What’s Fresh News – January 10, 2012

Fruit News

Rhubarb and Strawberries

‘Tis the season for rhubarb. You’ll see many recipes for strawberries and rhubarb because the end of the rhubarb season runs right into the first of the strawberry season. For the early rhubarb we need the California berry crop – unless you froze berries last summer!

You’ll find California strawberries in our boxes this week. Local farmers have been saying that the cold first half of May has slowed things down considerably so we are not expecting any quantity of strawberries until mid June.

Rhubarb also goes very nicely with Mango!

Here is how to cut a mango:

The pit is almond shaped so hold it upright on the thin edge and slice off the sides lengthwise as close as you can to the pit. Run the knife around the edge of the mango. Take the side and score it in a cross hatched pattern, turn inside out.

Here is Colleen and Stan showing off the end product of this mango cutting technique at our most recent warehouse get-together, Quatro de Mayo (the day before Cinco de Mayo).

Cut the pieces off as close to the skin as you can get. There will be two strips still attached to the seed. Remove the peel and cut those bits off or just slurp and gnaw them off!!

Here is a link to a youtube video showing this technique.

The Mexican mango season is just getting going so case-lot prices will keep getting better over the next month. Mango freezes well for use in crumbles and smoothies.

Apple Update

We are experiencing a big jump in the price of BC and Washington apples. Last season’s crop numbers were way down and the last of the BC crop has already been released from storage. The final release out of Washington is next week – Fuji and Galas.

New Farm Video

Ever wonder how an organic greenhouse works? Find out what’s happening down on the farm in our new video.

Special thanks to Darin Steinkey for producing this video!

See where this week’s basil and cucumbers are coming from!

Mushroom Pocket

Makes 1 pocket (or roll) to serve 2 or 3 hungry souls.

Steam and drain:

• 1/3 LB Oyster Mushrooms

Cut into hot mushrooms:

• 4 oz cream cheese or goat chevre

Toss until cheese melts and then add:

• Freshly grated pepper
• 1 Tbsp dill
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 minced scallion
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Melt:

• 2-3 Tbsp butter

On a cookie sheet lay out one sheet of Phyllo. Brush with melted butter.
Add next sheet (and brush) until you have 5 layers total. Spoon mushroom mixture along the long side of Phyllo.

Roll half way and fold both edges in and finish the roll. Turn seam down on a buttered pan. Brush outside with butter. Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Some Phyllo Pastry Tips from Susan…

Phyllo pastry is found in the frozen food section of your neighbourhood grocery store. It is quite easy to use once you get the hang of it! Phyllo pastry will thaw in about 2 hours or in fridge overnight. (which is why we’ve decided not to offer phyllo pastry on the website!)

One package makes more than one dish. Carefully rewrap and refrigerate leftover phyllo and use within a week or so. Butter the layers as above and fill with fruit – mango and rhubarb is good!

Ice Pack Season

Welcome to ice pack season! This is the time of year we add an ice pack to every bin we deliver. The atmosphere in the bins is helped A LOT (a lot, a lot, a lot) with the addition of the ice pack.

Your veggies will thank you by returning the ice pack right away with your empty bin. Don’t even bother removing the ice pack when you’re unpacking your order!

Thanks so much, everyone!

If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!

What’s Fresh News -

January 18th, 2011

Farm News

We have been number crunching at Share Organics and are proud to report that in the year 2010 – for the first time – we purchased more LOCAL (Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands) farm produce than produce from BC and beyond!! Share Organics and YOU increased local produce sales by $20,000 from 2009. Hurrah! We’d love to do that for our local grocery items so we will try to track that for next year!

This is the time of year we are crop planning with the farmers for the future growing season. Last year we were able to offer more variety in local crops through this process. A goal for this year: we’d like to be able to request a higher volume of products. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your continued support and please continue to refer your friends and associates. Make sure they enter your account name in the referral field so we can thank you with a $15 credit!

Rosemary

Lentil, Garlic and Rosemary Soup

Ingredients:

• 500g/12oz/2 cups of red lentils
• approx 9 or 10 cups of water
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• a large sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 4 medium carrots diced quite small
• Sea salt to taste

Place the lentils in a large saucepan and cover with the water – bring to the boil while preparing the other ingredients. Reduce to a simmer and add the garlic, rosemary and carrots. Cook for a further 20 minutes until everything is ready and add the salt. Try this with parsnips!

Rosemary Foccacia

• 2 Tbsp rosemary, minced
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 package yeast (1 Tbsp)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• about 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup white flour
• 1 tsp coarse salt

Directions:
Combine rosemary and water in bowl, then let cool to 110 degrees. Add yeast and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. When yeast is nice and bubbly, add salt and 1 T oil, then stir in wheat flour. Begin adding white flour, stirring constantly, only until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto floured counter and knead for 5-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough seems sticky you can add a bit more flour.

