It seems that fall has finally arrived – the air is crisp and the leaves have changed and are falling off the trees. I love this time of year and the vegetables that we receive this week from Stoneledge Farm will help fill our tables with the bounty of the harvest. Here is the letter that I received from Deb Kavakos, who owns Stoneledge Farm with her husband Pete:
Dear Member:
We are starting to work away at the vegetables that we have harvested earlier in the season and have been curing in the greenhouses or in the barn. We always feel a little squirrel like as we start to look towards our stored treasures. Shallots and also Delicata Winter Squash are ready for distribution and will be in your share this week.
We have grown Shallots for two years now and they are quickly becoming one of our favorite onion type vegetables. The shallots are started in the green house as one of our earliest seedings in March. When they are transplanted into the field in the spring they look a lot like blades of thick grass. Shallots are harvested before the frosts and the bulbs have grown thick and beautiful with a reddish tinge to the skin. Some of them split and will have two or more bulbs, some stay as singles and grow quite large.
The Delicata Winter Squash, or as some call it the Sweet Potato Winter Squash, is one of the favorite winter squash varieties. The skin is not as hard as some of the varieties and it will cook well washed and placed whole in the oven to bake. When it is soft to the touch, remove the squash, cut in half and remove the seeds. The squash is a bit thinner skinned and fleshed and could dry out if cut before baking.
Enjoy the fall weather and harvest-Deb
The produce that we will receive on Tuesday:
Carrots (This is a new variety, although they are orange colored like the Bolero. The variety, Ya Ya is harder for us to harvest because the greens are not very hardy, but the carrot is so sweet and juicy. I think that by this time with all of the carrots that we have produced this year, everyone is becoming a carrot expert and you will be able to taste the difference. A carrot is not just a carrot! • Potatoes • Delicata Winter Squash • Shallots • Broccoli • Cheddar Cauliflower • Oregano • Collards • Purple Top Turnips with the greens (If you like Mustard Greens, you will also like Turnip Greens. The bottom should be used separatly. )
We will also receive some apples and pears – some or all of the following: Fortune, Winesap, Mutsu, Golden Delicious Apples and Bosc Pears.
Enjoy the vegetables, and thanks for supporting our Farm Market. We are open Wednesday mornings from 8-12 at PS 11, 320 West 21st Street, NYC.
Debbie Osborne
Deborah Donnenfeld said
Here are a couple of very easy “recipes.”
Deborah
The only way my family will eat cauliflower:
Cut cauliflower into smallish pieces and put into a roasting pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, rock salt (not too much), several grinds of pepper, and about a teaspoon of thyme (optional). Cook at 400 degrees for about a 1/2 hour, shaking the pan every 10 minutes. Serve.
Delicata squash (also good for Acorn squash, even though you can eat the skin of the Delicata, but not the Acorn – cut the Acorn into 1/2-3/4 inch wedges)
Cut Delicata squash in half lengthwise, and take out the seeds. Then cut across into 1/2-inch semicircles, and put into a roasting pan with a little olive oil. Toss to coat. Cook for 20-30 minutes, shaking pan every 10 minutes. Remove when squash is nicely browned, at least on one side.
While squash is cooking, mix together the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 minced garlic clove, olive oil (approximately the same amount, or a little less than the lime juice), salt and pepper, 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and a little minced jalapeño, or other hot chili pepper (optional).
Put squash in a bowl and toss with dressing. Serve. (Leftovers are also good cold.)
ps11farmmkt said
We will be serving some of our veggies Wednesday evening at our Math Mac N Cheese Night. Roasted Turnips & Carrots & Cooked Greens will be on the menu in addition to Una’s Mac N Cheese. Apples for dessert. Yummm. Debbie
Kristin said
The apples I got today are AMAZINGLY good, and such a bargain… Thank you guys. See you tonight!