CSA Newsletter Seventh Edition
Posted on July 29, 2009
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.
