Our abnormally dry county surely needed it. You could almost hear the plant life heave a sigh of relief.
That same rain also wreaks havoc on tender crops, particularly strawberries. Already in "winding down" mode, the strawberries swelled after the rain. Our Moore County farmers were unwilling to supply strawberries this week because they knew they would be super soft.
The good news is, we have a new farmer Co-op member Brian Wilson, from Richmond County who is going to supply your berries this week. He is going the extra mile and picking the berries the very morning we deliver them, which makes for some mighty early picking. Welcome, Brian!
Volunteers have been showing up spontaneously to help with packing - they want to be sure this Co-op gets born with grace and a smile! Thank you to all who have lent a hand!
If you think you might want to join the fun sometime, contact our volunteer coordinator Kelly Pritchard, kelly@sandhillsfarm2table.com.
And if that wasn't enough fun, check out Week Two at the West End Presbyterian Church GatheringSite. Video here.
And since we're watching YouTube videos, slide on over to watch this video by Slow Money USA. "Put Your Money Where Your Food Is: Imagine a Million People Investing in Local Food Systems - It Starts With YOU." Well, YOU'RE already doing this! Congratulations Moore County!
In our box this week: a box off Wilson Farm strawberries, Ricky Carter Farm sweet onion AND carrots, Green Haven Farm lettuce, cabbage from David's Produce, bok choy from John Blue's Farm and also lots of Highlander farm tomatoes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvOZHBdaUgc
RICKY CARTER FARM ONIONS
Now that we've established how HEALTHY onions are - and we all know how GOOD tasting they can be - how about some FAST ways to prepare them?
Of course, a slice of raw sweet onion on a burger or sandwich is hard to beat.
The microwave can also be our friend.Thanks to Pinehurst member Impera Magna for spotting this:
FAST JUICY ONIONS
Ingredients
1 large sweet onion
Healthy FAST food
1 bouillon cube - either beef, chicken, vegetable
1 teaspoon butter
Directions
Peel outer skin from onion.
Cut slice off bottom root end of onion so it stands upright.
Cut cone shape out of top of onion with small sharp knife, leaving at least 1/2 inch intact in bottom of onion.
Place onion in bowl.
Place bouillon cube and butter in hole in onion.
Fill bowl with water, covering onion halfway up side.
Cover onion and bowl loosely with waxed paper; microwave at HIGH 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is tender and can be separated with fork.
Our Whispering Pines Gathering Site co-cordinator Melinda Katz tantalized us all week with this recipe, and finally furnished it. She says to us "This is a JULIA CHILD recipe....so even you can cook like a master chef!"
ONION SOUP
1 1/2 lbs or 5 cups thinly sliced onion 3T. butter 1 T. oil 1tsp salt 1/4 tsp sugar 3T. flour 2 quarts beef stock 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth salt and pepper to taste
If you have a heavy bottom pot use it, with it's cover. Combine onions, butter and oil, cook slowly, around 15 minutes covered. After 15 minutes the onions should be soft and clear. Add the salt and sugar, cook for thirty minutes. Stir frequently until the onions turn a golden brown - sweetly caramelized, NOT BURNED - then sprinkle in the flour and stir for about three minutes
In a separate pot heat the stock. Pour over the onions, add the wine and stir to get all the bits up off the pan. Simmer all together for another thirty minutes, add salt and pepper to taste - the longer the soup simmers, the more the broth and onions combine into a flavorful soup.
Garnish with toasted french bread
Slice bread 1 inch thick place on cookie sheet in a 325 oven for about 30 minutes ...so its dried out like toast
Place toast on top of bowl of soup, sprinkle Parmesan cheese...place in 400 degree oven until golden brown and warm. Enjoy!"
JAM-MAKING 101
Mmmm, homemade jam...
Last Reminder! Introduction to Jam-Making. Thursday, May 20, 6:30 PM
Sandhills strawberries are soon to be followed by blackberries, peaches, plums, figs, pears, blueberries and muscadine grapes. Wouldn't some summer sunshine be nice about January? Let's get 'jammin'.
Start freezing some berries - you can always make jam with them later, when you have free time.A multi-berry jam is to die for!And any frozen berries can also be tossed into smoothies.
This public lecture is at the Moore County Cooperative Extension building on Pinehurst Ave. in Carthage, next to the Health Dept. See you there this Thursday evening!
