Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Share Contents for 10/25

In the shares for today, our final regular season share...

Single Share
4 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Cauliflower
1 Garlic
1 Kale
2 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Radishes, Bunch
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb


Family Share
6 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Cauliflower
1 Garlic
1 Kale
2 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Radishes, Bunch
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Broccoli
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Eggplant
1 Hot Pepper Butter
1 Leeks, Bunch
1 Turnips, Bunch

Monday, October 24, 2011

Broccoli Pesto! (Oct. 18 food sample)

  • 1 head broccoli (around 2 cups)
  • A couple of stems fresh pungent herb (I used sage but basil or oregano or even mint would work)
  • zest and juice of half a lemon
  • 1/2 cup or so nuts of some kind (I used sunflower seed butter, because that's what I had on hand, but walnuts or hazelnuts would be nice, or almonds, or ...)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 T brewer's yeast or Parmesan cheese
  • 2 T water
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil (half cup or more)
NB: All quantities should be adjusted to taste, and feel free to add other stuff (olives or sun-dried tomatoes or what have you).
  1. Cut broccoli into florets. If using, peel stem and cut into small chunks.
  2. Steam or microwave broccoli briefly until bright green and still somewhat snappy.
  3. Drain broccoli and shock with cold water to retain color.
  4. Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor and begin to process
  5. Drizzle olive oil in while it processes. Stop and taste, adjust seasoning, and keep adding oil until the puree has enough smooth body (at least a half cup oil, maybe more).
Serve with crackers, as a sandwich spread, on a baked potato, tossed with pasta, etc.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Share Contents for 10/18

In the shares for today...

Single Share
2 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Cabbage
1 Eggplant
1 Garlic, Bulb
1 Pepper, Poblano
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Radishes, Bunch
1 Squash, Buttercup
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb

Family Share
4 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Cabbage
1 Eggplant
1 Garlic, Bulb
2 Pepper, Poblano
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Radishes, Bunch
1 Squash, Buttercup
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cauliflower, Head
1 Kale
1 Parsely, Bunch
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Squash, Acorn

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Share Contents for 10/11

In the shares for today...

Single Shares
2 Apples
1 Broccoli
1 Buttercup Squash
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Garlic
1 Green Beans, 1 Lb
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot Cubanelle
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Radishes, Daikon, Bunch
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb

Family Shares
4 Apples
1 Broccoli
1 Buttercup Squash
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Garlic
1 Green Beans, 1 Lb
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot Cubanelle
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Radishes, Daikon, Bunch
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Cabbage
1 Cauliflower, Head
1 Green Onion, Bunch
1 Lettuce, Head
1 Zucchini

Monday, October 10, 2011

Important Message Regarding Checks Payable

Dear Shareholders,

 

A change in our bank's methods of administering our Cuyahoga County account has occurred.

 

Starting immediately, all checks for shareholders in the Cleveland area must be made payable to "The NAC" or "New Agrarian Center"

 

Some of you may be asked to rewrite a recent check. We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

As you know, City Fresh is a program of the New Agrarian Center. As a program, it has no legal identity of its own.  While the bank has allowed us to have checks written to the program for several years, their internal auditor and legal department have decided that an urgent change is necessary.  All checks must be made payable to the name of the business on the account as it is reflected in the state filing - for us, that is "The New Agrarian Center" often shortened to just "The NAC" 

 

We are very sorry to trouble you with this late-season change. Thank you so much for being a part of the City Fresh family.

 

Sincerely,

 

Nick Swetye

Director of City Fresh

330.221.4027

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Share Contents for 10/4

In the shares for today...

Single Share
1 Squash, Butternut
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Pepper, Cubanelle
1 Kale, Bunch
1 Beans, 1/2 Lb
1 Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Onion


Family Share
1 Garlic, Bulb
1 Onion
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Cauliflower, Head
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Pepper, Cubanelle
1 Carrots, Bunch
2 Kohlrabi
1 Kale, Bunch
1 Cilantro, Bunch
1 Squash, Butternut
1 Beans, 1/2 Lb
2 Squash, Acorn
1 Potatoes, 1 Lb
4 Apples

Friday, September 30, 2011

Bulk Orders Available!

Apples, 1/2 bushel - $25.00

Sweet Potatoes, 5 lbs. - $7.00

Pie Pumpkins - $2.00 each

Garlic, 1 lb. - $7.00

Order for next week pick-up at the stop on Tuesday!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Sexy Mutant Vegetables of the Week

Mr. & Ms. Tomato-Eggplant!!

Quiche in the Morning, Quiche in the Evening, Quiche at Supper Time

Quiche is a delicious way of covering vegetables in butter and cheese and convincing small, picky children to eat them. We always have leftovers too so it's great for a hearty breakfast or lunch.

Swiss chard, Red Bell Pepper, and Bacon Quiche

For pie crust:
2/3 c. flour
1/2 c. wheat germ (I use toasted)
1/3 c. oats
6 T butter
3 T cold water

Mix flour, oats & wheat germ. Cut in butter. Add enough water to work into a ball with your hands and press this dough into a pie plate.

For filling:
small bunch swiss chard
medium red bell pepper
6 strips fried bacon
salt
pepper
3 eggs
1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. yogurt
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Chop vegetables & bacon and add to pie shell. Lightly salt & pepper.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk, mayonnaise, and yogurt. Stir in cheese. Pour this mix over vegetables. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 35 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Share Contents for 9/27

In the shares for today...

