August 25th and 28th

Eggplant Frenzy

I hope your kitchens' are as fragrant and beautiful as ours.  Full of colorful veg and vibrant flowers, we are loving the bounty summer brings.  I never really like eggplant before I started to grow it.  Actually, I refused to grow it for my first several years at LRF, feeling that it was a tricky plant to grow in Maine's short and somewhat cool summer.  Plus, since it's not a favorite to all, finding field space for it was never a priority.  But a few shareholders, (uh-hmm, Mark and Anita) kept asking for it so I gave it a try.  There must be something about this place, but from the get go, eggplants just seem to spew from my plants.  And this year has been no exception (although, maybe I have just jinxed myself for 2016!).  In fact, I have made a farm note to grow less next year, we just can't eat it fast enough.  Not only are the fruits gorgeous, but they are a fun sweet texture in the dishes we have been cooking lately.  I think the fresh farm flavor converted me.  So if you think you don't like eggplant, or any vegetable for that matter, give it a 2nd chance at Little Ridge Farm, amazing new flavors might just surprise you. 

 

 

Sunday morning has been filled with chopping and roasting, charring and puréeing.  We are freezing baba ganoush and diced, roasted eggplant that will add flavor to many winter meals.  It's raining outside, a nice soft rain, so it's a perfect morning for food prep and savory indulgence.

 

Last night was also spent in the kitchen, dancing and cooking some amazing stuffed Pablano peppers.  This is the first year I have grown them, and I think they are keepers!  The dish we made was pretty rich, but there are so many stuffing options...potatoes, chicken, salsa...we will be sure to try many variations.  We are also trying to dry a few--they twill turn a rich red and be used to make ancho chili sauce.

 

While we work so hard, sweating, harvesting, weeding, planting... the carrots just stroll around the farm, hand in hand under the shade of our tropical kale "trees".  Ah, what a life.

 

 

This week's Bounty!  kale, chard, sweet onion, scallions, cukes, zukes, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, carrots, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, melons and herbs

 

 

Farmer's Table:

  *veggie lasagna with kale, eggplant, zucchini...

  *chard spanakopita

  *Russian beet and potato salad

  *pasta primavera

  *stuffed Pablanos

  *blueberry cream pie with a grahm cracker crust

 

 

Shareholder's Table:

  *http://farmtotablekitchen.blogspot.com/

 

Eggplant Anonymous:

"I have been cutting eggplants into slabs, then coating with olive oil and garlic scape puree, salt and pepper.  Then grilling the eggplant until nice and soft. Once cooled, i put it in food processor with basil, lemon juice and a bit more olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and puree.   I have been using this on sandwiches with melted cheese, tomatoes and lettuce, dipping carrots and pita wedges into it, or using as a pizza sauce and even adding dollops onto a salad.  i am a bit obsessed (and i never cared about eggplants before either)."

 

 

 

 

Week 19 Sept 28th and Oct 1st

BEETS

I find beets to be one of those you either love them or you hate them kinda veg. Personally, I love them...shredded raw, pickled, roasted, baked in brownies...anything that can naturally turn your skin a color must be good for you! A classic fall beet dish is borscht. It is a flavorful hearty stew and uses many of the vegetables available at this time if year. I will also unveil my beet brownie recipe once again. Well, it's not really "mine" but I found it in this great cookbook called "Gardener's Community Cookbook". It is a fabulous collection of recipes from all over the states. Mostly they are simple recipes, but very tasty--unique ways to eat fresh veg.

Introducing Pedro (the six fingered cat) and Inca Dink.
So I am a sucker for kittens. They were buy one get one free! I just couldn't help it.

Ahhhhh! A little break on Moosehead Lake.

Today is raining. It always seems to do this right before a frost, which makes harvesting a tad uncomfortable. Luckily it is not too cold a rain. I am planning on getting quite a bit in this wed/thurs, if anyone wants to get dirty : )

The tomatoes are just about done. Seems like the theme for this season--a rush of color and juice, then gone. Feast or famine, chow when you can. I have been feeling a bit gluttonous this year. First it was peas, then beans, then corn (man I ate alot of corn), melons and then tomatoes...now we are moving into winter squash. Oh and onions, but for some reason onions seem a little bit tougher to be gluttonous with. I cut up 16 about an hour ago for catsup and my eyes are still burning!

PYO Pumpkin Party and Potluck this Saturday from 10-2!!!!

This Week's Loot: lettuce, onions, carrots, beets, potatoes, kale, winter squash tomatoes

Next week's Loot: spinach, onions, carrots, pumpkins, chinese cabbage?

Recipes:

Beet Brownies

4 oz unsweetened choc

1 stick butter, room temp

1/2 pound trimmed, cooked and pureed beets

3/4 cup raspberry jam

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1.5 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c flour

1. preheat to 350, lightly grease a 13x9

2. melt choc and butter, add the beets and 1/4 cup of the jam, whisk til smooth

3. crack eggs into a bowl, add salt, beat until foamy. add sugar and vanilla. whisk in choc beet mix, add the flour and whisk until smooth. pour into baking pan

4. gently melt remaining jam and drizzle it over top of batter. bake 25-30 min.

Chocolate Sour Cream Topping

5oz semisweet choc, melted

1/3 c sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

whisk together until smooth and spread over cooled brownies

Week 16--The Nip in the Air

We had our first light frost on Saturday night. We covered a few sensitive things like basil, but for the most part, the remainder of the food in the field is frost hardy and the winter squash still has enough leaf cover to protect them from the cold. Soon though, the I will pull the squash from the field and the back of the barn will transition from crates of onions and potatoes to winter squash. Fall has arrived!!

The gorgeous weather has been a pleasure to work in and it has given me the opportunity to cure things like onions in the field. Typically the weather is too wet, and placing them under cover is much more effective.

I woke up early this morning with a list of "things to do" running through my head. A night of frost is enough to set a little "panic" into my system...there is lots to do before cold really sets in. BUT, with this weather change brings new food to your table. you will see a shift from cucs and zucs to beets and leeks. And some new brassicas like kale and kohl rabi will soon be ready.

Hope you have been enjoying the melons--this week there are some watermelons too.

This Week's Loot: Lettuce Mix, Onions, Garlic, Cucs, Zucs, Melons, Last of the Edemame, Pac Choi, Beets, Carrots, Potatoes, Dill, Cilantro, Mint

Next Week's Loot: Lettuce, Onions, Cucs, Zucs?, Last of the Melons?, Chard, Carrots, Potatoes ,winter squash...

Beautiful Beet Soup

3/4# trimmed beets

3/4 # taters, cut into one inch chunks

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup packed fresh dill

2 cups chicken or veg broth

2/3 cup ha;f and half

2 Tbs lemon juice

8 fresh mint leaves

Sour cream or yogurt for garnish

1. Place beets in 4c water and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork tender, drain, SAVING the water.

2. When beets are cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch chunks

3. Meanwhile, place potatoes, onions, dill and broth in a pot and bring to boil. Simmer gently until taters are tender

4. Place beets, beet liquid and potato mix into a blender. Blend until smooth. Stir in half and half, lemon juice salt and pepper to taste

5. Serve hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream and mint