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Rising River Farm CSA
Newsletter
Box 17 ***October11th, 2006
13208 201st AVE SW -Rochester, WA 98579
(360) 273-5368
www.risingriverfarm.com risingriverfarm@yahoo.com
THE LAST CSA BOX IS NEXT WEEK-OCTOBER 18TH.
I took the kids to Oklahoma (my old stomping grounds) last
week to surprise my mom for a “significant” birthday.
It was in the 90’s most days. The landscape was much
like I remember-flat and dotted with short, scrubby trees.
A constant wind blew the hot air. I loved the heat-only because
I knew I could leave it in a few days. Once again I am reminded
of how lucky I am to live here in this lush, green, dynamic
place. And oh how I missed the food! I cooked a lot of the
same recipes there and they just didn’t taste the same.
All in all it was a great visit, but it is SO good to be home.
A lot changed in the week I was away. Jim tilled in the old
crops and weedy nightmares. Much of the cover crop is in ready
to sprout. All the squash is hauled in a piled in the greenhouse.
As I walked through the fields it is clear that many summer
crops are truly on their last legs. I am trying to savor each
vegetable for they will soon be all gone and we’ll be
back to our winter diet of mostly squash, spuds, leeks, and
kale.
A word about squash. You’ll be getting several more
squash varieties this week and next. Last week you got a Buttercup
type called “Bon Bon” It is sweet and creamy with
a hint of flakiness. Today you will get “Delicata”
our all time, hands-down favorite. The flesh is sweet and
creamy. Taste it first before you add butter and/or brown
sugar (as it common with many squash). It just may be sweet
and creamy enough on its own! The skin is tasty and tender
enough to eat as well. Between this week and next you will
also see pie pumpkin, and “spaghetti” squash.
All the squash should be fine just hanging out in your kitchen
or dining room adding to your fall decor until you eat them.
If you buy bulk amounts, keep them in a cooler darker place.
The easiest way to cook any squash is to cut it in half, scoop
out seeds, place cut side down in about an inch of water and
bake at 375 until the skin can be poked easily with a fork.
There are endless recipes such as soups, sweet breads, stuffed
squash, and more. I’ll include our favorite soup recipe
in this letter. Also the Cinderella pumpkin muffin recipe
in your cookbook makes great bread or muffins. Use virtually
any squash (except spaghetti!). I usually use delicata.
Also new this week are leeks. Leeks are related to onions
and have a similar, although bolder (not hotter) flavor. Use
them in lieu of onions. Dirt often gets trapped in the layer
as leeks grow so to clean them cut them in half lengthwise
and
Fan the layers under running water. Then chop as you please.
The bag of onions in your box is a mix of Copra and Red
Wing onions. The Copras can last through May and the reds
through February or March. Keep them in cool dark room (garage,
basement, mudroom,) and sort through them every month or so.
Storage onions are pretty forgiving.
Now for the yummy squash soup recipe. We got this out of
“Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone” by Deborah Madison.
.I recommend a few modifications:
-add chopped carrots, mushrooms, or other veggies you think
might be tasty.
-chilies are optional
-add 1 Tbls. (or more if you like spicy) of green curry paste
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