Single Share
2 Apples, Jonathan
1 Garlic
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cooking Greens
1 Eggplant
1 Green Beans, 1/2 Lb
1 Pepper, Cubanelle Mild
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Tomato

Family Share

4 Apples, Jonathan
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cherry Tomatoes, Pint
1 Cooking Greens
1 Eggplant
1 Garlic
1 Green Beans, 1 Lb
1 Parsley, Bunch
1 Pepper, Cubanelle Mild
1 Pepper, Flamingo Sweet
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pie Pumpkin
1 Radishes, Bunch
1 Squash, Acorn
1 Sweet Potato, 1 Lb
2 Tomatoes
1 Zucchini

How to Peel Garlic in Less than 10 Seconds!!!!

How to Peel a Head of Garlic in Less Than 10 Seconds from SAVEUR.com on Vimeo.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Share Contents for 9/20

In the shares for today...

Single Share

2 Apples
1 Broccoli, Head
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cilantro, Bunch
1 Eggplant
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Buttercup squash
2 Sweet Corn
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Swiss Chard
1 Tomato

Family Share

4 Apples
1 Beets
1 Broccoli
1 Cantaloupe
1 Carrots
1 Cilantro
1 Cucumber
1 Egg Plant
1 Grapes, Qt
1 Pepper, Medium Hot
2 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Spinach, 1 Lb
1 Buttercup squash
4 Sweet Corn
1 Sweet Potatoes, 1 Lb
2 Tomatoes

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Bulk Orders Available for Next Week

Apples, 1/2 bushel - $25.00

Roma Tomatoes ,1/4 bushel (a peck) - $15.00

Heirloom Tomatoes, 5 lbs. - $5.00

Garlic, 1 lb. - $7.00

Order for next week pick-up at the stop on Tuesday!

Patty Pan/Zucchini Bread Recipe

The recipe for the sample I made a few weeks ago...

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup winter squash flesh, cooked
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups grated zucchini or any summer squash including patty pan
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup wheat germ

Directions

Prepare winter squash by baking in pan of shallow water for 20 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Scrape out flesh.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, winter squash, sugar, zucchini/patty pan, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flours, baking powder, soda, salt, wheat germ, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir to combine. Stir in raisins and nuts, if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Food Sample Lady Wishes to Apologize

This box will soon be filled.
Recipes for tonight's Hot Pepper Rings in Sweet & Sour Sauce, last month's Chilled Cream of Zucchini Soup and June's Lemon Kohlrabi Salad will be posted soon.

Check back.

Share some favorite recipes of your own!

Share Contents for 9/13

Here are the shares for today - kohlrabi makes another appearance, and fun with watermelon. Another week of peaches for everyone, and the sacred herb of sage...

Nick

Single
1 Eggplant
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Onion
2 Apples
2 Peaches
4 Sweet Corn
1 Lb Sweet Potatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Basil
1 Tomato
1 Cantaloupe
1 Pepper, Poblano

Family
1 Eggplant
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pepper, Poblano
1 Onion
4 Apples
4 Peaches
6 Sweet Corn
1 Lb Sweet Potatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Basil, Bunch
2 Tomatoes
1 Watermelon
1/2 Lb Green Beans
1 Beets, Bunch
3 Kohlrabi
1 Kale
1 Pint Roma Tomatoes
1 Sage, Bunch

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Sexy Mutant Vegetable of the Week

Meet Mr. Eggplant Gnome!

Share Contents for 9/6

In the shares for today...

Single Share
1 Potato, 1 Lb Bag
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Lettuce, Head
1 Pepper, Poblano (Hot)
2 Peaches
1 Sweet Potatoes 1 Lb Bag
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cilantro, Bunch
2 Tomatoes
4 Sweet Corn

Family Share
1 Potatoes, 2 Lb Bag
1 Pepper, Red Bell
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot
1 Eggplant
1 Okra, Bag
1 Acorn Squash
1 Lettuce, Head
1 Pepper, Poblano (Hot)
1 Cooking Greens
1 Sweet Potatoes, 2 Lb Bag
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cilantro, Bunch
3 Tomatoes
1 Zucchini
1 Beans, 1 Lb Bag
1 Radishes, Bunch
4 Peaches
6 Corn

Monday, September 5, 2011

Souper Weather


This weather always makes me think of soup. The City Fresh veggies in the fridge and the fact that I live with a chicken stock maker make it really easy to put all those things together into a wonderful summer/fall soup. Here is what I made today. Its not the most healthy thing, but it sure is good. I took a recipe for Corn and Crab chowder and changed it for the City Fresh veggies I had in the fridge. You could easily make this vegetarian by leaving out the bacon, chicken and using vegetable stock.


4 slices of bacon (greasy reserved)
3/4 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup celery (I didn't have any so I left it out)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 chopped bell pepper (used a Hungarian stuffing pepper)
1/4 or more dry white wine (I used about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp brandy
1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped basil
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 fresh chopped thyme
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups fresh corn kernels
4 large potatoes diced
1/2 cup butter
2 cans evaporated milk
1 lb cooked chicken cut into bite size pieces

1. place the bacon in a large deep skillet. Cook until browed and easily crumbled. Set aside.
2. Put enough bacon greasy in a large stock pot. Add in the onions, garlic, celery and peppers. Cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine and brandy and bring to a simmer. Add in the basil, thyme, white pepper, and Worcestershire. Add the corn (uncooked), potatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. While the soup is simmering melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until the flour has turned the color of peanut butter. You will have to stir constantly. This should take about 10 minutes.
4. Stir the roux (butter flour mixture) into the soup. Be careful, mine kind of splashed when the roux went in because the roux was hotter than the soup. Add in the evaporated milk, crumbled bacon, and chicken. Return to a simmer. Cook until he potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened. About 15 minutes. Serve with oyster crackers.




