d

News Flashes:

1.   Henry’s Farm is hosting a talk by author and scientist Sandra Steingraber next Saturday, July 12.  Check out all the details by clicking on the News Flash in the upper right of www.henrysfarm.com.

2.   Teresa’s daughter Gabby, home from her first year at Macalester, wrote the brilliant cherry section of Teresa’s Fruit Notes . . . don’t miss it (or the cherries).

d

Farm Notes: First Fruits and Good Weeds

First Fruits

After our very cool, very wet June, it looks like we are moving into a more seasonable July—hot and humid, with regular thunderstorms, and the first fruits of summer.  On Saturday, if you’re up early enough, you’ll see the very first Japanese Eggplants, Japanese Cucumbers, Zucchini and Tomatoes (a number of heirloom varieties) of the season. 

These first fruit are precious – so precious that most cultures immediately offered them to their Gods. In Japan they are considered the healthiest produce of the year, and very auspicious. In classical Greek, Roman, Hebrew, and Christian traditions, the first agricultural produce of each season was given to the church or temple.  Of course, it was also a practical matter: these first fruits were often a primary source of funding for the religious leaders and their facilities.   

We offer up our first fruits in a similar way – to you, our valued customers, but also as a source of income and upkeep for our farm. Henry says they will be priced as the precious items they are, but not to worry, the price will fall as the supply increases in the coming weeks. Because they are precious, and an offering of sorts, no one on the farm has tasted any of these first fruits yet.  But if even God wants them, Henry says, they must be good.   

d

 

While I was helping to harvest the spinach last Friday morning—along with Henry and Hiroko’s son Asa, Asa’s roommate Mark from the Math & Science Academy, our interns Rebecca and Daniel, and bat mitzvah girl Julia--I noticed that the weeds were often twice as tall as the spinach plants.  As the bright morning sky darkened suddenly, and then was split by lightening to release buckets of rain, I thought: wouldn’t it just be easier to let a section of the field go wild and harvest out the “weeds” – particularly when they are the spinach-like plants lambs quarters and the amaranth. 

The next day, I got an email from my electronic clipping service, George Smith of Dallas, Texas, with a New York Times article that explained in detail how what I had noticed, giant weeds, may well be the wave of the future on our warming planet. Climate change, it seems, is a weed’s best friend.  

One of the USDA’s top weed ecologists, Lewis Ziska, says that there are days when his goal is simply not to end up in a fetal position of despair beneath his desk. In an elegant experiment, he showed that lambs quarters grew 10-12 feet in a season, rather than the normal 6-8 feet, under conditions of slightly increased heat and CO2.  Similarly, weedy trees such as mulberries, grew to 20 feet in 5 years in the slightly higher temperature and Co2, while a normal tree was 5 feet tall in the same time period.

These and other experiments point to a world in which our wimpy domesticated monoculture crops will not be able to compete with robust weeds. Paradoxically, the way for us to survive may be to become more like weeds ourselves, stubborn yet flexible, finding creative ways to survive as the environment changes.  Part of the solution may also be to eat more “weeds” like the gorgeous amaranths Henry is bringing to market this week: wild green, Golden Giant, and the gorgeous Hopi Dye Red (see photo of the latter at http://foodandfarm.blogspot.com/

A man shall perhaps rush by and trample down plants as high as his head, and cannot be said to know that they exist, though he may have cut many tons of them, littered his stables with them, and fed them to his cattle for years. Yet, if he ever favorably attends to them, he may be overcome by their beauty. Each humblest plant, or weed, as we call it, stands there to express some thought or mood of ours; and yet how long it stands in vain!  

--Henry David Thoreau, Huckleberries (Notes On Fruits) Posthumous publication

d

Food Notes: Amaranth

From Asia to the Himalayas to North and South America, amaranth’s young leaves as well as the mature grain have been a mainstay of widely varying cuisines.  It was one of the staple foodstuffs of the Incas, and was also used by the Aztecs and other native peoples of Mexico to prepare ritual drinks and foods. In some Aztec ceremonies, images of gods were made with amaranth mixed with honey, and then cut into pieces to be eaten by the people.  This looked a bit too much like the Christian communion to the Spanish priests, who then forbade the cultivation of the grain for centuries.  It is now making something of a comeback with help from the Slow Food Foundation for biodiversity.  

Although it is known to most Midwestern farmers as pigweed, it is a “cosmopolitan” genus – found all over the world and valued as a nutritious and delicious food.  In West Africa, it is known as efo tete or arowo jeja ("we have money left over for fish").  In the Caribbean, the leaves are called callaloo and are sometimes used in pepperpot soup. The plant is also a popular vegetable in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Vietnam and China, where it is used as a stir fry vegetable called yin choi (苋菜) and also as a medicinal plant for curing infections, rashes, and migraines. In East Africa amaranth leaf is known as mchicha ("a vegetable for all") and is sometimes recommended for people having low red blood cell counts because it is very high in iron. It is also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin, folate,  calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese.  

