WEEK 8, AUGUST 28/29 2009
There are a variety of reasons why consumers want top-quality,
farm-fresh produce which can be purchased directly from the Norm
Lehne Garden & Orchards. Because they are able to pick it themselves
here at our farm, they are treated to great tasting, vine-ripe
fruits & vegetables. Some consumers want to support family farms, &
still others are concerned about the country’s food system, and its
vulnerability to disease & terrorism. We have other customers who
also desire a renewed connection to the farm & to the food they eat.
Healthy food choices & an improved diet are very important to our
customers. With food security playing a role in the interest in
locally produced food, many customers are reassured when they know
who produced their food, when & where. As LEHNE FARM CSA members you
also benefit from our farm-fresh produce in your convenient CSA
Harvest box each week during the harvest season.
LOCAL FOOD TASTES BETTER
LOCAL PRODUCE IS BETTER FOR YOU
LOCAL PRODUCE IS GROWN FOR FLAVOR
LOCAL FOOD SUPPORTS LOCAL FAMILIES
LOCAL FOOD BUILDS COMMUNITY
LOCAL FOOD PRESERVES OPEN SPACE
LOCAL FOOD KEEPS TAXES IN CHECK
LOCAL PRODUCE SUPPORTS A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT & IS ABOUT THE FUTURE
In this week's box:
“Herbs of the Week”
Eggplant is native to India & Sri Lanka, & has been cultivated in southern & eastern Asia since prehistory. It appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than around. 1500 AD. The first known written record of the eggplant is found in an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544 AD. Eggplant was likely introduced throughout the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The name eggplant refers to the fact that the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white & resembled goose or hen's eggs! Eggplant is a very good
source of Dietary Fiber. Potassium, Manganese, Copper & Vitamin B1.
Storing: Place uncut & unwashed eggplant in a plastic bag in the cooler part of the refrigerator, where it will keep for a few days. When cutting an eggplant, use a stainless steel knife as carbon steel will react with its phytonutrients & cause it to turn black. After cutting the eggplant into the desired size & shape, sprinkle it with salt & allow it to rest for about 30 minutes. This process will pull out some of its water content, reduce some of its naturally occurring bitter taste, & make it less permeable to absorbing any oil used in cooking.
AUGUST EVENTS September Events OSU Master Food Preservers will be at the farm again on Friday, September 11, from 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. They will answer your canning questions & have printed materials available. Also you can bring your pressure canner gauge for free testing. This is very important so you will know that your canning pressure is accurate.
Herbed Summer Squash & Fresh Tomato
Pizza Kris Wetherbee Ingredients 1 (10 ounce) store bought pizza crust, or prepared pizza dough 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, halved & thinly sliced 2-3 meaty tomatoes, sliced 1 zucchini or other summer squash, sliced 12 fresh sage leaves, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
1. Preheat oven to 450˚. Place prepared pizza crust on a cookie sheet or pizza screen. In a large skillet, heat olive oil & sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add summer squash & cook for about 3 minutes more. 2. Spread onions evenly over pizza, then top with squash & tomato slices, spreading evenly to the edges. Top with cheese. 3. Bake for 5 minutes, then sprinkle sage, rosemary & thyme evenly over pizza. Return to oven & bake for 5-7 minutes more, or until tomatoes are hot & cheese has melted. Grilled Ratatouille
Kris Wetherbee Take advantage of the season’s bounty with this deliciously-easy dish. Serve as a side dish with grilled meat, or as a vegetarian main dish over a cooked pasta, such as rotini. Dressing Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 2-3 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, according to taste Vegetable Ingredients 1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise 1 large bell pepper, quartered lengthwise 1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise* 1/2 red onion, cut in half* 1 pound tomatoes, cut in wedges** *Cut into bite-size pieces if using a nonstick grill basket or grilling grid. **Cherry or grape tomatoes may be left whole.
To prepare dressing: whisk together the oil, garlic cloves,
oregano, thyme, salt & lemon-pepper seasoning in a small
bowl; set aside.
More on Eggplant
In many recipes, eggplant fulfills the role of
being a complementary ingredient that balances the
surrounding flavors of the other more pronounced
ingredients. Eggplant can be baked, roasted in the oven,
steamed, sautéed or grilled Zesty Pickled Cucumbers - Parade Magazine 5-3-09 Serves 4
Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar 1/4 teaspoon sugar Pinch of hot pepper flakes
Minced parsley, for serving 1. Cut the cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. 2. Toss the rounds into a bowl & stir in the salt. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes; drain off the liquid. 3. Add everything but the parsley to the bowl, stir & chill for 2 hours or as long as overnight. Serve the cucumbers sprinkled with parsley. (Options: use rice vinegar, honey, sliced onion. You can omit the hot pepper...they do taste more spicy the next day.) Do you know? It is estimated that most food grown in this country travels more than 1,500 miles before landing on the American dinner table. This means the typical fruits & vegetables are green-harvested before being shipped over great distances, increasing cost & using additional resources. When imported food is factored in there is no telling how many miles our food travels. This produce will eventually ripen, but it falls short of many of the nutritional benefits, great taste & freshness, of locally grown, farm-fresh, vine-ripe pro-duce. In addition, many countries do not have the same production standards, not to mention sanitation practices, which have led to questions of safety & quality. These are even more reasons to buy locally grown produce. At Norm Lehne Garden & Orchards we take pride in the important role our top quality, farm-fresh, vine-ripe produce plays in providing healthy food choices.
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FOR OTHER 2009 CSA NEWSLETTERS - click on links below 7/10-7/11 7/17-7/18 7/24-7/25 7/31-8/1 8/7-8/8 8/14-8/15 8/21-8/22 8/28-8/29 9/4-9/5 9/11-9/12 9/18-9/19 9/25-9/26 |
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