cracks." This new book is a reproduction'. of their eight existing issues. Don't buy it if you've been a long-time subscriber (you'.ve already got it)-do if you're new to the idea and want an interesting cut through an important aspect of living and working right livelihood. - Ld'eM from THE BRIARPATCH BOOK Soycrafters Association of North America ,, P.O. Box 76 Bodega, CA 94922 If you're interested in appropriate small business here's a new network of people involved in low-technology tofu and soymilk production in America. These folks are working to inform •people about the varieties and benefits of soyfoods, to network among producers, conduct workshops regionally and nationally on sharing technical and business skills, problems, and to publish a journal called Soycraft. ' Work on health and quality standards, access, legal aid, and research are also goals of this group. Sounds great! They now have available a list of tofu shops and soy dairies in the Western World as well as a catalog of tofu and soymilk equipment. -LS FOOD Food Preservation, Spring 1978, 28 pp., $3.00 from: Hunger Action ~enter Alas_ka Bldg., Rm. 200 Seattle, WA 98104 This study explores the financial considerations in preserving foods via: home canning, freezing, drying, and community canneries. Although food drying is ultimately the most economical method, most of thi~ study examine~ the processes and considerations involved in starting and operating a community canning center. It is a useful tool for comparing alternatives and setting up a canning center on an economic basis, but lacks consideration of an important aspect: the level of nutritional losses in each method studied. Contains a good bibliography.,-LS Carcinogen Information Program Center for the Biology of Natural Systems Washington University Box 1126 St. Louis, MO 63130 A new project to provide the public with reliable, understandable information about cancer-causing substances. The first two reports,issued cover the cancer-causing chemical compounds formed in copking hamburgers in certain common ways. Cooking methods, such as using frying pans, where the surface of the hamburger exceeded 300° F., and high-fat meat seem most dangerous, while slow cooking,in an electric - broiler got the best health rating. Notify CIP._if you wish to receive reports ~s issued. -TB New York City Garden Program Report, by Theo J. Kneip, 1978, from: David Call Cooperative Extension Service New York State, Roberts Ffhll Ithaca, NV 14853 There's long been a good deal of worry about the lead and cadmium contents of vegetables grown in urban environments. The Cornell University Cooper<!,tive Extensi9n Service has completed a study of garden and market vegetables which shows that being citygrown does "not present any apparent health hazard.',' Write for the full details. (From The Elements) -LdeM Average Cost/Year of Preserving 6 Dozen Quarts Prorated Over 10 Years $11.50 Drying 13.00 Home Canning 13.50 Community Cannery-Glass Jars 18.00 ,Community Cannery-Metal Cans 22.00 Freezing Locker 23.00 Custom Cannery 37.00 ~reezing-Home Freezer from FOOD PRESERVATION October 1978 RAIN Page 1 COOLit Living better than ever after more than · two years without a refrigerator has gotten us to question more closely our social fears about food preservation. The temperamental, short-lived, $500 monsters that sit in our kitchens drinking more energy than any other home appliance, and destroying our peacefulness with their gurgling, roaring and panting·day and night aren't as necessary as we seem to think. We're building an insulated cool box for our kitchen now, which past experience in our region says should keep even things like ·milk for several days except in the very hottest weather. . We've learned several things already about keeping "refrigerated" food; Milk, even when it has turned almost solid, is still safe, and fine for cooking (ever hear of sourdough bread?). Eggs keep for at least two weeks without any refrigeration. Cheeses are harmed by refrigeration. Dried milk can be used for cooking as well as drinking, and requires no refrigeration. Living with a minimum of refrigeration doesn't necessarily J11ean living any less safely, or much less conveniently, or eating k~s well. We probably throw out less leftover food now than when it molded in the' depths of our refrigerator. We're encouraged to plan meals more carefully, to _use fewer processed foods, and to become 'creative with leftovers. We still can indulge any whims for meat or ice cream-on market day-and it's more of a treat. ·what we'd like to know is more details ~n wher,e the real points of concern are: What's the real scoop on salmonella, ptomaine, etc. (looking in the dictionary for the spelling of ptomaine we just discovered that many forms are not.poisonous). What conditions cause them (fooq type, time, temperature, etc.), how to recognize the ways of neutralizing them (heat?), good tips on keeping various foods well. Some people have ~old us.that food poisoning is only a problem if we don't clean out our system when we do get sick from it. And even if many things can be kept safely without refrigeration, what about their nutritional quality (b.oth with and without refrigeration)? • •Any help? We'll write up what we hear back from you all. . -TB and LdeM
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