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First Tomato

2016 CSA Fall December 24th

2016 CSA Fall December 24th Tomato

  • Papaya
  • Tomatoes
  • Chives
  • Sage
  • Pineapple Sage
  • Rose Geranium
  • Baby Red Sorrel
  • Arugula
  • Tatsoi
  • Baby Red Kale
  • 2 Delicata Squash
  • Beet Tops

“These are a few of my favorite things…”  Included is a photo of Michael with his very first tomato…the “love apple”. It sits above his Dad’s desk. We like to cook the squash and top it with pumpkin pie spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, but we also like it stuffed with tomato, arugula and cheese, giving it a nut topping. The beet tops make a very nice simple salad with goat cheese and a splash of balsamic. The rose geranium is one of my favorite cups of tea, infusing the leaves before the water comes to a boil to not lose much of its aroma. It also steeps in milk products very well, just be sure to not overcook it. It can flavor chilled yogurt in less than an hour for a unique dressing or dip that goes nicely with cheese and fruit plates. Then there is another cutting of the pineapple sage to soothe and comfort you. May peace and harmony be with you. To your health and your pleasure always! Enjoy

First Tomato

First Tomato

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pesto

2016 CSA Fall December 17th

2016 CSA Fall December 17th

  • Fresh Dug Ginger
  • Delicata Squash
  • Field Arugula
  • Tatsoi Heads
  • Bay Laurel branches
  • Sage
  • Rosemary
  • Pineapple Sage
  • Lemon
  • Kumquats
  • Premium Tomatoes
  • Arugula Pesto

 

2016 CSA Fall December 17th: Citrus! this week in your CSA share… when exploring your lemon, please consider using the peel as a zest touch on dishes and in tea. All of your herbs can be used to add a subtle nuance to your teapot and would combine just fine with the lemon, but i especially recommend it to enhance a tea made with the pineapple sage. The kumquats are traditionally eaten whole, peel included. The bay laurel branches can embellish your décor, be stored fresh in the fridge (covered) for weeks on end, or hung up to dry to keep for the next year. The leaf is used whole in cooking but removed before eating as it is not of a good texture. However, if ground into a fine powder, ingesting it is just fine! Bay Laurel is categorized as an Underutilized Species and is the distinguishing ingredient in Aleppo soap. A compound it contains inhibits human melanoma in vitro. And lastly, pesto! Besides tossing a tablespoon with fresh pasta and tomatoes or smearing it on pizza topped with your arugula greens, it makes a great dip and salad dressing. Try adding a dollop to plain unflavored yogurt for a ranch dressing replacement. Whip into some eggs for a quiche with chopped arugula and topped with thin slices of tomato…there is a Mom whose child likes to eat it straight from the container using tortilla chips!  You can pop your pesto container back into the freezer for super long term storage, just let it sit out for about 20 minutes to defrost a bit(warm water works, too) and scrape around the edge for your dish and return back to the freezer. To your health and your pleasure, always! 

Signature Tomato

2016 CSA Fall December 10th

2016 CSA Fall December 10th

  • Rainbow Chard
  • Beet Tops
  • Red Veined Sorrel
  • Butternut Squash
  • Delicata Squash
  • Patty Pan Squash
  • Spearmint
  • Marjoram
  • Lavender
  • Reaper and Scorpion Peppers
  • Fresh Ginger
  • Papaya
  • Premium Tomatoes

2016 CSA Fall December 10th: More rare and exotic items in your share this week like a handful of the worlds hottest peppers, fresh dug ginger, sweet marjoram, lavender, red veined sorrel and a ripening papaya! We like to prepare the papaya in a traditional and simple way: remove skin, scrape the inside, cube and dress with a squeeze of lime. We leave the papaya in the fridge when we want it to ripen further to an all over golden color as it breaks down more quickly when left at room temp, although it will ripen more quickly that way. The peppers should be handled carefully, as they are extremely spicy! We use gloves as we chop and de-seed them, then we grind them to a paste, or dice and freeze them or dry them to crumble for storage as a spice. Just a drop or a dash will do! The red veined sorrel can be eaten raw or cooked; if raw, use less as more of an accent. When cooked, i use more as the flavor diminishes a bit. Kind of like a cross between green sorrel and dandelion, use as a replacement for those in recipes. Marjoram is one of my favorites and besides cooking with it,  i like to sleep with a bit tucked under my pillow or carry a bit in my pocket…same for the lavender. We thought that you might like to not only savor a bit of lavender mint tea but also tuck some into your seasonal decorations as a lighter aromatic emphasis. We would love to hear how you use your ingredients and what you like…call us anytime! Enjoy.

Red Veined Sorrel

Red Veined Sorrel

Roasted Delicata

Roasted Delicata

Signature Tomato

Signature Tomato