Spicy, sweet and full of flavor–the Grange covers the range

We were happy to have a full house on Saturday, June 2nd, as our 2nd cooking workshop of the year drew 15 people, eager to sharpen their skills in making Indian dishes.   Delna Boyce, our volunteer teacher, kept everyone involved and active, and enjoying the results, too.   There’s a larger set of photographs in a new “Gallery” on the Grange website, click here to see more of them.

The dishes Delna demonstrated, and helped participants to make, are visible in the picture above, as some of the cooks start loading their plates:   Mango Lassi (mango + yogurt “smoothie”), Parathas (dry-fried flatbread), Pakoras (vegetables, chickpea flour & spices, fried), Green Herb Chutney (cilantro, mint, chilies & more), Aloo Gobi (curried potatoes & cauliflower), Basmati rice and Dal with Greens (legumes & vegetables).

Besides purchasing the ingredients (paid for by donations from the participants), Delna provided basic recipes and instructions for all the dishes, pre-cut a number of ingredients, and then helped everyone to get their hands on the mixing, blending, spicing, frying and boiling.  She explained ways to use more whole grains in Indian cooking, some gluten-free alternatives, and the difference between curry powder bought in little jars in the supermarket, and fresher, bulk herbs from the Hunger Mountain Co-op.  She encouraged everyone to adjust spiciness to their own preferences, and described the characteristics of various peppers, herbs and other spices.

All in all, it was a complete meal workshop, and both the people who cooked it, and the lucky Grange Potluck attendees got to enjoy the dishes they made.  Over the meals, there was much talk of future workshops–Delna may do an “advanced” Indian one, and participants talked about sharing French-Canadian dishes, pie-making and many other ideas.   If there is something you would like to share, from your own culinary heritage, or that you have learned from You-Tube, contact me or Merry, and we’ll try to make it happen.
The Grange is happy to see our facilities used to share skills, stories, traditions and flavors among the varied communities here in Central Vermont.

One of our decisions at our May meeting was that we would like to try some new songs–adding to our expanding repertoire.
We started singing alternatives to the Star-Spangled Banner in June, starting with “America the Beautiful”; we’ll sing alternates in even-numbered months, and the regular anthem in the odd-numbered ones.

We’ll also be saying the Pledge of Allegiance in the even-numbered months, and skipping it in the odd-numbered ones, following the guidelines of the Grange for opening meetings.

If you have another suggestion for an “alternate anthem”, please join us and bring the words and the tune, and we’ll join in!  Most Grange members love the singing we do, and we think there are more singers out there.

Reminder–we do skip the monthly business meetings and potluck dinners in July and August, when people are busy doing other things, but we’ll pick back up in September!
And during the summer, our Hall and our members and friends will be busy with events, improvements, plantings and more–I’ll be sending out Grange Notes to keep you up to date.   Please write in with suggestions or your own articles to be included!

1.  Go to   https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FDA-2018-D-0075, click on the first item in the list.  This is the version with the June 15, 2018deadline.  You can click on the regulation itself and read the text and other information.
2.   Then, you can click on the  Comment Now! button.  A page will come up with an area where a comment can be written.  You can even attach documents!
3.   Below the comment section, you can enter your name, or not (it will be labeled as “anonymous”).
4.  You can also choose to “Submit on behalf of” an association or organization.   If you check that box, you will be required to enter the name of an organization, like Capital City Grange #469.
5. And finally, you are required to identify yourself as part of a category–Individual consumer, or Association, or Animal Feed Industry, or many other choices.  Then you can click the “Submit” button, and your comment will be posted and considered as the FDA evaluates the need for revising the proposed rule.
OR:  you can submit a written comment to:

For written comments–BE SURE TO PUT IN THE LETTER:       Docket Number:   FDA-2018-D-0075

Let your voice be heard, whatever your opinion is!   The Grange always encourages members and other community members to have their say, on matters of policy and public interest.   We’re not partisan–but we are certainly not silent!