We’re confirmed for a Winter CSA Share!

I am so excited! I got the confirmation email this morning. 3 more months of farm fresh produce will be coming our way carrying us through December and potentially longer if we a) don’t eat everything immediately and b) figure out how to store things so they last longer. We opted to split the share with some friends this time since it is our first winter csa.

We actually host Thanksgiving at our house every year for our family, it will be a special treat this year to use our CSA produce.

We are now part of the Shared Harvest Winter CSA, which used to be called the Belmont Winter CSA.

In addition to the veggies, Gretta is going to try to offer other local products to us at each pick up. Looks like we may have a chance to buy items like maple syrup, organic free-range eggs, cranberries, chocolate through the program!

I think there might still be spots open if you’re interested (as of 9/5)! You can visit the Local Harvest page for details or email Gretta Anderson (grettaanderson@earthlink.net) to ask for the subscription form.

Newton, MA 100

This page is dedicated to sharing great local products and companies I have found as I continue to try to be a better localvore (where the things we use come from within 100 miles of where we live). Now, I am by no means fanatic about being a localvore – there are so many things out there to enjoy from all over the world and sometimes there is no replacing that. But I’m going to try to at least keep increasing what we consume locally since it is simply a good thing. Plus, it is also an interesting experiment to see how much of what we consume can be from local sources.

Since it can take so much research and experimenting to find products you love, let alone products that are produced within 100 miles of where you live, I thought I would publish my findings here should you live in the Newton (Boston) area and have a similar interest. So stay tuned as I will keep adding to this as have more to share and I hope you’ll share your findings with me.

Milk
We usually use whole (my tea and for my toddler) and non-fat milk (cereal) in our house.

• The Organic Cow
  My favorite milk right now. I had never tried it until this past July when we were in the Cape and it was the only organic milk option. I am not sure if it is the raw milk or the processing but the end result is milk that I find thicker and creamier than other whole milks. So much so that I compared the nutrition label to another brand to make sure there wasn’t more fat in The Organic Cow milk. And there isn’t, same nutritional info!  Now, I just wish they sold it at Whole Foods since I’m often there picking up other things and would to buy this milk there. The Shaws in Newtonville carries it, as does Russo’s in Watertown and the Roche Brothers in Wellesley.
• Organic Valley – New England Pastures
  We’ve been drinking Organic Valley milk for years now and it is organic and sourced from New England Dairy farms. Hard to go wrong with that. Though, after my recent discovery of The Organic Cow, I do opt for that if I have the choice. I also use their Half and Half when we need it and get their cheese sticks for my daughter’s snacks.

CSA Share – Weeks 10-13

Weeks 10-12, a selection from: Carrots, Ailsa Onions, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Fresh Garlic, Fresh Shallots (yum!), Kale, Collard, Swiss Chard, Corn, Varieties of eggplant, Green and purple peppers, Beets, Melon, Lettuce
PYO: Perennial herbs and flowers, Parsley, Varieties of basil, Dill, Cilantro, Hot peppers, String beans, Husk cherries, Tomatillos

Week 13, a selection from: Kale, Collards, Cucumbers, zucchini, squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, a few tomatoes, okra, carrots, green peppers, lettuce
PYO: Herbs (including dill, cilantro, basil, thyme, mint), Husk cherries, Tomatillos, Hot peppers, Raspberries, String beans

It was our turn to pick up this week and my sister was kind enough to come with Sofie and I to help. I was really glad to have the help. There was a lot to pick this week. And Sofie made it extra challenging since she wanted to eat everything we picked. Her love of raspberries, combined with her love of eating anything right off the plant meant I could hardly pick them fast enough for her to eat, let alone for us to take home. Thank goodness my sister was there to double our picking ability. I think Sofie ate basically our entire portion, so most of what we took home when to the 2 families we split our 2 shares with. The same thing happened with husk cherries. It seems Sofie would eat as many as I’d let her. I had to cut her off when she was eating so many we were at risk of going over our portion, we only had a total of a pint between our 2 shares. As demanding as she was for the fruit, it was super cute to see how much she loved it all.

