News

Griggstown Farm Market July 21th 2010

This week at the farm has been so much fun!  The Ice cream shop is a hit!  We have Alyssa, a Intern from the Culinary Institute of America here at the farm heading up the lunch menu.  We are serving Lunch in the flower garden every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 2:00.  We also have all the favorites in the store.  We now have fresh produce from the fields, including Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant!  All in all, its a great time to be on the farm, and we are excited to go out every week and work for you!!

Additional News:

-Our fundraiser dinner “Taste of Somerset Agricultural Picnic” is fast approaching on Saturday July 31st from 6-10pm.
More information and ticket order form may be found here:
http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010TasteofSomersetPicnicflyer.pdf (link’s fixed)

-Our Ice Cream Stand is open and features the following flavors: Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, Strawberry, Butter Pecan, Cookies & Cream, and Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream; Mango & Lemon Sorbets.

Our favorite additions are the following Chef’s Speciality Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches:

“The Chipper”: Vanilla Ice Cream served bewteen Chocolate Chip Cookies and rolled in Mini Chocolate Chips

“Rocky Road”: Chocolate Ice Cream and Fluff served between Peanut Butter Cookies and rolled in Reese’s Pieces

“Cherry Jubilee”: Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream served between two Sugar Cookies

“Cookie Monster”: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies and rolled in crushed Oreos

“Double Decker”: Vanilla Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies, topped with Strawberry Ice Cream and a third Chocolate Cookie

“Old Fashioned”: Butter Pecan Ice Cream served between Oatmeal Cookies and rolled in Toasted Pecans

-Jersey Corn and fresh Jersey Peaches are in season in our Market.

Recipes:

Tomatillo Recipes Galore from a California CSA:
http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/tomatillos.html

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

1 pound tomatillos, husked
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 serrano chile peppers, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 cups water

Directions:

Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chile pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.  Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.

Griggstown Farm Market July 14th 2010

We finally got some rain!  While most of our fields are lined with hydration systems, it’s still nice to have rain on the grass throughout the farm.   With the forecast for the week calling for more rain, we should be in good shape to begin seeing new growth in our summer crops.  The tomatoes love the heat. So when you stop by the farm be sure to see what we picked for the day.

You can also visit us on Facebook!  I’ve created a group for people to see even more pictures some fun things on the farm.

Thank you to all those who have submitted recipes so far.  This week’s newsletter includes a link to a video demonstrating a Grilled Veggie Pizza recipe, as well as, three submitted recipes!

Lunch Menu July 7-15, 7-16, & 7-18

Entrees:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Bread

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Eggplant

Portobello Mushrooms

Herb Mayonnaise

Turkey Burger Sliders

Lettuce

BBQ Mayonnaise

Grilled Chicken Sausage on Ciabatta Bread

Griggstown Sundried Tomato Sausage

Roasted Bell and Cubanelle Peppers

Grilled Peaches

Peach Salsa

Grilled Pizza

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Basil

Sides:

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Lime-Basil Vinaigrette

Potato Salad with Bacon

Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

The Ice Cream Stand is Open

Our Ice Cream Stand is open and features the following flavors: Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, Strawberry, Butter Pecan, Cookies & Cream, and Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream; Mango & Lemon Sorbets.

Our favorite additions are the following Chef’s Speciality Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches:

“The Chipper”: Vanilla Ice Cream served between Chocolate Chip Cookies and rolled in Mini Chocolate Chips

“Rocky Road”: Chocolate Ice Cream and Fluff served between Peanut Butter Cookies and rolled in Reece’s Pieces

“Cherry Jubilee”: Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream served between two Sugar Cookies

“Cookie Monster”: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies and rolled in crushed Oreos

“Double Decker”: Vanilla Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies, topped with Strawberry Ice Cream and a third Chocolate Cookie

“Old Fashioned”: Butter Pecan Ice Cream served between Oatmeal Cookies and rolled in Toasted Pecans

Our fundraiser dinner is fast approaching on Saturday July 31st from 6-10pm.
More information and ticket order form may be found here:
http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010TasteofSomerset

Recipes:

Red, White, and Blue Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
1/2 small head Red Cabbage – cut into wedges or thinly sliced
1 Green Onion – sliced
2 tablespoons Pumpkin Seeds – toasted
2 strips Bacon – cooked, crumbled (try our D’Artagnan No-Nitrate Bacon available in the Market)
Salt & Pepper – to taste

Blue Cheese-Currant Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp. Dried Currants
2 tbsp. Blue Cheese – crumbled

Directions:

Begin by preparing the vinaigrette.  Combine EVOO, white balsamic, currants, and blue cheese in a small air tight container.  Refrigerate at leat 3o minutes while prepping the other ingredients.

On two plates, divide cabbage, green onion, pumpkin seeds, and bacon evenly.  Once dressing has chilled, spoon over both plates adding salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

(from http://justeatfood.com/n-539-red-white-and-blue-cabbage-salad.html)

Feta Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh Basil leaves
2 tbsp. crumbled Feta Cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Pine Nuts, toasted
1 Artichoke heart, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. chopped oil-packed sun-dried Tomatoes
1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 pinch of Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the basil, feta, Parmesan, pine nuts, artichoke heart, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Cover and pulse, adding oil as needed to facilitate blending until smooth.  Taste and season.

Note:  Our shareholder recommends adding garlic to the recipe.

(from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Feta-Pesto/Detail.aspx)

Squash Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup grated Yellow Squash
1/2 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tbsp. Flour
1/2 – 1 tsp. Lemon flavoring
1 tsp. Coconut flavoring
1/2 stick Butter
8″ unbaked Pie Crust

Directions:

Melt butter & combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Pour into unbaked 8″ pie shell.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

Grilled Veggie Pizza

Check out the following video for a demonstration of how to make your own Grilled Pizza.  This recipe may be adapted to include a selection of this week’s Squash, Zucchini, and Peppers.  Don’t forget the Mozzarella!  The Farm Market carries 1/2 pound balls of fresh mozzarella for $4.25.  Pizza dough may be purchased from your local pizza shop, or made at home.

Grilled Veggie Pizza:
http://kahunasfoodandwine.com/2009/04/grilled-veggie-pizza/

Griggstown Summer Lunch Menu 7-15, 7-16, & 7-18

Lunch Menu July 7-15, 7-16, & 7-18

Entrees:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Bread

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Eggplant

Portobello Mushrooms

Herb Mayonnaise

Turkey Burger Sliders

Lettuce

BBQ Mayonnaise

Grilled Chicken Sausage on Ciabatta Bread

Griggstown Sundried Tomato Sausage

Roasted Bell and Cubanelle Peppers

Grilled Peaches

Peach Salsa

Grilled Pizza

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Basil

Sides:

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad with Lime-Basil Vinaigrette

Potato Salad with Bacon

Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

The Ice Cream Stand is Open

Our Ice Cream Stand is open and features the following flavors: Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, Strawberry, Butter Pecan, Cookies & Cream, and Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream; Mango & Lemon Sorbets.

Our favorite additions are the following Chef’s Speciality Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches:

“The Chipper”: Vanilla Ice Cream served bewteen Chocolate Chip Cookies and rolled in Mini Chocolate Chips

“Rocky Road”: Chocolate Ice Cream and Fluff served between Peanut Butter Cookies and rolled in Reese’s Pieces

“Cherry Jubilee”: Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream served between two Sugar Cookies

“Cookie Monster”: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies and rolled in crushed Oreos

“Double Decker”: Vanilla Ice Cream served between Chocolate Cookies, topped with Strawberry Ice Cream and a third Chocolate Cookie

“Old Fashioned”: Butter Pecan Ice Cream served between Oatmeal Cookies and rolled in Toasted Pecans

Griggstown Farm Market July 7th 2010

This is an exciting week at the farm.  Just in time for the heat wave we have the ice cream shack opening up!!!  So we are all excited to try one of the great regular ice creams or what I am more excited about, are the Ice Cream Sandwiches!  We have quite a few to choose from, and you won’t be disappointed with the creative names and combinations that Chef Matthew has come up with.  Along with the ice cream shack, we have the mid day lunches starting again!  Thursday Friday and Saturday you can come to the farm to have a great lunch in the flower garden.  Below is the Menu for the Week.

Also, Don’t forget to sign up for the “Taste of Somerset Agricultural Picnic” we are having right here on the farm.  It’s a  great cause and a fun time on the farm.  The event is at the end of this month.  If you stop by the farm this week, feel free to let the person in the store know that you read the newsletter.  I’m always looking for new ways to connect with our customers.   Thanks

Lunch Menu July 7-8

Entrees:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Bread

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Portobello Mushrooms

Herb Mayonnaise

Turkey Burger Sliders

Lettuce

BBQ Mayonnaise

Grilled Chicken Sausage on Ciabatta Bread

Griggstown White Wine Sausage

Cubanelle Peppers

Red Onion

Grilled Pizza

Pesto

Sundried Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Sides:

Cucumber Salad with Dill

Potato Salad with Bacon

Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

Griggstown Summer Lunch Menu 7-8-10

Lunch Menu July 7-8

Entrees:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Bread

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Portobello Mushrooms

Herb Mayonnaise

Turkey Burger Sliders

Lettuce

BBQ Mayonnaise

Grilled Chicken Sausage on Ciabatta Bread

Griggstown White Wine Sausage

Cubanelle Peppers

Red Onion

Grilled Pizza

Pesto

Sundried Tomatoes

Fresh Mozzarella

Sides:

Cucumber Salad with Dill

Potato Salad with Bacon

Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

Griggstown Farm Market July 1st 2010

Last year at this time we were counting the days in June that it had rained.  This year we are counting how many times it was over ninety degrees this month.  I don’t know about you, but I would choose a sunny 90 degree day over a rainy day every time!  This Fourth of July weekend looks to be one of the best on record. The perfect weather means that it will be great for barbequing!!  My neighbors are already asking if I am going to have Griggstown Marinated Poussin for the annual 4th of July backyard barbeque! You can see below how easy it is to throw the poussin on the grill and relax.

We’re excited to have Jersey Corn and Peaches to go along with our freshly grow summer vegetables.  Griggstown’s own Tomatoes are popping up and we have them available fresh in the store.  We are using some of our produce to make fresh dishes, so if you are able to stop by, get a free taste to let Chef Mike know how you like the Cucumber salad and other new ready to eat dishes.

As always, we have our marinated Poussin – both Soy Ginger and Herb.  These Poussin are marinated for the grill, and are always a fan favorite at my Fourth of July party.  Twenty five minutes bone side down, flip for 5-10 min and you have a delicious meal for your friends.  Just make sure you have enough for everyone! Happy Fourth of July and have a wonderful holiday weekend!

“Taste of Somerset Agriculture Picnic” on Saturday July 31 from 6-10pm

We have a very special event coming up at Griggstown at the end of July.  George has agreed to host the “Taste of Somerset Agriculture Picnic” on Saturday July 31 from 6-10pm.  The picnic dinner will honor the life of Farmer Thomas Everett and all proceeds will fund the Somerset County Board of Agriculture’s scholarship named in Tom’s honor.  Tickets are only $25 for adults and $10 for children.  More information and the ticket order form may be found here: http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010TasteofSomersetPicnicflyer.pdf

Spicy Grilled Vegetables

1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened

2 tablespoons lemon pepper

1 large potato, cut lengthwise into fourths

1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half

1 medium yellow summer squash, cut lengthwise in half

2 large bell peppers, cut lengthwise into fourths and seeded

1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Bibb lettuce, if desired

1/4 cup Italian dressing (can be Fat Free)

Heat coals or gas grill.

Mix margarine and lemon pepper. Brush on potato, zucchini, squash,
bell peppers and onion.

Cover and grill vegetables 4 inches from medium heat 10 to 20 minutes, turning frequently, until tender.

Line platter with lettuce. As vegetables become done, remove from grill to platter. Sprinkle with dressing. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings

http://www.thatsmyhome.com/

Griggstown Farm Market June 22nd 2010

The great wheather is doing wonders for our produce and flowers.  Everything looks great and tastes better!  The first few cherry tomatoes were gobbled up by our farm hands and volunteers, but it’s a good sign that they’re not too far from your table.  This week at the farm we had the Cambridge School here for an end of year ice cream party.  They tried out the ice cream, tested the iced tea; and had a great time in the flower garden.  While some kids seemed to enjoy wearing the ice cream rather than eating it; everyone mentioned how wonderful it was to have event here at Griggstown.

I am pleased to anounce that our flowers are right for the pickin’.   For 25 cents a stem, you can easily find a great boquet for a very reasonable price.  Considering you can pick your own, you don’t have to worry how fresh they are!! J
A few people have asked about the best way to store your produce in this weather.  Please view the section below this week’s harvest list for links to documents on how to best store fresh produce.

We have a very special event coming up at Griggstown at the end of July.  George has agreed to host the “Taste of Somerset Agriculture Picnic” on Saturday July 31 from 6-10pm.  The picnic dinner will honor the life of Farmer Thomas Everett and all proceeds will fund the Somerset County Board of Agriculture’s scholarship named in Tom’s honor.  Tickets are only $25 for adults and $10 for children.  More information and the ticket order form may be found here:  http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010TasteofSomersetPicnicflyer.pdf

Our harvest for this week includes:

Veggies:
Arugula
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Garlic
Kale
Lettuce – ‘Baby Bibb’
Summer Squash
Zucchini

Herbs:
Basil
Dill
Oregano
Parsley
Thyme

Produce Storage Tips:
Please view the following PDF files and links for tips on produce storage and making the most of your CSA harvest:

Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Freezing Produce:  http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/Cooks-Illustrated-Freezing-Produce.pdf

Cook’s Illustrated Guide to Storing Produce: http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/Cooks-Illustrated-Produce-Storage.pdf

How to Dry Herbs:  http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/2701/how-to-dry-herbs

And finally, another tip from one of our friends:  If you microwave the fresh herbs on high for 3 minutes they’re perfectly crushable between your fingers.  Now dried, you may use right away or store in a sealed container.  This works especially well for sage, oregano, and any of the “woodier” herbs we’ll be receiving.

Additional News:
-Please consider attending the Griggstown Quail Farm-hosted fundraiser dinner mentioned above.

