Week 16! WOW!
Important: I am organizing my records for the off season, as well as CSA 2017. Please be sure I have your correct information. I have a few members out there whose emails are bounced every week, so if you do not receive weekly alerts reminding you to pick up your box, please contact me. 😉
This is the last official week for CSA (except for the folks who missed a week for July 4 and Quincy the week of MASS DOT closing the Pike for no reason).
We are picking beautiful apples: Redcort, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Mac, Macoun and some others. Winter squash is lovely and you may see sugar pumpkins too (yes, still winter squash). Pumpkins are winter squash but all winter squash are not pumpkins (kinda like that square-rectangle thingy). Some of you will see celeriac in your box or as an option. Celeriac looks like celery leaves with a funny root/bulb attached.
While you can use the leaves for flavoring, they are very tough and are not enjoyable as a crudité. I have been known to use the stems under a piece of meat I am roasting. Anyway, peel the root and cut into sticks for fresh eating, grate for pancake, boil for soup, boil with potatoes and mash together, cut into hunks and roast… Enjoy!
We’ve had such a great season! I would just like to take a moment to remind everyone that everything you received was grown by us, right here. Yep, that includes the berries, apples, lettuce, melons, squash… Also, when we have lots of something, we give it to you in addition to whatever else made up the value of your box. For instance, hot peppers are something we offer when we have them, but we do not ascribe a cost to them. I am still planning on alerting all members about gleaning, but it will be short notice, and, I hope, still a long way off! Enjoy squash!
Pumpkin (or any winter squash) Soup from Genevieve’s kitchen
Sauté 1 medium onion in 2 TB butter or vegetable oil. Feel free to add 2 tsp. fresh sage, 2 tsp. fresh thyme, and some parsley to the onion if it suits you. Sprinkle with 1-2 TB flour. Gradually add 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth) whisking thoroughly. Add 5+/- cups pumpkin puree (this is a good time to mix squashes such as delicata, buttercup, etc.). Cook over low 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup cream when finished cooking. It’s really delicious!
OK, don’t have any leftover squash on hand, start as above, add the broth, then add your peeled and chunked squash (5+ cups) and simmer until tender. Puree (I love my immersion blender for this) and enjoy. Adding an apple or two (peeled and diced) near the end of the cooking time is nice (season with a little curry, cinnamon and nutmeg if you like). You can’t go wrong! Yes, adjust the measurements to your squash…I am always feeding big eaters, but 2 cups of squash is perfect for two people!
One of my friends makes her soup by pureeing the squash with a tub of Boursin…YUM!
*Busy cheater cooking alert: I have been known to microwave the small squashes, like Delicata or Sweet Dumpling, for a few minutes, until they feel like a baked potato, then cut open, scoop out seeds (HOT) and eat out of the shell/skin. Again, be sure to pierce the skin before cooking.
Leeks might happen this week and I love them!!! I am not an onion lover, but leeks are a different creature altogether. Yummy braised or roasted alongside your potatoes. I have also been known to mash them into potatoes but my favorite is soup (ok, I make a pretty mean leek quiche too).
Genevieve’s Simple Leek and Potato Soup
Clean your leeks (remove tough looking green tops, you’ll find there is quite a bit that is usable, especially when cooked for a while, slice in half starting ¼” up from the stem and rinse under cold water – the leaves will separate for cleaning but the root end will keep them together) Slice leeks into ½” pieces and sauté at med-low in several Tb or butter and olive oil. I put the cover on and cut up twice the volume of potatoes as I have leeks (use what you have, this will be great regardless of proportions). Add potatoes to the leeks with enough stock or water and your favorite bullion to barely cover everything. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender. I use my immersion blender to chunky puree everything (I like the texture, but you can go whole hog and really puree it). Add milk (almond milk works well too), thinning the soup to desired consistency; check seasoning, adding s&p as needed.
Great hot or cold. If I anticipate I will need to freeze any extra, I remove that portion from the pot before adding the milk… it will freeze better and you can add milk/cream when you reheat the frozen soup 😉
Check out Squash Tian on the blog.
Check out Pumpkin Muffins on the blog (also good with any leftover winter squash).
Farm Dirt
Enjoy the winter squash and other fall goodies. Remember that the squashes and potatoes will keep for a LONG time in a cool, dry place. If any of them start to show a spoil spot, cut off the spot, cook it up and use it or freeze it. If you get carrots or beets, separate the tops from the bottoms right away and the roots will keep in your fridge for weeks. The apples will keep in the fridge for a good long while, as well. We live off our taters until Spring; me breaking off the sprouts along the way. If you keep yours in the dark, you will not be troubled until March or so.
Gleaning at the NB farm will be happening sometime this month… though, we are greedy and would like to make it to the end of October 🙂 I will post it on facebook and send out an email. Members only please.
If you live near the city, you will be able to find us at all of the markets until the end of October, Copley and JP ‘till Thanksgiving. Sundays too!
Curt and Halley are busy taking Winter CSA signups and Kate is taking turkey orders…Fall and Winter come whether we are ready or not.
I’ll keep you posted about what’s happening on the farm, as well as signing up for next season. I love to hear from you off season, so feel free to drop me a line anytime. Believe it or not the planning for next year is already happening and if you have a crop you’d like us to try, let us know.
From all of us at Stillman’s, we are honored and blessed to grow food for you and thank you for being part of our family. We sincerely hope you have eaten well this summer. Some of you may have a winter CSA you belong to (like Curt & Halley’s awesome WINTER CSA), some may shop at winter farmer’s markets, some may have a plethora stashed away in the freezer or pantry, and some may go back to the convenience of the supermarket. Whatever your circumstance, we wish you the best in eating well!
Eat well,
Geneviève Stillman
