Category: Goods & Goodies
News worth sharing: KFF Holiday Specials
We have great news worth sharing! Share them on your facebook wall and your name will be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of Tamara Murphy’s new cooking book: TENDER. (http://shinshinchez.com/tamara-murphy-tender)
NEWS WORTH SHARING: KFF HOLIDAY SPECIALS
– FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS*: For the month of December, not only will you receive the standard thank you gift for your referrals, we will take $15 OFF your next order when your referrals become new customers.
– FOR NEW CUSTOMERS**: Order two boxes and get the third one FREE plus a welcome gift from us.
– FOR RETURNING CUSTOMERS**: If your account has been inactive for the past 6 months or more, order two boxes and get the third one FREE …frankly, we have missed you!
BioGarden™ Soil Conditioner
Thanksgiving Holiday Planning
Every year for the Thanksgiving holiday we offer an additional special Holiday Box ($35) full of traditional Thanksgiving meal items for your celebration. Not only can you schedule a Holiday Box to be delivered the week of Thanksgiving, but also the week before and the week after. You can have this box delivered along with your regular order or in place of your regular order. The box menu is as follows (*denotes local):
Holiday Box Menu
Granny Smith Apples, 2 lbs.*
Cranberries, 8 oz.*
Satsumas, 3 lbs.
Breadcubes for Stuffing, 1 lb.*
Celery, 1 bunch
Acorn Squash, 1 ea.*
Green Beans, 1 lb.
Garnet Yams, 2 lbs.
Carrots, 2 lbs.
Yellow Potatoes, 3 lbs.*
Onions, 1 lb.*
Remembering Neighbors in Need
If your celebration includes helping the less fortunate who live in our community, we would like to partner with you by giving you the opportunity to purchase a discounted Holiday Box for $25, to be given to local food banks the week of Thanksgiving. Last year 174 Holiday Boxes were donated and this year we’d love to have a greater impact. The volunteers at the food banks have expressed again and again how wonderful and satisfying it is to be able to supply people with fresh produce. Please call or e-mail us to set up this donation.
This Week's Add-Ons – July 11th, 2011
The local season is beginning to explode…finally! Guess what that means? It’s berry time!
Local flats of fresh blueberries and raspberries are available to order now!
Local Blueberries, Flat: $48.00
Local Raspberries, Flat: $35.00
Local Cherries are here and fabulous! Red Bing: $4.00/1-lb. Rainier: $6.50/lb.
Local Apricots: $1.00/each.
*If we don’t have the berries the week you order due to weather/availability, we will send them out when they become available…and, let us know if we need to contact you first.*
To order please visit: http://www.klesickfamilyfarm.com/main/order-fruit
This is THE time to get your garlic scapes for pesto!
Garlic scapes freeze exceptionally well and are terrific with basil in pesto or as a topping on pizza…and pickled! See Ashley Rodriguez’s lovely post on pickling these short-season gems: http://notwithoutsalt.com/2009/06/18/garlic-scapes/
Garlic Scapes, local. 5 bundles for $9.00
Basil, local. $2.00/bn.
Shiitake Mushrooms (also local): $4.55/0.5-lb.
To order please visit: http://www.klesickfamilyfarm.com/main/order-vegetables
Fresh This Week Tips – May 25, 2011
GRAPE TOMATOES
STORE: Never refrigerate tomatoes – it kills the flavor. Keep them at room temperature, lightly wrapped if you prefer. If you want to speed the ripening process, put them in a pierced paper bag with an apple, which emits ethylene gas, a ripening agent.
PREP: Grape tomatoes are best used split in half in salads, so you can still appreciate the burst of flavor from their thick skins.
USE: To make a quick just-back-from-the-market lunch, cut the tomatoes in quarters and put them in a serving bowl with some minced garlic, a little olive oil and just a splash of red wine vinegar. Season until sharp with salt and black pepper and then toss some freshly cooked spaghetti on top. Give it a second to warm through, then stir to combine.
BUNCH CARROTS
STORE: Carrots can be stored in a plastic bag for up to 10 days, but be sure to store them away from apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas, which causes them to become bitter.