-Remember the Fourth of July is around the corner!  Griggstown Chicken Sausages and Marinated Poussin taste great on the grill alongside your summer squash and zucchini.

Recipes:

Cabbage with Portobello Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon margarine or butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium head cabbage – cut into thick, short strips
2 portobello mushroom caps, thickly sliced (available in the Market)
2 pinches kosher salt, or to taste
ground black pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
Directions:

Melt the margarine with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the cabbage in the margarine until soft, about 5 minutes; season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the mushrooms; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender.

Wilted Arugula and Portobello Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 portobello mushroom cap, chopped
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 cups arugula leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in red pepper flakes and chopped mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are coated with oil and begin to soften.  Pour in sherry and chicken broth. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add arugula and cook until wilted, about one minute. Season with black pepper. Serve immediately.

Kale and Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 banana
2 cups kale, chopped
1 tsp maple syrup
1-2 tbsp flaxseeds (optional)
1/2 cup brown rice milk, or milk, or soymilk

Put banana, chopped kale, maple syrup, flaxseeds and brown rice milk into a blender and blend.   Add a few ice cubes for summer refreshment.

“Taste of Somerset Agriculture Picnic” on Saturday July 31 from 6-10pm

We have a very special event coming up at Griggstown at the end of July.  George has agreed to host the “Taste of Somerset Agriculture Picnic” on Saturday July 31 from 6-10pm.  The picnic dinner will honor the life of Farmer Thomas Everett and all proceeds will fund the Somerset County Board of Agriculture’s scholarship named in Tom’s honor.  Tickets are only $25 for adults and $10 for children.  More information and the ticket order form may be found here:  http://griggstownquailfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010TasteofSomersetPicnicflyer.pdf

Griggstown Farm Market June 17th 2010

It’s been a busy week at the farm as last week’s rain encouraged both our crops and our flowers to grow quickly. Some of our tomatoes and peppers are starting to set fruit and will continue to ripen over the next couple of weeks. That means that we are in full swing, and roles here at the farm are evolving. Over the past year, Johann has been working on the newsletter that you see every week. He is also head of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). If you are not a member, you may consider it for next year; it’s a great addition the farm! So I (Tim) have been asked to head the Farm Market Newsletter. So that Johann can spend more time in the field tending to the crops. 
I am very excited to be able to write about the exciting things that are happening on the farm. Over the course of the year I will be letting you know when new things are happening, and giving you updates on what is going on here are the farm. Along with updates and news from the farm, I’m excited to introduce the farm to new faces. I’ll be doing that through Facebook and other media. If you have any suggestions please feel free to email me at service@griggstownquailfarm.com.
If you live in North Jersey you have something to get excited about. This week at the farm we are excited to be starting two new Farmer’s Markets for the season. Bernardsville and Morristown Farmers Markets are both starting this week. Chief of Operations and Head Chef, Matthew will be back in Bernardsville for the 5th year!! The humorous and always charming Nicolas, will be at the Morristown Farmers market on Sundays all season long! This week would be a great week to pick up your GQF Marinated Poussin, perfect for the weekend Barbeque!!!

Our harvest for this week includes:

Veggies:
Arugula
Broccoli
Cabbage
Collards
Garlic
Kale
Lettuce – mixed heads
Summer Squash & Zucchini – mixed

Additional News:
-Bernardsville and Morristown Farmers Markets open this Weekend!

-For farm updates, pictures, and a different way to keep in touch, look to become a “fan” Griggstown Quail Farm on Facebook!

-The Griggstown Farm Market now carries organic iced tea, available by the cup in Black Tea and Spring Melon flavors.

-The Griggstown Quail Farm will be hosting a scholarship fundraiser dinner on the farm at the end of July. More info will follow in next week’s newsletter.

- The Ice Cream Stand is coming!!! Awaiting Permits 

That’s all for now!

-GQF Newsletter Staff

Recipes:

Kale Chips
Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the leaves from stems and tear into chip size pieces. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

GQF BBQ Boned out Chicken
Ingredients:
1 Boned out Griggstown Quail Farm Boned out Chicken
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Directions:
Cook on Indirect/Medium Heat
Pat the chicken dry. Brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper both sides. Place chicken, bone-side down, in center of cooking grate.
Grill-roast until breast meat near bone registers 165°F and thigh meat registers 180°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, cook until the chicken meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Remove and let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 2-3.

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter June 11, 2010

Hello Patrons,

The warm weather continues to be great for the farm.   As you drive by the entrance to the farm you can see that our flowers are springing up, and will soon be ready for “Cut Your Own Flowers.” We are excited to announce that we will soon have Home Made Ice Cream right here on the farm.   In addition to ice cream we have New “Shangri La” Organic Iced Tea with two types, Black and Spring Melon available now in the Farm Market Store.  This new season we introduce some new faces on the farm that will be happy to assist you with as much as possible!  Below is a great list of veggies that we have cut fresh from the garden.  We will also have herbs available throughout the week.

Veggies:

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Collards
• ‘Tuscan’ Kale
• ‘Rainbow Tuscan’ Kale
• ‘Red Russian’ Kale
• ‘Purplette Scallions
• ‘Evergreen Hardy’ Scallions
• Romaine, Red and Flashy Trout back Lettuce mixes

Additional News:

-Our Ice Cream Stand is awaiting final permits and electrical work.  It should be open within two weeks.  Yea!

- We have New “Shangri La” Organic Iced Tea with two types, Black and Spring Melon available now!

-We will be offering Chicken Salad Wraps in addition to our other great prepared foods!

Recipes:

Garlic Lemon Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
1 medium sized broccoli head
1/2 – 1 lemon
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped or thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Clean & chop broccoli into florets.  Steam until tender, adding the garlic to the water first.  Remove broccoli and set aside.  Strain water in order to retain the garlic.  Toss broccoli and garlic together, squeezing lemon over both.  Drizzle evoo and add salt and pepper to taste.  Let chill prior to serving.

Collard Wraps

Ingredients:
4 collard leaves
Griggstown Chicken Salad or Griggstown Cabbage Slaw

Directions:
Blanch collard leaves in salted boiling water.  Cool.  Wrap a generous portion of chicken salad or slaw in leaf.  Cut in half and serve.  Serves 2-4.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
8 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
8 basil leaves
extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Slice tomatoes in to 8 pieces.  Top with mozzarella and basil leaves.  Drizzle olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 2.

Fast Scallion Pancakes

Ingredients:
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches scallions or spring onions, about 1 pound
1 egg
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup flour
Peanut, canola or olive oil as needed

Directions:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil while you trim the scallions. Roughly chop three bunches, and mince the fourth.
Add the larger portion of scallions to the water, and cook about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in a blender, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work.  Mix the puree with the egg and soy, then gently stir in the flour until blended. Add pepper to taste, then the reserved minced scallions. Film a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter into the pan by the tablespoon or quarter cup, and cook about 2 minutes to a side, or until lightly browned. If necessary, the pancakes can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for about 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings, Time 20 minutes

If you omit the soy -– making these pancakes a perfect accompaniment to braised foods that use European seasonings — you can use any vegetable oil or even a good olive oil.

Source: The New York Times (http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/recipe-of-the-day-fast-scallion-pancakes/)

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter April 2, 2010

Spring has sprung in the gardens at Griggstown. Our greenhouse is filled to the brim with broccoli, cabbage, scallions, and flowers eagerly awaiting transplant to the field. Big plans are in store for the Griggstown Farm Market this summer as efforts are underway to transform the acre and a half around our market into a flower and herb garden filled with pick-your-own delicacies. Stay tuned for updates as they unfold, or better yet, stop by and keep tabs on the transformation first-hand!

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Arugula
• Carrots
• Celery
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Parsnips
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Spinach
• Spring Mix

Feature of the Week: Griggstown Quail & Pheasant Eggs

Quail eggs are considered a delicacy. They are sometimes used raw in sushi and often found in Japanese Bento lunches. In Colombia, quail eggs are less exotic than in many other countries, and a single hard-boiled quail egg is a common topping on hot dogs and hamburgers, often fixed into place with a toothpick. 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.

Griggstown Quail Farm supplies quail and pheasant eggs to a number of local restaurants and merchants. The versatile uses of both allow any chef to add a touch of something special to any dish served.

Recipes:

Smoked Pheasant Breast Salad with Roasted Beets, Arugula, and Pheasant Egg
Miner’s-Lettuce Salad With Roasted Asparagus, Rhubarb, Pancetta, and Poached Pheasant Egg
Frisee and Wild Mushroom Salad with Poached Egg

Upcoming Events:

Griggstown Farm Market & Wellspring Fitness’s Bike Ride / Yoga-thon Fundraiser for South Brunswick Food Pantry
Taste of the Nation Fundraiser

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter January 4, 2010

Happy New Year from the Griggstown Quail Farm & Market! The holiday season is over and the winter has put our produce fields to rest, but we are still stocked with some great veggies from New Jersey and Northeast farms, and, as always, our all-natural, free-range poultry. Try our hearty boneless turkey breast or our Griggstown Chicken Sausage…simply delicious!

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Acorn Squash
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Winter Savory

Feature of the Week: Griggstown Farm Market Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program

Griggstown Quail Farm & Market is proud to announce the 2nd season of our new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program designed to offer our valued customers fresh, local, naturally-grown produce at an affordable cost. At each pick-up throughout the season, shareholders receive a seasonal assortment of fresh vegetables & herbs. This product offering will provide a well-rounded supply of groceries for shareholders to take home and enjoy with their family and friends. Additionally, CSA participation insures the shareholder will save dramatically on the retail price of store-bought organic or conventionally grown produce.

How It Works:
Each week, each in-season crop is harvested from our CSA plot and divided amongst the participating shareholders. Throughout the growing season (June thru October), shareholders stop by our farm to pick up their share of the weekly harvest. Shares average 10-20 lbs. of produce per week. Typically, the shares start out with cold-hardy crops at the beginning of the spring, swell as the summer’s bounty matures, and return to the spring offerings in the fall before the fields are put to rest for the winter. We encourage our shareholders to embrace the seasonality of New Jersey agriculture and remain open-minded to our changing availability.

What Does It Cost?
$600 – Full Share / $350 – Half Share
Includes: A broad range of seasonal vegetables and herbs grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers
Share Size: Our full share generally supplements the produce needs of a family of four, or two adult vegetarians. Our half share is suitable for two adults. Full and Half shares may each be “split shared” to accommodate two (or more) participating families or individuals.

When Will It Happen?
Shareholders may pick-up the weekly harvest on Thursday and Friday from 12-6 pm throughout the 20-week season. Shares may also be boxed and put aside for weekend pick-up. We anticipate an early June start date and a late October end date. Pick-up location is at our farm, located at 986 Canal Rd. at the corner of Bunker Hill Rd. in Princeton, NJ.

For more information, please email produce(at)griggstownquailfarm.com or call the market at (908)359-5218.

Recipes:

Griggstown Italian Chicken Sausage & Potato Soup

Stuffed Griggstown Turkey Breast with Cider Gravy

Leeks with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter December 15, 2009

There’s still time to order one of our wonderful poultry options for the holiday season. Try one of our gourmet geese, delicious ducks, or terrific turkeys. Oven-ready options are available! Place your order over the phone or stop in our Market.

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Acorn Squash
• Griggstown Broccoli – freshly harvested every morning throughout the week!
• Easter Egg Radishes
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Griggstown Spicy Mesclun Mix & Winter Mix
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Swiss Chard

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Winter Savory

Poultry of the Week: Muscovy Duck

The Muscovy Duck has been domesticated for centuries, and is widely traded as “Barbary duck”. Muscovy breeds are popular because they have stronger-tasting meat – sometimes compared to roasted beef – than the usual domestic ducks which are descendants of the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The meat is lean when compared to the fatty meat of mallard-derived ducks, its leanness and tenderness being often compared to veal. Muscovy ducks are also less noisy, and sometimes marketed as a “quackless” duck; even though they are not completely silent, they don’t actually quack. The carcass of a Muscovy Duck is also much heavier than most other domestic ducks, which makes it ideal for the dinner table.

This non-migratory species normally inhabits forested swamps, lakes, streams and nearby grassland, and often roosts in trees at night. The Muscovy Duck’s diet consists of plant material obtained by grazing or dabbling in shallow water, with some small vertebrates and insects. This is a somewhat aggressive duck; males often fight over food, territory or mates. The females fight with each other less often. Some adults will peck at the ducklings if they are eating at the same food source.

Muscovy Ducks had been domesticated by various Native American cultures in the New World when Columbus arrived. The first few were brought to Europe by the European explorers at least by the 1500s.

The term “Muscovy” means “from the Moscow region”, but these ducks are neither native there nor were they introduced there before they became known in Western Europe. It is not quite clear how the term came about; it very likely originated between 1550 and 1600, but did not become widespread until somewhat later.

In one suggestion, it has been claimed that the Company of Merchant Adventurers to New Lands traded these ducks to Europe occasionally after 1550[6]; this chartered company became eventually known as the Muscovy Company or “Muscovite Company” so the ducks might thus have come to be called “Muscovite Ducks” or “Muscovy Ducks” in keeping with the common practice of attaching the importer’s name to the products they sold[6]. But while the Muscovite Company initiated vigorous trade with Russia, they hardly, if at all, traded produce from the Americas; thus they are unlikely to have traded C. moschata to a significant extent.

Finally, John Ray clears up much of the misunderstanding by providing a contemporary explanation for the bird’s etymology:

“In English, it is called The Muscovy-Duck, though this is not transferred from Muscovia [the New Latin name of Muscovy], but from the rather strong musk odour it exudes.”

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovy_Duck)

Recipes:

Lavender Honey-Glazed Roast Duck
Duck a l’Orange
Molasses-Roasted Muscovy Duck Breast with Cornbread-Venison Sausage Dressing

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter December 3, 2009

Make it a Griggstown Christmas! Place your orders now for Christmas pick-up of our gourmet goose, delicious duck, or terrific turkey. Oven-ready options are available! Place your order over the phone or stop in our Market.

