Happy New Year! 2011 Terms

Food Matters’ CSA 2011

What Is The Food Matters CSA?

The Food Matters Community Supported Agriculture program seeks to source local produce and products for our members for thirty eight weeks out of the year. Our CSA gives you access to the broad network of farmers and producers we use for our restaurant. As a result we are able to provide a longer running and more diverse offering of our region’s bounty. Tom and Christy each have more than 15 years restaurant experience and have worked hard to form relationships with the farmers and producers whose foods you will come to know and love.

Duration Of CSA

We will provide 37 weeks of produce and/or products for pick up on Saturdays at Food Matters. Beginning March 5 and ending November 19 (no pick up on August 20.)

Cost of CSA

$23 per week for each share, 37 weeks, $851.00 plus tax.

Payment Terms

Payments are due on or before February 27. We would prefer you paid for your entire share in advance. We are willing to allow partial payments - either two or four. The whole or partial payments must be made on the following dates:

One Payment: $851.00 plus tax due February 27.

Two Payments: $425.50 plus tax due on February 27, $425.5 plus tax due July 9

Four Payments: $212.75 plus tax due on February 27, $212.75 plus tax due on April 23, $212.75 plus tax due on July 9 and the final $212.75 plus tax due on September 17

All 2010 Members have a guaranteed spot should they choose to join.

Accepted Forms of Payment

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, cash, and personal checks. Please do not pre-write your check without the tax!

Items and Amounts Included in Weekly Deliveries

Produce and products will be gleaned from the farmers, gardeners, producers, co-ops, and community garden plots we steward. We, like the farmers, cannot guarantee the availability of anything at anytime. All produce from our farmers is either Certified Organic or the farms are practicing organic but not seeking certification or cannot afford certification.

In addition to produce, we may supplement your bag with items such as honey, maple syrup, cornmeal, cheese, and beans in order to offer you a greater variety of foods to enjoy. Recipes are also included each week. Information will be communicated via e-mail and our CSA blog.

A share will feed a couple most of their vegetables for a week or a small family who cooks at home several nights a week.

Typical Items From Specific Weeks In 2010 CSA:

February: Yellow Carrots, Purple Beets, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Honey, Button Mushrooms, Red Potatoes, York Apples, Red Bull Onions

May: Scallions, Radishes, Kale, Broccoli Rabe, Fresh Chive Plant

July: Tomatoes, Corn, Cantelope, Peppers, Beans, Garlic, Beets

October: Stayman Apples, Mutsu Apples, Cabbage, Carrots, Leeks, Broccoli, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes

Weekly Recipes, Information, Etc.

As a member you will be added to our CSA e-mail list and blog so that you receive weekly updates through your e-mail. At any point you may visit the blog to view or leave comments or recipes, search for ideas, or just hang out. The blog address is:

www.foodmatterscsa.blogspot.com

How Pickups Work and Location of Pickups

Pickup is simple. Each week a reusable bag of produce will be provided. Simply sign for your bag, return your bag from the previous week, and either head out or stay to eat at Food Matters. It is important that you return your bag so that we can reuse them each week.

If You Cannot Pickup

You may have someone else pick up for you and in this case you do not need to communicate anything to us. Just make sure that person signs for you. If no one can pick up we ask that you let us know by Wednesday of that week and you may double up on another week. You must let us know by Wednesday of the week you plan to double up.

Very Important: If you cannot come please do not call or e-mail the day of pickup. In this case your share may not be available. All shares left at the end of the day on Saturday will be donated to a local shelter or family in need. You absolutely may not pick up your share on Sunday. The bags are broken down on Saturday and the produced is repurposed or donated.

Pickup Location

Food Matters on Saturdays from 11am to 11pm.

4906 Brenman Park Drive

Alexandria, VA 22304

703-461-3663

www.foodmattersva.com

Availability of Local Meat, Poultry, and Other Items

Meat, cheese, and/or other items will be available for purchase but some notice will be needed for those orders.

Chickens will always be available. Any order of more than one will require advance notice.

Eggs can also be purchased at the restaurant.

Other items can be purchased from us. Just ask – we might be able to find it!

