Edition 189

July 22, 2010

• Local Box Contents
• News & Updates
• Recipe Corner
• Greenling Tidbits

• Out, for a while - Dewberry Farms Chicken, and they will only offer whole birds when they come back. Cut up birds are not available at all in Central Texas now. Someone please get us some mobile processing!
• New -Chicken, certified Organic cuts from non-local sources, to replace Dewberry
• New -Local Certified Organic Milk, Greek Yogurt, Crumbled Feta, local from Texas Daily Harvest
• New -Bumble Bars,
• New -Kettle Corn, local from Lonestar Corn
• New - Texas Wild Grapes, only in the local box
• Gone -Mangoes, local from G&S. We'll have non-local mangoes until they come back in season locally

Would You Like To Test Our New Features?

We've been hard at work behind the scenes trying to make using the Greenling website easier. We have some modifications to our checkout and scheduling process we need testers for. They're relatively simple, but enough of a change we need to test them first. Let us know you're interested and we'll magically turn on the features just for you.

Place your orders as you normally would and let us know what you think.

To be a beta tester, just reply to this newsletter with the words 'beta tester' in the subject. If you're not emailing from your Greenling account email, include that in the body. Thanks!

More Time to Change Your Order

As Greenling grows and more and more fresh, local, food moves through our doors every day we get better and better at managing the goodness. Some suppliers come daily now since they're just down the road and our orders are getting bigger. This is good for you because as we grow we'll continually shrink the time between when you have to place an order and when it arrives. Previously, orders have been due by 11:59pm 3 days before a delivery.

Now, orders are due at NOON, two days before your order arrives. So, for Thursday deliveries, orders must be in by Tuesday at Noon. Here's the full schedule:

Monday Deliveries, Changes due by Saturday at Noon

Tuesday Deliveries, Changes due by Sunday at Noon

Wednesday Deliveries, Changes due by Monday at Noon

Thursday Deliveries, Changes due by Tuesday at Noon

Friday Deliveries, Changes due by Wednesday at Noon

Look for this to shrink again as you tell your friends about us and we grow! And don't forget - every time you tell a friend about us, you get 10% off your next order

Help Greenling Write a Cookbook

Our soirees aren't just a good time with good food, though they're definitely both of those. We've been collecting your amazing seasonal recipes and taste-testing them with you to find the best of the best. Now we've got a year's worth of seasonal recipes and need to put them together into the first ever taste-tested Central Texas seasonal cooking book. We have limited resources so we'd love to turn this into a collaborative effort with one or more of the Greenling family (that's you!). Here's what we need to do:

Compile and organize all recipes and soiree winning recipes

Interview chefs for any story or history to the dish

Recreate the dishes and take photos of them

Interview farmers about the ingredients

Share stories around the awesome power of seasonal cooking

So, if you have experience with these sorts of things and would like to get involved, let us know! just reply to this newsletter.

Psst...Thanks for Telling Your Friends About us

Remember you can always share the love of Greenling and get free food for doing it. Just download this coupon to give to others and type in your personalized coupon code - first 3 letters of your first and last name and the first 3 numbers of your address (add zeros if you just have 1 or 2 numbers) - where it says 'Go with Greenling and save!', print it and hand it out to your friends and co-workers. You get 10% off your next order after they've joined. They get 10% off, too, by entering your coupon code when they order.

This Week's Box Contents & Local Items

Texas actually has more varieties of grapes than anywhere else in the US. Unfortunately, most of them are inedible. Thanks to the wonderful weather this year we've actually got some very tasty Texas wild grapes in this week's local box (only in the local box, sorry). Get your box and taste the awesomeness of local grapes.

Here's what will be available from local farms on our website this week (the best selection of local produce in the state - guaranteed). Items with a (*) are only available in the Local Box:

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (Jul 26-30):

• Eggplant - Animal Farm
  
• Arugula or Sorrel - Bluebonnet
  
• Fresh Lady Cream Peas - Just Peach Farm
  
• Tomatoes - Acadian
  
• Texas Wild Grapes** - My Father's Farm
  
• Butternut Squash - Massey
  
• Peaches - Caskey
  
• Curly Mustard - Texas Natural
• Mixed Squash - Texas Natural
  
• Cucumber - Acadian, Tecolote

Last Week's (Jul 19-23) Local Box Video:

In Farmstead Boxes this week (Jul 26-30):

• Blueberry Cheese Danish - Little Bluestem
• Small-Batch Infused Vinegar - Texas Olive Ranch
• World's Best Eggs - Coyote Creek

Order Here

Fresh, Prepared Meal Selection for this week:

Dish #1 - Summer Squash Couscous w/ Golden Raisin & Almonds(1 pint - serves 1 for lunch) - We love these versatile recipes for summer. Light and refreshing, but satisfying enough for a meal. Sauteed summer squash, golden raisins & herbs folded with organic semolina couscous and a lemon-honey vinaigrette. Topped with crunchy toasted almonds and great chilled, at room temperature or warmed.

