09' CSA Basket Journal's #1-#8; Volume 2
Arugula's Star Farm '09 CSA Basket Journal #1; Volume 2
May 13th
What Genus Specie Varieties your Basket Contains:
1. White Globe Purple Top Turnip Greens with Baby Root Bunch
2. Broccoli Raab Greens Bunch
3. Green Pointed Starburst and Red Tide Leaf Lettuce
4. 1/2 lb Longstanding Bloomsdale and Tyee Spinach
5. 1/2 lb Darki Triple Purple and Aurora Orach
6. Golden Globe Young Beet Greens with Dainty Edible Root
7. Sweet Ann Sugar Snap Peas
8. Cherry Belle Radish Bunch
9. Caribe Cilantro, Bergamot (bee balm), and Lemon Balm Herb Bundle
Good Evening to everyone as we enjoyed delivering and offering over our first of the season pickings. I can only hope that you all have already found something great to do with your basket vegetables for the evening dinner meal.
Remember for great ideas beyond your creative put togethers there are some great and simple recipe ideas for every item in your basket if you will go to the webpage and scroll down under Recipes and then click on Arugula's Star Recipe Bank. It is here where you will find basic ideas on how to prepare the Broccoli Raab and Turnip greens, by clicking on the Broccoli Raab Recipe, for example, or what to do with your beautiful Orach and unusual herbs like the Bergamot. I will try my best to put up new recipes every week that should complement your weekly basket.
Every week I am always putting together new dishes as I do not think we ever eat the same dish twice, and this is really the way you will learn to prepare dishes once you learn to utilize what is seasonally put in front of you. This concept can be quite fun I think, and it helps give you great skills on putting together meals by using only what you have to work with. As long as you keep some oils, nuts, fruits, eggs, salt & pepper, and grains on hand, you should really be able to follow about any of the simple recipes that I have put together as I let the the vegetables do the talking.
In fact, just when we got home today from the morning drop off we had a simple lunch meal of an Orach, Sweet Pea, Boiled Egg, and Cilantro Salad. I tossed the Orach leaves with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, Salt and Pepper. I thinly sliced an apple, I chopped cilantro, and tossed these in as well. As I had my Windy Acres fresh eggs a boiling, when they were hard boiled I peeled and sliced them on placed them on top of the greens. Then I through some sugar snap peas, walnuts, and raw cheddar cheese in for the final addition. This was a delicious salad and despite its tastyness I will say for certain I will more than likely never make it again, as I will move on to the next inspiration for dinner. I hope that this act will and can become common for all of you through this CSA season.
Again thanks for being apart and I hope you all enjoy your first weeks basket. If you have any simple questions please feel free to send an e-mail or call and I will try to get back with you by a couple of days as I do not check e-mail every day. Also, be on the look-out for the Windy Acres Farm e-mail as Debbie will be sending out the next week options for order and all you will have to do is respond to place and order. Their egg yolks were just brilliantly golden colored in hard boiled sliced presentation on the lunch salad and oh ever so tasty. This really will be wonderful because now you will be able to get organic vegetables, meat, eggs, and cheese all in one location, which does not leave much more to pick up elsewhere other than some of the staples I mention above!
I will be seeing you next week and until then happy vegetable basketing.
Allison
2009 CSA Basket Journal #2; Volume #2
May 20th
Good evening to you all after a most beautiful day. We are pleased that the grounds have dried out enough for us to achieve our vine crop planting tomorrow and Friday in the windmill field. We will also be able to get in to start the first round of hilling up on the potatoes. I did love hearing some of your stories on how you chose to eat and prepare all of your vegetables last week, so I will look forward to more throughout the season.
This weeks basket has such a wonderful variety of some really unusual and great greens, that are not just a paradise for making large bowl salad meals and other prepared recipes, but are really good for you. The best way to look at vegetables from a nutritional/health stand point in my opinion is not to try to remember exactly what the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals are for each vegetable, but to know for certain that every raw vegetable has many of these healthy nutritional aspects… so YES every time you eat one of our organic vegetable you are putting great components into your body. Beet Greens for example are higher in nutritional value than their roots, as they are richer in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. The greens also contain magnesium, phosphorus, and B6. Beet stems and roots have the pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color, betacyanin, which is one of those great phytochemicals.
As far as recipes go I have already added about four new recipes to the Arugula’s Star Recipe Bank that utilizes your Arugula, Catalogna Emerald Endive “Dandelion Greens”, French Sorrel, and Leeks just to name a few. I would highly recommend the Brothy Spring Stew Recipe as it utilizes those Turnips and Turnip Greens, Leeks, and Rosemary.
