Our first CSA pickup of the season!

Camera not handy, and I have a *ton* of work tonight, so this is going to be text only. We have chard, garlic scapes, a bunch of lettuce, strawberries, and kale.

Human # 3 made dinner tonight, and along with it we shall have salad with garlic scape dressing.

One Straw Farm

This was our CSA choice this year.

http://www.onestrawfarm.com/

Pickup is available at My Organic Market, and they have a decent website. I'm psyched, though I liked the idea of veggies to my door.

Community Supported Agriculture ("CSA")

Community supported agriculture is essentially a purchase of shares in a farm, except instead of paying cash dividends, you purchase crop dividends during the season. Or maybe it's more like a bond where you clip the coupon, since very few equities pay dividends anymore. Financial metaphors aside, it can be a fun way of trying new produce.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/05/AR2008020500865.html

Since South Mountain Veggie is currently not delivering to me, I will likely be joining a CSA againt his year.

Gordon Ramsay's Maze at the London

I am a terrible, terrible person. Okay, well, maybe not, but slightly. This weekend we had a family emergency - one of Human # 1's siblings was ill and in the hospital in New York City. Human # 3, being a good sister, stayed overnight in the hospital with the sibling. Human # 1 and I needed to sleep somewhere. Of course, since Human # 1 twitters constantly, some friends of ours (okay, more like my college friends - a lovely couple, KD-her and CR- him) hounded us to hang out. Ironically, the cheapest room in NYC on short notice was the Hilton at 6th and 54th(I'm too old for the many futons and couches that were generously offered). Our hotel just happened to be across the way from The London, home to Gordon Ramsay restaurants. Where we met up with our friends after a long day and night at the hospital.

Hey, come on, it was cheaper than the Hilton's room service.

Of course I don't have pictures. What do you people take me for? So food obsessed that while a relative lay suffering in the hospital, I update my blog? I just took copious notes. Well, actually, my Blackberry camera would no save.

Since we had no reservation, we started in the London Bar. Apparently my husband and CR had amazing martinis. I wouldn't know. We did hang out for a bit, and it was exremely pleasant. More like the bar at Zaytinya than a typical NYC hotel bar.

Maze by Gordon Ramsay is a small plate restaurant. We each got two of the small plates.

We had the following:

Salad of confit fennel and beetroot, fresh ricotta, and candied walnuts.
The beets were amazing. They were interestingly savory, and contrasted sharply with the sweet walnuts.

Venison carpaccio, chilled foie gras, cranberries, globe artichoke.

I did not try this one, however, Human # 1 and CR enjoyed it immensely, though CR added salt. He's also a recent ex-smoker.

Lobster bisque.

I don't usually care for lobster bisque, but this was rich, creamy, and buttery - while at the same time tasting primarily of lobster, not dairy. It was almost like the flavor was all lobster and the texture was all buttery cream. Interestingly presented - basically a piece of lobster and the bisque poured at the table.

Sautéed sea scallops, butternut squash, and red wine vinaigrette.

Tortellini of beef short rib, escarole, trompette royale, and dashi.
This one was almost minty. It sounds weird, but it totally worked.

Pan fried Tasmanian ocean trout, orzo, and fennel heart cassoulet with peekytoe crab.
The ocean trout was deliciously rarely prepared, but with crispy skin. I was a big fan of the orzo. The crab pieces, not so much.

Braised beef short rib, truffle pomme purée, braising juices.

This was the hit of the night. I think Human # 1 licked the plate.

Mango parfait, pine nut brittle, and Douglas Fir sorbet.
The parfait was very good. But the Douglas Fir sorbet was amazing. It was like a distilled Christmas tree, but in a good way.

Concord grape crémeux, homemade yogurt, olive oil gelato, and granola.
Everyone must try olive oil ice cream. I can say no more.

Lemon quark cheesecake with strawberry gelée and pistachio ice cream.

The single best cheesecake I've ever had. The pistachio ice cream had the not too sweet nutty flavor of Indian ice cream, but the texture and mouth feel of gelato.

Anyway, Human # 3 was tortured the next day upon learning of our ahem, hotel and dinner experience. I swear it made sense at the time!

South Mountain Veggie

OMG, this is so cool. Most of you know that I really liked joining the CSA - there were ups and downs with the CSA we chose last year, somethings that worked for our family and some things that did not. However, the biggest pain was actually getting there and picking up the delivery. We get South Mountain Creamery milk delivery already (despite my best efforts, I still almost never drink milk, though others in the household do). They're introducing this:

http://www.southmountainveggie.com/home.php

I am so excited! I do like farmer's markets, but too often on a weekend I'm working, travelling, or if not too darn busy with household projects to take the time to go. I try to, but making it a weekly event is stressful. Delivery conquers a lot of my problems with obtaining local produce.