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Acorn Squash
• Easter Egg Radishes
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Griggstown Spicy Mesclun Mix & Winter Mix
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Swiss Chard
• Yellow Squash

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Winter Savory

Poultry of the Week: Griggstown Goose

Domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus or Anser cygnoides) are domesticated Grey geese (either Greylag geese or Swan geese) kept as poultry for their meat, eggs, and down feathers since ancient times. In Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, the original domesticated geese are derived from the Greylag Goose Anser anser. In eastern Asia, the original domesticated geese are derived from the Swan Goose Anser cygnoides; these are now known as Chinese geese. Both have been widely introduced in more recent times, and modern flocks in both areas (and elsewhere, such as Australia and North America) may consist of either species, and/or hybrids between them. Chinese geese may be readily distinguished from European geese by the large knob at the base of the bill, though hybrids may exhibit every degree of variation between them.

The domestication, as Charles Darwin remarks in The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, is of very ancient date, with archaeological evidence for domesticated geese in Egypt 5,000 years ago. They are much larger, and they have been selected for that larger size, with domesticated breeds weighing up to 10 kg, compared to the maximum of 3.5 kg for wild Swan Goose and 4.1 kg for wild Greylag Goose. This affects their body structure; whereas wild geese have a horizontal posture and slim rear end, domesticated geese lay down large fat deposits toward the tail end, giving a fat rear and forcing the bird into a more upright posture. This also completely prevents flight, though geese will run and flap their wings when startled, and may get a foot or so in the air momentarily. Geese have proved resistant to intensive rearing methods, and they remain to be an expensive luxury compared to other poultry like the chicken and domesticated turkey. Geese produce large edible eggs, weighing 120-170 g.[2] They can be used in cooking just like chicken’s eggs, though they have proportionally more yolk, and this cooks to a slightly denser consistency. The taste is much the same as that of a chicken egg.

A goose can be roasted as a whole bird, but its size tends to preclude this except for banquets and other festive meals (such as at Christmas). Goosemeat contains much more fat than turkeys or chickens – at least 500 ml (around one pint) of fat may be rendered from an average-sized goose during cooking. One liter is not unusual for larger birds. The Cantonese barbecue features roast goose over a charcoal spit with a “tuned” crispy skin. Roast goose is a traditional Christmas food in Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland and the UK.

Most of the fat is concentrated in the skin, and the meat itself is very lean, rather like duck.

Goose fat is often separated and stored for use on its own. It can be used as a substitute for butter, although the flavor can be slightly “gamey”. Potatoes cooked in this fat are highly regarded by some. The fat keeps well in the refrigerator. Goose schmaltz is very popular in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine, and the overfeeding of geese to produce this schmaltz is widely considered to be the origin of foie gras in modern Europe. Goose can also be prepared as confit, and the fat used to preserve the meat.

When Aphrodite first came ashore she was welcomed by the Charites (Roman “Graces”), whose chariot was drawn by geese. The geese in the temple of Juno on the Capitoline Hill were said by Livy to have saved Rome from the Gauls around 390 BC when they were disturbed in a night attack. The story may be an attempt to explain the origin of the sacred flock of geese at Rome.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_goose)

Recipes:
Roasted Holiday Goose Breast and Braised Legs with Cassis Sauce
Gala Goose
Risotto of Goose Giblets

Sold Out of 2009 Red Bourbons!

Griggstown Quail Farm & Market has sold out of Red Bourbons for Thanksgiving 2009. Everyone that has ordered a Red Bourbon will receive one. For those of you who still haven’t ordered your Griggstown All-Natural, Free-Range Turkey for 2009, hurry soon! We still have plenty of White Broad-Breasted, but they’re moving fast!

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter November 11, 2009

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Acorn Squash
• Apples (Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Winesap)
• Griggstown D’Avignon French Breakfast Radishes
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Griggstown Leeks
• Griggstown Spicy Mesclun Mix
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Baby Griggstown Scallions
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Swiss Chard
• Yellow Squash

Decorative:

• Gourds
• Indian Corn
• Corn Stalks

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage
• Oregano
• Dill
• Cilantro

Poultry of the Week: Griggstown Chicken

The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food, consuming both their meat and their eggs.

Conventional wisdom has held that the chicken was domesticated in India, but recent evidence suggests that domestication of the chicken was already under way in Vietnam over 10,000 years ago. From India the domesticated fowl made its way to the Persianized kingdom of Lydia in western Asia Minor, domestic fowl were imported to Greece by the fifth century BCE. Fowl had been known in Egypt since the 18th Dynasty, with the “bird that lays every day” having come to Egypt from the land between Syria and Shinar, Babylonia, according to the annals of Tutmose III.

The chicken is believed to have descended from both the Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and the Grey Junglefowl (G. sonneratii), though hybrids of both wild types usually tend to be sterile. Recent genetic work has revealed that the genotype for yellow skin present in the domestic fowl is not present in what is otherwise its closest kin, the Red Junglefowl. It is most likely that the yellow skin trait in domestic birds originated in the Grey Junglefowl.

Before the development of modern commercial meat breeds (cows, chickens, etc.) broilers consisted mostly of young male chickens (cockerels) which were culled from farm flocks. The males were slaughtered for meat and the females (pullets) were kept for egg production. Compared to today, this made chicken meat scarce and expensive compared to eggs, and chicken was a luxury meat. The development of special broiler breeds decoupled the supply of broilers from the demand for eggs. This, along with advances in nutrition and incubation that allowed broilers to be raised year-round, allowed chicken to become a low-cost meat.

Recipes:

Chicken & Tarragon
Chicken Provencal with Grilled Vegetables
Crisp Oven Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Potatoes

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter November 4, 2009

Griggstown Thanksgiving:
Don’t forget to place your orders now for our all-natural, free-range White Broad-Breasted or Heritage Red Bourbon Turkeys. Please remember to place all orders for our delicious side dishes by November 18th. Orders may be placed on-line, over the phone, or in-person at our Griggstown Farm Market location. Turkeys are available for pick-up in Bernardsville NJ, Headhouse Market in Philadelphia, Flemington NJ, and of course, our very-own Griggstown Farm Market in Princeton NJ.

In-Store Seasonal Produce:
• Acorn Squash
• Apples (Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Winesap)
• Baby D’Avignon Radishes
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Griggstown Spicy Mesclun Mix
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Swiss Chard
• Yellow Squash

Decorative:
• Mums
• Pumpkins
• Gourds
• Indian Corn
• Corn Stalks

Herbs:
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage
• Oregano
• Dill
• Cilantro

Poultry of the Week: Griggstown Quail

The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa with several subspecies recognized. They are also bred and kept as poultry in some parts of the world both for eggs and meat. It is a small (17 cm) rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with a white eyestripe, and, in the male, a black chin. As befits its migratory nature, it has long wings, unlike the typically short-winged gamebirds. This is a terrestrial species, feeding on seeds and insects on the ground. It is notoriously difficult to see, keeping hidden in crops, and reluctant to fly, preferring to creep away instead. Even when flushed, it keeps low and soon drops back into cover. Often the only indication of its presence is the distinctive “wet-my-lips” repetitive song of the male. The call is uttered mostly in the mornings, evenings and sometimes at night. It is a strongly migratory bird, unlike most gamebirds. Upon attaining an age of 6–8 weeks, this quail breeds on open arable farmland and grassland across most of Europe and Asia, laying 6-18 eggs in a ground nest. The eggs take from 16–18 days to hatch.

The Common Quail was previously much favoured in French cooking, but quail for the table are now more likely to be domesticated Japanese Quail. The Japanese Quail, Coturnix japonica, is a species of quail found in East Asia. They are a migratory species, breeding in Manchuria, southeastern Siberia, and northern Japan, and wintering in the south of Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and southern China. They dwell in grasslands and cultivated fields. The plumage of the Japanese Quail is a speckled yellow-brown, with a creamy white strip above the eye. Adults are approximately 20 centimeters in length. The species is abundant across most of its range. The Japanese quail is used mainly for table and egg production, and is a good dual purpose bird. The Japanese Quail is the type of quail raised at the Griggstown Quail Farm.

The Common Quail is also part of Maltese cuisine and Portuguese cuisine, as well as in Indian cuisine such as a bhuna. Quails are commonly eaten complete with the bones, since these are easily chewed and the small size of the bird makes it inconvenient to remove them. Quail eggs are considered a delicacy. They are sometimes used raw in sushi and often found in Japanese Bento lunches. In Colombia, quail eggs are less exotic than in many other countries, and a single hard-boiled quail egg is a common topping on hot dogs and hamburgers, often fixed into place with a toothpick. 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.

from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Quail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quails_in_cookery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Quail

Recipes:

Grecian Quail
Greek-Style Quail Salad
Pomegranate-Mint Marinated Quail with Figs, Arugula, & Crispy Potato Croutons
Quail with Portobello Mushrooms
Butternut Squash Soup from “The Asylum” Restaurant in Jerome, AZ

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter October 28, 2009

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Acorn Squash
• Apples (Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Winesap)
• Baby D’Avignon Radishes
• Butternut Squash
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Mesclun Mix
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Shallots
• Swiss Chard
• Yellow Squash

Decorative:

• Mums
• Pumpkins
• Gourds
• Indian Corn
• Corn Stalks

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage
• Oregano
• Dill
• Cilantro

Poultry of the Week: Griggstown Pheasant

The Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), is a bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is native to Asia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe (where it is naturalized), it is simply known as the “pheasant”.  It is a well-known gamebird, among those of more than regional importance perhaps the most widespread and ancient one in the whole world.

The Common Pheasant is one of the world’s most hunted birds; it has been introduced for that purpose to many regions, and is also common on game farms where it is commercially bred. Ring-necked Pheasants in particular are commonly bred and were introduced to many parts of the world; the game farm stock, though no distinct breeds have been developed yet, can be considered semi-domesticated. The Ring-necked Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota, one of only three US state birds that is not a species native to the United States.

Common Pheasants are native to Asia, their original range extending from between the Black and Caspian Seas to Manchuria, Siberia, Korea, Mainland China and Taiwan. The birds are found in woodland, farmland, scrub and wetlands.  In its natural habitat the Common Pheasant lives in grassland near water with small copses of trees. Extensively cleared farmland is marginal habitat that cannot maintain self-sustaining populations for long.  While Common Pheasants are able short-distance fliers, they prefer to run. If startled however, they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive “whirring” wing sound and often giving “kok kok kok” calls to alert conspecifics. Their flight speed is only 43-61 kilometres per hour (27 to 38 mph) when cruising but when chased they can fly up to 90 kilometres per hour (60 mph).  Common Pheasants feed solely on the ground but roost in sheltered trees at night. They eat a wide variety of animal and vegetable type-food, like fruit, seeds and leaves as well as a wide range of invertebrates, with small vertebrates like snakes, lizards, small mammals and birds occasionally taken.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Pheasant)

It’s Almost Halloween!

Halloween (also spelled Hallowe’en) is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints. Halloween has origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced sow-in or sau-an), which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly “summer’s end”.  A similar festival was held by the ancient Britons and is known as Calan Gaeaf (pronounced kalan-geyf). The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the “lighter half” of the year and beginning of the “darker half”, and is sometimes regarded as the “Celtic New Year”.

The celebration has some elements of a festival of the dead. The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family’s ancestors were honored and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off.  It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.  In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces.  Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores.

The Origin of Jack-o’-lantern:

The name jack-o’-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger- making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark. The American tradition of carving pumpkins preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration and was originally associated with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 1800s.Because the holiday comes in the wake of the annual apple harvest, candy apples (known as toffee apples outside North America), caramel or taffy apples are a common Halloween treat made by rolling whole apples in a sticky sugar syrup, sometimes followed by rolling them in nuts.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween)

Recipes:

Old-Fashioned Candied Apples

Caramel Apples

Homemade Candy Corn

Roast Wild Scottish Pheasant with Swiss Chard and Wild Mushrooms With Sweet Potato-Vanilla Purée

Skewered Pheasant Breast Rolled with Three-Seed Mustard and Sage

Jack Daniel’s Pheasant Braised under Cabbage

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter October 22, 2009

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

Apples
Fennel
Garlic
Leeks
Leaf & Romaine Lettuce Mix
Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
Red & Yellow Onions
Russet Potatoes
Red Bliss Potatoes
Shallots
Acorn Squash
Butternut Squash
Yellow Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Poultry of the Week: Broad Breasted White Turkey

The Broad Breasted White is commercially the most widely-used breed of domesticated turkey.

The modern domesticated turkey is descended from one of six subspecies of Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo, ancient Mesoamericans having chosen to domesticate this taxon. The Aztecs domesticated the turkey (Mexican Spanish guajolote, from Nahuatl huexolotl) and used it as a major source of protein (meat and eggs), and also employed its feathers extensively for decorative purposes, as did many other Mesoamerican cultures. The turkey was associated with their trickster god Tezcatlipoca, perhaps because of its humorous behavior.  There is also evidence that it is possible the Hopi Indians may have domesticated the turkey even before the Aztecs.

Turkeys were taken to Europe by the Spanish who had found them as a favorite domesticated animal among the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican peoples. After being introduced to Europe many distinct turkey breeds were developed (e.g. Spanish Black, Royal Palm). Turkey was one of the many game species hunted by early American colonists and is thought to have been served at the first Thanksgiving, although there is little evidence to support this claim. In the early 20th century, many advances were made in the breeding of turkeys resulting in varieties such as the Beltsville Small White.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_turkey)

Announcements:

Griggstown Farm Market is Hiring!

Griggstown Farm Market is seeking someone with retail, small-business, or farmer’s market experience to join our Farm Market team.  Work would include all aspects of in-store business, from customer service to product management.  Computer skills are a plus! Please contact chef@griggstownquailfarm.com or service@griggstownquailfarm.com for more information, or to submit a resume.

Recipes:

Turkey Avocado Wrap

Apple-Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Vegetable Wild Rice

Griggstown CSA Waiting List

If you are interested in information regarding our 2010 Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) season, please email produce@griggstownquailfarm.com and ask to be added to our waiting list.  Announcements for 2010 sign-up will start shortly, first for our 2009 members and then opening up to our waiting list and general public afterwards.  Thank you to our 2009 shareholders for an exceptionally supportive first year!  We hope you enjoyed the season.