I would also recommend looking at the following CSA Basket Journal Archives from last year in particular as these highlight the French Sorrel and other uses for the Endive, and Beet Greens…
CSA Basket Journal #3
CSA basket Journal #5
CSA Basket Journal #11
What Genus Specie Varieties your basket contains:
1.Mesclun Mix of Orach, Spinach, and Frisee Endive
2. French Sorrel
3. Baby Rouquette Arugula
4. Chioggia and Early Tall Top Beet Greens Bunch
5. Sweet Ann Sugar Snap Peas
6. Spring “Lyon” Leeks Bunch
7. Catalogna Emerald Endive “Dandelion Greens”
8. Purple Globe White Top Turnip Roots and Greens
9. Caribe Cilantro, Rosemary, and Wild Garlic Scapes
Arugula’s Star Farm
CSA Basket Journal #3
What Genus Specie Varieties your basket contains:
1.) Baby Purple Top White Globe Turnip Greens with edible dainty Root
2.)Rudolf, French Breakfast, and Pink Beauty Radish Mix
3.)Sweet Ann Sugar Snap Peas
4.)Golden and Orange Fantasia Young Swiss Chard Bunches
5.) Chioggia and Golden Touchtone Baby Beets and Greens Bunches(roots, stems, and
greens. All edible)
6.) Triticale Grain and Vetch Arrangement (decorative/non-edible)
What a great representation of the Chenopodiaceae family you will find in this weeks basket. Both Swiss Chard and Beets belong to this family. Spinach does as well, which you have had the pleasure of having for the past two weeks. As you could imagine, with the greens and the pigments in the stalks, all of these vegetables in this family are really great for you.
My new excitement lately has been a gifted book exchange from one of our interns, Roben Mounger, otherwise known as Ms. Cook. Over her years of life she has developed quite a collection of cook/food books and she volunteered to bring me a couple new books every other week that I can look through in my few moments of spare time. As I generally put all of our meals together by feel and by what is in season, I generally do not follow recipes specifically, but I do enjoy getting inspirations from looking through a new cookbook. I really enjoy European Food Culture or American writers that really practice and understand their region of seasonally available organic vegetables and fruits.
The past few books that Roben has brought me have all been vegetarian based books, funny enough, even though for the first two listed below you would really not even notice as they mainly just do not use meat. After looking through Deborah Madison’s book, Savory, Annie Sommerville’s book, Fields of Greens, and Jae Steele’s book, Get it Ripe, I saw a lot of similarities in their recipes and methods and the way I put dishes together.
I am bringing all of this about because even if you are not a vegetarian, as Matthew and I are not either, I think you would be inspired or at lease would benefit from getting a new cookbook that focuses on in-season vegetables and fruits. The Get it Ripe book by Jea Steel, is a very hardcore vegetarian book, but that is not a bother at all, as I found it to be a wonderful book for those of you who might want to start learning about vegetables, grains, and fruits from square one. She also charts out all the nutrients of any available vegetable, fruit, grain, nut, or oil.
One of my favorite recipes I put together just the other night was what I might call a Root and Stem Crunchy Beet and Apple Slaw, which was quick and easy and very good. I spoke of it some today to everyone and I will be adding a written recipe for it in the Arugula’s Star Recipe Bank.
Enjoy your baskets and we will be seeing you next week. Allison and Matthew
09' CSA Basket Journal #4; Volume 2
June 3rd
What Genus Specie Varieties your basket contains:
1.) Speckled Butteroak Leaf Lettuce
2.) Rouquette Arugula
3.) Darki Triple Purple and Aurora Orach and Bloomsdale
Spinach Mix
4.) Catalogna Emerald Endive Bunch "Dandelion Greens"
5.) Young Carrot Bunch of Danvers, Yellowstone, Snow White,
and Cosmic Purple
(Tops can be used for vegetable stocks and meat broths)
6.) Golden Swiss Chard Bunch
7.) French Sorrel
8.) Detriot Dark Red Young Beets and Greens
9.) Water Mint, Lemon Balm, and Bergamot "Bee Balm" Herbs
All of our plants in the fields were very happy yesterday evening at dark as the rains came to give them a cool off from the prior 3 days of 90 degree temperatures.
I suppose the new stars of the week are the beautiful Speckled Leaf Lettuce and the colorful Carrots. The lettuce being very tender and sweet as it dances with your eyes and your palate and the first pulled young carrots having that new vibrant crunch. The beets will be most exciting as well as they are the largest in size you have receieved yet, so you might enjoy roasting these or grating them up and eating them raw as they are young, sweet and crunchy. Their color is very deep red/purple and they really stand out if sliced like carrot rounds and used in a salad with the Speckled butteroak lettuce, as the colors compliment and the textures contrast...Perfect!