Benefits of Joining our CSA:

10% off all Food Matters Food Purchases for Members During CSA Season

-Knowing where your food comes from

-Learning about new produce and how to cook it

-Eating seasonally

-Fellowship opportunities with other members

-First priority at future membership

-Supporting a way of life: The number of small farms in the United States has decreased dramatically in the last decade. Please help us preserve an honest and worthy means of making a living. (No Farms, No Food)

-Enhance local economy: By purchasing produce and other items from local growers you are providing stability to your local economy through the support of local businesses.

-Freshness: Locally Grown foods are the freshest you can find anywhere! You will be amazed at the difference in taste that “fresh” makes.

-Save natural resources: Buying locally makes you a valuable link in the process of saving resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials. We are right here in your community, so the expense of transportation and delivery is kept to a minimum.

What You Need To be Able To Do

-Pickup on Saturdays, most of the 37 weeks

-Cook often

-Understand what it means to eat with the seasons

Still Not Sure? Here Are Some Comments From Members:

“Thanks! We love hearing what is available beforehand, so we can go to the

farmers market or store in the morning and not buy the same stuff, or

can buy another ingredient from the recipes. The variety is nice, too.”

“Thanks for including where/how to store the different vegetables this week. Very useful. I also wanted to say that I tried your recipes for pea shoots and the Asian greens and they were killer! Thanks so much for providing suggestions for how to cook with ingredients we may not be all that familiar with.”

“Please sign me up for this great opportunity to get some great food and support the local farms. Also, thanks for your commitment to the community and Cameron Station. My friends and I here are grateful for Food Matters and enjoy you place very very much.”

“This was my first year with CSA, and I am anxious to do it again next year. Thanks so much for creating a program that lets me support local producers, eat better, get creative with cooking, and remind me of spending great times with my family in the garden when I was a kid.”

“So thank you for the enrichment of my life---with the CSA and with the ongoing commitment to healthy food in the restaurant. I try to drag anyone in that I can!!! I will miss the Saturday adventure.”

“Our involvement with your CSA has been many things to us. Introduction to vegetables we had never tried. An increase in the amount of veg we are eating. Weight loss and better health. Coming to Food Matters each Saturday has been easy and fun. Fun every time we look inside our bag to see exactly what we have. All in all the experience has been great! Sign us up for next year.”

“We've thoroughly enjoyed being members of the CSA. Just finished a delicious dinner of roasted broccoli, curried sweet potatoes, and mashed cauliflower! We definitely would like to participate again.”


Can you tell how important this is to us?

If you know that you'd like to join please plan on making your first payment (but do not pay until confirmed) and respond to christy@foodmattersva.com with the following information:

1. Contact person for your FMCSA Membership Account (one contact

per account, please.)

2. The e-mail address(es) that you'd like to have on the list to

receive information. (If you are sharing the bounty, you

may want to have your FMCSA partner receive communications.)

3. Phone number for the contact person.

4. Choice of payment plan (one, two, or four payments.)

5. How did you find out about us?

How To Quit

We rely on your membership for 37 weeks but if you are sincerely dissatisfied you may request cancellation and we will refund your money. If we are unhappy with any member’s lack of participation we reserve the right to cancel that membership and refund the money for the remaining weeks.

The Last Delivery Of The Year November 20, 2010

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. -Winston Churchill

PS-You can keep your bags this week!

Braising Greens Mix - Second Spring Farm

Hakurai Turnips- Second Spring Farm

Bintje Potatoes - Path Valley Farms

Green Leaf Lettuce - Landisdale Farm

Carrots -Breezy Hill Farm

Nittany Apples -Papa's Orchard

Honey -Ferree Bee Products

Monacacy Ash -Cherry Glen Goat Cheese

We're picturing a beautiful Thanksgiving table with loads of thoughtfully prepared local food for everyone to enjoy. And while we're on the subject, thank you.
Thank you for supporting Food Matters as well as local (and really small) farms. You have made a difference in the lives of so many. You have taught your children where food comes from and how to eat well. You have spent your hard earned money and in turn have voted with your dollars for something you feel to be important. You have made a long commitment to eat and cook and pick up and not waste.
Thank you for the bags of donated food that went to people who needed them badly. An anonymous gift is so heart-breakingly generous.
Thanks for your questions and comments and constructive criticism.
We are thankful for your notes and your words.
So very thankful.

