Week 11 Newsletter 2019

Hello Everyone,

The End-of-August has arrived and everything is fruiting and ripening in the garden.  It is such a contrast - the rapid growth of spring and now the summer slows.  The tomato plants are giving their energy to the fruits and no longer reach for the sky, the bottom leaves are turning brown and falling off. The eggplant plants are also giving all their energy to the eggplants and the plants are no longer lush green and vibrant color. We are harvesting the summer bounty: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions & winter squash.

Here is this week's line up:

Tomatoes
Chinese Cabbage
Red Onions
Eggplant or Zucchini
Peppers
String Beans
Broccoli
Thai Basil                                                                        

....and in the buckets:

Watermelon
Tomatoes
Chinese Cabbage or Lettuce
Cucumbers
Red Onions

Here are a couple of recipes for you to try this week.

Asian Coleslaw

Total Time:  30 MIN
Yield Serves:  4 to 6
By TODD PORTER AND DIANE CU
July 2014 Food & Wine

Ingredients

6 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped Thai basil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon brown sugar Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts


Step 1
 
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, red onion, and basil.

Step 2
 
In another bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper.

Step 3
 
Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Chill and garnish with the peanuts just before serving.
          

Kidney Bean, Red Onion And Tomato Salad

NIGELLA LAWSON
YIELD 6 servings
TIME 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

½  red onion, thinly sliced
2  tablespoons high-quality red wine vinegar
2  cups small, sweet cherry tomatoes
1  teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
3  14-ounce cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2  tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, combine onions and vinegar. Set aside to macerate while preparing rest of salad, or up to three hours.
Halve cherry tomatoes and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Add kidney beans, onion mixture and olive oil. Toss gently to mix, adjust salt to taste, and serve.

Week 10 Newsletter 2019

Hello Everyone,

Yes, the tomatoes are ripening! The warm temperatures have kept the ripening process going and each day a few more change from green to orange to red. You will find a few bright red slicers coming your way this week. It looks like we will have nice supply of tomatoes to enjoy for the next few weeks. Please remember to store your tomatoes on your kitchen counter. Tomatoes do not like the cold temperatures and the texture and flavor will suffer if they are stored in the refrigerator.

I hope you have been enjoying the full moon that has been beaming down us during the past week. The August full moon is often referred to as the sturgeon moon.

The sturgeon moon was given the name from the Algonquian tribe in Ontario. This was the time of year in the past when sturgeon fishing was the best in southern Canada. Other names for the August Full Moon include the green corn moon, barley moon, fruit moon and grain moon. These names were given by other groups since these grains are present in August.


What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Plums
Lettuce
Tomatoes
White Onions
Broccoli
String Beans
Pole Beans
Cucumbers or Zucchini


and buckets:

Plums
Lettuce
Tomatoes
White Onions
Rattail Radishes


Here are couple of my favorite recipes.

Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil

MARK BITTMAN
  
YIELD 4 servings  
TIME  30 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ to 2 pounds salmon fillet, cut crosswise (4 pieces)
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
 Salt and pepper
16 basil leaves

PREPARATION

For each of 4 packages, place one 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil on top of another. Smear top sheet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, and layer a fillet of salmon, 6 tomato halves, salt and pepper, 4 basil leaves and another half tablespoon oil. Seal package by folding foil onto itself and crimping edges tightly. Repeat to make other packages, and refrigerate until ready to cook, no more than 24 hours later.
When you are ready to cook, heat oven to 500 degrees. Place packages in a roasting pan. (Or they can be cooked on top of the stove in 2 skillets over medium-high heat.) Cook 5 minutes (for medium-rare) to 8 minutes from the time the mixture starts to sizzle, or roughly 10 to 12 minutes total.
Let packages rest a minute, and cut a slit along the top with a knife. Use a knife and fork to open the package. Spoon the salmon, garnish and juices onto a plate, and serve.

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

PIERRE FRANEY
YIELD 4 servings
TIME 20 minutes
This simple summer salad pairs beautifully with practically any grilled meat or fish, and it's quite easy to make. Just blanch the green beans until crisp tender, then toss with wedges of ripe tomato and a bright vinaigrette of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic, shallots and olive oil. A shower of chopped fresh basil across the top finishes it off.

INGREDIENTS

1  pound string beans or small haricots verts
6  ripe tomatoes
1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
2  tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4  tablespoons finely chopped shallots or green onions
1  tablespoon finely chopped garlic
4  tablespoons olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4  tablespoons coarsely chopped basil

PREPARATION

Trim ends of beans and leave them whole.Drop beans into a saucepan with salted boiling water. Cook until crisp tender, about 3 to 5 minutes according to the size of the beans. Do not overcook. Drain and let cool.Cut away the core of each tomato, and cut it into wedges.In a salad bowl, add mustard, vinegar, shallots, garlic, oil, salt and pepper and blend with a wire whisk. Add beans and tomatoes, toss well. Sprinkle with basil.

