Weeks 1 and 2, 2012

CSA season is upon us once again, and this year things are working a little differently with our farm.  We had the option this year to get fruit with our share, so that's something we're looking forward to this summer.  Also, our farm has started an online ordering system.  They have a recommended dollar amount for each week, and they fill a virtual grocery cart with veggies to reach that amount.  The awesome thing- I can go to the online store and remove items or add items to the cart as the mood strikes.  It's pretty incredible.  So far I've edited my online cart several times each week, because as more veggies become ready to pick, they get added to the store.  I made a last minute switch the first week for some Tuscan kale and kohlrabi.  It's been fun.  

The other thing we're loving about this year is the pick up location.  We no longer have to go to the busy, crowded Broad Ripple Farmers Market each Saturday morning.  They offer an alternate pick up in the Broad Ripple area, so we get to go to this cute little coffee shop on the Monon Trail, then walk over to our favorite European-style bakery to get breakfast.  Today we had scones.

I didn't photograph the food we prepared the first week, but I'll try to start up with that this week.  An added surprise to last week's share- Phil's mom and stepdad came to visit from Georgia and brought a bunch of fresh veggies they'd grown in their garden, so in addition to our CSA  haul of two lettuces, Tuscan kale, sorrel, strawberries, kohlrabi, and white salad turnips we had homegrown curly kale, a HUGE zucchini, broccoli, spinach and salad mix.  It was good eatin' in our house last week!

I'd say one of the most interesting things we've ever made was sorrel soup.  Sorrel kinda looks like arugula, but it tastes like sour strawberries, mostly.  It's a strong taste that made me shout, 'oh my god!' the first time I tasted it.  We used a recipe from the New Basics cookbook, and wow, is that one flavorful soup!

Our veggies this week: arugula, broccoli, portobellos, spinach, red leaf lettuce, onions, and a big thing of raspberries.  We're very stoked about the raspberries.

Plans include grilling mushrooms and broccoli (grilled broccoli is one of the best things in the world), saag paneer, and raspberries in muffins, on yogurt, and everywhere possible.