Sunday, September 4, 2011

Bulk orders available!

Peaches, 1/2 bushel - $25.00

Apples, 1/2 bushel - $25.00

Roma Tomatoes ,1/4 bushel (a peck) - $15.00

Heirloom Tomatoes, 5 lbs. - $5.00

Order for next week pick-up at the stop on Tuesday!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Share Contents for 8/30

In the shares for today...

Single
1 Pepper, Red
1 Eggplant
1 Potatoes, 1 Lb
1 Onion
3 Sweet Corn
1 Lettuce, Head
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cucumber
2 Apples
2 Peaches
2 Tomatoes
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot

Family
2 Pepper, Red
1 Potatoes, 2 Lbs
1 Eggplant
1 Onion
1 Cabbage
1 Cherry Tomatoes, Pint
5 Sweet Corn
3 Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Cilantro, Bunch
1 Yellow Squash
4 Apples
4 Peaches
1 Green Beans, 1/2 Lb
1 Zucchini
1 Lettuce, Head
1 Basil, Bunch
1 Tomatoes, Roma Pint
1 Pepper, Medium-Hot

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Share Contents for 8/23

In the shares for today...

Single Share
4 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Cabbage
1 Grape Tomatoes, Pint
1 Okra
2 Peaches
1 Pepper, Hot
1 Pepper, Hungarian Stuffing
3 Sweet Corn
2 Tomatoes


Family Share
8 Apples
1 Beets, Bunch
1 Cabbage
1 Carrots, Bunch
1 Cucumber
1 Grape Tomatoes, Pint
1 Grapes, Pint
1 Okra
4 Peaches
1 Pepper, Sweet-Mild Cubanelle
1 Peppers, Assorted Pint
2 Peppers, Hot
1 Potatoes, 2 Lb Bag
6 Sweet Corn
3 Tomatoes

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Share Contents for 8/16

In the shares for August 16th...

Single Share
1 Basil, Bunch
1 Beets, Bunch
1 pt Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Egg Plant
1 Lettuce
1 Melon
1 Onion
1 Flamingo Pepper
2 Tomatoes
1 Zucchini

Family Share

1 Basil
1 Beets
1 Cabbage
1 Carrots
1 pt Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cilantro
1 Cucumber
2 Egg Plant
1 Kale, 2/3#
1 Lettuce
1 Melon
1 Onion
1 Patty Pan Squash
1 Cubanelle Pepper
2 Flamingo Pepper
1 Green Pepper
1 Mixed Pint Peppers
1 Acorn Squash
1 pt Tomatillo
3 Tomatoes
1 Zucchini

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Share Contents for 8/9

In the shares for 8/9...

Qty Single Share
1 Egg Plant
1 Hot Pepper
1 Melon
1 Onion
2 Tomato
1 Cucumber
1 Green Pepper
1 Head Lettuce
1 Yellow Squash
5 Apples
1 Bag Green Beans

Family Share
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
1 Onion
2 Hot Peppers
6 Apples
1 Zucchini
1 Melon
1 Pint Blackberries
1 Green Beans
1 Bunch Dill
1 Bulb Garlic
1 Head Lettuce
2 Eggplant
3 Tomatoes
1 Green Pepper
1 Bunch Basil
1 Patty Pan Squash
1 Bag Kale
1 Cucumber
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Large Heirloom Tomato

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Tomato Salsa and Watermelon Gazpacho

When tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro are all ready at once, it's time for salsa!

Here's my basic tomato salsa recipe. You can use hot peppers if you like, but I prefer the sweet ones, since the ground pepper still provides a lot of zip. Flavors will intensify over the first few hours, so it tastes best if you can assemble it a little bit ahead and chill for a few hours before serving.

4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 Cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
2 cloves raw garlic, minced finely
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 shakes of Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground white pepper
12 oz can tomato juice or V8



Later this week, when the tomatoes in this salsa start to fall apart from the heat of the peppers, I'll reinvent this as gazpacho. Traditional gazpacho would be made by adding cucumbers, puree-ing the whole thing, and serving it cold.

My version is a little different. A few years ago, I had a watermelon gazpacho in a restaurant and had to try to recreate it. I used my basic salsa recipe, combining roughly equal amounts of salsa and watermelon in a blender and smashed them together. The result was pretty good. I think it's tasty plain, but you can also dress it up with a little crumbled feta cheese on top.

Share Contents for 8/2

In today's shares...

Single
Hot pepper x2
Eggplant x2
Yellow squash
Cukes
Pickles
Garlic
Tomato x2
Onion
Green beans
Zucchini
Cilantro
Apple x5
Peach x2
Green Pepper
Potato 1#

Family
Hot pepper x3
Eggplant x3
Yellow squash
Watermelon
Cukes x2
Tomatoes x3
Onion
Green beans
Zucchini
Lettuce
Cilantro
Patty pan
Cherry Tomato Pint
Bell
Parsley
Green bell
Cooking greens

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Oatmeal Apple Crisp

In honor of Cleveland’s ongoing heat wave, I decided it was time to bake.

