The Cornucopia Connection

2012-01-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

We just got the most amazing, delicious fruit here at the coop--the humble egg fruit, so named for its yolky flesh. Five out of five taste testers say it tastes like a love triangle between a mango, an avocado, and a sweet potato. It's ripe when it yields to gentle pressure and om the inside are two lustrous seeds like buckeyes. Check out the picture on fruitipedia.com (http://www.fruitipedia.com/Canistel.htm), the trees look like friendly green Muppets.

www.wiwords.com

We also have blueberries for sale. They're $3.35 per container and luscious.

2012-01-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

You go away for a few weeks on winter break and everything changes. Our fearless Monday night manager Lily got promoted to the produce manager position, where she is using her artistic eye to arrange food for our viewing pleasure. You can see the glorious results below, featuring Phyllis, the coop Madonna. Isn't she lovely? Maria, the light of my life and Pindi's bandmate in the lovely quartet Coconut Moon (please go see their Brazilian brilliance immediately), has been promoted to a position in the kitchen. They will be missed by the Monday night crew, and that's the last time I ever go out of town for more than a day or two.

In the meantime, the local produce just keeps on coming. I moved here from Michigan, a land of slush and ice and terrifying snow creatures, so the plethora of greenery available from local farmers does not cease to amaze me. Featured here this week is local broccoli from Veggie Patch farm for $5.95 a pound. I have some of the this loveliness at home and it's been making its way into my stir fries and veggie soups (add it at the end so it doesn't turn to mush).

Also since I've been away we've added a new line of fruit and vegetable juices from Arden's Garden, with flavors like carrot-apple ginger and hotshot.

Hope your New Year was more fabulous than ever before and that all goes well!
Jenners

2011-11-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

There was an entire row of goodness at the Coop tonight, pictured below, that I had to share with the whole wide world. First of all, you may have noticed the abundance of pecans at the Farmer's Market, and we have some unhulled pecans at the Coop from Blue Moon farms for only $2.00 per pound. I have been eating local pecans for weeks and I am amazed at how lovely and buttery they taste--I don't ever wanna go back.

Having just finished part of a sweet dumpling squash I wanted to point out the autumn bounty. Resting angelically next to the pecans we have spaghetti ($1.75/lb.), sweet dumpling ($1.20/lb.), and butternut squashes (squashii? $1.35;/lb.). I've used spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta with a marvelous sauce made of lamb from the Farmer's Market--yum. And, if your house is freezing cold like mine, you can bake squash and huddle pathetically in front of the oven at the same time! Score!

Happy Days,
Jen

Seeing orange

2011-11-21T17:20:00.001-08:00

When I walked into the coop this evening I was greeted by the sunset colors of fall. I had to share them with you in this brief blog post--brief because I, a Michitucky transplant, have to make my way northward for the holiday very soon. So here are a few beautiful orange fruits to sweeten your week.

The tangerines are $2.35 a pound and 4/4 beautiful coop taste-testers agreed that they are fabulous. The Hachiya persimmons are $2.35 each (weird!) and they need to turn to little orange bags of jelly before you eat them. Seriously, and unripe Hachiya is an affront to the taste buds, but a ripe one is rapturous.

Happy holidays!
Jen

Peary delicious

2011-11-07T17:20:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure the concorde pears make people fall in love with you, or at the very least they make people like you an awful lot. When Maria tasted one, she said it tasted like honey, with a pleasant grainy texture. Besides the starkrimson pears, these are my favorite coop pears. They are redolent of flowers and the way that bees fall asleep in them if they are caught away from the colony for too long.

So to celebrate them I made a pear mandala and then made coop workers stand next to it. They love posing for my pictures. The concordes are $0.70 each and so worth it; the starkrimson are $1.20 each; those brow boscs are $0.80 each; and those tiny greenish seckel pears, which are so sweet and adorable in their own right, are $3.35 per pound. Oh please come in and enjoy the delicious pearishness of the coop, we welcome you to the fruit party.

Have a great week!
Jen

Tastes so good it's scary

2011-10-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

There are so many good things at the Coop this week I can't pick just one. We have a wall of local chard, pac choi, mixed greens, and arugula from Blue Moon Farm, Veggie Patch, Red Star Farm, and The Portico. We have been waiting for these beautiful greens (and reds) and they have been delivered, like manna from a misty green heaven.

This isn't technically produce, but I noticed two new kombucha flavors from Synergy that I wanted to share: grape and cherry chia. They look crazy, with little chia floaties, but they are wondersome. Chia is a type of Salvia used in Latin America with a high Omega-3 fatty acid content, so I guess they are one of those superfoods we are always hearing about. Thank goodness cacao is a superfood...

Also, have you tried the ambrosia apples? If you ask Pindi (one of the fab cashiers), I have an apple addiction and ambrosias are not making it any better. Seriously, if I eat one more ambrosia I might start sprouting a tree from my stomach. Remember the good old days of childhood, when you thought that the fruit seeds you ate would sprout in your tummies? I still live in that world. Call me old fashioned.

Have a great week and come on by for a treat! Happy Halloween!

2011-10-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Friends are there to show you where the coconuts are. These two friends (Maria and Pindi), lovely Coop volunteers, and budding young coconut modelers are also members of the band Coconut Moon. How apropos! So friends are also there to help you express yourself musically, which was so poignantly captured by the band Tenacious D ("As long as there's a record deal we'll always be friends.").

If you find young coconuts mystifying, have no fear, for I have found a photograph tutorial to help you face that issue, and emerge on the other side victorious, coconut and machete in hand. Check this out: http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-food-all-about-young-coconuts/. What is the inside of a young coconut like? It's full of faintly sweet coconut water that you can mix in smoothies or drink as is for a refreshing beverage. The inside is coated with a thin gelatinous film (yeah, the word gelatinous always makes me hungry, too) that is also sweet and delicious. The above website suggests using it in pudding or fruit salads, which I imagine would be very tasty. I myself just scoop it out with my gigantic bear paw. You cannot go wrong! That thick coconut husk is in between you and the nutritional goodness that is rightfully yours! Are you just going to stand there with your machete looking all sad or are you going to whack that coconut open and claim your victory?!

Maybe you are just going to wear it like a silly hat. Which is also acceptable. Lots of things make good hats.

2011-10-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it's time for midterms, and my eyes feel like tiny dry garbanzo beans scraping around the ole skull sockets. So this post is going to be short and sweet.

Let's talk about what I love about the Coop. I love pineapples, don't you? These beauties are from Costa Rica (which I also love), and they're going for about $5 per giant fruit, or $1.50 a wedge. And they are right below the Kombucha, which I also love, and you should try some of that, too. Somebody has been trying it, cause my favorite flavor, gingerberry, is out of stock. How could you do this to me during midterms? Sad face.

I freaking love these little baggies of okra from Dragonfly Farm, and they're just $1.50 each. I've been eyeing them for the blog, and it just seems like time to let those little green guys shine.

I love turnip greens (though I love turnips more). They're $2.25 per big, bushy bundle and they are beautiful.

That's all I can give you folks! See you next week when midterms are over and I am free at last!
Jen D.

Seeing red

2011-10-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Was it the pomegranate that helped expel Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? If you drop a ripe pomegranate in a circle drawn on the floor, will the number of seeds that fall beyond the circle predict the number of offspring you will have? Was Persephone's inability to resist that temptress pomegranate the reason that we have distinct seasons of summer and winter in the temperate world?

Eh, probably not. But the legends of this prolific fruit are many, and suggest a long history of human engagement with pomegranates. I can see why, as the fruits have a lovely deep wine flavor.

Pomegranates are actually multiple fruits, formed from the joined ovaries of individual flowers. Those ovaries become the tiny ruby fruits that comprise the pomegranate. In the pomegranate's case these fertilized ovaries are surrounded by a fleshy mesocarp, encased within an exocarp (the tough outside), all tucked inside a layer of tasty bacon. Mmmmm, bacon.

Sorry. I forgot to eat dinner before coming to the Coop. Anyway, that's probably all you need to know today as far as plant terminology. Below this post you can see some starkrimson pears, which just happened to be sitting next to the pomegranates, and also just happened to be the same color. It's a two for one fruit day here at the Cornucopia Blog. That's right, two fruits in one blog post! Crazy! The pears are a buck each and the pomegranates are $1.45 apiece, so come on by and grab em!

Have a fab week!
Jen

Look at the pears, so haughty on their banana throne. Now look at the organic farmer sticker! Yeah!

Avocado Key Lime Delicata

2011-09-26T17:12:00.001-07:00

See those beauties, sitting in a basket, looking tropical? Those are some fine avocados, and they are $1.55 each (less than some competitors, I checked), and they are organically grown in the far-away country of California. I know they are fantastic because I have been eating the heck out of them this past week--no mealy spots or hidden blemishes in the ones I've had, just creamy, delicious, salad-topping worthy goodness. But below is the real reason I wanted to talk about avocados...

That's right, avocado key lime pie. The picture above is from greencilantro.blogspot.com, but did you know that the Coop makes its very own avocado key lime pie? It's delish--the last time I walked out of here with a slice of it I had it eaten before I walked a whole block. It's creamy, zesty, perfect for these neverending sultry days. Do yourself a favor and pick up a slice the next time you come in. I would have taken a picture of the Coop key lime pie, but alas, it has all been purchased--a testament to its fabulous nature.

And here is a delicata squash attached to Angie's arm. Why? Because it's fused together like zucchinis you sometimes see, and because this freaky vegetable is also on sale at the Coop. All of them aren't special like this one, but I hear they have a beautiful flavor.

