Posts Tagged With: CSA

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 8 and 9}

Posted on March 29, 2013 by rachelocal

I know I JUST posted Week 7′s CSA recipe this week, but I need to catch up. After all, I picked up Week 10′s box Tuesday. I’m sad to say that means only two weeks left. On the other hand, my summer share starts in May. I’m VERY excited to see what wonderful things the Lancaster Farm Fresh farmers grow for me!

Carrots–glorious, delicious carrots–were a staple of this winter’s CSA. It seems as if they’ve been replaced by their paler twin–parsnips. I love parsnips. I’ve mashed larger, older parsnips with sweet potatoes and topped with goat cheese (so good!). But these parsnips are delicate and tender and perfect for roasting.

So I took a remarkably large beet (from week 8), a few potatoes, and some parsnips and turned them into hash. Topped with farm fresh eggs, this recipe is a delicious and beautiful way to do breakfast for dinner.

I even had leftovers the next morning–dinner for breakfast, I guess?

Lovely root veggies

Beet, Parsnip, and Potato Hash

3 Yukon Gold potatoes (medium sized), peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

1 giant beet, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

2 parsnips, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

Perfect little cubes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a large sheet pan, toss the beets, potatoes, and parsnips with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or more if you like), 1/4 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until tender. Turn with a spatula ten minutes into cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Add the onions and saute over medium low until caramelized, about 13 minutes.

When the beets, potatoes, and parsnips are tender and slightly brown, add them to the onions. Saute until browned even more, about 5 minutes.

Divide hash into four bowls or plates and top with a fried egg. (Poached eggs would be lovely, too.)

Root veggies and caramilzed onions - a dynamic duo

Root veggies and caramelized onions – a dynamic duo

Hash perfect for any meal

Local, farm fresh eggs–one of my favorite things

So tell me, what’s your favorite breakfast for dinner meal?

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Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: beets, breakfast, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, life, local, parsnips | 19 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week 7}

Posted on March 24, 2013 by rachelocal

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Leonardo da Vinci

When I peeked inside Week 7′s CSA box, I was delighted to see not one but two packages of lovely mushrooms – Portobellos and Baby Bellas. Last time I received mushrooms from my Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA, I turned them into a delicious soup; the time before that I made Mushroom Bolognese.

Organic goodness

This time I took a more utilitarian approach in order to enjoy their full flavor. And what could be simpler than roasting mushrooms with garlic and butter? Easy peasy.

Yet elevated.

Because the mushrooms are so rich and satisfying, for a split second I felt like I was eating something indulgent and bad for me. Until I remembered that mushrooms are not only low in calorie, but also full of potassium and antioxidants.

The butter, oil, and garlic in this dish create a delicious “sauce.” Serve these simple and sophisticated mushrooms as an appetizer with some good crusty bread. Or toss with your favorite pasta for dinner. Or do what I did and eat them all immediately after taking them out of the oven while standing at the kitchen counter.

Simple and Sophisticated Roasted Mushrooms

8 ounces (1 package) baby bella (or white) mushrooms, halved

1 portobello cap, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced (or run through a garlic press)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine mushrooms, olive oil, salt, and garlic in a baking dish. Stir, then dot with the 1 tablespoon of butter.

Dressed and ready for the oven

Bake for 15 minutes. Stir once about half way through cooking time. Remove from oven and douse with the lemon juice. Give everything a good stir. Enjoy!

These mushrooms are SAUCY

Pizza with spinach (also a CSA item) and ricotta

I also made a simple pizza with spinach (another yummy CSA item) mushrooms and ricotta

Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: appetizer, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, health, local, pizza, vegetarian | 22 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 5 and 6}

Posted on March 4, 2013 by rachelocal

Last week I proved my pepper prowess by tasting a variety of dried peppers given to me by the venerable Peppermeister. (If you missed it – watch the video. It’s HOT.)

After recovering from what turned out to be a real challenge, I was ready for something hot and spicy once again. Cue my CSA from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. The shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and red onions in Week 6′s box combined with the bok choy and garlic from Week 5 turned into a fantastic Thai-inspired soup.