Last week’s shares included TART baking apples. I’m really glad we were warned that these were for baking and not eating straight. They weren’t kidding! Even after baking, these apples were still VERY TART. But that worked out great to contrast with the sweet & crunchy oatmeal topping on this apple crisp recipe. This was such a hit in my house that we polished it off the same day it was baked. In any other home, it should be at least 8 servings.

For the filling,

8 tart baking apples, peeled and chunked
1/2 c white sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Mix and place in the bottom of a buttered casserole dish.

For the topping, combine

5 Tbsp melted butter
1 c dry oats
1/3 c flour
½ c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Crumble the topping over the apples. (This is a LOT of topping, but all that sugar still balances out with the tartness of the apples.) Here it is, ready for the oven.



Bake at 375F for about 45 minutes until the apples are soft and the topping is browned slightly. Here's an "official-sized" serving of the baked apple crisp.


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

City Fresh Ratatouille



Here's an idea of what to do with all the wonderful veggies you got at the stop this week. I searched the internet for ideas for Ratatouille to use the eggplant, zucs, onions, garlic, and peppers. I didn't find anything that I really fell in love with, so I created my own from a number of sources. I figured that Ratatouille is a peasant dish, so I could do what I wanted with it in the spirit of cooking from what you have on hand. The only veggie that I bought was Roma tomatoes. I didn't think that the one slicing tomato would be enough. I used the yellow hot pepper instead of the more traditional green and red pepper for 2 reasons; I don't like bell peppers (weird I know) and I am a single share holder and didn't have any, anyway! The herbs I chose based on the recipes that I read on line and what I had growing fresh in the garden. Here is what I did;

Olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic sliced
1 green zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
2 Japanese eggplant, cubed
2 yellow medium hot peppers, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large slicing tomato, peeled and chopped
thyme
basil
oregano
lavender (just a bit for the taste of Provence)
pepper
salt
2 TBSP butter (optional)
breadcrumbs (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Put in the onions and the garlic. Saute until the onions become clear. Add in the zucs (both colors) and the eggplant, cook until the veggies become soft and start to caramelize on the bottom. Don't stir too much. Add in the tomatoes and the spices of your choice. I listed the ones I used. Turn off the heat. Dump the whole thing in an over safe dish. Melt the butter in a small saute pan. Add enough breadcrumbs to absorb the butter. Toast the bread crumbs until golden brown. Sprinkle over the veggies in the dish. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until the cheese is browned and toasty and the juice is bubbling on the sides. I served it in bowls with crusty French bread.


Here is the dish ready for the oven.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Produce Taking Over?

At today's pickup, I heard more than one person mention they're finding it hard to keep up with all the produce. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment myself. So I'm looking for ways to preserve some of this for the winter since by January I'll need a reminder that the sun will one day return to Ohio.

One of the methods that I've used successfully is blanching and freezing for beans. It's straightforward and relatively low effort. If you want to try this method, you'll need

well-washed beans with the ends snapped off
a big pot of boiling water
a bowl of ice water
a colander, and
a zip-type freezer bag.




You'll want to have everything set up at the beginning, since once you're underway, things happen pretty fast. The idea with blanching is not to cook the beans, but just to break down the outer layer so it freezes at the same rate as the insides and doesn't get tough.

Bring the pot of water to a full, rolling boil. Shut off the heat, and dump in the beans.



Stir gently and watch for the beans to start to turn a brighter green. This happens fast - only about 45 seconds in my kitchen. (It's better to under-blanch than overcook if you're not sure.) See the color change?

BEFORE:



AFTER:

Drain the beans through the colander and transfer as quickly as possible into the ice water to stop the cooking process.



The beans will quickly be cool enough to handle comfortably. Drain through the colander once more. Pack in a labeled zipper bag, remove as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn, and stick in the freezer. TADA!! Your own frozen veggies are now ready for winter.



The blanch and freeze method works well to preserve lots of vegetable options. The only difference is the length of time to blanch. The peas from early in this season were pretty delicate, so those blanched for me in about 10 seconds - almost as fast as I could get them in and out of the boiling water. Basically, the sturdier the veg, the longer it will take, but most everything will take only a couple of minutes max.

Happy preserving!

Share Contents for 7/26

Single
Hot pepper x2
Eggplant
Yellow squash x2
Cukes
Pickles
Garlic
Tomato
Onion
Green beans
Zucchini
Lettuce
Dill

Family
Hot pepper x4
Eggplant x2
Yellow squash x2
Blackberries
Cukes
Pickles
Garlic
Tomato
Onionx2
Green beans
Zucinix2
Lettuce
Dill
Patty pan
Mellon
Green pepper
Okra
Basil

Sunday, July 24, 2011

gojee

My roommate from college, a Yosemite park-ranger extraordinaire, who wrangles bears and gives a mighty-fine tram tour, just shared a new foodie website with me: www.gojee.com.

The site allows you to input items you "crave," items you "have," and items you "dislike." Then it hand-picks recipes "from food writers who know what they're doing." My roommate has a wicked peanut allergy, so her favorite thing about gojee is being able to search for nut-free dishes. I've only begun exploring the site, but am falling in love with the beautiful images that accompany each recipe. I was a little sad to discover that they didn't have any ideas for "patty pan," but the selection of cucumber recipes was pretty amazing . . .

