DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 9/06/11
No newsletter this week…still adjusting to the homework/extracurricular routine as a Freshman. Enjoy the produce this week!
Author: Aahnix Bathurst
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 8/23/11 This week, the seasonal fresh picked produce you’ll find at your doorstep is: Tomatoes, Beets, “Yard-long” Beans, Daikon radish, Summer Squash, small Spaghetti Squash, Delicata squash, Okra, Green Bell Pepper, Lambs Quarters, Culinary herb bag (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil), Flower Bouquet (Pineapple sage, Zinnia, Salvia, and Rose of Sharon), and the surprise of the week (Popcorn!).
News from the garden
Okra is blooming and producing at last! Tomatoes are ripening and beginning to set. Scarlet Runner Beans and carrots are growing well. The bugs killed many of the squash and cucumber plants but the survivors have set and are beginning to ripen. We planted more squash just before I left for scout camp but the roofers stepped on most of them. The beet growth has come to a halt in this heat so we continue to harvest them as “babies.” Late green beans are blooming and setting and we like this variety better than the French heirlooms that were too delicate for our climate. Sunchokes will be blooming soon. Yard long beans are happy in the heat and going strong. The Asian pears at Grandma’s are growing larger with the rain last week. The plum tree I planted two years ago had tasting quantities of plum for the first time this year, but, while we were in California at my Aunt’s wedding, someone picked (stole) them all, so we won’t have any this year. Too bad for them the plums were not even ripe (their yellow skin needed to turn red first!) Crenshaw melon and cantaloupe look good and are constantly ripening; new melons are even setting now that the weather has “cooled.” Enjoy these in your deliver this week. Spaghetti squash and Delicata squash have set and are ripening. I planted more potatoes for fall two weeks ago and a few plants are peaking up through the mulch now… Autumn olive berries are looking good for fall harvest and a sampling quantity is included this week (remember they sweeten when the fall frosts come.) Bell pepper and tomato are still slow but should pick up as the weather cools.
**Okra: Delicious chopped and fried or added to soup for thickening.
**Lambsquarters: are still coming strong.
**Green Bell Pepper: (Wiki-Fact: While the bell pepper is a member of the Capsicum genus, it is the only Capsicum apart from Capsicum rhomboideum that does not produce capsaicin,[1] a lipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning sensation when it comes in contact with mucous membranes. The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a recessive form of a gene that eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the “hot” taste usually associated with the rest of the Capsicumgenus.)
**Red Beets (Wiki-Fact: It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leafy vegetables chard. The “earthy” taste of some beetroot cultivars comes from the presence of geosmin. Researchers have not yet answered whether beets produce geosmin themselves, or whether it is produced by symbiotic soil microbes living in the plant. Nevertheless, breeding programs can produce cultivars with low geosmin levels yielding flavors more acceptable to consumers.)
**Tomato: Heirloom varieties of tomato..
**Daikon Radish: Commonly used in Chinese stir fry dishes and raw foods salads. See the recipe below.
**Yard Long Beans (purple and green): these beans get to be very long. Cook them as any other green bean either whole or chopped small. (Wiki-Fact: The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked. They are at their best when young and slender. They are sometimes cut into short sections for cooking uses. As a West Indian dish it is often stir-fried with potatoes and shrimp.)
*/**Culinary Herbs: Rosemary, Basil, Thyme, Sage, rosemary, and Oregano WARNING: herbs are not washed.
**Summer squash: Under this category, we have yellow squash, zucchini, delicata, and a mini spaghetti squash.
*/**Flowers: Pineapple sage, Zinnia, Salvia, Russian Sage, and Rose of Sharon.
Surprise of the week is Home Grown Popcorn! This is our first experience with miniature popping corn. We’ve popped two batches. The first batch (1tbsp) turned out super delicious and perfect (just tiny). The second batch didn’t pop and just burned up. Still learning about this one… good luck… just pull the kernels away from the cob and pop as usual.
*= organically grown in my 4-H garden on Cedar Street **= grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s house near Talmage
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 8/15/11 This week, the seasonal fresh picked produce you’ll find at your doorstep is: Misc. Cherry Tomato, Beets, “Yard-long” Beans, Summer Squash, small Spaghetti Squash, Okra, Crenshaw Melon, Cantaloupe, Green Bell Pepper, Lambs Quarters, Culinary herb bag (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, peppermint), Corn Silk, Flower Bouquet (Surprise Lilly, Pineapple sage, Zinnia, Salvia, and Rose of Sharon), and the surprise of the week (Popcorn!).
News from the garden
Okra is blooming and producing but the sudden cooler weather has slowed production (temporarily). Tomatoes are ripening and beginning to set. Scarlet Runner Beans and carrots are growing well. The bugs killed many of the squash and cucumber plants but the survivors have set and are beginning to ripen. We planted more squash just before I left for scout camp but the roofers stepped on most of them. The beet growth has come to a halt in this heat so we continue to harvest them as “babies.” Late green beans are blooming and we like this variety better than the French heirlooms that were too delicate for our climate. Sunchokes will be blooming soon. Corn is past its season, so now we are delivering the silk. Yard long beans are happy in the heat and going strong. The Asian pears at Grandma’s are growing larger in this rain. The plum tree I planted two years ago had tasting quantities of plum for the first time this year, but, while we were in California at my Aunt’s wedding, someone picked (stole) them all, so we won’t have any this year. Too bad for them the plums were not even ripe (their yellow skin needed to turn red first!) Crenshaw melon and cantaloupe look good and are constantly ripening; new melons are even setting now that the weather has cooled. Enjoy these in your deliver this week. Spaghetti squash and Delicata squash have set and are ripening. The first of the harvest is in this week’s delivery. I planted more potatoes for fall this past week. Autumn olive berries are looking good for fall harvest. Bell pepper and tomato are still slow but should pick up as the weather cools.
