Hi everyone,
We’ve finally come to the last share of the season. While I’m sure that I’ll soon be missing the bounty of veggies we enjoyed this season, I can’t say that I feel much other than relief and excitement to have some space from all the veggie prep of the season. It’s been a long one, with lots of ups and downs. We had things like corn at a record early harvest, but substantial rains in July really put a damper on the peppers this year. Lisa and I were looking back at some of the instagram stories we had posted earlier in the season reminiscing on fava beans, strawberries, and caulilini. We’ll be sure to put together a little highlight reel to share with you all.
In addition to the attrition of the season, we’ve had a particularly busy October which is making the season wrap-up drag a bit. Last week we cooked for Next Door Dinners at Guild Row. It was so great to see those of you that were able to grab tickets (it sold out!). It was a lot of work putting everything together but a lot of fun. We don’t often get to take the veggies all the way to completed dishes for large groups, and while we love prepping the veggies for CSA Club, being able to serve people a meal is deeply gratifying.
The consequence of being busy with Next Door Dinner (as well as with a couple other things) is that we haven’t quite been able to put together a plan for Soup Club yet. We may get around to having something more structured, but to be honest, it might just be an ad hoc thing if/when we find the time, ambition, and veggies to use up this fall. It’s been an amazing season, and I can’t put in words the gratitude that we have for you all joining us for it.
While this is the last share of the season, we are going to ask that you come see us one more time to return totes and containers (11/8 8-10am delivery/pickup).
We hope you all enjoy the share!
-Ben
Gard Mo Recipes page (Sorry, I didn’t quite get to writing a recipe for this week so I’m just dropping the link to our full archive. Quick newsletter tip; if you click the blue veggie category to the right of each description, you’ll find all of the recipes that we’ve written that feature that item.)
Fall crop meaning that they have been freshly dug. These ones are a some hunkers, and some are little funny looking (but definitely taste great). They’re pretty different than the ones we had just earlier this week that were skinny ones (still rainbow).
We had these back in share 9, but those were still ‘new.’ Since then these potatoes have gone through a curing process that improves their storability. You’ll notice that these have a somewhat thicker skin then before (but not so unpleasant that requires peeling).
With all the greens in the shares this week, salads are definitely in our futures. Use the vinaigrette from this recipe for a quick dressing that would work with this lettuce or the with the arugula (or maybe both mixed?!).
This garlic is not too spicy but has a prominent aroma.
Sautéing kale is usually our go-to for cooking it (typically along with other veggies) but it can do well as a salad green. Because it can be a little tougher than other greens, ‘massaging’ it beforehand can help soften the bite. Simply chop the kale, add some oil and salt, and get in there with your hands gently working the kale against itself and the bowl or by squeezing bunches in the center of your fist.
Also called celeriac, celery root is a favorite of ours. It’s from the base of the plant that celery shoots up out of the ground from. We’ve cleaned them up to the point that all they need is a quick easy peel and they’re good to chop. They have a deeply celery flavor but a much heartier texture. It does great chopped and roasted, in soups or stews, or anywhere that you would otherwise use celery.
Honeycrisp, a prized apple bred for taste, was developed by the University of Minnesota and released in 1991. They are a mix of green and blush-red and are sweet, tart, and fragrant.
We love radishes, but know they aren’t for everyone. The french thing to do is to eat them raw with a liberal smear of butter (so tasty). If you don’t like radishes, try roasting or sautéing them until soft and translucent (but not too long). The spiciness mellows and allows their sweetness to shine.
The peppery bite of arugula is intoxicating. We love it in salads with a tart dressing and a little bit of shaved hard cheese. It can be a little strong for some people though. A quick sauté will mellow it out. All you need to add is some onion or garlic.
