GRIGGSTOWN QUAIL FARM NEWSLETTER 07/17/12
Posted on July 16, 2012
We are making progress on the new kitchen thanks to the carpenters assigned to the project. You can see photos of the carpenters at work on our Facebook page.
Be certain to visit our Facebook page and enter a name for our “Name The Chick” contest to win two pot pies.
Thanks to all of the people who have been joining us for lunch. We set up tents in the picnic area to provide shade and a comfortable environment for all to enjoy lunch. Chef Tiffany, http://simplynutritiousmeals.com, is delighted to provide a tasty nourishing lunch and appreciates al the positive feedback she has been receiving.
Attention chess enthusiasts; the farm market will have a chess set and board available for the asking for anyone who would like to play a game while at the farm.
We have stocked our freezer with quarts of ice cream so be certain to pick one up to go with your pie purchase or just to enjoy a bowl after your dinner.
Be certain to pick up a dozen of freshly laid eggs the next time you visit the farm market.
Our offer for fresh milk is getting a lot of attention from CSA members as well as from farm store customers. If you have not tasted the milk, I suggest you do so. Treat yourself to the chocolate milk because it absolutely tastes rich and delicious.
The milk is brought in fresh every Thursday from Long Valley Dairy milk http://www.longvalleydairy.com/ and is sold for $3.99 a half gallon and a $2 refundable deposit for the glass container. That’s right, glass, just like grandma got her milk in. You MUST call our farm store at 908-359-5218 on Monday and pick up your milk Thursday morning of the same week. You can order whole, 2%, 1%, skim and chocolate (whole) milk.
Be sure to consult the Famers Market News section for other locations where you can purchase our products.
Learn about eggplant, tips, information and recipe.
Remember, when you patronage our farm, you’re supporting our community, field to table agriculture and helping to maintain NJ farms. After all, we are the garden state!
Weekly Harvest
As you can see, the available selection of produce is increasing every week so we hope you are enjoying the value of fresh produce. Make certain you are preserving or sharing any extra produce you have at the end of the week.
As always, some of the CSA produce listed below will be offered at the farm market on a first come first serve basis.
CSA Harvest for 7-19 and 7-20:
Vegetables:
Tomatoes
Eggplant
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Cucumbers
Fresh Spring Onion
Yellow Squash/ Zucchini
Chard
Scallions
Cabbage
Herbs:
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Sage
You Pick:
Flowers
Beans
Cherry Tomatoes
Hush Cherries
Okra
$6 Picnic Lunch Menu
This week Chef Tiffany will be grilling again; Thursday and Friday, 12:00 – 2:00 pm.
She’ll be providing items that will excite anyone’s palate.
Come out to enjoy the lunch and you may get your photo taken.
Featured Menu Items:
BBQ Chicken Quesadilla – Pulled BBQ chicken with red onions and cheddar cheese in a grilled flour tortilla
BBQ Black Bean Burger – BBQ black bean and barley veggie burger grilled up and served with lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun
Grilled Hawaiian Pizza – Two slices of pizza topped with grilled pineapple, ham and mozzarella cheese finished with a drizzle of honey
Sides and drinks are available in the farm market.
Farmers Market News
If you are unable to visit is at the farm market to make your purchases you can stopover at one of the farmers markets Griggstown Quail Farm participates in. Here is a list of markets with day and times a Griggstown Quail Farm staff members is there.
West Windsor Farmers Market
Vaughn Drive parking lot of the Princeton Junction train station off of Alexander Road
May – October, Saturdays 9am – 1pm
Bernardsville Farmers Market
Rt. 202 & Clairmont Road Bernardsville
June 1 – November, Saturdays, 8:30am – 12pm
Burlington County Community Agriculture Center
500 Centerton Road, (intersection of Centerton & Hartfors Roads, Moorestown, NJ, June 14 – October, Saturdays, 8:30am – 1pm
Head House Farmer’s Market
Philadelphia, PA, 2nd Street between Pine and South Streets
May 4, Sundays, 10am – 2pm
Flemmington Farmers Market
Dvoor Farm Flemmington, NJ
June 8 – End of October, Sundays, 9am – 1pm
Morristown Farmers Market
Spring St. at Morris St, Parking lot #10 behind Morristown Diner & Post Office
Morristown, NJ 07960
June-October, Sundays, 8:30 am-2:00 pm
Montgomery Farmer’s Market
Village Shopper, Route 206, just north of junction with 518
Montgomery Township, NJ 08502
June-October, Saturdays, 9 am – 1 pm
Denville Farmer’s Market
Bloomfield Ave. Parking Lot, June 17th-November 18th, Sunday 8:30am-1:00pm
Chuck’s Corner
Eggplant Tips & Tricks
Even though eggplants are one of my favorites, they top my list of problem vegetables. Under certain circumstances they can be bitter, so picking them wisely, having some tips under your hat and some tricks up your sleeve is key.
Select firm, shiny eggplants free of blemishes and with green tops like the ones above. If they look like they do below don’t buy them.
If unsure press down lightly with your finger, if you see an indentation it’s past due, but don’t dismay…the trick is coming up.
Eggplants don’t really like the cold, so I don’t store them in the fridge, but opt for a cooler dark place (that’s where a cantina comes in handy!)
A white inner flesh with very few whitish seeds is a winner! Even so try to avoid leaving them open to the air for too long! Cut and get them seasoned or in the oven as soon as possible, otherwise, even the freshest eggplant may start to oxidize and take on some bitterness.
Even though eggplant can pass all the preliminary tests, it can donns a slight greenish hue and quite a few darkish seeds. When in doubt I do as my grandmother did.
TRICKS:
Slice eggplant and place them in layers in a colander sprinkling each layer with salt.
Place an overturned dish over the eggplant and place a weight on top of it to help press water out.
After about 20 minutes remove the weight, discard the fluid and with wipe away remaining moisture with a kitchen towel. You can give them a little squeeze if you wish.
Cook as desired following your favorite recipe. For something extra simple place on a baking sheet completely naked! No oil or anything at all. Broil for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Turn and repeat on the other side.
After browning both sides transfer into a container and drizzle with olive oil. If you wish add crushed garlic, balsamic vinegar and dried oregano too! Great on sandwiches or as a side dish to any entree.
Food of the Week: Eggplant
The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjalor guinea squash (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 in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato. It is native to India.
Featured Recipe
Grilled Smoky Eggplant Salad
Courtesy of eatathomecooks.com
The mellow grilled eggplant melds perfectly with the smoked paprika and tart sherry vinegar that define the flavor of the dressing in this decidedly Spanish salad. Curls of mild Manchego complete the Spanish theme. If you can’t find smoked paprika, substitute Hungarian paprika—the grilled eggplant brings some smoke to the salad on its own.
