ATHENS HILLS SUMMER CSA:

WEEK TWENTY

Hello Everyone!

Wow, the end of the season is here already and we are sending you off with a great share of delicious produce. Our autumn crops are doing well with the warm temperatures, but the change in daylight hours and the cold nights are both having their effects despite the unseasonable temperatures.

Our plants can’t deny the pull of Mother Nature, and neither can we. We have felt the urgency of preparing for colder weather and have shifted into high gear with winter preparations and plantings. The greens in the cold frames look very good already and will be ready to harvest by the time the Winter CSA starts, if not before. Next season should be great—we are even expecting to have spinach in December this year (I know I’m excited)!

Please remember that even though this week marks the end of the Summer CSA season, it doesn’t have to mean the end of our relationship. Please feel free to call, email and visit whenever you have a chance. We really appreciate your support over the past months and we would love to hear from you anytime, so don’t be shy. Thanks again for a great season and we wish you all the best for the future. Happy Election Day!

Best Wishes,

Claudia

PS: Please don’t forget to return your boxes to your pick-up location. Thanks so much!

FEATURED VEGGIES

Salad Mix (The salad mix is still doing well and we’ve begun planting the next round of lettuces in the greenhouses for the winter. It is truly wonderful to have these greens fresh throughout the year!)

Micro Mix (Yes, they’re back for the final share of the season. Enjoy our famous mix of sunflower, buckwheat, radish, cabbage & kogane.)

Mushrooms (By now you are familiar with our fungi. I hope that you can savor these one more time as the summer season comes to a close.)

Cilantro (This is one of my favorite herbs since it lends itself to so many different cuisines and seasons of food. Make your favorite salsa, or add it to a wonderful Thai side dish.)

Arugula (Is it an herb? Is it a green? I’m not positive but I do know that it is one spicy (peppery) crop that works wonders in a salad. It also makes a fantastic pesto of its own—just use walnuts instead of pine nuts.)

Salad Radishes (We wanted to add a bit of color to your last share and thought that these lovely roots would do just fine. I hope you enjoy them in their entire fall splendor.)

Green Onions (Who doesn’t love these small staples? You know what to do with them J.)

Garlic (This is another of our favorite fall crops, and definitely one of my favorite herbs to have in my kitchen. Spicy & fragrant, you can’t go wrong adding this gem to a sauce, salad dressing or stir-fry.)

Russet Potatoes (These did great this year and we are hoping that you will enjoy their delightful taste in your favorite dishes. These will keep best in a cool, dry, dark place and would be perfect for Thanksgiving!)

Recipe: Three Salad Dressings (All Serve 4)

Lemon, Oil & Honey Dressing

4 Tbs. sunflower oil

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 Tbs. honey

1 ½ Tbs. fresh or dried

mint

You can blend these in a blender or food processor, or heat the honey gently until it is thin enough to blend in with the other ingredients. This dressing is good for salads containing sweet vegetables (for example, carrots, beets or fennel)

Cider Vinegar Dressing

4 Tbs. canola oil

4 Tbs. cider vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbs. fresh herbs (mint

or parsley), or

dried herbs (basil

or thyme)

Mix ingredients. This is a good all-purpose salad dressing, and you can experiment with different herbs.

Greek Salad Dressing

½ C. plain yogurt

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

Mix these ingredients together and then serve over a bed of lettuce, feta, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers & poppy seeds.

(Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Food For All, 1996.)

Recipe: Individual Potato Puddings

(Serves 6)

6 medium-sized potatoes

1 bunch of green onions

2 eggs, well beaten

½ C. sifted all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. white pepper

4 Tbs. butter, melted

Pare and grate the potatoes. They should yield 2 ½ to 3 cups of grated potato. Allow potatoes to stand a few minutes, then discard excess liquid amounting to 2 to 3 tablespoons. Add grated onions and eggs. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper and sift into mixture. Add the melted butter and spoon mixture into greased muffin cups filling them well to the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until puddings are browned and crusty. Remove from the oven, let stand a few minutes, run a sharp thin knife around the rim of each pudding, and remove from muffin tins. Serve hot. If necessary, puddings may be kept warm in the oven for a short while until serving time.

(Recipe courtesy of What Cooks in Suburbia, 1961.)

Recipe: Buttered Peas and Mushrooms (Serves 6)

Peas, cooked tender and full-flavored by the waterless method, combine with sautéed mushrooms, marjoram, and minced fresh parsley in this most appealing vegetable dish.

2 Tbs. butter

2 packages frozen peas, thawed just

enough to be broken into small

chunks

1 small onion, sliced in half

large lettuce leaves

3 Tbs. butter

¼ lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1/8 tsp. marjoram

salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

In a heavy saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and add the frozen green peas in chunks and the onion halves. Cover peas with large lettuce leaves, tucking leaves in well around the peas. Cover saucepan tightly and simmer very gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until peas are tender. Add no water during cooking process.

Meanwhile melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, add the sliced mushrooms, and sauté until tender. Combine with the cooked peas (discard lettuce leaves and onion into compost) and add the minced parsley, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve.

(Recipe courtesy of What Cooks in Suburbia, 1961.)