Let’s see, what else is there to share about our produce? I’m a few weeks behind in my CSA posts. The last month or so has been extremely busy and have kept me away from the computer (not necessarily a bad thing).

Both my husband and I have roasted potatoes before and been pleased. But the last few weeks our roasted potatoes have been out of this world. I’m not sure if it is the quality/freshness of potatoes we’re getting or our new method. But they rock. I’ll post the very simple recipe once I find another few minutes to write. I also have a really yummy Jamie Oliver chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, oregano recipe to post…so good. So look out for those!

Our farm: Waltham Fields Community Farm in Waltham, MA

CSA Share – Weeks 8 and 9

Week 8: Carrots, Beets, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Cucumbers, White New Potatoes, Fresh Garlic, Sweet Corn, Green Tomatoes, Swiss Chard
PYO:  Perennial herbs and flowers, parsley, varieties of basil, dill, cilantro, hot peppers, green beans

Week 9: Carrots, Ailsa Craig Onions, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Red Gold New Potatoes, Fresh Garlic, Sweet Corn, Fairy Tale eggplant, Green and Purple Peppers, Baby Fennel
PYO:  Perennial herbs and flowers, parsley, varieties of basil, dill, cilantro, hot peppers

This week my step-daughter (Julia) was visiting and my husband had the day off from work so we had a great time going to the farm together. Julia was amazed with the amount of vegetables we got to take home and had a great time in the fields doing PYO, tasting tomatoes and beans right off the plants and cutting a nice bouquet of flowers. We ended the evening with a cookout at our house with the 2 other families we split our shares with when we grill zucchini and squash we had just picked up. It was a great afternoon/evening.

Last night we had friends over and served our favorite Vegetable Slaw with the cilantro, chives and hot pepper we picked at the farm on Tuesday. It was our best batch yet. Well, I should say Jeromy’s since he has made it every time, perfecting it a little with each batch. He used a little less cilantro and red onion and only a quarter cup of oil. For cabbage it was 70% purple cabbage, 30% napa cabbage. We also had jicama this time which was really really great it in. I highly recommend you try it.

While we’ve thoroughly enjoyed everything we’ve gotten from the farm there were 2 that really stood out. The 4 pints of green beans I picked last week that we sautéed with olive oil and garlic, so simple yet so so delicious. And the maple syrup we finally cracked open to pour over some blueberry pancakes. Our farm partners with other local producers to bring its shareholders even more local goodness, one of those items is maple syrup from Wilman Gadwah, a small-scale producer in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. It is truly great maple syrup! I’ve made a note to buy some extra toward the end of the season to carry us through the winter – yes it is that good. I’m not sure where you can get it other than the farm, if I find out I’ll post.

Our farm: Waltham Fields Community Farm in Waltham, MA

CSA Share – Week 7

This week we got: Beets, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Onions, Red Potatoes, Zucchini, Summer Squash (including patty pans)

PYO: Yellow Beans, Herbs (Basil, Dill, parsley, thyme, cilantro…)

 

Last week was rainy and Tuesday was no exception. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do any PYO due to the rain and generally wet conditions at the farm. To be sure I asked at the distribution tent, and they said I was more than welcome to still do PYO. By then it was only drizzling and since we share our 2 shares with 2 other families I wanted to try my best to get everything for the week right then for everyone. Plus, I figured a little time in the rain could be a good experience for Sofie. So, on we went into the fields. We started by picking some basil and parsley, which was a piece of cake, even in the rain. We moved onto dill and it started to rain a little harder, Sofie was beginning to lose her patience. But we still had beans to pick so we trudged on. I had to carry her across the field, which left mud all over my pants from her shoes. By the end Sofie had fallen on her bum a few times and we both had mud in way too many places and were very ready to go home, but still it was a fun experience and fed into my desire to feel a connection to the farm and where our food comes from.

Our farm: Waltham Fields Community Farm in Waltham, MA

Restaurant Review: Persephone

In the mood for some shopping, great drinks or a delightful dinner? You must check out Persephone and the Achilles Project in Boston’s Fort Point Channel. It provides a one stop shop to satisfy your id. From fantastic garments, top-notch bartenders, tasty and honest menu, local art to a nice chill vibe, it seems to have it all. They manage to offer all of this while keeping the environment and sustainability in mind, in addition to focusing on using fresh and local ingredients for kitchen creations and promoting local artists and businesses. All music to my ears.

