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qnotes
arts, entertainment, news, views.
Enjoying the
fall garden's
bountiful
Locally grown produce makes
for yummy fall treats
W hen the calendar turns to fall months,
temperatures drop and local football teams
come to mind. With the approach of the cooler
weather, many of us also begin to yearn for the
warmth of comfort foods like hearty soups and
stews or freshly baked pies, but these traditional
favorites need not be boring and unhealthy. A
modern take on comfort foods uses what is fresh
and available during the season, but also explores
new ingredients and stretches your imagination
to look at old ingredients or recipes in new ways.
Regardless of where in the country you live,
fall produce is becoming abundantly available.
For some regions, families have begun making
their annual pilgrimage to the local orchard to
pick apples or pears, and pumpkins are maturing
in the backyard garden waiting to be turned into
jack-o-lanterns. But even if these crops aren't
possible to grow in your area, fresh autumn fa
vorites like pumpkins, apples, parsnips and kale
are still most likely making frequent appearances
at local farmers markets and grocery stores.
Roast them, stew them, can them or bake
them. Pumpkin, squash, root vegetables, apples
and pears make for great cuisine that the whole
family can enjoy. For a new take on old favorites,
try adding rutabaga slices to your au gratin po
tato recipe or pop some cubed squash in while
cooking up your family's favorite beef stew.
•Get the whole family involved and take the
kids along to the market to find new vegetables
to sample. Getting everyone interested in new
flavors can be exciting. Sample some unfamiliar
items and find new favorites. Kids will enjoy
see Local on 11
Oct. 29-Nov. 11,2011. Vol 26, No 13. FREE.
goqnotes.com
Women's frat
builds bonds
Chi Psi Omega strives for community service
by Matt Comer :: matt@goqnotes.com
T heir motto is "Forged in fire, from the ashes we rise," and Mel Dixon, Mecca
Kerr, Samantha Mercer and Diana Nutter are bound and determined to make a
positive impact.
The four lesbian women of Chi Psi Omega Fraternity say they were inspired to
create their new group after not-so-pleasant experiences in another.
"We'd all pledged and crossed into another LGBT Greek organization that just
didn't work out for us," says Nutter, the fraternity's treasurer. "So, we decided to
start our own."
Chi Psi Omega isn't a collegiate fraternity. The group's members say that doesn't
really matter.
"I don't really think there's a big difference between social and collegiate frater
nities," says Dixon, Chi Psi Omega's events chair. "We're all out here for the same
cause. I do think with us being a social fraternity we can reach more people outside
of a school and do more in a community."
But, the fraternity does differ from other traditional Greek organizations. Unlike
other groups for women, Chi Psi Omega isn't called a "sorority" and they refer to
their members as "brothers." The group, the co-founders say, is meant to provide
a comfortable place to interact with and support other dominant, lesbian women.
Regardless of the differences, the results are the same and the group's members
stress unity and community service.
"Our purpose is to come together for all the community — not just the gay or
straight communities — and try to bridge the gaps," Nutter says.
Founded in June, the group has already participated in an array of fundraisers
and community service projects. They've held a carwash benefit for the Regional
AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) and was able to raise money for school supplies
for children at Elon Homes. They've even joined the city's Adopt-a-Street program,
pledging to take care of Hamilton St — right in front of the LGBT Community Center
of Charlotte at the NC Music Factory.
"Community service is huge for me," says Mercer, the fraternity's president "It's
the small things we do that make a big impact in the community."
Chi Psi Omega has embarked on a mission to recruit new members. They say the
group needs to grow so that it can have a larger, more positive impact
see Lesbians on 16
Community members took to the streets of downtown Winston-Salem on Saturday,
Oct. 15 for their inaugural, locally-produced LGBT Pride festival and parade. The
events were a first since the Twin City hosted the statewide NC Pride in 1996.
Organizers said 5,000 attended the events with relatively few protesters.
Read the story on page 9.
anniversary
1986-2011