March 10th, 2010
I mentioned in my last post that I wanted to share with you reasons why I love my CSA. But first it is important to know every CSA is different. Some have produce only, some have produce and eggs, and some have produce, eggs, and meat. My CSA, Avalon Acres, offers all three options. I chose to receive produce, eggs and meat. It works for me, but certainly isn’t the best for everyone.
One of the reasons I really love my CSA is the fresh eggs.
I have always made an effort to buy eggs that are designated as free range or from chickens that were fed a vegetable diet. Both are wonderful things and both make for a better egg. But, it wasn’t until I was buying eggs that were literally gathered in the past few days that I noticed the true difference in taste, color and texture.
This picture, of a CSA egg, shows the deep yellow of the yolk and the clear egg white
This egg was picked up today at the grocery store. Notice how the yolk isn’t as vibrant and the egg white has a cloudy consistency to it.
The vibrancy of the yolk and clear egg white truly make the eggs creamier and richer tasting. Some studies have shown that farm fresh eggs are even healthier for you. There truly is a difference in taste that you will have to take my word for…but, I leave you with a picture of my lunch.
A side note..farm fresh eggs can also be found at one the weekly farmers’ markets. The Produce Place, Whole Foods, and the Turnip Truck also sell eggs from local farmers.
Tags: Avalon Acres, CSA
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March 3rd, 2010
The new spring issue is on the stands and I think it is the best yet!
It is chock full of articles about locals who give their all to the local food community. This issue will also help you plan your food shopping needs for the spring. There is information on pick your on strawberries, a farm guide, CSAs, and farmers’ markets. We feature 33 CSAs from in and around middle Tennessee to help you decide which one is best for your family.
Pick up the issue at Whole Foods, Nashville Farmer’s market, Tin Angel, Fido, and many other local spots. Check the website for full details.
Tags: Local Table Magazine
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February 24th, 2010
When I picked up my CSA today, I realized I never shared my winter CSA with ya’ll. Obviously, a winter CSA is a lot different then a Spring/Summer program. The greatest difference is there is little fresh produce. But, there are still lots of good food and more importantly, it greatly helps local farmers get through the winter season. The Avalon Acres winter CSA is every other week and features fresh homemade pasta, meats, eggs, and canned goods. Here is this weeks goods….
Top row from L to R: Fresh homemade spaghetti, pork roast, sugar cured ham steaks, and 1 dozen eggs
Middle row: whole chicken
Bottom row from L to R: pork sausage links, canned green beans, corn kernels, pure sorghum, and a bag of cornmeal
Not pictured are two 1 pound packages of ground beef I found in the bottom of a freezer bag after I packed everything away!
I know a lot of ya’ll have questions and are thinking about joining a spring/summer CSA program. The upcoming issue of Local Table will feature all of the spring/summer CSA programs available in Middle Tennessee, which will hopefully help you find one that suits your needs. Also, in the next couple of weeks I will have a few posts up sharing why I loved being apart of such a wonderful program.
Tags: Avalon Acres
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February 19th, 2010
I know this event has been blogged about on a couple of other local food blogs, but…I have a college friend who works for l’Eté du Vin and is spearheading this event, so I wanted it give it the recognition it deserves! After all, this event, as well as all l’Eté du Vinevents, supports the fight to eradicate cancer.
The event takes place at Cabana with the promise of wine (of course!) and light hors d’oeuvres. Advance tickets are $40 (price available until the 24th) and $50 starting on the 25th.
This event is a wonderful opportunity to find some new favorite wines. All of the wines featured at the event can be found in the Nashville area for $29 or less.
To learn more about l’Eté du Vin and all of the wonderful things they do to support the fight against cancer (and to buy your advance tickets!) check out their
website www.nashvillewineauction.com
Tags: l’Eté du Vin
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February 16th, 2010
One of my favorite winter vegetable is the purple top turnip. Cold winters does not leave us with many veggies, but these are little gems. They do good things for our body; they are high in vitamin C. But I love them for their pretty purple color and their versatility.
I mostly use them in gratins, with butter, cream and cheese. But, for the last couple of weeks I have been working on a recipe that takes out a bit of the fat, but still offers tons of flavor. So I brought in another favorite of mine…a yellow onion.
The dish is pretty simple. To prep, slice the turnips (with the peel off) and the potatoes (with the peel on because peeling two veggies just takes too much time) into thin slices. Don’t stress about having perfectly thin slices, just try to slice them the same general size. Chop up the onion and sauté it in a cast iron skillet with a touch of olive oil and kosher salt over medium high heat.
Once the onion is soft and translucent (adjust the heat if needed to make sure the onion doesn’t burn!) remove the cast iron skillet from the heat and set aside the onions. The skillet should have enough oil remaining, if not add a little more so the potatoes do not stick.
Start by layering the slices of potato in the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Follow with slices of turnip. After the second layer is complete, spread the cooked onions and top with a few sprigs of thyme.
Top with a third layer of potatoes, turnip, or a mixture of the two. Add a couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil and add some salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a little more thyme. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the potatoes and turnips are soft. Add some parmesan cheese to the top and run under the broiler for a nice bubbly top.
Perfect for a winter night….
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