Of course you don’t need to do everything to make the trip worth it. A visit to just shop, just sit at the bar and sip cocktails or just enjoy a meal it completely worth it.

On Saturday Jeromy and I met up with another couple for dinner at Persephone and have a wonderful time. We arrived a little early so we could enjoy a drink together before our friends arrive – making the most of our time with a babysitter at home watching our little girl.

We left our car with the valet and walked into the building, not exactly sure what to expect. We were greeted by a lounge area on one side and racks and shelves full of gorgeous clothes (many eco-friendly) and footware filling the rest of the space. We didn’t have enough time to shop but will certainly be back to dedicate some time to those clothing racks. We walked through the retail section and into the bar area. We snagged a couple bar seats and pursued the various beverage options. Jeromy got his usual vodka martini with a twist and I ordered a mixed drink called “blame it on the rain”. I typically don’t like and thus, don’t order frilly mixed drink concoctions but somehow that evening I felt like trying one, and I’m glad I did. It was sweet, but not too sweet and very easy to drink. I could have easily had 3 of them, but restrained myself to one given I knew we’d be having wine with dinner and I would likely be driving home. We were chatting about various things when we noticed the bartender had a blowtorch out and was burning orange peels. Jeromy commented, “We didn’t know there would be a show!” and the bartender explained that he was experimenting with new drinks and that flaming the oils from the peel changes the flavor and makes drinks smoother. Without skipping a beat he offered to make us a sample. A few more pyrotechnics and we had a delicious drink of vodka, fino sherry and burnt orange peel. He told us it was Franks Sinatra’s favorite – a Valencia. It was delicious. We asked about the sherry he used and he explained that is was a FINO, which very dry. He gave us a little sample of that too. It was so cool to see the bartender’s enthusiasm for his craft and his desire to share his knowledge and experience with us. Our evening was off to a fantastic start.

Our friends arrived and we were seated, in a nice corner table. While the menu contained many familiar ingredients and flavors, there was a lovely sense of exploration and appreciation for ingredients with the dishes. The menu offers small, medium, large and extra large plates. We all ended up mixing and matching a number of small plates and sides. It was fun to assemble our meals that way. And the food did not disappoint. If you want specific comments on what we ate, I’d be happy to share.

The only sort of negative thing was that table service was mediocre. There was just something about the way our waitress interacted with us…I guess she just didn’t have very nice “table-side” manner. But that didn’t take away from the overall superb experience.

I loved the entire place. While I’m not sure if the concept of arriving for a meal early enough to shop, have a couple drinks and then have dinner, really works for me (especially now with a young child), I will certainly be back to explore the clothing, enjoy the bar and savor the food a number of times.

Persephone, which is the restaurant portion of the Achilles Project, came in at #18 on this year’s Boston Magazine’s Best Of List. We first heard of chef and owner, Michael Leviton, when we discovered Lumiere in our very own hometown of Newton (another great place to check out). We’re glad to see his success continue and expand, especially as he stays true to honoring and promoting sustainability and local ingredients.

Persephone

283 Summer Street

Boston, MA 02210

http://achilles-project.com/

CSA Share – Weeks 4, 5 and 6

As you can see, I’m a bit behind on my CSA posts! It has been a very busy couple weeks with lots of appointments and preparations for our vacation, and then of course, we were away for a week on a lovely Cape Cod vacation (more to come on things to do and where to eat and shop in Provincetown, Cape Cod in an upcoming post).