**Okra: Delicious chopped and fried or added to soup for thickening.
**Lambsquarters: are still coming strong.
**Green Bell Pepper: (Wiki-Fact: While the bell pepper is a member of the Capsicum genus, it is the only Capsicum apart from Capsicum rhomboideum that does not produce capsaicin,[1] a lipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning sensation when it comes in contact with mucous membranes. The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a recessive form of a gene that eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the “hot” taste usually associated with the rest of the Capsicumgenus.)
*/**Red Beets (Wiki-Fact: It is best known in its numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leafy vegetables chard. The “earthy” taste of some beetroot cultivars comes from the presence of geosmin. Researchers have not yet answered whether beets produce geosmin themselves, or whether it is produced by symbiotic soil microbes living in the plant. Nevertheless, breeding programs can produce cultivars with low geosmin levels yielding flavors more acceptable to consumers.)
**Tomato: Heirloom varieties of cherry tomato this week are Chocolate (the one that looks green), golden cherry, red, and other Misc.
**Yard Long Beans (green): these beans get to be very long. Cook them as any other green bean either whole or chopped small. (Wiki-Fact: The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked. They are at their best when young and slender. They are sometimes cut into short sections for cooking uses. As a West Indian dish it is often stir-fried with potatoes and shrimp.)
*/**Culinary Herbs: Rosemary, Basil, Thyme, Sage, rosemary, and Oregano WARNING: herbs are not washed.
*Herba Mentha Pepperita: On hot summer days, I make a peppermint tea by filling a quart jar half full (NOT half empty) with the fresh peppermint leaves, and fill it with boiling water. Then we let it cool, sweeten it, and enjoy.
**Summer squash: Under this category, we have yellow squash (normal sized and delicate tender babies for “gourmet” recipes), zucchini, delicata, and a mini spaghetti squash. It is their first full harvest.
**Corn Silk: Pour boiling water over corn silk and steep for a refreshing summer beverage. (Wiki-Fact: Corn silk is used in Asia for kidney problems, diabetes and high blood pressure and is a diuretic.)
*/**Flowers: Surprise Lilly, Pineapple sage, Zinnia, Salvia, and Rose of Sharon.
Surprise of the week is Home Grown Popcorn! This is our first experience with miniature popping corn. We’ve popped two batches. The first batch (1tbsp) turned out super delicious and perfect (just tiny). The second batch didn’t pop and just burned up. Still learning about this one… good luck… just pull the kernels away from the cob and pop as usual.
*= organically grown in my 4-H garden on Cedar Street **= grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s house near Talmage
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 7/11/11 This week you’ll find at your doorstep: salad mix,beets, onion, lambsquarters, cucumber, yard long beans, green beans, summer squash, blackberries, lavender, culinary herb bag (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, tarragon, garlic, peppermint), flower bouquet (with more Rose of Sharon blossoms!), and the surprise of the week (Beebalm and Lemon Thyme!). Recipe of the week: MonardaSnapper
News from the garden
Black berries are ripe!!!! Okra is still not mature enough to bloom. Tomatoes are still not ripe! Scarlet Runner Beans and carrots are growing well. Bugs bugs bugs! The bugs are winning! Bugs are in the winter squash, summer squash, cucumber, and greens! We’re going to be lucky to get any more of these… We planted late squash just before I left for scout camp so maybe the bugs will be done by the time they grow and the greens will be sweet this fall as it becomes too cold for the bugs! The beets are still going strong but we keep harvesting them as babies. Late green beans are blooming and we like this variety better than the French heirloom that were too delicate for our climate (the French ones are in the delivery this week). Sunchokes will be blooming soon. Corn looks good. Cucumber was very very slow to come up but it at last is and now the bugs are getting it. Enjoy these cucumbers this week and we’ll hope the vines can survive long enough to make more for next week. Shi sho leaf is starting to take off. Yard long beans are making beans this week. Frost got the apricots and peaches but the Asian pears are okay. The plum tree I planted two years ago has tasting quantities of plums (so far) so you can look for a sample of these coming in August or September. I’m getting ready to plant more potatoes for fall next week.
*/** Salad Mix: Believe it or not, there is a small salad this week despite the heat wave.
**Beets (just red this time)
**Lambs quarters: more nutritious than most cultivated greens, these are at the height of the season. I like it when mom makes them like this- place 1 lbs ground beef with 1 quart water, 1 cup quick cooking rice (like white basmati), salt, pepper, rosemary/thyme/oregano, and lambs quarter leaves. Boil until meat is done. Great soup. You can add onion and any other veggies. Notice how ½ cup lambs quarters have 1.2 mg Iron!
**Onion: cook with stir fry mix above or enjoy with salad.
**Blackberries
**Yard Long Beans: these beans get to be very long. Cook them as any other green bean either whole or chopped small.
*Green Beans: These delicate French Heirlooms are too delicate for our climate and just are not producing very well.
*Culinary Herbs: Rosemary, Tarragon (nice with fish), Genovese Basil, Purple Basil, Box Basil, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Sage, rosemary and Oregano WARNING: herbs are not washed. Rinse before use.
*Lavender: (WikiFact: Lavender lends a floral and slightly sweet flavor to most dishes, and is sometimes paired with sheep’s-milk and goat’s-milk cheeses. For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, from which the scent and flavor of lavender are best derived.)
