|
|
MUGS ARE HERE!! For the Summer CSA sign-up, we ran a special - sign up for one of our veggie shares, pay by June 9, and get a free Pete's Greens coffee mug. At most of the sites, mugs were delivered last week. The rest of the sites will be delivered this week. Please check the mugs to see if your name is on one! Mugs are individually labeled.
|
Localvore Members
& Regular Veggie Only Share Members
take a LIGHT GREEN BAG
This week your bag contains:
Mesclun, Red Leaf Lettuce, Scallions, Garlic Scapes, Parsley, Rainbow Carrots, Zucchini (or Summer Squash), New Potatoes, and
Out of the Bag:
Tomatoes
|
Half Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:
Mesclun, Parsley, Garlic Scapes, European Cucumber, Mixed Radishes, Broccoli, Rainbow Carrots, and New Potatoes
|
Localvore Offerings Include:
Les Ailiments Massawippi Tamari
Morningstar Farm Jacob's Cattle Beans
Adam's Berry Farm Raspberries
|
|
|
KINGDOM FARM AND FOOD DAYS - AUGUST 19
Join us for an Open Farm Day, Saturday, August 19
11 am - 2 pm
As part of Kingdom Farm and Food Days, and Vermont's Open Farm Week, we're opening our doors to YOU!
Come visit us for food, wagon rides, tours, and fun! We'll have a smorgasboard from NECI of food produced with our veggies plus a local cheese buffet and meats from VT99. Eden Iced Cider will be here with drink tastings.
This is all a part of a free weekend full of celebration and good eating around the Northeast Kingdom. Check out the full schedule of events here.
See you at the farm!
|
|
|
|
Around the Farm
It isn't always easy to run a farm. The regulatory environment continues to have a stronghold over what much of agricultural producers are doing. This morning, we had a GAP audit to certify our farm uses Good Agricultural Practices. These audits happen annually. It involves crew training, cleaning, and a lot of reminders about what we're already doing to keep your food healthy and clean. GAP is an audit based program run by the USDA and the FDA to address food safety concerns. The audits ensure we observe practices leading to a minimized possibility of microbial contamination.
Earlier this summer, VOF (Vermont Organic Farmers) conducted a surprise organic test, meaning they showed up one day and tested our soil. We passed with flying colors (as expected!) and no issues were found with our soil, our seeds, our crops, or our facility; our farm continues to be certified organic according to the principles laid out by VOF. This certification ensures our farm is following the standards regulated by the USDA's National Organic Program.
All organic farms have to apply for organic certification on an annual basis, and have an annual inspection by the certifying organization, but the organization also has the ability to conduct unannounced visits. The inspectors are third-parties hired to conduct independent verifications of farms and processing facilities.
It's all complex and a web of rules and standards, but it's worth it for us because of the inherent practices our farm uses. And it's exciting to share with our members that our organic certification is never in doubt!
~ Taylar
|
Storage and Use Tips
Mesclun: This week's greens are a mix of lettuces, baby kale, baby mustard, and baby beet greens. The greens are pre-washed and ready to eat. Keep greens in your fridge and use within a week.
Potatoes: New potatoes are here! These days, every week we continue to have a new veggie ready to send out. This week it's potatoes. New potatoes are different from our winter storage potatoes. They're going to be tender with a soft, thin skin. The potatoes are coming to you handwashed (yep, that's a lot of potatoes to hand wash!). They're not scrubbed, so they may be a little dirtier than we would normally send, but we're also making sure the skin is on them. You may want to give them a nice clean before cooking. They don't take a lot of cooking to be delicious. You should store them in the fridge if you don't intend to eat right away. Because they're not storage potatoes, they haven't been cured and don't have a long shelf life.
Broccoli (half shares): There's not a whole lot to say about this powerhouse veggie! Try blanching the broccoli for a scant 1 to 2 minutes in boiling water or steam for about 2 minutes. Raw broccoli requires circulation so wrap it loosely in a damp paper towel and refrigerate. Try to use within 2 - 3 days. The stems are full of rich nutrients so you can eat the whole thing.
Carrots: They are bunched and a rainbow of colors - yellow, orange, and purple. Every time I eat one of Pete's carrots I am blown away at how great they taste - so much better than your standard carrot. My new favorite way to cook these is to cut them into roughly 2" pieces, coat in oil, and enfold into a foil packet and throw on the grill until soft. And, the greens are edible! As I have been packing these up, I've been thinking about what to do with the plentiful carrot tops. A pesto is always nice with them, which I freeze and use on pizzas throughout the winter. You can also saute them or eat them raw.
