Sept. 1, 2012 - Share # 8

Closing out Holler Fest - six Frog Holler/Holler Fest team members are in this photo and still on their feet!


IN THE BOX:

Radishes                                                           Curly Kale                                       Tat Soi(aka asian

                                                                                                                                            spinach)

Red Peppers - lots!                                           Zucchini/summer squash                   Beans

Arugula                                                             Basil                                                 Tomatoes

                                                                         Fingerling potatoes

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: The gang is pretty pooped after our big weekend, but the garden appreciated that perfectly timed rain on the morning after Holler Fest and we have lots to harvest. New patches of beans, squash, and tomatoes are starting to produce while the early patches seem happy to keep going.  We're about to plant our last patch of lettuce while watching the fall root crops start to size up. We look to a nice fall harvest ahead!

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX (AND CATHY KING):With Emily back in New York, I take up my pen to resume the CSA newsletter. I sometimes read other CSA blogs and newsletter for ideas and recipes; one that I visit regularly is The Ladybug Postcard, the newsletter for Mariquita Farm, based in Watsonville California. ("Marquita" means ladybug.) This newsletter seems to have a resident chef offering delicious-sounding but often rather complicated approaches to using the veggies in the share box. This Sweet Pepper Tart with Pesto from "Chef Jonathan" looks fantastic, if you have the time and inclination for a multi-stepped culinary experience. (If you do, let us know how it turns out!)

After Chef Jonathan's recipe(s), the Ladybug Postcard then offers ideas from "Julia". I think this is the wife of the owner of the farm and she is probably too busy to get very involved in the kitchen. She basically says what she would do with that week's box, and her ideas are very approachable and also sound delicious.

So in the spirit of "Julia", I offer what I would do with this week's box!

First, turn the oven on to 425 degrees and get ready to roast! Quarter the radishes for one of our favorite dishes, Roasted Radishes. While the radishes are roasting, those beautiful red peppers can join them with this easy way to roast peppers.

If your oven temperature is slightly different from the recipes, it won't matter. Just make sure it's a very hot oven. (Or roast the peppers on a grill like intern Samuel did at Holler Fest.)

Samuel cleans the grill after a long day of roasting tempeh burgers, red peppers, summer squash, onions and corn!

You can add the roasted peppers to any number of dishes, from salads to stir fry; they're also delicious in homemade hummus or as an add-on to a sandwich. At Holler Fest, we(Samuel) grilled the red peppers along with slices of summer squash and onions. They were combined with a marinade for a delicious veggie salad!

And as long as you're roasting, why not add a tray of fingerling tomatoes to the oven? Simply toss these little potato nuggets with olive oil and salt, spread on a tray, and add them to the delicious mix! Running out of oven space? Radishes and potatoes can be roasted together on the same tray; be sure to cut the chunks into similar sizes.

Arugula doesn't always have to be eaten fresh! Intern Susan Storck came up with this simple but delicious way to incorporate arugula into a fried rice dish.

And  kale doesn't always have to be cooked! Try this delicious smoothie for a good way to start your day and drink your greens!

If you're not setting up your grill for the zucchini/summer squash portion of your share, you might try a dish that we enjoy at least once or twice a week at Frog Holler: Simple Summer Squash Saute with basil. This time of year, we switch out the spring-crop scallions for lots of garlic - it works! And those roasted peppers would look very pretty in this dish.

The red peppers would also provide an excellent color and flavor contrast to a tat soi stir fry. Tat Soi is also called "asian spinach" due to its dark color, excellent nutritional content and quick cooking profile. But the slightly spicy flavor gives it a distinct personality; add sauteed onions, tofu and some roasted peppers to your dish and enjoy how nicely the flavors blend.

What's left? Beans and tomatoes - which go together very well in a stir-fry, if you're still in the cooking mood. Add the rest of the basil that you didn't use in the Summer Squash saute, and you have a lovely dish with the taste of summer.

How did you use the veggies in your box? We love to hear recipe ideas from our members!

TRANSITIONS: We said good bye to six interns this week(counting Angie - our temporary but extremely helpful former intern who was on a two-week Holler Fest visit). Two weeks ago Samuel, our culinary school intern, prepared a grand finale lunch with the assistance of Frog Holler farmer Billy. More on that later, but here are some photos as we say good bye to this hard-working crew, who really did go through the hottest, driest summer on record, with perseverance and good spirit - we wish them well!

Dressed for dinner! l to r: Katie, on her way to music school in France; Susan, off to horticultural studies at the Univ. of Minnesota; Shannon, starting at Univ. of Michigan; Angie, back to Dallas; Kirstin and Colleen, holding down the Frog Holler fort! Not pictured: Emily, back to Brooklyn, NY.

Billy King, planting those fall crops; chef  Samuel, back to culinary school in Traverse City.

Have a great week everyone!