Grid Magazine

#011 February 2010/Community

Review: The Value of Nothing

Raj Patel opens his new book, The Value of Nothing, with an anecdote about being a child playing in his parent’s convenience store. He recalls getting endless pleasure out of the pricing gun—especially when labeling his little brother with a paltry $.01 cent tag.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Food

Review: Eating Animals

Jonathan Safran Foer has flirted with vegetarianism his entire life. Despite questioning the morality and cultural history of eating meat since childhood, the 32-year-old author of the popular novels Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close wavered between omnivore and vegetarian for years until he became a father.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Environment/Water

Review: Tapped

Screening as part of Ambler Theater’s Pennypack Sustainability Series on February 9. For information and tickets, visit amblertheater.org or call 215-345-7855
In recent years, bottled water has become something to avoid for sustainability-minded consumers.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Farming/Food/GridPhilly

Meadow Run Farm

The strongest prosthelytizing tool in a food sustainability advocate’s bag-o’-tricks might just be a farm fresh egg. Crack that thing open into a hot skillet and watch onlookers gasp in awe at a yolk the color of a perfect Florida orange.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Cooking/Food

Recipe: Humble and Hearty Vegetable Soup

by Dynise Balcavage, urbanvegan.net
Nothing is as comforting as being snowed in, puttering around the kitchen and making a huge pot of steaming soup. This filling soup uses pantry staples and humble vegetables. It’s a snap to make, nutritious and filling, and you can improvise, depending on what you have on hand. It also freezes well.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Food/GridPhilly

Libations: Dock Street Barley Wine

A perfect tipple for the dead of winter, Dock Street’s Barley Wine is the local brewer’s first foray into bottled beer. Produced and packaged on-site, this limited release is a complex burst of malty goodness.

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Cooking/Food

How to Braise

The best thing about cold weather is ending the day with a rich, hot plate of food. So, there is no better time for braising—the low and slow method of cooking that produces deep, comforting flavors. Meat is one of the more obvious choices for braising, but you can also use fish or vegetables.

January 20, 2010

2 mins read

#011 February 2010/Cooking/Food

Winter Fusion: A twist on an old stand-by

by Allison Kelsey, FarmToPhilly.comThis dish combines the savory melding of long cooking and the fresh, bright flavors of a quick spin on the stove.
Although the recipe is printed here, there’s room to improvise. If you’re not a big fan of mushrooms, substitute a vegetable (just be sure to add at the right time and not

January 20, 2010

2 mins read

#011 February 2010/Cooking/Farming/Food/Guides

Mushrooms

Only the hardiest souls flourish in the dead of winter. Far from the glimmer of spring, with little sun and no warmth, most reasonable organisms are hunkered down. Fortunately, mushrooms (like bloggers) don’t have much use for nice weather—they do just fine in the damp darkness of February. So, at a time of year when

January 20, 2010

1 min read

#011 February 2010/Food

Bánh-ding Experience: Grid traverses the city, sampling the vegetarian take on a Vietnamese staple

I should start this piece by disclosing some bias: I have Fu-Wah’s number saved in my cell phone. I use it for ordering takeout tofu hoagies—the timing is perfect if I dial right as I’m leaving my apartment. I have eaten at least a hundred from the beloved corner market in West Philly, and loved

January 20, 2010

2 mins read