CSA Members 2010: Newsletter Archive

Winter Delivery #2

Dear CSA Members,

Wow! What a week! KPLU reported that last weekend was the first truly sunny weekend we have enjoyed since Autumn. Not sure if I believe that, but I do know that once I got to work last Saturday morning, I was outside in a short-sleeved shirt. Our greenhouse seedlings grew about an inch taller, our kale swung into full production (see your boxes for a taste of that sweet Winter kale!), and our daughter rejoiced to play outside all day, for days in a row. A week like that is what a Winter-weary soul needs to rejuvenate, and to brace for the second half of the rainy season.

And rain we shall have! Please note that our garlic was put into the boxes just as it started to pour rain. Remove them from their paper bag and leave them loose (in a basket on the counter, for example) to dry for a day or two. Then put them in the back of a cabinet, away from direct sunlight.

With this delivery, enjoy the last of our 2009 garlic harvest. We also sneaked some baby leeks from the field -- their mild onion flavor is perfect in soups, or sautéed and served over baked potatoes.

Speaking of potatoes, the Yellow Finns make delicious mini-baked potatoes, while the reds are perfect for drizzling with olive oil and chopped rosemary, and baking until soft.

We have included an excellent farmer cheese from neighboring dairy Twin Oaks Dairy, owned by the Howell family, who raise milk cows and goats just north of our little valley. Our bread was baked fresh, just for us, by San Francisco Street Bakery in Olympia. Gene and Judi have been baking and selling the best of the best for over twenty years, and we're pleased to team up with them for this delivery. Last but not least, we've included a taste of last Summer's sunshine…jam from Johnson Berry Farms, who grow and sell fresh fruit all Summer, and make batch after batch of jam all Winter, from their fresh-frozen berries. I spent two seasons in the company of Jim & Lisa Johnson, way back before my Boistfort Valley Farm days. They grow quality fruit, and harvest only the best.

For March, we hope to have beautiful baby spinach, sweet cilantro, and more baby kale, as well as sweet Winter carrots. Plus, we have seeded our first early greens: lettuces, bok choy, arugula, and radishes too. Cross your fingers for mild and encouraging weather.

I have included two new recipes below, passed on to me by our members, who have tried and enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing your recipes!

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Pear Upside-Down Cake

for Caramel fruit topping

• 3- tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 large, firm but ripe D'Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

for Almond cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 can (8 ounces) almond paste
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• Sweetened whipped cream

procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare the topping: In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in brown sugar and ginger. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour caramel into a 9-inch ungreased cake pan, spreading with a spatula.

3. Arrange the pears in concentric circles on top of caramel. Sprinkle with cranberries and set aside.

4. To prepare the cake: Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream almond paste, butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes. (A well-beaten mixture will help make the cake lighter.) Add eggs, one at a time, beating a minute after each addition. Beat in almond and vanilla extracts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. On low speed, add dry ingredients alternately with the milk just until incorporated. Don't overmix at this stage. Spread batter evenly over topping.

6. Bake on center oven rack 45 to 50 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly touched. (If top of the cake becomes too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.) Let cool on a rack 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cake to release it. Place a round, flat serving plate over the pan and invert it. Slowly lift off cake pan. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving with whipped cream.

Adapted from Caramel: Recipes for Deliciously Gooey Desserts by Peggy Cullen

Creamy Parsnip Purée with Shallots

This purée can be served as a side dish with roast pork or roast chicken. It can also be used as a pasta sauce by thinning it with 1 to 1 1/4 cups milk. Toss the sauce with corkscrew pasta and steamed or lightly sautéed vegetables, such as carrots, yellow or red peppers, beets, broccoli, peas, or pearl onions.

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 medium shallots, chopped
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 2 1/2-inch lengths, and halved (or quartered and cored, if necessary)
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup whole milk, or more to taste

procedure

1. Heat butter in medium skillet. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add parsnips, toss to coat with butter. Add broth; bring to boil. Simmer, partially covered, until parsnips are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Transfer mixture to food processor fitted with steel blade or to a food mill and purée. Return purée to skillet and reheat, stirring in milk, until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cooks Illustrated, Published September 1, 1994