October 10 & 11th CSA

Iroquois - A fine melon

What's in the Box

Naked Seed Pumpkins, Melons! Melons! Melons!, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Peppers - sweet Hot and Bell, and kale.  Group one your melons were Sweet Freckles, Iroquois Cantaloupe, and Morning Sun Watermelon and Jo received a wee Bidwell Casaba. 

The Iroquois Melon was released in 1944 and was the hard work of the late Dr. Henry Munger at Cornell University.

Sweet Freckles was bred by Tim Peters, one of those genius growers, his Winter King & Queen Watermelon was terrific (sorry, there was only one).  Sweet Freckles is very cute, it's aromatic and freckled and pear shaped.  It's a crenshaw type of melon.  This is a very rare melon that we hope to keep going.  Let me know how you like it.

Marygold

For those of you who haven't seen a Bidwell Casaba, there will be a few more of those this season.  They're still ripening.  That makes them at the very very end of what's possible to grow.  After this year, they won't be back for three years.  Oh, and they are the size of a large watermelon

Group Two at People and Planet you'll get Assorted Watermelons, Marygold - the first of the Casaba Melons.  This one is from the University of Maryland.  And Fresh Onions and NZ Spinach.

This Week's Special gift :  Salsa

Melon Trial

Now that the melon trial is almost concluded, there's a bit more paperwork to do and summaries to write, but Leo and I have been keeping close track of what we believe to be the best melons.  In the future there will not be that many varieties planted every year, but we will rotate the best melons over the years, so that we can maintain the seeds.  Some of our favorites are the Grover Delaney Watermelon,  Zatta, Ananas, Iroquois, Winter King and Queen Watermelon.  We haven't even tasted the all yet!  Please let us know if you dislike or especially like any of the melons that are coming to you.

2 Kakai Pumpkins and One Little Green Seed

 

Kakai Pumpkins

This is your designated Halloween Pumpkin.  The flesh is NOT edible.  However, the naked green seeds inside are fabulous.  For those of you who don't remember, scoop out the seeds, and put give them a quick rinse to separate them from the placenta.  Give them a quick stir fry in a dry frying pan until they pop, or toss them on a sheet in the toaster oven and bake at 350 degrees until you hear popping.   The Little Green Seed is the newest in this development, a pie pumpkin with naked seeds.  I just love it.   Everyone will get two of these, but I can only fit one a week in the box.

Lacinato Kale Salad with Bacon, Leeks and Potatoes 

Fall Sky

Dressing:
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. malt vinegar
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp. salt

Salad:
4 strips Bacon or fake bacon
1/2 lb. baby yellow potatoes, quartered
1 large leek, thinly sliced (white and pale green part only)
1 bunch Lacinato kale (flat leaf), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup julienne strips Cheese

 

Directions

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Serves: 4 to 6
1. Place all dressing ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well to mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet for 5 minutes on each side or until very crisp; remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. If using fake bacon don't cook for more than a minute.  Add potatoes to skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes to brown, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and stir in leeks; cover skillet and cook for 5 minutes more or until leeks are soft and potatoes are cooked through. Set aside.
3. Toss kale with dressing in a large bowl and let marinate for 5 minutes. Add cooked potatoes and leeks and toss well to coat. Coarsely crumble bacon over salad and top with cheese; toss again very lightly.

Have a great week.