Thanksgiving in April?

No, it’s not Thanksgiving, but our baby heritage red bourbon turkey chicks have arrived!

They hatched last week. They have settled in and are getting comfortable here at the farm. Our TLC begins now to assure the best tasting turkey for Thanksgiving.  Unlike the traditional white turkeys that arrive in late June and early July, the red bourbons come earlier in the year.

They require the additional time to mature, thereby requiring more upkeep and expense to bring to maturity. These little 3 once chicks, will be between 10 and 20 pounds in November.  They are in a warm barn right now, but they will soon go outside in the clean fresh air for they rest of the year.  Keep an eye out for more pictures of these interesting Heritage Red Bourbon Turkey chicks as they grow throughout the year.

Employment Opportunity

Right now at the farm, we have an opening for a driver to make deliveries through New Jersey.  We are looking to fill a part-time or full time position.

Please give, owner George Rude a call at 908-359-5375, if you are interested.

Chuck’s Corner

Check Out All of the Handwritten Tips from Food Network Chefs

Use a coarse Microplane to shave vegetables into salads or vinaigrettes. You can create an orange-fennel dressing by adding grated fennel and orange zest to a simple vinaigrette.
Paul Kahan
Avec, Big Star, Blackbird and The Publican, Chicago

Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer.
Charlie Trotter
Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago

If you’re cooking for someone important — whether it’s your boss or a date — never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.
Marcus Samuelsson
Red Rooster, New York City

Cook pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions and cook it the rest of the way in the pan with sauce.
Mario Batali
Iron Chef America

After making eggs sunny-side up, deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar, then drizzle the sauce on the eggs to add another dimension to the dish.
Didier Elena
Adour, New York City

After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Gerard Craft
Niche and Taste, St. Louis

Brine, baby, brine! Ya gotta brine that poultry to really give it the super flavor.
Guy Fieri
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

Food of the Week: Red Bourbon Turkey

The Bourbon Red is a breed of domestic turkey named for its unique reddish plumage and for Bourbon County, Kentucky. The standard indicates mature Bourbon Red toms weigh 33 pounds (15 kilos), and mature hens weigh 18 pounds (8.2 kilos). The standard indicates the bourbon red should weigh 23 pounds for toms and 14 pounds for hens at maturity (butcher, 28 weeks). These standard weights were published at a time when the Bourbon Red was at its prime. Though there are efforts to restore the bourbon red to its prime, today these weights are not realized by many breeders and growers.

Featured Recipe

Stuffed Peppers with Turkey and Vegetables

Courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

We’re all trying to be a little more health conscious these days so we thought this recipe would help you in this endeavor.  Substituting ground turkey for ground red meat is one way to achieve a healthier diet.  Try this scrumptious recipe and you will realize more and more how great it is to use ground turkey in many of your meat recipes.

Check Out All of the Handwritten Tips from Food Network Chefs

Use a coarse Microplane to shave vegetables into salads or vinaigrettes. You can create an orange-fennel dressing by adding grated fennel and orange zest to a simple vinaigrette.
Paul Kahan
Avec, Big Star, Blackbird and The Publican, Chicago

Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer.
Charlie Trotter
Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago

If you’re cooking for someone important — whether it’s your boss or a date — never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.
Marcus Samuelsson
Red Rooster, New York City

Cook pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions and cook it the rest of the way in the pan with sauce.
Mario Batali
Iron Chef America

After making eggs sunny-side up, deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar, then drizzle the sauce on the eggs to add another dimension to the dish.
Didier Elena
Adour, New York City

After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Gerard Craft
Niche and Taste, St. Louis

Brine, baby, brine! Ya gotta brine that poultry to really give it the super flavor.
Guy Fieri
Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

I don’t know about you, but I always get excited at the prospect of getting a discount or money off of products I like.  With the Griggstown G-Bucks, you can use them when making purchases at the Griggstown farm market.

How do you earn G-Bucks?

Simply send a recipe using Griggstown products to CustomerRelations@griggstownquailfarm.com and if it is used in our newsletter, you’ll receive a $5 G-Buck.