**Garlic: set it on the counter to dry (it may mold in the fridge).
*Herba Mentha Pepperita: On hot summer days, I make a peppermint tea by filling a quart jar half full (NOT half empty) with the fresh peppermint leaves, and fill it with boiling water. Then we let it cool, sweeten it, and enjoy.
**Cucumber: Enjoy while you can. The bugs have nearly got the vines. The vines at my house are still okay but are coming in late.
**Summer squash: Enjoy while you can. The bugs are winning at Grandma’s. The transplants I put in last month from the nursery are still bug free but they are just sitting there blooming and not growing anything.
*/**Flowers: Rose of Sharon, Lilly, and Russian Sage. Save the Rose of Sharon flowers and use in last week’s recipe!
Surprise of the week is Bee Balm! Yes, these lovely flowers are edible. Enjoy the recipe below next time you cook fish.
Monarda Snapper (Edible Flowers from Garden to Palate by Barash p. 88)
2 tbsp butter and 4 red snapper 1 clove garlic** ½ c bee balm flowers* coarsely chopped
1 tbsp lemon thyme* coarsely chopped olive oil ¼ c Riesling wine or other light white wine
Melt butter in a skillet. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add flowers and sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Heat a large skillet. Pour in just enough olive oil to lightly coat pan. Add red snapper. Cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes on one side. Turn fillets over and pour on sauce. Continue to cook until fish just turns opaque. Remove to a serving platter. Return skillet to heat. Add wine to deglaze pan, stirring continually. Four liquid over fish fillets. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
*= organically grown in my 4-H garden on Cedar Street **= grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s house near Talmage
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 6/27/11
This week you’ll find at your doorstep: salad mix, Asian stir fry mix, red and white beets, radish, onion, berry bag (gooseberry, Crandall), lavender, culinary herb bag (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, tarragon, wild garlic), “tea” bag (mint, lemon balm), mung bean sprouts, elder flowers, flower bouquet, and the surprise of the week (Rose of Sharon flowers!).
I’m adding a new part to the newsletter that I hope you will find interesting. Every week, I will feature a VITAMIN OF THE WEEK. You will learn what foods that week have a significant amount of that vitamin in it. I’ll make a graph for you to keep. Sources for information range from Wikipedia, other internet resources, and nutrition text books.
The vitamin of the week is Iron. Some sources say Recommended Daily Intake for adult male is 10mg and Optimal Daily Intake is 0-60mg. Iron is important as it is a “component of hemoglobin” that transports oxygen.
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FOOD
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SERVING SIZE
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IRON PER SERVING
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Lettuce
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1 cup loose
|
.6mg
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|
Swiss Chard
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1 cup
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3.2 mg
|
|
Kale
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1 cup cooked
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1.8 mg
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|
Broccoli, raw
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½ cup
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1.7 mg
|
|
Beet greens
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½ cup
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1.4 mg
|
|
Lambs quarters
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½ cup
|
1.2 mg
|
News from the garden
Black berries continue to ripen well and are red now. Okra is coming in strong but still not mature enough to bloom. Tomatoes need one more week to be ready to harvest. Carrots are sprouted so we may have fall carrots. Scarlet Runner Beans are growing very well this year. It’s hard to keep the bugs out of the greens but these generally slow down this time of year anyway. The green beans are heirloom and are not very productive. Next year I’ll plant more or else choose a different variety. The Crandall’s at Grandma’s are a hit; they are only two year old bushes. I hope you like the flavor of the “tasting quantity” of the first production year as much as I do! Mom has plans to order this variety for our yard on Cedar Street. If we plant late in the fall, then they should bear like this the summer after next… The kiwis are growing well and may bear tasting quantities next year at this rate. The beets are still going strong. Late green beans are up (6” tall now). Sunchokes look great. The wet spring made most of the potatoes rot but some late planted ones are doing okay. The egg plant never came up. Cucumber was very very slow to come up but it at last is. We’re wrestling with squash bugs. Sweet potatoes are growing well. And it looks to be a bumper harvest this fall for Autumn olive berries!
*/** Salad Mix: Believe it or not, there is a small salad this week as the latest planting of lettuce is big enough to use and the older plants we’ve been cutting from have returned due to the cool spell we had a few days ago!
*/** Asian Stir Fry Mix: the bugs hit hard this week so this is what we could salvage of chards, kales, and bulls red beets. Add the beet tops to it and cook as explained earlier in the year. (Included is a small amount of broccoli, green beans, and the first of the summer squash for the year). Add some canned bamboo shoots, baby corns, water chestnuts, ginger, onions, garlic, mirin, and soy sauce to make an Asian stir-fry with rice. The mung bean sprouts can be added into this mix as well.
**Beets (red and white): Cover them with one inch of water and boil until tender, rinse in cold water, slip the skins off, cook, slice, and dress with generous amounts of dill, salt, vinegar, and olive oil. Prepare beet tops as any green… (Wiki fact: Beetroot can be peeled, steamed, and then eaten warm with butter as a delicacy; cooked, pickled, and then eaten cold as a condiment; or peeled, shredded raw, and then eaten as a salad. Pickled beets are a traditional food of the American South. It is also common in Australia and New Zealand for pickled beetroot to be served on a hamburger).
**Lambs quarters: more nutritious than most cultivated greens, these are at the height of the season. I like it when mom makes them like this- place 1 lbs ground beef with 1 quart water, 1 cup quick cooking rice (like white basmati), salt, pepper, rosemary/thyme/oregano, and lambs quarter leaves. Boil until meat is done. Great soup. You can add onion and any other veggies. Notice how ½ cup lambs quarters have 1.2 mg Iron!
