Good Eats Weekly Newsletter - July 26, 2017

Having trouble viewing this message, please click here

Localvore Members  & Regular Veggie Only Share Members take a LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag contains: Spinach, Basil (inside your bag of spinach!), Bell Pepper, Kale, Cauliflower or Zucchini/ Squash, Chioggia Beet Bunch, Green Garlic, Red Onions, Out of the Bag: Tomatoes Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Spinach, Basil (inside your bag of spinach!), Chard, Chioggia Beet Bunch, Green Garlic, and Out of the Bag: Tomatoes Localvore Offerings Include: Slowfire Bakery Bread Barn First Creamery Giguere North Derby Farm Raspberries Around the Farm I was cleaning at home this weekend and came across a stack of old Edible Green Mountains and Local Banquets, magazines that chronicle Vermont's food system, food producers, and culinary world. I flipped through a 2014 issue and found a familiar face. Reading about the role of Pete's Greens in our region brought about a wash of pride and excitement at what our farm does. Sure, we have tentacles all over the place (a year-round CSA, wholesale customers in VT, NY, and MA, a farmstand, a year-round store, and more), but at our root, we're a part of the Craftsbury/ Hardwick community paving the way for a statewide resurgence of our agricultural vitality. Lately, we've had a few disturbing incidents of theft at our Craftsbury farmstand. It's not new - self-serve farmstands with cash on the counter and an "honor system" checkout service - are prone to theft; these are not the first two incidents we've had nor will they be the last. Putting a message out on Facebook elicited a strong reaction from the community, our local community and our social media community - a bit of comfort to know so much of the community is behind us. If you're a shopper at our farmstand, please always make sure to put your cash or check payment into the locked slot, and if you need to make change with large bills, please stick those into the slot, too. It's a brazen act to rob a neighborhood store on a Monday morning; Eloise ran to the farm to re-stock, and by the time she came back, the money was gone, but it's also a troubling sign. And a sign we have more community work to do together. Thanks again for being a part of our community. ~ Taylar Right - Pete with green garlic

Pete's Musings We had a great harvest morning today. Baby greens were in perfect condition and we cut over 1400 pounds. Hardly a weed to be found anywhere. The washhouse crew was a well oiled machine and washed and bagged them in record time. It's fun to see so much food flowing from the field to delivery trucks and then on into your bellies.  Last Sat. I had a cultural experience without leaving the farm. I recently learned about a Czech Republic company that makes tillage tools (equipment that turns soil). They are just starting to distribute to the US so I got in touch with the US rep to see if I could try one out. He's a Czech guy that lives in NY and the closest tools he had were in PA. On Sat., the PA dealer drove 10 hours to drop off a tool for me to try. I spent a couple hours with the Mennonite dealer who helped me set it up and try it. I'm always curious about Amish and Mennonite folks so asked him lots of questions. His group is quite modern (use cell phones and the internet) but no physical contact during courtship. I asked him about some other groups I'd heard about that don't allow bicycles, he said "oh they're are just trying to be extra fancy". He told me about huge volleyball events they have in PA where hundreds of Mennonite and Amish come and play volleyball all day. But the Amish play together and the Mennonites play together and they don't play each other because each group is afraid they'll lose to the other group.  Later the Czech fellow showed up. Total city slicker - Italian leather shoes; he did not look like a farm equipment salesman. Turns out he knows a lot about farm equipment and we spent some time discussing and demoing the tool. He travels to the Czech Republic every 6 weeks to get his hair cut: "I have a girl who's very good at cutting hair". The tool was just what we are looking for, a very fast disc harrow used for incorporating cover crops and in the end we made a deal to buy it. ~ Pete Storage and Use Tips  Spinach: This week's greens is a bag of pre-washed, field harvested baby spinach. Basil: All shares will receive a bunch of basil! Basil is packed INSIDE YOUR BAG OF SPINACH. Please look for it there! Basil is sensitive to cold temperatures, so try not to let it get too cold.  Green Garlic: Green garlic is garlic that is still fresh, and not cured. Keep this in your fridge and use as you regularly would use garlic. Beets: An Italian variety, chioggias have alternating white and pink rings of color on the inside. The outside is lighter and more pinkish than traditional red beets. They are smooth and mild tasting. To prevent chioggias from bleeding their color, roast them whole then slice crosswise to show off the beautiful rings. Roasted this way, they make a stunning addition to a salad.  