I finally have a few moments to write as this week draws to an end. So let’s get caught up on the CSA…

Week 4: Lettuce, Arugula, Scallions, Kale, Broccoli Raab, Spinach, Carrots, Beets
PYO: Fava Beans, Herbs including basil and parsley, snap peas, snow peas, flowers

Week 5: We were on vacation so our friends split our portion

Week 6: Lettuce, Cucumbers, Fennel, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Green Cabbage
PYO: Fava Beans and Herbs including dill and basil

Both my husband and I are totally in love with fresh fava beans. In fact, having fava beans (and brussels sprouts) was one of my criteria when researching CSA options.  If you have never had them, you must try them, either at home or at a restaurant. I was introduced to them at Taberno de Haro, a tapas restaurant near Fenway Park. There they serve them sautéed with Spanish ham, and I could seriously live off of that dish! I was more than overjoyed when I saw we were getting them with our share a few weeks ago. We cooked ours that night (right after I had picked them off the plants…talk about fresh!). For great instructions on how to cook the beans, check this entry on honest-food.net. We prepared them as per the guidance in that article. Jeromy then threw them directly into his salad as is, while I sautéed some bacon lardons, drained the bacon fat and then added the fava beans for a minute to meld with the bacon. Delicious. We still have ours from this weeks share. Our CSA newsletter included a link to a grilled fava bean recipe on 101 Cookbooks.com, which we are going to try tonight (along with the fennel).

Before the CSA I had never had Swiss Chard, but it is now one of my favorites. The multitude of colors is just amazing, adding another dimension to my enjoyment of the healthy veggie. We keep it simple. I match stick the stems, slice the leaves in half vertically and then into inch strips horizontally. Then sauté in some olive oil and garlic. We cook up some short pasta and toss it into the pan just before serving. Top with grated parmesan and you are in for a treat.

Well, I have a few other topics to write about (including a great wine recommendation that goes very well with the swiss chard preparation I described above!) so that is all for now on our CSA. More next week…

For reference here are the links in this post:

• Taberna de Haro – http://www.tabernaboston.com/
• Honest Food – http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/2008/04/30/fresh-fava-beans/
• 101 Cookbooks – http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/grilled-fava-beans-recipe.html

Product Recommendation: Green Planet Stainless-Steel Bottle

 

We’ve been using a couple SIGG bottles for quite some time now but while we were in the Cape last week my husband picked up a larger stainless-steel bottle at a store while we were getting some groceries. The larger size meant we could share the one bottle on our outings instead of bringing more than one. After using it for a couple days I realized I actually like it more than my SIGG bottle.

The new bottle is made by Green Planet Bottle. Even though it is bigger, the bottle is contoured such that is has a really nice grip and it is still lightweight. The opening is wider and thus, easy to pour into. The metal around the opening is also thin, making drinking from the bottle nicer than from my SIGG bottle which has a pretty thick lip.

Thought I’d share this incase you’re in the market for a plastic alternative!

Green Planet Bottle Website: http://www.greenplanetbottle.com/

CSA Share – Week 3

This week included: lots of garlic scapes, carrots, spinach, lettuce, red swiss chard, scallions, kohlrabi, a new asian green

PYO: snap peas, parsley, thyme, chives

Jeromy picked up our share from our friend’s house on his way home for work. It was a late night so we ordered in sushi instead of cooking. But are planning big dinner salads for tonight, swiss chard with pasta tomorrow night and probably grilling scapes and scallions over the weekend. It was such a nice surprise to see scapes again, for the 3rd week in a row. I also think I’ll cook the spinach up with some pasta too. We passed on more cabbage since we still have a lot of the vegetable slaw that we made on Sunday left. If you haven’t seen the recipe I suggest you check it out, it was a very yummy and refreshing slaw (it was my previous post).

Next week it’s our turn to go to the farm again for the pickup and I’m really looking forward it! Our farm partners with other local groups and so has other goodies for sale at pickup, I plan to get some more honey and probably some cheese and maple syrup. My friend, Jen, said the garlic goat cheese was really good. I just hope we get some better weather, this stretch of gloomy, raining days is really starting to get to me.

Product Recommendation: Cutting Board – Epicurean

If you are in the market for a new cutting board I highly recommend the Epicurean boards. We bought a couple about a year ago and just picked up 2 more since I now cut things so often through the day for my daughter’s meals. We discovered them at Williams Sonoma.

They:

• are very durable
• go in the dishwasher
• are eco-friendly
• are great if you prefer wood cutting boards to others as there is a similar feel
• come in good sizes

Here is a link to learn more about the boards – http://www.epicureancs.com/