Enjoy!

Jen

2011-09-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

While walking in a top secret location yesterday I spotted the rotund, dangling bodies of some persimmons hanging off a tree. I walked into the Coop this afternoon, and there they were again! I'm being stalked by persimmons, but that is no problem. Where I am from most recently (the frozen north) we don't have these marvelous fruits just growing willy-nilly. Lucky Georgians.

A ripe persimmon tastes kind of like a spicy custard wrapped in a thick orange skin. Erin's kitchen (http://erinskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/11/how-to-eat-persimmons.html) describes the finer points of eating persimmons, but it's basically a peel (or not) and eat kind of a deal. We tried one at the Coop and found it had a subtle sweetness, with a hint of sweet potato or yucca--there's something delightfully crunchy and almost vegetable in the taste.

These persimmons come from Mountainville Nursery in Auburn, GA. They are a mere $2.70/# and if you're lucky I'll leave some for ya.

"Possum in a Simmon tree
Raccoon on the ground.
Raccoon says you son-of-a-gun
Shake some Simmon's down!"

--from "Bile Them Cabbage Down" 

Photo courtesy of http://localecology.org/localecologist/2007/10/harvest-walk-persimmon-pomelo.html

2011-09-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

You walk into the Coop, looking for the pears I am about to proselytize to you. You find them in the cooler, sitting round-bellied and humble in their basket like Buddha fruits. When you reach for the pear that calls your name, you pause for a moment, thanking your lucky stars that you live in Georgia. I know this because I shared that moment with my own pear before I hacked it into pieces to sample for this blog post.

You might be tempted to judge the pears. ABOVE ALL ELSE, DO NOT JUDGE THE PEARS! Their skins are lightly freckled in some cases, but this isn't a beauty contest, and what's inside actually does count. Their juiciness and honey-sweet taste lit up the eyes of other Coopers here, and lord knows I don't dote on bad fruit. Plus, these are local pears from Red Clay Dog farms and they are only $2.25 per pound. Pretty sweet.

I love food blogs, particularly gluten free ones, and Elana's Pantry is one of my favorites. Some nights, instead of reading Marx and Weber, I scan food blogs for new recipes--don't tell my advisors. Here is a marvelous recipe for pear clafoutis, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/pear-clafoutis/

Have a Daily week!
Jen

Peaches = proof that nature loves you and wants you to be happy

2011-09-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Three out of three randomly selected, double blind taste-testing coopers believe in these peaches' healing abilities. These peaches made the gentle rains fall this afternoon and diverted the tornadoes, sending them packing to the south. These peaches are organic (i.e., grown and packaged by unicorns). These peaches have spunk and pizazz, and a minimum of fuzz. They were grown in South Carolina, which makes them pretty close to local. And look at how they brighten up the display case! It's madness! The world was made so that humanity could adorn its plates with sliced, fresh yellow peaches covered with crème fraiche and a drizzle of maple syrup. I'm not making this up. And they're only 85¢ each, which means that at the end of my shift here I'm taking a few of these lovelies home.

And since you asked so nicely, here's a peach cobbler recipe for ya: http://busterbucks.hubpages.com/hub/Worlds-Best-Peach-Cobbler-Recipe

Scuppernong Muscadine Leviosa!

2011-09-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

Just what the heck is a scuppernong grape? It's also called a muscadine and, according to “State Symbols USA” it’s the official state fruit of North Carolina. In Roanoke there is reportedly an enormous scuppernong vine that is over 400 years old. Wikipedia, which for some reason I have been viewing as a credible source of information as I get older, states that the etymological root of the word scuppernong can be found in the Algonquin word for sweet bay tree, “ascopo.”

But I know you’re wondering, what do scuppernongs taste like? Well, I was lucky enough to try one of these giant muscadines a few nights ago (they're only $2,50 per pint!). The skin was thick and tangy, and the flesh was sweet and slightly musky, like wine. It was thoroughly enjoyable except for the seeds, which were a little bitter. But if you keep the seeds perhaps you’ll find yourself with an acre of muscadine vines someday. I’d suggest pairing these beauties with some feta cheese, and perhaps some sweet fig marmalade. Or feel free to leave a jar of homemade scuppernong jam at the Coop for me when you’re done. Yes? Yes!

Here’s an interesting recipe for scuppernong cake: http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/02/recipe-scuppernong-cake/

And one for peach scuppernong salsa:

http://huggingthecoast.com/2009/09/03/southern-peach-scuppernong-salsa-recipe/

Enjoy!

Above is volunteer Eloise, hiding behind a herd of escaped muscadines.

Red hot summer peppers!

2011-08-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more seductive than a bell pepper, sitting poised and chilly in the refrigerator on a summer day. The way it beckons you, inviting you to slice it into wedges for dipping into hummus, or thin strips for a homemade pizza. The sheer vegetable juiciness of a pepper simply cannot be beat.

Luckily for you lovely Georgians, the Daily Groceries Coop and Dragonfly Farm (http://www.davidsdragonflyfarm.com/) have teamed up to bring you fresh yellow, green, and red bell peppers, as well as jalepeño and cayenne peppers. Think it's too hot outside for spicy peppers? Think again! Add some fresh cilantro or grated coconut to peppery dishes to cool them off and add wonderful flavors. Bell peppers are $3.00 per pound and spicy peppers are $6.00 per pound.

If your stomach started growling at the mention of homemade hummus and fresh peppers, stop by the refrigerated section for some chipotle-cilantro or double green hummus. (But be careful--it's addictive!)

2011-04-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Beautiful local Red and Green Scallions from Roots Farm in fresh today! They're only 2/bunch, so grab some while they last!

Bella Bells!

2010-08-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

We've got lovely large Local Red, Yellow and Green Bell Peppers from David's Dragonfly Farm. David is a really nice guy and his produce is lovely in a no-nonsense sort of way, which I appreciate. We also have Local Watermelon, Okra, Eggplant and Tomatoes from Mel's Garden. Yum!

Buried in Cherries!

2010-08-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

Very delicious Dark Sweet Cherries! Get them while they last, folks - the cherry season is short! Cherries are mega-good for you - they have tons of antioxidants, and are supposed to help you stay at a healthy weight. Delicious and Nutritious!

It's Watermelon Season!

2010-07-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Local Watermelon at Daily y'all!

Lychees!

2010-07-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

Super delicious Lychee Fruit came in today! Get it fast because these delicious, flowery fruits will be gone before you know it!

Beautiful Noodlefuls

2010-07-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Chinese Red Noodle Beans from one of our favorite customers - Leslie, who has a large garden at her home, The Portico. Leslie always brings us jokes and smiles and we're so glad that this summer she's been bringing us lovely produce as well! Try this recipe for Red Noodle Beans with Cracked Black Pepper - or Iris suggests just sauteeing them with garlic. Yum!

Holy Smokin' Local Okra!

2010-07-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

3.00/lb Local Okra from the wonderful Mel! Wikipedia says:

"The name "okra" is of West African origin and is cognate with "ọ́kụ̀rụ̀" in Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria."

Also:

Okra seeds may be roasted and ground to form a caffeinate-free substitute for coffee.

Yuck! But, in all seriousness, Okra is amazingly delicious and is used in cuisines all over the world - African, Indian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Brazilian, Japanese, and of course good old Southern American. You could eat okra a different way every day for a year! How about this Vegetarian Gumbo tonight?

Pleased with Peas

2010-07-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

The first Pink-Eyed Purple-Hull Peas just came in from Mel! They are pre-shelled and unimaginably fresh and creamy and delicious; the difference between fresh peas and dried is really unbelievable.

I thought about posting up the video of My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas with a caption saying "NOT THESE PEAS" but on rewatching the video it was even more sickening than I had remembered so I decided not to.

Eat Fresh Local Produce!
Don't Objectify Women!

Patty Cake Patty Cake Bake yer Pan!

2010-07-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Patty Pan Squash from Thiel Farms! Maybe tonight's the night to try out this Stuffed Summer Squash with Goat Cheese and Romesco Recipe? It looks fantastic!

Put up your CUKES!

2010-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

This June has brought us a bumper crop of CUCUMBERS! Every farmer has them up to their ears, which is lucky because there isn't a more cooling vegetable for us to enjoy during this unreasonably unseasonably hot month. Drew and I have been having a lot of cucumber-mint Raita, we attended a picking party at Tiny Farm, and I'm even eating a cucumber sandwich as I write this!

Daily's been getting these crisp, delightful veggies from David at Dragonfly Farm and they're only .75/ea! (!!!)

Fun Fact: The inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside air on a warm day! (Thanks, The Secret Admirer!)

BONKERS FOR BLUEBERRIES

2010-06-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

YES! We have fresh, local Blueberries from Jubilee Partners! Jennifer from Jubilee says they will probably have blueberries all the way until Auguest 9th, so make sure to fill up on Maximum Blueberries (not to mention all the amazing vitamins and antioxidants they contain!) all through July. Did you know that July is National Blueberry Month? Let's all read Blueberries for Sal by the wonderful Robert McCloskey to celebrate!

Corn from Tim and Alice!

2010-06-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's back! Fresh corn from the Mills! 4.50 for a bag of 5 ears or .85 per ear. Come and get it quickly; it goes ultra fast!

Glorious Chard!

2010-06-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

It was hoppin' at the Farmer's Market today, despite the southern sauna-like atmosphere. I picked up fresh Summer Squash (Cedar Grove), Potatoes and Green Beans (Blue Moon), Tomatoes (The Veggie Patch) and beautiful Chard (Fertile Crescent).