Roast and store cooked chioggia beets separately from your red beets to prevent the chioggias from being dyed red; you may find a red beet or two in your bunch. Peppers (full shares): Bell peppers are rolling in, slowly but surely! These peppers are a mix of colors. They're not quite sweet yet as they haven't changed their color.  Cauliflower or Squash/ Zucchini (full shares): Our cauliflower crop has been hit or miss so far this week, so some folks may find zucchini or summer squash in their shares. If you receive cauli, you'll find a full head of cauliflower or a couple of smaller heads of the white variety. You can eat the whole head - any of the small leaves attached to the vegetable are delicate and cook quickly, and the stalk can be thinly sliced and served raw with a dish of sea salt for an appetizer. Cauliflower can be enjoyed steamed, sauteed, roasted, or raw. I prefer it drizzled with olive oil and roasted - tossed with blue cheese is even better! Kale: Curly green kale this week. 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! Tomatoes (full shares only): Tomatoes are out of your veggie bags and in a separate paper bag. Please, only take 1 bag of tomatoes! Your tomatoes are a mix of red, pink, and yellow. Each bag is about 1 pound. Store tomatoes at room temperature - never in the fridge.  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 8 am on Monday. Localvore Lore Bread this week comes from Slowfire Bakery in Jeffersonville. This lighter variation of their country bread is made from durum, corn, and spelt flours, as well as smoked barley, wheat, and rye malts, which result in a golden crumb and mellow flavor, with an earthy, spicy, and grassy aroma.​ The wheat, barley, and rye are all VT grown. When not baking bread for our CSA, you can find Slowfire at the Saturday Burlington Farmers Market and tempting us tasty treats on Instagram. At 9:30 this morning I heard from the Smiths at North Derby Farm that they were out picking raspberries for us! The rain made us nervous for a minute but we'll have pints of raspberries this week. Greg and Sharon Smith run this eleven acre berry farm with about five acres under cultivation. Two thirds of their production is in Prelude raspberries, which produce twice a year, and one third is in blueberries. They farm organically, using no pesticides and weeding by hand, but are not certified, finding the process of certification too cumbersome for their small scale farm.  Store these treats in the refrigerator.  Barn First Creamery describes themselves as a "farmstead goat microdairy". Located in Westfield, VT, these two humans make a variety of goat cheese from their herd of 23 does. I first heard about this cheese from Martin at our Waterbury Farm Market - it's his favorite cheese! Giguere is a raw milk, Alpine-style tomme - closest to a Gruyere. Barn First milks their goats and makes cheese seasonally, so when we planned out this order, it was many months ago as the cheese had just been made and was starting to age. I recommend following Barn First's Facebook page as you'll see some ridiculously cute goat pictures that will make your day. Recipes Find more recipes by searching our website or looking through past newsletters here. Seared Cauliflower with Garlic and Tamari The tamari caramelizes the cauliflower, giving it a wonderful robustness.  This makes a great side dish! cauliflower, cut into florets 2 tbsp tamari 3-4 tbsp water 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp minced parsley Over medium-high heat, sauté the cauliflower, slowly stirring it until it just browns. Then add the tamari. When the tamari starts to stick to the pan, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water and the garlic; allow the sauce to reduce until it just coats the cauliflower. Remove the cauliflower from the heat and immediately toss it with the parsley. Options: Toss the cauliflower with the garlic, parsley, and tamari (no water) and bake it in a covered baking dish at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Italian Cauliflower This is best when the cauliflower is just tender, not mushy.  Put a couple of sausages on the grill and toss a salad. There's dinner. Serves 4. 1 cauliflower, cut into florets 3 TB oil 1 medium onion, diced 3 TB vinegar 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes salt & pepper red pepper flakes minced Italian flat parsley Heat oil in a wide deep skillet and saute onion until translucent. Add cauliflower and a couple tablespoons of water. Continue cooking and stirring often. When cauliflower and onion begin to brown a bit, add the vinegar. Cover and cook until vinegar cooks off. Stir in tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, pepper flakes, and parsley. Simmer covered until cauliflower is tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Glenn's Roasted Beet Salad This recipe comes to you from a CSA member who loves beets!  If you have a great recipe or unique way that you enjoy your veggies please let us know.  I love hearing from our members! 