Griggstown Farm Market Newsletter October 14, 2009

Griggstown Thanksgiving:

In-Store Seasonal Produce:

• Apples
• Eggplant
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Mushrooms (Portobello, Crimini, Shiitake)
• Red & Yellow Onions
• Peppers, Variety (Green, Purple, & White Bell, Italian Fryers, Red Cayenne, Jalapeno, & Habanero)
• Russet Potatoes
• Red Bliss Potatoes
• Shallots
• Butternut Squash
• Yellow Squash
• Sweet Potatoes
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatillos
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Decorative:

• Mums
• Pumpkins
• Gourds
• Indian Corn
• Corn Stalks
• Fresh Cut Flowers

Herbs:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Sage
• Oregano
• Dill
• Cilantro

New Section- Poultry of the Week – Heritage Breed Red Bourbon Turkey

The Bourbon Red is a breed of domestic turkey named for its unique reddish plumage and for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Mature Bourbon Red toms weigh 33 pounds (15 kilos), and mature hens weigh 18 pounds (8.2 kilos). Bourbon Reds slaughtered at market weight are 16 pounds (7.25 kilos) in toms and 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) in hens. The breed’s feathers are a dark chestnut base color, with white tails and flight feathers.

In the past, the breed has alternatively been called Kentucky Reds and Bourbon Butternuts. The bird originated in Kentucky and Pennsylvania in the late 1800s, and was created by crossing Buff, Standard Bronze, and White Holland turkeys. It was first recognized as turkey variety by the American Poultry Association in 1909.

Announcements:

Griggstown Farm Market is Hiring!

Griggstown Farm Market is seeking someone with retail, small-business, or farmer’s market experience to join our Farm Market team.  Work would include all aspects of in-store business, from customer service to product management.  Computer skills are a plus! Please contact chef@griggstownquailfarm.com or service@griggstownquailfarm.com for more information, or to submit a resume.

Recipes:

Griggstown Chef Matthew’s Overstuffed Thanksgiving Wraps

Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Thai Turkey Satay

Lunch Menu for October 8th, 9th, & 10th

Picnic Bench & Flowers

This Week’s Menu Includes:

Sandwiches:

• Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozzarella, & Basil Pesto
• Turkey Burger Sliders

Soup & Sides:

• Cucumber Salad with Lemon Zest & Thyme
• Red Cabbage Slaw

CSA Newsletter Seventeenth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

Mesclun Mix, ‘King Richard’ Leeks, Yellow Onions, ‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant, ‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant, Green Bell Peppers, ‘Cubanelle’ Pepper, ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper, ‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper, ‘Habanero’ Pepper, ‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos, Swiss Chard, Kale & Collards, Sorrel, Sage, Leaf Celery

Crop of the Week: Mesclun Mix

Mesclun is a salad mix of assorted small, young salad leaves. The mix varies depending on the source, but it may include lettuces, spinach, arugula (rocket), Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, frisée, mizuna, oak leaf, mâche, radicchio (Italian Spinach), sorrel, and/or other leafy vegetables. Mesclun is good up to 5 days in a plastic bag. Wash and blot dry just before using. The name comes from Provençal (Southern France)—mescla, “to mix”—and literally means “mixture”.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesclun)

Herb of the Week: Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to any or all members of the plant genus Thymus, common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes.  Thyme is widely cultivated for its strong flavour, which is due to its content of thymol.

Thyme is best cultivated in a hot sunny location with well drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or by dividing rooted sections of the plant. It tolerates drought well. The plants can take deep freezes and are found growing wild on mountain highlands.

Thyme is a good source of iron and is used widely in cooking. Thyme is a basic ingredient in Greek, Lebanese, Italian, French, Albanian, Persian, Portuguese, Libyan, Spanish, Syrian, and Turkish cuisines, and in those derived from them. It is also widely used in Arab and Caribbean cuisines.

Thyme is often used to flavour meats, soups and stews. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavour with lamb, tomatoes and eggs.

Thyme, while flavourful, does not overpower and blends well with other herbs and spices. In some Levantine countries, the condiment za’atar (Arabic for thyme) contains thyme as a vital ingredient. It is a common component of the bouquet garni, and of herbes de Provence.

Thyme is sold both fresh and dried. The fresh form is more flavourful but also less convenient; storage life is rarely more than a week. While summer-seasonal, fresh thyme is often available year-round.

Fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from the plant. It is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters (”leaves”) spaced ½ to 1″ apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch (or fraction thereof), or by the sprig, or by the tablespoon or teaspoon. If the recipe does not specify fresh or dried, assume that it means fresh.

Depending on how it is used in a dish, the whole sprig may be used (e.g. in a bouquet garni), or the leaves removed and the stems discarded. Usually when a recipe specifies ‘bunch’ or ’sprig’ it means the whole form; when it specifies spoons it means the leaves. It is perfectly acceptable to substitute dried for whole thyme.

Leaves may be removed from stems either by scraping with the back of a knife, or by pulling through the fingers or tines of a fork. Leaves are often chopped.

Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs. Dried, and especially powdered thyme occupies less space than fresh, so less of it is required when substituted in a recipe. As a rule of thumb, use one third as much dried as fresh thyme – a little less if it is ground. Substitution is often more complicated than that because recipes can specify sprigs and sprigs can vary in yield of leaves. Assuming a 4″ sprig (they are often somewhat longer), estimate that 6 sprigs will yield one tablespoon of leaves. The dried equivalent is 1:3, so substitute 1 teaspoon of dried or ¾ tsp of ground thyme for 6 small sprigs.

As with bay, thyme is slow to release its flavours so it is usually added early in the cooking process.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme)

Recipes:

Mesclun Salad with Toasted Goat Cheese

Apple-Fennel Salad with Lemon Zest & Thyme

Kale Filled Ravioli with Basil Infused Oil

Jalapeno-Corn Salad

Lunch Menu for October 1st, 2nd, & 3rd

This Week’s Menu Includes:

Sandwiches:

• Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozzarella, & Basil Pesto
• Turkey Burger Sliders

Soup & Sides:

• Pasta Salad with chicken sausage, spinach, mozzarella, tomato and champagne vinaigrette
• Fruit Salad

CSA Newsletter Sixteenth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

‘King Richard’ Leeks
Yellow Onions
Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Butternut)
‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
Green Bell Peppers
‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper
‘Habanero’ Pepper
‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos
Swiss Chard

Kale & Collards

Assorted Pumpkins (Pie & Long Island Cheese)

Sorrel

Sage

Leaf Celery

Crop of the Week: Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds).  It is a common name of or can refer to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata.

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon”. The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, “pumpkin”.  The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico.  Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms).

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking, from the fleshy shell, to the seeds, to even the flowers; most parts of the pumpkin are edible. Traditionally, pumpkin is a very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple. Although most people use store-bought canned pumpkin, homemade pumpkin purée can serve the same purpose.

When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. In its native North America, it is a very important, traditional part of the autumn harvest, making its way into soups and purees; in Mexico and the U.S., the seeds are often roasted and eaten as a snack. Often, it is made into pie, various kinds of which are a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holiday.  Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as squash or zucchini. Pumpkins can also be mashed (similar to mashed potatoes) or incorporated into soup.

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are small, flat, green, edible seeds. Most pumpkin seeds are covered by a white husk, although some pumpkin varieties produce seeds without them. Pumpkin seeds are a popular snack that can be found hulled or semi-hulled at most grocery stores. However, roasting pumpkin seeds (usually scooped out of jack-o-lanterns) is a popular Halloween treat. Pumpkin seeds have many health benefits, some of which include a good source of protein, zinc, and other vitamins, and are even said to lower cholesterol. One gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin)

Herb of the Week: Sorrel

Common Sorrel or Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), often simply called sorrel and also known as Spinach Dock or Narrow-leaved Dock, is a perennial herb that is cultivated as a garden herb or leaf vegetable (pot herb). This is not related to Jamaican sorrel (roselle).

Sorrel is a slender plant about 60 cm high, with roots that run deep into the ground, as well as juicy stems and edible, oblong leaves. The lower leaves are 7 to 15 cm in length, slightly arrow-shaped at the base, with very long petioles. The upper ones are sessile, and frequently become crimson. The leaves are eaten by the larvae of several species of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) including the Blood-vein moth.  It has whorled spikes of reddish-green flowers, which bloom in summer, becoming purplish. The stamens and pistils are on different plants (dioecious); the ripe seeds are brown and shining.

Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salads and shav; they have a flavour that is similar to kiwifruit or sour wild strawberries. The plant’s sharp taste is due to ascorbic acid.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorrel)

Recipes:

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin Pie Pastry Shell

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Sorrel Soup

Sorrel-Stuffed Lamb

CSA Newsletter Fifteenth Edition

This Week’s Harvest

• ‘King Richard’ Leeks
• Yellow Onions
• Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Butternut)
• ‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
• ‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
• Green Bell Peppers
• Purple & White Bell Peppers
• ‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
• ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
• ‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper
• ‘Habanero’ Pepper
• ‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos
• Swiss Chard
• Kale & Collards
• Sage
• Leaf Celery

Announcements:

-Please read our new “Featured Business of the Week.” This week’s featured business is…

Featured Business of the Week: The Brothers Moon

Fine food in a Casual Atmosphere

7 W. Broad St. ~ Hopewell, NJ ~ 08525

609-333-1330 ~ Fax 609-333-1410

www.brothersmoon.com

The Brothers Moon opened in March 2001. We are an 80+ seat full service restaurant and bakery, deli/take out, and caterer. We feature a seasonally changing menu with daily specials. Our cuisine is New American with a healthy feel, served in a casual upscale setting. There is outdoor dining when weather permits, and the restaurant is available for private parties.

Chef Will plans his menu in synchronicity with the true seasons of the earth. He takes pride in keeping in touch with nature by visiting and purchasing from local farms. These farmers provide The Brothers Moon with the best food available. Take out cases are filled with the freshest salads, soups, cheeses, specialty meats, olives and breads, as well as an extensive selection of delicious and beautiful pastries and desserts from our own ovens. Gourmet coffees are ready and piping hot. Health-conscious and vegetarian foods are always available. We offer many non-alcoholic beverages.

Chef Will Mooney is the executive chef and owner with his wife Beth. He has an extensive background in fine food. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Chef Will has worked at The Hotel Pierre (NYC), Forsgate Country Club, The Frog and the Peach, Stage Left, Patina (LA), The Peacock Inn, The Stockton Inn, Wild Oats, and Bon Appetit. He has been a private chef and has taught cooking classes at the Princeton Adult School

and Princeton University Hospital Fitness and Wellness Center. Chef Will also hosts cooking classes at his restaurant and privately in homes. He proudly participates in several local charitable benefits each year, such as “Taste of the Nation,” “Big Brothers Big Sisters,” “March of Dimes Star Chefs,” among others.

The Brothers Moon has received several noteworthy reviews in The New York Times, Star Ledger, Princeton Packet, Trenton Times, US 1, New Jersey Monthly, NJ Life, NJ.com, and The Home News, among many others..

Located in the heart of Hopewell Borough

Lunch11-2:30 Tuesday thru Saturday

Dinner 5-9:30 Tuesday thru Saturday

Brunch Sunday 10-2 Dinner 4-8

Closed Mondays

Catering available

Cooking Classes

Crop of the Week: Cayenne Pepper

The Cayenne, or Guinea pepper, or Bird pepper is a hot, red chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and others. The Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with Eggplant, Tomatoes, & Potatoes.

The fruits are generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper.

Cayenne is used in cooking spicy dishes, as a powder or in its whole form (such as in Sichuan cuisine) or in a thin, vinegar-based sauce. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. It is also used as a herbal supplement, and was mentioned by Nicholas Culpeper in his book Complete Herbal.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayenne_pepper)

Cayenne Peppers can also be easily dried for year-round use.  Instructions for various drying methods can be found through this link: http://www.g6csy.net/chile/drying.html

Herb of the Week: Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), not to be confused with bee balm, Monarda species, is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

It grows to 70-150 cm tall. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint. At the end of the summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, hence the genus name Melissa (Greek for ‘honey bee’). Its flavour comes from the terpenes citronellal, citronellol, citral, and geraniol.

Lemon balm is often used as a flavoring in ice cream and herbal teas, both hot and iced, often in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. It is also frequently paired with fruit dishes or candies.

The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a repellant for mosquitos.  Lemon Balm is also used medicinally as a herbal tea, or in extract form. It is claimed to have antibacterial & antiviral properties, and it is also used as a mild sedative or calming agent.  The extract of Lemon balm was also found to have exceptionally high antioxidant activity.

Lemon balm should be avoided by those on thyroid medication (such as thyroxine) as it is believed that the herb inhibits the absorption of this medicine.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_balm)

Recipes:

The Brothers Moon Muhammara – Hot Pepper Dip

Portobello Mushroom Soup

BBQ Lime Chicken

Lunch Menu September 24th, 25th & 26th

This Week’s Menu Includes:

Sandwiches:

• Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozzarella, & Basil Pesto
• Turkey Burger Sliders

Soup & Sides:

• Pasta Salad with chicken sausage, peppers, spinach and sherry vinaigrette
• Fruit Salad

CSA Newsletter Fourteenth Edition

Announcements:

-We’ve added a new section to our newsletter entitled, “Featured Business of the Week.” We will be profiling local businesses who share our vision for fresh, local, & sustainable agriculture.

-This week’s CSA Newsletter includes a supplementary article written by Erin Mickelwaite. Erin is a licensed massage therapist in Princeton. She has previously worked with Burlington County Agriculture Extension Service and is an alumnus of the Cook Student Organic Farm at Rutgers, where our produce farmer Johann also worked.

Featured Business of the Week:

Village Bakery

Unlike many of today’s American bakeries that stock their shelves with premade products purchased from large commercial distributors, The Village Bakery makes everything from scratch using the finest ingredients available. In addition to a variety of preservative-free artisan breads that are made fresh every day, the bakery also offers custom cakes and dessert pastries, European and American breakfast pastries, cookies, pies, and tarts. From May through October The Village Bakery brings its artisan breads to five NJ farmers markets: Hopewell (Wed), Lower Makefield, PA (Thurs), Rutgers University-New Brunswick (Fri), West Windsor (Sat), and Lawrenceville (Sun).

The Village Bakery
2 Gordon Avenue
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(p) 609-896-0036
(f) 609-896-2766
www.villagebakerynj.com

Our comprehensive share features Village Bakery’s products on a alternating basis with our home-made .