Later in the day Mel stopped by with more Zucchini and Peppers, so it was a good day for me.

We just sold out of our first local Corn of the season but we should be getting more soon!

Here's an enthusiastic video about Chard, although I don't think it should be pronounced "Sh." (Also, spray-oils are wack.)

Hooray! It's Summer!

2010-06-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Howdy fruit and veggie lovers! The winter months were long and it got hard to blog about tomatoes from Mexico and pears from Argentina! Then Spring and Summer hit and we suddenly had so much DELICIOUS AMAZING local food that we didn't even have time to catch our breaths! Here is some of the fantastic food we have from our farming friends!

Zucchini and Yellow Squash from Mel's Farm!
Cucumbers and Zephyr Squash from Michael at the McMullan Family Farm!
Magda and Patty-Pan Squash from Jay at Cedar Grove!
Wonderful Tomatoes from The Veggie Patch!
Golden Cucs and Plums from Mark at Red Clay Dog!
Aaand the star of the show:

Chanterelles!

Hand-picked by our own Michael and Mara!

I had Chanterelles for the first time last week and they were no joke. Our friend Laura cooked them in a simple white-wine and cream sauce with home-made pasta and it really was a special culinary experience to have. Here's a recipe; extremely recommended!

Ataulfo Mango!

2010-03-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ataulfo Mangos! Smaller and less fibrous than our usual Kent Mangos. Check 'em out!

Also: more veggie art!

2010-03-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

We've been getting in lots of gorgeous Strawberries from Jordan Farms, a family-owned farm in Florida that's been growing Strawberries since 1927 (!). Customers have been raving about them!

Also, vicious orphans pelt the aesthetically deficient cartoon Beatles, resulting in a marginally strawberry-related magical-montage:

Lettuce in it's cold out here!

2010-03-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

We've been getting some beautiful Local Lettuce Mix in from Jay and Marlene at Cedar Grove! If you missed their awesome spinach, don't be too sad - we're hoping to get some more in next week.

Beautiful Cedar Grove - Photo taken from LocallyGrown.net

Other fun things here at Daily have included Local Cilantro from Dancing Sprout, some really good Florida Strawberries, and an abundance of Kale and Collards. Stop on by!

Smokin' Sunchokes

2010-02-25T06:41:00.000-08:00

New from OO Gardens! Gorgeous Jerusalem Artichokes, AKA Sunchokes. They are crunchy, slightly sweet, and delicious. Eat 'em raw or lightly cooked - they're great!

Try out this Sunchoke and Mushroom Saute from myrecipes.com!

Also don't forget all the excellent Local Carrots we've been getting in from Roots Farm!

Sunburst Daily!

2010-02-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

We've been getting a lot of good Sunburst Squash in lately. If you haven't ever tried Sunburst Squash (or Scallop, or Flying Saucer, or Pattypan - they're all very similar), I highly recommend it - it's very similar to Zucchini, but firmer, a little sweeter, and with a slightly bitter finish. It can be substituted for Zucchini in most recipes, and it's beautiful color and scalloped edges can lend dishes a lovely decorative touch.

Here's a tasty sounding soup recipe from Healthy Recipes for Kids (it has chicken stock, but I'm sure you can substitute out veggie broth).

Chillin' Summer Squash Soup
Ingredients:
4 medium Zucchini, washed and sliced in 1 inch pieces
1 large Yellow Crookneck Squash, washed and sliced in 1 inch pieces
1 Pattypan Squash, quartered
1 large Onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
3 cups Chicken Broth, defatted
Salt and Ground White Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 cup Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

Steps:
Place squash, onion, garlic, broth, salt, and white pepper in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Puree the squash mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Set aside a small amount of the basil and parsley for garnishing.
Add the basil, parsley and lemon juice and puree again.
Stir in the yogurt.
Store soup in a covered container in the refrigerater for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Whisk the soup until smooth just before serving.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and parsley.
Serve chilled.

Serves 6

Have you seen our extraordinary new sign?

2010-02-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

The Adored Concord

2010-02-15T12:29:00.000-08:00

Concord Pears! We got two boxes of these awesome pears today, because after getting one last Thursday I was really blown away by how delicious they are. Firm, rich, sweet - a fantastic pear.

I've been finding that fruits tend to be the very best when they first appear (the Bosc pears are still good, but not quite as fine as those first couple boxes last Fall), so snap a bunch of these up while they're at their zenith. I've eaten at least a dozen already.

Also, we understand egg futures are up. (Thanks, Jeff!)

Parsnip for the Course

2010-02-12T11:33:00.000-08:00

From the intriguing blog The Domestic Soundscape.

Parsnips! Very similar to carrots, but more strongly flavored, these guys are great baked, in soups, stews, etc. Plus if you've been having wintertime blues, parsnips have 600 mg of Potassium per half cup! (Potassium is good if you're feeling angsty.)

Monday Funday

2010-02-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

Artichokes! Asparagus!What a delight! Everyone at Daily has been getting haircuts and hungering for Spring. Maybe that's why we've been selling so much Spring Mix.

Pineapple!

2010-02-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

We've been getting more of the ever-popular pineapple in lately! It's been so flavorful and sweet all season, everyone's commented on it. We also cut the pineapple into convenient wedges for you, so you don't have to buy the whole intimidating thing.

Bag a' Roots

2010-02-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

Rutabagas in for the first time! Rutabagas are known by many different names - Swede (England), Tumshie or Neep (Scotland), and Snaggers (North-East England). However, Wikipedia cautions, don't confuse Rutabagas with Mangelwurzel. Got it, Wikipedia. Thanks for the warning.

Here's a recipe for the Finnish Christmas Casserole Lanttulaatikko, which sounds delicious. Rutabagas can also be baked, boiled, added to soups and stews, or sliced thin and put in salads!

We're Into: Local Pecans and Cilantro; Delicata, Spaghetti, and Sunburst Squash, Sweet Onions, Mustard Greens, Red and Lacinato Kale, Sunburst Squash, Broccoli, Royal Mandarins, Pineapple, Tangelos, Mangoes
We're Out Of: Eggplant, Strawberries

Living Basil!

2010-02-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

We just got in 20 bunches of Living Basil from local farm BJ's Produce! Each basil bunch is a single living plant with its own root ball, snuggled cozily in individual wraps made of biodegradable plastics. If you don't refrigerate your basil and keep its root ball moist, your plant should stay hale and hearty for at least 10 days - giving you the freshest basil possible.

BJ's Produce is right next to Terrapin Brewery, down Newton Bridge, so it's as local as you can get!

Lovely and Local... Carrots!

2010-01-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

Sweet little Carrots just in from Roots Farm! They'll be gone fast, so come and get 'em. These vivacious photos are from the Roots Farm website (our carrots don't have tops, but they're just as beautiful).

Daily Super, Roots-Farm worker, and man-about-town David Mack cradles a carrot (our carrots not guaranteed to having been personally cradled by David Mack).

We're Into: Local Turnips and Pecans; Beets, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Red and Green Bell Peppers, Lacinato Kale, Sunburst Squash, Zucchini, Broccoli, Collards, Dandelion Greens, Huckleberry Potatoes
We're Out Of: Orange Peppers, Sweet Onions, Shallots, Ruby Grapefruit, Strawberries, Blueberries, Eggplant

Huckleberry Potatoes!

2010-01-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

Our fantastic photographer friend Bianca Bidiuc is now studying abroad in Paris, but before she left she took lots and lots of pictures for us. Here are some gorgeous ones of the beautiful bright purple Huckleberry Potatoes we've been getting in. As you can see from the photos, they're colorful on the inside, too!

Huckleberry Potatoes are great for baking, steaming, and having cold in salads.

We're Into: Local Turnips and Pecans; Beets, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Red and Green Bell Peppers, Lacinato Kale, Sunburst Squash, Zucchini, Broccoli, Collards, Dandelion Greens, Spinach, Huckleberry Potatoes, Mangos
We're Out Of: Orange Peppers, Sweet Onions, Shallots, Ruby Grapefruit, Strawberries, Blueberries

There's No Season like Snow Pea Season

2010-01-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

If you don't like Snow Peas, you're crazy. For one, they can grow even in the middle of winter (hence the name snow pea). For two, they're one of the earliest-known cultivated plants, grown as long as 12,000 years ago. And finally, in French they're called mange-tout, meaning "eat it all." Which is just very appealing.

We're Into: Local Cilantro, Turnips and Pecans; Beets, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Yellow Squash, Red, Green and Orange Bell Peppers, Kale, Dandelion Greens, Strawberries, Blueberries, Spinach, Huckleberry Potatoes, Russet Potatoes.
We're Out Of: Zucchini, Broccoli.

Tasty Sister Three

2010-01-23T07:23:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks! I'm back from visiting my family in sunny Arizona, and excited to recommend to you this excellent Delicata Squash we've been getting rave reviews about (one customer said it was the best winter squash she'd ever tasted!). Being more of a fry-pan person myself, I was initially cautious of baking-and-stewing-friendly winter squash, but they actually tend to be very easy to prepare - as easy as just slicing and baking them plain, although you can gussy them up with sweetness and butter like this recipe from localsustainabilty.net, or get really fancy and make Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed with White Beans, Greens & Sage (from Eggs on Sunday).

Squash are a new world food. Wikipedia says:

Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main indigenous plants used for agriculture: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops.

And for etymology addicts:

The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (a green thing eaten raw), a word from the Narragansett language.

Wow! And here I just thought it was called Squash because it's squishy. (!)