Parsley: Much more than a garnish, parsley has lots to offer. Chopped parsley can be sprinkled on a host of different recipes, including salads, vegetable sautés and grilled fish. Combine chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, and use it as a rub for chicken, lamb and beef. Add it to soups and tomato sauces. It is a key flavor ingredient in the mediterranean dish tabouli (I felt compelled to add the recipe below). Parsley is one of those vegetables with huge nutritional benefits, even when using just a couple tablespoons of the minced green. The vitamin content is very high (particularly vitas A, C, K, and folic acid). And what's more, the activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens. Some of you will receive flat leaf parsley while others will receive curly parsley.
Half shares will get either French Breakfast or Easter Egg Radishes this week. They're both gorgeous radishes that look great as-is on a crudite plate, and their beautiful color makes for artistic tartines, just with bread, butter, and salt. Chop and top tacos with them for added crunch and zing. Roasting will bring out their sweetness. Toss both radishes and their greens into stir-fries and salads for a nice burst of flavor.
Zucchini or Summer Squash (full shares): This time of year, tender zukes and summer squash are a great treat. Store unwashed in the crisper. Use in a few days. Try grating them, and saute lightly in butter. Or eat them raw in salads. Shred them and mix into muffins or other baked goods. The possibilities are endless!
Tomatoes (full shares only): Tomatoes are out of your veggie bags and in a separate paper bag. Please, only take 1 bag of tomatoes! You'll receive either a bag of red tomatoes or pink tomatoes, and a few of you will have red tomatoes with a couple small pink ones. Each bag is about 1 pound. Store tomatoes at room temperature - never in the fridge.
Garlic Scapes: Use as you would use garlic - when sauteeing eggs or veggies, as a garnish, as a pesto, coated in olive oil and thrown on the grill, or chop up and freeze in a plastic bag. They're great come winter!
Veggie Storage and Use Tips are on our website too, so please bookmark the recipe and storage tip section. I am sure you will find it useful.
|
Changes to Your Delivery?
If you will be away some upcoming week and need to make changes to your share delivery, let us know at least 1 week before the change. You can have your share donated to the Food Shelf or you can skip your share delivery and you will retain a credit on your account toward the purchase of your next share.
Sorry, we cannot make changes to the week's delivery after 9 am on Monday.
|
Localvore Lore
A little bit of a hodge-podge localvore week... we're doing some insulation of our coolers and needed to empty out the one that stores this tamari. That, plus the seasonal treat of raspberries meant some shuffling of localvore items. Enjoy this assortment!
The tamari comes from North Hatley, Canada, from Suzanne and Gilbert, owners of Les Aliments Massawippi. They make very fine, semi precious miso and miso-damari (aka tamari). Tamari literally means liquid pressed from soybeans, and for centuries it meant the thick brown liquid that pooled in casks of fermenting soybean miso. This tamari was a rare delicacy reserved for special occasions. The tamari in the share today was made by this slow natural process. It is an unpredictable process in terms of flavor and yield.
 Eventually producers learned to brew tamari-like liquid soy sauce that had similar characteristics as the original by-product of miso. Most high end tamari is brewed from whole soybeans, sea salt, water, and koji (Aspergillus hacho) rather than pressed from naturally fermented miso. The newer method is a fast way to turn out a fairly consistent product that is similar to but not nearly the quality of the real thing. Commercial soy sauces (even some labeled as shoyu or tamari) are another step down and are usually made from soybeans that have been defatted with hexane, a petroleum derivative, and even added wheat. Other common shortcuts are artificial fermentation methods including genetically engineered enzymes. Most soy sauce is actually caramel colored water with lots of salt, hydrochloric acid treated soy isolate, and sugar added.
This Soy Oats/Barley Tamari is pretty special and rare. It is a live food and has never been pasteurized, with a fuller richer flavor than soy sauce. One of our vegetarian share members, who received the tamari in a prior share, commented that she hoarded it, only using it a teaspoonful at a time. It really is that much better than soy sauce. You can use it to flavor stir fries, sauces, salad dressings, soups, grains and more. Please transfer to a small glass jar for best quality and store in your fridge. It will last a very long time.
It is important to note that like miso, sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods, tamari is alive with lactobacilli. These microscopic bacteria are good for your digestive system, but can be easily killed with too much heat. If at all possible, try to use your tamari at the end of the cooking process, stirring it in at the very end, once the pan has come off of the heat.
The Jacob's Cattle beans come from Morningstar Farm in Glover. Seth Johnson and family run this organic farm and grow many varieties of common and heirloom beans. Jacob's Cattle bean is also called a Trout bean or an Appaloosa bean. Because these beans are fresh, they do not need to be soaked as long as store-bought dry beans. Before cooking, rinse the beans and put them in a bowl with fresh cold water, cover, and soak for 3 - 4 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well. Or, put them in a sauce pan with salt and cover with water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, soak for 1 hour, drain, and rinse well. To cook, put them in a pan with 2" of water, simmering 1 - 2 hours or until tender.