PREP: Peel older carrots; younger ones need only a light rinsing or scrubbing. Whiteness on a carrot’s skin indicates dehydration: A quick soaking in water should restore its texture and color.
USE: Along with celery and onions, carrots are used to create depth in stocks, marinades, soups, and sauces. They pair well with honey, thyme, cumin, curry, and orange.
YELLOW ONION
STORE: Store whole onions in their mesh bag (or any container that lets air circulate) for up to 2 months in a cool, dark, dry space. Don’t store onions under the sink or near potatoes, because moisture and the gases emitted by potatoes will cause the onions to rot. Refrigerate a cut onion, skin on (it will last a bit longer) and tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days.
PREP: Peel skin and cut onion in half through the root with utility knife. To properly cut an onion, place onion half, cut side down, on cutting board. Holding knife horizontally, make cuts in onion parallel to board, almost to root end. Cut onion vertically into thin slices, holding onion with fingers to keep its shape. Turn onion and cut crosswise to root end. Repeat with remaining onion half.
USE: Out of the onion family, yellow onions have the strongest flavor. They’re pretty overpowering raw, but cooking mellows their flavor nicely.
Fresh This Week Tips – May 17th, 2011
STRAWBERRIES
STORE: Leave strawberries unwashed and loosely wrap the container in a plastic bag or paper towel and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
PREP: Wash the berries and trim the caps just before using.
USE: Strawberries are perfect in pies, just right in jams, and a sweet-tart touch in salads. But they’re at their best raw, served at room temperature, topped with freshly whipped cream.
GREEN LEAF LETTUCE
STORE: Refrigerate in a loosely closed plastic bag; do not seal tightly. If roots are attached, wrap them in a damp paper towel before placing the lettuce in the bag. Lettuce is delicate and should be eaten within 5 days (iceberg lasts up to 2 weeks); discard any leaves that are wilted or slimy. Do not separate the leaves from the head or wash until just before using.
PREP: To toss a picture-perfect salad, first tear (don’t cut) leaves from the core, then clean and dry them well. The best way to do this is with a salad spinner. Fill it with cold water, add greens to the basket, and swish. Lift out greens, dump the water, and repeat until the water is grit-free. Spin the greens until thoroughly dry (in batches, if necessary). Excess moisture dilutes the dressing. Oil can cause greens to wilt, so dress them just before serving with only enough dressing to nicely coat the leaves without pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
USE: Perhaps the most versatile vegetable in existence, lettuce is a great accompaniment to almost anything your heart desires. Most notably found in salads, check out this recipe for a strawberry green leaf salad that is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
FRESH STRAWBERRY SALAD
4 c. leaf lettuce
1 pt. strawberries
2 kiwifruit
DRESSING
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. wine or tarragon vinegar
1/4 c. salad oil
1/2 tsp. dill weed
- Wash, dry and tear lettuce. Wash, hull and quarter strawberries. Peel and slice kiwifruit. Toss gently in bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and shake until well mixed. Drizzle over salad.
RHUBARB
STORE: Keep unwashed stalks in a loose plastic bag, leaves attached, in the vegetable drawer. Rhubarb will last up to a week; use it before the stalks become soft.
PREP: Just before using, wash the stalks and remove the leaves (they contain oxalic acid, which is toxic if eaten in large quantities). If you’ve got a tough bunch, you can peel them with a paring knife or a vegetable peeler.
USE: Rhubarb is quite tart and is best cooked with sugar in sauces or compotes or used as a filling in pies, crisps, or cobblers. It is lovely paired with the sweetness of strawberries or raspberries.
Fresh This Week Tips – May 5th, 2011
STORE: Store cauliflower for up to one week in your crisper covered by a plastic or paper bag.
PREP: Keep whole and chop off ¼ inch off the stem or cut the head into bite-sized florets.
USE: Steam, roast, bake or stir fry cauliflower. Be careful not to overcook!
STORE: Quite perishable, Murcotts keep only a day or two at room temperature and up to one week refrigerated.