Bevy of CSA Vegetables. Nothing prettier.

I was brave enough to crush a dried pepper and add it to the pot, too. That pepper provided a comforting warmth necessary for any Thai-inspired dish.

Crushing these caused me to cough. Peppermeister should market Peppermeister Spray.

Commercial Break. I have to take a moment to extol the wonder that is Lancaster Farm Fresh. I’m almost halfway through my winter CSA and I’ve never been disappointed with the quality or quantity of the produce. Every last root vegetable, micro-green, mushroom and bag of spinach is the pinnacle of freshness. They deliver to host locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and down to D.C. and Virginia. If you’re interested in learning more about the program and their 75 Lancaster County, PA farmers, visit their website. If you don’t live within the delivery area, check out localharvest.org to find CSA options or farmers in your neck of the woods.

Now moving on to the recipe. I’ve used the flavor profile of Thai-inspired spicy and sweet in the past (find the recipes here and here). But this soup might be my favorite. The veggies stand out, the broth is delicate, and the heat from the chile warms up the palate. But the best part? It’s so easy and quick to make! Once the veggies are chopped, everything just simmers away for a short while until you’ve got one satisfying soup.

Thai-Inspired Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small red onion

2 cloves garlic

5 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 bok choy stalks, cleaned and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces (the whole thing–green parts and white parts)

3.5 ounces (1 package) shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon (heaping) crushed dried chile or red pepper flakes (you can substitute any Asian chili sauce here if you don’t have the dried chile available)

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 14-ounce cans coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce (use soy sauce here to make it vegan)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

More kosher salt to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Rice vinegar, to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until vegetables are just softening. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, followed by the 1/2 teaspoon salt, curry powder, ginger, and crushed chile. Stir and cook to toast the spices, about 2 minutes.

The beginnings of really good soup

Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for a few minutes until the bok choy is cooked but still crunchy. Taste for seasoning. (I added another teaspoon of salt at this point.) Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Taste again. I added a tablespoon of rice vinegar to brighten it up even more and control the heat from that chile.

Hot in more ways than one

This pot o’ soup fed us for two dinners and one lunch. It goes a long way, especially when paired with brown rice. Garnishes of cilantro or green onion wouldn’t hurt either.

I serve all my Thai-inspired dishes with a side of store-bought chile garlic sauce mixed with rice vinegar, just in case we want to add even more heat

Any one out there want to extol the wonders of YOUR local farmer or CSA? Feel free to do so in the comment section below.

Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, local, soup, thai, vegan, vegetarian | 30 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week 4}

Posted on February 20, 2013 by rachelocal

Friends of mine tell me stories of their mothers and grandmothers slaving away, over large pots, waiting for the “POP” of a Ball jar lid, the summer heat no match for the steam of a kitchen in full canning mode.

I have no such stories. While I’m sure both my grandmothers canned food in their lifetime, I never learned the art.

I have, however, had the pleasure of eating many canned goods provided by generous friends and friends’ grandmothers. My favorite canned good is the pickled beet. I could eat them all day, on salads or as a snack and often make vinaigrette with the bright pink pickling liquid.

While I didn’t receive any beets in my CSA box from Lancaster Farm Fresh last week, a trio of root vegetables greeted me–carrots, turnips, and black radishes. The carrots and turnips are easy to use, but black radishes? I’ve never had them, and I’m more familiar with the pretty reddish-pink variety I grew in my garden last year. These black radishes looked like beasts in comparison. I was at a loss for what to do with them, but then those pickled beets came to mind.

The radishes in question, about three times the size of spring radishes

I’ve been wanting to try my hand at food preservation for a while now, so I decided to make quick pickled black radishes. While I didn’t slave away in the kitchen over hot pots waiting for that “POP” of the Ball jar, I did take the time to pack them tightly with vinegar and spices. And they’ll keep in the fridge for a month.

