimichangas and lasagna. There are many vegan options as well, and you can also find vedic, halal, and kosher meals for lunch and dinner. They have a large takeout menu, now offer a buffet, and they’re welcoming to groups. 

 

West Philadelphia

Kung Fu Hoagies
facebook.com/kungfuhoagie 

Catch the tiny West Philly-based Kung Fu Hoagies cart in Clark Park on the weekends for vegan bahn mi, or follow the trail of local festivals and happenings like Veg Fest or Punk Rock Flea Market to get some of their spicy, crunchy creations.

In #75 July 2015 Tags food, vegetarian issue, vegetarian, homepage top main
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Celebrity vegetarian: Kenyatta Johnson, Philadelphia City Council

July 6, 2015

PLANT-BASED PROFILE

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson not only wants to be there for his constituents; he wants to be there for his infant son. “I can’t predict the future, but I do know that taking care of my body and eating healthy is one way to make sure I’m doing all that I can to be around to see him grow up,” Johnson says. 

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In #75 July 2015 Tags profiles, food, community, vegetarian issue, homepage
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Photo by Kristie Lee Krause

Photo by Kristie Lee Krause

Celebrity vegetarian: Liam Wilson, musician

July 6, 2015

PLANT-BASED PROFILE

For Liam Wilson, bassist for the critically acclaimed hardcore band Dillinger Escape Plan, excluding animal products from his diet expanded his horizons. “When I decided to change my diet in my teens, I was introduced to so many new tastes—new cultural traditions around food—and as a result I became a more adventurous and disciplined person,” he says. 

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In #75 July 2015 Tags music, food, vegetarian issue, homepage, profiles
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Celebrity vegetarian: Kuf Knotz, recording artist

July 6, 2015

PLANT-BASED PROFILE

Ropeadope recording artist Kuf Knotz released his latest record, A Positive Light, this past spring, and that title accurately captures his vibe. His expansive view of the world is reflected in his music as well as his eating habits.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags profiles, music, food, vegetarian issue, homepage
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Editor's Notes: Dismantling factory farms, one meal at a time

July 6, 2015

Growing up in Northeast Pa., there were few vegetarian options, which made the discovery of a veggie burger at Sweet Treat, a family-run diner decorated entirely with Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia, so surprising. The owner had suffered a heart attack, and, from what I gathered from overheard conversations, his doctor had advised him to stop eating meat. The sign in the window, which probably didn’t win any advertising awards, read: VEGGIE BURGERS: NOT BAD. 

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In #75 July 2015 Tags column, food
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Personal Essay: What a factory farm looks like

July 6, 2015

by Rachel Atcheson

Have you been inside a factory farm?” It’s the question I’m most often asked as I give presentations to students about large industrial farms. Until recently, the answer was “no.” Instead I relied on the experiences of two trusted friends who worked as undercover investigators at several facilities. At each one they witnessed the same cruelty and appalling conditions.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags column, food, community, green living
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A scholar shines a light on America’s decades-long history of environmental racism

July 2, 2015

An activist and scholar since the 1960s, Dr. Robert Bullard is the author of 17 books, and he has helped bring environmental justice to the fore with his groundbreaking 1990 work, Dumping in Dixie. He traveled from his post as dean of public affairs at Texas Southern University to lecture at Temple University this spring.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags environment, environmental justice, community, profiles, homepage
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Illustration by Justine Kelley

Illustration by Justine Kelley

Market Watch: What's up at the farmstand

July 2, 2015

by Peggy Paul 

This time of year, tomatoes, zucchini and stone fruits are the stars of the farmers market, but don’t forget about these lesser-known gems: 

Ground cherries and tomatillos: a.k.a husked fruits

Fruits should be swelled to fit their papery husks, which you remove before eating. These nightshade fruits resemble tomatoes, but have radically different flavors: pop a yellow, jewel-like ground cherry in your mouth, and you’ll find its juicy flavor is sweet, tangy and slightly floral—a mash-up of tomato and pineapple. Green or purple tomatillos have a tart, citrusy flavor used to complement savory dishes. Both have roots in the Americas, the former as a component of the early Native American diet, and the latter an ancient crop first cultivated by the Aztecs in Mexico.

Uses: Chop up the fruit and add it to relishes and salsas, sauté them with sweet onions as a chutney-like topping, or toss them into salads. Ground cherries also make delicious jams, chutneys, tarts, cakes and pies. Tomatillos shine in salsas.

Kohlrabi: a.k.a. German turnip, stem turnip or cabbage turnip

The kohlrabi plant looks like a vegetal alien: a stout bulb with leafy arms protruding in all directions. Like its fellow Brassicas (cabbage, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower), it’s crunchy, sweet and a touch grassy in flavor, like the love child of a mild radish and a broccoli stem. It’s been a staple in Europe and Asia for thousands of years.

Uses: Peel off the tough outer skin. Eat it raw, use it in salads and slaws, or dip it in hummus, tapenade or salsa. Try it in stir-fries and fritters, roast it with eggplant and potatoes, and toss it into soups and stews. If you snag one with its leaves intact, use them as a tasty alternative to collard greens or kale. 

Sour Cherries: a.k.a. tart or pie cherries

Sour cherries have a tart flavor and a constitution that holds up to baking better than other sweet, mainstream varieties. They’ve got a short growing season—usually June to July—and are not widely cultivated, as they don’t last long off the tree. However, these pucker-inducing stone fruits have been used for centuries in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Look for full, plump, bright-red fruits with as few bruises as possible.