The magnificent burgundy-colored Hopi Red Dye amaranth Henry is growing was used by the Hopis to produce ceremonial red cornbread. The young plants also make delicious steamed greens, and their leaves can be added to a salad mix, as Henry has done with the mesclun the past few weeks.  In addition, many native peoples grind the seeds into a high protein, gluten-free flour.  The Golden Giant amaranth is a variant of the Red Dye amaranth.

Man at length stands in such a relation to Nature as the animals which plucks and eat as they go. The fields and hills are a table constantly spread.  . . . They seem offered to us not so much for food as for sociality, inviting us to a picnic with Nature. We pluck and eat in remembrance of her. It is a sort of sacrament--a Communion--the not forbidden fruits, which no serpent tempts us to eat. --Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints, 1862.

Amaranth greens can be cooked just as you would spinach, and are excellent in simply boiled or sautéed on their own, or used in quiches, lasagna, or any other wayyou like spinach.  Don’t worry about the big stems, they cook down just as nicely as the leaves, without any stringiness or woodiness.

Amaranth Greens
1 Tb olive oil

4 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound amaranth greens, washed, rinsed and sliced into ribbons
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, and then add the green onion and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook another minute. Then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.   Add the greens, in batches if needed. Cook until soft, stirring often. Season to taste and serve.

d

 Teresa’s Fruit and Herb News

 

First CHERRIES!

by Gabby Santiago

 

I’m a firm believer in the virtues of pessimism, and therefore I must preface this by  saying that it is entirely possible that some freak accident—a Biblical tide of insects, a Hitchcockian swarm of birds, a vicious gang of little old ladies desperate for pie ingredients—could still strike our cherries before harvest.

 

But yesterday when we looked they were still safely tucked under the trees’ leaves, undiscovered by any of the aforementioned dark and malicious forces of evil.  They gleamed like polished red jade, Technicolor bright like something out of Oz or Candyland. The CDs you donated have been strung from the branches to keep away the birds (though they will have no effect on insects, and little old ladies may in fact be drawn to them, since many are of classical music). The discs catch the light like bits of rainbow and speckles of silver, and fill me with that pure childish glee at the sight of anything shiny, that sweet promise of treasure and adventure. Nisa, one of our workers, says my mom should ask for Evanston customers to donate an old disco ball to put at the top of the tree to complete the effect! (I cannot guarantee that I will not steal said disco ball for my dorm room.)

 

These are pie cherries; that means they are tart, not sweet, although many people will think they are sweet enough to eat them out of hand.  I know I do; they’re super-juicy and delicious. Then again, I may have killed off some tastebuds by drinking straight salsa to de-stress from finals and whatnot, so most of you will probably want to stick with cooking with them. Here’s a scrumdiddlyumptious cobbler to get you started.

Sour Cherry Cobbler

4 cups sour cherries, picked over, rinsed, and drained well
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment if desired

 

Working over a bowl pit the cherries, discarding the pits and reserving the cherries and any juices in the bowl, and into the cherries stir the cornstarch, 2/3 cups of the sugar, the lemon juice, and almond extract. In a small bowl stir together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and the butter, blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in 1/4 cup boiling water, stirring until the batter is just combined. In an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or flameproof baking dish bring the cherry mixture to a boil, drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto it, and bake the cobbler in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve the cobbler with the ice cream.

 

Blueberries, Gooseberries, Red and Black Raspberries,

Red and White Currants

Red, white and blue….and black and green.  Lots of colors and flavors to choose from this week.  If you love black raspberries, be sure to get some this week.  They have the shortest season of just about any fruit so this Saturday will pretty much be the only time you’ll have the chance unless you are one of the early birds that gets to the market at 6 AM.   The blueberries are juicy, sweet, and larger than usual this year because of the ample rains we’ve had this spring and early summer.  I think we have more this week than we have ever had, but they still go fast so come early.  No limit on number of boxes!  The same goes for the red raspberries; they are also large and gorgeous.  The flavor is intense and sweet.  Try mixing them with the tart red or white currants.  The sweet and tart flavors meld together beautifully, kind of like strawberries and rhubarb.  The same goes for gooseberries, another tart fruit and blueberries, a sweet fruit.  I made this cobbler recipe for the first time two years ago when a fellow teacher came to help pick on a harvest day.  It has become one of our favorites that we look forward to every season. 

 

Gooseberry-Blueberry Cobbler

2 cups blueberries

2 cups gooseberries

1/2 cup sugar (or to taste) plus 6 tablespoons

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or 2 quart baking dish.  In a bowl toss together berries, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch until combined well. Transfer to baking dish, spreading evenly. In a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut butter into pieces and in a food processor pulse with flour mixture and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add vanilla and half-and-half and pulse until a dough forms. Spoon dough into mounds over berry mixture.
Bake until topping is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes.