This week’s harvest:

‘King Richard’ Leeks
Mixed Onions
Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Spaghetti, Butternut)
‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
Green Bell Peppers
Purple & White Bell Peppers
‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper
‘Habanero’ Pepper
‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos
Swiss Chard
Sage
Leaf Celery
Oregano

Crop of the Week – Butternut Squash

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) is a type of winter squash. It has a sweet, nutty taste that is similar to pumpkin. It has yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It grows on a vine. The most popular variety, the Waltham Butternut, originated in Stow, Massachusetts, on what is now the Butternut Farm Golf Club.

Butternut squash is a fruit that can be roasted and toasted and also be puréed or mashed into soups, casseroles, breads, and muffins. It is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, and potassium. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A. The vegetable is prepared by removing the skin, stalk and seeds, which are not usually eaten or cooked. However, the seeds are edible, either raw or roasted. One of the most common ways to prepare butternut squash is roasting. To do this, the squash is cut in half lengthwise, lightly brushed with cooking oil, and placed cut side down on a baking sheet. It is then baked for 45 minutes or until it is softened. Once roasted, it can be eaten in a variety of ways as outlined above.

Butternut squash and Acorn squash have been known to cause an allergic reaction called Contact dermatitis in many individuals, especially in food preparation where the squash skin is cut and exposed to the epidermis. Food handlers and kitchen workers should take precautions to wear rubber or latex gloves when peeling butternut and acorn squash to avoid temporary Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) dermatitis. A contact dermatitis reaction to butternut or acorn squash may result in orange and cracked skin, a sensation of “tightness”, “numbness”, “roughness” or “rawness”. Applying Cortisone cream to the affected area should stop the reaction within 24 hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butternut_squash

Herb of the Week – Oregano

Oregano (Origanum vulgare), is a species of Origanum, of the mint family, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia. It is a perennial herb, growing to 20-80 cm tall, with opposite leaves 1-4 cm long. The flowers are purple, 3-4 mm long, produced in erect spikes.

Oregano is an important culinary herb. It is particularly widely used in Turkish, Greek, Spanish and in Italian cuisine. It is the leaves that are used in cooking, and the dried herb is often more flavourful than the fresh. It has an aromatic, warm and slightly bitter taste. It varies in intensity; good quality oregano is so strong that it almost numbs the tongue, but the cultivars adapted to colder climates have often unsatisfactory flavor. The influence of climate, season and soil on the composition of the essential oil is greater than the difference between the various species.

Oregano is high in antioxidant activity, due to a high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids. Additionally, oregano has demonstrated antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. Both of these characteristics may be useful in both health and food preservation. In the Philippines, oregano (Coleus aromaticus) is not commonly used for cooking but is rather considered as a primarily medicinal plant, useful for relieving children’s coughs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano

Recipes:

Butternut Squash Risotto

Squash Pie

Farmer’s Favorite Pizza

Lunch Menu September 17th, 18th & 19th

Our Lunch for this week includes:

Sandwiches:

• Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozarella, & Basil Pesto
• Grilled Cheese, Tomato & Basil Panini

Soup & Sides:

• Gazpacho – chilled tomato soup
• Fruit Salad
• Pasta Salad with Julienne Vegetables and Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Broccoli and Vegetable Salad w/ Citrus Vinaigrette
• Mashed Potato Salad w/ Bacon

CSA Newsletter Thirteenth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

‘Matty’s’ Yellow Potato
‘King Richard’ Leeks
Mixed Onions
Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Spaghetti)
Swiss Chard
‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
Green Bell Peppers
Purple & White Bell Peppers
‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper
‘Habanero’ Pepper
Regular Tomatoes
‘Juliet’ Plum Tomato
‘Amish Paste’ Tomato
‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos
Opal Basil
Rosemary

Herb of the Week:Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. The name rosemary has nothing to do with the rose or the name Mary, but derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, which is from “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), or “dew of the sea” – apparently because it is frequently found growing near the sea. Rosemary is easily pruned into shapes and has been used for topiary. When grown in pots, it is best kept trimmed to stop it getting straggly and unsightly, though when grown in a garden, rosemary can grow quite large and still be attractive. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot 10-15 cm (4-6 in) long, stripping a few leaves from the bottom, and planting it directly into soil.
(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary)

Crop of the Week: Spaghetti & Acorn Squash

The spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash, spaghetti marrow, squaghetti or fish fin melon is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. The fruit can range either from ivory to yellow or orange in color or green with white streaks. Its center contains many large squash seeds. Its flesh is bright yellow, and orange or white for the latter variety. When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash; when cooked, the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or strands like spaghetti or shark’s fin (when cooked in a soup form). Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled or steamed, and served with sauce as pasta, or used as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. Spaghetti squash are relatively easy to grow, thriving in gardens or in containers. Spaghetti squash plants may cross-pollinate with Zucchini plants.

Acorn squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet, yellow-orange flesh. Although considered a “winter” squash, acorn squash belongs to the same species as all “summer” squashes (including zucchini and yellow crookneck squash). As the name suggests, its shape resembles that of an acorn. It is also good for winter storage, keeping several months in a cool dry location such as a cellar. Acorn squash are easily grown. The seeds of the squash are also eaten, usually after being toasted. Acorn squash is most commonly baked, but can also be microwaved, sauteed, and steamed.

(from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_squash)
(from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_squash)

Butterflied Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary Recipe

Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

Crockpot Spaghetti Squash Recipe

-This will be the last week for Tomatoes.
-We’re at the height of New Jersey’s agriculture season and things are going well, aside from the late blight that most farmers are dealing with this year.  Jersey Corn & Tomatoes are at their freshest, and peppers & eggplant are prolific as well.  In a few weeks, our winter squashes (acorn, butternut, & spaghetti) will be ready, as well as everyone’s favorite fall treat…pumpkins!!  Keep an eye out for the Griggstown Hay Wagon, fully loaded with fall fun!

-Our BagShare Project continues…Our helpful shareholders have started making re-usable bags for use in the CSA or Market.  We still have plenty of material left if anyone is interested in helping out.  Please get in touch with Johann for the material.

Lunch Menu September 10th, 11th & 12th

Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:
Sandwiches:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo

Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozarella, & Basil Pesto

Grilled Cheese, Tomato & Basil Panini

Soup & Sides:

Gazpacho – chilled tomato soup

Spinach and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad w/ Sherry Vinaigrette

Pasta Salad with Julienne Vegetables and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Mashed Potato Salad w/ Bacon

Blueberry or Apple Pie by the slice

Griggstown To-Go Orders

Although the weather outdoors is changing we are accepting phone orders. Please call the store at (908) 359-5218 Thursday, Friday or Saturday between the hours of 12:00 to 2:00 for placing lunch orders To-go!

CSA Newsletter Twelfth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

‘Matty’s’ Yellow Potato
‘King Richard’ Leeks
Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Spaghetti)
‘Copra’ Onion or ‘New York Early’ Onion
‘Ruby Ring’ Red Onion
‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
Green Bell Peppers
Purple & White Bell Peppers
‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper
‘Habanero’ Pepper
Regular Tomatoes
‘Juliet’ Plum Tomato
‘Amish Paste’ Tomato
‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos
Basil (’Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)
‘Giant Italian’ Parsley

Crop of the Week – Bell Peppers

The term “bell pepper” is the American name for some vegetables of the Capsicum annuum species of plants. The misleading name “pepper” (pimiento in Spanish) was given by Christopher Columbus upon bringing the plant back to Europe. At that time peppercorns, the fruit of Piper nigrum, an unrelated plant, were a highly prized condiment. The term “bell pepper” or “pepper” or “capsicum” is often used for any of the large bell shaped capsicum fruits, regardless of their color. In British English, the meat is simply referred to as a “pepper”, whereas in many Commonwealth of Nations countries, such as Australia, India, Malaysia and New Zealand, they are called “capsicum”.

Varieties
The color can be green, red, yellow, orange and, more rarely, white, purple, blue, pink, rainbow, aqua, violet, maroon, black and brown, depending on when they are harvested and the specific cultivar. Green peppers are less sweet and slightly more bitter than red, yellow or orange peppers. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment; the sweetest are fruit allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage are less sweet.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_pepper )

Herb of the Week: Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to: any or all members of the plant genus Thymus or common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes.

Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage. It was thought that the spread of thyme throughout Europe was thanks to the Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms and to “give an aromatic flavour to cheese and liqueurs”. In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares

Thyme is widely cultivated for its strong flavour, which is due to its content of thymol. Thyme is best cultivated in a hot sunny location with well drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or by dividing rooted sections of the plant. It tolerates drought well. The plants can take deep freezes and are found growing wild on mountain highlands. Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs.

Thyme is a good source of iron and is used widely in cooking. Thyme is a basic ingredient in French, Greek, Italian, Albanian, Lebanese, Persian, Portuguese, Libyan, Spanish, Syrian, and Turkish cuisines, and in those derived from them. It is also widely used in Arab and Caribbean cuisines.

Thyme is often used to flavour meats, soups and stews. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavour with lamb, tomatoes and eggs.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyme)

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Snappy Eggplant Spaghetti Recipe

Announcements-

We’re at the height of New Jersey’s agriculture season and things are going well, aside from the late blight that most farmers are dealing with this year. Jersey Corn & Tomatoes are at their freshest, and peppers & eggplant are prolific as well. In a few weeks, our winter squashes (acorn, butternut, & spaghetti) will be ready, as well as everyone’s favorite fall treat…pumpkins!! Keep an eye out for the Griggstown Hay Wagon, fully loaded with fall fun!

-Our BagShare Project continues…Our helpful shareholders have started making re-usable bags for use in the CSA or Market. We still have plenty of material left if anyone is interested in helping out. Please get in touch with Johann for the material.

Lunch Menu September 3rd, 4th & 5th

Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:

Sandwiches:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Herb Mayo

Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozarella, & Basil Pesto

Turkey Burger Sliders w/Lettuce, Tomato, & BBQ Mayo

Griggstown Chicken Ceasar Salad

Soup & Sides:

Gazpacho – chilled tomato soup

Cucumber Salad with Sherry Mustard Vinaigrette

Pasta Salad with Julienne Vegetables and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Salsa Verde w/Tortilla Chips

Griggstown To-Go Orders

Although the weather outdoors is changing we are accepting phone orders.  Please call the store at (908) 359-5218  Thursday, Friday or Saturday between the hours of 12:00 to 2:00 for placing  lunch orders To-go!

Lunch Menu August 27th, 28th, & 29th

Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:

Sandwiches:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Lemon Mayo

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozarella, & Garlic Aoli

Turkey Burger Sliders w/Lettuce, Tomato, & BBQ Mayo

Soup & Sides:

Gazpacho – chilled Tomato soup

Griggstown Tomato, Cucumber, & Red Onion Salad w/Dill Vinaigrette

Potato & Green Bean Salad w/Dill Vinaigrette

Pico de Gallo w/Tortilla Chips

CSA Newsletter Eleventh Edition

CSA Newsletter August 27^th & 28^th 2009

This Week’s Harvest:

‘Matty’s’ Yellow Potato

‘King Richard’ Leeks

Winter Squash Assortment (Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti)

‘Copra’ Onion or ‘New York Early’ Onion

‘Ruby Ring’ Red Onion

‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant

‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant

Green Bell Peppers

Purple & White Bell Peppers

‘Cubanelle’ Pepper

‘Jalapeno’ Pepper

‘Red Cayenne’ Pepper

‘Early Girl’ Tomato

‘Green Zebra’ Tomato

‘Jetstar’ Tomato

‘Juliet’ Plum Tomato

‘Amish Paste’ Tomato

‘Sweet 100′ Cherry Tomato

‘Toma Verde’ Tomatillos

Basil (’Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)

‘Giant Italian’ Parsley

Crop of the Week: Potatoes

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, the culms dying back after flowering. They bear white, pink, red, blue or purple flowers with yellow stamens resembling those of other Solanaceous species such as tomato. The tubers of varieties with white flowers generally have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins.  Potatoes are cross-pollinated mostly by insects, including bumblebees that carry pollen from other potato plants, but a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties.

After potato plants flower, some varieties will produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing up to 300 true seeds. Potato fruit contains large amounts of the toxic alkaloid solanine, and is therefore unsuitable for consumption.

All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called “true seed” or “botanical seed” to distinguish it from seed tubers. By finely chopping the fruit and soaking it in water, the seeds will separate from the flesh by sinking to the bottom after about a day (the remnants of the fruit will float). Any potato variety can also be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers, cut to include at least one or two eyes, or also by cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Some commercial potato varieties do not produce seeds at all (they bear imperfect flowers) and are propagated only from tuber pieces. Confusingly, these tubers or tuber pieces are called “seed potatoes”.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato)

Herb of the Week: Leeks (not really an herb, but it goes so well w/Potatoes)

The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum (L.), also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to the Alliaceae family. Two related vegetables, the elephant garlic and kurrat, are also variant subspecies of Allium ampeloprasum, although different in their uses as food.

The edible part of the leek plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths which is sometimes called a stem or stalk.  Rather than forming a tight bulb like the onion, the leek produces a long cylinder of bundled leaf sheaths which are generally blanched by pushing soil around them.  Once established in the garden, leeks are hardy; many varieties can be left in the ground during the winter to be harvested as needed.

Rather than forming a tight bulb like the onion, the leek produces a long cylinder of bundled leaf sheaths which are generally blanched by pushing soil around them (trenching). They are often sold as small seedlings in flats which are started off early in greenhouses, to be planted out as weather permits. Once established in the garden, leeks are hardy; many varieties can be left in the ground during the winter to be harvested as needed.

The edible portions of the leek are the white onion base and light green stalk. The onion-like layers form around a core. The tender core may be eaten; but, as the leek ages, the core becomes woody and very chewy and better replanted than eaten.

Leek has a mild onion-like taste, although less bitter than scallion. The taste might be described as a mix of mild onion and cucumber. It has a fresh smell similar to scallion. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm.

Leek is typically chopped into slices 5-10mm thick. The slices have a tendency to fall apart, due to the layered structure of the leek. There are different ways of preparing the vegetable:

-Boiled, which turns it soft and mild in taste.