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Share Contents for 7/19

In the shares for July 19th...

Single

Onion 1
Cabbage 1
Lettuce 1 head
Green Beans 1/2 lb
Yellow Squash 2
Patty Pan Squash 1
Pickling Cukes 1
Zucchini 1
Kohlrabi 1
Garlic 1 bulb
Eggplant 1
Lodi (Tart) Apples 4

Family

Onion 1
Cabbage 1
Lettuce 1
Green Beans 1 lb
Yellow Squash 2
Patty Pan Squash 1
Pickling Cukes 1
Zucchini 2
Kohlrabi 2
Garlic 1 bulb
Eggplant 1
Beets 1
Grape Tomatoes 1
Kale 1
Lodi (Tart) Apples 8

Monday, July 18, 2011

Kohlrabi: Part 2

The kohlrabi dish I created this week was inspired by my sister-in-law's mantra: "everything tastes better if you add butter and cheese." My husband loves eating kohlrabi raw, but I've discovered that folding it into a creamy cheese sauce with lots of pasta is pretty good too!

Kohlrabi "Mac and Cheese"

5 Tbsp of Butter
1 cup of Onions, diced
1 cup of Celery, diced
1 clove of Garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp of Flour
3 cups of Milk, warmed
2 cups of Cheese, grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pound of Penne, slightly undercooked
1 Kohlrabi bulb, diced
1 Zucchini, diced
1 cup of Breadcrumbs

In a large saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter on medium heat. Saute onions and celery for 5 minutes, until onions become translucent; add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add flour and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Slowly incorporate milk, whisking continuously. Raise heat to high, continue stirring, and bring to a boil. Allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, stirring all the while, and then remove from heat. Fold in almost all of the cheese, reserving about 1/4 cup; add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the penne, kohlrabi, and zucchini to the cheese sauce. Pour into a large, buttered, oven-proof dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and combine with the dried breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

After the penne has baked for 30 minutes, uncover and stir gently. Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and continue baking uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the kohlrabi is tender and the topping has turned a nice golden brown. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Additional Notes:
This is a variation on my favorite mac and cheese recipe, which calls for four kinds of cheese: 1 cup of cheddar, 1/2 cup of gruyere, 1/4 cup of blue, and 1/4 cup of parmesan. The recipe is very forgiving, and as long as the total amount of cheese remains roughly consistent, substituting different varieties--asiago, colby jack, smoked cheddar--opens up countless tasty possibilities. Since the only cheese I had in the fridge this past week was a giant block of pecorino romano, I broke from my typical cheese-blending routine. The romano paired nicely with the kohlrabi and the zucchini.

Zucchini gives off quite a bit of water during the baking process, and this changes the consistency of the sauce. I "corrected" this by stirring at the 30 minute mark before adding the breadcrumbs. A more exacting cook would probably salt and drain before incorporating the zucchini to the recipe, in order to remove the excess water . . .

I baked my kohlrabi mac in a pie-pan and several individual serving-size ramekins. More trouble to cover with foil, but who doesn't love their very own baked dish of mac and cheese?

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Share Contents 7/12

In the shares for July 12th

Single
kohlrabi x2
cabbage
cucumbers
pickles
beans
onion
garlic
lettuce
yellow squash x2
tomato
zucchini


Family
cabbage
kohlrabi x3
berry x2
pickles
hyssop
yellow squash x2
cucumbers
beets
lettuce
garlic bulbs
zucchini x2
tomato
onion
patty pan
basil

Friday, July 8, 2011

Kohlrabi

One of my favorite things about City Fresh is the way it forces me out of my produce comfort zone and gets me to try new things I've never (knowingly!) eaten before. So I was very pleased when I discovered that kohlrabi was part of this week's share. Since the bulb and the leaves are both edible, I decided to make "kohlrabi two ways." For the first preparation, I diced up the white flesh of the bulb to create a kohlrabified version of one of my favorite Indian dishes, Saag Aloo, Spinach with Potatoes. For the second, the kohlrabi leaves and my City Fresh zucchini were combined with an array of spices to make a tasty vegetarian curry.

The recipe for the second prep needs a little more work, but for now, here's what I did to make a kohlrabi-saag:

Indian Spinach and Kohlrabi

1/2 tsp Whole YellowMustard Seeds
1 tsp of Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, and Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 Tbsp of Oil
1 tsp of Garlic and Ginger Paste
1 cup of Kohlrabi, in smallish chunks
1 cup of Onion, diced
1 lb of Frozen Spinach, defrosted
Salt and Pepper

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high heat until it glistens. Add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add the garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir for about one minute, until the mixture becomes pungently fragrant. Trust your nose--you'll know when it happens!

Add kohlrabi chunks, diced onion, and spinach to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. Check the kohlrabi, and continue cooking until it reaches desired tenderness.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Share Contents for 7/5

In the shares for July 5th...

