Pete’s Greens Good Eats Newsletter February 13, 2008

This week’s Vegetable Localvore share includes:

Shallots, carrots, purple potatoes, turnip, popcorn, tomatoes, camembert, sprouts, Macintosh apples, mushrooms.

Root share includes:

Cabbage, rainbow roots, daikon radish, potatoes

Root share-holders: check out last week’s newsletter for a miso soup recipe with daikon and cabbage!

Notes and Localvore Goodies

So here it is, the last delivery for this share. Is this your last share? Pete and I were discussing the new green house on Sunday when he was going to sow some seeds for greens and even a few early tomatoes! He plans on cutting early greens in a month, plumber willing. If you’re as excited about that as I am, please don’t delay. Sign up for the new share and spread the word; downloadable form available on our website: http://petesgreens.com/files/FebJune_2008_CSA_sign_up.htm

Hi Folks, Thanks for being members of the the Oct.-Feb. share period. We really appreciate your support and hope that you enjoyed the food we provided. Much credit goes to our amazing group of localvore providers. Not only do they grow and make a tremendous diversity of great food in this challenging climate but many have become close friends and active participants in Good Eats.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the share evaluation form. Don't be shy with your comments and criticisms. Our goal is to make Good Eats better and better and you will not hurt our feelings.
Our new greenhouse project continues to plug along. We are finally getting through major trouble with a plumber that set us back 2 weeks. First seeds of the year were planted on Sunday and more are soon to follow. We have gotten alot done but have another busy couple months of finishing all the details to make the space perfect. Pete

We have a number of localvore items for sale, first come, first served. Please email heather@petesgreens.com to order. Left column indicates the # available.

5 Cider Vinegar Qt $4.05

8 Honey 13 oz $6.00

6 Maple Cream 8 oz $7.30

6 Cornmeal 2# $2.25

8 Mixed Cracked Grains 3# $2.00

6 Yellow Peas 3# $2.00

7 Barley 3# $1.60

4 Pastry WW Flour 3# $2.00

8 Bread WW Flour 5# $3.25

5 Rolled Oats 5# $3.75

The localvore items for this week are, as usual, just terrific.

Camembert! Here is some information about Blythedale Farm I found on the Vermont Cheese Council website; www.vtcheese.com

For over 100 years, the old barn at Blythedale Farm has been a focal point of the village of Cookeville, Vermont. A much newer barn houses the 40 or so Jersey cattle in their herd. These cows supply all of the milk for Blythedale Farm's Cheeses: Vermont Brie, Camembert Vermont, Green Mountain Gruyere, Cookeville Grana and Jersey Blue.

They hand-ladles all their cheeses, using only whole milk. Their soft cheeses, Brie and Camembert, require a great deal of 'hands on' care and are considered the most difficult of cheeses to make. Their Green Mountain Gruyere and Cookeville Grana are small natural rind wheels made from unpasteurized milk. They are excellent grating cheeses and are a good additive in cooking; as well as having a lovely flavor that stands well alone. The Green Mountain Gruyere has been judged first in its class several times by the American Cheese Society. The Jersey Blue is made in the style of Stilton. Unlike other blues which are generally made from skimmed milk, the whole, unpasteurized milk makes a dense, creamy curd with a delightful flavor, which is enhanced by the Roquefort mold. The American Cheese Society's annual cheese judging has judged Jersey Blue best in its class (Blue-Veined) and Reserve Grand Champion of the Entire Show!

All of Blythedale Farm's Cheeses are free from added animal enzymes and are made with a microbial rennet. Be assured that the cows who live at Blythedale Farm have a good home. They are cared for with love and respect and live in a clean, comfortable stable, with year round outdoor access. Their stress-free (and rBST-free, although law requires me to say that this makes no difference) lives create a milk with delicious flavor.

Sprouts! This is our last delivery of Gourmet Greens Sprouts. It’s been a great addition to the share. We will have Pete’s own sprouts for the upcoming share period.

Macintosh apples! From our good friends at Champlain Orchard. You can learn all about them at www.champlainorchards.com

Mushrooms! These are just beautiful organic Shitake and Oyster mushrooms. I am not a mushroom lover, but I can’t deny their beauty. Amir Habib grows these for us in Colchester VT.

Storage and Use Tips

You might be tempted to save up these last vegetables, but there’s no need! We still have plenty more, and fresh greens, like pac choi, salad, herbs, and sprouts on the way before you know it!

Don’t forget, newsletters are archived at petesgreens@blogspot.com, with lots of tips and recipes.

Recipes

Here’s a delicious sounding recipe from members Al and Pam. I knew I had to include it this week with the mushrooms from Amir!

Mixed Grains Pilaf

I've finally perfected this cracked grains pilaf recipe using the mixed grains

from the shares a few weeks ago -- It has a nice perfume and goes well with roast

chicken or pork. You can make it in the oven with the roast.

AL's MIXED GRAINS PILAF

1 1/2 cups cracked mixed grains

3 1/4 cups chicken stock

8 tbls (1 stick) butter or half butter & Olive or other oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

5-6 oz. sliced mushrooms

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 (1 ¼ hour in oven, ¼ hour prep)

Sautee grains in 4 tblsp butter, using a heavy frying pan on medium low, until golden

(about 5 mins.) Meanwhile chop onions. Pour grain into covered casserole, such as corning glassware. Sautee chopped onions in 2 tblsps butter on low heat until soft, about 5 mins. Meanwhile slice ‘srooms. Pour onion into casserole. Sautee sliced mushrooms in remaining oil on low heat until water evaporates, adding salt & pepper to taste, about 5 mins. Add to casserole. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock warmed in microwave 2 mins. or in saucepan to casserole. Cover and bake 30 mins.

Add another 1 1/2 cups chicken stock warmed in microwave 2 mins. or in saucepan

to casserole. Cover and bake 30 mins. Add the remaining 1/4 cup warmed stock and

bake the last 15 minutes covered. Stir well and serve.

-- AL & Pam

Macs are lovely for baked apples, and nothing could be simpler. This isn’t so much a recipe as a method:

Baked apples

Core apples, leaving them intact. This means, just scoop out the core the best you can. Place in a baking dish and drizzle the inside of each with maple syrup, a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, and add a pat of butter. Pour an inch of hot water into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until tender, but not exploded! So delicious with ice cream or sweet cream, whipped or not.

Happy Cooking!

Heather

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