2 medium beets, peeled and cubed 4oz goat or feta cheese 1/2 med red onion, chopped 1 handful  dried cranberries or raisins 1 handful toasted walnuts or pecans 3-4 cups Lettuce (mixed lettuces or spinach works too) Dressing: 1/2 cup Olive Oil 1/4 cup cider vinegar 2 tbsp Mayonnaise 2 tbsp Honey 1tsp crushed garlic Toss the beet cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350 for 30 mins - 1 hour.  Stir them every 15 mins until they are roasted and a little crispy on the edges.  Cool. Combine dressing ingredients.  Combine salad ingredients with the beets except the nuts in a separate bowl. Right before serving, add the nuts and dressing and toss.   Add dressing and toss to taste, reserving some in case it is too wet to your liking...add more for more wetness. You can make a meal out of it by adding cubed chicken, bacon and/or hard-boiled egg. Spicy Sauteed Kale with Lemon Probably the easiest way to prepare your kale, this is a very nutritious, warm side dish. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 Thai or jalapeno chile, thinly sliced 1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed and slices quartered 1 tablespoon honey 1 handful kale, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped 1 leek, thinly sliced Coarse salt In a large skillet, heat oil and chile over medium-high heat. Add lemon and honey and cook, stirring, until lemon begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Add kale and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add leeks, season with salt, and cook 1 minute. Serve warm or at room temperature. Tomato, Cucumbers, Sweet Onion Salad I never get enough of this salad in summer when tomatoes are so fantastic and cukes abundant. I often add feta or goat cheese if I have it. It's like eating dessert. Good balsamic is an important pantry ingredient. I have a couple that are just fantastic and I save them for recipes where their flavor makes a dish special, and I save the lesser grades for cooking with. 2 Tomatoes chopped 1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped 1-2 sweet onions peeled and sliced thinly a small handful of basil leaves drizzle of olive oil drizzle of good balsamic vinegar Pasta with Chard and Garlic Chips An easy option for a lazy night in the kitchen.  Good and garlicky.  Subsitute any cooking greens for the chard (kale, whatever you have left in the fridge).  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 cloves garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise though I am sure crosswise would work as well 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup dried currants (optional) 1 bunch chard, stems and center ribs finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped separately 1/4 cup water 1/2 pound spaghetti 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, cut into slivers 3 ounces feta, crumbled (1 1/2 cups) Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.  Cook onion in oil remaining in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir chard stems into onion mixture with water and 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, covered, until stems and leaves are tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 5 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water and drain spaghetti. Toss spaghetti with chard, olives, and 1/2 cup cooking water, adding more cooking water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with feta and garlic chips. Sesame Ginger Beet Greens or Kale A simple side dish recipe for your beet greens or kale. 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds 4 cups loosely packed beet greens 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp grated gingerroot 1 pinch salt 1/2 tsp sesame oil In small skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds until golden, about 3 minutes; set aside. Trim stems from small young beet greens or remove centre rib from larger mature beet greens. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beet greens, garlic, ginger and salt. Cover and steam until greens are wilted, about 3 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil; sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds. Chioggia Beet Salad with Ricotta Salata and Hazelnuts 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice 1/4 cup hazelnut or olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 6 small Chioggia beets, peeled and sliced very thin 1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese 1/4 cup torn mint leaves 1/2 cup roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts Whisk together lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add beets and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Beet Caprese beets tomatoes fresh mozzarella fresh basil olive oil salt & pepper Preheat the oven to 400. Wash the beets, trim the ends and wrap them individually in foil. Bake for about an hour, or until the beets are tender (a knife should face no resistance). Cool, peel and slice the beets. Slice the fresh mozzarella. Combine beets with mozzarella, basil, olive oil, salt & pepper.