** Radish: planted late and still enduring the heat, enjoy with salad.
**Onion: cook with stir fry mix above or enjoy with salad.
**Berry Bag: Tasting quantities of any available berries including Gooseberry, Crandall, and mulberry. Crandall, a member of the ribes family and relation to current and gooseberries, is sometimes called “clove currant,” it is “sweet and flavorful with a hint of spice.” This is its first year in production at Grandma’s. This week we have tasting quantities.
*Culinary Herbs: Rosemary, Tarragon (nice with fish), Genovese Basil, Purple Basil, Thyme, Sage, rosemary (Leaf and flower), and Oregano (two varieties): WARNING: herbs are not washed. Rinse before use. Many of these can be used to flavor dolmus (stuffed grape leaves)
*Lavender: (WikiFact: Lavender lends a floral and slightly sweet flavor to most dishes, and is sometimes paired with sheep’s-milk and goat’s-milk cheeses. For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, from which the scent and flavor of lavender are best derived.)
*Wild Garlic: Small but tasty! Add it to the stir fry above.
**Mint: On hot summer days, I make a peppermint tea by filling a quart jar half full (NOT half empty) with the fresh peppermint leaves, and fill it with boiling water. Then we let it cool, sweeten it, and enjoy.
*Lemon Balm: Crush and use in tea for calming effect. So far, mom says if she crushes enough of it, and applied is directly and liberally to the exposed skin, that the bugs are leaving her alone, just as the books say it will…
*/**Flowers: Mom made the flower arrangement this time. It includes Salvia, Rose of Sharon, Zinnia, Russian Sage, and Geranium. Save the Rose of Sharon flowers and use in the enclosed recipe! Also, you can use the geranium petals in salads, a common practice in Europe.
Wild Crafted Elder Flowers: Believe it or not, it’s still in season. Check out the new recipe is included this week.
*Mung Bean Sprouts: I sprouted these from seed this week and they’ve come along nicely. Use in salad or on sandwiches. Mung bean sprouts are stir-fried as a Chinese vegetable accompaniment to a meal, usually with ingredients such as garlic, ginger, spring onions, or pieces of salted dried fish to add flavor.
Surprise! Rose of Sharon is our early surprise of the month, because there will be no box next week as I’m at Boy Scout camp! Just use the flowers out of your bouquet this week to make one of the tasty treats on the attached pages.
*= organically grown in my 4-H garden on Cedar Street **= grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s house near Talmage
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter -06/21/11
This week you’ll find at your doorstep: beets, dandelion greens, stir fry mix; wild and domestic grape leaves, black radish, rat tail radish, onion, berry bag (mulberry, gooseberry, crandall), lavender, herb bag (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, terragon, mint, licorice mint, lemon balm), flowers, and the surprise of the week (more elder flowers!).
News from the garden:
The black berries are looking good and turning red already… if the rain continues coming we’ll all enjoy plenty of black berries this year! The okra is about six inches tall… The squash bugs are destroying the vines already, it may become a bad squash year… Corn and sunchokes look good. Bugs are getting the greens but this time of year growth slows down anyway due to the heat and picks up again in the fall. The herbs look terrific. We planted fall carrots and more green beans today. The scarlet runner beans are going strong and the Asian Pear tree at Grandma’s house is loaded. The wild garlic is just about ready to harvest. Cucumber vines are struggling and eggplants never came up. Heirloom tomatoes look vibrant so far and have set a few fruits. Sweet potato plants look good so far and beets are still growing strong.
*/** Asian Stir Fry Mix: the bugs hit hard this week so this is what we could salvage of chards, kales, and bulls red beets. Add the beet tops to it and cook as explained earlier in the year.
**Beets (red and white): Cover them with one inch of water and boil until tender, rinse in cold water, slip the skins off, cook, slice, and dress with generous amounts of dill, salt, vinegar, and olive oil. Prepare beet tops as any green… (Wiki fact: beets are cultivated for their sugar). Check out the beet and horseradish relish below.
*Dandelion greens: city markets sell these for a hefty price. (Wiki fact: In the north-eastern United States, dandelion is cultivated and eaten in salad.) See recipe below. Cooked as a “dandelion italiano, it is a great addition to breakfast.
**Lambs quarters: more nutritious than most cultivated greens, these are at the height of the season. I like it when mom makes them like this- place 1 lbs ground beef with 1 quart water, 1 cup quick cooking rice (like white basmati), salt, pepper, rosemary/thyme/oregano, and lambs quarter leaves. Boil until meat is done. Great soup. You can add onion and any other veggies.
**Wild and domestic grape leaves: Very high vitamin C.
* Black Radish: Enjoy on salad. Black radish is an heirloom.
**Rat Tail Radish: This variety of radish plant doesn’t make an edible root; instead, it makes a large plant that produces delicious seed pods that taste just like radish. Eat it raw, sliced on salad, or lightly steam.
**Onion:
**Berry Bag: Any available berries including Gooseberry, Crandall, and mulberry. Crandall is sometimes called “clove currant,” it is “sweet and flavorful with a hint of spice.” This is its first year in production at Grandma’s. This week we have tasting quantities.
*Culinary Herbs: Rosemary, Tarragon (nice with fish) Purple Basil, Thyme, Sage, rosemary (Leaf and flower), and Oregano (two varieties): WARNING herbs are not washed. Rinse before use. Many of these can be used to flavor dolmus (stuffed grape leaves)
**Mint: On hot summer days, I make a peppermint tea by filling a quart jar half full (NOT half empty) with the fresh peppermint leaves, and fill it with boiling water. Then we let it cool, sweeten it, and enjoy.
