CSA directory available

One reliable sign of spring is news that it's time to start reserving a share in a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm today. (Community supported agriculture is an arrangement where consumers buy shares in a farming operation for the summer, and receive a weekly supply of fresh produce.) The Land Stewardship Project's 2015 Twin Cities, Minnesota and Western Wisconsin Region CSA Farm Directory includes information on 66 farms that deliver to locations for pickup. For a free copy, visit www.landstewardshipproject.org or call 612-722-6377. Free paper copies are also available at the Land Stewardship Project's south Minneapolis office (612-722-6377), as well as the organization's offices in Montevideo, Minn., (1-320-269-2105) and Lewiston, Minn. (1-507-523-3366).

Cuban on trend

Cub Foods recently polled Minnesotan food people for their opinions on foods and cooking techniques that will rise to prominence in 2015. The top trends that emerged in its Food Trend Forecast Survey included Cuban food, the return of the dinner party and wild game. The local food experts said that the popularity of foods with "clean" ingredient lists — think shortlists with few or no artificial ingredients — is expected to grow, while consumption of bacon and doughnuts is expected to decline. Thumbs up to high-protein meals with grass-fed meats, seafood, nuts and fresh produce, with grass-fed beef and bison, and wild game such as venison, rabbit and duck becoming more common entrees.

Contest offers culinary tuition

Rachael Ray is launching a competition in concert with the International Culinary Center to find men and women looking for a "fresh start" in a culinary career. The winner will receive full tuition to either the six-month day or nine-month evening program at the ICC in New York City. Contestants ages 21 or older must submit a short video of them cooking a favorite recipe, with further steps to follow as finalists. To enter, you must be an amateur who has not been paid to cook on a regular basis in the past five years and who has not previously enrolled or graduated from an accredited culinary or pastry program. Entries will be accepted through March 23. For full details, go to RachaelRayShow.com and click on the "tuition competition" logo.

More granola!

Minnesota food entrepreneurs continue to thrive. This week brings word of a new granola flavor offered up by the Ely couple behind Crapola! granola. Kissy Poo is a chocolate-tinged blend of rolled oats, almonds, cocoa powder, coconut oil and freeze-dried raspberries. Brian Strom, who called himself the "chief granola officer," said the flavor is their way of showing that food that's good for you also can taste good. And, in the gastrointestinal spirit of their three other flavors — original Crapola!, Number Two and Colon-ial Times — Kissy Poo demonstrates once again how, once you commit to a concept, there's no flinching allowed. The granola is available in many co-ops, Lunds, Byerly's and Kowalski's. To learn more, visit www.crapola.us.

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