Get your vegetables on video Now through April 17, Twin Cities food co-ops are hosting a video contest, "My Co-op Rocks!," in which your short, engaging, informative, funny video about why you love your co-op might net you a MacBook, a mini digital camcorder or groceries. Use your cell phone cam or go high-def, then post your videos at www.MyCoopRocks.coop. Videos are viewed and voted on by the general public with almost $3,500 in prizes awarded to the top three "People's Choice" entries. A panel of judges will also score entries based on creativity, theme and overall appeal, with prizes awarded to the top three "Judges' Choice" entries. The deadline for submissions and online voting is 11:59 p.m. CST on April 17. For the rules -- and to see current videos -- go to the website. Aaaaaand roll 'em!
Find a career in food If "follow your passion" is starting to sound like a good Plan B for your foodie soul, then Irena Chalmers has a book and a blog for you. Her book "Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers" (Tower Books, $19.95) won the 2008 Gourmand Cookbook Award for best food book for U.S. food professionals. Her blog -- foodjobsbook.com/blog/ -- aims to suggest new ways to look at potential job opportunities in the food industry. Chalmers, a past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, notes ideas such as a woman who landed a job teaching table manners to culinary students, an herb grower selling herb bouquets for birthday gifts and restaurant centerpieces, a former butcher who caters whole suckling pig parties, and a nutritionist opening a cooking school for diabetics. You know what they say: The money will follow.
Food with a side of justice Who picks your lettuce? It's one of the questions that get at the complex issues linking U.S. immigration policies and their impact on how food is produced and distributed. "Immigration and Food Justice: A Multi-Faith Dialogue" is to bring together a panel of speakers from different faiths to talk about how the need for immigrant labor plays out against the values of justice and respect. The free and public discussion is Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Faith Mennonite Church, 2720 E. 22nd St., Minneapolis. Co-sponsors include the Islamic Center of Minnesota, Jewish Community Action, Bread for the World Upper Midwest Office, Oxfam Action Corps Minnesota, and the Land Stewardship Project.
Put a cork in it Well, here's kind of a cool idea. Erasable Ceramic Bottle Stoppers are cork stoppers whose over-wide top is a ceramic surface that you can write on. You can easily label the ingredients in a homemade vinegar, note the flavor of an olive oil, or jot tasting notes for a particular wine. The stoppers, showcased on Home & Garden Television, retail for $13 for three. They can be purchased online at www.placetile.com, by phone at 1-678-467-4776 or at specialty retailers. Placetile Designs also features writable/eraseable ceramic place cards and other table items.
KIM ODE