"Tomatoes taste best at room temperature. It is best not to refrigerate tomatoes since tomatoes are sensitive to cold and refrigerating reduces their flavor by diminishing one of their flavor components, (2)-3-dexenal"
"Tomatoes picked in the field are green (Editor's note - OURS are not - that's one advantage of buying locally - closer to ripe, more flavor) and they continue to ripen when you bring them home. I find it best to store tomatoes at room temperature and out of direct exposure to sunlight. They will keep for up to 5 days, depending upon variety and how ripe they are when purchased. To hasten the ripening process place them in a paper bag with a banana or apple. The ethylene gas that these fruits emit will help speed up the ripening process."
"If the tomatoes begin to become overripe at room temperature and you are not yet ready to eat them, you can place them in the refrigerator. If possible, put them in the butter compartment, which is warmer, where they will keep for one or two more days. Remove them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using them to help regain their maximum flavor and juiciness"
"Do not refrigerate unripe tomatoes. Temperatures below 55° F will destroy their flavor, cause them to become spongy, and they will not ripen."
What better way to inaugurate the warm weather than firing up the grill?
"I love grilled tomatoes. They're great plain, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with fancy finishing salt or chopped herbs, or alongside a bit of fresh cheese like ricotta or mozzarella. Best of all, I love them served almost as a condiment with grilled meats (think grown-up ketchup, if you must).
Tomatoes on the grill are a great way to enjoy summer's favorite vegetables, I mean fruit, I mean... tomatoes. In general, you want to use tomatoes that are firm when ripe, such as Early Girls, for grilling.
This recipe is as much a technique as a recipe, so feel free to experiment with additional flavors or sauces. A drizzle of sherry or balsamic vinegar or a dollop pesto are good places to start.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat (you can hold your hand about an inch above the grill for 3 to 4 seconds).
Cut tomatoes in half crosswise (along the "equator"). Lay cut-side-up on a large baking sheet or tray. Brush cut side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay oiled-side-down on the grill. Close lid if using a gas grill and cook until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes.
Brush other sides with oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn over, close lid on a gas grill and cook until grill marks appear on the other side, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
"The lycopene in tomatoes may also provide cardiovascular benefits. Research conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, suggests that in addition to its inverse association with various cancers, a high dietary consumption of lycopene may play a role in cardiovascular disease prevention. The researchers tracked close to 40,000 middle-aged and older women who were free of both cardiovascular disease and cancer when the study began. During more than 7 years of follow-up, those who consumed 7 to 10 servings each week of lycopene-rich foods (tomato-based products, including tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce and pizza) were found to have a 29% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women eating less than 1.5 servings of tomato products weekly. Women who ate more than 2 servings each week of oil-based tomato products, particularly tomato sauce and pizza, had an even better result-a 34% lower risk of CVD.
Another study, this one conducted in Europe, also suggests that enjoying tomatoes raw or in the form of tomato sauce or paste several times each week is a delicious way to protect your cardiovascular system. This study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, reported that when a group of 12 healthy women ate enough tomato products to provide them with 8 mg of lycopene daily for a period of three weeks, their LDL cholesterol was much less susceptible to free radical oxidation-the first step in the formation of atherosclerotic plaque formation and a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease." Source: World's Healthiest Foods
FAST HEALTHY FOOD: Another delicious way to "take the tomatoes" is in Easy Tomato Soup. I personally would add a splash of olive oil and some Italian spices, but the ease of this recipe is hard to deny.
DAVID'S PRODUCE - CABBAGE
Cabbage is a vegetable workhorse, and another one of those innocent-yet-very-healthy vegetables. It helps optimize your cells' detox ability, and recent studies show that "those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a much lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer-even when compared to those who regularly eat other vegetables."
Cabbage is a good "keeper." Wrap loosely and store in your refrigerator's crisper drawer. It can last several weeks in this manner.
To prepare, wash the heads and remove any outer leaves that look less than optimal. Cut the head into quarters first, then slice diagonally across the wedge. Thin slices make good slaws and stir fries, wider strips are great for soups and stews. Serve raw or lightly cooked, as overcooked cabbage can develop a strong odor. Calorie-wise, a winner - only 15 calories per cup.
Obviously, we're gonna give you a coleslaw recipe first. It's a no-brainer - warm weather and picnics coming, plus onions, carrots and cabbage needed ... Hey! they're already in the box! Add a honey-mustard, mayonnaise or yogurt-based dressing , or a vinaigrette. Other simple coleslaw options are sliced almonds, red cabbage bits, shredded apples or other chopped veggies.
