tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912732220330184750.post9083720394321072739..comments2011-01-24T01:24:51.039-08:00Comments on Fennario Farm and Apothecary: It's about timeAmy & Gabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18250619751239641699noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912732220330184750.post-41179932324738585852010-07-03T16:58:56.632-07:002010-07-03T16:58:56.632-07:00Hi Amy, Gabe and the Fennario Community!
Geez Amy...Hi Amy, Gabe and the Fennario Community!<br /><br />Geez Amy, you are such a great writer. I love reading your posts and am always amazed at how beautifully you share what's happening on your farm and in your heart. <br /><br />Gabe asked me to write something about what Michelle and I do with all the food we get, and while I'm waiting for the soup to simmer, I thought I'd send out this missive.<br /><br />Well, every week I am like a little kid at Christmas getting my cooler full of food. It’s always such a surprise and I’m always amazed that Amy and Gabe JUST grew this for us and harvested it, like, yesterday. For me! (us, all of us) Awesome.<br /><br />I really enjoy not even knowing what particular veggies are coming. I’ve developed a little Sunday ritual of taking it all out of the cooler and putting it away in the fridge. I try and wash the lettuce and spin it dry and leave lots of it ready to go in the big spinner so it’s really easy to make a salad. I also try and take out whatever’s left from the last week and cook up a big soup or stew so there’s room for all the new veggies. It’s new for me to think up ways to cook all this stuff, but I’m having fun coming up with new meals.<br /><br />Often, I just throw all the veggies in a big pot and get it going, and then figure it out from there. Sometimes I just add some noodles and miso. Other times I don’t know what spices to use and cheat a bit and add a jar of Indian or Thai curry or simmer sauce to take the whole pot to a tasty direction with little effort. One time I was cooking down a ton of greens and went too far. It kinda looked like saag paneer, the Indian dish of spinach with cubes of soft cheese in it. So I got inspired and drained the liquid out (which I saved for stock- prior to this csa I had NEVER made a stock in my entire life- now I do it all the time). And then I took the mushy greens and actually made saag….tofu. Or something a lot like it that was very tasty. It really helps to have those jars of sauces handy (I’m almost embarrassed to say this, but you can get organic ones like Seeds of Change or other good brands for just $2 at Amazing savings, and they make it really easy- and I told you I’m kinda new at this! :) One day I imagine I’ll have a pantry stocked with turmeric, coriander, curry powder, coconut milk…. and know exactly what to do with them. Hhhhm, maybe it wont’ be that far off.<br /><br />Anyway, this week we had some heartier stuff so I did the same type of cooking but in a sauté pan. I would just dice the potatoes (those blue ones? beautiful!) and start them in olive oil. Then I would just add some squash, onions (what kind were those by the way?) and of course, chard (so much chard). One time I melted cheese on that mix and ended up using a dab of salsa which was great. The next time I took it a different direction but I don’t even remember what it was. <br /><br />A few weeks ago, when lettuce was abundant, I started eating salads for breakfast. That’s something I’ve never done before, but after a week or two, I got really into it. I loved having so much salad variety too- radishes and peas in the salad one day, then tomatoes and a fried egg over the spring greens the next (I borrowed the breakfast salad idea from Roots café- throw in a few toasted sunflower seeds and cranberries in and just a tiny bit of balsamic dressing- delicious). I even got the eggs form my next-door neighbors’ chickens. All this farming going on inspired me to beg her to let me get involved and add some chickens of my own to her coop. It makes great sense- she needs a back-up person to help out when she’s out of town, and I’d love to have some chickens in the coop I can see and hear from my bedroom window. Those eggs are a ways off, but we’ll be ordering me 2 baby chickens very soon.<br /><br />Anyway, with lettuce on the wane, I had to let go of my breakfast salads or Michelle wouldn’t get any salad with dinner this week. But that’s ok. The season rolls on. And I’m really enjoying eating my way right through it thanks to Gabe and Amy!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11373403041267770528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1912732220330184750.post-6629488411042985712010-07-03T16:58:21.827-07:002010-07-03T16:58:21.827-07:00Hi Amy, Gabe and the Fennario Community!
Geez Amy...Hi Amy, Gabe and the Fennario Community!<br /><br />Geez Amy, you are such a great writer. I love reading your posts and am always amazed at how beautifully you share what's happening on your farm and in your heart. <br /><br />Gabe asked me to write something about what Michelle and I do with all the food we get, and while I'm waiting for the soup to simmer, I thought I'd send out this missive.<br /><br />Well, every week I am like a little kid at Christmas getting my cooler full of food. It’s always such a surprise and I’m always amazed that Amy and Gabe JUST grew this for us and harvested it, like, yesterday. For me! (us, all of us) Awesome.<br /><br />I really enjoy not even knowing what particular veggies are coming. I’ve developed a little Sunday ritual of taking it all out of the cooler and putting it away in the fridge. I try and wash the lettuce and spin it dry and leave lots of it ready to go in the big spinner so it’s really easy to make a salad. I also try and take out whatever’s left from the last week and cook up a big soup or stew so there’s room for all the new veggies. It’s new for me to think up ways to cook all this stuff, but I’m having fun coming up with new meals.<br /><br />Often, I just throw all the veggies in a big pot and get it going, and then figure it out from there. Sometimes I just add some noodles and miso. Other times I don’t know what spices to use and cheat a bit and add a jar of Indian or Thai curry or simmer sauce to take the whole pot to a tasty direction with little effort. One time I was cooking down a ton of greens and went too far. It kinda looked like saag paneer, the Indian dish of spinach with cubes of soft cheese in it. So I got inspired and drained the liquid out (which I saved for stock- prior to this csa I had NEVER made a stock in my entire life- now I do it all the time). And then I took the mushy greens and actually made saag….tofu. Or something a lot like it that was very tasty. It really helps to have those jars of sauces handy (I’m almost embarrassed to say this, but you can get organic ones like Seeds of Change or other good brands for just $2 at Amazing savings, and they make it really easy- and I told you I’m kinda new at this! :) One day I imagine I’ll have a pantry stocked with turmeric, coriander, curry powder, coconut milk…. and know exactly what to do with them. Hhhhm, maybe it wont’ be that far off.<br /><br />Anyway, this week we had some heartier stuff so I did the same type of cooking but in a sauté pan. I would just dice the potatoes (those blue ones? beautiful!) and start them in olive oil. Then I would just add some squash, onions (what kind were those by the way?) and of course, chard (so much chard). One time I melted cheese on that mix and ended up using a dab of salsa which was great. The next time I took it a different direction but I don’t even remember what it was. <br /><br />A few weeks ago, when lettuce was abundant, I started eating salads for breakfast. That’s something I’ve never done before, but after a week or two, I got really into it. I loved having so much salad variety too- radishes and peas in the salad one day, then tomatoes and a fried egg over the spring greens the next (I borrowed the breakfast salad idea from Roots café- throw in a few toasted sunflower seeds and cranberries in and just a tiny bit of balsamic dressing- delicious). I even got the eggs form my next-door neighbors’ chickens. All this farming going on inspired me to beg her to let me get involved and add some chickens of my own to her coop. It makes great sense- she needs a back-up person to help out when she’s out of town, and I’d love to have some chickens in the coop I can see and hear from my bedroom window. Those eggs are a ways off, but we’ll be ordering me 2 baby chickens very soon.<br /><br />Anyway, with lettuce on the wane, I had to let go of my breakfast salads or Michelle wouldn’t get any salad with dinner this week. But that’s ok. The season rolls on. And I’m really enjoying eating my way right through it thanks to Gabe and Amy!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11373403041267770528noreply@blogger.com