Don Genova's Blog

This week on Food For Thought, meet the man who helped put farmers and their produce back in the cities of North America.  Barry Benepe  co-founded the Greenmarket program in New York City, and was just awarded the first Jane Jacobs Medal for Lifetime Leadership.  To listen to my stroll through New York’s Union Square Green Market with Barry, click here for the 6-minute documentary. 

In New York City, farmers markets had all but disappeared by the 1930’S.

Fast forward 40 years. Barry Benepee and another man, Bob Lewis, found it hard to believe they couldn’t easily buy New York State produce in New York City. And the city was looking for help to rescue Union Square.  So, the Greenmarket system was born.

It wasn’t that easy. The Union Square market took about four years to really take off. Other markets have opened then closed, and there were always the not-in-my-backyard people.

This market is clearly a success. All around the square are farmers and food producers doing a brisk business with the best of the season. The customers get to know the farmers and their produce, the farmers make a much better living than if they had to involve a middleman.

Ironically, the relationship between Barry Benepe and the late Jane Jacobs, the urban visionary Barry’s award is named after, was not always so sweet. Although Jacobs lived in Toronto for most of the last years in her life, in the past she and Barry clashed on a particular Manhattan urban renewal project.

He does admire the work of Jane Jacobs, though, and feels that she would appreciate the vitality the green market system has brought to New York City, and far beyond.  Since I moved to Vancouver about 12 years ago, I have seen four seasonal farmers markets spring up, and this year there will even be an indoor winter market every other week.  If you have a farmers market in your urban community, make sure you visit.  It’s good for the farmers, good for your health, and the health of your city.

This week on Food For Thought, a profile of new Food Network cooking show host Anthony Sedlak.  His new show is called The Main.  To listen to my 5-minute documentary feature click here for the mp3 audio file.

According to the Food Network’s bio of Anthony, he grew up in North Vancouver, BC and started in the hospitality industry at age thirteen, working as a bus boy at Grouse Mountain Resorts ltd. Anthony’s first taste of the kitchen was working as Line Cook, where he was soon promoted to Production Cook. By 15, Anthony became the youngest cook ever to be proficient on all stations at the restaurant. He has enjoyed great success at the resort’s high-end restaurant, The Observatory, working his way up from 2nd cook to 1st cook and then Chef de Partie, all the while completing the Culinary Art Program at Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver. At age 24, Anthony is at the helm of the Observatory restaurant kitchen brigade. He represented Canada at the Hans Bueschken World Junior Chef Challenge in Auckland, New Zealand, March 2006.

In June 2006, Anthony participated in and won the Superstar Chef Challenge on Food Network. That led to him getting his show, The Main, as you can hear in the documentary.

This week on Food For Thought, the latest in the world of tea, including the Brew-T, the gadget you see in the photo here. The Brew-T was brought to Canada by Bob Krul at Cornelia Bean Tea and Coffee Emporium in Winnipeg.  If you want to listen to the mp3 of this week’s 6-minute documentary, click here.

Here’s a shot of Bob holding the Brew-T. It really works well with loose leaf tea, or drip-style ground coffee.  It’s best to use a clear glass mug or glass with it, so you can see the level as you approach the top of the mug.  You put the Brew-T on top of the mug, and the rim triggers an ingenious little drip-proof valve to pour directly into the container. 

My tour guide for the Tea Expo was Louise Roberge, president of the Tea Association of Canada.  If you want to read about the health benefit claims that are now approved by Health Canada, you can read this press release from the Tea Association.

And if you want to start your own specialty tea shop or lounge, contact Brendan Waye, the Tea Guy.  He has helped found at least six different specialty tea shops in Canada and has all the info you need to cash in on the boom of tea drinking!