Chocolate is an indulgence of course, but have you ever considered where and how it is made? Come and join us on February 11th at 1pm with Deanna Moore creator of Chocolatl. Deanna will be hosting a free presentation for us about the sustainable methods of growing, processing and preparing chocolate, from seed to mouth.
Be sure to sign up in advance, so we can reserve your spot!
Calling all future chefs! Join us February 11th from 10:30am to 12:00pm for our children’s cooking class, Farm to Fork. Pastry chef Elyssa Fournier, of Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine, will be teaching the kids how to make scones and fresh jam. Space is limited, so please sign up in advance. $15 members, $20 non-members.Parents may choose to stay through the duration of class or drop students off. Recommended for children ages 6 to 12.
Growing your own oyster mushrooms could not be easier with this perfectly packaged mushroom kit from Back to the Roots. Started by two friends in their last semester at UC Berkley, Back to the Roots was inspired by the idea of turning waste into fresh, local food. These mushrooms are grown entirely on recycled coffee grounds! Each box grows up to 1.5 lbs of pearl oyster mushrooms in as little as 10 days. We are proud to be carrying these delightful mushroom gardens in our exhibition and general store, Tools for Change.
Still in need a of a few gifts? We’ve got just the thing: preserves! The Ecology Center is now offering a delicious assortment of pickled veggies and jams from Happy Girl Kitchen. Our favorites are the dilly beans and apricot chutney, but there are so many to choose from. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, there is still time to do a bit of preserving yourself. There is nothing quite like receiving a homemade gift, especially one you can eat. We happen to have some excellent books to get you started. Stop by The Ecology Center this week; we’ll be open from 11am to 2pm all week!
Tools For Change is The Ecology Center’s new interactive exhibition that explores the myriad instruments—literal and figurative—that can be used to achieve positive ecological change and a culture of sustainability at the household and community level.
Healthy Home, Sustainable Community.
Tools For Change promotes healthy homes and a sustainable community by connecting people, products, ideas, and resources in five areas:
Tools For Kids
The Kids’ Zone is a play area and learning space for young people that encourages creativity, curiosity and ecological awareness. The space features a robust library of children’s books, videos, and other educational resources that celebrate sustainability and impart simple things kids can do to make a difference.
Pledge. Do. Share.
Tools For Change is a highly interactive experience that offers opportunities for anyone to make a difference, big or small. The exhibition challenges visitors to:
In addition to being interactive and educational, Tools For Change is a self-sustaining social enterprise venture. The sales of featured household tools, products, and books will directly benefit The Center’s expansive portfolio of unique eco-educational programming.
Tools For Change is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays (starting December 3rd), from 11 AM – 5 PM, and by reservation for school groups Monday through Friday.
Roasted Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients:
-2-3 lbs of winter squash (butternut, kabocha, hubbard, pumpkin, etc), quartered and seeds removed
-1 medium onion, skin removed and quartered
-3 cloves of garlic
-olive oil
-4 cups vegetable stock
-fresh thyme
-salt and fresh ground pepper
-half and half or heavy cream to finish (optional)
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-On a roasting pan, toss the squash, onions, garlic and a few sprigs of fresh thyme in enough olive oil to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
-Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
-Remove from oven and carefully remove the skin from the squash.
-Put the squash (skin removed), onions and garlic in a soup pot and add 2 cups of vegetable stock.
-Using an immersion blender (this can also be done in a blender), blend the soup until it’s smooth. Add more stock to desired consistency.
-Add salt, pepper and more thyme to taste. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
-Before serving, drizzle heavy cream or extra virgin olive oil on top.
-Enjoy!
Saturday, October 29, is our first ever Ecotoberfest! New Belgium Brewing’s own Matty Gilliand will be here to talk about making award winning, sustainably produced beers. Join us as we sample a unique collection of New Belgium Brewing’s finest and snack on the perfect Ecotoberfest pairing of pretzels and mustard courtesy of Ryan Wilson of SideDoor.
Getting to know Matty Gilliand of New Belgium Brewing….
After through-hiking the Colorado trail at age 18, Matty “Smooth” Gilliland came back with a big gnarly beard that worked better than any fake ID, and began sampling every craft brew available during the craft brewery explosion of the early ‘90s. Shortly after turning 21, he joined the brewing industry and never looked back, devoting his entire adult life to producing the highest quality craft beers. For the past 14 years he’s been with New Belgium Brewing Company, first as a brewer and now leading the process development group, building systems that can make the same great beer using less water and energy, and creating less waste.
In the spirit of Oktoberfest, we are proud to announce The Ecology Center’s first ever Ecotoberfest. Join us Saturday, October 29th from 3-5pm, for an exclusive beer talk and tasting with New Belgium Brewing’s own Matty Gilliand. Hear from an expert about making award winning, sustainably produced beers and taste a unique collection of New Belgium Brewing’s finest. Ryan Wilson of SideDoor is providing the perfect Oktoberfest pairing of pretzels and mustard.
Ticket prices
Members…..$15
Non-Members…..$25
Tickets include all tastings, light fare and a take-home pint glass made exclusively for the event.
Sign up online or by calling 949.443.4223
All ages are welcome, but you must be 21 or older to participate in the tasting.
Saturday afternoon we celebrated the beginning of the fall harvest with our October Farm to Fork program. We lit up the wood burning oven and Chef Ryan from SideDoor taught the children how to make some truly delicious pizza! Starting with a walk around the gardens, the children harvested some beautiful fall veggies and herbs to top their pizza creations. Not wanting to leave anyone, or thing for that matter, out of the fun, the children harvested a little extra and stopped by the coop to give the chickens a snack. Then it was down to business making as many individual pizzas as the children (and adults) could eat. The delectable toppings included fire roasted tomato sauce, sauteed chard with garlic, roasted eggplant and red peppers, burrata, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and oregano. Courtesy of one of the hens, we even made a pizza topped with an egg! Many thanks to all of the children and parents who participated, we couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant bunch! Also thanks to Chef Ryan and SideDoor for creating such an incredible Farm to Fork experience! Join us next month for sourdough bread baking!
The weekend is almost upon us and we’ve got some exciting things happening. First, the Laguna Beach County Water District has invited us down to their SmartScape Info/Expo to show off our newly finished mobile exhibition, The Watershed. Continuing the conversation about where our water comes from and how we use it, The Watershed is an interactive, educational experience for all ages. Stop by and see us; we’ll be there from 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Farm to Fork is back with Chef Ryan O’Melveny Wilson of SideDoor. Bring the kids and join us for our much loved youth culinary experience. Starting in our veggie garden and ending in the outdoor kitchen, children will learn how to prepare a simple meal with Chef Ryan. Parents may choose to stay throughout the duration of class or drop students off. Ages 6 through 12, please. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. Call 949.443.4223 or visit us here to reserve your child’s space!
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