The Box
Spring CSA Week 5
We did not subscribe to the spring CSA from Farmer Vicki in anticipation of the May Eat Local Challenge, but having the CSA surely makes the challenge that much easier. In the Chicago area, it will still be a few weeks before the first farmer's markets open. Vicki, however, using greenhouse technology provides me and her subscribers with a big box of produce each week. And because of the greenhouse, our box includes, of all things in early May (for this part of the world), zucchini.
Last week's box seemed like a bit of more of the same. This week, the box took a nice detour. New for the week, for the season, well beyond the freaky zucchini, was sorrel and a cabbage. Repeats were more breakfast radishes and white icicle radishes and the ever present carrots and green onions. The bag of mixed greens this week was labeled spicy mesculun instead of just plain mesculun. There was no head lettuce this week.
We intend to use the greens (radish tops, last week's turnip tops) in soup, with locally ground corn. The cabbage, I've been reading a bunch of traditional French cookbooks, and that has me hankering for potee, a spring one pot meal of pork products and cabbage. The chinni, I think we will slice, blanch and freeze since it is hard to do much with two fruits. Finally, the sorrel. Anyone have some good ideas? I tasted a bit. The stuff is incredible. It's green but it feels almost exactly like biting into a lemon. Almost like something served at Moto (beware flash!).
Vital Information has been where I've been tracking the Oak Park Illinois Farmer's Market for the last few years and describing my attempts to eat local. You will also see writing about various places to eat in and around Chicago (with the occasional side trip).
Funny... I'm in a different part of the country and we've had our own challenges with weather this year, but I reacted as you did to this week's box from my CSA. Gone were the kale and the leeks -- while I love them -- I was having difficulty coming up with creative new uses for them. In their place are beautiful strawberries, zucchini, and some luscious looking spring greens. Hah-zah... winter is behind us and spring has sprung!
Posted by: Dolores Ferrero | May 04, 2006 at 01:33 PM
Sorrel is supposed to be wonderful with fish. I've never tried it but I'm sure you could find a recipe for a simple sorrel sauce. Say that three times fast!
Posted by: Laurie | May 04, 2006 at 06:07 PM
I live in rural NW IL and it's so hard to find local! Farmers farmers everywhere, and not a bite to eat! Your post inspires me though!
Posted by: Stacie | May 04, 2006 at 07:24 PM
A friend of mine just posted about sorrel. He made soup and it sounded delicious:
http://somethinginseason.blogspot.com/2006/05/surprising-sorrel.html
Posted by: SuzanneM | May 04, 2006 at 07:46 PM