We're Into: Super Bargain Romaine, at only 1.50 a head! Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Red and Orange Bell Peppers, Huckleberry Potatoes, Pink and Ruby Grapefruit.
We're Out Of: Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Cilantro, Green Peppers, Spinach, most Greens.

to the ocean we go

2010-01-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

perhaps this beach boys number can provide a bit of release for everyone thats over this winter nonsense already

Fruits and Veggies

2010-01-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

Is Eating Better one of your New Years resolutions? We are here to help!

We're Into: Eggplant, Beets, Delicata Squash, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Bell Peppers
We're Out Of: Yellow Squash, Local Greens, Chard, Romaine

A real Tangeriney flavor

2010-01-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

We've got delicious Fairchild Tangerines! A cross between clementines and orlando tangelos, Fairchild Tangerines are juicy, sweet and delicious. A perfect, healthy winter snack.

This pic is from FruityCuties.com, which I'll probably be linking to quite a bit I'd imagine.

We're Into: Mel's awesome local Mustard Greens, Chard, Eggplant, Green Kale, Delicata Squash, Mangoes, Thai Young Coconut, Zucchini, Bell Peppers
We're Out Of: Cremini Mushrooms, Button Mushrooms, Broccoli, Pineapple

Egg Plant.

2009-12-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Lots of beautiful, big, fresh Eggplant in today! Also Tangerines, Red Peppers, Green Kale, and Mangoes. Members, rush over before we close at 6 to take advantage of your December bonus discount!

Here's another type of egg plant:

I Sweet Potato What I Sweet Potato and That's All That I Sweet Potato

2009-12-21T10:48:00.000-08:00

Everybody knows Sweet Potatoes are just the thing for the holidays. Big fresh ones in today!

The oddest sweet-potato-themed cartoon on youtube. If anyone knows Korean, I would love to know what the lyrics mean.

Sassy Citrus!

2009-12-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for Citrus! We've got a lot of beautiful Grapefruit now and will be getting some nice Navel Oranges in on Monday. Citrus is a great thing to have around during dim winter months, although I don't personally recommend oranges as stocking stuffers. Forcing health food on children during holidays usually just causes backlash. (Sorry, dentist-who-lived-next-door-and-handed-out-apples-on-Halloween, I'm sure your intentions were good.)

Things get pretty sleepy over the holidays here at Daily, come in and say howdy to us on one of these cold and rainy December days!

Join us in a Grünkohlfahrt

2009-12-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Today's special is Kale! Once again photographed by the astonishing Bianca, we've got some lovely Lacinato Kale for you. This brassy Brassica is also known as Dino Kale, and it has a thicker, nobblier leaf than regular kale and is flavorful and delicious. I didn't eat much kale growing up, and getting to know it recently has been one of my greater delights.

All images copyright Bianca Bidiuc, 2009!

And, I am not usually jealous of Germany's culinary traditions, but Wikipedia says:

A whole culture around kale has developed in north-western Germany. There, most social clubs of any kind will have a Grünkohlfahrt ("kale tour") sometime between October and February, visiting a country inn to consume large quantities of boiled kale, Kassler, Mettwurst and schnapps. Most communities in the area have a yearly kale festival which includes naming a "kale king" (or queen).

Wow!

Dandelion!

2009-12-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

We got some Dandelion Greens in Thursday! Alex White (whose plant expertise you've probably benefited from in his excellent articles in The Radish) told us the English world dandelion finds it's root in the French dent de lion, or Lion's Tooth. Ironically, the French word for dandelion is pissenlit, or pee-the-bed, because of the diuretic effect of the plant's root. (!)

Dandelion greens have a strong bitter flavor, but can be a great addition to salad or a stir-fry. And how about Cheesy Dandelions and Onions? Or dandelion pesto? Super supervisor Lisa recommends spinach and dandelion pie, as well as home-made dandelion wine (an old family recipe). Lacey Davis, co-owner of Tiny Farm, Daily Sammi maker, and radical herbalist extraordinaire is also a big dandelion fan. She says they make a great digestive stimulant, increasing the enzymes your body needs to digest food, and they're a good liver tonic!

Here's a nifty video about foraging wild dandelions, including even more health benefits!

2009-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

What is this fascinating fractal? It's a close up of the amazing (and delicious!) Romanesco Cauliflower! And, surprisingly enough to folks who haven't seen it before, they've been eating it in Italy since the 1500's. It's supposed to be slightly nuttier than cauliflower, and shouldn't be overcooked.

Here's a recipe for Romanesco Cauliflower Pasta; and if it's the mathematics that gets your appetite going, here's a nifty article on Fractal Food.

We're Into: Lacinato Kale, Green Beans, Eggplant, Gold Beets, Dandelion Greens, Spaghetti Squash, Butternut Squash, Broccoli, Cucumbers, persimmons
We're Out Of: Local Greens, Red Kale, Thai Young Coconut

Be My, Be My Baby Bok Choy

2009-12-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

Lovely Baby Bok Choy in for 2.30/lb! It's so big we couldn't bag it in it's regular zip-lock, so we used some celery bags. Don't be fooled!
Why not make some fantastic Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy and Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms? We have both!

We're Into: Red Kale, Red Romaine, Green Beans, Eggplant, Broccolini, Pineapple
We're Out Of: Cucumbers, Red Butter Lettuce, Broccoli

Perfectly Peartastic!

2009-12-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

Bianca did another amazing photo shoot! These stunning photos are of our very own pears, and we couldn't be prouder. Right now, at the peak of pear season, we have d'Anjou, Bosc, Starkrimson, Concorde, and Red Bartlett Pears. They're all delicious, although the concordes might be my current favorite.

Starkrimson

Bosc

All photos c. the amazing Bianca Bidiuc!

We're Into: Shiitake Mushrooms, Red Romaine, Red Butter Lettuce, Broccoli, Avocados, Young Thai Coconut, Mangoes
We're Out Of: Portabello Mushrooms, Pineapple, Greens, Baby Broccoli, Pink Lady Apples, Corn, Beets, Yellow Squash
We're Low On: Green Beans, Eggplant, Red Peppers

pear have you been all my life

2009-12-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

its been a spell since our last update, rest assured though that the produce train is still chugging right along...with citrus being the seasonal super star of late, though the array of pears in our possession seems to grow daily.and what great pears we have!.bosc!red bartlett!anjou!oh my

i've spent many of my adult years avoiding pears after a freak canned pear consumption incident, so i'm a bit of a "n00b" as far as p34rs go.but i ask that the record show that ive seen the light and know the error of my ways.long live the pear king!let us eat of his flesh and drink his juiceblood so that we may live in ever lasting peace in a local, sustainable, organic world.don't wait until it too late!get a pear today and thank me later

Bianca is the Best!

2009-11-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

For this photo shoot the very wonderful Bianca took a bunch of photos of us! Here I'm having a hilarious conversation over my Free-Trade Bananaphone, whereas Phillip appears to have gotten bad news over his Yellow Squashocell; perhaps of a death, or maybe that our supplier is once again out of Button Mushrooms.

Phillip made up this joke. More (not as funny) family friendly vegetable jokes here.

Yeah!!! Thanks, Bianca!

We're Into: Completely beautiful Butterhead and Red and Green Oakleaf Lettuce from Roots Farm!
We're Out Of: Button Mushrooms, Kale!
We're Low On: Radishes, Red Leaf Lettuce, Brussel Sprouts, Persimmons, Tangerines, Eggplant

2009-11-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

Lots of super deals at Daily these days! For instance, ultra-fresh beautiful Orange Cauliflower for only 1.75/each, half the normal price!

Fresh and gorgeous Beets, also half off, an incredible .95/lb!

Sweet Pie Pumpkins! Because of some spotting, we were able to get these reduced to .55/lb. Pie!

I don't know why, but we've been getting smoking deals on Avocados lately; and they're good avocados, too! Only 1.05/ea!

And Free Trade Bananas only 1/lb!? What the heck is going on here!?

Okay, that's enough braggin'! Stop on by when you can!

We're Into: Fresh Wheatgrass! Broccoli, Shiitake Mushrooms, Orange Cauliflower, Baby Bok Choy, Persimmons, Green Peppers!
We're Out Of: Mel's Greens and Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas! Spaghetti Squash, Pomegranates, Pineapple!
We're Low On: Kale, Eggplant

what wonderful citrus you have

2009-11-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

the better to pucker you up with my dear...
splendid news.not only have walter and rebecca returned from their jovial jaunt of the caribbean, they made a trip to the Showcase of Citrus U-Pick Orchard to bring forth fresh (and personally) picked and delectably divine navel oranges.tangerines.grape fruit.aaaaand KUMQUATS.
they dont have factory farmed aesthetic appeal, nor are they quite local.but rest assured they get the produce partners seal of approval for outstanding achievement above and beyond the call of duty
supplies are limited.see you soon?

Tutti Grapefruitti Vodkarutti

Grapefruit
Vodka

Turn grapefruit upside down and peel off rind with a sharp knife (leave whites on)
Cut a deep hole in the top, removing the blossom end
Loosen pulp inside to coax loose the juice
Pour in vodka
Gently squeeze and toss back
(repeat as necessary)

epic photography courtesy of Bianca Bidiuc (our latest and greatest produce partner/official blog photographer)

Silly with Citrus!

2009-11-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

Walter and Rebecca often go down to Florida for their vacation, and when they come back they're sure to stop by family owned and operated Showcase of Citrus in Clermont. So now we have a great selection of some of the freshest citrus imaginable! We have Red Navel Oranges, Yellow Navel Oranges, Fall Glow Tangerines, Kumquats, and Grapefruit. They're all delicious, they're all grown organically.

