CSA 2015 - Week #4

NEWS FROM THE FARM

We've been busy here, what else is new? Your farmers are working long 7-day weeks getting crops seeded, transplanted, fertilized, irrigated and cultivated. The hot weather this past week really got things growing! We have a super delicious share this week, full of some of my favorite summer veggies including fennel and escarole!

While there is no U-Pick Strawberries this season, we encourage you to come visit the farm. Farm Tours will still take place at the farm during the month of June on Saturdays at 1pm.

IN THE BOX

Fennel - Most people think of this as a "love it or hate it" veg. But let me tell you that when you cook fennel, it looses a lot of its "licorice" flavor and mellows out so nicely. So even if you think you don't like fennel, try my recipe for braised fennel and see what you think.
Red Romaine Lettuce - This is a lettuce variety that you'll never find in stores. I am totally in love with its rich leaf color and flavor. Make a huge Caesar salad for dinner and top it off with some chicken or tempeh or shrimp.... the heads are so large that you'll have enough to feed the neighbors too!
Toscano Kale - This is the kale variety that you'll most likely be familiar with. Also known as "dinosaur" kale, the leaves are sturdy and I generally prefer to cook them in a soup to soften them to taste. Try my recipe for White Bean & Kale soup which is one of our family's favorites!
Escarole - This looks a lot like a head of lettuce, but look carefully and you'll notice that it has frilly leaves and a white center. The flavor is usually slightly bitter, but the growing conditions have been ideal and its bitter flavor is very mild. Traditionally, the inside leaves are best for raw salads (it pairs wonderfully with gruyere cheese - see recipe) and the outside leaves are delicious cooked or in soups. The escarole & pine nuts recipes is very simple, and very delicious.
Bok Choi - There are so many ways to prepare bok choi. I usually throw it in a stir fry, but I tried roasting it the other night and it was a hit!

Not sure what to do with your extra CSA produce at the end of the week? "Juice it, roast it or throw it in a soup!"

Bon appetit!
- Maggie

THE BEST OILS TO USE IN YOUR CSA KITCHEN

Kim is back with an excellent (and exhaustive) guide to cooking oils. Be sure to click below to read the full article.

Oils (or some type of fat) are the base of practically everything we make in the kitchen. Whether we're drizzling it over a salad or using it in a pan to saute vegetables, we need to be sure that we're using the healthiest, safest and best tasting oils for each recipe.

It's important to get a mix of fat types from whole, unprocessed, high-quality foods. These include nuts, seeds (hemp, flax, and chia are especially nutritious), fish, seaweed, pasture-raised/grass-fed animals/eggs, olives, avocado, coconut, and cacao nibs. Avoid industrially processed, artificially created, and factory farmed foods, which contain unhealthy fats.

>>Read More

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VISIT THE FARM
Our Farm Shop in Jamesport is open Fridays from 10-6 and Saturdays from 9-5 all season long. All members receive 10% off their purchases in our shop! Farm Tours are held every Saturday in June at 1pm. Free for CSA members and their families.

STOCK YOUR CSA KITCHEN PANTRY!
New to CSA? The best place to start is in your pantry. A well-stocked pantry can help you get through your shares each week. Alexa Weitzman of Susatinable Pantry shares some great advice in our "Stocking Your CSA Pantry" Kitchen Guide.

VISIT OUR FARMERS' MARKETS
Can't get enough of our veggies? Some of our best Farmers' Market customers are our CSA members! Stock up on more of the goodness you get in your shares at our markets in Port Washington (Saturdays), Islip (Saturdays) and Huntington (Sundays) - ALL NOW OPEN! Visit our website to learn more about our markets and find a map! Brian looks forward to seeing you there!