Newsletter Dec. 12

Pete's Greens Good Eats Newsletter Dec. 12, 2007

This week's share includes: a small bunch of leeks, kohlrabi, mixed potatoes, mixed beets, shallots, festival or red kuri squash, popcorn, Oyster or Shitake mushrooms, organic raw honey, organic yogurt, Elmore Mtn. bread (organic unbleached flour with germ, salt, water, sourdough starter), organic Quebec rolled oats


Notes and Localvore Goodies

As we enter the second half of the share, there are a few updates and notes to share with you. Most importantly, please note we will not be distributing a share on December 26, 2007. Next week, December 19, we will have a bonus share with lots of localvore goodies, including cranberries, organic butter, organic apple cider, cave aged clothbound cheddar from Jasper Hill, and some more of the organic Quebec grains. The next share will be January 2, 2008.

We are beginning to plan the next share period that begins on Feb. 20. We are still sorting through the legal issues but are actively considering providing raw apple cider and raw milk in our Feb.-June share. Raw cider would replace our currently pasteurized cider in the Vegetable/Localvore share. Raw milk would be offered as a separate share by itself. So, I want to hear from you! Do you want to have access to raw cider and milk through Good Eats? Do you have health concerns about either product? Do you think this is a good direction for Good Eats to take (providing harder to source, more delicious and nutritious but potentially controversial foods?) Please e-mail all responses to pete@petesgreens.com

I have been working on the newsletter formatting and hope that it is legible for all of you this week. If it is full of symbols and nonsense, please email heather@petesgreens.com. You can also read the newsletters at petesgreens.blogspot.com. There, you will find previous newsletters, related articles, and recipes. Check it out!

An important issue came up this past week concerning the vinegar from Reed Miller. As mentioned, and written on the label, it’s from Dummerston (north of Brattleboro). We have consistently attempted to source our localvore food from within 100 miles of Craftsbury and Reed's vinegar falls outside that circle. While we'd prefer to source all localvore food from within 10 miles of Craftsbury (and perhaps someday we will!) we feel that important products not available within the 100 mile radius are still worth including. Production of local food of all types is an evolving process. You (Good Eats customers) are an important stimulus that is creating more and better markets for localvore producers, and I suspect that it won't be long before we can enjoy vinegar from much closer to home.

Once again, we have some fabulous localvore items for this week. The oyster (grey, blue and yellow) and shitake mushrooms are from Amir Habib in Colchester, VT, Organic raw honey from Northwoods Apiaries in Westfield, VT, Butterworks organic yogurt, also from Westfield, and bread from Elmore Mountain Bread, made with organic flour from Quebec. I also have packed up 5# bags of Quebec grown and milled organic rolled oats.

Storage and Use Tips

Leeks: Leeks are good keepers in a bag in the fridge if you don’t use them right away. Should the outside start to look spotty, don’t despair. You can peel back a few layers and the inside will still be fine. Use all of the white and light green of the leeks. The very dark green is good for use in stock.

Potatoes: Keep in a dark cool location. They will turn green when exposed to even indirect light.

Winter squash: Stores best at about 50 degrees. Red Kuri tends to have a thinner skin and may not keep as long as others. If it does develop a spot, just cut it off, the rest is usually fine.

Popcorn: This is Pete’s own popcorn and we are thrilled to have it for Good Eats. Last week Melissa popped a test ear in the microwave (which you can do without removing the kernels from the cob). Unfortunately, she didn’t have it in a bag and there was a popcorn explosion! Put it in a paper bag and tape it closed. If you don’t have a microwave, like me, you should be able to twist the corn off of the cob. Start on the fat end of the ear and work a few kernels off the ear by slowly spinning the ear inside your tightly clasped hand. Once you remove a few kernels the rest comes off more easily. Once the kernels are removed you can use it like any popcorn.

Recipes

Perhaps you have a growing collection of beautiful winter squash and pumpkins decorating your counter top. They are stored sunshine on these snowy dark days. Here are a couple of yummy dishes, one with a southwestern flavor, the other East Indian. Other dishes I’ve made recently include roasted squash and black bean burritos, roasted squash soup, and simple steamed mashed squash with maple syrup and butter.

COLACHE

¼ c oil

4 cups cubed peeled squash

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp cumin powder

1 pepper, chopped

1 fresh hot pepper, minced or dry chile pepper to taste

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes or equivalent of frozen tomatoes, chopped

1 c frozen corn

1 tsp salt, to taste

Sauté squash in oil in a dutch oven or deep wide skillet for 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic and cumin. Continue cooking 5 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer gently about 20 minutes, until tender. Add water, if necessary.

Adapted from The Best from New Mexico Kitchens

BRAISED SQUASH WITH INDIAN SPICES

3 # winter squash, peeled and cubed

¼ c oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp each cumin, coriander

½ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt, to taste

1 c water

1 tomato, diced (frozen works great)

3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, black pepper blend)

Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Heat oil in a dutch oven and sauté onion, garlic, ginger, spices and mustard seeds. Cook until the seeds start to pop around. Add the salt, water, tomato maple syrup and squash. Simmer until squash is tender, covered for the first 15 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and cilantro, mashing the squash a bit if you’d like.

Adapted from The New American Cooking

And the kohlrabi, what to do with those big green or purple orbs? In the Farmer John’s Cookbook, there’s a great idea for making hash browns. Peel and shred the kohlrabi as you would potatoes. Squeeze out excess moisture in a dish towel. Combine 2 eggs, 1 diced small onion, 2 tbsp bread crumbs, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ginger powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Mix in the kohlrabi. Heat a griddle with a bit of butter. Fry up patties of the mixture, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

You could also make fabulous mashed potatoes and kohlrabi. Oh, and add some sautéed leeks, too. Yum!

Happy Cooking!

Heather

Pete's Greens at Craftsbury Village Farm

266 S. Craftsbury Rd, Craftsbury, Vermont 05826

802-586-2882, #2

www.petesgreens.com