Winter CSA Newsletter Week #11, January 21 - 27, 2024 “A” week
Wonder what we're eating this time of year? The cold makes us "hangry" for chili and soups of course, but since we have an abundance of eggs right now, we're enjoying lots of EGGS!
As Aidan said when he came in the kitchen and saw what I was making, "Now that's a PANFUL!"
Fried, hard boiled, deviled, in stir fries and even brownies - it's a wonder we aren't all cluckin'! 🐔
Newsletter Table of Contents:
This Week’s Shares with Guides & Recipes- VEG, MES, EGG, APPLE
Recipes - French Onion Stuffed Onion, French Red Onion Soup
Field News & Photos from the Week - Two Onion Farm is now Blue Roof Orchard!
VEG SHARES (see FULL and HALF list for which share has what, how much, along with info, guides, recipes)
FULL SHARE:
PEA SHOOTS (3 oz.) - Pea Shoots are microgreens, or baby pea seedlings, that smell & taste like peas. They are versatile and can be used like fresh salad greens (they pair well with parmesan cheese & lemon!), stir fried lightly, used in sandwiches, on pizza, or as a garnish. Store in a plastic bag or wrapped in a slightly damp towel for about a up to two weeks. Guide and Recipes (2 different PDF’s)
DAIKON RADISHES (1 lb) - Daikons are generally milder than regular table radishes. Store dry in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for weeks - these are long keepers!. Radishes are also delicious roasted - our favorite way to eat them - because it takes out their heat and makes them sweeter! Try also sliced in rounds or matchsticks with your favorite dip or hummus. Adds crunch and great flavor to any stir fry recipe. Guide & Recipes
GOLDRUSH APPLES (1 lb) - Flesh is yellow, firm, and crisp. Described as - flavor has the honeyed sweetness of a Golden Delicious, wedded to a pleasing tartness with a touch of acidity. The tension between these flavors is just right and there are fleeting hints of pear, citrus, and spice to keep things interesting. Plus a little metallic fizz on the tip of the tongue. Tartness sweetens over time. from Blue Roof Orchard (formerly Two Onion Farm)
RED ONION (1 lb) - Colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Because of their bright color and crispy texture, they're great for salads, salsas, and other fresh recipes. They're also excellent sliced for sandwiches. With cooking, the color fades, but they're still delicious cooked. Store on your counter or in your pantry out of direct sunlight. Onion peels can be put into a freezer bag with other vegetable scraps to make soup stock later, as they are full of antioxidants. To freeze: Cut or slice onions to desired size and place in Ziplock bag. Remove all the air and seal. It helps to freeze them in 2-3 cup increments. from Gwenyn Hill Farm
BEETS (2 lb) - Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to 2 months. Guide & Recipes
CARROTS (2 lbs) - Store the roots dry and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Will keep this way for months. Guide & Recipes from Red Door Family Farm
HALF SHARE: (see Full VEG Shares above⬆ for info on each item)
PEA SHOOTS (3 oz.)
DAIKON RADISHES (1 lb)
GOLDRUSH APPLE (1 lb)
RED ONION (1/2 lb)
BEETS (1 lb)
CARROTS (1 lb)
OPTIONAL ITEMS: for FULL & HALF Shares - choose one or both:
1 dozen eggs
Adirondack Blue POTATOES (1 lb) - Blue flesh and skin with a slight purple tint. Great flavor, hold color when cooked, and contain lots of healthy anthocyanins. This variety is good for boiling, baking, and mashing, and can be usedfor brightly coloured salads. Store in a paper bag in your pantry or on the counter for a month. Guide & Recipes from Mythic Farm
MES SHARES
B2 week so MES is at Mazomanie, Jacobs Way, and the EOW Home Deliveries that are this week.
FULL: 1 ground beef, 1 breakfast sausage, 2 dozen eggs
HALF: 1 ground beef, 1 breakfast sausage, 1 dozen eggs
EGG SHARE Weekly Shares = 1 Dozen Biweekly Shares = 1 Dozen
PREPARED FOOD & RECIPES:
Which is the best onion for French onion soup? I've always seen and used yellow onions but with red onions in this week's share, I wondered if anyone ever uses red?
So I did a little research and here's what I found out. Info from FAQ Kitchen
Red Onions: These onions have a sharp flavor often desired in heavy, savory dishes like soups or braised meat recipes (like Beef Bourguignon). Red onions also contribute to the rich color of soups, thanks to the sulfur compounds that cause them to turn a dark brownish-red color. Other than their sharp flavor, they are typically on the sweet side and have very little “bite” or pungency compared to other onions. They also tend to be less expensive than yellow varieties too!
Sweet Yellow Onions: These types of onions offer a little bit of sweetness and a little bit of pungency. The flavor is milder than red or white varieties. Hence, they typically provide a more balanced taste to your dish, making them great for cooking within dishes where you want the onion to be noticeable but not overpowering (like French Onion soup).
White Onions: These onions are the most potent of all the types we are discussing and have a very strong onion flavor. They are often used in dishes where you want the onion to be present and in the forefront. They also don’t hold up as well to cooking as red or yellow onion.
Their conclusion = Sweet yellow onions are the best option, but any onion will do! And if you're feeling adventuresome - try two different types and be your own judge.
Field News & Photos:
May I present the beautiful Goldrush Apple?
Weighing and packing Goldrush Apples for your shares this week, Marlee commented to me on how pretty they are. That prompted me to suggest she choose a few and take a photo of them. She took several in different settings and settled on this one in a delicate glass bowl from Bill's mom Margie's china cabinet. We don't know the story behind the dish, but it's lovely and perfect for this photo.
Speaking of apples, have you noticed that our apple farmers Chris and Juli at Two Onion Farm have a new name?
Here's the scoop in their words:
New Name, Same Farm
January 2024 – We’re excited to announce that we are now Blue Roof Orchard.
We needed a new name! For twenty years now we have been Two Onion Farm, but we have not grown onions since 2018. We’ve become an orchard, specializing in unique varieties of delicious, organic apples, and we need an orchard name.
We’re still the same farmers, farming on the same land.
Why Blue Roof? Our house and many of our farm buildings have blue roofs, including the new packing shed and walk-in cooler that we built in 2021 with our longtime friends and neighbors. The blue-roofed packing shed is a focal point of our farm work, where we wash, sort, package, and refrigerate all of our apples. follow this link to continue reading . . .
Whatever their name, we're thrilled to partner with them to include quality organic apples in your shares this winter!
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