We hope to see you again next year because in just four short months this will start up again! Whether or not you choose to join again please share with us any (helpful and kindly-stated) feedback that you feel would make this program better.

In the meantime we'll keep supporting local farmers through our menu, through the Winter months, so we hope to see you at Food Matters.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday November 13, 2010

At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind.
-Michael Pollan

Mushrooms-Mother Earth Farm

Acorn Squash-New Morning Farm

Broccoli-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Nittany Apples-Papa's Orchard

Turnips-Second Spring Farm

Arugula-Second Spring Farm

Recipes and Information

Nittany apple-Medium to large fruit is a York Imperial type. Apple is green to yellow in color with reddish blush. Flesh oxides very slowly and gives a creamy yellow color to processed products. Outstanding for processing and baking.

Arugula Aioli (Garlic Mayonnaise)

Use this delicious and healthy spread for sandwiches or with cooked vegetables!

• 1/2 cup lightly packed baby arugula
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the aioli to a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Mushroom Ragout

A rich mushroom dish, great on it's own, with pasta, or with fish or meat.

1/2 pound mushrooms
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 leek, white part only, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
2 T creme fraiche or sour cream (plus a little more if desired)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into chunks of roughly even size.

2. Melt the butter in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and stir to mix well. Add the thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper and mix well. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze.

4. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes (cooking time will depend on variety and age of mushrooms).

5. Stir in the creme fraiche and heat through. (Add more if you want more liquid.) Taste and add more salt if needed. Season well with pepper and serve.

With Thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday November 6, 2010

Rutabagas – Landisdale Farm
Magness Pears – Papa’s Orchard
Sweet Potatoes – Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Butternut Squash – Second Spring Farm
Braising Greens – Second Spring Farm

• Recipes and Information

Braising Greens are a certain combination of greens that are meant to be eaten together. The mix usually includes collard greens, kale, asian greens, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, and/or dandelion greens. Store the greens in a damp cloth in the refrigerator. Remove any tough stems before eating. the greens can be eaten raw but they have a strong flavor and texture and usually taste better cooked. they can be steamed, sauteed, added to pastas, soups, rice, potatoes, or simply cook and toss with olive oil or butter and salt.

Braising Greens Tacos

- serves 2 -

12 ounces braising greens
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white or red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water

12 corn tortillas, warmed with a bit of water in a kitchen towel in the microwave
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (or feta, or goat cheese)

A large handful (6-10) cherry tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
(Alternatively, a store-bought salsa or hot sauce will work)

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium high, add the onion and cook until golden but still a bit crunchy, 4-5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, slice the greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.

3. Add the garlic and chili flakes to the onion and cook for an additional minute, then add the broth or water, a large pinch of salt, and the greens. Reduce heat to low and braise, covered, for about 5 minutes or until the greens are nearing tender, but not quite finished.

4. Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes into a dry skillet over medium-high heat until blistered, transfer to a small food processor with the chipotle pepper and a large pinch of salt, and blend until smooth.

5. Remove the cover from the greens and cook off the moisture until it is nearly dry. Season with salt if necessary. Fill each taco—two tortillas thick—with a tongful of the greens, a spoonful of salsa, and the queso fresco.

with thanks,

christy and tom

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

This Week's Delivery Saturday October 23, 2010

“It's weird...you know the end of something great is coming, but you want to hold on, just for one more second...just so it can hurt a little more.”

Store In The Fridge:

CHERRY BELLE RADISH – Path Valley Farms

CHIOGGIA BEET ROOTS – JACOB HOSTETLER

HAKUREI TURNIPS – SECOND SPRING FARM

BROCCOLI – Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Store In A Cool Dry Place

BUTTERNUT SQUASH – SECOND SPRING FARM

FUJI APPLES – PAPA’S ORCHARD

Recipes

Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

¼ cup olive oil
1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 flavorful apples, preferably Gala, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
¾ tsp curry powder
¾ tsp ground mace
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 cup good-quality apple cider
1 quart chicken stock (vegetable works fine as well)
½ tsp salt
¼ freshly ground pepper, preferably white

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the squash, apples, and onion, and stir to coat with oil.