Oil another bowl and place the dough in it. Turn the dough so that the entire surface is lightly oiled. Cover with damp cloth, set in warm spot, and let rise about 1½ hours, until doubled.

Punch down dough and knead for 2 minutes. Oil baking sheet, place dough on top, and stretch to form a 12 by 12 inch square. Cover with towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

Preheat over to 375. Press down slightly on the dough every two inches or so, so that the top is dimpled. Sprinkle with salt and additional rosemary, if available. Drizzle with 2 T oil and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately, with a dish of your best olive oil and maybe some balsamic vinegar drizzled in it.

Why use canned beans when…

500g of dried beans cook up in to
4 – 5 cups and can be frozen in 1 or 2 cup portions for future use!

If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!

www.shareorganics.bc.ca

This fell into my inbox this morning and I had an impulse to share it all with you!  This article by Linda Geggie is a part of a larger newsletter from the Community Social Planning Council.   CR-FAIR website

dreams of local abundance,

Denise <3

Planning for food security in BC’s Capital Region

Eating locally over the winter?

One of my favourite things about the fall is the abundance of the harvest.  I love to look with satisfaction at my rows of canning jars on the shelf and a full freezer.  Every year as the winter blues hit, I find myself opening a can of fresh salsa just to get an instant taste of summer and lift my spirits.

Coming from the Okanagan with its fabulous climate for fruit production, we always canned in our family.  Now my sister and I both also find ourselves continuing this tradition.  My husband still can’t get used to the fact that I am up and busy till the wee hours pulling another batch of jars out of the steaming water of the canning pot with a slightly exhausted yet happy grin on my face!

As people in this region look to living more sustainably there is a lot of interest in eating local food year round.  This can be a challenge especially as we head into the winter months.  We are now used to diets that have no relation to the seasons, and moving to meals anchored by cooler weather leafy greens and root vegetables is a leap for most families.  I know I find it a challenge to be creative and find things my kids will eat in the cooler season.

Luckily, for us there are many resources that provide the tools and information that help us on our way to making adjustments that lighten our load on the planet at the same time as benefiting our health and the local economy.  Here are a few tips to help move you along the spectrum of eating more sustainably and healthily this winter.

• Eating locally costs too much? Cost is often seen as a barrier when seemingly “cheaper” imported food is more accessible. Besides considering that local products are often superior to food that travels a long distance, some strategies that can help with accessibility issues are to use whole ingredients, that is, cooking more from scratch. Making big batches with friends or as part of a community kitchen also allows for bulk buying and usually someone has good large batch recipes they will share.
• Always in a hurry at the end of the day?  Invest in a crock pot.  I have had amazing results throwing ingredients together into the pot in the morning and coming home to a hot meal at dinnertime.  There are lots of recipes on the internet.
• Trouble finding local foods over the winter? If you can shop at local markets (there will be a weekly winter market in Market Square this year over the winter) or be part of a local farmers’ box program, you will be introduced to a variety of winter greens and root vegetables. Often they include recipes that help to make delicious meals of winter veggies.
• Getting those greens in ya? The deep leafy greens, are extremely important to our health, but eating them, let along getting the kids to eat them? Tough!  My trick is using the blender.  I find steaming or stir frying them and then adding to pasta sauces or, and a proven winner in my house, on pizza!  The root vegetables and squashes?  Soups!  Preparing batches on the weekend helps make sure they don’t get skipped over in the busy week.
• Space to grow? Surprisingly we can grow food year round in the Capital Region, want to learn how?  For starters see Carolyn Herriot’s article “Eating from your winter vegetable garden” or Year-Around Harvest:  Winter Gardening on the Coast, by Linda Gilkeson.  Take in a course offered by many local growers and organizations  (see the CR-FAIR Calendar for dates for workshops)

According to Linda Gilkenson for Winter Crop Planting Dates-Try these!
February and March:  Leeks
April-May:  Swiss Chard, parsley
Early June:  Brussel sprouts, winter cabbage
Mid to Late June:  Purple sprouting broccoli, winter cauliflower, winter cabbage
Early July:  Carrots, beets, endive, and swiss chard, beets, kohlrabi
Late July to Early August:  Arugula, fall and winter lettuce, mustards, spinach, onions
Late Aug to mid Sept:  Corn salad, cilantro, arugula, winter lettuces
October:  Garlic and broad beans

Another great guide is the West Coast Seeds Winter Guide and Planting Chart available free at:
http://www.westcoastseeds.com/admin/files/west-coast-seeds-winter-guide.pdf

Want to learn more about actually making the shift to eating more locally? The Continuing Studies Program at UVic will be offering a seasonally based course in February, April, and September called a “Busy Person’s Everyday Guide to Eating Locally”.   See the UVic Continuing Studies Calendar for more information and to register.