 

Herbs of the Week: The Mints

Spearmint, Peppermint, Wild Mint, and Nepitella

When we were little, we lived in town and our house was next to an alley.  Across the alley was a garage belonging to the “pink lady”, so called because her house was pink.  Next to her garage grew mint.  It was dark green, lush, and smelled like the Wrigley’s gum that our grandmother would treat us with once in a while, a half piece at a time.  We would poach a leaf or two of the mint while riding our bikes, chew on it, and then suck in our breath to feel the minty coolness in our mouths.  This is my first memory of mint. 

The catalog that I order my herbs from has 41 varieties of mint.  Along with the usual peppermints and spearmints, there are fruity apple, banana, orange, pineapple, and grapefruit mints, mints with place names like Chinese, English, Japanese, Scotch, and Vietnamese, and others like marshmallow mint, margarita mint, and millennium mint.  I grow only four kinds of mint (so far); spearmint and wild mint.

Which mint should I use for what?

 In general, spearmint is the main cooking mint.  It is excellent for making sauces for lamb or veal, in pestos, and in Middle Eastern dishes like taboulleh and cucumber mint sauce.  It also goes well with vegetables like carrots, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, and green beans, as well as making a tasty addition to green salads or fruit salads.  Some people also prefer this mint for tea.

In contrast, peppermint and wild mint are used more for teas, mint mojitos, and desserts.  My wild mint has a wonderful sweet pepperminty taste, and is actually my favorite of the two.  I got my wild mint starts from our good friend and neighbor, Miriam Kennel.  It is the only true mint native to Illinois and comes from Peppermint Hill on the farm where her husband, Dave, grew up, just a few miles from here.

Really though, it comes down to a matter of taste.  I would say that about half of my customers prefer the spearmint and about half prefer the wild or the peppermint and it doesn’t matter what they are making; they use the one that they like.  Help yourself to a leaf of each kind this Saturday at the market and see which type you prefer.

Then there is the nepitella, or mentuccia in Italian.  This mint is traditionally used in Tuscany with mushrooms, but it is also delicious with  tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and summer squash.  Some of my customers report using it with meats, and minced on top of peas, carrots, or beets.  Use this mint sparingly since it is very pungent. 

 

Since mint has such a refreshing flavor, it is used in many drinks, hot and cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, sweet or plain.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Mint Lemon Balm Tea

½ c. mint leaves, tightly packed

1/3 c. lemon balm leaves, tightly packed

1 quart water

sugar, to taste

Bring water to boiling and remove from heat.  Tear the herbs into pieces, place them in a pan and pour the hot water over them.  Let steep for 30 minutes or longer.  Strain and add sugar, if desired, stirring to dissolve.  Reheat for hot tea, or let cool and add ice for iced tea.  Garnish with a mint or lemon balm sprig.

 

            Electric Lemonade

2 c. sugar

2 c. water

1 c. fresh lemon juice

1 large mint sprig, finely shopped, plus sprigs for garnish

8 ounces lemon-flavored vodka

sparkling water

1 T. freshly grated lemon zest for garnish

Mix the sugar and water in a small pot and boil for 3 minutes to make a simple syrup.  Let cool.  In a medium bowl, stir together 1 c. syrup (leftover syrup can be refrigerated indefinitely) and the lemon juice.  Pour mixture into ice-cube tray and freeze for one hour.  In a blender, blend together frozen cubes, sparkling water, chopped mint and vodka.  Pour into chilled glasses.  Garnish with mint sprigs and lemon zest.  Serves 8.

 

            .Mint Mojitos: Makes one serving.

10-15 fresh mint leaves

Juice of one lime

Two teaspoons sugar

1.5 oz. gold rum

Ice

4 oz. Club soda

Squeeze juice of the lime into a glass and add sugar and mint leaves.  Using the end of a wooden spoon, crush and mash the mint leaves against the side of the glass.  Add rum and stir to dissolve sugar.  Add club soda and ice.  Garnish with a sprig of mint and enjoy!

 

If you don’t try any other mint recipe this week, this is the one you need to try.   I made this with shrimp the first time.  Then I made it with chicken, and then with salmon.  It was excellent with all three.  Serve it over pasta.

Shrimp with Cilantro-Mint Pesto

1 1/3 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves

¾ c. packed fresh mint leaves

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 T. fresh lime or lemon juice

1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded

¾ c. olive oil

4 pounds (21-25) shrimp, shelled

            Combine all ingredients except shrimp in a food processor; process until smooth.  Toss shrimp with pesto in a shallow, nonreactive pan to coat.  Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. 

            When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over high heat.  Grill shrimp 2 to 3 minutes per side; the shrimp will be firm and white.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8 as a main dish, or 12 as an appetizer.

 

 

d