TANTRÉ FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
“Extended Fall CSA Share”
Week 2
Oct. 18-24, 2015
If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.
In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes add, remove, or substitute some vegetables for others. The information provided here is also published each week on our website.
**If you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.
THIS WEEK’S SHARE
BEETS: You will receive Cylindra Beet (A uniquely-shaped 6” cylindrical beet with especially sweet flavor; this heirloom is a favorite with chefs due to uniform slices and ease of peeling).
-How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: separate roots from leaves and store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store greens wrapped in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.
CARROTS: You will receive Mokum (a very sweet, slender, orange “pencil carrot”).
-How to use: Can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries
-How to store: refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks
CAULIFLOWER, ROMANESCO: lime green, spiraled heads with pointed, spiraled pinnacles; crisp and mild.
-How to use: Raw for salads and dips, steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
-How to store: Sweetest and best when used within a week when stored in the refrigerator, but can last up to 2 weeks.
COLLARD GREENS: dark-green, flat, large leaf. May be substituted for kale or other hearty greens recipes. Use large leaf rolled up as a wrap and stuff with vegetables or hummus.
-How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking
-How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system, and used as an expectorant or decongestant.
-How to use: minced raw in salad dressings, sautéed and added to stir-fries, meats, vegetables; make garlic butter.
-How to store: fresh garlic can be stored in an open, breathable basket in a cool, dark place for many months; if cloves begin to get soft or moldy, break off bad clove and chop up others and pack into small jar filled with olive oil; then refrigerate (great gift idea!).
ONIONS: You will receive Red Hawk (medium to large deep red bulbs that are slightly flattened).
-How to use: good in French onion soup, stews, casseroles, etc.
-How to store: can last for 10 to 12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.
HOT PEPPERS: You may receive Poblano (a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor) and Cayenne (long, slender, green fruits tapering to a point with medium heat; are excellent for homemade hot sauce and dry well for ristras and delicious, dried hot pepper flakes) and Padron (heirloom pepper famous in Spain; typically 2 to 3 inch long; smaller peppers are milder, but the larger the pepper, the more it grows in heat; serve sautéed in olive oil with a little sea salt, or chop into many other dishes).
-How to use: Often roasted, chopped, and seasoned corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, salsa, and pickles.
-How to store: For fresh peppers, store in refrigerator. For drying peppers, place string through the stems and hang in cool, dry, well-ventilated spot.
GREEN SWEET PEPPERS: typical bell pepper with large blocky cells with fruity, sweet flavor; excellent source of vitamin C, fair amount of vitamin A, and some calcium, phosphorus, iron, and thiamin.
-How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention; can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent stuffed.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks. Peppers can be easily frozen by washing, chopping, and placing in freezer bags. Also, peppers can be dehydrated or dried.
POTATOES: You will receive Yukon Gold (yellowish brown skin with yellow dry flesh and pink eyes; long storage and good tasting; perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried) and Adirondack Blue (round to oblong, slightly flattened tubers have glistening blue skin enclosing deep blue flesh; moist, flavorful flesh is superb for mashing or salads; very high in antioxidants!)
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag
RADISHES (Pink Beauty): pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor.
-How to use: raw, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; Radish greens (excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s) delicious in soups or stir-fries.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
WATERMELON RADISHES: an heirloom Chinese variety of Daikon radishes; large, 2-4”, round radishes with unique dark magenta flesh and light green/white skin along with a remarkably sweet, delicious taste.
-How to use: Cooking does minimize the intensity of their color, but can be braised or roasted like a turnip, or mashed like a rutabaga; color is vibrant when served raw in a salad or in a veggie plate with some dip. Can also be pickled.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
SWISS CHARD: close relative of garden beets; multi-colored, large veined, semi-crinkly, dark green leaves; mild flavor; good source of vitamins A, E, & C, as well as iron & calcium.
-How to use: greens can be prepared like spinach, and stalks like asparagus; good steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and in soups.
-How to store: wrap in damp cloth in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2-4 days.
GREEN TOMATOES: pleasantly pungent flavor making this tomato excellent for frying, broiling, and adding to relishes.
-How to use: sauté, bake, broil, or grill; eat raw in salads or add to soups, stews, or sauces
-How to store: keep at room temperature for up to 1 week
WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: A white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet flavor with a crisp texture.