*Licorice Mint: Crush and enjoy in tea.
*Lemon Balm: Crush and use in tea for calming effect. So far, mom says if she crushes enough of it, and applied is directly and liberally to the exposed skin, that the bugs are leaving her alone, just as the books say it will…
*/**Flowers: Lilly and salvia
Wild Crafted Elder Flowers: yes, it’s still in season. A new recipe is included this week.
Beet & Horseradish Relish (from Twinhawks Hollow Farm CSA): “Scrape and wash horseradish root. Grate desired amount into 1 cup sour cream and let stand two hours. Blend 2 pounds cooked and chopped beets, 2 tbsp additional grated horseradish and 1 tsp sugar until beets are coarsely chopped. Mix with sour cream mixture. Place in covered bowl in refrigerator for several days to blend flavors.”
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter 6/20/11
This month you’ll find at your doorstep: salad mix with nasturtium leaves; beets; stir fry mix of dinosaur kale, red Russian kale, and chard; dandelion greens; wild and domestic grape leaves; radish; rat tail radish; green onion; green beans; berry bag of mulberry, gooseberry, and crandalls; herb bag of rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, tarragon, mint, licorice mint, lemon balm; flowers (lily and salvia; and the surprise of the week (elder flowers).
*/** Salad mix: enjoy the nasturtium leaves in the mix this month. This may be the last week for salad until the fall.
**/* Asian Stir-fry Mix: Includes Dinosaur Kale, Red Russian Kale, Beet Tops, Red Chard, Green Chard, Collards.
**Beets (red & white): Cover them with one inch of water and boil until tender, rinse in cold water, slip the skins off, cook, slice, and dress with generous amounts of dill, salt, vinegar, and olive oil. Prepare beet tops as any green… (Wikifact: beets are cultivated for their sugar)
*Dandelion greens: city markets sell these for a hefty price. (Wikifact: In the north-eastern United States, dandelion is cultivated and eaten in salad.) See recipe below, it’s a great addition for breakfast.
**Wild and domestic grape leaves: (Wikifact: A jar of commercial grape leaves typically contains grape leaves, water, salt, citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and sodium bisulfate (for preservatives). Enjoy the stuffed grape leave recipe enclosed.
*Radish: Enjoy on the salad. This is the last week of this until fall. The heat made it bolt (put energy into making seed instead of root). (Wikifact: The radish (Raphanus sativus) is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe,)
**Rat Tail Radish: This variety of radish plant doesn’t make an edible root; instead, it makes a large plant that produces delicious seed pods that taste just like radish. Eat it raw, sliced on salad, or lightly steam. I find that the seed pod is rather spicy, but the small, delicate, and juicy seeds are very delicious. The pod and seed are edible. (Wikifact: It is believed to have originated from China)
**Green Onion: enjoy with salads
*Green Beans: “Terra Bush Bean” from organic seed.
**Gooseberry: Gooseberries are beginning to ripen and drop this week. You’ll a mix of ripe and green fruit this week… Great Grandma made pies with the green gooseberries. (Wikifact: Gooseberries are commonly preserved by drying, storing in sugar syrup, or as jam or pickle. Gooseberries are used to flavored drinks such as soda, water or even milk, and are used to make fruit wine. )
**Crandall berry: Sometimes called “Clove Currant,” it is sweet and flavorful with a hint of spice. This is its first year in production! This week we have tasting quantities.
*Culinary Herbs including: Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Tarragon (nice on fish), Rosemary, and Mammoth Basil. There is enough basil for a pesto sauce this week! Just blender it with olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, pine nuts… BASIL DETERIORATES QUICKLY PLEASE USE RIGHT AWAY. Many of these herbs are used to flavor the meat in the stuffed grape leave recipe.
**Mint: On hot summer days we make a cooling peppermint tea by stuffing a quart jar with mint and pouring boiling water over it. Let it cool, sweeten to taste and enjoy!
*Licorice Mint: Crush and enjoy in tea.
*Lemon Balm: Crush and use in tea for calming effect. So far, mom says if she uses enough of it, the bugs are leaving her alone.
*/**Flowers: Lilly and salvia
Wild Crafted Elder flowers: add these to baked goods or enjoy the attached easy recipe for an elder flower drink. (Wikifact: The flowers of Sambucus nigra are used to produce elderflower cordial. The French, Austrians and Central Europeans produce elderflower syrup, commonly made from an extract of elderflower blossoms, which is added to pancake (Palatschinken) mixes instead of blueberries. People throughout much of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe use a similar method to make a syrup which is diluted with water and used as a drink. Based on this syrup, Fanta markets a soft drink variety called “Shokata” which is sold in 15 countries worldwide. In the United States, this French elderflower syrup is used to make elderflower marshmallows. St-Germain, a French liqueur, is made from elderflowers. Wines, cordials and marmalade have been produced from the berries or flowers. In Italy (especially in Piedmont) and Germany the umbels of the elderberry are batter coated, fried and then served as a dessert or a sweet lunch with a sugar and cinnamon topping. Elderberries are a key ingredient in “purple juice”)
Beet & Horseradish Relish (from Twinhawks Hollow Farm CSA): “Scrape and wash horseradish root. Grate desired amount into 1 cup sour cream and let stand two hours. Blend 2 pounds cooked and chopped beets, 2 tbsp additional grated horseradish and 1 tsp sugar until beets are coarsely chopped. Mix with sour cream mixture. Place in covered bowl in refrigerator for several days to blend flavors.”