Of course, since I'm self-centered, I only encourage you to sign up if you live near me and are likely to help make my neighborhood the first test area.

Orange Mini-Cupcakes

Last weekend was a holiday called biphota. Part of the holiday requires the eating of sweets. In addition to the usual Indian sweets, I always make brownies and something else. This year, Human # 1 told me to make orange cupcakes. So, I made mini orange cupcakes. He was surprised.
The picture sucks, it's a camera phone picture from like the day after.

Orange Mini-Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup water, orange juice, or milk

3 teaspoons orange extract

2 tablespoons orange zest

4 large eggs

1 8 oz package cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

3 teaspoons orange extract

Method:

Oven to 350 F.

Prep muffin tins, I suggest lining with mini cupcake papers.

Sift together flour, salt, soda, and baking powder.

Cream together butter and sugar.

Add liquids, zest, mix well.

Add eggs, one at a time.

Add flour mixture, beat well.

Pour into prepared mini-muffin tins.

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, say 12-15 minutes at the outside. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERCOOK!

Cool.

Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and orange extract.

Frost cupcakes. Tint orange, if desired.

Holy Cross 44 Dartmouth 26

Thank god homecoming isn't about football.

In Hanover, or in this case White River Junction

We're in Hanover for the weekend. We were actually here a few weeks ago as well (gotta love the everyone getting married thing that hits in the late 20s).
So we flew in, and as it was late, we ordered pizza from Everything But Anchovies (EBA's). I worked at EBA's once, long, long ago in a land far, far away.

This is what I believe is the best of local junk food in a college town - Human # 1 has a pepperoni pizza.



I have cheesy garlic bread.



Last time we were here, I automatically ordered breadsticks, half cheese half plain, with ranch. My best friend and college roommate is milk allergic. However, the breadsticks simply are better with the cheese.

This Week's CSA

This week's CSA contained green and red apples, spinach, lettuce, pears, sweet potatoes, carrots, and bread from the Breadery.

I think I'm going to make some apple butter. The carrots will become part of a stir fry or similar, the sweet potatoes into sweet potato burritos, lettuce in a salad, and I'm not sure what to do with the spinach. There are many options, but maybe I'll find something new to do.

Stuffed Squash

Note, fair reader, I am making a valiant attempt to post more regularly. I am attempting to pre-schedule at least one post a day during the week. Let's see how well this works. Onward!

I stuffed and froze some delicata squash on Sunday. Wait, that sounds bloody awful. Who wants to stuff and freeze squash? That sounds about as unsexy as humanly possible. Actually, it sounds gross and somehow industrial. Hmm, let me reword that. How about, Sunday I roasted some delicata squash with a savory bread dressing, the preserved the glorious fall flavors for later in the week, reminding me of the buttery, cinnamon-y scents that wafted through my sun dappled kitchen on that crisp October Sunday. Any better? The end result is the same, squash that can be reheated for a fantastic vegetarian supper, served along side a green salad dressed simply. This is also a great idea for a main dish for non meat eaters at Thanksgiving, though make enough for everyone, since it's likely to be gobbled by meat eaters as a side dish. I made this in a heart unhealthy fashion, using a good bit of butter and olive oil. You can cut the fat significantly if you substitute in some stock and up the amount of water. The squash was from Breezy Willow.

Stuffed Squash (serves 6)
Ingredients:
3 medium sized delicata squash (can use acorn or other similar small squash, I like delicata for a savory preparation).
Olive oil in a spritzable form or ready to drip onto a paper towel
Cinnamon to taste
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium to large onion, minced finely
6 ribs celery, minced finely
2 shallots, minced finely
6 slices whole grain bread (I used Harvest Grains from the Breadery), cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water

Method:

Wash squash. I don't know why, I just do it.
Line pan with foil if not using a foil pan.
Oven to 400F.





Cut squash in half.



Scoop out seeds with a tablespoon. Get the stringy stuff too.
Spritz with olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Lay flat in baking pan.
Meanwhile, add your butter and olive oil to a large skillet. When its hot and the butter foams, add the veggies, and turn to medium-low.
Sweat veggies.
Add the bread cubes, tossing to coat.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add just enough water to moisten.
Stuff inside of squashes.
Bake until fork-tender, approximately 40 minutes.



I did freeze them, which might be a bit of a shame. They freeze decently, but I think the texture is better fresh.