I would say that my first attempt at one form of food preservation was a success, giving me a confidence boost for when I can summer tomatoes for the first time. I can’t wait to try these picked black radishes on my Asian Short Rib Tacos or on this Vietnamese sandwich. They are earthy, spicy, and pickled to perfection.

Pickled Black Radishes

5 black radishes, sliced thickly

1 small yellow onion, sliced (also from my CSA)

1 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt plus a bit more

3 teaspoons (local) honey

1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 dried chile pepper, cut in half lengthwise (my chile was from Peppermeister, my pepper hero. If you want to trade seeds with him or receive some of his extra special seeds in the mail, check out this post.)

After slicing the radishes, place them in a colander and salt them with a little kosher salt.

Thickly sliced and ready for the pickle jar

I used my mortar and pestle, a gift from a thoughtful friend, to crush the peppercorns

In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and honey to a boil, until salt and honey are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the crushed peppercorns, garlic, and chile.

Pickling Liquid

Pack the sliced radishes and onion in a clean quart-sized jar, and pour the hot liquid over them, making sure to pack the garlic, chile, and all those crushed peppercorns into the jar, too. Cover and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Eat within a month.

Pretty as a picture

What’s your favorite canned good or pickled item? Have you ever pickled/canned summer produce? Any tips for me?

Categories: Gardening, Recipes | Tags: Canning, Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, Food Preservation, local, Pickling, vegan, vegetarian | 17 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 2 and 3}

Posted on February 11, 2013 by rachelocal

Tomorrow is CSA Day! I will go to Home Grown Cafe and pick up my box of lovely, organic vegetables. It’s like Christmas every Tuesday.

I’m covering CSA weeks 2 and 3 together because both boxes contained mushrooms–regular old white mushrooms, Portobello caps, and shiitake.

CSA Beauties

I’ve never been a picky eater, but I know some people cannot abide mushrooms. I can kind of understand it. Mushrooms are spongy, dirty, and categorized as fungus. But these are the characteristics that make mushrooms taste so good! Their sponginess causes them to soak up flavors effortlessly. Their “dirtiness” gives them an earthy, hearty deliciousness that is unmatched.

I love mushrooms almost as much as I love CSA Day.

So here’s my Ode to the Mushroom in recipe form (if your sweetie loves mushrooms you might want to make this on Valentine’s Day):

Ode to the Mushroom Bolognese

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

4 carrots, roughly chopped (I washed mine, but did not peel them)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 ounces white mushrooms, cut in half

6 ounces Portobello mushrooms (2 caps), diced largely

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 dried red chili, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup red wine

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice

1 cup tomato puree

1 pound of spaghetti or linguine, cooked

Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese for serving

In a food processor (I only have a tiny one as you can see from the photo below. A normal sized one would make this part of the recipe much more efficient), pulse the onion and carrot together into small pieces. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large pot and heat over medium high heat. Transfer onion and carrot to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This is my cute, but way-too-tiny food processor

Meanwhile, add 1/2 of the white mushrooms to the food processor. Pulse until mushrooms are not quite pureed (see photo). Add the other half of the white mushrooms and pulse again, this time stopping when mushroom are coarsely chopped. Transfer the white mushrooms and the Portobellos (these do not go in the food processor) to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring.

Look away if you don’t like mushrooms. This might make you sick.

Add the garlic, crushed chili, oregano, and marjoram. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Chilis from Peppermeister. You’ll be seeing these again very soon.

On its way to mushroom sublime-ness

Add the tomato paste and the sugar. Cook and stir for 3 more minutes.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes so some of the alcohol cooks out.

Break up the whole tomatoes with your fingers and transfer those to the pot, along with the juice from the can. Add the tomato puree. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes. Check for seasoning and add more kosher salt, if necessary.

‘Shroom Sauce

Serve ladled over the pasta with a drizzle of good olive oil and some Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

No meat, no problem

Sauce so good it requires a close up

What are your thoughts on the controversial mushroom? Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Spring Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, farmers, food, lancaster, local, mushrooms, Valentine's Day, vegetarian | 39 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week One}

Posted on January 28, 2013 by rachelocal

“It’s CSA Day!”

