Sandy Spring CSA

November 18, 2009: This week’s featured fruits and vegetables are: parsnips, carrots, white cauliflower, Romanesco cauliflower, collards, broccoli, winter squash, and white potatoes.

Farmer Pam had this suggestion about the Romanesco cauliflower:

This cauliflower is green – it looks like little pine trees, and is great raw. Last year I carefully sliced it up (an exacto knife is good for this) and put the little trees on toothpicks and made a rave-style hors d’oeuvre tray (very Martha).

Have fun w/ your food

Recipes: Parsnips on Parade

Parsnips - yet another vegetable the CSA introduced me to for the first time. For anyone who, like me, has only recently made the parsnip’s acquaintance, here are some fun things to do with this vegetable:

First, some great basic tips on cooking parsnips.

For soups, this Winter White Soup receives rave reviews. This Gingered Carrot and Parsnip Soup recipe also sounds tasty, with its touch of fresh ginger.

Carrots and parsnips go well together, as evidenced by this recipe for Honey Glazed Carrots and Parsnips, or this one for Carrot and Parsnip Latkes.

Parsnips in a pie! This Whitechapel Shepherd’s Pie looks like fun, as does this Curried Parsnip Pie.

Or for just plain parsnips, try Sweet and Gooey Parsnips, which looks anything but plain.

Yes - it’s the beginning of a beautiful CSA friendship.

Food for Thought:

In Montgomery County, one of every four county residents is at risk of hunger. One of every four students attending Montgomery County Public Schools qualifies for a free or reduced price lunch. Hunger in our region may be hidden, but it is all around us.

As Thanksgiving and the year-end holidays approach, all of us probably think about those for whom this is not a season of bounty. Consider contacting the Manna Food Center or the Capital Area Food Bank, two food clearinghouses in our region, to find out how to help.

Reminder: Next week’s pickup is on Monday November 23. It is our last fall pick-up. You will pleased to know that you only paid for seven weeks this fall and you are receiving eight weeks of produce! Nov 23 is a bonus box.

Please return any remaining farmer boxes you have stashed away.