This Week's Delivery Saturday October 30, 2010

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. ~Elizabeth Berry

Broccoli - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Bintje Potatoes- Path Valley Farms

Delicata Squash - Stolzfus Farm

Magness Pear - Papa's Orchard

Yellow Wax Beans-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Asian Greens Mix - Second Spring Farm

Recipes and Information

Bintje Potatoes

An heirloom Dutch variety called “Bintje” (Pronounced “ben-jee”). “Bintje” or “Miss Bintje” as it was known at its introduction in 1910 was the work of a botanist schoolmaster named Kornelis Friesland. Master Friesland used potatoes as a hands-on teaching tool in his classroom to illustrate the principles of plant genetics and cross breeding. He named each resulting hybrid potato after one of his children of which he had nine. But when he produced the tenth hybrid potato in ~1905 (a cross between Munstersen and Fransen) he found inspiration in his best pupil, Miss Bintje Jansma. And one might say that the rest of the story is “potato history.”

Today Bintje potatoes are the most widely grown yellow-fleshed potato in the world. Farmers appreciate Bintje’s productivity and its tolerance to a wide range of soils. Commercial produce firms like Bintje for its storage ability and its good looks. Even on close inspection a Bintje is smooth and well rounded. Plus its skin has a silk-like finish. But where Bintje truly excels is in the kitchen. Its starch solid content of ~20% puts it in the middle of the ‘wax vs flour’ spectrum and thus they can play either role. And most important is that the flavor of a Bintje is exceptional. Some describe it as having a unique light, nut-like flavor. I don’t taste that note but I agree that it is an exceptional spud.

Despite Bintje’s world-wide reputation it is largely unknown in America. Much of that may be due to America’s long-standing “potato color barrier.” Until a Canadian university invented the Yukon Gold in the 1970s the American public wouldn’t look twice at a spud unless it had snow-white flesh. But Yukon got a toehold in our market when restaurant chefs were intrigued by its “unusual look.” Growers liked Yukon because they were huge (Remember that Americans nearly always think “Big food is better food.”) and Yukon’s ultra-short growing season allow them to be planted nearly all the way North to the permafrost. But the thorn-in-the-side issue with Yukon Gold is the taste. Yukon is a pretty average-tasting potato. And that’s on a good day.

Magness Pear

This pear was released by the USDA in 1968 as a very high quality dessert pear that will survive under heavy fireblight pressure. Sometimes tardy to start bearing, but the fruit quality makes up for the light early cropping (branch-spreading will significantly help). Mature trees are productive if good pollination is provided. Magness ripens a week after Bartlett. Excellent keeper.

Baked Delicata Squash Rings

1 delicata squash
1 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Have on hand two (2) large rimmed baking sheets.

With a long paring knife, cut the squash into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Then cut around the centers of the rounds to remove the seeds.

Place the squash rounds on the baking sheets. Pour the butter and olive oil over the rings. Turn the rings so they're coated on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange the rings so they do not overlap on the baking sheets. Bake approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven.

To serve, stack the rings on individual serving plates or a large platter, sprinkle with salt and thyme, and serve at once.

Honey-Glazed Wax Beans

Gourmet

1 pound wax (yellow) or green beans, trimmed 1 tablespoon mild honey 3/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon salt Cook beans in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately toss with honey, zest, and salt in a large bowl.

with thanks,

christy and tom