Also here are a couple some local Food Blogs to check out:

• Heidi Fink Lipsmacking Blog http://www.chefheidifink.com/blog/
• http://goodfoodca.blogspot.com

Another Recipe to Share:

Green Salad with Eggplant, Fennel, and a Roasted Garlic,Tomato,Tarragon dressing on a bed of Quinoa.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

Olive oil
1 bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
½ lbs of tomatoes, (usually 1 medium or 2 small) washed
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed and quartered, or halved if small, fronds removed and set aside
1 bag salad greens or head of lettuce or spinach
1 long Japanese style eggplant, sliced in half
dijon mustard

mayonaise (optional)
apple cider vinegar
honey
tarragon, finely chopped

salt and pepper
pine nuts or sunflower seeds (optional)

feta (optional)
capers (optional)

black olives (optional)

fresh basil (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.

1. Boil 2 scant cups of water, add the quinoa and cook for 10-15 minutes, it should still have “bite” when it’s done. Let cool. Spread it out on a large plate to cool faster, or make ahead of time.

2. Put the cloves, whole tomatoes and fennel on a baking dish.  Oil the fennel and garlic, but not the tomatoes. Roast for about 20 minutes or until the cloves are soft, tomatoes are blackened and oozing, and fennel is just soft but still a bit crisp. Basically you need to keep an eye on what’s happening in the over. Let cool.

3. Add a tablespoon of oil and heat a frying pan to medium-high.  Add the eggplant halves, cut side down, and fry for 5 minutes on each side. Check to make sure it’s not burning. It should be crisping and softening but not falling apart. You may need to adjust the heat. Let cool.

4. When vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel, core, and chop the tomato. Peel the garlic cloves. Chop the fennel lengthwise into slices and set aside. Chop the eggplant cross wise in chunks and set aside.

5. To make the dressing, put the tomato and garlic in a blender or food processor. Add a tsp of dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp mayo, 2-3 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon. Pulse. Add up to 1 cup of olive oil slowly while blending. You want a thick consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more mustard, mayo, vinegar, and/or honey to suit your taste. Season with salt and pepper.

6. To assemble the salad, i suggest arranging in individual bowls.  Evenly divide the cooled quinoa, top with greens, then the sliced eggplant and fennel, pour the dressing over and garnish with the optional toppings (pine nuts, sunflower seeds, capers, crumbled feta and/or fresh chopped basil). Yum!

Cooking Courses

Local Veggie chef Sonja Limburger has some courses you might be interested in. I attended her Nepalese Vegan Cooking course last winter and it was yummy! Check out other courses in the Oak Bay Rec and Fairfield Community Centre Program guides fro other courses.

Up coming classes for next week

Basic canning and food preservationTues. Sept.21 / Esquimalt rec. center

If you missed learning from your grandmother, then this class is a chance to experience canning. We will choose fruits and vegetables from this bountiful harvest season. Prepare for a hands on class (bring an apron and a small knife). You will go home with three different canned items, jars provided.
$46.00 6:30 – 9:15

This class held at Ecole Brodeur in Esquimalt located at 637 Head street.
To register call: 250- 412-8500

Vegetarian Thanksgiving feast Wed. Sept. 22 6:30 – 8:30

You are invited to join the chef to learn some tasty and nutritious recipes as an alternative to turkey. The menu includes a Wild rice & chestnut (or pecan) stuffed squash with a Cranberry orange sauce, Savoury Tofu walnut balls and more. Enjoy a satisfying dinner after the lesson. $45.00

Held at the Thrifties cooking and life style center in Tuscany village located at 1626 McKenzie Ave by the corner of Shelbourne

To register go online to this website : www.thriftyfoods.com/EN/main/cooking/centre/cooking-lifestyle-centre-our-classes.html

Or call 250- 483-1222

Farm News

Report from Isabella Orchard

We are starting to see some early summer apples from the mainland so decided to have a chat with Ian Franey the orchardist at Isabella Orchard.  Isabella is a beautiful Orchard on Isabella Point on Salt Spring Island.  Ian usually participates in the Salt Spring Island Apple Festival in September and opens the farm for visitors.  Ian is known for his fabulous apple juice and his great apple pies! His early season apples from Isabella are two varieties called Discovery and Tydeman.

Discovery are bright red eating apples and have excellent texture and flavour – crisp, juicy and sweet. So juicy, in fact, that the Discovery apple is an excellent juicer.  Anything that falls to the ground goes right into Ian’s next apple pressing.

Tydemans are tart, crisp, eating and/or cooking apples that ripen in August.  Good in pies and crumbles.