One of the greatest things about being involved with Daily is all the people who work and volunteer here. We're really lucky to have so many people with amazing stories and skills to share. If you come in on Monday or Thursday mornings you've probably seen Bianca bagging baby spinach and spring mix. Bianca is quintilingual (Romanian, English, Spanish, Italian, French!); she's an International Relations major at UGA, she's WWOOFed in Italy, she's volunteered as a Spanish/English translator for elementary school parent-teacher conferences, she studied abroad in Croatia, she's interning with fellow Daily super-volunteer Laura Vaughn's non-profit program Cucuyo, AND she's an amazing photographer! She took these beautiful photos of our new tangerines and kumquats. Thanks, Bianca!

Pecans!

2009-11-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

If you get your eggs from Daily, you've probably eaten some from the Buffingtons. This Friday Mr. Buffington also brought by some fresh unshelled Pecans from his trees. They're tasty, and only 1.90/lb! Drew and I have noticed the pecan trees around town haven't been producing much, but Mr. Buffington says his are doing great. Wikipedia says researchers as UGA studying pecans have confirmed that they contain sterol, which lower cholesterol!

My mom always keeps a big bowl of nuts and a nutcracker on hand around this time of year, to give folks a healthy slow-food snack while they visit around the kitchen table. Drew's made some pretty killer Pumpkin-Pecan Ravioli. And here's an entire web page devoted to Pecan Pie!

We're Into: Pecans from Mr. Buffington! Local Kale, Turnip Greens, Collards, Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Turnips from Mel! Sunflower Sprouts from Generositee Gypsy!
We're Out Of: Red Potatoes, Russet and Gold Potatoes, Broccoli, Asparagus, Green Cabbage, Yellow Onions
We're Low On: Baby Spinach

2009-11-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my mom for this classic vegetable reference! She writes:

Carter Green the Vegetable Man was in The Hungry Tiger of Oz, which was one of Ruth Plumly Thompson's books. I think he turned into a vegetable man because he ate too many vegetables (whatever he hadn't been able to sell from his vegetable cart). Be warned!

Super pretty Turnips in from Mel! I promise you will not turn into a crazy turnip man if you eat too many. Here's a great-looking recipe for chicken soup with turnips. And here's another one for vegans: Israeli Moroccan Couscous!

We're Into: Local Kale, Turnip Greens, Collards, Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Turnips from Mel! Banana Fingerling Potatoes, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Persimmons, Comice Pears, Pomegranates!
We're Out Of: Red Potatoes, Russet and Gold Potatoes, Broccoli, Asparagus, Yellow Onions
We're Low On: Green Cabbage

wish upon a blog

2009-11-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

somehow funny produce humor finds its way to me.just raising much needed awareness

Playing With Food

2009-11-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Here's an awesome guy:

Here's a longer, but somehow less delightful, vid of the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra. Their music is much more impressive, but I don't think I actually like it as well.

Nice big eggplant came in from Global today, only 1.95/lb. You may make it into a melanzaniklappe if you wish. Or you can eat it.

We're Into: Local Kale, Mixed Greens (Kale, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Rape Greens, Rutabaga Greens), Mustard Greens from Mel! Eggplant, Beets, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Romaine, Carrots, Baby Carrots, Alfalfa Sprouts, Mango, Persimmons, Starkrimson Pears, Pomegranates! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas and Turnips from Mel!
We're Out Of: Ruby Crescent Potatoes, Tangerines, Radishes, Zucchini, Romaine, Baby Broccoli, Asparagus, Parsley, Turnips, Green Leaf Lettuce
We're Low On: Sunflower Sprouts, Turnips, Pink-Eye Purplehull peas, Yellow Squash

2009-11-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

Super Sale On Avocados!!!! We got a smokin' deal on these avocados, which are huge, and now we're reducing them even further to make space for the batch coming in Monday.

We're Into: Huckleberry Potatoes, Sweet Onions, Artichokes, Dill, Pomegranates! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas and Turnips from Mel! Sunflower Sprouts from Generositee Gypsy!
We're Out Of: Ruby Crescent Potatoes, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Radishes, Zucchini, Romaine, Baby Broccoli, Asparagus, Parsley, Turnip Greens, Mixed Greens, Broccoli, Valencia Oranges, Baby Carrots, Carrots, all Local Greens (temporarily!)
We're Low On: Kale, Tangerines, Beets, Turnips, Ginger, Green Leaf Lettuce, Mangoes, Alfalfa Sprouts

2009-11-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Sunflower Sprouts from Generositee Gypsy! Sunflower Sprouts have a nutty, delicate flavor and are very crunchy. Add them to salads, sandwiches, or any other dish!

We're Into: Huckleberry Potatoes, Sweet Onions, Baby Broccoli, Ruby Crescent Potatoes, Artichokes, Dill, Green Leaf Lettuce, Hamlin Oranges, Mangoes, Free Trade Bananas! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Turnips and Mustard Greens from Mel! Sunflower Sprouts from Generositee Gypsy!
We're Out Of: Local Heirloom Tomatoes, Radishes, Asparagus, Parsley, Turnip Greens, Mixed Greens, Broccoli, Valencia Oranges,
We're Low On: Kale, Tangerines, Radishes, Baby Carrots, Carrots, Beets, Turnips, Ginger, Spring Mix, Yellow Squash

Potatoes!

2009-11-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

As the weather gets colder, hot potatoes are nice. I highly recommend our Ruby Crescent Fingerling Potatoes! They are tiny, with firm waxy yellowish flesh and smooth, tender pink skin. And they taste fantastic! (I tend to be kind of bored by potatoes, honestly, but these are a true treat.)

And, oh hey, here's a great looking recipe that also includes our tasty dill from GroupRecipes.com!

Dill Fingerling Potatoes

2 Tbs unsalted butter

11/4lbs fingerling potatoes,rinsed but not peeled

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

11/2 Tbs fresh chopped dill

Directions

Melt butter in dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot. Add whole potatoes,salt and pepper;toss well. Cover pot tightly and cook over low heat 20 to 30 mins till potatoes are just tender when pierced with a small knife. From time to time,shake the pot to keep potatoes from burning. Turn off heat, allow potatoes to steam 5 mins more. Don't overcook. Toss with dill, serve hot.

We're Into: LOCAL HEIRLOOM RED AND YELLOW TOMATOES FROM FLATWOODS FARM!!! Ruby Crescent Potatoes, Artichokes, Tangerines, Dill, Comice Pears, Green Leaf Lettuce, Baby Spinach, Asparagus, Bananas! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Turnip Greens from Mel!
We're Out Of: Mustard, Kale and Collard Greens, Broccoli, Red Leaf Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Young Thai Coconuts, Persimmons, Yellow Onions, Spring Mix, Valencia Oranges, Free Trade Bananas
We're Low On: Kale, Red Onions, Yellow Squash, Baby Broccoli, Sunflower Sprouts, Alfalfa sprouts, Bananas

2009-11-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

Dill! Why not?

Chả Cá is a Vietnamese dish of white fish with turmeric, green onion and dill. It sounds amazing. Check it out this recipe at Miss.Adeventure. I would consider substituting US raised tilapia which is a much more environmentally friendly fish. Check out Blue Ocean's Seafood Guide for a very comprehensive breakdown on what seafood is the least damaging to the earth. It's easy - Drew and I have recently switched from tuna to sardines, and we're never going back!

We're Into: LOCAL HEIRLOOM RED AND YELLOW TOMATOES FROM FLATWOODS FARM!!! Artichokes, Tangerines, Dill, Baby Broccoli, Comice Pears, Green Kale, Green Leaf Lettuce, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Asparagus, Kiwis, Bananas! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Mustard, Collard and Turnip Greens from Mel!
We're Out Of: Broccoli, Red Leaf Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Local Kale, Free Trade Bananas
We're Low On: Persimmons, Valencia Oranges, Yellow Onions, Young Thai Coconuts

Persimmons!

2009-10-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Not Their Persimmons

When I was 16 I spent a year in Japan as an exchange student, in the very rural town of Kurayoshi in Tottori prefecture. My host father was a surgeon, and many of his patients were farmers and fishermen who would give him rice, vegetables, fish and crab to thank him. For one glorious week in Fall we had a gigantic bag of persimmons sitting in the kitchen and I was able to eat as many persimmons as I wanted, which turned out to be a lot because they are delicious. Now I love them doubly; they taste wonderful in themselves, and they also taste like the cold, rainy Japanese Fall.

Persimmons are hard to find in American groceries, and I have no idea why. Maybe too many people have been burned by under-ripe persimmons: if you eat them before they've been through a frost they're nightmarishly astringent and bitter. (Drew and I learned this lesson after sneaking some off that tree on Milledge.) I love when they're ripe but still firm, but most people prefer them when they've ripened so much they're almost liquid and you nearly have to slurp them out of their skin. That's when they become candy-sweet.
Phillip says they taste like a carrot and a pumpkin had a sweet cinnamon baby, which is pretty spot-on.

We're Into: Persimmons, Concorde Pears, Roma and Regular Tomatoes, Lacinato Kale, Red Leaf Lettuce, Garlic, Button Mushrooms, Cremini Mushrooms, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Asparagus, Yellow Squash, Ruby Crescent Fingerling Potatoes, super bargain Green Beans, Jonagold Apples, Cameo Apples, Fair Trade Bananas! Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Turnip Greens from Mel!
We're Out Of: Broccoli, Watermelon Radishes
We're Low On: Sunflower Sprouts, Baby Broccoli, Celery, Local Red Peppers

pomegranate parade

2009-10-26T14:34:00.000-07:00

The pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits as well as richest in history and folklore. Once you get past the multitude of seeds, its juice is tangy, sweet, rich and flavorful. This juice becomes the base for sauces and flavorings for drinks, savory dishes, and sweets, while the whole seeds are a simple delight eaten fresh or used as a colorful accent as a garnish. The fruit is about the size of an orange. The rind color can range from yellow-orange to deep reddish-purple.

