August 30,
2005
Back to School
We realize that the farm stand can get tight, and that looking at the chalkboard for all of the information can sometimes be cumbersome. This week we have labeled each item with the share quantities to make it more convenient for you to collect your shares. We hope this will facilitate your pick-up and make share “shopping” easier and more clear.
Missed a Pick-up?
Just a reminder: there is a 24 hour grace period for missed pick-ups. Please come pick up your vegetables by closing time on Wednesday if you are unable to make it on Tuesday. And please call us in advance if you aren’t able to pick up your share during the regular pick-up time.
Farm Updates
We are sorry to report that there is no lettuce this week, as our current crop was ruined by a heavy dowse of rain followed by strong sun last Thursday. The lettuces were extra tender, having been planted in the heat of summer, and tend not to stand up to extreme weather. But Luis promises that his next succession planting will produce lettuce for next week! Overall, this season has proven to be extremely successful, as you can see buy the abundant harvests, but we are still subject to the whims of the skies...and we can be glad we’re not in hurricane country!
Also of note, our perennial sale is here! We will have 25—50% off perennials for the month of September.
Chelsea Clark — CSA Outreach
This Weeks Harvest:
beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, corn (last week!), cucumbers, garlic, leeks, peppers, potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes (cherry, slicers, paste, and “sauce”)
herbs: bay laurel, oregano, thyme
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THE RECIPES:
Gazpacho with Herbs
(Makes 10 Servings)
CSA veggies used: onion, pepper, cuke, tomato, onion, garlic, basil, parsley
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 cucumber
3 med ripe tomato
2 green onions
1 glove garlic, minced
4 c tomato juice
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp minced fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a blender or food processor, chop onion, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and green onions.
Add garlic, tomato juice, lemon juice, vinegar, tarragon, basil, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper. Blend until well-combined but still slightly chunky. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Chunky Tomato Sauce
(makes 2 cups)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, inely chopped
3 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 cup basil, finely chopped
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Saute onions in olive oil until tender. Add tomatoes, vinegar and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce ntil liquid is almost gone. Stir in basil and seasonings. Remove from heat for about 1/2 hour to allow herb flavor to amalgamate into the sauce. Reheat before serving.
From Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions
Pickled Beets
2 pounds beets
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 TBS dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
2 medium onions, sliced (optional)
2 tsp. celery seed
Cook the beets in water to cover until tender. Drain, reserving one cup of the cooking water. Slip off the skins and slice.
Heat the vinegar and reserved cooking water to a boil. Mix the mustard, salt, and sugar. Add to the vinegar and let boil again.
Arrange the beets and onions in layers in clean canning jars. Add the celery seed and cover with the hot vinegar mixture. Seal, cool and store in the refrigerator. Let stand a few days before using. They will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
Cold Cucumber Soup (serves 4)
2 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped onion, or one leek sliced and cubed
2 cups diced, unpeeled cucumber
1 cup watercress leaves
1/2 cup finely diced raw potato
2 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup heavy cream
In a saucepan melt the butter and cook the onion in it until it is transparent. Add the remaining ingredients except the cream and vegetables for garnish and bring to a boil. Simmer fifteen minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Puree in an electric blender or put the mixture through a food miss and if desired, through a sieve or cheesecloth. Correct the seasonings and chill. Before serving, stir in the cream.
From The New York Times Cook Book, by Craig Claiborne
Traditional Pickling
Have you been overwhelmed as much as we have with all those cucumbers?? Many people take advantage of a bountiful harvest such as this and can pickles. Canning pickles, however, can be quite a task: time consuming, messy, and HOT amidst the summer heat? Well, have we the solution for you! A quart jar of traditional dill pickles takes about 10 minutes to make, a pint about 5! Traditional pickling is easier, healthier, cheaper, and you can do it with just about any vegetable.
A traditional method of food preservation is lacto-fermentation. The best part about lacto-fermentation is two-fold. First, it is the easiest and most low-tech way to preserve food. No canning equipment or freezers are needed. Secondly, lacto-fermented foods are believed to be extremely healthy for a number of reasons. One is that the proliferation of beneficial bacteria from the fermentation aids digestion and contributes to thriving intestinal flora.
What are “Traditional Pickles”?
Fresh healthy vegetables naturally bear lactic-acid-producing bacteria (lactobacilli) on their surfaces. When the produce is washed and mixed with non-iodized, the salt draws out the juices, inhibits spoilage organisms, and regulate the fermentation process. The mixture is then sealed off from outside air (in jars, crocks, or barrels) and placed in a warm place (65˚-75˚F).
Over the next several days, the lactobacilli begin breaking down sugars in the vegetables and producing lactic acid, along with small amounts of carbon dioxide, benzoic acid, and pickled begetables their characteristic aroma and taste.
When the pickles are done fermenting (when they have reached their desired sourness), they are placed in cold storage to stop the fermentation. In cold storage, raw, lacto-fermented pickles will last for many months. Did I mention that it’s easy?
The following vegetables can be traditionally preserved:
Cabbage, pickling cucumbers, carrots, garlic, onions, shallots, pepper, Chinese cabbage, daikon radish, turnips, parsnips, ginger, beets and beet greens, lettuce, green beans, green tomatoes, fresh dill and cilantro, and dried spices.
For sliced/whole pickles in brine:
Leave whole, slice or chop veggies
Pack jar with veggies and any herbs and spices that you want
Mix salt (11/2 tsp of salt per pound or pint of vegetables) in a small amount of filtered, spring or well water until dissolved.
Whas jars and lids with hot water (boiling is unnecessary)
Add vegetables to jar.
Fill jar 3/4” from the top with additional filtered, spirng or well water. Tighten lid of jar medium-tight and shake gently to further distrtbute salt. If using a crock or other container without a screw on lid, you will need tdo weigh down you lid with a rock. Since some air will get in, you will need to monitor the top layer and scrape or lift away any mold or yeast. The rest of the batch will be fine.
A successful batch of pickled vegetables has a pleasant aroma and sour taste. If a batch spoils (after several months), there will be bad in smell and taste.
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