I hope everyone is enjoying using the special French Sorrel to add great spunk and twang to the ordinary salad. The Sorrel really goes well with the late spring fruits like blueberries, strawberries, and soon to be plums and apricots. Try combining together the Speckled Butteroak with some chopped Sorrel, lemon balm, Blueberries, thin beet slices, and tossing with some olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper and a raw cheddar, blue veined, or goat cheese and topping off with some Walnuts. Very simple, refreshing, and most idealic for a warm day's meal.
All the greens you have this week can really be put together to make some really great large bowl salad meals. They all are one of a kind and when their flavors, colors, and textures are used in salads you really cannot beat the flavors of these unusual spring greens. Also be sure to have fun with the carrots and compare the flavors of the different colors as well.
The two recipes I placed up already for this week uses the Catalogna Emerald Endive and Beet Greens in particular, so you might want to take a look at those.
Until next week enjoy and I will be seeing you then.
Allison
09' CSA Basket Journal #5; Volume 2
2009 CSA Basket Journal #5; Volume 2
What Genus Specie Varieties your Basket Contains:
1.) English Pea varieties of Laxton's Progress and Green Arrow
2.) Purple Top White Globe Turnips
3.) Goldstone Beet Green Bunches with stem and Baby Root
4.) Chioggia Beet Bunches (bright pinkish red with red and white
strips within)
5.) Carrot Bunches with the varieties of Danver (Orange), Snowwhite
(White), Yellowstone (yellow), Cosmic Purple (Purple)
6.)Catalogna Emerald Endive "Dandelion Green"
7.)Young Red Russian and Siberian Kale Bunches
8.)Lettuce head of either Green Deer Tongue, Italienscher, Ruffled
Red Tide, or Tennis Ball Butterhead
9.) Herb bag of Lime basil, Dill, and Summer Savory
10.) Borage and Leek Bundle (remember to try the Borage June
Wine!)
Good day everyone. I hope this finds you well after a couple meals already under your belt. The English Shell Peas and Turnips are the most abundant crops of the week so they will be exciting to use and prepare in a few different meals. There is so much variety in this weeks basket it is difficult for myself to pick which vegetables to talk about the most, so since the English Shell Peas and Turnips have all been harvested and you will not be seeing those anymore, till possibly fall, I have picked those. Your families will have to have a pea shelling party so you can start those peas a' eaten! If you never have had the experience of having fresh peas they really are a treat. Peas can go all kind of ways and they do not have to always be combined with carrots. The peas can be cooked to goodness very quickly and easily. In fact, the Green Arrow variety that had not dried yet on the plant, as I was explaining at pick-up could be eaten raw, but the Laxton's Progress would need to be cooked as they were more dried. After shelling and soaking in cold water until ready for cooking, then just drain and put in a saucepan with a couple Tablespoons of water or less and cover and cook over low for 5 minutes or so, testing to make sure not to overcook. After they are cooked you can use them in many different ways....salads, sauces, soups, meat salads, stir fry combinations, or savory pies. Also, if you pre-soak the peas, you more than likely can just saute them and not cook them. For example, melt 1-2 T of butter in a saucepan, then add your chopped leek (root, stalk, and stems). Add some chopped herbs of dill or summer savory and then your peas and saute for ~ 7 minutes.
As for the Turnips ,you will be able to do many things with them both cooked and raw and here are a few quick suggestions... cut up and added to salads for a nice spicy crunch, sliced thinly like a dipping chip and served with avocado or bean dips and cheese, added either in small pieces or shredded to soup for a sharp flavor, or cooked as hot vegetables by themselves or with other root vegetables. They can even be mashed like you would potatoes, by adding some maple syrup and butter. If you are looking to pair with a meat, the earthy spice of tunrips go really well with lamb and game meat, which revisits the Old World Style fo cooking.
The Chioggia Beets will be most delightful with the fresh Lime basil and dill in a shredded slaw with of the Beets, Carrots and some Apples. Then tossed with Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and Salt and Pepper. The colors are very vibrant. Also add some pumpkin seeds to the slaw and top with Feta Cheese and serve with some homemade yeasted Millet, Wheat, and Flax Crackers.
I can't wait to hear you reports on the Borage June Wine. The one thing I forgot to say is that unless you have an air pump to pull out all of the air in the decanter you are putting the wine and Borage in; it would probably not be a good idea to leave sitting for more than one day, but if you do have an air pump then it would be fine for three.