"This salad consists of cabbage, carrot, capsicum (sweet bell pepper) and green onion in a tangy, mayonnaise-based dressing. Because the vegetables soften and release moisture once dressed, we prefer to dress the salad just before serving. Coleslaw is a great accompaniment to barbequed meats or roast chicken.
When purchasing cabbage for this recipe, remember to allow for the removal of the core and any tough outer leaves. A mandoline (small slicing instrument) could be used to finely shred the cabbage.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
(2 1/4 cups, loosely packed) finely shredded cabbage (2 1/4 cups, loosely packed) finely shredded red cabbage 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated 1 small-medium red or yellow capsicum (pepper), thinly sliced (1/4 cup) finely chopped green onion (green shallot)
Co-op Member Patricia Kenney Dykeman likes to "Saute bacon and onions, then add chopped cabbage with a little water and cover. Cook til desired tenderness. I also shake in a little Texas Pete when its done."
To cook cabbage: "I have tried every method under the sun for cooking cabbage and I am now convinced that boiled cabbage needs plenty of water. The secret is to shred it quite finely and cook it briefly in rapidly boiling water. What I do is pack it down quite tightly into a saucepan, sprinkle with salt, then place the pan over a high heat, pour in boiling water from the kettle, which re-boils instantly, and time it for 3-5 minutes."
"The one way to tell if it's cooked is to bite a piece, as you would pasta. Then tip it into a colander and squeeze out as much excess water as you can, using a saucer to press the cabbage down. Then turn the saucer on its side and use chopping movements to push any excess water out.
"Serve it straightaway in a hot bowl, tossing it with a minute amount of butter, and season it with salt and pepper.
"One medium-sized cabbage will serve 4 people."
STRAWBERRIES!!
If you don't have plans to eat them within a day or two, do consider freezing or jamming yours. More precise tips on freezing berries here. Or how about...
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar 6 tablespoons corn or tapioca starch1 small package strawberry gelatin 2 cups water 4 pints strawberries, hulled 2 9" baked pie shells
Instructions:
Cook sugar, cornstarch, jello and water until thick. Cool.
Place whole berries in cool, baked pie shells. Pour sauce over berries and refrigerate.
"You might say "but Vanessa, you're pies don't look like a typical American pie...where's the pie plate?" You're right, I don't make pies in a pie dish. I personally find those pies very unsatisfying. The bottom crust is invariably soggy and the top crust is usually less than flaky, crisp, and chewy and yes I do require a tight combination of flaky, crisp, and chewy...I'm the demanding type. "
HELP! RE: SWITCHING GATHERING SITE LOCATIONS
Some things are best not done on a whim.
Type caption text here.
Fenton, our general manager, notes:
"We are finding that last minute switches of Gathering Site or week group changes are making life for staff and growers very difficult.
"Member request for change received by the co-op after noon the Friday before a scheduled delivery, will not be implemented the coming week. So, if you want to switch sites for the 19th-20th deliveries, requested change must be sent to the Co-op by noon, Friday the 14th. Requested changes received after that time will be implemented the next week (26th-27th).
"You can email changes to pia@sandhillsfarm2table.com
"Thank you for your patient understanding."
BOXING DAY
Gentle Reminder to bring your boxes back this week, if you didn't pack into other containers. Lots of member brought cloth bags, and one clever member brought a plastic box with a lid. A cooler with a gel pack would be nice if you are not going straight home.
They are easy to break down flat without ripping the tabs. Ask your Gathering Site Coordinator to show you. Takes two fingers.
Remember to remove your produce from the box as soon as you get home.
GREEN HAVEN BIBB LETTUCE
What to do with your Green Haven Bibb lettuce? Besides a giant salad? How about:
ONION SOUP
one advantage of buying locally - closer to ripe, more flavor)
"I love grilled tomatoes. They're great plain, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with fancy finishing salt or chopped herbs, or alongside a bit of fresh cheese like ricotta or mozzarella. Best of all, I love them served almost as a condiment with grilled meats (think grown-up ketchup, if you must).
Another study, this one conducted in Europe, also suggests that enjoying tomatoes raw or in the form of tomato sauce or paste several times each week is a delicious way to protect your cardiovascular system. This study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, reported that when a group of 12 healthy women ate enough tomato products to provide them with 8 mg of lycopene daily for a period of three weeks, their 
Or try this gorgeous
