Hello everyone! Jess here to check in with a CSA check-in. I hope everyone had a wonderful week of Thanksgiving! To say it’s been a weird and trying year is an understatement. Today, I had a moment of reflection, (as I often do when photographing the CSA bounty), reminded of how grateful I am to have so many folks doing so much to make honest food – not only under the best of circumstances, but also during incredibly tough times. Whether it’s milking local cows, making local cheese, growing and sharing fruits and veggies, raising livestock… As a consumer, it blows my mind on a regular basis to see a table like this, thinking of all the hours that went into this one CSA pickup, it just never gets old.
- Milk Products from Tully Farms Dairy, Dunstable MA – I ordered Skim Milk and Heavy Cream.
- Mozzarella House – Cheeses, Peabody, MA (I got Ovoline and Ricotta!!!) These cheeses are divine! The Ricotta pairs so nicely with thinly quartered radish, see below!
- Springdell Meat Products – I received Sweet and Hot Italian Sausage, perfect for a baked ziti with the ricotta and parsley.
- Parsley – Snip the ends, remove the low leaves and pop in a glass of water near a cool windowsill.
- Rainbow Carrots – These will keep in their bags for a bit if stored in the fridge crisper drawer. If you accidentally forget them, you can breathe life into a wilty carrot by cutting off the tops (big ends) and sticking them in a glass of water in the fridge for 8 hours or so.
- Sweet Potatoes – Store these in a cool dry place, but not with the onions. If you have a breakfast sausage pack, try this sweet potato hash!
- Potatoes – Ditto what I said with the sweet potatoes above. If you’re a traditionalist, garlic mashed is the way to go (I love this quick-prep slow cooker version if time is short.)
- Eggs– Store in the fridge until ready for use, and enjoy these little protein bombs!
- Apples – Until you’re ready to enjoy, fridge or other cold storage is best for these. This variety will be enjoyed as-is, but I have some storage apples from a previous sharebox ready for Waldorf Turkey Salad.
- Parsnips – Roast ’em up or, store with the carrots until you’re ready for use.
- Shallots– Store near the onions. This is a great week to try that Shallot and Parsley Pan Sauce with a big ol’ Springdell Steak! A pan sauce with Shallots and apples is also delicious on pork chops! Slivers of shallot can also make their way into a roasted sheet pan of veggies.
- Brussels Sprouts– Speaking of a roasted sheet pan of veggies, my last round of Brussels sprouts wound up roasted with bacon lardons and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
- Onions– Onions store fabulously in a cool dark onion bin – check, pull and immediately use any that are losing their texture, as they may be fixing to sprout. My ripcord idea when I get a lot of onions is usually to caramelize a batch and then add with wild abandon to just about any dish.
- Garlic– A couple of lovely looking bulbs. These also like cool dark and dry storage.
- Butternut Squash– A keeper in cold storage until you’re ready for use. Try some smoky chili or enchiladas for a departure from the classic roast and mash.
Thank you for reading this week’s CSA digest! As always, please feel free to check in with any questions you may have about a particular veggie, or to share any tips tricks and recipes of your own. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy.