Terrie Irish from Summer in a Jar (http://summerinajar.com) is supplying us weekly recipes for the summer of 2010. For best reading in PDF format, set the view at 100%. Thanks, Terrie. Let everyone enjoy!
Week 9 - August 22, 2010
A word of encouragement to those who might be tempted to ask if the extra time spent preparing farm fresh food is really worth it: Remember that food is much more than fuel and we are remiss to tabulate our time in preparation as a cost over and against prepared foods. The preparation and consumption of food also carries with it a fundamentally important social value. Dr Janet Flammang in her book, "A Taste for Civilization" refers to what can happen in the kitchen and at the dining table as a "temporary democracy". She reminds us that the qualities of courtesy, kindness and diplomacy exercised at the table and in conversation throughout a meal are foundational in raising up citizens who exercise those same skills in an effective democracy. We have, as a nation, not been spending enough time "together at table" the past couple of generations. Our democratic process has suffered as a result. So, as you chop those herbs this week and smash those tomatoes into a tasty marinara, you are enacting no small task of kitchen drudgery, but in truth, are setting the foundations for the revitalization of an effective democratic process.
Week 8 - August 3, 2010
From its august history, we should offer obeisance when entering the presence of the humble cabbage. Cato the Elder (2nd C.) said: "It surpasses all other vegetables." Captain Cook, knowledgeable of its preventative and curative powers, stocked it on all of his ships. Current studies show startling correlations between eating cabbage regularly and highly reduced rates of numerous diseases. Cato the Elder (also "the Wise") promoted cabbage to cure everything from digestive problems to liver disease and hangovers! In short: long history of human experience and current day science suggest we incorporate cabbage (and its relatives: cauliflower, collards, broccoli, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts, turnips and arugula) as a regular part of our diet. We are balanced people here, not looking for a vegetable panacea, but we know a good thing when we eat it.
So, let's eat it!
Week 7 - July 27, 2010
I know summer has truly arrived when fresh herbs turn up in our meals. Don't miss out on the herbs growing at Jubilee. If you're not familiar with some of the available delights, harvest and dry them now for later experimentation and pleasure in the kitchen. We try to add one new herb or flavor to our culinary repertoire each year, giving us a chance to become comfortable with how the herb combines with our standard pantry items and also to make a few mistakes! Just ask my family about some of my grand inventions proving the point that today's disaster is tomorrow's great story. We'll cover a few tips this week to extend your CSA bounty into the coming winter through dehydration.
Week 5 - July 13, 2010
I could only think of the glee my French girlfriend, Sandrine, would have over the contents of the CSA box this week — shallots & fennel! Though unfamiliar to many, these are culinary treats. Shallots are related to onions but their flavor is much more subtle. Try them added to a vinaigrette, they'll taste sweet. Fennel has several parts, which we will explore for their attributes and uses in the kitchen. It tends to have a mild licorice flavor. This is a week the kids can add two new veggies to their repertoire.
Week 4 - July 6, 2010
Having just celebrated our national birth I want to think about a nearly lost quality of our national character-thrift. The dictionary renews our understanding of this word:
Week 3 - June 28, 2010
The dry weather has surely buoyed our spirits as well as providing that long overdue element required for photosynthesis. Farming teaches us grace; we're not always in control. Grocery stores set up strange expectations, strawberries in December from some faraway land. Choosing to live from a CSA box helps bring our expectations of what food is available into alignment with the gifts and timing of our local lands. It teaches us the pleasure of longing, waiting to eat your way through the strawberry patch or making the first spinach salad of the year.
Week 2 - June 21, 2010
Never fear, even in cold weather the NW produces tasty, nutritious greens. Be patient, the weather will warm and you'll soon be awash in green! Your body awaits in eager anticipation. Some weeks you might wonder what to do with the bounty. Using different cooking methods gives breadth to green possibilities: roasted, braised, eaten fresh, macerated in lemon juice, cooked in soup or baked in a casserole.
Week 1 - June 14, 2010
Are there children in the household? Make it a game to see who can acquire a taste for the most new vegetables. Keep a list on the fridge with pictures of their favorites. Ask the kids to find new recipes or interesting tidbits about the veggies' origins and history or how they're grown. Think of ways to include your children in meal preparation; they're more likely to try something they've had a hand in preparing and you'll have a chance to pass on healthy food traditions.