-Fried, which leaves it more crunchy and preserves the taste.

-Raw, which can be used in salads, doing especially well when they are the prime ingredient.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeks)

Recipes:

Potato Leek Soup

Parsley Hazelnut Pesto

Announcements:

-Our potatoes were also attacked by Late Blight.  We have potatoes for this week and next week’s share, but probably won’t have many beyond that.  The late blight struck just as the potato plants were starting to set flower (flowering encourages tuber development below) and as a result each plant is providing less potatoes than anticipated.

-Our pumpkins & winter squash are early this year.  We’re assuming it’s due to the unseasonably wetter & cooler weather we’ve had, which encouraged virus & mold growth, which stressed the plants into forcing fruit as it died off.  Not as detrimental as the potatoes though, we have enough for a few weeks worth of each.

-Our BagShare Project is wrapping up, and through the help of our gracious volunteers, we have over 30 bags ready to use.  Please let us know if you are interested in using our Griggstown CSA Reusable Bags for the remainder of the season.

-Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:

Sandwiches:

Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Eggplant, Squash, Zucchini, Portobello, Tomato, & Lemon Mayo

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Salad Sandwich with Lettuce & Tomato

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Cubanelle Peppers, Mozarella, & Garlic Aoli

Turkey Burger Sliders w/Lettuce, Tomato, & BBQ Mayo

Soup & Sides:

Gazpacho – chilled Tomato soup

Griggstown Tomato, Cucumber, & Red Onion Salad w/Dill Vinaigrette

Potato & Green Bean Salad w/Dill Vinaigrette

Pico de Gallo w/Tortilla Chips

photos by Kevin Henry 8/26/2009

Lunch Menu August 20th, 21st & 22nd

Our Picnic Lunch Menu includes:

* Grilled Vegetable Panini -  eggplant, yellow squash, portabella mushrooms, tomato and herb mayo on ciabatta
* Turkey Burger Sliders – 2 small turkey burgers with lettuce tomato and bbq mayo
* Chicken Sausage Sandwich – Grilled Griggstown chicken sausage, topped with 3 different bell peppers and fresh mozarella cheese
* Chicken Salad Sandwich – with lettuce and tomato
Sides

* Grilled Corn – with herb butter
* Cucumber, tomato and red onion Salad – with sweet dill vinaigrette
* Pico de gallo served with tortilla chips
* Roasted Vegetable Salad – corn, peppers, eggplant, onions and squash
* Pasta Salad – julienne vegetables and red wine vinaigrette

CSA Newsletter Tenth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

‘Copra’ Onion
‘Ruby Ring’ Red Onion
‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
Green Bell Peppers
‘Sweet Rainbow’ Purple & White Bell Peppers
‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
‘Juliet’ Plum Tomatoes
‘Amish Paste’ Tomatoes
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Basil (’Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)

Crop of the Week – Onions

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name “onion” but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa. Allium cepa is also known as the “garden onion” or “bulb” onion. It is grown underground by the plant as a vertical shoot that is used for food storage, leading to the possibility of confusion with a tuber, which it is not. Onions, one of the oldest vegetables known to humankind, are found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world’s cultures. They are nowadays available in fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, powdered, chopped, and dehydrated forms. Onions can be used, usually chopped or sliced, in almost every type of food including cooked foods and fresh salads and as a spicy garnish. They are rarely eaten on their own but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet. Wide-ranging claims have been made for the effectiveness of onions against conditions ranging from the common cold to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases. They contain chemical compounds believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant properties such as quercetin. However, it has not been conclusively demonstrated that increased consumption of onions is directly linked to health benefits. Some studies have shown that increased consumption of onions reduces the risk of head and neck cancers. In India some sects do not eat onion due to its alleged aphrodisiac properties.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion)
Herb of the Week – Lovage

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a plant, the leaves and seeds or fruit of which are used to flavor food, especially in South European cuisine. It is a tall (3 to 9 ft) perennial that vaguely resembles its cousin celery in appearance and in flavor. Lovage also sometimes gets referred to as smallage, but this is more properly used for celery. The root of lovage, which contains a heavy, volatile oil, is used as a mild aquaretic. Lovage root contains furanocoumarins which can lead to photosensitivity. Lovage is considered a “magic bullet” companion plant; much as borage helps protect almost all plants from pests, so lovage is thought to improve the health of almost all plants. Lovage tea can be applied to wounds as an antiseptic, or drunk to stimulate digestion. In the UK, Lovage cordial is traditionally mixed with brandy in the ratio of 2:1 as a winter drink. Lovage is second only to capers in its quercetin content.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovage)

Recipes:

Traditional French Onion Soup Recipe

Chunky Eggplant Caponata Recipe

Betty Carol Gilbert’s Onion Casserole Recipe

Announcements:

-We’re sorry to say our Tomatoes have been struck by Late Blight, a tomato disease that has been rampant on the east coast this summer. Late Blight spreads rapidly, and once plants are infected, the damage is irreversible. We have been treating the tomatoes with an organically approved fungicide (Oxidate) and hope to forestall the inevitable loss of our crop for as long as possible. More information on Late Blight & how this year’s outbreak is explicitly linked to large-scale agriculture is available through this New York Times article.

-Our BagShare Project continues…Our helpful shareholders have started making re-usable bags for use in the CSA or Market. We still have plenty of material left if anyone is interested in helping out. Please get in touch with Johann for the material.

-Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:Lunch Menu

* Grilled Vegetable Panini -  eggplant, yellow squash, portabella mushrooms, tomato and herb mayo on ciabatta
* Turkey Burger Sliders – 2 small turkey burgers with lettuce tomato and bbq mayo
* Chicken Sausage Sandwich – Grilled Griggstown chicken sausage, topped with 3 different bell peppers and fresh mozarella cheese
* Chicken Salad Sandwich – with lettuce and tomato
Sides

* Grilled Corn – with herb butter
* Cucumber, tomato and red onion Salad – with sweet dill vinaigrette
* Pico de gallo served with tortilla chips
* Roasted Vegetable Salad – corn, peppers, eggplant, onions and squash
* Pasta Salad – julienne vegetables and red wine vinaigrette

Lunch Menu August 13th, 14th & 15th

-Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:

• Grilled Vegetable Panini – Ghostbuster eggplant, yellow squash, portabella mushrooms and tomatoes with herb mayo on ciabatta
• Turkey Burger Sliders – 2 small turkey burgers with lettuce tomato and cumin may0
• Chicken Sausage Sandwich – Sauteed peppers, onions, and topped with mozzarella cheese
• Chicken Salad Sandwich – with lettuce and tomato
• Griggstown Pepper Sandwich – Cubanelle, white and purple bell peppers, black krim tomato, grilled red onion and tomatillo salsa

Sides

• Grilled Corn – with herb butter
• Carrot Salad- with lime and mint
• Cucumber, tomato and red onion Salad with sweet dill vinaigrette
• Pico de gallo with tortilla chips
• Baba Ghannouj – roasted eggplant dip with pita chips

CSA Newsletter Ninth Edition

CSA Newsletter August 13th and 14th

This Week’s Harvest:

• Assorted Squash & Zucchini
• ‘Copra’ Onion
• ‘Ruby Ring’ Red Onion
• ‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
• ‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
• ‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
• ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
• ‘Juliet’ Grape Tomato
• Tomatoes
• Tomatillos
• Chives
• Basil (’Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)
• ‘Giant Italian’ Parsley
• Peppermint

Crop of the Week: Tomatoes

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, syn. Lycopersicon lycopersicum & Lycopersicon esculentum) is a herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family that is typically cultivated for the purpose of harvesting its fruit for human consumption. Savory in flavor, the fruit of most varietals ripens to a distinctive red color. Tomato plants typically reach to 1-3 metres (3-10 ft) in height, and have a weak, woody stem that often vines over other plants. The leaves are 10-25 centimetres (4-10 in) long, odd pinnate, with 5-9 leaflets on petioles, each leaflet up to 8 centimetres (3 in) long, with a serrated margin; both the stem and leaves are densely glandular-hairy. The flowers are 1-2 centimetres (0.4-0.8 in) across, yellow, with five pointed lobes on the corolla; they are borne in a cyme of 3-12 together. It is a perennial, often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatoes)

Herb of the Week: Chives

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the smallest species of the onion family Alliaceae, native to Europe, Asia and North America. They are referred to only in the plural, because they grow in clumps rather than as individual plants. Allium schoenoprasum is also the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World. Its species name derives from the Greek skhoinos (sedge) and prason (onion). Its English name, chive, derives from the French word cive, which was derived from cepa, the Latin word for onion. Culinary uses for chives involve shredding its leaves (straws) for use as condiment for fish, potatoes and soups. Because of this, it is a common household herb, frequent in gardens as well as in grocery stores. It also has insect-repelling properties which can be used in gardens to control pests. The chive is a bulb-forming herbaceous perennial plant, growing to 30-50 cm tall. The bulbs are slender conical, 2-3 cm long and 1 cm broad, and grow in dense clusters from the roots. The leaves are hollow tubular, up to 50 cm long, and 2-3 mm in diameter, with a soft texture, although, prior to the emergence of a flower from a leaf, it may appear stiffer than usual. The flowers are pale purple, star-shaped with six tepals, 1-2 cm wide, and produced in a dense inflorescence of 10-30 together; before opening, the inflorescence is surrounded by a papery bract. The seeds are produced in a small three-valved capsule, maturing in summer. The herb flowers from April to May in the southern parts of its habitat zones and in June in the northern parts.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chives)

Recipes:

Tomato and Eggplant Casserole Recipe

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes

Announcements:

-We’re sorry to say our Tomatoes have been struck by Late Blight, a tomato disease that has been rampant on the east coast this summer. Late Blight spreads rapidly, and once plants are infected, the damage is irreversible. We have been treating the tomatoes with an organically approved fungicide (Oxidate) and hope to forestall the inevitable loss of our crop for as long as possible. More information on Late Blight & how this year’s outbreak is explicitly linked to large-scale agriculture is available through this New York Times article.

-Our BagShare Project continues…Our helpful shareholders have started making re-usable bags for use in the CSA or Market. We still have plenty of material left if anyone is interested in helping out. Please get in touch with Johann for the material.

Lunch Menu August 6th, 7th & 8th

-Our Picnic Lunch Menu for the Week includes:

Sandwiches:

• Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll w/Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Portabella Mushroom, Tomato, & Herb Mayo
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sandwich with Lettuce, Tomato, & Onion
• Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sausage Sandwich w/Peppers, Onions, & Mozzarella
• Grilled Eggplant Sandwich w/fresh Basil, Tomato Sauce, & Mozzarella

Salads:

• Griggstown Cucumber & Tomato Salad
• Carrot Salad
• Pasta Salad w/Chicken Sausage, Tomato, & Spinach

Soup:

• Chilled Cucumber & Snap Pea Soup w/fresh Mint

CSA Newsletter Eighth Edition

CSA Newsletter August 6^th & 7^th 2009

This Week’s Harvest:

• Assorted Squash & Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• ‘Copra’ Onion
• ‘Ruby Ring’ Red Onion
• ‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
• ‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
• ‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
• ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
• ‘Juliet’ Grape Tomato
• ‘Sweet 100’ Cherry Tomato
• Tomatillos
• Basil (‘Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)
• ‘Zefa Fino’ Fennel
• ‘Giant Italian’ Parsley
• Peppermint

Crop of the Week: Tomatillo

The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) is a plant of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, related to tomatoes, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos, referred to as green tomato (Spanish: tomate verde) in Mexico, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are grown throughout the Western Hemisphere.  The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by a paper-like husk formed from the calyx. As the fruit matures, it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest. The husk turns brown, and the fruit can be any of a number of colors when ripe, including yellow, red, green, or even purple. Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh and cooked Latin American green sauces. The freshness and greenness of the husk are quality criteria. Fruit should be firm and bright green, as the green colour and tart flavour are the main culinary contributions of the fruit.  Other parts of the tomatillo plant contain toxins, and should not be eaten.  Tomatillo plants are highly self-incompatible (two or more plants are needed for proper pollination; thus isolated tomatillo plants rarely set fruit).  Fresh ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator. They may also be frozen whole or sliced.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatillo)

Herb of the Week: ‘Zefa Fino’ Fennel

Fennel is a perennial herb. It is erect, glaucous green, and grows to heights of up to 2.5 m, with hollow stems. The leaves grow up to 40 cm long; they are finely dissected, with the ultimate segments filiform (threadlike), about 0.5 mm wide. (Its leaves are similar to those of dill, but thinner.) The flowers are produced in terminal compound umbels 5-15 cm wide, each umbel section having 20-50 tiny yellow flowers on short pedicels. The fruit is a dry seed from 4-10 mm long, half as wide or less, and grooved.  Fennel is widely cultivated, both in its native range and elsewhere, for its edible, strongly-flavoured leaves and seeds. Its anise-like flavor comes from anethole, an aromatic compound also found in anise and star anise, and its taste and aroma are similar to theirs, though usually not as strong.  The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely used in many of the culinary traditions of the world. Fennel pollen is the most potent form of fennel, but also the most expensive. Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice, brown or green in colour when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking, green seeds are optimal. The leaves are delicately flavored and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp, hardy root vegetable and may be sauteed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw.  Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with those of anise, which are very similar in taste and appearance, though smaller.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel)

Recipes:

Chorizo Cheese Taquito with Tomatillo Mint Salsa Recipe

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

Farmer’s Favorite Fennel Salad

Announcements:

-Our BagShare Project continues…Our helpful shareholders have started making re-usable bags for use in the CSA or Market. We still have plenty of material left if anyone is interested in helping out. Please get in touch with Johann for the material.