USE: Use Murcott tangerines as you would other varieties. Their sweetness pairs well with butter-based sauces and may be added to vinaigrette. Mix tangerine juice with grapefruit juice, sugar and water, then freeze into sorbet. Add tangerine sections to green salads with toasted pecans and goat cheese.
STORE: Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. They’ll last four or five days.
PREP: Many sugar snap varieties have a tough fibrous string that runs the length of the pea and should be removed before cooking. Fold back the stem and pull — the string will unzip quite easily. Check carefully; some varieties have strings on both sides (just repeat the stem operation from the opposite end). Cook sugar snaps very briefly to preserve their flavor and crunch.
USE:
Raw
• The pod can be left whole and served with your favorite dip.
• The peas can be removed from the pod. Puree the raw peas in a food processor or blender and fold the puree into your favorite dip.
• Snap the whole pea pod into 1-inch pieces and add to salads—vegetable, macaroni, chicken, etc.
Cooked
• Use instead of snow peas in oriental dishes.
• In stews or soups, add whole or in pieces, 2 minutes before serving—just long enough to heat thoroughly.
• Stir-fry as you would any vegetable.
Easter Specials!
Only available for delivery the week of April 17th. 20% of the sales on these items will go to our Wave of Good Japan quake and tsunami relief effort.
Easter Blessing Box ($31) – Share the joy of this Easter season with your neighbors in need by donating an Easter Blessing Box to the food bank. We will deliver this box to the food bank in time for the holiday. Available in the Boxes section of the Products page on our website.
Breadfarm’s Cherry Pecan Shortbread Cookies (10 oz. bag, $12.00) and Hazelnut Espresso Cookies (10 oz. bag, $12.00). Available in the Grocery section of the Products page on our website, under “Easter Gifts”.
Theo Chocolate’s Spring Confection Collection (3.1 oz. box, $17.60). This 8 piece box chocolates includes 1 each: Lime Coriander, Pearl Jasmine, Burnt Sugar, Lemon, Mint, Hazelnut Gianduja, Lavender Caramel & Ginger Rose Caramel. Please be aware that our handmade cream-based ganache confections have a two week shelf life. Available in the Grocery section of the Products page on our website, under “Easter Gifts”.
Welcome to Spring!
Last week I taught a spring baking class. While the weather outside was gray, rainy and cold enough for me to see my breath, inside the kitchen the oven was singing the flavors of spring. The weather may not be ready to admit that it’s April but my kitchen is.
The evening started with a rhubarb bellini made from a simple rhubarb puree (vanilla bean, rhubarb and a splash of water cooked until tender then blended until completely smooth). There was also freshly baked fennel pollen shortbread served with herb goat cheese and a tangy red onion jam.
Next came a salad that spring invented. A soft butter lettuce paired with thinly shaved radish, creamy avocado chunks and a healthy handful of chives, parsley and tarragon. This salad shed its heavy winter dressing in exchange for a light champagne vinaigrette made ever so creamy with a touch of creme fraiche.
From there we inundated the class with pizza. The first was sauced with homemade creme fraiche and topped with bacon and caramelized onion with a whisper of fresh nutmeg grated right on top. Secondly, we served a roasted asparagus pizza with a perfectly cooked (lovely runny yolked) egg, mozzarella and, while still hot from the oven, we finished it with prosciutto and grated parmesan.
As a ploy to coax the sun to push its way through the dense wall of clouds, we fired up the grill and made a grilled crust pizza with fontina, mozzarella and fresh asparagus all over the top.
And for dessert, more rhubarb. This time it was roasted with orange zest, vanilla bean and served with homemade ice cream and vanilla bean shortbread.
The participants were full, happy and ready to embrace this new season with invigorated taste buds.
I’d like to welcome you to spring! Home of asparagus, citron green herbs bursting with flavor that has been suppressed for months, rhubarb dressed in more pink than my daughter, mildly spiced spring onions and a gentle warmth – just enough to make the cherry blossoms pop and the seedlings emerge.
by Ashley Rodriguez
Chef, food blogger, and full-time mom. Read more of her writings at www.notwithoutsalt.com