Thank the stars!!! Pomegranate season is upon us! Dont miss your chance to dance and delight your palette.available now now now at Daily Groceries

recipe for thee

What you've all been waiting for: Yacon!

2009-10-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited today because we got some Yacon from Ed at Sundance Farm today at the Farmers Market. I got to try some yacon out two weeks ago and since then I couldn't wait to get some for the store - they're super delicious! Originally from South America, and also known as a Bolivian Sunchoke, yacon are more similar to jicama than anything else. They're really sweet, and just get sweeter as they age and mature. Their bright, crunchy, cinnamony taste is kind of like a earthy apple. They're great raw, and good for cooking too - Ed says if they're added to a stir-fry or baked dish they'll enhance it's flavor.

Here's a traditional recipe for salpicón with yacon from Mother Earth News:

South American Fruit Salad
South Americans enjoy a fruit salad called salpicón, which contains many tropical fruits that can be difficult to find in the United States. But this versatile Colombian recipe can be made from any combination of fruit. Below is a mix of ingredients found in most supermarkets. Use the fruits you have on hand or let your imagination run wild! Serves 8.
4 cups fresh pineapple; pared, cored and diced
5 cups fresh papaya; pared, seeded and diced
1 mango; pared, pitted and diced
4 cups yacon; pared and diced
4 small red bananas; skinned and sliced
2 cups fresh orange or lemon juice, or more to taste
Optional ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1 cup mashed blackberries
1 cup crushed lemon water ice
Combine all the ingredients in a large glass bowl. Serve chilled.

Ed and family at Sundance (Photo courtesy of them!)

We're Into: Baby Sunflowers and Micro Pea Greens from Generositee Gypsy, Cilantro from Roots Farm, Nardello Peppers from McMullan Family Farm, Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas, Radishes and Mustard and Turnip Greens from Mel!
We're Out Of: Broccoli, Fair Trade Bananas
We're Low On: Regular Bananas and Tomatoes!

Pomme~pompompom!

2009-10-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

It's apple season! We always have a good selection of the highest-quality apples around: right now we've got Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Empire, and Red Delicious. And one of the joys of Fall is that Washington apples are in season, so we don't have to get them all the way from China and New Zealand.

The Washington Apple Commission has so many recipes it would make your head spin. Here's one for Apple Frittata, although it makes 24 servings (whoof!).

And finally:

We're Into: Red, Green and Yellow Peppers! (Getting toward the end of the season, folks.)
We're Out Of: Green Kale, Beets, Cilantro, Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas (although Mel should be bringing in more today!)

Broccoli Greens!

2009-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today's star is lovely Broccoli Greens from the Mills! Often the leaves are removed from broccoli, which is a terrible waste because they're really good for you and very delicious. Prepare them the same way you would collards. They are sweeter, though, and have the same flavor as the broccoli florets. Here's a thrilling looking recipe from TaylOrganic:

Garlicky Rolled Broccoli Leaves

The technique of rolling the broccoli leaves tightly together makes slicing easier.

Ingredients:

1 lb broccoli leaves or collard greens
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

vegetable broth as needed
salt and pepper to taste
hot pepper sauce to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

Remove stems from broccoli/collard greens. Wash and pat dry. Stack 4 or 5 leaves together, and roll up tightly. Cut across the rolled greens, slicing thinly (chiffonade). Heat oil in a large Dutch oven with a medium flame. Add onion and garlic; sauté 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add broccoli/collard greens, cook for 15-25 minutes or until desired level of tenderness is reached, stirring frequently. You can add broth if the greens become too dry. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce; cook 2 minutes.

We also have Mustard and Turnip Greens from Mel; don't miss out!

We're Into: Watermelon, Seedless Black Grapes, Young Thai Coconut, On-The-Vine Canadian Tomatoes.
We're Out Of: Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Mango.
We're Low On: Green Kale, Jalapenos, Cilantro, Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas

Rainy Day!

2009-10-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a gray rainy day, but Drew and I made sure to go to the Farmer's Market to buy. Rainy day's are kind of a bummer at the market; all the farmers have piles and piles of veggies, and all the food vendors have tons of hot food, but just not enough people to come out to buy it all. I was glad to be able to pick up a lot of the beautiful produce so folks will have a chance to get them at Daily and give them the love they deserve. And remember, don't cancel your trip to the Farmer's Market just because of gray weather!

Today's star are Watermelon Radishes, with tops, from Jay at Cedar Grove Farm. These are beautiful, giant radishes that are white on the outside and bright pink on the inside! They are actually an heirloom Chinese daikon. They're about the size of a turnip, mild, and a little sweet. From Recipe Tips:

This radish can be cooked like a turnip, creamed and served as a side dish, sautéed and braised to be served as a vegetable dish, or added to stir-fry dishes. The skin can be removed prior to preparing. It can also be served raw to be used as hors d'oeuvres, as a complement to salads and sandwiches or diced for use in soups and stews.

And here'a a great-sounding radish salad recipe from Mariquita:

Beijing Radish Salad

1 bunch watermelon radishes or one medium daikon radish
2 tablespoons rice or balsamic vinegar (or a combination)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Wash and julienne radishes. They can be peeled or not as you like. I often use a mandoline to do the julienne-ing, or you can grate them. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and dress the radishes with the dressing.

We're Into: Farmer's Market Treats Galore! Lettuce, beautiful Kale, Fresh Basil, and Eggplant from Fertile Crescent, Cilantro from Backyard Harvest, Watermelon Radishes from Cedar Grove, Arugula from Generositee Gypsy, Sweet Potatoes, Valentine Green Beans, and Red and Green Bell Peppers from McMullan Family Farm!
We're Out Of: Cucumbers

Don't dis the vegetable love, Marvell

2009-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

Poetic vegetal shout-out suggested by my father, Ed Davis, who says if he could he would buy produce from us all the time. A safe promise to make, seeing as he lives in Arizona. (Thanks, Dad!)

We're Into: Unappetizing-looking-but-secretly-sweet Watermelon, conveniently cut and wrapped! Butternut Squash! Pumpkins!
We're Out Of: Cucumbers, Red Kale.

The Wonderful Wolfpfirsich!

2009-10-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

OKAY! We all knew this day would come. Mel has brought the last boxes of amazing, delicious local Tomatoes for the season. Get them while you can; the next batch will be from Cali. You've been warned!!!

Tomatoes are, hands down, my favorite among the fruits and vegetables. And since eating is one of my favorite things in life, that means tomatoes are one of my favorite things of all time.

Here's a bit of American history that I loved when I was little, although, unfortunately, it is probably false:

In September of either 1820 or 1830... despite warnings that the tomato's poison would turn his blood to acid, [Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson] told the cheering spectators that he planned to eat the entire basket and survive. ...Thousands of eager spectators turned out to watch Johnson die after eating the poisonous fruits, and were shocked when he lived.

(From a short and pleasing History of Tomatoes on the Tomato Gardening Guru)

We're Into: Local: Tomatoes, Radishes, Okra, Eggplant! Portabella, Crimini, and Button Mushrooms. Golden Zucchini (!?), Young Thai Coconuts, Free Trade Bananas!
We're Out Of: Fresh Basil, Nectarines, Cucumbers, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Collards, Lacinato Kale, Local Lettuce, Jerusalem Artichokes.

The Aristocrat of Pears!

2009-10-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me you dream of a perfect pear, and each sub-par pear you bite into disappoints like so much sicky sweet sawdust. I personally like very crisp, lightly flavored pears, and I love the Bosc Pears we've got in stock right now. You might think they're under-ripe if you squeeze them but actually they're perfect: sweet and buttery-spicy, dense and smooth in texture, kind of a cross between an European pear and those fantastic round Asian pears.

I'm interested in learning more about fruit. It's such a huge and complicated subject. Here's a quote from David Karp from the essay, "The Fruit Detective," by John Seabrook:

The particular kind of taste [David Karp is] after is one that the nineteenth-century writers on fruit described as "high flavor"--a fecund, almost gamy taste that, according to Karp, has been all but lost as fruits have been bred for mass production and long-distance shipping. "High flavor is the flavor of a pheasant, hung until high," he said."You bite into the fruit, you taste the sugar, the texture, the acidity, and there's an almost overpowering aroma. That's what fruit should taste like. But Americans don't know that, because most of the fruit we eat is trash fruit."

(And through the amazing power of the internet you can read the whole excellent, educational, and very funny essay yourself!)

We're Into: Local: Mel's Red Bells! Butternut Squash, Gala Apples, Bananas, Watermelon, Red Kale, Cilantro, Bagged Spinach, Yukon Gold Potatoes.
We're Out Of: Baby Broccoli, Genovese Basil, Cantaloupe

Alllll the Vegetables

2009-10-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

Sale on Broccoli, 2.10 a bunch! We're getting new broccoli in tomorrow so the current stuff (still fresh from Thursday) has to move on out!

We're Into: Helene's Artisanal Salads, made with our Local Peppers and Green Beans and myriad other tasty veggies!
We're Out Of: Cilantro, Yukon Gold Potatoes, very low on Tomatoes

Jerusalem Artichokes!