Uses: Pit them, chop them up and stir them into your morning bowl of yogurt. Make them an unexpected ingredient in salsa or stew them in maraschino liqueur or brandy (1 cup per pint) and store them in the fridge for cocktail night. Sour cherry soup is a Hungarian classic. Bake them into cakes and pies and tarts and scones, or make cherry ice cream with dark chocolate and almonds.  Freeze them to enjoy all year long!

Peggy Paul is a cookbook editor, writer, urban vegetable gardener, produce peddler and author of the blog ThursdayNightPizza.

In #75 July 2015 Tags main, food, column
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A local startup packages bee-friendly wildflower seeds

July 2, 2015

by Katie Borhi

Philadelphia-based beekeeper Chelsea Thoumsin started the Pollinator Project as a simple answer to a complicated question. “A lot of people started asking me, ‘If I can’t keep my own bees, what can I do to help them?’”

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In #75 July 2015 Tags bees, environment, community, bee feature, homepage
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This bees box has both tube bundles and nesting blocks for native, solitary bees

This bees box has both tube bundles and nesting blocks for native, solitary bees

Make this! Wild bee boxes

July 2, 2015

by Samantha Wittchen

If you’re a fan of bees, but feel like you’re not yet ready for the commitment and cost of donning the beekeeper’s suit, we have good news for you: You can still promote these pollinators in your own backyard by building a native bee box that provides bees with shelter and a safe place to reproduce. 

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In #75 July 2015 Tags bees, environment, bee feature, homepage
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Wynn Geary holds monitoring equipment for his smart beehive. Right: Action in the hive, seen on his laptop, will one day be streamed on a public website | photos by Addison Geary

Wynn Geary holds monitoring equipment for his smart beehive. Right: Action in the hive, seen on his laptop, will one day be streamed on a public website | photos by Addison Geary

Is this recent Philly high school grad holding the world's smartest beehive?

July 2, 2015

by Samantha Wittchen 

It’s a sunny afternoon in early June, and Wynn Geary’s beehives are abuzz with activity. In his Manayunk backyard, Geary checks on a hive full of bees that he and his father recently collected from a swarm in North Philly. 

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In #75 July 2015 Tags bees, environment, agriculture, homepage, bee feature, profiles, bee home
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post4veg.jpg

Christina Pirello helps prepare your pantry for a plant-based diet

July 2, 2015

You want to make better, healthier choices. You really do. But then you’re standing in a produce aisle or in a natural foods store thinking that you have no idea where to begin. You shrug and think about changing your life some other day.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags vegetarian, main, food, vegetarian issue, homepage
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Entrepreneur Nicole Marquis at her Center City resturant Charlie was a sinner | photo by Pat Furey

Entrepreneur Nicole Marquis at her Center City resturant Charlie was a sinner | photo by Pat Furey

The fast-growing empire of HipCityVeg's entrepreneur

July 2, 2015

by Heather Shayne Blakeslee

Thespian turned restaurateur Nicole Marquis is ready for her third act. The 33- year old serial entrepreneur is the force behind the fast casual hit Hip City Veg, as well as the low-lit and upscale Charlie Was a Sinner.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags vegetarian, main, food, vegetarian issue, homepage, female entrepreneurs, profiles
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Vegan options at the Triangle Tavern | photo by Ashley Thomas

Vegan options at the Triangle Tavern | photo by Ashley Thomas

Chef Mark McKinney gives the Triangle Tavern a menu makeover

July 2, 2015

by Marilyn Anthony

On a sweltering summer afternoon, Executive Chef Mark McKinney is wedged in a closet at the legendary Triangle Tavern, which closed down over six years ago; it’s the only quiet place available.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags vegetarian, main, food, vegetarian issue, homepage
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Proprietor Andrea Kyan offers vegan food, exercise groups and healthy living strategies at her shop just off of Rittenhouse Square | photo by Tommy Leonardi

Proprietor Andrea Kyan offers vegan food, exercise groups and healthy living strategies at her shop just off of Rittenhouse Square | photo by Tommy Leonardi

P.S. & Co.: More than a healthy restaurant

July 2, 2015

by Heather Shayne Blakeslee

"I would have been a terrible doctor,” says Andrea Kyan as she sits in the almost-open-for-business garden at the back of P.S. & Co., her brightly lit café that is also, essentially, a healthy living center.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags vegetarian, main, food, vegetarian issue, female entrepreneurs, profiles main
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Viva la Vegetarian

July 2, 2015

Starting a revolution at your kitchen table while you’re joyfully eating delicious food and drinking a locally made beer with friends is something of a tradition in Philadelphia. Let’s keep it going. 
by Heather Shayne Blakeslee

Philadelphia is a deep green city, and the world knows it. But while we’ve been receiving international accolades for greening our streets and kudos for making our buildings more efficient, we’ve been simultaneously earning another reputation: as a top-tier city for vegetarian food. Recognizing this trend, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched a new section of its website dedicated to navigating our city as a diet-conscious visitor. Marketing Philadelphia to people around the world—who statistically are much less likely to live a meat-centric life than Americans—is a smart move that will boost the city’s veggie economy and reputation... not that it needs any help right now. The revolution is underway.

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In #75 July 2015 Tags vegetarian, main, food, vegetarian main
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