-How to use: good in salads and soups, roasted, steamed, sautéed,
-How to store: remove greens from turnip root and store separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days; roots can last up to 1-2 weeks in refrigerator.
WINTER SQUASH: You will receive Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh; great stuffed with rice, breading, or soups) and Delicata (small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest).
-How to use: great baked with water or roasted with olive oil and salt; mash cooked squash with butter; purée cooked squash for creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal, etc.
-How to store: Keep for several months (depending on the variety) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. PLEASE RETURN SHARE BOXES & BRING EXTRA BAGS! Please return any forgotten boxes from past weeks. You may bring bags, a cooler or other containers to transfer your produce from the boxes at your distribution site, especially next week, which is your final week of Ex. Fall Shares. We also can use any EXTRA PAPER OR PLASTIC BAGS (Grocery Bags ONLY).
2. VACATION HOLD or PICK UP RESCHEDULE: If you know that you are not able to pick up or need to reschedule pick up days during these coming 3 weeks for any reason,
you can make those changes yourself by going into this link http://tantrefarm.csasignup.com and choosing “Schedule vacations or pick up location changes” under the “Member Actions” box on the left. You will need to do this a week ahead of time, if you know that you will not be picking up your share or you want to change your pick up date or location. Please make a strong effort to PICK UP ALL OF YOUR SHARES in the next few weeks. If you miss a share pick up, it is available at the farm ONLY for that day and 1 day after, but please have the courtesy to contact us ASAP, so we know what to do.
3. THANKSGIVING SHARES! A more detailed email notice about this will come out to you sometime in the next few weeks. A Thanksgiving Share signup link will also be available on our website under “CSA Info” at that time. We are offering a distribution on Saturday, November 21, for winter storage or to stock up on vegetables before the holiday for $115. This share will be available for pick up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M. Full payment is needed by Nov. 14, so we know how many shares to harvest.
4. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CSA IN 2016? We are considering SOMETHING NEW this year: a “roll-over membership”, which means members would be automatically rolled over into the next summer season. Any updates could be made as far as different pick up locations or different share partners before the season starts. Members would have plenty of time to opt out before the season starts and with several reminders. It is a new idea that provides the convenience of not having to remember to register by any deadline. You would still receive emails reminding you to pay by check or credit card. Registration will begin in November, so you still have time to mull this over. Summer CSA Shares will be available for $640 for 20 weeks from June through the middle of October in 2016. Please feel free to let us know what you think of this new idea, and we will make an informed decision based on your input. Thank you for your consideration!!
5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)–7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Farm (Wed.)–10 A.M. to 7 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
Farm (Fri.)–2 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Community High School (Sat.) –7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 A.M. to 12 P.M.
RECIPES
FIRST-FROST FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (What To Do With This Stuff?)
1 lg. green tomato per person
eggs & milk (2Tbs. milk per egg)
oil for frying
breading (cornmeal, bread crumbs or flour)
salt and pepper or other seasonings (See recipe.)
Parmesan cheese
Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Combine milk and eggs in one bowl and breading and seasonings in another. (Alternate seasonings include: basil, oregano, curry powder, sesame seed, or chili powder.) Dip tomato slices first into egg mixture, then into breading/seasoning mixture, and fry until golden brown on both sides.
CAULIFLOWER PIE WITH POTATOES, SPINACH, AND BASIL (from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson) Serves 6 to 8.
3-4 medium potatoes (about 1 pound)
¼ c. minced scallions
1 Tbs. plus ¼ tsp. salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large head (2 small) cauliflower, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
1 hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups fresh spinach leaves (substitute beet greens or Swiss chard)
1 Tbs. finely sliced fresh basil or parsley
1 egg, slightly beaten
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan. Put the potatoes in a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Mash the potatoes. Stir in scallions and add ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Press the potato mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, the remaining salt, and lemon juice; boil, uncovered, until very tender but not mushy, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain. Put cauliflower in a large bowl. Roughly mash. Heat the butter in the same large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cover; cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and boil away any excess water (if there’s too much, just spoon or drain it out—so very little liquid is left). Mix in the mashed cauliflower, basil/parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in egg. Spread this into the potato crust. Sprinkle with cheese over the cauliflower mixture. Bake until cheese is lightly golden, 30 to 40 minutes.