This week
Mysteries of The Arganica Box Revealed: and other Stories: Delivery notes for 20 May
New this week:
- Free local tomato Pico De Gallo Sauce w order of strawberry daq mix
- Local strawberry daiquiri/smoothie mix (line 26 or 383)
- Fresh cut thyme from David Beebee (line 109)
Not to be missed:
- Bi color organic corn on cob (line 49)
- Wild morels – black and earthy while they last (line 72)
- Organic sundried tomatoes (line 101)
- ALL Fresh Seafood and yogurt (being bi weekly for a while)
Hello Arganicans,
Often when a crop is in season we gorge ourselves with seasonal items, become saturated and grow disinterested while the crop is still here. Here at Arganica we are trying to rethink that by capturing local produce in the height of its season and store it for later use. Last year we focused on tomatoes. Throughout the winter and spring we still had a great inventory of spectacular sauce for pastas and soups. Picked at the peak of the season these tomatoes are so much more tasty than the store bought in every respect. In years past only our closest friends were served smoked tomato pastas and smoked pepper soup when late winter was here as they we just too precious to throw around. With a little encouragement from our customers we will be grabbing peak local strawberries. These preserve best when laid up with simple sugar syrup and lime juice as purees. The lack of oxygen in the packing keeps them red and fresh. This fits well for local strawberry smoothies, daiquiris and margarita mixes year round. Freezing is a far cheaper substitute to canning and often keeps the sharpness of flavor intact. This week we start with frozen daiquiri/smoothie mix (see line 26 or 383).
I hate to provide complete recipes because every creation should be adjusted to taste along the way. If you are interested in daiquiris – take a 12 oz container of our local strawberry blend add a cup of ice and at least a ½ cup or better of rum. Throw it in a blender and serve with a garnish of fresh strawberry and sliced lime. IF you need a great smoothie substitute organic cream or whole milk for the rum. You never had local so good and so easy.
It is our hope that we will develop a very extensive line of prepared foods made with the best of local produce. For those who order a strawberry daiquiri mix you will also receive a sample of our fresh made Pico de Gallo sauce made with local tomatoes and organic onions, lime, peppers , cilantro and kosher salt. (ordered with line 26 or 383) We gorged ourselves on the experimental recipes this weekend with many happy friends. Next stop- local hand made corn chips.
Starting next week we will move to a bi-weekly offering of certain items. This will allow us to add variety without diluting the efficiency of pickups from very small farmers and producers. We will begin rotating the current seafood menu and Grass Valley Dairy to every other week- so stock up on your Amish yogurts and snapper filet . In place of the current seafood we are hoping to provide mountain trout and farm raised catfish form other farms on other weeks.
The mysteries of the great Arganica box revealed.
When I survey the many fresh and local foods and vegetable we gather each week at in our packing room – I take in the smell and the sights all at once. Filling the room is the aroma of fresh picked thyme, tomatoes and lettuce picked just that morning. Ading to the air is fragrant mint, lime and cilantro- all demanding that I drop what I am doing and fix a dinner. On each Wednesday the farm buildings are bursting with the bounty of the region – I certainly consider myself a lucky foodie.
The Arganica box is meant to capture a little of that joy – a sampling of the best picks of what comes in that week.
We have a number of key local growers that form the base of this box each week. Typically we start with salad vegetables such as the hydroponic Bibb lettuce, beefsteak tomatoes and English cucumbers from Shenandoah valley farms. Lately though, David Beebee’s crop of leaf lettuce has been added in. He also has some amazing fresh thyme to add. Another local standard are the alfalfa and bean sprouts from several farms near Springfield, VA. Often we also include local apples from either Crown Orchards near Charlottesville or another farm near Shippensburg, PA.
There is of course local asparagus, mint, spinach and kale from MD, VA and NJ as well as a smattering of organics for variety and fun. Often you will see organic bananas, oranges, pears, blueberries, and cilantro among other surprises. We often do not have enough for everyone from each of our suppliers so the box varies a little with each customer. Still having worked with other farmers to help them sell the CSA boxes last year from 35-45$ each – I know the Arganica box is an amazing value of local produce enhanced with some great organics.
For those who ordered the bicolor con and sun dried organic tomatoes- my apologies. We ran short and an abundance will be available this week.
Happy eatings from Dominique, Rachel, Becca, Praggie Tom and all the Arganica Gang