Sauté uncovered, stirring occasionally, for ten to fifteen minutes, or until onion is transparent.

Stir in the mace, curry, and cardamom, and continue cooking until the onion begins to brown.

Add the cider. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for three minutes. Add the stock, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer the mixture, partially covered, for another 35 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Working in batches, blend mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth (be careful to not overfill, as hot liquid could expand when machine is switched on, making a huge, burning-hot mess). Return soup to the stockpot. Reduce the soup, uncovered, over medium-low heat, to about one-fourth. Stir occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Serves 4-5.

braised turnips, onions & carrots
1 T butter (use non-dairy spread for a vegan version)
2 small turnips, sliced
1/2 sweet onion, cut into thin slices
1 large carrot, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 c vegetable broth
1/2 t sugar
4 sprigs of thyme
salt & pepper

In a large pan, melt butter over medium-high heat and add turnips, onions, and carrots and yellow pepper. Gently toss vegetables around the pan until glistening and warm. Pour in vegetable broth and add in sugar. Put a lid on the pan and let everything come to a boil. Add in thyme. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the turnip and carrots can easily be pierced with a fork. Season with lots of black pepper and add salt if needed.

broccoli crunch slaw
1 large head of broccoli
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 c roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 c dried cranberries
2 T greek yogurt
2 T mayo
juice of 1/2 lemon (or the whole thing, depending on taste)
couple of dashes of hot sauce
a small squirt of honey
salt & pepper to taste

Use a large knife to thinly chop up the broccoli into a rough slaw. Dump into a medium sized bowl along with the red onion, almonds, and cranberries. Put the remaining ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake. Taste & adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour onto broccoli slaw and toss until everything is coated.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday October 16, 2010

We do have a small amount of local grassfed beef roast this Saturday. Please ask a manager if you'd like some, Eva or Christy.

Store In The Fridge:

Hakurai Turnips with Greens – Second Spring Farm

Siberian Kale – Second Spring Farm

Arugula – Second Spring Farm

Scallions – Greenbriar Produce

Store In A Cool Dry Spot:

Asian Pears – Papa’s Orchard

Yukon Gold Potatoes – Help From Above Farm

Recipes

I know we link this site here on the blog but in case you never check it, they have an awesome kale recipe

right here.

How to Roast Any Vegetable (Great For The Turnips)

• Pre-heat oven to 425°F
• Chop or break up vegetables, or roast them whole. The larger the piece, the longer it will take to cook.
• Place in an oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan, or a roasting pan. Have neither? Make a boat out of aluminum foil. Whichever you use, tent the top with foil.
• Drizzle with a spoonful or two of olive oil, just enough to very lightly coat when tossed. Toss.
• In general, the harder (to the touch) the vegetable, and larger in size, the longer it takes to roast. Whole beets can take an hour or more, while asparagus will roast up in about 10 minutes and doesn't need the tenting.
• Test for doneness by pricking with the tip of a paring knife. Knife should pull out easily. Also notice the aroma becoming rich and even listen for sounds from the oven.
• For a crispy finish, remove when you have 5-10 minutes left.
• Serve with a light shower of sea salt or sprinkle nuts (whole, chopped or ground), breadcrumbs, or grated cheese (like Parmesan) on top.
• Don't be afraid to experiment: while the classics like potatoes, squash, beets and carrots are always good, try branching out with cabbage, fennel, leeks, even fruit like grapes, oranges, quince.

Fried Brown Rice with Ginger and Scallions
serves 2

1 cup brown rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Drizzle chili oil (optional)
3-inch chunk of ginger, peeled and grated into pulp
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
5-6 scallions, sliced very fine
1 small bunch flat parsley, chopped
2 eggs, beaten (optional)

Bring water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the rice, stir, then cover and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes or until tender. Put in the fridge to cool.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan until quite hot. Add the ginger and fry for about a minute. Don't let it burn, though. Add the rice and toss to coat with oil and ginger. Cook for about a minute.

Stir the vinegar and soy sauce together and add to the rice. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Add the scallions and parsley and cook for another minute or until everything is warmed through.

If adding the egg, add now and cook for one more minute, or until egg is thoroughly cooked.

with thanks,

christy and tom