Summer apples (as opposed to Autumn Apples) do not store well as they lose both their crispness and some of their flavor and so should be refrigerated immediately after purchasing. We’re not yet sure when the first delivery will be but it will be worth the wait.  We do have a bit more of last year’s apple juice left.  Try it!

FOODROOTS CANNING CLASS

Season of plenty is here! The class will be led by Rebecca Jehn, a farmer/chef who sells preserves at the Moss Street Market. Each participant will take home one jar of jam and one jar of salsa made in the class and a set of handouts prepared by Rebecca.

There are 15 places available in the class. Cost is $45.00 (including HST). Depending on the number of registrants, Foodroots will offer a few subsidized places

DATE: Wednesday, August 18th      6:30PM -9:30PM

PLACE: FAIRFIELD GONZALES COMMUNITY CENTRE KITCHEN, 1335 Thurlow (east end of Sir James Douglas School)

TO REGISTER: send your name, email address and phone number to leefuge(at)pacificcoast.net or call 250-385-7974 and leave the requested information.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:   9AM on Tuesday, August 17th

Blueberry Lemon Pie

- 2 cups crushed Anna’s Almond Cinnamon Cookies (1 ½ Pkgs) or graham crackers plus 1 tsp cinnamon

- ¼ cup melted butter

- ¼ cup corn starch  (Sub arrowroot powder as corn everything is associated with GMOs.  You get the same clear thickening end result)

- ½ cup sugar

- Juice of 4 medium lemons (1/2 cup plus) and add water to 1 cup level

- ½ teaspoonful grated lemon zest

- 2 egg whites at room temperature

- ½ pint whipping cream

- 2 cups blueberries

1. Crush cookies with rolling pin or wine bottle between layers of wax paper.

2. Mix into melted butter and press into a 9 inch pie plate.   Bake for 10 minutes at 350 and cool.

3. In a saucepan mix together the cornstarch and sugar and then gradually add the cup of liquid whisking it in until smooth

4. Heat mixture to boiling point and simmer until thick.

5. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest.  Cool.

6. Beat the egg whites until stiff.

7. In separate bowl (some beaters) whip the cream until thick.

8. Beat the lemon so it is smooth and fold in the egg and cream.  Add blueberries and spread into the pie shell.  Decorate with extra blues and lemon peel curls!

Serves 6 to 8.

BC FRUIT BOX IS BACK!

Our $20 Small Fruit Box has been converted to the BC Fruit Box.

***Only as a supplement to another box or part of a $45 a la carte order.***

This week’s box contains:

BLUEBERRIES, PEACHES, APRICOTS

www.shareorganics.bc.ca

Farm News

Here Today: Dill from Kildara Farms

Kildara is growing more herbs this year so get ready to experiment with new recipes.  Dill goes very well with potatoes, tomatoes, beets and any kind of fish.  Try a potato salad with Kildara fingerling potatoes and dill or if you have beets left from last week add dill to your borscht! Coming down the line are tarragon and savoury!  Drying excess herbs is easy.  Spread out on a wicker basket or tray on top of your refrigerator. (Needs to be a warm, dry place out of the sun)

RASPBERRIES are big and beautiful from Maple Groove Farm in Cowichan!  We have had some delivery issues that mean they are only coming early in the week.  They are holding quite well and we have a test pint from last week in the cooler so if things are looking good the Thursday routes will have raspberries next week.  Thanks again for “Share-ing!”

Wendy at Westwind Farm says HERITAGE TOMATOES are ready for the first delivery in August!! Her speciality garlic is curing and might be ready too!

The Centre for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture was established at Foxglove Farm to demonstrate and interpret the vital connections between farming, land stewardship, food, the arts, and community well being; to model the economic possibilities for small and medium scale sustainable agricultural projects, and to nurture the human spirit through public programs, classes, and events.

August programs just posted!

http://www.foxglovefarmbc.ca/programs/about-the-centre/

Self-Guided Tour of Sooke Farms – Sunday August 8, 11am to 5pm

• 12 unique growing gardens and farms
• Self-guided tours, demos, produce sales
• Tickets $10 available at Moss St Market

Fundraiser for New Farmer Mentorship Program

Potato Salad

Bring to boil and let sit in the water for 10 to 15 minutes:
1 LB fingerling potatoes

Cool and mix with the following:
½ bunch dill chopped
2 or 3 dill pickles chopped

2 hard boiled eggs chopped

Dress with the following mixture:

3 Tbsp flax or olive oil
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

BC FRUIT BOX IS BACK

Our $20 Small Fruit Box has been converted to the BC Fruit Box.

**Only available as a supplement to another box or part of a $45 (minimum) a la carte order.**

This week’s box contains: CHERRIES, PEACHES, and APRICOTS (oh my!)

To add to your current order, click here.

www.shareorganics.bc.ca