Edition 32

June 12, 2009

• Food, Inc.
• Local Box Contents
• Recipe Corner
• Featured Farmer

• New - Rios gluten-free Cheese Bread is selling like hotcakes
• New - Eco-friendly self-lighting charcoal
• Sale - Duck and Goose eggs 2 for 1
• New - Ultima High Fiber Cereal from Barbara's Bakery
• New - Orzo Pasta, Garden Time
• New - Several varieties of tomatoes

Tecolote Farm

Katie Kraemer & David Pitre

Manor, Tx - 13 miles from Greenling

Katie and David are still battling with the county over their water and we'll keep you updated. Luckily, they have access to enough water to share their bounty with Greenling's customers. Tecolote farm is a small, Certified Organic family farm located on the blackland prairie just east of Austin.

They began farming in 1993, following their time working on small farms in the Matanuska Valley of Alaska as well as near Santa Cruz and San Francisco. 15 years in Central Texas have refined their growing list to the tastiest and most climate-tolerant varieties available.

Store sweet corn in the refrigerator crisper and try to eat within 3 days. Its sugar and vitamin C content will diminish in warm temperatures, hindering both flavor and nutritious value. Keep the husk attached to the corn during storage; it will help protect and retain the corn's moisture content. If you remove the husk, refrigerate fresh corn in a lightly perforated plastic bag. Sweet corn is best raw, but is also a classic grilling veggie.

Food, Inc. is a Must See Movie

Where - Everywhere

When - Friday, June 26

Why - To learn about how our food system is broken and how to fix it!

I heard about a screening at Alamo S Lamar that included a local, Organic meal. I jumped on that! Then I was invited to a pre-screening screening...no Organic meal, but it was free. So I saw this movie twice and loved it both times. I've seen a lot of food system movies...The Future of Food, Fast Food Nation, The Real Dirt on Farmer John, King Corn and even parts of Death on a Factory Farm (I just couldn't watch the whole thing - 3 minutes of it made me want to puke so I only watched a few highlights and fast-forwarded through the rest).

All of these movies focus on part of the problem. Food, Inc. takes a holistic look at our food system and tries to cover all of these pieces and tackle some controversial issues (like Wal-Mart Organics). It also features one of my heros, Joel Salatin, from Polyface farms, who I've blogged about before. It shows what's wrong, shows what some people are doing to fix it, and doesn't leave me depressed. It actually gave me hope for our future. We've got the models and the knowledge and just need to execute.

And, to boot (whatever that means), at the end of the movie they give you a website to get more involved - TakePart. Love it. So, go see it! Please!

mason

Greenling News & Events

Local Box Workshop with David Ansel

-Thursday June 25th

-6:30pm

-$10

-Whisk (map)

Our first collaboration with David was awesome! See videos and pictures (on facebook, sorry those who don't have an account....it's just so easy there), but they don't do the experience justice. This venue is warm and intimate, the food is incredible, and the chefs are so knowledgeable and entertaining. This class will be the last ever at Whisk as they have closed down as a business. Don't miss this amazing opportunity. Limit 25. RSVP via email or by calling Devon at 440-8449.

See More Here

Cooking Class and Lunch Bomb Updates

The cooking classes at Faraday's Kitchen Store in Lakeway are really turning into an event not to be missed. Chef Andrew Brooks of Spirited Foods keeps coming up with tasty recipes that not only are primarily Local Box ingredients, but they're incredibly simple and bring out the flavors of the fruits and vegetables rather than cover them up with heavy toppings. These classes sell out every time and last week my favorite had to be the salad with fresh raw corn, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions, greens, and a little yogurt & feta accent. Next classes are on July 11th.

The Lunch Bomb was equally exciting. We packed Somnio's with over 20 people in our group. Jay said we ran him ragged, but he certainly had a big smile on his face (see photos here). It was really fun to help give a local restaurant working to support local farms some extra exposure. Mylie and I came up with the idea one day in Somnio's as we brainstormed on how to get more people engaged in local, organic food on all levels. Greenling is just one piece of this delicious pie! We impressed Addie Broyles of the Austin American Statesman, too, and the event was featured in her Relish Austin Blog - read the article here. We'll make this a regular event on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We'll try a more northern location next month (and a different week for a San Antonio Lunch Bomb). Since I don't venture north of the river much I'll need some guidance. Please send any suggestions.