Adam's Berry Farm in Charlotte, VT is bringing you farm-fresh organic Raspberriesthis week! Adam grows all sorts of organic berries. These raspberries will be best enjoyed in the next several days. Store them unwashed in your fridge- they'll keep longer if laid out in a single layer. These will be perfect on your morning granola, in salads or dressings, or baked in your favorite dessert. Enjoy this seasonal treat!
|
Recipes
Find more recipes by searching our website or looking through past newsletters here.
Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes
There are many takes on this basic recipe. You can gussy it up with a milk/cheese gratin with a breaded parm topping. You can skip all of that altogether. Or you can go partway by roasting the veggies and then topping with bread crumb/parm or just parm as I have offered up here.
1 medium head broccoli or bunch broccoli crowns
3 small potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400° F. Clean the broccoli. Remove the tough stem ends and cut the remainder into medium florets and small stem pieces. Place broccoli and potatoes in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Add the next 4 ingredients and toss or stir to combine. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. (If you prefer crispier broccoli, check it after 45 minutes.) Remove the foil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return to oven just until the cheese melts slightly. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Cucumber Salad
Here's a great cucumber salad recipe.
1 large cucumber
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
Dash of garlic powder
1/2 cup water
Sweet paprika
Black pepper
Peel the cucumbers and slice them very thin. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 30-60 minutes with a plate and a 5-pound weight on top. Squeeze out the water on a paper towel.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, and water. Add the cucumbers and marinate for a few hours. To serve, sprinkle paprika on half of the salad and black pepper on the other half.
Easy Pickled Radishes
A mandoline would be helpful in slicing these radishes very thin, but not necessary. These would make an excellent addition to a salad!
1 bunch radishes, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of sea salt
Dressing:
1 tablespoon of tamari or shoyu
1 tablespoon of agave syrup or brown sugar
½ teaspoon of dark (toasted/roasted) sesame oil
A good pinch of chilli powder
Toss the radish slices with the sugar and salt and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Drain and gently squeeze the radishes, draining away the pickling mixture, then drizzle with the dressing.
Glazed Radishes
1 bunch radishes
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Cut radishes in half. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan heated over medium-high heat. Cook until the liquid evaporates and radishes are tender.
Vegetable Tian
A tian is a casserole of sorts featuring various vegetables arranged in a specific arrangement.
Good olive oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
3/4 pound zucchini
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs, or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated, or other cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.
Curried Zucchini & Couscous
This quick, easy side dish is a great accompaniment to grilled meats. For a little sweetness throw in a handful of raisins with the carrots. From Eating Well, August 2013.
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup water
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add water, lime juice, curry, cumin, salt and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Add the couscous and carrot to the bowl with the zucchini; stir to combine. Serve topped with almonds.
Roasted Carrots With Carrot-Top Pesto
This pesto is an inventive way to use every part of the vegetable. The tender tops are fresh and clean-tasting and mimic the flavor of the carrot itself. Recipe from Bon Appetit. Note, this recipe calls for adding basil to your carrot tops. I think that's optional! A pesto is generally your herb/ greens plus oil, salt, garlic, and if you like, cheese and nuts. Experiment with your carrot top pesto!
3 pounds small carrots with tops (any color)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 400°. Trim carrot tops, leaving some stem attached. Measure out 2 cups carrot tops and set aside; reserve any remaining carrot tops for another use.
Toss carrots and vegetable oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until carrots are golden brown and tender, 25–35 minutes. Let cool.
Pulse garlic and nuts in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Add basil, Parmesan, and reserved carrot tops; process until a coarse purse forms. Add olive oil and pulse until combined; season with salt and pepper. Serve carrots with pesto.
Tamari Marinated Tofu-Cucumber Salad
This is a delightful Asian inspired tofu dish. No cooking required!
3 tbsp tamari
2 tbsps rice vinegar
1 heaping tsp minced chile (jalapeno or Serrano)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, halved, sliced into long pieces
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch slices width wise
1 English cucumber, mandoline thin slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Drain the tofu and wrap in a clean towel to remove the excess water. In a bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, chile and extra virgin olive oil. Season. In a dish, spread out the onion and place tofu on top. Cover with vinaigrette and marinate in fridge for 1 hour. Remove tofu slices and transfer to a platter. Toss cucumbers with the marinated onions. Place on top of tofu and serve.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comments