Daily Archives: October 4, 2012

Week Twenty Two of the CSA

Posted on October 4, 2012 by AnnieRie

A baker’s dozen. Thirteen items. That is what we got today. Three weeks to go.

sandy spring CSA week 22 of 2012

1 Head Broccoli
1 Bunch Dinosaur Kale
1 Bunch White Kohlrabi
1 Bag Loose Gold Beets
1 Head Green Leaf Lettuce
1 Head Green Escarole
1 Bag Sweet Potatoes
1 Bag Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 Bunch Gai Lan Chinese Broccoli
1 Long Island Cheese Pumpkin
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Bunch French Breakfast Radishes
1 Bag Sweet Onions

As for value this week, it is pretty much off the charts. I did some comparisons from Wegmans and some from Harris Teeter. The numbers say this.

Broccoli $2.50. Broccolini (close to GaiLan) $3.50. Kale $2.50. Kohlrabi not found. Beets $2.50. Lettuce and Escarole $2.50 each. Sweet Potatoes $2.50 a pound X 3 pounds is $7.50. Pumpkin (I could only find exotic squash for $1.70 a pound times 3 pounds is approximately $5. Cilantro $2. Radishes $2. Yukon Gold Potatoes $5 for 3 pounds. Onions $2 each for organic, so $6.

Total for organic veggies comparing it to supermarket prices = $43.50 not counting the kohlrabi. We pay $29.72 a week for our organic box of veggies. Again, we see that buying from the CSA is a good value.

Now, kohlrabi. Not something we would have bought on our own. Actually, we love it now that the CSA has introduced it to us. My recipe from last spring.

kohlrabi

As for the Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, it is destined to become a pumpkin pie courtesy of this recipe.

And even though I was generous and used a low number for the cost of the leaf lettuce, this puppy was so huge it didn’t fit in the salad spinner. There will be lots of salads and lots of good food this week. It will be crazy though, since we have dinner engagements three times in the next week. Lots of lunch salads.

I need to pop over to In Her Chucks to add this to the linkparty and see what everyone else is cooking with their CSA veggies.

hocofood@@@

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Foodie, Meet Locavore

Posted on October 4, 2012 by AnnieRie

I have written before about how my two different “worlds” collide. The locavore in me who eats as much fresh local items as I can, and that inquisitive foodie that loves ethnic foods from all around the world, and searches for exotic spices, fruits and veggies.

Last night’s dinner reflected that conflict. It turned out to be extremely tasty. Italian whole grain flatbread with ajvar, pesto, chicken and parmesan on it.

I used the last of my pesto and the ajvar I made a week ago. We had been noshing on it and there was just enough left to spread over the flatbread. I had leftover roast chicken from a visit to Bistro Blanc Tuesday night, which I shredded and added on top.

pesto and ajvar

A little Parmesan from Roots. Some herbs, salt and white pepper. Simple, served with a side salad of arugula, grapes and almonds. And, we opened a very nice Verdejo from Paso a Paso. We found a number of inexpensive bottles of Spanish and Portuguese wines at Pine Orchards a few weeks back.

Thanks to my locavore friends in our food challenge, I discovered ajvar. I also found jars of it at Roots. VaVa Ajvar, and they also sell something called Lutenica. I bought one of the ajvar to compare to my homemade version. My husband agreed. My version is better. We will have to try the Lutenica though. To see how it is made.

According to the tag, this is a Macedonian version of the spread. My original recipe was Serbian. My recipe used vinegar and garlic. This one is milder due to the lack of those ingredients.

As for the flatbread, bought at Roots, I really like this quick and easy way to make dinner. There will be many more dinners made using my frozen pestos and ovendried tomatoes spread over flatbread.