2009-10-10T18:21:00.001-07:00

Today Drew and I had a really nice trip to the Farmer's Market together. We got empanadas, limeade and basil for us, and for Daily we got beautiful Lettuce and Kale (Fertile Crescent), Thai Eggplant and Kentucky Wonder Green Beans (Roots Farm), Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas (Harvest Moon) and more lettuce and a giant bag of Jerusalem Artichokes (Blue Moon). I've heard a lot about Jerusalem Artichokes (also known as Sunroots or Sunchokes or Earth Apples) but I've never tried them before, so I'm pretty excited. They are similar to potatoes, but they're crunchier and sweeter, and unlike most tubers they don't have any starch: they store their carbohdrates in inulin instead.

Are you up for a really fancy Jerusalem Artichoke Soup recipe? It's maybe a little too fancy for me (truffle oil! celeriac!) - so here's a less daunting one also. If you want to try your sunchokes plain first, steam them rather than boil them; they're so tender they fall apart easily.

(The Jerusalem Artichoke plant also has a beautiful flower.)

Back at Daily Michael McMullan stopped by with Okra, Buff Valentine Pole Beans, Sweet Potatoes and Red and Green Peppers, and Drew helped me bag up all the lettuce and Pink-Eyed Purplehull Peas. They're a lot like black-eyed
peas, but their eyes are pink, and according to the folks at Harvest Moon they're even more delicious (!). It takes a little more time to shell them yourself, but at 3/bag (which ought to be around 3/4 of a pound shelled) they're a real bargain.

Make sure to check out the new Athen's Farmer's Market website, especially the growers page where you can see pictures of many of the farmers we get our fruits and vegetables from.

We're Into: Me and Phillip's favorite: .45/ea PLUOTS. (Both of us eat at least two a day.)
We're Out Of: Cilantro, Radishes

Mustard Greens!

2009-10-09T10:32:00.001-07:00

We just bagged up some Mustard Greens from Mel. They're very spicy, and highly recommended. Almost better than the greens themselves is the Potlikker. (I recommend simply sauteing them in olive oil- even without pork, the potlikker is amazing.) Dip corn bread or rolls in it, pour it on rice, use it in soups. It's the tastiest stuff.

From the Produce in Politics Department:
Huey "Kingfish" Long once espoused the merits of potlikker to his colleagues during a 1935 filibuster. Referring to this filibuster in 1982, the The New York Times spelled potlikker "Pot Liquor." This provoked an angry response from then Georgia Governor Zell Miller. Hilarious! Read the full article here!

We're Into: Local Mustard Greens! Bananas! Bok Choy!
We're Out Of: Brussel Sprouts, Red Bells (temporarily), Pole Beans.

Radishes are Rad(ish)!

2009-10-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's a giant carving of the Virgin Mary made out of radishes. Nope, it's not Noche de Rabanos yet (that's Dec. 23rd), but Mel did bring us some lovely mixed Radishes, tops and all. It was very, very satisfying because we almost never get radishes and Daily's newsletter is called "The Radish."

Edit: Lisa (another great super) wants to remind everyone that radish greens are fabulous to eat as well: she recommends blending them into a creamy soup! Here's a recipe that sounds terrific from The Global Gourmet.

Anyway, we have lots of nice new veggies today. Mel also brought in Okra and Tomatoes and Asian Eggplant (purple and white). Plus, fancy purple Red Rubin Basil from Dancing Sprout!

We're Into: Spring Mix, Spinach, Lacinato Kale, Mangoes, Nectarines, Liberty Apples, Jonagold Apples, Cucumbers, Pumpkins! Local: Radishes, Banana Peppers, Jalapenos, Eggplant, Okra, Basil, Tomatoes!

We're Out Of: Brussel Sprouts, Pole Beans, Black Eyed Peas, Tomatillos, Asparagus, Chard,

I reserve the right to post anything even remotely related to vegetables on this blog

2009-10-07T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Fresh Vegetable Mystery

A really excellent cartoon Drew and I both remember fondly, and with horror.
Warning: Graphic 1930's cartoon violence, police brutality, stereotypical depictions of drunken Irish potatoes.

It's my day off!

2009-10-06T21:19:00.001-07:00

I spent the day re-reading My Side of the Mountain and thinking about dandelion, sorrel, cattails, sassafras.Jimmy Zhang

Brussel Sprouts!

2009-10-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

Whew! A busy day with a lot of nice new fruits and veggies. Today's star is Brussel Sprouts! As a kid I really, really wanted to like brussel sprouts because they look like tiny cabbages and it's so fun to peel their little leaves off, but I couldn't bring myself to: boiled brussel sprouts just don't taste very nice. Until I heard this interview with Mollie Katzen, author of The Moosewood Cookbook, on NPR. Her Crispy-Edged Roasted Brussels Sprouts sounded so wonderful that I asked my mom to make them for Christmas dinner. They taste as good as they sound, and it is now one of my favorite vegetable dishes!

In other news, Drew's Hoppin' John (using the Mill's black-eyed peas and some of Mel's mixed bells) was amazing. If you have never experienced the difference between fresh and dried peas or beans, I highly recommend you do: they're like night and day.

We're Into: Beets, Broccoli, Baby Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Spring Mix, Spinach, Grapefruit, Avocados, Gala Apples, Bosc Pears! Local: Peppers Galore, Black-Eyed Peas, Eggplant, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Yellow Wax Beans, Kikuza Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes!

We're Out Of: Cucumbers

Tomatillos!

2009-10-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

We've gotten some Tomatillos recently from Kentucky Cabana Farm! Tomatillos are used in Mexican food a lot, mostly for green sauces like Salsa Verde. They're pretty different from Tomatoes: they're tangier, and they have an interestingly sticky texture. Try this Salsa Verde recipe on meat or fish, or your next burrito!

Come on, Hoppin' John

2009-10-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

I went by the Farmer's Market today and picked up a lot of great stuff - Lettuce, Kale and Yellow Wax Beans (Fertile Crescent), Asian Eggplant (Blue Moon), and Kikuza Squash (Lazy Willow). Later on at the co-op Michael McMullan, Mel, and Tim and Alice Mills came by with more great stuff: Potatoes and Eggplant and Baby Sprouts, Tomatoes and Turnip Greens and Mustard Greens, and fresh Black-Eyed Peas, respectively.

I'm really excited about these black-eyed peas. They all sold out last time before I had a chance to get any, so I saved out a bag just in case (needlessly - we have 10 pounds!). We're gonna make Hoppin' John! Wikipedia says:

Eating Hoppin' John on New Year's Day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the dinner bowls. Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, chard, kale etc. along with this dish are supposed to also add to the wealth since they are the color of money.

In my family, the tradition was eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Eve*, but I hated them. My folks would always make me eat just two or three peas and then kindly say that was enough luck to last me the whole year. I now really love black-eyed peas, especially fresh ones.

Here's what seems to be a pretty no-nonsense Hoppin' John Recipe at Epicurious. For vegetarians out there, my husband Drew (who does the cooking in our house) recommends substituting chipotle peppers** for pork; they have a lovely smokey rich flavor that goes amazingly well with beans.

*No one has ever been clear about when and why this switch came about.
**Not 1:1, obviously, that would be way too spicy.

We're Into: Local: Baby Sprouts, Peppers Galore, Black-Eyed Peas, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Yellow Wax Beans, Tomatillos, Tomatoes!

We're Out Of: Grapefruit, Cucumbers

Try Thai!

2009-10-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Check out our Local Thai Green Eggplant, also known as Brinjals, or Kermit Eggplant, from the great folks at Roots Farm.

Iris, one of Daily's awesome co-managers, is a big Thai eggplant fan. Unlike regular eggplant, she tells me, you can actually eat Thai eggplant raw: they're much more tender and sweet, and you don't even need to salt them.

Iris recommends cutting the Thai eggplants in half, brushing them with soy sauce or coconut milk, and grilling them. But don't cook them too much, they're better when they're a bit crunchy!

Here's a Thai curry recipe (that you can also use our local Thai Basil in) over at Wandering Chopsticks, and an Indian vegetarian curry recipe at Paajaka Recipes.

And don't forget: Local Tomatoes won't last forever! Mel says her tomato plants are just about on their last legs, so eat lots of tomatoes now while you can!

We're Into: Local:Thai Eggplant, Thai Basil, Regular Eggplant, Regular Basil, Pole Beans! Celery, Sommerfeld Apples, Baby Carrots, Cilantro, Broccoli, Romaine, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Green Cabbage, Zucs, Tomatillos, Yellow Squash.

We're Out Of: Grapefruit, Cucumbers!

Chard-mander! I choose YOU!

2009-10-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

We've got beautiful Chard all up in Daily, 2.50 for a really big bunch!

I can't even list all the health benefits of chard. And in addition to being healthy, Chard is super-delicious. It's used a lot in Mediterranean cooking - here's a rad-looking Mediterranean Chard recipe.

Lots of veggies got re-stocked today, so come on by for some staples!

We're Into: Local Thai Eggplant! Local Thai Basil! Local Regular Eggplant! Local Regular Basil! Local Pole Beans! Celery, Sommerfeld Apples, Baby Carrots, Cilantro, Broccoli, Romaine, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Green Cabbage, Zucs, Yellow Squash.

We're Out Of: Grapefruit, Cucumbers!

Melon Confusion!!!!

2009-09-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

We have two kind of crazy melons here at Daily today! Galia Melon is a honeydew-cantaloupe hybrid; it has cantaloupe's bumpy rind but honeydew's green color, and it tastes more like cantaloupe. Developed in Israel around 1970, Galia is the feminine form of the Israeli name Gal (meaning 'wave').