Single
1 Kohlrabi
1 Bag Pickling Cukes
1 Pt Raspberries
1 Onion
1 Cucumber
1 Zucchini
1 Yellow Squash
1 Bulb Garlic

Family
2 Kohlrabi
2 Bags Pickling Cukes
1 Pt Raspberries
1 Onion
1 Cucumber
2 Zucchini
2 Yellow Squash
1 Bunch Beets
1 Bag Green Beans
1 Bunch Carrots
1 Bag Peas
1 Head Lettuce
1 Bunch Chives
1 Bunch Basil

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Pickling Cucumbers

This past week's share included some pickling cucumbers, a.k.a. "pickles" or just plain "cucumbers." Compared to the typical cucumber you can find year-round in the produce section of your local grocery store, "pickling cucumbers" have thinner skins that make them ideal for soaking up the briny goodness of a basic pickling liquid. They are much shorter and smaller than their English cousins, and also sport numerous bumps or "warts" on their outer skin. But don't let their appearance or their name fool you: pickling cucumbers may be used just like regular cucumbers. You can slice them into salads, grate them for a killer tzatziki, or eat them au naturel.

Today, I decided to use my pickling cucumbers to make a classic Korean side dish that dresses cucumber slices in a sweet, tangy vinaigrette made with sesame oil and rice vinegar. This cucumber salad is the perfect compliment to a bowl of rice topped with bulgogi, Korean BBQ Beef. But I'll be serving my cucumbers alongside the burgers that my husband is grilling for our Fourth of July cookout....

Korean Cucumber Salad

- 4 Pickling Cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp of Salt
- 1 Tbsp of Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp of Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp of Sugar
- 1 tsp of Sesame Seeds
- 1/8 tsp of Minced Garlic

In a bowl, mix the cucumber slices and salt; let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds and minced garlic.

Rinse cucumber slices in cold water. Next, remove excess water by placing the slices in a clean dishtowel, and squeezing gently, but with purpose. Now, add the cucumbers to the rice vinegar mixture. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes, so the flavors have time to meld.

Additional Notes:
I usually buy my rice vinegar at an Asian market, but if you don't want to make a special trip to China Town, you should be able to find it in the "Asian" section of any well-stocked grocery store. It's one of the few specialty ingredients that I would strongly advocate making room for in your pantry, because it's a mild, sweet vinegar that's tasty, versatile, and can be used to make sushi rice.

In most versions I've seen, the classic Korean cucumber salad, oi muchim, is made spicy through the addition of gochugaru, Korean red pepper flakes. Gochugaru is tricky to find in Cleveland, but if any Coventry Fresh Stop members want to try some, I'm happy to share a few teaspoons from the ridiculously large bag I picked up the last time I went home to Los Angeles! A little goes a long way.

Spectrum Sesame Oil is incredibly bland. Although I grew up in a household that used Kadoya brand, I had a weak moment a few months back at Whole Foods, and was seduced by the word "organic" and the pretty rainbow on the label. Big mistake. Once this bottle of Spectrum has been used up, I'm getting a bottle of Kadoya, and never looking back.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Zucchini Quesadillas

For a quick dinner, I combined some decidedly non-local ingredients with my very local produce to come up with a scrumdiddlyumptious result.

First, I finely grated a zucchini. To extract the excess water from it, I pressed it against a fine colander. I combined this in a bowl with a can of black beans (drained), half an avocado (chopped), and a diced roma tomato, also squeezed to reduce the liquid. I then added some shredded cheeses - I use a store-bought mix of Monterey Jack, Muenster, and Colby.

I heated a cast iron griddle over a medium flame and melted a pat of butter on it before placing a tortilla over the griddle. I then spread my cheese and veggie mix over the tortilla so it was about a half inch thick, with a bit of room around the diameter. You can add more cheese here if you so desire. I topped this with a second tortilla.

Once the cheese was a bit melty, I flipped the quesadilla and cooked it a little longer on the other side til the cheese was quite melty. I cut it with a sharp knife in pie slices and served with salsa. The veggies make it a bit unwieldy, so I also recommend a knife and fork for eating.

Share Contents for 6/28

In the shares for June 28th...

Single Share
bunch onion
cucumber
1/2 lb. peas
zucchini
maple syrup
garlic bulbs
dry beans/extra squash
pickles x2

Family Share
bunch onion
1 lb. green beans
maple syrup
cucumber
pickles
lettuce
garlic bulbs
beets
basil
carrots
1 lb. peas
squash
raspberry
garlic scapes

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My Strawberries are Melting!

The later harvests of strawberries seem to begin to mush and decay within hours of picking. Late in the strawberry season, I just don't think there's much way around it. So what do I do with these bits which are not ideal for chomping nor for cereal nor shortcake? I haven't time nor enough to boil them into jam or syrupy dessert topping, but I'd hate to see them go to waste.

Well, born of late night computer chats with expert preservationists, I have the simple solution. I have rinsed my berries, chopped out the worst bits and the stems, laid them out evenly distributed on a cookie sheet, and placed them in the freezer for a few hours. Later, I can bag up these frozen nibblets and enjoy smoothies and desserts through the winter.

Actually, honestly, I likely never will as my children gobble up all the kale, fruit & yogurt smoothies I make.

Hyssop

This week's family share included some sprigs of hyssop, a potent herb belonging to the mint family that has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes since the time of the Greeks and Romans. In today's world, though, it's unlikely that you'll find fresh hyssop at your local market, since it's not a common ingredient for modern cooks. I experimented with my bunch of hyssop today by making an herb-infused simple syrup with the leaves, flowers, and stalks. Then, I combined my hyssop syrup with freshly squeezed lemon juice to form the base of a refreshing iced tea.