-Ingredients: organic semolina couscous, summer squash, onion, garlic, vegetable stock, lemon, olive oil, honey, herbs, spices, salt, pepper

Dish #2 - Corn, Black Bean & Quinoa Salad w/ Lime & Peppers(1 pint) - Sweet corn kernels and creamy black beans sauteed with fresh peppers & cilantro, tossed with organic quinoa in a lime dressing. A hearty and heart-healthy dish that's a great side or fulfilling lunch.

-Ingredients: corn, organic black bean, organic quinoa, sweet peppers, chile peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, lime, herbs, spices, salt, pepper

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula-Bluebonnet
  
• Arugula, Baby-Animal Farm
  
• Basil-Various
  
• Basil, Live-BellaVerdi
  
• Chard-Texas Natural
  
• Cucumbers-Acadian Family Farm/Tecolote
  
• Garlic-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Green Cabbage-Naegelin
  
• Herbs-Pure Luck
  
• Parsley-Tecolote
  
• Lettuce,Bibb-BellaVerdi
  
• Microgreens-BellaVerdi
  
• Mushroom, Crimini-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, Oyster-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, Port caps-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, White-Kitchen Pride

Produce from Local Farms

• Okra - My Father's Farm, Tecolote
  
• Pepper,Cayenne -
• Pea Shoots-Bluebonnet
• Pepper, Jalapeno-Acadian
• Peas - Just Peachy Farms
  
• Pepper, Bell Assorted - Comanche Creek, Ringger
• Potatoes, Red-Naegelin
• Shallot-Lundgren
  
• Sprouts, All-Groovy Greens
  
• Summer Squash-Various
  
• Tomato, Cherry-Acadian
  
• Tomato, Slicing - Oak Hill
• Tomato, Green-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Watercress-Bluebonnet
• Berries, Blueberries -Berry Best Farms
  
• Limes - G&S Grove
• Cantaloupe -Massey
  
• Peaches-Caskey, Lundgren
• Watermelon - Ringger

Events & Local Food Happenings Around Town

Greenling Austin Soiree - Summer Grillin' & Chillin'

-July 24th

-FREE

-chef Dzintra Dzenis' home & supper club (location)

Mix, Mingle and Munch! Join us  this month for our community potluck. You're welcome to bring something, but you don't have to. All dishes should please include at least one ingredient of locally produced, organically grown food. Dishes will be in the running for inclusion is our upcoming cookbook. Plus, the dish that gets the most votes overall that night wins a FREE Local Box!! You get to be famous and get a free box of $34.99 of local, seasonal veggies. RSVP by calling or emailing Greenling.com (512-440-8449) or emailing jevans AT greenling.com.

Exciting Updates:

chef and Next Food Network Star finalist Dzintra Dzenis will host. See her website here

Bastrop Cattle Co & Menzie's Farm are donating beef and lamb for Dzintra to teach us grilling techniques with!

See the facebook event page here

Slow Money Salon - Understanding & Investing in Sustainable Food

-July 29th, 7pm

-FREE

-Ventana Del Sol Cafe & Cultural Center (map)

Mantras abound: Eat local! Eat seasonal! Eat slow! Support local farmers!

Yet how can such ideas take root without considering viability? What is the economic landscape of Austin's local food movement? Who are the key players? What do food sector jobs look like? What about affordability? If local and sustainable food went mainstream, who benefits?

Farm Camp for Adults

-Starting September 12th

-$50

-Green Gate Farms

Let out your inner-farmer! Green Gate is graciously opening their farm to people interested in knowing how an organic farm works. Yep, you'll get to be a farmer for a day (Sunday) and learn about tractors, tools, irrigation, and how to care for vegetables, flowers, 150 animals, and other critters on the 5-acre Organic farm. Future classes available as well on Oct 10th, Nov 14th, and Dec 12th. RSVP by emailing greengatefarmsevents@gmail.com.

Natural Epicurean Professional Training Program, Open House

-July 24th, 11:30am-2:30pm

-Free

-Natural Epicurean, Austin

The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts is proud to offer one of the only plant based professional chef training programs in the country, training chefs in macrobiotic, classical vegetarian, vegan, Ayurvedic and raw & living foods techniques and recipes.

In this open house session, held at the brand new kitchen facilities at 1700 S. Lamar Blvd, learn about our unique 900-hour chef training program, meet the instructors and directors, and realize your future as a certified chef in the rapidly growing field of natural and whole foods cooking.

This program will give you the education you need to be competitive and savvy in this ever-expanding market. Come experience something uniquely different with The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts.

click here to learn more

Recipe Corner

Simple Summer Ratatouille

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  
• 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound), halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
  
• 1 medium eggplant (1 pound), cut into 1-inch dice
  
• 1/2 pound zucchini, sliced crosswise 1 inch thick
  
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  
  

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to moderately low and add the tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf and serve warm or at room temperature.

For More Recipes Check Out The Eating Out of the Local Box Blog. Also make sure to become a fan of Greenling on Facebook to get weekly recipes from Woman With A Whisk & The Best of Thymes food bloggers.