In my excitement about picking up my very first Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative winter CSA box, I uttered that phrase all day on Tuesday of last week. Who can blame me? A box of organic, locally grown root vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes and the most beautiful stalk of brussels sprouts I’ve ever seen awaited me at my pick up spot – Home Grown Cafe.

I don’t even think nerds get this excited about Star Wars.

CSA booty – Week One

The most interesting part about purchasing a CSA farm share is you never know what you’re going to get. I mean, I know it’s winter and most likely I’ll get a ton of root vegetables, but WHAT KINDS of root vegetables will be in my box? Last week the surprise item was Jerusalem artichokes. I’ve never seen them, cooked them, or tasted them.

Jerusalem artichokes - not the prettiest girl at the party but she makes up more it in practicality and common sense

Jerusalem artichokes – not the prettiest girl at the party but she makes up for it in practicality and common sense

Despite their misleading name, Jerusalem artichokes are part of the sunflower family and sometimes called sunchokes or sun roots. I don’t think they taste like artichokes at all, but French explorer Samuel de Champlain did. So that’s what he called them when he brought them back to Europe from the New World. Mr. de Champlain found them in a Native American garden in Cape Cod, Massachusetts where they became a diet staple of the Pilgrims settling in Plymouth (my former hometown).

After a little internet research, I discovered that Jerusalem artichokes are high in protein, low in starch and just like other root vegatables–good for mashing, roasting, or throwing in soups–but they also saute well and taste great raw. A versatile little tuber!

Using the mushrooms from my CSA box and a couple of sausages, I channeled the Pilgrims and made an easy one pot meal perfect for cold weather.

Winter One Pot Meal with Sausages and Jerusalem Artichokes

Ingredients

4 sausages – any kind (I used Italian-style chicken sausages, because that’s what I had on hand from the farmers market. Skip the sausage if you’re a veggie)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, largely diced

8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (Baby Bellas were in my CSA box)

10 Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed (they are VERY dirty, so scrub them well!) and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped

zest of one lemon

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Brown the sausages all over in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet. Set aside. Add the onions to the skillet, adding more olive oil if necessary. Let the onions soften over medium heat, until they are VERY tender and melting. I let them hang out in the pan for about 20 minutes while I prepped the rest of the ingredients.

Lovely nitrate-free chicken sausages

When the onions are brown and melting, add the garlic. Push the onions aside and add the mushrooms, allowing them to brown in the pan. Push the mushrooms and onions aside and add the Jerusalem artichokes. Let them brown a bit too.

Get some color on those sunchokes

Add the lemon zest, kosher salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir. Add the sausages back into the pan, along with the thyme sprigs. Pour enough water in the skillet to just cover the veggies. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the Jerusalem artichokes are tender. If there’s too much liquid in the skillet, uncover, turn the heat up and allow to simmer and reduce. The broth is so flavorful and rich because of those melting onions and yummy mushrooms.

Ready for their water bath

The Jerusalem artichokes add a sweet and nutty flavor to this dish - I hope I get more in my CSA box this week

The Jerusalem artichokes add a sweet and nutty flavor to this dish – I’m hoping for more in my CSA box this week

What’s your favorite winter vegetable? And can someone PLEASE tell me what to do with a very large rutabaga?!?

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Local Farms, Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, Jerusalem artichokes, local, vegetarian, winter | 39 Comments

One GOOD Thing About Winter

Posted on January 16, 2013 by rachelocal

This morning I woke up to a dark bedroom, hazy and gray with no light forcing its way between blinds and through curtains. Rationally, I thought it was 3 am and I still had hours of sleep ahead of me. A quick glance at my phone told me a different story; slumber was over and it was time to face the day. Looking outside, I saw a steely slate sky and the misty drizzle of cold rain. Seeing as “day” decided to skip out on the world, I thought I should do the same and curl back up under the covers.

But I took the more noble route and reluctantly got in the shower, dressed, and headed for work.