Will be seeing you next week, Allie
CSA Basket Journal #6; June 17th
What Genus Specie varieties your basket contains:
1.) Speckled Butteroak Loose Leaf Lettuce
2.) Green Deer Tongue Head of Leaf Lettuce
3.) Tennis Ball Butterhead Lettuce or Pirat Red & Green Butterhead
4.) Frisee Endive
5.) Golden Swiss Chard Bunch
6.) Red Russian & Siberian Kale Bunch
7.) Bulk Herbs of Cinnamon, Lime, & Genovese Basil and Summer Savory
8.) Detroit Dark Red Beet Bunch and Greens
9.) Early Tall Top and Goldstone Beet Bunch and Greens
10.) Carrot Bunch of Cosmic Purples and Snowwhites
This basket has the best representation of large beautiful beets and lettuces thus far. The soft lime green or red and green butterhead leafs; the appropriately shaped and crunchy mid rib of the green deer tongue leafs; the painted speckles of the soft and sweet butteroak leafs, are all awaiting to be used in some wonderful salads or finger foods this week. Then the large quantity of basil varieties will give much added flavors and zings to your lettuce leaf salads in addition to many great uses for pastes, pestos, vinaigrettes, sauces, butters, and sautéed vegetables. There is nothing quite like the Cinnamon Basil as it is very distinctive and aromatic and is great just as whole leaves added to green salads. With all the herbs I have made an herb-honey butter that was delicious with some homemade buckwheat and millet drop biscuits. Also, how about a thick pesto dipping spread for raw platter of sliced beets, chopped carrots, butterhead leafs (pesto put within with cheese and grape and rolled) and served with cheese, in season grapes, olives, and herbed millet biscuits. Platters are great fun as they require hands on participation of eaters, so therefore I would highly recommend trying them.
If any like to be in slight anticipation I will say that you can look forward to the first digging of the first of the early new Caribe Potatoes and the picking of my favorite French Hericot Vert, the Maxibel, for next weeks basket!
In closing, I heard some great ideas last week from you all and I will share a few here in brief that might give you all some new ideas…..
*Beet Cake/Bread Loaf as if you could imagine a carrot or zucchini bread
*Baked Polenta with incorporated Feta Cheese instead of butter served with sautéed thin sliced carrots in sesame oil and some sautéed beet greens in balsamic vinegar and olive oil
*Summer Savory pan fried turnips and carrots with sesame oil and rice vinegar and served with noodles
*A plate of wonderful chopped raw greens served simply aside some great fish
*Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese and walnuts a top beet greens
*A large bowl salad of pan fried peas, beet greens, lettuce, roasted beets, chopped turnips, and tossed with an basil and savory vinaigrette and topped with spice roasted pecans.
*Borage Wine shared with friends on a weekend trip!
*Classic Pickled Beets
CSA Basket Journal #7
June 24th
What Genus Specie Varieties your basket contains:
1.)Maxibel Hericot Verts (Most delicious french green beans)
2.)Caribe (purple skins) and Onaway (Yellow skins) New Potatoes
3.)Pargo or Argentata Swiss Chard Bunches
4.)Chioggia and Detroit Dark Red Beet Bunches
5.)Green Deer Tongue and Olga or Speckled Romaine Lettuce Heads
6.)Bulk Herbs of Summer Savory, Genovese Basil, and Dill
CSA Basket Journal #8
July 1st
What Genus Specie Varieties your basket contains:
1.)Royal Burgundy Old Fashioned Green Beans with a few Maxibel Hericot Verts
2.)Fennel Bulb and edible Stalks and Fronds
3.)Mixed Carrot Bunch of Yellow Gladstone, Snowwhite, and Danver Orange (tops
can be used for
stock and broth preperation or think about using them as flower arrangement
fillers)
4.)Golden, Detroit Dark Red, and Chioggia Beet Bunch
5.)Cylindria Beet Bunch (longer cylindrical and narrow beet)
6.)Pargo or Argentata Swiss Chard Bunch
7.) Indigo Radicchio Head "The Italian Rose"
8.)Bulk French Sorrel
9.)Bulk Herbs if Lime Basil, Cinnamon Basil, and Water Mint
I thought I would at least list the past two basket contents so you could have referance of what you have received. It seems as if here at the farm the past week and a half has been very involved. We have not had as much intern help on other working days other than gathering days so therefore we have had extremely long and full days and I have not had the extra time to write the lengthy Journals. I am sorry about that for you all and even myself as I really enjoy giving ideas for how to put your basket contents together. Nonetheless, at least I am at the drop off and you can always ask any question you have there.
I will say that I made a most delicate, cleansing for the palate, and extremely European type of salad last night. I used whole cinnamon basil leaves, very thin sliced fennel bulb, chopped fennel stalks and fronds, thinly sliced yellow gladstone carrots, radicchio center thinly sliced longitudinally, walnuts, red grapes, and gruyere cheese (in the salad and on the side), a delicious bread and some cured salami. I tossed all the salad ingredients with some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and some honey. We had it with some crisp sparkling organic wine and oh it was a simple treat to sit down to for one of our regular late night dinners!
Maybe you will have to try it too.
We will be seeing you all next week, Thanks and Enjoy!