Dandelion Italiano by Susan Weed: “Hold greens in parallel bunches and hop into half inch pieces. Put all the chopped leaves into a pan, cover them with boiling water, and then set the pan over heat until the water boils again. Drain off the water. Repeat this process two to three times more. Drain them well, then add several tablespoons of vinegar, a good coating of olive oil, some salt or tamari, and minced garlic or garlic powder. Stir well, taste and correct seasoning (you’ll probably need to add more vinegar). This makes a tangy, slightly bitter addition to any meal, even breakfast!”
DOOR STEP HARVEST Weekly Delivery Newsletter
All leafy vegetables are washed in vinegar water and spun in salad spinner, and sealed in zip bag with moist paper towel to preserve crispness. Most items will last nearly a week in the fridge when stored this way. Your veggies are grown from seeds that are either/or heirloom, organic, and from a seed savers exchange network. The flower bouquet this week is made from _______________ The fresh living food on your doorstep this week includes: salad mix with nasturtium and arugula flowers, horseradish root, beets, red chard, dinosaur kale, red Russian kale, amaranth, dandelion greens, wild and domestic grape leaves, radish, rat tail radish, green onion, sugar snap peas, green beans, mulberry, gooseberry, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, basil, peppermint, licorice mint, lemon balm, flowers, and the surprise of the week (elder flowers).
*/** Salad mix: made of two varieties of lettuce with nasturtium and arugula flowers in the mix this week. Enjoy with an olive-oil vinaigrette salad dressing blended with ginger, garlic, and herbs from this week’s delivery. It’s even great on sandwiches!
** Horseradish root may be prepared and used as a condiment with roast beef. Attached is a recipe for preparing it. CAUTION: some people find the fresh root irritating to the skin so use it carefully.
**Beets: Cover them with one inch of water and boil until tender, rinse in cold water, slip the skins off, cook, slice, and dress with generous amounts of dill, salt, vinegar, and olive oil. Prepare beet tops as any green…
*Chard: Red Chard tastes good sliced and cooked with onions, salt, vinegar, and mirin.
**Dinosaur Kale:
*/**Red Russian Kale:
**Amaranth: mild and tasty. To cook, cover with water, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, a dash of rice vinegar, and cook for 5 minutes. Tastes mild like spinach. Amaranth can be used to replace spinach .
*Dandelion greens: city markets sell these for a hefty price. See attached recipe to prepare.
**Wild and domestic grape leaves:
*Cherry Belle Radish: Enjoy on the salad. This is the last week of this until fall. The heat made it bolt (put energy into making seed instead of root).
**Rat Tail Radish: This variety of radish plant doesn’t make an edible root, instead, it makes a large plant that produces delicious seed pods that taste just like radish. Eat it raw, sliced on salad, or lightly steam.
**Green Onion:
**Sugar Snap Peas: sweetest of all peas, this one is eaten shell and all, raw on salads or steamed as a side.
*Green Beans:
**Mulberry:
**Gooseberry:
*Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano:
**Peppermint, Basil
*Licorice Mint
*Lemon Balm: It is said to repel mesquitoes and I have been experimenting with it. So far, it doesn’t work very well for me but Mom says that it is working for her ONLY if she crushes it and rubs it on ALL exposed skin GENEROUSLY. We’ll keep working on it and you can try it too and let us know your results.
*/**Flowers: Lilly
Wild Crafted Elder flowers: add these to baked goods or enjoy the attached easy recipe for an elder flower drink. “Good for making wine, vinegar or syrup, they can also be dipped in batter, deep fried and served sprinkled with sugar and grated orange peel, or added to fritter, pancake and muffin batter.” The Edible Ornamental Garden, Bryan & Castle, 1974, p. 90.
Beet & Horseradish Relish (from Twinhawks Hollow Farm CSA): Scrape and wash horseradish root. Grate desired amount into 1 cup sour creamand let stand two hours. Blend 2 pounds cooked and chopped beets, 2 tbsp additional grated horseradish and 1 tsp sugar until beets are coarsely chopped. Mix with sour cream mixture. Place in covered bowl in refrigerator for several days to blend flavors.
Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish (Moosewood Restaurant): Trim off outer layers leaves of 1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts. Cut 3 large carrots into 1 inch thick slices and 3 leeks into ½ inch pieces. Steam vegetables until tender, 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in 1/3 c vegetable oil, 3 tbsp fresh grated or prepared horseradish root, 3 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh dill, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Drain vegetables and toss with sauce.
Elderflower Sherbet (The Edible Ornamental Garden): Pour 2 c boiling water over 2.5 cups firmly packed elder flowers and let stand 1 hour. Soften in: 2 tbsp cold water and 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin. Strain and discard flowers; reheat liquid. Dissolve softened gelatin in liquid; then stir in: ½ c each of extra-fine sugar and lime juice. Pour into 2 ice trays and freeze, stirring occasionally with for, until partially frozen. Spoon into bowl set over ice and beat with egg beater. Gradually fold in: 2 egg whites, beaten and stiff. Return to trays and freeze. Spoon into serving dishes and garnish with: mint sprigs. Serve as accompaniment to pork or other roast. Makes 8 small servings.
