Arganica Farm Club

Hello Arganicans,

We've just had our first winter storm! Well, kind of. It was not the Snowpocalypse from 2011, but at least it is an excuse to stay at home, wrap up in a cozy blanket, and do absolutely nothing...except of course make your weekly Arganica purchase! Enjoy this week’s goodies, drive safely on those icy roads, and stay warm.
  
We are so excited to share a lot of new and exciting products this week, especially Local Hydroponic Live Basil fromShenandoah Farms, five new flavors of granola by Michele's Granola, and beautiful organic Arkansas Black Apples fromCuyama Orchards. You can easily find these and all newly added projects at the “New This Week” section of the Arganica online marketplace. Enjoy the new yummy finds!

New This Week:

• Local Hydroponic Live Basil.
• Michele's Granola in 5 different varieties.
• Organic Arkansas Black Apples.
• Organic Baby Bok Choy and Red Potatoes.
• Multi-Colored Local Free Range Eggs.
• Buffalo Creek Ground Beef, Stew Meat, Brisket, London Broil, Sirloin "Mock Tenderloin" and Filet Mignon.
• Mona Lisa Pasta Producer Profile.
• Soul-Warming Chicken Noodle Soup with Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms.

Michele’s Granola, handmade with love in small batches in Michele’s bakery in Timonium, Maryland, is one of our favorite new products this week. Five breakfast-ready varieties are prepared daily from scratch using premium all-natural and organic ingredients. All varieties of Michele's Granola contain no wheat, dairy, additives, preservatives, cholesterol or trans-fats. The five different varieties include:

• Original- a gourmet blend of organic whole grain oats, unsweetened coconut, sliced almonds and pure Madagascar vanilla.
• Cherry Chocolate- a decadent mix of sliced almonds, dried tart cherries and the finest semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Pumpkin Spice- a delicious blend of organic oats, pumpkin seeds, pecans and golden flax seeds, flavored with a special blend of pumpkin pie spices.
• Cinnamon Raisin- toasted organic oats, coconut and walnut halves, blended with raisins and a touch of sweet, mellow Korintje cinnamon.
• Ginger Hemp- an earthy, nut-free mix of organic oats and six organic seeds, including super nutritious hemp.

Our Thursday in-house staff taste test favorites were Original and Pumpkin Spice but all were delicious. Try all five and let us know which you thought were the best.
 
The beautiful, deep burgundy Arkansas Black Apple from Cuyama Orchards is both a sight to behold and a treat for your taste buds. When biting into the crunchy pale-yellow flesh you’ll first be greeted by an outpouring of pleasantly tart juices. The flavor then slips towards the sweeter side, finishing off with hint of honeyed sweetness.
 
The bountiful bunch of handpicked Local Hydroponic Live Basilcomes to us from the greenhouses at Shenandoah Farms. Each bunch comes with its root structure intact. Once received, place your basil in a glass/vase filled with enough water to immerse the roots. Store at room temperature (do not refrigerate). If properly stored, your basil will stay fresh for at least 5 days.

Introducing: Mona Lisa Pasta, Charlottesville, Virginia

For nights when you crave the taste of fresh-cut, handmade spaghetti but are too tired to brush off the pastamaker, Jim Winecoff of Mona Lisa Pasta brings to life the fresh, delicious tastes of Italy with gourmet sauces, pizza doughs, lasagnas and all-natural pastas in flavors like squid ink, lemon pepper, and roasted garlic, made right in Charlottesville.Save on international airfare and prepare a warm, hearty meal for your whole family in minutes. Just put a pot of water on to boil and in approx. 5 minutes dinner is served! A simple sauce of fresh local ingredients is all you need to make this a perfect family feast. 
 
Mona Lisa Pasta has tons of exciting products available this week, including:

• Original Pizza Dough (Frozen, Makes a 16” Crust)
• Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (Frozen, Makes a 16” Crust)
• Cheese Lasagna (Frozen, 2.5 lb)
• Mixed Vegetable Lasagna (Frozen, 2.5 lb)
• Spinach Lasagna (Frozen, 2.5 lb)
• Egg Lasagna Noodles (Fresh, 1 lb Package, 11”x16” Sheet)
• Egg Fettuccine (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Lemon Pepper Fettuccine (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Black Pepper Linguini (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Egg Linguini (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Roasted Garlic Linguini (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Squid Ink Linguini (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Egg Spaghetti (Fresh, 1 lb Package)
• Ricotta Cheese Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)
• Roasted Garlic and Eggplant Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)
• Pumpkin and Mascarpone Cheese Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)
• Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)
• Artichoke and Gorgonzola Whole Wheat Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)
• Wild Mushroom and Ricotta Ravioli (Frozen, 1 lb Package)

Suzy's Kitchen Notes

In winter, having a new and exciting chicken soup recipe is critical as everybody loves it, it cures all modern winter ailments (at least this is what my mother told me), and it can be modified with almost any ingredient to take almost any direction. The following is my favorite, which also happens to feature our Mona Lisa Egg Fettuccine and organic baby bok choy. 

Soul-Warming Chicken Noodle Soup with Baby Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms. Adapted from the January 2012 issue of Fine Cooking magazine. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and cut crosswise into thin strips
2-inch knob of ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon finely ground gray sea salt
3 quarts good quality low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken broth
Cooked and shredded pieces of chicken from a 3-pound whole chicken
5 cups cooked Mona Lisa Egg Fettuccine
1/2 lb baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise at an angle.
 
Directions: 

1. Heat the oil over medium-high in a large (at least 8-quart) heavy-duty soup pot or Dutch oven. When the oil just begins shimmering, add the carrots, onion, celery, chile, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, approximately 4 to 6 minutes.

2. Add broth, increase heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a maintain a simmer and cook vegetables until completely tender, approximately 20-30 minutes.

3. Add cooked chicken pieces, pasta, baby bok choy and mushrooms. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until bok choy and mushrooms are tender, approximately 5-10 minutes.

4. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of green onions. Enjoy!