For helpful kitchen tips, send to the same address and if we use one, we’ll send you a $2 G-Buck.  This is really simple to do and the best part is you’re sharing valuable information with others.

There is still time to become a member of our CSA if you have not done so already.  Visit our website for sign-up information click CSA or call 908-359-5218

Chuck’s Corner

Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice.

Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chili oil.

If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

To banish ants from the kitchen, find out where they are coming in and cover the hole with petroleum jelly. Ants won’t trek through the jelly. If they are coming under a door, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs also won’t cross a line of chalk.

Before making popcorn on the stove or in an air popper, soak the kernels in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, then pop as normal. The additional moisture helps the popcorn pop up quicker and fluffier with fewer “old maids.”

To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.

If you manage to have some leftover wine at the end of the evening, freeze it in a ice cube trays for easy addition to soups and sauces in the future.

To clean crevices and corners in vases and pitchers, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets. The bubbles will do the scrubbing.

After boiling pasta or potatoes, cool the water and use it to water your house plants. The water contains nutrients that your plants will love.

Food of the Week: Chicken Breast

Raw chicken can be frozen for up to two years without significant changes in flavor or texture. Chicken is typically eaten cooked as when raw it often contains Salmonella.

Chicken can be cooked in many ways. It can be made into sausages, skewered, put in salads, grilled, breaded and deep-fried, or used in various curries. There is significant variation in cooking methods amongst cultures. Historically common methods include roasting, baking, broasting, and frying.

Featured Recipe

Tarragon Chicken

Courtesy of www.myrecipes.com

Brighten up the flavor of basic chicken breast halves with fresh tarragon and lemon juice and cook in the skillet for about 7 minutes for quick weeknight dinner.  Add the remaining olive oil-tarragon mixture at the final stage of the cooking process to preserve its full-bodied taste and citrus essence. This fast and easy entre is ideal for weeknight guests.

Burned a pot of rice? Just place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5-10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. Be careful not to scrape the burned pieces off of the bottom of the pan when serving the rice.

Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chili oil.

If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

To banish ants from the kitchen, find out where they are coming in and cover the hole with petroleum jelly. Ants won’t trek through the jelly. If they are coming under a door, draw a line on the floor with chalk. The little bugs also won’t cross a line of chalk.

Before making popcorn on the stove or in an air popper, soak the kernels in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, then pop as normal. The additional moisture helps the popcorn pop up quicker and fluffier with fewer “old maids.”

Don’t store your bananas in a bunch or in a fruit bowl with other fruits. Separate your bananas and place each in a different location. Bananas release gases which cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly. Separating them will keep them fresh longer.

To keep potatoes from budding in the bag, put an apple in with them.

If you manage to have some leftover wine at the end of the evening, freeze it in a ice cube trays for easy addition to soups and sauces in the future.

To clean crevices and corners in vases and pitchers, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets. The bubbles will do the scrubbing.

After boiling pasta or potatoes, cool the water and use it to water your house plants. The water contains nutrients that your plants will love.

Since the warm weather is already here, we have been planting as many vegetable and herbs as possible.  We are looking forward to a wonderful planting season.  If you haven’t had a chance to attend one of our farmers markets during the “off season”, then I’m sure you are looking forward to the farmer’s market in your area.  With the great weather we have been seeing, there are already some that have started. If you’re not sure when the farmer’s market in your area starts, please feel free to call us, we have all the dates for you.

There is still time to become a member of our CSA if you have not done so already.  Visit our website for sign-up information click CSA or call 908-359-5218

Chuck’s Corner

You know all of those helpful kitchen-related suggestions that old-timers are so willing to share with the younger generations? These little tips and tricks might be called “kitchen hacks” these days, but they’re still the same good old nuggets of wisdom that they always were. As with any old wives’ tale, hack, or tip, your mileage may vary. Some of these gems have been around for several lifetimes – and according to most grandmas, they really work.