Lemon Hyssop Iced Tea

- 8 cups of boiling water
- Two to four bags of black tea
- Juice of three lemons
- 1 cup of hyssop-infused simple syrup (see last week's post)

Combine the lemon juice and hyssop syrup in a small bowl, and set aside. In a large, heat-proof pitcher, steep the bags of tea in hot water for about 5 minutes. Remove tea bags from pitcher, and allow tea to cool to room temperature. Once cool, add lemon-hyssop mixture to taste. Serve in chilled glasses with ice.

A Soup with Kale and Garlic

To use the kale, garlic, and onions I collected in this week's share, I decided to make a big pot of soup. Not the most seasonally appropriate meal, perhaps, but nutritious and filling all the same.

Kale, White Bean, and Garlic Soup

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

- 1 cup of chopped onion

- 1 tablespoon of dried Italian Seasoning (optional)

- Salt and Pepper

- 1 bunch of kale, tough stem removed and rough chopped

- 6 garlic cloves, minced

- 12 cups of broth or water (any combination bean, chicken, and/or vegetable broth will do)

- 5 cups of cooked dried white beans (see below) OR 2 cans of white beans, undrained

- 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped OR 1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes, chopped

In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat, and cook the onion with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until translucent, for about 5 minutes. Add the kale, and continue cooking, stirring often, for another 5 minutes until the kale is wilted and soft. Add the garlic, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Next, add 11 cups of broth, 3 cups of beans, and all the tomatoes to the pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the remaining cup of broth and the remaining beans, pulsing until thick and smooth. Add mixture to the pot, and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Additional Notes:

I cut the green tops off the garlic and onions, and am reserving them for a vegetarian stock.

For a heartier soup, add some cooked sausage during the final five minutes of simmering. Crumbled spicy Italian sausage complements the kale-white bean combination quite nicely, and makes it easier for me to convince my husband to eat his daily allotment of green vegetables!

If you have any garlic scape pesto on hand, add a dollop to your bowl of soup for an additional garlicky punch.

On the side, serve crostini topped with goat cheese and your City Fresh hot pepper butter.

Cooking Dried Beans:

I use Mark Bittman’s “Quick-Soak” Method for cooking dried beans from his massive compendium How to Cook Everything. It works for almost every kind of bean imaginable except the following varieties: lentils, split peas, peeled and split beans. Although I adore using canned beans when I need to throw together a quick meal, buying beans from the bulk bins is an economical, eco-friendly practice. And I've found that cooking beans is a satisfying culinary exercise, in which a little labor yields stunning results.


Here's the recipe I used to cook the dried beans for my kale and garlic soup:

1 pound of dried Great Northern Beans

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

¼ tsp black peppercorns

s

alt and freshly ground pepper.

Rinse the beans, discarding shriveled, discolored bits and any pebbles or stray matter.

Put the beans, bay leaf, rosemary, and peppercorns in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 to 3 inches. Bring the pot to a boil, and let it boil, uncovered, for about 2 minutes. Then, cover the pot with a tightly fitting lid, turn off the heat, and let the beans soak for 2 hours. Don’t peek!

After two hours, taste a bean. If tender, make sure that the beans are covered by about an inch of water, and add salt and pepper to taste. If not tender, cover the beans with 2 inches of water, and hold off on the s&p.

Next, b

ring the pot to a boil, and adjust the heat so that the beans bubble gently. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, checking the beans for doneness every 10 or 15 minutes, and adding more water if necessary. Once the beans are tender, add the salt and pepper. Stop cooking when the beans taste the way you like them. Use your cooked beans in any recipe that calls for canned beans, and save the cooking liquid to add flavor to soups and stocks.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Share Contents for 6/21

In the shares for June 21st...

Single Share
1 bunch Onion
1 Pint Strawberries
½ lb Peas
1 bulb Garlic
1 bunch Garlic Scapes
1 bunch Chives
1 bunch Mint
1 hd lettuce
1 bag kale

Family Share

1 bunch Onion
2 Pints Strawberries
1 lb Peas
1 bunch Garlic Scapes
1 bulb garlic
2 Zuccini
4 Pickling Cukes
2 hds lettuce
1 bunch oregano
1 bunch hyssop
1 bunch mint
8 oz maple syrup
1 bag kale

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Mint Simple Syrup

Greetings! Today I'm sharing one of my favorite recipes: herb-infused simple syrup. It's an easy-to-make, infinitely variable concoction that can be used to flavor your favorite summertime beverages.
Thyme syrup and a squeeze of lemon are lovely additions to a pitcher of iced tea. Basil syrup works well as the base for a boutique lemonade. Rosemary syrup, lavender syrup--so many delicious possibilities!
When I discovered that we were receiving a bunch of mint in this week's share, I knew exactly what I was going to do with mine . . .

Herb-Infused Simple Syrup

- equal parts water and sugar
- a few sprigs of mint, thyme, basil, or whatever herb suits your fancy

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan; set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the liquid mixture begins to bubble vigorously, remove from heat and add herbs. Allow to sit until cool. Strain. Enjoy.

Additional Notes: 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar yield about 1.5 cups of syrup. I will halve or double the basic 1:1 recipe depending on how much syrup I need. Syrup may be refrigerated in a tightly sealed jar or container for 1 month.

Your syrup will come together very quickly, so don't leave your saucepan unattended! Constant stirring is a must. Initially, the sugar/water mixture will be cloudy, but once the sugar has dissolved, the mixture will become completely clear. This should happen just before it comes to a boil.

