This Week's Delivery Saturday July 15, 2011

Ahem...bags. We need bags.

Just want to thank all of the volunteers who covered pickups last week while we were at Polyface Farm. What an incredible experience! We attended a whole day of workshops on raising rabbits, raising chickens, gardening, composting, growing mushrooms, and marketing. Our kids spent most of the day in the chicken house. Yep. We had an incredible lunch and sat and ate on bales of hay with 1500 other people! Such and amazing inspiring day and we were thankful to have been there. You helped make that possible. Here are some pictures:

This is Dan, a former Polyface apprentice, who now gets space to garden at the farm for free. He grows produce to sell to local chefs and in exchange he cooks for a team of 25 people weeknights at the farm. His daughter and wife were there with him and he spoke of how his daughter gave him absolute purpose and confidence in his mission at the farm.

Our youngest Harper takes a break under a tree and enjoys a peach.

All four of our kids on the porch swing at Polyface. Ha! Not fighting!

Lunch in the main barn. We sat on bales of hay that were lined up on top of, yes, manure! Seriously fertile land! Barbeque pork, chicken, and beef, sliced cucumbers, sliced peaches, and buttermilk chocolate cake-yum!

Store In the Fridge:

Apricots (unless you are eating them right away-also, let them come to room temp before eating)-Papa's Orchard

Summer Squash-Hartland Farm

Japanese Eggplant-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Gypsy Peppers-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Store In A Cool Dry Place:

Tomatoes-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Also Available This Week:

These items will be located in the fridge in the garage. If we're not there just grab what you want and leave your money on the box on the table. By the way, we're looking for an old cigar box if you have one laying around.

Eggs! Yahoo!: $4/dozen, cash or check

Kombucha! Yahoo!: $6 for 75o ml (Please Return the Bottle!) cash or check

Kombucha Ingredients Are: Organic Fair Trade Black Tea, Organic Cane Sugar, Kombucha Culture Started By Christy

There is only a little Kombucha available but production will increase, especially if you like it! Please give me feedback if possible. I have been making Kombucha at home since December of last year and we all drink it regularly (kids, too!) Sometimes I mess around with flavors-look out- but apparently the sign of a good Kombucha Brewer is their ability to make a great unflavored Kombucha.

Just sayin'.

New to the world of Kombucha? Here's a great site to learn more.

If you have questions, please e-mail me. I love to talk.

Checks can be made out To Tom and/or Christy Przystawik

Recipes and Information

Whole Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Lemon and Soy Sauce Epicurious | May 2011

by Tadashi Ono & Harris Salat

The Japanese Grill

Japanese eggplants have thin skins and few seeds, just meaty, flavorful flesh that transforms into tender, creamy textured, fragrant, smoky goodness when grilled. The classic way to enjoy this dish is with just soy sauce or Ponzu and a mound of katsuobushi, dried shaved bonito flakes (a type of tuna). The dressing below is more contemporary but also fantastic. Either way, get your hands on these eggplants and grill them. Yield: Serves 4 2 tablespoons soy sauce 4 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound) 1/4 cup katsuobushi, dried, shaved bonito flakes (a type of tuna), optional Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl to make the dressing; set aside. Score the stem end of each eggplant, making a circular cut in the skin (this will make the eggplant easier to peel). Poke a few holes into the eggplants with a skewer or fork to allow steam to escape as they grill. Preheat a grill to medium. Grill for about 8 minutes, turning the eggplants a quarter turn every 2 minutes. Try to grill the eggplant all around. Test the eggplants for doneness by pressing against their sides with a pair of tongs. If the eggplants give easily, they're ready. Transfer the eggplants to a plate. As soon as the eggplants are cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skin (the skin comes off more easily if the eggplant is warm; don't let it cool completely). Once you've removed the skin, remove the stems, and slice each eggplant into 4 pieces, cutting on an angle. Transfer the eggplant slices to a platter. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with the bonito, and serve.

Best Way Ever To Eat A Tomato

(btw, I publish this every year)

a tomato, at least one

salt

pepper

extra virgin olive oil

a loaf of quality crusty bread, sliced

Ok first prepare to wonder why you've never done this with a tomato because it's so delicious and simple.

Grate the whole tomato on a box grater over a bowl. It will seem weird at first but just trust me and keep grating until you have nothing but peel left. Eat, freeze, or compost that peel. Now you have the grated tomato in a bowl. Season that with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Next, toast your really delicious bread until nice and crispy. Spoon your tomato mixture over the bread. (Do not do this ahead or things get soggy.)

Eat.

That's it. So, so good.

Extra bonus experience: Top tomato bread with really good quality anchovies, or chile peppers from your garden, or fresh picked and ripped up herbs, or your favorite olives, or schmear with grassfed butter before the tomato.

with thanks,

christy and tom