Edition 41

August 14, 2009

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

• New - Dog Treats by Bubby Biscuits are made with organic ingredients in Dripping Springs
• New -Apple Chips, from Yogavive
• Limited -Duck Eggs, we're reaching the end of duck egg 'season'
• New & Limited - Yellow Watermelon - from local farmers
• New -String Cheese (cheddar & colby jack)- from Organic Valley

Can We Have Your Water Bottles (with caps on, please)?

Please consider using reusable drinking containers whenever possible. If you end up with some plastic water bottles, don't even put them in the recycling bin. Put them in your Greenling Bin! We fill them with water and reuse them as ice packs (don't drink your ice packs, please).

Newsletter Tip - Font a little too small for you? On a PC just hit 'Ctrl'and '+' to zoom in

Past Event Recap & Photos?

I'm still working on a photo carousel for the website, but until then all recaps and photos from events are going to be posted on Facebook. You don't have to have an account to view our page, events or photos.

So, just go to www.facebook.com/greenling to learn more about what's going on. The Thai Fresh day was tons of fun and pictures from both the lunch bomb and cooking class have been posted. Also, Becca Stawartz (Woman with a Whisk & Eating Out of the Local Box) was in attendance and wrote an awesome blog about the class. Check it out here -

Local Box Cooking Class at Thai Fresh

You Just Can't Get This In The Store

One of my favorite parts of Greenling is bringing you things that stores won't/can't carry - either because they're way too perishable or too unusual. We're wrapping up a few weeks of amazing fresh figs and this week we're bringing you squash blossoms. That's right, the flower of the squash plant is edible and so delicious!  Each year Montesino Farm, a certified Organic farm in Wimberley, brings us this culinary treat for a few weeks in late summer.

Eat them quickly (within a day or two)! Usually mine don't get far out of their clamshell as I just eat them raw and whole. They have a smooth texture and a light sweetness in the base. But there are all sorts of things you can do with them that involve sharing them with the rest of the house. Give them a try and get squash blossoms by ordering the local box this week. Last year we put them in tacos, stuffed them, and chopped them up in a scramble. See a Frittata variation in the Recipe Corner from the 'Seasonal Chef' or check out the rest of his recipes for more ideas:

5 Squash Blossom Recipes by 'Seasonal Chef'

Also see-

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

What's On Your Food (When You're Not Eating Greenling Food)?

What'sonmyfood.org has created a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable. They linked up pesticide food residue data with the toxicology for each chemical so you can see which chemicals have been found on which foods and their dangers.

Check your favorite foods and see if they're known to carry pesticides so you can avoid conventional versions of these foods at all times. Don't forget to avoid them when you're eating out, too! Greenling only carries Organic and pesticide-free foods, so you never have to worry when ordering from us.

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 state - guaranteed):

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (August 17-21):

• Blueberries - Berry Best Farm
• Okra - Bradshaw/Naegelin
• Squash Blossoms - Montesino
• Peppers - Lundgren
• Pea Shoots, Microgreens - Bluebonnet/Bella Verdi
• Yellow Squash - Naegelin
• Shallots - Lundgren
• Lettuce - Bluebonnet
• Elephant Garlic - Green Gate Farms
• Mint - Pure Luck
• Peaches - Cooper Orchard

Last Week's (August 10-14) Local Box Video

In Farmstead & Local Produce Boxes ($49.99) this week (August 17-21):

• 2 Croissants - Texas French Bread
• Sweet Cheese Spread - Full Quiver
• Chocolate Bar - Fat Turkey
• Cloud & Mist Green Tea - Zhi Tea

Gluten Free Farmstead

• 2 Breakfast Breads - Wildwood bakery
• Sweet Cheese Spread - Full Quiver
• Chocolate Cup - Nourishing Delight
• Cloud & Mist Green Tea -

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula, Baby - Animal Farm
• Berries, Blueberries-Berry Best Farms
• Herb, Asst - Pure Luck
• Herbs, Basil, Live - Bella Verdi
• Lentil Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Sunflower Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Anaheim - Arnold Organics/Lundgren
• Purple Hull Peas - Animal Farm
• Elephant Garlic cloves - Green Gate
• Lettuce, Baby - Animal Farm
• Lettuce, Bibb - Bella Verdi
• New Mexican Chilis - Tecolote
• Red Bell peppers - My Father's Farm
• Okra - Bradshaw Farms
• Parsley - Bluebonnet

Produce from Local Farms

• Limes - G&S Grove
• Microgreens, Arugula - Bella Verdi
• Microgreens, Broccoli - Bella Verdi
• Mushroom, Crimini - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Portabella - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Shiitake - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, White - Kitchen Pride
• Onion, Yellow - Naegelin
• Peaches - Cooper Orchards
• Potatoes, Red - Naegelin
• Cantaloupe - Tecolote
• Shallots - Lundgren Farm
• Jalapeno - Lundgren
• Serrano - Lundgren
• Eggplant - Ringger

News & Events

Local Food Tasting Soiree

-Aug 28th, 7pm

-Rockroom Labs (map)

-FREE

This is the 6th in our series of Soirees where we highlight your best in-season cooking recipes along with some chef-created ones and vote on which are good enough to go in the Greenling Cookbook. This month we have a very special venue as Scott Collier invites us into his Rockroom Experimental Labs where he dreams up and plays with different wine-making methods and grapes. He'll feature some of his best wines and Greenling will bring some beverages too. Kid friendly event, we'll mingle in this awesome wineroom and make a few local food creations famous! See more info here:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137692594151

Other Greenling Events and Appearances

-Sweet & Twisted Triathlon, Aug 16th, Pace Bend Park

-Fresh (the movie) Screening, Aug 25th, Boggy Creek Farm

-Local Box Workshop, Sept 12th, Faraday's Kitchen

East side Showroom Now Open

-Daily 5pm-midnight

-1100 East 6th St

If you attended our last Local Food Tasting Soiree you were able to enjoy the culinary expertise of Sonya Cote. She's been refining her skills with Cote Catering and is now sharing her local food creations at East Side Showroom. The showroom is more than a local food restaurant, however, and seeks to create an intimate and stimulating environment with work by local artists. Browse some local art, sip on beverages and enjoy local food.

http://eastsideshowroom.com

Recipe Corner

Squash Blossom Fritatta

Ingredients:

• 3-4 blossoms
  
• 1-2 summer squash
  
• 4 local eggs
  
• Dash of milk
  
• 2 green onions
  
• Brazos Valley Parmesan cheese
  
• Chopped parsley and snipped chives (or baby leeks)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Rinse blossoms well and drain on paper towels.Beat 4 eggs with a little milk. Add fresh chopped parsley and snipped chives, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a non-stick pan, saute a little butter and cook 2 diced green onion and thinly sliced summer squash just until soft. Then quickly saute the blossoms for about 30 seconds and remove from pan.

Pour egg mix into pan, sprinkle and arrange the onions, squash and blossoms on top and cook over low to medium heat until almost set. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and put under the broiler until lightly puffed and browned.

For More Recipes Check Out The Eating Out of the Local Box Blog