Lunch Menu July 30, 31 & August 1

Lunch Menu:

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Grilled Vegetable Panini- zucchini, yellow squash, portabella mushrooms, tomatoes and herb mayo on a ciabatta roll

Chicken Sausage Sandwich- Sauteed peppers, onions, and mozzarella cheese

Grilled Griggstown Chicken Sandwich- marinated chicken, lettuce, tomato and onion

Turkey Burger Sliders

Sides:

Chilled Cucumber and Pea Soup

Greek Salad- olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and feta cheese

Carrot Salad- lime and mint

Grilled Corn- with herb butter

CSA Newsletter Seventh Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

• Assorted Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• ‘Copra’ Onion
• ‘Multipik’ Squash
• ‘Crookneck’ Squash
• ‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
• ‘Ghostbuster’ Eggplant
• ‘Cubanelle’ Pepper
• ‘Jalapeno’ Pepper
• Basil (’Napoletano’ or ‘Genovese’)
• Leaf Celery
• Sage

Crop of the Week – ‘Cubanelle’ Peppers

The Cubanelle is a variety of sweet pepper. When unripe, it is light yellowish-green in color, but eventually turns bright red. Compared to bell peppers it has thinner flesh, is longer, and has a slightly more wrinkled appearance. It is used extensively in Puerto Rico’s cuisine.

Cubanelle peppers are used in the U.S. to replace Poblano peppers. Most of the Cubanelle pepper imports come from the Dominican Republic (where it’s called ají cubanela), which has been -of late- the main exporter of this cultivar.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubanelle)

Herb of the Week – Basil

Basil is a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in the Southeast Asian cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The plant tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell.

There are many varieties of basil. That which is used in Italian food is typically called sweet basil, as opposed to Thai basil, lemon basil and holy basil, which are used in Asia. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including African Blue and Holy Thai basil.

Basil is originally native to Iran, India and other tropical regions of Asia, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years.

Basil is commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. It is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavour, like hay.

Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto-a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce. Its other two main ingredients are olive oil and pine nuts. The most commonly used Mediterranean basil cultivars are “Genovese”, “Purple Ruffles”, “Mammoth”, “Cinnamon”, “Lemon”, “Globe”, and “African Blue”.

Basil is sometimes used with fresh fruit and in fruit jams and sauces-in particular with strawberries, but also raspberries or dark-colored plums. Arguably the flat-leaf basil used in Vietnamese cooking, which has a slightly different flavour, is more suitable for use with fruit.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil)

Tomato Basil Zucchini Boats Recipe

Grilled Eggplant Lasagna Recipe

Announcements:

***Our new website has launched. To continue to receive weekly updates on the CSA program please look out for the confirmation e-mail that will be sent to you from feedburner.com. Go to the link and complete the process. Thank you.

LAST CHANCE FOR THE Griggstown Giveaway!!
THE WINNER DRAWING IS AUGUST 1ST!
If you go to our website and sign up for our newsletter, to continue to receive your CSA newsletter, you will be entered to win our Griggstown Giveaway – A picnic lunch here at the farm for 10 people.

Do you know how to sew? Our BagShare Project is about to begin! Two of our wonderful shareholders have secured enough material to begin making reusable bags from recycled cloth. The idea is for volunteers to work together to produce reusable cloth bags. Baskets of these bags are kept at participating shops and patrons borrow a bag if they need one. The bag is then returned to that location or another BagShare location for another to use. We are looking for a few good stitchers who can volunteer time to sew up to 5 bags each. If 10 people can participate, we can make a enough bags to give every shareholder one! If you already have enough reusable bags, we’ll start using them in the store for our returning customers. Please get in touch with Johann (produce@griggstownquailfarm.com or 908-359-5218) if you’d like to help out! A package with cloth, instructions, & labels will be given out to complete the bags at home at your leisure.

We are pleased to announce Picnic Lunch is now being served each week in our herb & flower garden on Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 12-2. Come visit and enjoy a picnic lunch between the blossoms. The lunch menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, desert items, & beverages. This week’s menu features Chicken Salad with Celery & Red Onion Sandwiches; and a delicious Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll with Zucchini, Squash, Portabella Mushroom, & Balsamic Vinagrette, grilled corn and gazpacho for sides!

If you are interested in helping out it any way, please get in touch with Johann at produce@griggstownquailfarm.com or 908-359-5218.

CSA Newsletter Sixth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

• Cucumbers
• ‘Multipik’ Summer Squash
• ‘Crookneck’ Summer Squash
• Assorted Zucchini
• ‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
• ‘Yellow Rocdor’ Beans
• Swiss Chard
• Peppermint
• ‘Bronze’ Fennel
• ‘Napoletano’ Basil

Comprehensive Includes:

Bobolink Cave-Aged Cheddar
Artisanal Bread

Crop of the Week – ‘Yellow Rocdor’ Bush Beans

Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (alternately Leguminosae) used for human food or animal feed.
The whole young pods of bean plants, if picked before the pods ripen and dry, can be tender enough to eat whole, whether cooked or raw. Thus the word “green beans” means “green” in the sense of unripe (many are in fact, not green in color), as the beans inside the pods of green beans are too small to comprise a significant part of the cooked fruit.

The term “bean” originally referred to the seed of the broad bean, but was later expanded to include members of the genus Phaseolus, such as the common bean and the runner bean, and the related genus Vigna. The term is now applied in a general way to many other related plants such as soybeans, peas, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas (garbanzos), vetches and lupins. In English usage, the word “beans” is also sometimes used to mean the seeds or pods of plants that are not in the family Leguminosae, but which bear a superficial resemblance to true beans, for example coffee beans, castor beans and cocoa beans (which resemble bean seeds), and vanilla beans (which resemble the pods). Beans are one of the longest-cultivated plants, broad beans having been grown at least since ancient Egypt, and the common bean for six thousand years in the Americas. Many modern dry beans come from old-world varieties of broad beans, but most of the kinds commonly eaten fresh come from the Americas, being first seen (among Europeans) by Christopher Columbus during his conquest of a region of what may have been the Bahamas, where they were grown in fields.

One especially famous use of beans by pre-Columbian people is the Three Sisters method of companion plant cultivation:

On the east coast of what would come to be called the United States, some tribes would grow maize (corn), beans, and squash intermingled together, a system which had originated in Mexico. The corn would not be planted in rows as it is today, but in a checkerboard/hex fashion across a field, separate patches of one to four stalks each. Beans would be planted around the base of the developing stalks, and would vine their way up as the stalks grew. All American beans at that time were vine plants, “bush beans” having only been bred more recently. The cornstalks would work as a trellis for the beans, and the beans would provide much-needed nitrogen for the corn. Squash would then be planted in the spaces between the patches of corn in the field. They would be provided slight shelter from the sun by the corn, and would deter many animals from attacking the corn and beans, because their coarse, hairy vines and broad, stiff leaves are difficult or uncomfortable for animals like deer and raccoons to walk through, or crows to land on. Beans were an important alternative source of protein throughout old and new world history, and still are today. There are over 4,000 cultivars of bean on record in the United States, alone.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bean)

Yellow ‘rocdor’ wax beans are early and cold tolerant. A firm textured 6 to 6 1/2 inch, slender bean, holds its deep yellow color well. Upright bush bean, germinates in cool soil. This group of beans is a favorite for the home garden and can be grown just about anywhere because they have a relatively short growing season. They can be planted from seed as soon as the soil is warm (day temperatures are around 60 degrees Farenheit), in full sun and loose, well drained soil. Bush type beans are very easy to grow and manage, reaching a height of only 2 feet tall. To control harvest, bush beans can be planted every two weeks.

(http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_a742.html)

Herb of the Week – Peppermint

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita, also known as M. balsamea Willd.) is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world. It is found wild occasionally with its parent species.

Peppermint was first described by Carolus Linnaeus from specimens that had been collected in England; he treated it as a species, but it is now universally agreed to be a hybrid.

Peppermint typically occurs in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches. Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by its rhizomes. If placed, it can grow anywhere, with a few exceptions. It is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region, noted since 1843.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppermint)

Peppermint tea is a drink that is either a mixture of tea and peppermint (Mentha piperita) or a tisane (infusion) of peppermint alone. This drink is said to have health benefits. Tea made solely from peppermint leaves is naturally caffeine-free, but if blended with Camellia sinensis leaves it will contain caffeine. A tea made from blending peppermint and spearmint leaves is referred to as a Doublemint tea.

Though there have been no human clinical trials on the health benefits or risks of peppermint tea, some believe peppermint tea has healing effects as a result of the menthol that it contains. It is said to ease such problems as irritable bowel syndrome, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and baby colic; for this last, breastfeeding mothers are sometimes recommended to drink the tea themselves, in the belief that its benefits will be passed on to the baby in the breastmilk. Its minty flavour can take the edge off bad breath. It is also said to control mild asthma, manage stress and ward off the common cold. In some countries, peppermint tea preparations list these proposed effects on their labels.
However, peppermint has muscle relaxant properties and therefore may relax the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the contents of the stomach to move upwards into the esophagus. For this reason, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are advised to avoid peppermint. Peppermint contains B vitamins, calcium and potassium.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppermint_tea)

Strings Beans & Italian Squash Recipe

Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup

Announcements:

***Our new website has launched. To continue to receive weekly updates on the CSA program please look out for the confirmation e-mail that will be sent to you from feedburner.com. Go to the link and complete the process. Thank you.

Griggstown Giveaway!!
If you go to our website and sign up for our newsletter, to continue to receive your CSA newsletter, you will be entered to win our Griggstown Giveaway – A picnic lunch here at the farm for 10 people.

Do you know how to sew? Our BagShare Project is about to begin! Two of our wonderful shareholders have secured enough material to begin making reusable bags from recycled cloth. The idea is for volunteers to work together to produce reusable cloth bags. Baskets of these bags are kept at participating shops and patrons borrow a bag if they need one. The bag is then returned to that location or another BagShare location for another to use. We are looking for a few good stitchers who can volunteer time to sew up to 5 bags each. If 10 people can participate, we can make a enough bags to give every shareholder one! If you already have enough reusable bags, we’ll start using them in the store for our returning customers. Please get in touch with Johann (produce@griggstownquailfarm.com or 908-359-5218) if you’d like to help out! A package with cloth, instructions, & labels will be given out to complete the bags at home at your leisure.

We are pleased to announce Picnic Lunch is now being served each week in our herb & flower garden on Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 12-2. Come visit and enjoy a picnic lunch between the blossoms. The lunch menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, desert items, & beverages. This week’s menu features Chicken Salad with Celery & Red Onion Sandwich; Chicken Sausage, Peppers, & Onions Sandwich; and a delicious Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll with Zucchini, Squash, Portabella Mushroom, & Balsamic Vinagrette.

If you are interested in helping out it any way, please get in touch with Johann at produce@griggstownquailfarm.com or 908-359-5218.

Griggstown Newsletter No. 2

Lunch Menu – July 23, 24 & 25

• Gazpacho
• Grilled Vegetable Sandwichon a Ciabatta Roll – Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Portabella Mushrooms, Tomato & Herb Mayo
• Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Chicken & Spinach Quesadilla
• Grilled Corn
• Grilled Pizza
• Turkey Burger Sliders

Vegetable of the Week

The vegetable of the week this week is bush beans, in particular our yellow ‘Rocdor’ beans.

A little bit about beans:  Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (alternately Leguminosae) used for human food or animal feed.  The whole young pods of bean plants, if picked before the pods ripen and dry, can be tender enough to eat whole, whether cooked or raw. Thus the word “green beans” means “green” in the sense of unripe (many are in fact, not green in color), as the beans inside the pods of green beans are too small to comprise a significant part of the cooked fruit

String Beans And Italian Squash Recipe

Pick your own flowers & herbs

Please come into the store and ask about picking your own flowers and herbs.  We will gladly allow you to pick the finest herbs and the prettiest flowers yourself.  Or choose from fresh cut bouquets for sale in the store.

Enter to Win in our Giveaway!

The Griggstown Farm Market is proud to announce the launch of its new website. We will be starting a newsletter, including featured products, great recipes for delicious homemade dishes, and weekly announcements.

We would like to get a start on launching our newsletter with a free giveaway for one of our lucky subscribers. For our local customers, we would like to host a picnic lunch party for 10! Come and enjoy a picnic lunch here at the farm, and invite 9 guests.

For long distance customers, who would like to receive the latest in Griggstown News the winning e-mail entered will receive a $50.00 gift certificate. To have some great products, from our farm sent to you!

All you have to do is go to our new website, and subscribe to our newsletter, at the top of the page!

Griggstown’s Great Giveaway!!

Giveaway

The Griggstown Farm Market is proud to announce the launch of its new website.
We will be starting a newsletter, including featured products, great recipes for delicious homemade dishes, and weekly announcements.

We would like to get a start on launching our newsletter with a free giveaway for one of our lucky subscribers. For our local customers, we would like to host a picnic lunch party for 10! Come and enjoy a picnic lunch here at the farm, and invite 9 guests.

For long distance customers who would like to receive the latest in Griggstown News, the winning e-mail entered will receive a $50.00 gift certificate to have some great products from our farm sent to you!

To enter, all you have to do is go to the top of the page, type in your e-mail address, and subscribe to our newsletter!  In order to be entered into our drawing please submit your e-mail address within the next few days, the drawing will be on August 1st!

If you would like to continue to receive our newsletters, you must also re-subscribe – due to the change to the new website. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Lunch Menu July 16, 17, & 18

Come and enjoy the beautiful weather, and have a picnic lunch here at the farm 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Lunch Menu

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich on a Ciabatta Roll - Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Portabella, Tomato & Herb Mayo

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Grilled Chicken Sausage Sandwich – Red Onion, Cubanelle Peppers & Fresh Mozzarella

Turkey Burger Sliders

Sides

Cucumber Salad – with Salad Burnet & Lime

Bok Choy Salad – with Almonds

Carrot Salad – with Lime & Peppermint

Gemelli Pasta Salad  - with Griggstown Chicken Sausage, Fresh Spinach, Tomato & Mozzarella

Gazpacho

Dutch Lunch Spear Pickles

Summer Picnic

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays – Enjoy a picnic lunch with a NEW menu weekly!

Every Summer, the acre surrounding our store transforms into a blooming garden filled with picnic benches & paths to stroll through.  Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays:  Come visit and enjoy a picnic lunch between the blossoms.  Invite some friends along, as well!

Pick Your Own:

When in season, you may also take a stroll through our pick-your-own section and select your own fresh herbs and flowers.

Culinary Herbs & Fresh Cut Flowers:

Visit the Griggstown Farm Market throughout the summer for a fine selection of fresh cut herbs & flowers.   In season, we offer over 20 different culinary herbs freshly stocked for all your kitchen needs and prepare fresh-cut bouquets to take home to your loved ones.