Sparkling Mint Limeade

- equal parts freshly squeezed lime juice and mint simple syrup
- club soda
- chilled glasses filled with ice

Combine lime juice and mint simple syrup. Fill chilled glasses a third of the way with this lime/mint mixture. Add club soda until the glass is full. And if you want to make yours a mojito, simply add light rum and muddle a few mint leaves for show.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

First Day Recap

First off, we pulled all of our City Fresh equipment out of our varying basements and loaded it up into our vehicles. Amy did an excellent job fitting most everything into her car.After counting veggies at distribution, we began set up of the stop. Folks new to City Fresh and those old hats all joined in gladly. It's like summer has truly begun!
We readied ourselves for record numbers of shareholders!


I like to add mint to iced tea, ordinarily, but with Toni's garlic scape and mint pesto recipe, I may have to branch out.
Green onions are a great addition to salads, stir fries, chicken, fish, rice... I could go on and on.
Garlic scapes! I have these growing in my garden as well. One suggestion was to make a risotto, which sounds delightful. There's a recipe here.
Toni and O - who will be heading up food samplings and demonstrations for us this summer - used some of the scapes from my garden to prepare this amazing garlic scape and mint pesto. Theirs was vegan, but it can be made with Parmesan instead of nutritional yeast as well. Toni posted the recipe on our Facebook page:

Garlic Scape – Mint Pesto (vegan and not) - wk 1 food sample

1 bunch garlic scapes
~12 mint leaves ( or to taste)
handful of walnuts (or nuts of your choice)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or a bit more Parmesan cheese, in which case decrease salt.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil/water to blend

Mix all ingredients in a food processor... (use water to start then finish with oil for a “lighter” pesto, or use all oil for a “richer” more unctuous pesto)

In the moments without long lines of shareholders, I was able to take goofy photos of huckleberry jam. This is made by Amish women. There's no need to tour Amish country when Amish country comes directly to you!
One of our volunteers, Chauncey, told me today that huckleberries are a cross between raspberries and blackberries, but this is not the case (though loganberries, boysenberries, and tayberries all are). Huckleberries actually look like blueberries, but have larger seeds in greater numbers than do blueberries. They are the state fruit of Idaho. In the 1830s, the phrase, "a huckleberry to a persimmon," was popular, apparently used as a metaphor demonstrating an unfavorable comparison between things. Knowing that Chauncey is a big Simpsons fan, I'm sure he'll appreciate this bit of trivia from the huckleberry Wiki entry:
Huckleberries featured in an episode of The Simpsons, in which school bully Nelson Muntz is overheard by Principal Skinner uncharacteristically telling fellow classmates: "The thing about huckleberries is, once you've had fresh, you'll never go back to canned..."

Monday, June 13, 2011

Share Contents for 6/14

Single Share
1/2 Pint Pepper Butter
1 Pint Strawberries
1 Bunch Green Onions
1 Head Lettuce
1 Bunch Bokchoy
1 Bunch Garlic Scapes
1 Bunch Mint
1 Lb Fresh Snow Peas

Family Share
1/2 Pint Apple Butter
8 oz Maple Syrup
2 lbs Corn Meal
1 Quart and 1 Pint Strawberries
1/2 Pint Huckleberry Jam
1 Bunch Green Onions
2 Heads Lettuce
1 Bunch Bokchoy
1 Bunch Garlic Scapes
1 Bunch Mint

Eagerly awaiting the start of the season!

I'm dreaming of last year's bounty and all of the wonderful bounty this season promises!!! :)

Friday, June 10, 2011

Getting Ready

My tomatoes from last year re-seeded and we have an all-volunteer tomato army this year, which, when combined with our City Fresh bounty, will help restock the pasta sauce stored for winter.

Mostly this is important because I am figuring out how to blog from my mobile device so I can blog from the fresh stop. If you're reading this, or if I am reading it on the blog (since we have no readership thus far), then it worked and you can be fascinated by my amazing tomato army and my technological skills. Booyah.

We made the paper!

Pick up a copy of The Heights Observer at your local Phoenix Coffee Shop or CH-UH Public Library, or peruse the .pdf of it here (right click and save to view). Or just read it online. Read all about us! Spread the word. Tell your friends. Make us and our veggies famous.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Welcome to Coventry City Fresh!

City Fresh is many things. For you, it’s a weekly crop of just-picked local fruits and vegetables distributed by volunteers at your neighborhood Fresh Stop – at affordable prices! It’s a network bringing the bounty of local farms directly to the city and close suburbs. It’s a way for you to get healthy, super fresh food while guaranteeing markets for small farmers and experiencing the richness of the local growing season. It also reduces the gas and money used to get produce from farm to table.

A non-profit organization, City Fresh promotes a more sustainable food system in Northeast Ohio. Initiated by the New Agrarian Center, we are a movement of volunteers, farmers, youth and community members committed to local food and health in our community.

At the Coventry Fresh Stop, we take pride in the involvement of our community and the family-friendly environment our location and volunteers provide. We seek to build community through the sharing of work, food, recipes, and stories. This year, we've begun this blog to help our shareholders reach out to one another and have ready access to the information, recipes, and stories we give and take in person each Tuesday.

Please join us on the culinary adventure starting Tuesday, June 14th and running until October 25th from 5-7 pm at the Coventry Road Library 1925 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, 44118.