That’s when I discovered something good about winter. All my local Delawareans out there will be happy to know that Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative is offering a WINTER CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which means 12 weeks of fresh, Lancaster County grown produce in the middle of winter.

I might be grasping at straws here, but the thought of fresh, organic winter vegetables grown by mostly Amish farmers melted my tiny winterized heart.

Here’s the facts about this CSA:

Cost is $250 for 5-8 items of fresh produce per week
Pick up locations are at Home Grown Cafe in Newark, Harvest Market in Hockessin, or Boyd’s Flowers in Wilmington
“Add-ons” are available, including cheese, bread, eggs, meat, canned goods, and even tofu
Online ordering is easy at lancasterfarmfresh.com. They even have payment options, so you don’t have to pay the entire $250 up front

Lancaster Farm Fresh’s summer CSA is AMAZING. Here’s a picture to prove it.

Photo from a shareholder with a full summer veggie share. WOW!

I can imagine the winter share is just as breathtaking with all those lovely root vegetables I adore roasting or adding to soups. It’s nice to know that even in winter when local choices are limited and grocery store produce is shipped and tortured just to get it on the shelf, I can count on area farmers to provide a superior alternative. I like to know how my food arrived on my plate. Reminds me of a Michael Pollan quote: “At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind.”

The deadline to order is tomorrow, January 17, by 2 pm.

Foreboding clouds and miserable rain be damned; winter is looking up!

Categories: Local Farms, Local Stores | Tags: Community Supported Agriculture, CSA, food, gardening, local, locavore, vegetarian, winter blues | 25 Comments

CSA Wrap Rap

Posted on June 17, 2012 by rachelocal

Sometimes I like to freestyle…

Ready? Yo, here we go

I’m about to make a snack

with CSA veg and I got the knack

I scored asparagus, greens and scape

Listen up!

Curly scapes made me hesitate

Garlic Scapes

But thanks to google for the info

I roasted them with E.V.O.O.

Scapes and Asparagus, roasted

Local mushrooms on the grill

Yogurt dressing fit to kill

Wrap it up tight like this rhyme

Best dinner in a long time

Rap Wrap, y’all

It’s hard to transition into a recipe after displaying my mad skillz. Just imagine I dropped my microphone on the floor (FOOMPH), walked away, and picked up a whisk…

I’ve shared a variation of this recipe before, but this yogurt dressing is simply a life saver to have around. It makes anything better, including rap wraps, cucumber salad, and chicken salad (the BEST substitute for mayo).

Yogurt Dressing

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 teaspoons honey

1 clove garlic, minced finely (I ran mine through a garlic press)

1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (or thyme or dill, use a small handful if it’s fresh)

Juice of half a lemon

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together. Enjoy on your favorite salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Represent.

Categories: Local Farms, Random, Recipes | Tags: CSA, food, freestylin, humor, life, local, rap, recipes, vegetarian | 13 Comments

Two Lists for Local Eating

Posted on June 4, 2012 by rachelocal

Today’s the day; I am a locavore. As of right now, I will only eat locally sourced foods. I’m not gonna lie, I kind of feel like I’m going on a diet. I am, after all, purposely restricting my food choices. In an effort to allow my new locavore status to inspire me rather than scare me (I love Italian cheeses so much!), I decided to make two lists. The first list states the reasons I’m embarking on this All Local Experiment (I needed reminding). The second list is my personal guidebook for local eating, complete with any non-local, “luxury” items I can’t live without (like coffee). Let’s begin. . .

Rachel’s Reasons to be a Locavore

1. Taste – Foods grown or raised near your home are fresher. Ergo, they taste better. For example, pick a red, ripe strawberry and pop it in your mouth. Now, compare that strawberry with your average grocery store variety. Enough said.

2. Local Economy – When I buy from a local grower, I am supporting my local economy. I’m happy to support my CSA farmer Toby over at Bayberry Farm, because he’s trying to accomplish something admirable–provide fresh, quality food grown in a sustainable and natural manner as a responsible steward of the land. Go Toby!