Griggstown Newsletter

Enter to Win in our Giveaway!

The Griggstown Farm Market is proud to announce the launch of its new website. We will be starting a newsletter, including featured products, great recipes for delicious homemade dishes, and weekly announcements.

We would like to get a start on launching our newsletter with a free giveaway for one of our lucky subscribers. For our local customers, we would like to host a picnic lunch party for 10! Come and enjoy a picnic lunch here at the farm, and invite 9 guests.

For long distance customers, who would like to receive the latest in Griggstown News the winning e-mail entered will receive a $50.00 gift certificate. To have some great products, from our farm sent to you!

All you have to do is go to our new website, and subscribe to our newsletter, at the top of the page!

Lunch Menu – July, 17.18, & 19

• Grilled Vegetable Sandwich on a Ciabatta Roll – Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Portabella Mushrooms, Tomato & Herb Mayo
• Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Grilled Chicken Sausage Sandwich – Red Onion, Cubanelle Peppers & Fresh Mozzarella
• Turkey Burger Sliders

Sides

• Cucumber Salad – with Salad Burnet & Lime
• Bok Choy Salad – with Almonds
• Carrot Salad – with Lime & Peppermint
• Gemelli Pasta Salad – with Griggstown Chicken Sausage, Fresh Spinach, Tomato & Mozzarella
• Gazpacho
• Dutch Lunch Spear Pickles

CSA Newsletter Fifth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

• ‘Multipik’ Squash
• ‘Crookneck’ Squash
• ‘Sebring’ Squash
• ‘8 ball’ Zucchini or ‘Tuscany’ Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• ‘Ichiban’ Eggplant
• ‘Yellow Rocdor’ Beans
• ‘Red Russian’ Kale
• ‘Napoletano’ Basil
• ‘Common’ Sage

Comprehensive Includes:

• Basil Herb Foccacia
• Cherry Grove’s Artisanal Asiago Cheese

Crop of the Week – Eggplant

This is the first week for Ichiban eggplant, a long slender, Asian eggplant, that has a similar taste to Italian eggplant.

The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal (Solanum melongena), is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka.

It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm (4-8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2-4 in) broad. (Semi-)wild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms.

The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but are bitter because they contain (an insignificant amount of) nicotinoid alkaloids, unsurprising as it is a close relative of tobacco.

Different varieties of eggplant produce fruit of different size, shape and color, especially purple, green, or white. There are even orange varieties of eggplant.
The most widely cultivated varieties (cultivars) in Europe and North America today are elongated ovoid, 12-25 cm wide (4 1/2 to 9 in) and 6-9 cm broad (2 to 4 in) in a dark purple skin.

A much wider range of shapes, sizes and colors is grown in India and elsewhere in Asia. Larger varieties weighing up to a kilogram (2 pounds) grow in the region between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, while smaller varieties are found elsewhere. Colors vary from white to yellow or green as well as reddish-purple and dark purple. Some cultivars have a color gradient, from white at the stem to bright pink to deep purple or even black. Green or purple cultivars in white striping also exist. Chinese eggplants are commonly shaped like a narrower, slightly pendulous cucumber, and sometimes were called Japanese eggplants in North America.

Oval or elongated oval-shaped and black-skinned cultivars include Harris Special Hibush, Burpee Hybrid, Black Magic, Classic, Dusky, and Black Beauty. Slim cultivars in purple-black skin include Little Fingers, Ichiban, Pingtung Long, and Tycoon; in green skin Louisiana Long Green and Thai (Long) Green; in white skin Dourga. Traditional, white-skinned, egg-shaped cultivars include Casper and Easter Egg. Bicolored cultivars with color gradient include Rosa Bianca and Violetta di Firenze. Bicolored cultivars in striping include Listada de Gandia and Udumalapet. In some parts of India, miniature varieties of eggplants (most commonly called Vengan) are popular.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant

Herb of the Week – Sage

Salvia officinalis (Sage, Common sage, Garden sage, Kitchen sage, Culinary sage, Dalmatian sage, Purple sage, Broadleaf sage, Red sage) is a small perennial evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and commonly grown as a kitchen and medicinal herb or as an ornamental garden plant. The word sage or derived names are also used for a number of related and non related species.

As an herb, sage has a slight peppery flavor. In Western cooking, it is used for flavoring fatty meats (especially as a marinade), cheeses (Sage Derby), and some drinks. In the United States, Britain and Flanders, sage is used with onion for poultry or pork stuffing and also in sauces. In French cuisine, sage is used for cooking white meat and in vegetable soups. Germans often use it in sausage dishes, and sage forms the dominant flavoring in the English Lincolnshire sausage. Sage is also common in Italian cooking. Sage is sautéed in olive oil and butter until crisp, then plain or stuffed pasta is added (burro e salvia). In the Balkans and the Middle East, it is used when roasting mutton.

The Latin name for sage, salvia, means “to heal”. Although the effectiveness of Common Sage is open to debate, it has been recommended at one time or another for virtually every ailment. Modern evidence supports its effects as an anhidrotic, antibiotic, antifungal, astringent, antispasmodic, estrogenic, hypoglycemic, and tonic. In a double blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial, sage was found to be effective in the management of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_officinalis

Asian Eggplant over Spaghetti Recipe

Perch & Sage Recipe

Announcements:

***Our new website has launched. To continue to receive weekly updates on the CSA program please look out for the confirmation e-mail that will be sent to you from feedburner.com. Go to the link and complete the process. Thank you. This will be the last e-mail update from ConstantContact.com

We are pleased to announce Picnic Lunch is now being served each week in our herb & flower garden on Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 12-2. Come visit and enjoy a picnic lunch between the blossoms. The lunch menu includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, desert items, & beverages. This week’s menu features Chicken Salad with Celery & Red Onion Sandwich; Chicken Sausage, Peppers, & Onions Sandwich; and a delicious Grilled Vegetable Panini on Ciabatta Roll with Zucchini, Squash, Portabella Mushroom, & Balsamic Vinagrette.

If you are interested in helping out it any way, please get in touch with Johann at produce@griggstownquailfarm.com or 908-359-5218.

CSA Newsletter Fourth Edition

This Week’s Harvest:

• Basil (’Napoletano’ & ‘Genovese’)
• Cabbage
• Collard Greens
• ‘Red Russian’ Kale
• Mixed Head Lettuce (’Red Sails,’ ‘Red Salad Bowl,’ ‘Green Salad Bowl,’ ‘Oakleaf,’ & ‘Buttercrunch’)
• ‘Giant Italian’ Parsley
• Root Crop Medley (’Napoli’ & ‘Cosmic Purple’ Carrots, ‘D’Avignon’ & ‘Easter Egg’ Radishes)
• ‘Evergreen Hardy’ Scallions

Crop of the Week – ‘Evergreen Hardy’ Scallions:

A scallion, also commonly known as spring onion, green onion, or salad onion, is associated with various members of the genus Allium that lack a fully-developed bulb. Harvested for their taste, they tend to be milder than other onions and may be steamed or set in salads in western cookery and cooked in many Asian recipes. Diced scallions are often used in soup, noodle and seafood dishes, and in sauces in eastern dishes, after removing the bottom quarter-inch or so of the root end.

The species most commonly associated with the name is the Welsh onion, Allium fistulosum. “Scallion” is sometimes used for Allium ascalonicum, better known as the shallot. The words scallion and shallot are related and can be traced back to the Greek askolonion as described by the Greek writer Theophrastus; this name, in turn, seems to originate from the Philistine town of Ascalon (modern-day Ashkelon in Israel). The shallots themselves apparently came from farther east.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scallion

Spicy Collards Recipe

Radish & Scallion Stir Fry Recipe

Announcements:

-Please remember to bring re-usable bags or boxes for share pick-ups. Some interesting ideas have been presented from various shareholders. Check out reusablebags.com for a wide selection of environmentally-friendly satchels. Or, consider a rolling cooler to store and keep your veggies fresh. Also, stay tuned for more information about The BagShare Project. The idea is for volunteers to work together to produce reusable cloth bags. Community Bag Sews (sewing circles) are organized by volunteers, materials and machines are donated by individuals and local businesses. Baskets of these bags are kept at participating shops and patrons borrow a bag if they need one. The bag is then returned to that location or another BagShare location for another to use.

-Griggstown Farm Market has introduced a new line of smoked poultry products. We now offer Smoked Duck Breast and Smoked Chicken Breast.

-Please remember to sign in on a weekly basis.

-Please take only the number allotted for your share size; if you take more than stipulated, you’re taking away from other folks.

-Please do not bring any pets to the farm.

-Please stay in the market & garden area only. Please do not go beyond the back fence into the poultry operations for safety & health reasons.

-Please park to the side and do not block the driveway. Be mindful of delivery trucks & vans pulling in & out of the farm.

-Keep an eye on children. Their safety is important to us.

Griggstown Farm opens CSA program – By Lois Heyman

New CSA Opened by Griggstown

As Central Jersey residents join community-supported agriculture, or CSA, programs in increasing numbers, they can look forward to enjoying just-picked vegetables from local farms that are gearing up for the spring growing season.

But how many CSA shareholders also can expect to get a fresh pie, bread or wedge of artisanal cheese along with their veggies?

In Griggstown Quail Farm & Market’s new CSA program, members who choose a comprehensive share will receive a week’s worth of fresh vegetables and herbs, a locally sourced dairy product and a gourmet baked item at each pick-up throughout the season.

Customers who participate in the program also will receive discounts on the all-natural, free-range poultry and other items sold at the farm market store, in the Griggstown section of Franklin.  Soups, sausages and other prepared foods and gourmet products are among the store choices.

Griggstown’s chef, Matthew Sytsema, also expects to attract customers to the market — set among picturesque 19th-century villages and lanes along the Delaware-Raritan Canal — by offering cooking classes both to shareholders and the general public.

Other local chefs and restaurateurs will join Sytsema in conducting sessions on pickling, knife skills, canning and preserving, along with sharing recipes that will best use the bounty available from Griggstown’s garden.

“We’ve always had a small garden here,” says Sytsema, who brought in farmer Johann Rinkens this year to turn three of Griggstown’s 65 acres over to 150 varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs — all grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

From June through October, each week a seasonal crop will be harvested, and for $30 a week, participating vegetable shareholders will stop in between noon and 6 p.m. Thursdays or Fridays to pick up the currently available produce.

The earliest crops in June will include cold hardy greens and root vegetables, while an explosion of tomatoes, peppers, squash and much more will swell visitors’ packages through the summer.

CSA Newsletter Third Edition

*Final CSA Announcement:

The start date of our new CSA program is approaching and we are still accepting applications for new members! Please consider submitting your application soon, as space is filling up quickly. For more information or to request an application, please e-mail our produce farmer Johann at produce@griggstownquailfarm.com, or feel free to stop by the store.

Now Growing:

• Collard Greens
• Baby Spinach
• Onions
• Spicy Mesclun Mix
• Lettuce
• Brocolli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Fennel
• Sage
• Chard
• Kale
• Rosemary
• Bok Choi
• Arugula
• Flowers

CSA Newsletter Second Edition

Website Announcement:

The Griggstown Farm Market is also working on re-doing our website, with updated links, and new features. The new site will revolve closely around recipes and feedback from the people that know our products the best, our customers. We are looking for new exciting Griggstown recipes to add. If you have a good recipe using our product, please submit it to: Service@griggstownquailfarm.com

CSA Newsletter First Edition

The Griggstown Quail Farm is proud to announce the start of a new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program designed to offer our valued customers fresh, local, naturally-grown produce at an affordable cost. Participants in the program will receive a weekly supply of freshly-harvested vegetables and herbs, as well as, a select discount off of Griggstown’s own all-natural, free-range poultry. Locally-sourced bakery items and gourmet dairy products will also be included in the share. At each pick-up throughout the season, shareholders will receive a week’s worth of fresh vegetables, a dairy, & bread product. This comprehensive product offering will provide a well-rounded supply of groceries for shareholders to take home and enjoy with their family and friends. Additionally, CSA participation insures the shareholder will save dramatically on the retail price of store-bought organic or conventionally grown produce.

How a CSA Works:

Each week, each in-season crop will be harvested from our CSA plot and divided amongst the participating shareholders. Throughout the growing season (June thru October), shareholders stop by our farm to pick up their share of the weekly harvest. Typically, the shares start out with cold-hardy crops at the beginning of the spring, swell as the summer’s bounty matures, and return to the spring offerings in the fall before the fields are put to rest for the winter. We encourage our shareholders to embrace the seasonality of New Jersey agriculture and remain open-minded to our changing availability.

What Does a CSA Cost:

Vegetable Share Cost: $600
Includes: A broad range of seasonal vegetables and herbs grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

Comprehensive Share Cost: $1000
Includes: Vegetable share, plus Artisan Bread, Artisan Dairy, Discount on In-store purchases

A deposit and first month’s payment is due by May 15th (Vegetable Share-$240/Comprehensive-$400). After that, monthly payments of $120 for the Vegetable Share or $200 for the Comprehensive Share will be due by the beginning of each month throughout the season (Payments due by July 1st, August 5th, and September 2nd).

When Will the CSA Happen:

Shareholders may pick-up the weekly harvest on Thursday and Friday from 12-6 pm throughout the 20-week season. We anticipate a June 11th start date and an October 23rd end date. Our farm is located at 986 Canal Rd. at the corner of Bunker Hill Rd. in Princeton, NJ.

Also Featuring:

As an added bonus to our shareholder program, Chef Matthew Sytsema of the Griggstown Farm Market will partner with local chefs & restaurateurs to offer on-farm cooking classes to our shareholders and the general public. Topics will include (but not limited to) pickling, knife skills, and canning & preserving. Shareholders will receive a discounted rate for the attendance fee. More info to follow!

How to Sign-Up for our CSA

PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL WITH YOUR NAME AND PHONE NUMBER TO PRODUCE@GRIGGSTOWNQUAILFARM.COM

OR CALL THE STORE: (908) 359-5218 AND ASK TO SPEAK TO JOHANN. Or go to the CSA tab at the top of the page and click How to Join, and fill out the form to be submitted.  (We are currently adding people to our waiting list, due to our CSA being full for the 2009 season.)