In contrast, we also have Orange Honeydew, which looks like a cantaloupe, but with honeydew's smooth rind. Both of them are delicious and sweet.

Also, you really should pick up some of our awesome Asparagus! It looks beautiful, and is another one of those wonder health-vegetables, packing in tons of folate, potassium, antioxidants and vitamin C. It is also supposed to be helpful in fighting and preventing cancer.

Here's an incredible sounding asparagus quiche recipe.

Man, we have been moving a lot of produce! Which is great, but now we're out of a ton of stuff. Never fear, we still have lots more, and any staples we're out of will be restocked tomorrow!

We're Into: Asparagus! Local Peppers! Nardellos, Red Peppers, Mel's Mixed Bells. Big Broccoli, Local Mustard and Turnip Greens, Local Green Beans, Local Okra. Honeydew, Orange Honeydew, Galia Melon, Green Grapes, Nectarines, Pluots

We're Out Of: Cilantro, Celery, Baby Carrots, Cucumbers, Cantaloupe, Baby Broccoli, Full Romaine, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Green Cabbage, Summer Squash: Patty Pan, Zucs, Yellow Squash, etc!

Coming Soon!

2009-09-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

Thirsty (for coconut milk) Thursdays

2009-09-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a fruit-heavy delivery filled with Pluots, Nectarines, Honeydew, Green Grapes, Bananas, and Young Thai Coconut! I hadn't tried young Thai coconut until last week, and man was I impressed when I did. I was always too intimidated to buy one because I didn't know how to open it, but the radiant Sammi (who makes our dips back in the Deli) showed me how: it wasn't hard at all, and the reward was so tasty! Here's a cute instructional video:

Everyone raves about young Thai coconut's high electrolyte content. I can't vouch for its accuracy, but Romulo N. Arancon, Jr, Executive Director of the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, says: Coconut water is ... the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood... During the war, coconut water was siphoned directly from the nut to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers. (!!!!!!! Can anyone verify if this is true!?)

Plasmatic or no, the water inside is delicious and nutty and thick, and the meat is soft and tender, unlike a full-grown coconut. Sammi uses both the meat and the juice in smoothies; Jeff (one of our awesome Deli supers) suggested it would be good for vegetarian sushi. Vegans and raw foodists also use it to make ice-cream, and as a cheese alternative.

Unfortunately, Young Thai Coconuts are not organic. The outer inedible rind has to be treated with a mild solution that keeps it from molding because their shelf life is so short. So be sure to wash your coconut before you cut it open.

We're Into: Mel's Mixed Bells! Local Basil, Baby Broccoli aka Broccolini, Big Old Broccoli aka Broccoloni, Local Mustard Greens, The Only Available, Very Expensive Cucumbers (4/lb), Baby Spinach, Honeydew, Nectarines, Pluots
We're Out Of: Red Onions, Cilantro, Eggplant!

Secialty Pepper!

2009-09-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

We have two new kinds of Specialty Peppers in from the amazing folks at Roots Farm. The top ones are called Round of Hungary. They are a sweet, thick-walled Pimento Pepper.

This next one is a "Corno di Toro" or Bull's Horn Pepper. It's also a sweet pepper, and is good both raw and roasted!

We're Into: Local Peppers, Local Muscadines, Local Patty Pan Squash! Really cheap Avocados @ 1.25/ea. The last of Mr. Porterfield's delicious Local Baking Apples for the season, so come get 'em fast!

We're Out Of: Bananas, Baby Spinach, Cucumbers, Sprouts, Ginger, Local Greens, Lacinato Kale, Peaches, Lemons, Flame Grapes. (Low on Broccoli!)

Local Produce Spotlight:Kikuza Squash

2009-09-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

A sweet tasting winter squash.The heavily ribbed fruit have an orange colored flesh that is sweet, dry, with an almost spicy flavor. Quite the rarity, compliments of our friends @ Lazy Willow Farm

Tickle your fancy with this stellar recipe.tickle tickle

Vintage Veggie/Packaging Nerds Ahoy:

2009-09-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

The Smithsonian has an incredibly pleasing site chock full of old seed catalogs. We'll be getting good use of these for awhile, I bet.
Unfortunately we are currently out of stock of Salzer's Oddly Odd Gourds although I guarantee we'll pick some up if we come across them, especially that particularly confused one in the lower right, or the watermelon that's cunningly trying to disguise itself as a gourd with a strange doily hat-thing.

Just Another Manic Monday

2009-09-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesy of Chuck Groenink

Come on by for some nice big Beets. This Orange and Beet Salad recipe looks fantastic.
Like many fresh veggies, the health benefits credited to beets are innumerable. They're supposed to be good for your liver, diabetes, cholesterol, and as a treatment for cancer. Don't forget they're an aphrodisiac and cure garlic breath! My favorite is "Hippocrates advocated the use of beet leaves as binding for wounds."

We're Into: We're back in the Broccoli, Garlic and Spring Mix, for folks missing them. Very nice big Green Kale for a mere 1.65, Flame Grapes, Mangos.

We're Out Of: Bananas, Baby Spinach, Black Eyed Peas, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Cucumbers (we've been out of cucs for so long I keep forgetting to mention it! :/ Cucumber shortages in Cali).

Thai Yellow Watermelon!

2009-09-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today we cut open and wrapped two Thai Yellow Watermelon that I got from the folks at Sundance yesterday. They're beautiful, with a very light, sweet flavor. Check out this blog that talks about yellow watermelon and how to pick ripe ones!

Also gracing the produce shelves today are Helene's brand-fresh Sallies, artisanally crafted from our vegetable selection. Helene has been a working member at Daily for 9 years (!), and she's been wowing us with her salads every Sunday morning for 6 of those years now. We also have fantastic fresh salads made every Thursday night by Ellen, another amazing working member. I am quietly curious if they've ever had a salad-battle, although I'm not sure what that would involve.

We're Into: Fruits Galore! Local Cantaloupe and Watermelon, Honeydew and Pineapple, all cut and wrapped into convenient single-servings.

We're Out Of: Bananas, Broccoli, Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, Black Eyed Peas, Butternut Squash, Button Mushrooms, Cauliflower (check the discount bin, though), Sweet Onions.

Farmers Market!

2009-09-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Despite the rain today the Farmers Market was still hopping - and there was some exciting new stuff! First, we got these crazy Chinese Red Noodle Beans from Fertile Crescent Farm:

They're a variety of yard-long beans, and they're huge and gorgeous. Scotty of Fertile Crescent recommends grilling them, and they're also often used in stir-fries and other Chinese dishes.

To be further impressed by our amazing farmers, check out this nifty article about Fertile Crescent Farm! There had been a garbage dumping area next to Fertile Crescent but Scotty and Ginni bought it, cleaned it up, and now grow a huge flower garden there. And the Forestry Commission named Scotty a Certified Forest Steward because of it!

Also at the Farmers market I picked up Kikuza Squash and Acorn Squash (Lazy Willow), Butternut Squash and Tiny Sugar Baby Watermelons (Sundance), Yellow Wax Beans (Blue Moon), Purple Pole Beans (Tiny Farm), Zucchini, Costata Romanesco and Green Peppers (McMullan Farm), and Collards, Turnip Greens and Fresh, Shelled Black-Eyed Peas (Mill's Farm). The Black Eyed Peas are going for 4/bag and they are really beautiful. We'll probably be out of them by tonight, and I already regret not getting more!

We're Into: All the Local produce above, Artichokes, Corn, Muscadines, Cauliflower!

We're out of: Bananas, Broccoli, Baby Broccoli, Spring Mix.

Make Mine Muscadine!

2009-09-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

They were as wild and untamed as the land they covered. In 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh described them as being "on the sand and on the green soil, on the hills as on the plains, as well as on every little shrub ... also climbing towards the tops of tall cedars ... in all the world the like abundance is not to be found."
- From the Agricultural Research Service website

Clay brought in 15 pounds of Muscadines last night, and they are pretty. Also known as Scuppernogs, Muscadines are an excitingly southern grape. Their skin is very thick and sour, but you can pop the lovely sweet inside part right out. They also have plenty of seeds, so they're a bit more of an activity snack.

In researching Muscadines I found out a lot about their healthful properties: their high levels of Polyphenols have antioxidant properties, and they're touted as being good for your heart and reducing the risk of cancer. (They're also supposed to be a high source of fiber, but that might just be it you eat the skin.)

We're Into: So, So Local: Fresh Basil, Cantaloupe, Peppers, Eggplant, Patty Pan, Zephyr and Costata Romanesco Squash, Pole Beans, Tomatoes, Mustard Greens, Okra!

We're Out Of: Bananas, Broccoli, Baby Broccoli.

Thank You Thursdays!

2009-09-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

Lots of fun stuff this delivery day:

Baby Broccoli - Contrary to what you might think, this is not actually young Broccoli, but a cross between broccoli and kai-lan, Chinese kale. Also known as Broccolini, wikipedia says: Broccolini's flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus. It's also much more tender than broccoli, and you can eat the whole stem.

Artichokes - Very large and beautiful, and delicious with Veganaise. If you love mayo but are vegan or egg-shy, veganaise is - I swear - even better than mayonnaise. I don't know how this is possible, but it is true.

Local Mustard Greens! From the wonderful Mel. Also from Mel: Fresh Okra. These are both going to sell out fast.

Finally, we have a deep discount on Daikon Radish. If you are a fan of Daikon, get it now because it's a great deal and we are probably never going to get it again. You've been warned. (If you want lots and lots of Daikon ask a supervisor: we have more in back.)