DOOR STEP HARVEST Delivery Newsletter
Merry May! All leafy vegetables are washed in vinegar water and spun in salad spinner, and sealed in zip bag with moist paper towel to preserve crispness. Most items will last nearly a week in the fridge when stored this way. Your veggies are grown from seeds that are either/or heirloom, organic, and from a seed savers exchange network. The flower bouquet this week is made from iris, Mock Orange, Smoke Tree, peony. The fresh living food on your doorstep this week includes: Salad mix, Red Russian/Curly Leaf Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Typhon Holland Greens, Mixed Greens Saute, Radish, Baby Spinach, Large leaf spinach, Arugula, baby beet tops, peppermint, dill, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, lemon balm, spring onion greens, rhubarb, sugar snap peas, a very little berry teaser, and the surprise of the week is: grape leaves. Attached is a page of information on how to cook greens to inspire you. Here are some interesting facts about the foods this week:
*Salad Mix: Made of several varieties of lettuces, and a variety of other salad greens. Enjoy with an olive-oil vinaigrette salad dressing blended with ginger, garlic, and herbs from this week’s delivery. It’s even great on sandwiches!
*/**Red Russian/Curly Leaf Kale: It tastes great in sauté with onion, garlic, mirin, vinegar, and olive oil. (Wikifact: kale contains sulforaphane, which is believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. Also, it contains indol-3-carbinal which boosts DNA repair and blocks cancer growth.)
**Dinosaur Kale: Cook with kale or by itself above. (wikifact: see above and, in East Africa, it is an essential ingredient in making a stew for ugali, which is almost always eaten with kale. Kale is also eaten throughout southeastern Africa, where it is typically boiled with coconut milk and ground peanuts and is served with rice or boiled cornmeal.)
**The Global Mixed Greens Saute: Swiss Chard, Chinese Tatsoi, Taiwan sweet mild mustard, Typhon Holland Greens.
* Cherry Belle Radish: Enjoy with your salad. (Wikifact: Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 calories, largely from carbohydrates).
** Black Radish: (Wikifact: Citizens of Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrate the radish in a festival called Noche de los Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) on December 23 as a part of Christmas La Navidad celebrations. Locals carve religious and popular figures out of radishes and display them in the town square)
*Baby Spinach: Use in salads with nuts, in ethnic cuisine, and on pizza with mushrooms and feta! (Wikifact: During World War I, wine fortified with spinach juice was given to French soldiers weakened from hemorrhage).
*Large leaf Spinach: just in time for sandwiches.
**Tyfon Holland Greens: This brassica is a cross between Chinese Cabbage and Turnips. Tyfon contains no mustard oil so the flavor is very mild. Cook like mustard greens. See attached cooking info about greens.
**Beet Tops with wee little babies attached: Cook these tops like greens above…and enjoy the itty-bitty bite of beet at the end.
*Arugula: Cook like greens (on attachment), chop small and add to meatloaf, or add fresh to salad (shred and add feta, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, dried cranberries, and drizzle with olive oil or flax oil). This week we made up a new recipe: Chop one onion into tiny pieces, shred two large handfuls of arugula, add 1 tbsp each of thyme, oregano, sage, salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat oiled skillet while blending above with one pound ground beef (use hands to mix). Make balls larger than golf ball size but smaller than tennis ball size. Flatten into patty and cook like hamburgers in skillet. While cooking, sprinkle CHIPOLTE pepper on the patty. Yum. If proportions are just right, hamburger patty will hold up to grilling, but this takes practice… Arugula makes a nice pesto too.
*Sugar Snap Peas: we were surprised to find these so early… they are still not fully formed but still taste great. Sugar Snap Peas are a variety to eat whole, shell and all. (Later in the year we’ll have shell peas and snow peas.)
*/**Berry Teaser: Just a taste! The mulberries in our yard in town are turning, some of the strawberries are ripe, and the gooseberries at Grandma’s are green but my aunt and great grandma ate them green their whole life. In a few weeks, these gooseberries turn dark purple, loose their crisp quality, and become soft.
**Rhubarb: Enjoy a good crisp during your summer BBQ over memorial day weekend!
*Thyme: Can be used to season pasta, salad dressings, tomato sauce, and meats. Keep in fridge for two weeks and use fresh as needed. After that, keep on counter in paper bag to dry. After it’s dry, keep in Ziploc bag for future use.
*Dill: Enjoy chopped in salad or with beets.
*Rosemary: great for simmering with a roast…
*Oregano: great for seasoning pasta, meats, salad dressings… Store as thyme above.
*Sage tastes great with winter squash and ground lamb. It’s also good seasoning for other meats, stews, and it is a key ingredient in meatballs and sausages when it’s dried and crushed. Store as Thyme above.
**Peppermint is great added to salads, made into tea (place a handful of leaves into quart jar, poor boiling water over it, and let it steep until cool enough to drink), used in Asian cooking, or try shredding it and adding it to strawberries!
*Lemon Balmcalms stomach disturbances, and soothes the nerves. Enjoy it as a soothing tea (add boiling water to crushed leaves). It may also be used in your salad mix. (Wiki Fact: When crushed, it can be applied to skin and used to repel mosquitoes.) During the hot spell, I tried it. I crushed it and rubbed it into my skin and it seemed to work. Let me know if it works for you or not.
*Onion Greens taste great in salads or diced and sprinkled on soup.
**Wild crafted spring garlic: Use it blended in salad dressing, minced into hamburger patties, or diced into sauté.
The surprise of the month are Domestic Grape leaves and Domesticated Wild Fox Grape leaves. Make stuffed grape leaves according to instructions below. The Greeks love their stuffed grape leaves. Preserved grape leaves are found in ethnic food stores and even health food stores these days sell canned stuffed grape leaves (dolmas). There’s nothing like fresh dolmas. If you don’t have time to make dolmas right away, preparing the leaves below prepares them for freezing well. Then, later, thaw them out and stuff. Dolmas are great snacks to pack.
