The Eye on the East Bay
BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
Posted: 07/23/2010 05:31:20 PM PDT
Updated: 07/23/2010 05:51:48 PM PDT

Last Tuesday's City Council meeting in Richmond was a marathon that covered some heavy duty topics, including putting a referendum on the Point Molate casino proposal on the November ballot and regulations on medical marijuana dispensaries.
But cannabis wasn't the only vegetation on the agenda. Some time around midnight — after a prolonged marijuana discussion and before dealing with a Point Molate ballot measure — the council unanimously passed a proposal by Councilman Tom Butt designating the perennial purple tree collard as the city's official green.
Butt's resolution cited the collard, a hybrid of the cabbage family, as a potential valuable source of easy to propagate, homegrown nutrition and noted its historic connection to the city. The resolution included a recipe for preparing the greens and Butt served samples to his colleagues.
The recipe, "Kristan's Famous Purple Tree Collards," relies on sauteed garlic and additional splashes of vinegar or lemon juice.
Councilman Nat Bates offered a joking critique: "Tom did an excellent job of cooking, but I think it would be valuable if he talked to (City Clerk) Diane (Holmes) or some of the other sisters, you just don't cook these greens without some baby fat. You gotta have some turkey necks, neck bones or hamhocks to go with it. You don't cook these collard greens (as) just plain collard greens. And next time, bring some hot sauce too."
Butt said he would put his collard greens up against anyone's recipe, adding, "Bring it on."