Well good folks, the season begins, for you at least. I think back to that first week in March; the snow was actually beginning to melt. I was out on our southern edge soveling pieces of the high tunnel frame out from under some heavy-ass snow, bragging to Molly that I would have it up and running by month's end. Then in the basement, starting things under lights in our makeshift grow room. Last year we learned a lot; in different ways we've already learned more this year.
The bulk of what you recieve this week is from that high tunnel. Additionally we are pleased to provide you with somethngfrom last years harvest. Look below the list for descriptions and intructions for care and storage.
This Week's Food:
D'Avignon and Easter Egg Radishes
Savoy Spinach
Red Leaf Lettuce
Butterhead Lettuce
Pac Choi (baby Bok Choi)
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Cilantro
Sage
Italian Parsley (Flat Leaf)
Overwintered Onions
Free-Range Eggs
Early CSA boxes are always light in weight. This year we are very excited to provide some storage and overwintered items that add some substance to the first delivery.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
These are storage potatoes harvested in early October. We had a bumper crop last season and pit all exteras into root cellar storage. Now, storage spuds in May have two options: Plant 'em or Eat 'em. For our 2010 season we've planted new seed potatoes, and these are for eating.
Caring for these spuds is easy. Keep them in a dark place! If you cannot think of one, at least use a paper bag to give them extra dim-ness and put them in a pantry, drawer, or under the sink. they can go in the fridge, but don't need to. These spuds will likely start to make eyes before they are all eaten. These days, conventional supermarket spuds are sprayed with an anti-srpout inhibitor, but unsprayed spuds know its that time of year. They are perfectly edible as long as you trim of the eyes. Some people won't be afraid of the sprouting, after-all I remember picking the eyes off of potatoes as a kid. However, younger folks might not be used to it.
We've been eating these all winter; askmolly I love 'em and swear they're the best. Molly is fine with it but just not at every meal.
Over Wintered Onions
Do not waste the tops of the Onion the Bulb is obviously great for all onion related needs. The greens and flower are edible too. the pungent leave are great additions to salads or sprinkled raw atop almost any dish. These too are a nice addition to the otherwise light seasonal fare.
D'Avingnon Radish
A beautiful French-breakfast radish perfect or salads and just raw eating. Be brave and research a cooked recipe. Diced, these can be very lightly sauted with butter and herbs (sage/parsley) and a splash of wine vinegar.
Salads
Need I say it; the spinach is my favorite. Lettuce and spinach both fill the void that your body has expirenced through the winter due to the lack of greens. Not the heartiest, but nutritious and flavorful. Any attemps to wow yourself or others with a hearty and terrific sallad will be buttressed when adding any of the herbs, coursely chopped, and and some hard boiled eggs.
Free-Range Eggs
In a sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Carefull lower eggs in once water starts to roll. I time mine from this moment for 8 minutes. Then, run under cool water. This leaves them cooked through, but with yolks that are still supple (not crumbly).
NOTE: these eggs are less than a week old; they often do not peel from the shell as easily when so fresh. This is because the egg has not dehydrated much yet. Oddly, I find that cracking the shell lightly, without breaking the inner membrane, allows the egg to separte from the shell more easily.
Also great for breakfast.