*Organically grown in my 4-H Garden on Cedar Street. **Grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s in the country.
STUFFED WILD GRAPE LEAVESfrom Edible and Medicinal Plants by Steve Brill:
30 grape leaves
2 Quarts water
2 teaspoons salt
Collect grape leaves at least 6 in. across and cut off stems. Add leaves to boiling salted water for a few minutes. Drain, and rinse the leaves under cold running water. Set aside and make stuffing or freeze and use later.
Stuffing can be made so many various ways and very in simplicity and complications. View the web for complicated versions view the JOY OF COOKING. My mom makes simple things by blending ground lamb or ground beef with simple ingredients including things like nuts (pine nuts or pecans are most common), herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano), cooked rice, salt and pepper. We make the shape of the meat small enough to fit inside the “palm” of the leaf. Fold left and right “arms” toward the middle over the meat, then roll toward the tip and then you have a little roll. Lay them in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and a touch of vinegar then bake at 300 degrees for one hour. See the enclosed copy of a more complicated version by Steve. My mom does make them a pressure cooker and they do stay very moist that way.
Arugula pesto: Substitute arugula for basil and use walnuts in place of pine nuts. Pesto easily freezes in ice cube trays for use over baked chicken and pasta.
DOOR STEP HARVEST Delivery Newsletter
Merry May! All leafy vegetables are washed in vinegar water and spun in salad spinner to preserve crispness. Many of the seeds I’ve chosen to grow are heirloom varieties, organic, and from a seed savers exchange network. The flower bouquet this week is made from iris, salvia, rose, peony, & spiderwort. The fresh living food on your doorstep this week includes: Salad mix, Red Russian Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Typhon Holland Greens, Radish, Spinach, Arugula, wild crafted Nettle, baby beet tops, peppermint, thyme, oregano, sage, lemon balm, licorice mint, spring garlic, spring onion greens, rhubarb, and the surprise of the week is wild crafted spring garlic. Here are some interesting facts about the foods this week:
*Salad Mix: Made of several varieties of lettuces, baby spinach, bulls blood beet tops, arugula, kale, etc… Enjoy with an olive-oil vinaigrette salad dressing blended with ginger, garlic, and herbs from this week’s delivery.
**Red Russian Kale: Almost baby still, it tastes great steamed or in sauté with onion, garlic, mirin, vinegar, and olive oil. (Wikifact: kale contains sulforaphane, which is believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. Also, it contains indol-3-carbinal which boosts DNA repair and blocks cancer growth.)
**Dinosaur Kale: Still small, cook with kale or by itself. (wikifact: see above and, in East Africa, it is an essential ingredient in making a stew for ugali, which is almost always eaten with kale. Kale is also eaten throughout southeastern Africa, where it is typically boiled with coconut milk and ground peanuts and is served with rice or boiled cornmeal.)
*Radish: (Wikifact: Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 calories, largely from carbohydrates).
**Spinach: (Wikifact: During World War I, wine fortified with spinach juice was given to French soldiers weakened from hemorrhage).
**Tyfon Holland Greens: This brassica is a cross between Chinese Cabbage and Turnips. Tyfon contains no mustard oil so the flavor is very mild. Cook like mustard greens. See attached cooking info about greens.
**Beet Tops: Baby beets are coming soon! Cook these tops like greens above…
**Arugula cook like greens (on attachment), chop small and add to meatloaf, or add to salad (shred and add feta, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, dried cranberries, and drizzle with olive oil or flax oil).
*Thyme: can be used to season pasta, salad dressings, tomato sauce, and meats. Keep in fridge for two weeks and use fresh as needed. After that, keep on counter in paper bag to dry. After it’s dry, keep in Ziploc bag for future use.
*Oregano: great for seasoning pasta, meats, salad dressings… Store as thyme above.
*Sage tastes great with winter squash and ground lamb. It’s also good seasoning for other meats, stews, and it is a key ingredient in meatballs and sausages when it’s dried and crushed. Store as Thyme above.
**Peppermint is great added to salads, made into tea (place a handful of leaves into quart jar, poor boiling water over it, and let it steep until cool enough to drink), used in Asian cooking, or try shredding it and adding it to strawberries!
*Lemon Balmcalms stomach disturbances, and soothes the nerves. Enjoy it as a soothing tea (add boiling water to crushed leaves). It may also be used in your salad mix. (Wiki Fact: When crushed, it can be applied to skin and used to repel mosquitoes.) During the hot spell, I tried it. I crushed it and rubbed it into my skin and it seemed to work. Let me know if it works for you or not.
*Licorice Mint is a great snack when walking around in the garden and makes a nice addition to salads or tasty tea.
*Onion Greens taste great in salads or diced and sprinkled on soup.
*Spring Garlic: just a taste of what’s to come… use like green onion or blended into salad dressings, or cook with potatoes.
Freshly wild crafted nettle: Nettles are more nutritious than spinach! Boil in water for 15-20 minutes to deaden the stingers and enjoy like spinach. Reserve cooking water and serve as a refreshing beverage. If this is too unusual for you, most people like it cooked in lasagna. Wiki Fact: Wow! I don’t know where to start! Go to Wikipedia and see for yourself!
The surprise of the month is wild crafted spring garlic. It’s the tallest stuff in the bag. Use it like the cultivated garlic above.
*Organically grown in my 4-H Garden on Cedar Street. **Grown in my 4-H garden at Grandma’s in the country.