This Week's Box Contents & Local Items

Here's what's available from local farms on our website this week (the best selection of local produce in the city - guaranteed):

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (June 15-19):

• Blueberries - Berry Best Farm
• Cucumber - Buena Tierra
• Chard or Kale - Tecolote
• Tongue of Fire Beans - Animal Farm
• Yellow Squash - Naegelin
• Leeks - Acadian
• Corn - Acadian
• Shallots - Lundgren
• Red Potatoes - Guinea Hill
• Peaches - Caskey Orchard
• Bell Pepper - Buena Tierra

Last Week's (Jun 8-12) Local Box Video

Sorrel, blueberries, and basil all new this week. You've never had a blueberry until you've tried a Texas Organic blueberry.

In Farmstead & Local Produce Boxes ($49.99) this week (June 15-19):

• Cheese Bread - Rios Brazil
• Baraka Bar - Daily Juice
• Plumberry Black Tea - Zhi Tea
• Duck or Goose Egg

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula, Baby - Animal Farm
• Beets, Bunch -My Father's Farm
• Berries, Blueberries-Berry Best Farms
• Carrots, Baby Bunch - Buena Tierra
• Garlic - Naegelin
• Garlic, Green - Green Gate
• Grapefruit - G&S Grove
• Herb, Asst - Pure Luck
• Herbs, Basil - Buena Tierra/My Father's Farm
• Herbs, Basil - Live Bella Verdi
• Leeks - Acadian Family Farm
• Sunflower Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Tomatoes, Slicing - Walnut Creek
• Elephant Garlic - Green Gate
• Radicchio - Buena Tierra
• Green Tomatoes - Rinnger Family Farm
• Heirloom Tomatoes - Rinnger Family Farm
• Lettuce, Baby - Animal Farm
• Lettuce, Bibb -Bella Verdi

Produce from Local Farms

• Limes -G&S Grove
• Mangos -G&S Grove
• Microgreens, Arugula -Bella Verdi
• Microgreens, Broccoli -Bella Verdi
• Mushroom, Crimini -Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Portobello -Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Shiitake -Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, White -Kitchen Pride
• Onion, White -Naegelin
• Onion, Yellow -Naegelin
• Onion, Red-Acadian
• Orange, Valencia -G&S Grove
• Peaches -Caskey Orchards
• Potatoes, Red -Naegelin
• Squash, Yellow -Naegelin. My Father Farm, Walnut
• Squash, Zucchini -Acadian Family Farm , Walnut
• Green Beans -Naegelin, Acadian Family Farm
• Shallots - Lundgren Farm
• San Marzano Tomatoes - Acadian
• Kennebec White Potatoes - Guinea Hill

Recipe Corner

Spanish Tortilla

Ingredients:

• 3 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 cup Full Quiver cheddar
• 1/4 cup Organic Valley milk
• Amy's or Kala's Kuisine hot sauce

Instructions:

In a medium bowl mix the potatoes, peppers, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt by hand. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the potatoes, peppers and onion on low heat and cover with a lid for 5 minutes to let them soften. Turn up the heat for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the stove and drain off any excess oil.

Meanwhile break the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the remaining salt, cheese, milk and hot sauce and whisk vigorously until frothy. Add the potatoes and onions to the eggs and mix until fully integrated.

Clean the frying pan and return to stove.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil on a high heat and pour in the mixture, moving it around in the pan to help the tortilla to rise. Fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally until it has set. Then turn down the heat to allow the inside to cook. After a few minutes turn up the heat in order to brown the tortilla.

When it's cooked place a large plate over the frying pan and flip the tortilla onto it. Return to the pan and fry the other side until golden brown.

Great served with a plate of fresh tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.