1. For cleaning smelly hands after chopping onions or garlic, just rub them on a stainless steel spoon. The steel is supposed to absorb the odor.
2. Fresh coffee beans can also absorb nasty odors from your hands.
3. If you happen to over-salt a pot of soup, just drop in a peeled potato. The potato will absorb the excess salt.
4. When boiling eggs, add a pinch of salt to keep the shells from cracking.
5. Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.
6. To clean cast iron cookwear, don’t use detergents. Just scrub them with salt and a clean, dry paper towel.
7. Will milk curdle if it is allowed to boil? It turns out that this age-old piece of wisdom isn’t true, after all. Milk that has been boiled is perfectly safe to consume.
8. To clean an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element, boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water, then empty.
9. When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to keep them from getting stinky.

10. If you are making gravy and accidentally burn it, just pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking it. Add sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go to avoid over-sugaring it. The sugar will cancel out the burned taste.

Food of the Week: Quail Eggs

Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many countries, including western Europe and North America. In Japanese cuisine, they are sometimes used raw or cooked as tamago in sushi and often found in bento lunches.

In some other countries, quail eggs are considered less exotic. In Colombia and Venezuela, a singlehard-boiled quail egg is a common topping on hot dogs and hamburgers, often fixed into place with atoothpick. In the Philippines, kwek-kwek is a popular street food delicacy, which consists of soft-boiled quail eggs dipped in orange-colored batter before being skewered and deep-fried. In Vietnam, bags of boiled quail eggs are sold on street stalls as inexpensive beer snacks.

Quail eggs are often believed to be very high in cholesterol, but evidence shows their cholesterol levels are similar to chicken eggs.

Featured Recipe

Maw-Maw’s Favorite Quail Egg Recipes

Courtesy of www.quail-egg-recipes.com

Cajun Omelet with Quail Eggs
In a sauce pan add one can of cooked tomatoes drained and chopped fine, two onions cut fine, plus mince 1-2 garlic cloves. Add heaping tablespoon of bread crumbs, salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne. Cook slowly until onions are tender. Take two dozen quail eggs and beat together. In a 12 inch non-stick skillet place one tablespoon of butter and when hot add quail eggs. When omelet sets pour other ingredients on it, fold over and cook 2 minutes longer.

Poached Quail Eggs, Cajun Style
Stew 1 can of diced tomatoes and one green pepper shredded until reduced by half. Pour into hot platter and arrange toast on top. On each piece of toast place 2 poached quail eggs. Pour a small amount of melted butter, salt and pepper over eggs.

Baked Quail Eggs
Spread butter in muffin tins. Put a thin slice of fresh tomato in the bottom of each ring. Break 2 quail eggs in each ring, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover each ring with another slice of tomato, sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with a small amount of butter. Bake until tomatoes are done and quail eggs solid. Serve on buttered toast.

You know all of those helpful kitchen-related suggestions that old-timers are so willing to share with the younger generations? These little tips and tricks might be called “kitchen hacks” these days, but they’re still the same good old nuggets of wisdom that they always were. As with any old wives’ tale, hack, or tip, your mileage may vary. Some of these gems have been around for several lifetimes – and according to most grandmas, they really work

1. For cleaning smelly hands after chopping onions or garlic, just rub them on a stainless steel spoon. The steel is supposed to absorb the odor.
2. Fresh coffee beans can also absorb nasty odors from your hands.
3. If you happen to over-salt a pot of soup, just drop in a peeled potato. The potato will absorb the excess salt.
4. When boiling eggs, add a pinch of salt to keep the shells from cracking.
5. Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.
6. To clean cast iron cookwear, don’t use detergents. Just scrub them with salt and a clean, dry paper towel.
7. Will milk curdle if it is allowed to boil? It turns out that this age-old piece of wisdom isn’t true, after all. Milk that has been boiled is perfectly safe to consume.
8. To clean an electric kettle with calcium buildup on the heating element, boil a mixture of half white vinegar and half water, then empty.
9. When storing empty airtight containers, throw in a pinch of salt to keep them from getting stinky.

10. If you are making gravy and accidentally burn it, just pour it into a clean pan and continue cooking it. Add sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go to avoid over-sugaring it. The sugar will cancel out the burned taste.