I met Toby, my farmer, on Sunday. He is passionate about what he does, and I’m happy to support his efforts and also reap the benefits of his sustainable work on Bayberry Farm.

3. Environment – If my food is not packed in California and shipped to my local grocery store, I’m shrinking my carbon footprint. The average food item travels 1500 miles to reach me; so much unnecessary fuel and energy! Not to mention the chemicals a vegetable is treated with in order to sustain the journey, which leads me to my third reason. . .

4. Health – If I know how my food is produced or grown, I am confident it will not harm me (and will be packed with nutrition). I want to eat the healthiest food I can find, so why would I buy a tomato from an unknown, faceless grower in Florida when I can get a better one down the street from John?

Ah, I’m feeling better about this already! Those three reasons are just the tip of the iceberg for me (I could go on and on about GMOs). I’m getting excited, so let’s talk about my guidelines for this local experiment. . .

Rachel’s Local Experiment Guidelines

1. Eat Local – Everything I eat will be locally sourced within a 100-mile radius of my front door AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE (from farmer’s markets, produce stands, regular markets like Harvest, and maybe the grocery store). I have yet to discover a coffee farm in Delaware, so as follows is my list of necessary non-local items:

Coffee – I can buy from local coffee roasters, but alas, coffee does not grow in my backyard, and I cannot live without coffee. I simply cannot.
Lemons – This seems like a silly cheat, but I am addicted to fresh lemon water. I keep some in a pretty pitcher in the fridge and I swear it’s the only way I stay hydrated.
Cooking basics – Items I use a lot like salt, pepper, some spices, soy sauce and olive oil won’t be local. I did buy olive oil from California though, which is closer than my usual brand.

2. Support Local Restaurants – I like to eat out on occasion, so if I do, I will frequent my favorite restaurants trying to use local ingredients, like LBR 614, Home Grown Cafe, The House of William and Merry, Twelves Grill, and the many more I plan to discover this year!

3. Be Polite – If I am asked over a friend’s house for say, a barbecue, I will not be a food snob. Questions like, “Do you know if the potatoes in this potato salad were grown in the tri-state area? Also, did you make the mayonnaise in the potato salad with local, free-range, pastured chicken eggs?” or “This vintage 1964 Petrus wine is okay, but do you have any local wine?” are unacceptable and a little snotty. Also, if I’m invited out to dinner at a restaurant, I will try my best to suggest one of my local favorites, but if a friend is hell-bent on eating sushi, I will not burst any bubbles (and I love sushi!).

So how long will this local experiment last? I would like to say indefinitely, but for now, I’m coinciding it with my CSA share. From now until mid-October, I will eat only local foods. That will give me a chance to see how it goes as the seasons change. I’m excited to get started and I’ve already received encouragement from many people, including my friend Natalie, who just sent me this text message: “I am proud of you for doing this local initiative…you can do it!” Thanks, Natalie!

And now (insert drum roll or dramatic music here) the local experiment begins. . .

Categories: Delaware Farms, Farmer's Markets | Tags: coffee, CSA, farmer's market, food, health, life, local, locavore | 15 Comments

Local Inspiration at Harvest Market

Posted on May 14, 2012 by rachelocal

Don’t you just love it when an inspiring shopping trip ends in a lovely meal?

The inspiration started with a strawberry. To learn more about Harvest Market in Hockessin, I set up an appointment with April Lea, marketing coordinator for the store. Immediately upon entering her office, April asked, “Would you like a strawberry?” Sitting on her desk was a blue container of beautiful, redder-than-red strawberries. I gladly accepted her offer. “Organic,” she said. “And red all the way through.” The strawberries were sweet and so juicy April grabbed me a tissue. “Are they local?” I asked. Indeed they were. From Esh Farms in Pennsylvania.