Week 9 Newsletter 2019

Hello Everyone,


Here we are at Week 9, we have passed the halfway point of the CSA season. It is getting harder and harder to decide what to put in the bins, because there are so many items that are ripening at the same time. My challenge is to provide you with interesting combinations and a few new items each week. The zinnias and sunflowers are blooming, so keep a look out for these flowers in the next few weeks when you pickup you bins/buckets. This year I am rotating the flower deliver to different pick up locations and will not be listing them as an item in your bins/buckets.

F

Full Share:


Cherries
Apricots
Zucchini                  
Green Beans
Yellow Beans                                               
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Red Onions


Small Share:


Apricots
Zucchini
Mixed String Beans
Escarole
White Onion




Why not try something new this week... 

Escarole & Beans (Zuppa di Scarola e Fagioli)

Recipe Type: soup
Cuisine: Italian
Author: 3 Italian Sisters

Ingredients

1 head of Escarole, cut into bite size pieces
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin or minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. red chile flakes
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth or water
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed in cool water.
pecorino romano cheese
optional additions: chunks of pepperoni, sausage or soppressata

Instructions

Clean escarole leaves in large basin of water to rid greens of sand and grit.
Rinse until all grit is gone and then chop leaves into bite size pieces.
In a large pot, add olive oil and minced garlic garlic and saute for 1 min
add escarole leaves, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, chicken broth or water and then
simmer for 5 minutes until escarole wilts.
Add the beans and simmer for 15- 20 minutes more or until escarole is tender, add more broth if you like it soupy.. Adjust seasonings and serve.
Sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese and large loaf of toasted italian bread to soak up the delicious broth… Enjoy!

Spicy Grilled Zucchini

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

YIELD Serves four
TIME 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1  pound zucchini, cut on the diagonal or lengthwise in thin slices
2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
 Salt
 freshly ground pepper
½  teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
1  tablespoon slivered fresh mint or basil
1  lemon, cut in half


PREPARATION

Prepare a medium-hot grill. Season the zucchini with salt and pepper, and toss with the olive oil. Grill on each side until the slices are tender and there are light marks on the sides. Transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and the herbs. Douse with lemon juice if desired, and serve.

Tip
Advance preparation: You can serve this at room temperature. It will hold for an hour or two. Don’t douse with lemon juice or sprinkle on the herbs until just before serving.

Week 8 Newsletter 2019

Hello Everyone,

We are looking forwards to wrapping up the 2019 cherry harvest. It has been a year that has been filled with challenges that required difficult and timely decisions. I am very fortunate to be part of a team that was so well trained and continues to strive to produce high quality fruit.

The vegetable garden has a lot of bird activity this time of year. We have a couple of red tailed hawks that get bothered by crows, other regulars are yellow finches, robins, flickers and some song sparrows. The red runner beans are blooming and they usually draw in the hummingbirds. My favorite time to be in the garden is early in the morning when the chorus seems to be the strongest and filled with such excitement.

Balaton cherries will be making an appearance in the bins and buckets this week. In the sour cherry world, the Montmorency variety has reigned as king. But there are other sour cherries out there that are looking to give the king a challenge. The Balaton cherry originated from Hungary.

When you compare a Montmorency cherry, the Balaton tends to be larger, more firm, and sweeter than the Montmorency. Even thought it is sweeter, don’t be mistaken, it is still a sour cherry. Balaton cherries are dark red with a red interior.


What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Black Sweet Cherries
Balaton Cherries
Zucchini
String Beans
Cucumbers
White onions
Kale
Savory

... and buckets:

Black Sweet Cherries
Balaton Cherries
String Beans
Zucchini
Leeks




Here are a couple of recipes that include cherries.

Cherry and Blue Cheese Salad

July 2017 Earthy Delights

This refreshingly different salad is rich with the flavors of summer.  We used sweet cherries, but for a bolder flavor, try tart & tangy Balaton cherries.  Try to get a spring salad mix with some robust greens, like arugula or mustard, which contribute a pleasurably spicy bite to the overall flavor. Drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste and enjoy.

3/4 cup thinly sliced mild red onion
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Spring salad mix
1 pound sweet or tart cherries, pitted and cut in half
3/4 cup (about 4 oz) blue cheese, in chunks
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine onions with 2 cups water and lemon juice, chill 15 to 30 minutes. Drain well.

Reserve a few cherries and slices of onion. Gently toss the salad greens with the remaining onions and cherries in a large bowl. Divide into serving bowls. Top the salad with the coarsely crumble blue cheese, reserved cherries and onion slices. Drizzle each salad with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive, about 2 tablespoons of each or to taste, and season with salt and pepper.

The New Baked Brie

Cooking Light 

Hands-on: 20 min. Total: 30 min

By Katie Barreira 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pitted cherries, halved
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (5-inch) wheel Camembert cheese (about 8 ounces), at room temperature
Cooking spray
32 table water crackers

Instructions

1. Combine cherries, rosemary, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 6 minutes or until cherries release their juices and juices are slightly thickened. Cool completely.
2. Preheat grill to low.
3. Coat grill rack and one side of cheese with cooking spray. Place cheese, coated side down, on grill rack; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until the rind is soft. Invert cheese onto a plate. Spoon cherry mixture over top. Serve with crackers.