Community Corner

New Leaf Calls for Holiday Recipe Submissions

New Leaf Community Markets offers residents the chance to have their favorite recipes published in the market's community cookbook.

Santa Cruz County residents have a chance to participate in a holiday, community cookbook, set to be released in November by . Only around 20 recipes will be accepted in total, and with an entry deadline of Sept. 23, potential contestants are encouraged to get their recipes in soon and participate.

The cookbook, which will appear in New Leaf's New Leaf Flavor magazine, will feature a 15-page spread of the selected recipes, and submitters of the published recipes will even win a prize, according to Naomi Dresser, marketing coordinator for New Leaf Community Markets.

“Don't hesitate to submit any recipe for any meal category,” Dresser said. “We're taking anything from breakfast to soup, salad, entrées and desserts, and if you're published, you'll receive a 25 dollar gift card, so that would be a perfect time to use it for your holiday shopping.”

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Dresser said New Leaf typically highlights one of their departments in their magazine each month, but that they decided to switch things up with a cookbook for the holiday season.

“[We thought] it was a good way to bring our community together and celebrate the abundance of fresh, local produce that we have, and share the recipes we've accumulated from either family or friends,” she said.

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A handful of recipes have already been submitted, and around 20 recipes will be accepted in total. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to create holiday-related dishes from any of the typical meal categories, including breakfast, lunch, appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, side dishes and desserts.

Dresser said recipes don't have to be specific to any holiday, but should detail dishes typically cooked during the fall season.

However, potential recipe participants shouldn't get too confident yet, Dresser said all recipes will be put through a cooking and taste test by New Leaf cooks, who will be ensuring that each recipe includes a list of solid ingredients, and that they measure up to the market's standards of using quality, local produce.

“We just want to make sure that they work, that all the ingredients are listed and that they turn out OK,” Dresser said. “We're not going to be super critical, but we want to make sure that the instruction can be followed and that all the ingredients are there. “

Although participants are welcome to be creative with their recipes, there are some general rules.

There's a limit of three recipe submissions per person, and they must either be from the participant's original material or must clearly state the source they came from. Ingredients should also come from New Leaf Community Markets, but Dresser said there are some exceptions.

“If it's something that we just don't have access to at our grocery store, that's fine, but for the most part sourcing from New Leaf is ideal [because] we want to encourage healthy and wholesome ingredients,” Dresser said.

Those interested in participating should submit their recipes through New Leaf's online form. For more information, check out New Leaf Community Market's cookbook information page.


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