Beauties

Our conversation picked up from there. Not only did I learn about Harvest Market, but I also discovered more about good food in general. Educating and helping customers seems to be a running theme for Harvest Market. They opened in 1995 with a commitment to offering organic produce and the best, most natural products available. Harvest has a direct relationship with their farmers and local suppliers. Bob, one of the owners, still goes to Country Meadows in Quarryville, PA to pick up the store’s supply of pastured, grass-fed beef.

I asked April if she thinks buying organic or buying local is better. She said it depends on the product. It’s expensive for a farmer to get that Certified Organic seal of approval, even if he or she uses organic methods. But there’s no way of knowing if a product was treated with chemical sprays or grown from a GMO seed if it’s not stamped with that Certified Organic label. At the very least, April suggests buying grains like corn, canola, and soybean Certified Organic. If not, you are definitely buying a genetically modified product (or a GMO, which I’ve talked about before). So many items on grocery store shelves are derived from corn; therefore, so many products have GMO content. Buying certified organic means no fear of chemicals or GMOs, ever.

Local Popcorn!

April turned the tables, ”How about you? Local or organic?” she asked. I was surprised at my hesitancy to answer. After all that GMO talk, I was spooked. But then I thought about where I get my local produce. Mainly from John, and I’ve helped him plant what he grows. I know what kind of fertilizer (compost!) he uses and how he maintains bugs and weeds. No problems there. As far as other farm stands go, I always get to know the owner and the gardening methods used. In about a month, I’ll be picking up my first CSA box, straight from Bayberry Farm in Middletown. While they don’t have a Certified Organic label, the farmer uses only natural and organic methods. After thinking about it, I told April I think local is the way to go. “That way you know exactly where it comes from,” I said confidently.

When I asked April about the local offerings at Harvest Market, she started rattling off a list, but then realized there were just too many to list! She referred me to their website, where I saw an array of local products like Big Sky Bread, Natural by Nature Dairy (local and organic!), Rumbleway Farm meats, a variety of cheeses, even health and beauty products! Like I said, too many to list. Go here to see them all. Or better yet, like Harvest Market’s facebook page. That way, every Tuesday and Friday, you can see a list of both the organic and local produce they offer, making shopping easy.

Chicken from Rumbleway Farm, Conowingo, MD

You can also join and pick up a CSA box from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative at Harvest Market. April and I decided that living so close to Lancaster County, PA is a blessing. Not only because many Amish use organic farming practices, but also because the farming laws are less stringent in Pennsylvania. For example, you can still get raw dairy in Pennsylvania, while it is banned in many states. “It’s unfortunate,” said April. “Because raw milk is like the nectar of the gods.” I may have to travel a few miles into Pennsylvania to find some!

All in all, Harvest Market is an excellent resource for people like you and me, trying to eat better while supporting local businesses and farmers. In fact, they have a help desk, where you can inquire about products you’d like to see on the shelves and ask any question you’d like. Like April, the staff is knowledgable. My conversation with April was peppered with so many tips and suggestions that I have about 20 blog posts and places to share with you (so exciting!).

All that talk about food made me hungry and those strawberries only whet my appetite, so I decided to buy some dinner. I haven’t had any red meat since watching Forks over Knives, but hearing about Harvest Market’s selection of grass-fed beef made my stomach growl (grass fed DOES taste better, by the way). I headed to the freezer and picked out two NY strips from Country Meadows. Then it was on to the produce section, overflowing with organic options. I spotted those amazing local strawberries and snatched them up. Followed by Dover-grown hydroponic grape tomatoes and some Lancaster grass-fed mozzarella.

Grown the hydroponic way in Dover, Delaware

The strawberries are stealing the show in this shot

All those local ingredients combined with fresh-cut greens to make the loveliest of all salads. At Harvest Market, you’ll find a bounty of inspiration for a perfect (and local) meal.

Local dinner is served (rare, apparently)!

Harvest Market Natural Foods

7417 Lancaster Pike

Hockessin, DE 19707

302.234.6779

Shop here!

Categories: Delaware Farms, Local Farms, Local Stores | Tags: Amish, CSA, GMOs, Harvest Market, life, local, locavore, strawberries | 6 Comments