Arganica Farm Club

Hello Arganicans!

I am somewhat of a Valentine’s Day Scrooge. I think the concept of designating a day to express to your loved ones how much you love them is, well, lovely. But I hate the commercialization that also surrounds the day. So much emphasis is placed on spending money on the ones you love on this single day. Why not concentrate instead on being more present for your significant other EVERYDAY? A dozen roses one day out of the year can’t compare with an honest, warm hug every day of the year.

One of the ways I share my love and affection with those dear to my heart is by cooking and sharing my love of good food with them. So, in a way, these blog posts are my little love letters to you, the beloved members that we treasure.

New This Week:

• Blue Ridge Dairy fresh-water-packed Mozzarella
• Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale in three flavors
• Natalie’s Orchid Island Freshly Squeezed Orange and Grapefruit Juices
  
• Pequea Valley Farm Peach Yogurt
  
• Elk New York Strip Steak
  
• Blue Mountain Brewery Evan Almighty and Flying Dog Brewery Snake Dog IPA in 32-oz half-growlers
• Producer Profile: Equal Exchange
• Suzy’s Kitchen Notes: Bittersweet Chocolate Molten Cakes with Coffee Ice Cream

This week, it’s all about keeping it fresh - from the fresh-water-packed Blue Ridge Dairy mozzarella, to the minced fresh ginger pieces in the three flavors of Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale, to the freshly squeezed (unpasteurized) juices courtesy of Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company.

Blue Ridge Dairy is a small, artisanal producer in Northern Virginia. They specialize in fresh and applewood-smoked mozzarella, fresh ricotta, aged feta and Greek yogurt. We’re introducing their products in two stages due to availability. This week, please try their fresh-water-packed mozzarella, which is hand-made using only the freshest jersey cows’ milk from a family farm in Carroll County, Maryland.

Fresh ginger in ginger ale? Seems like a no-brainer, but most ginger ales currently on the market are made from artificial flavors and extracts. Let me introduce you to the exception: Fresh Ginger, Ginger Ale. The three ginger ale varieties by Fresh Ginger are made with pure cane sugar and absolutely no extracts, oils or high fructose corn syrup. The result? Clean, unique flavors with a pleasant, honest ginger bite. Try all three flavors: Original Ginger, Pomegranate and Jasmine Green Tea (my personal favorite).

Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company has won six national taste tests in the last six years. Their most recent victory, awarded by Bon Appétit magazine, declared Natalie’s as both the “Best Tasting and Healthiest” of all supermarket juices. Natalie’s Executive Vice President, John Martinelli explains that their juices retain a lot of the naturally occurring nutrients found in citrus fruits “because of the way we delicately squeeze the fruit, we literally squeeze the juice to order.” The freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juices added to our menu this week are not only nutritious and delicious, they are also safe. You don’t need to worry about the recent media reports regarding fungicide found in imported orange juice because Natalie’s guarantees their juice is made from 100% Florida fruit.

Introducing: Equal Exchange

West Bridgewater, MA



This Valentine’s Day, win hearts and financially support small-scale farmer-cooperatives across the globe with Equal Exchange Chocolate! It’s truly a sweet deal.  



Equal Exchange’s organic, fair-trade chocolate bars and rich cocoa drink mixes offer the creamy, spicy, salty and sweet tastes of gourmet chocolate blends, and the health benefits of pure cacao (it has been proven to reduce the risk of stroke, lower blood pressure, provide potent antioxidants, and boost mood).



Equal Exchange also serves up complete food source transparency; their comprehensive website allows you to track exactly where your chocolate is coming from, “from bean to bar”. And for those against chocolate (or Valentine's Day) steep some Equal Exchange herbal tea for a cup of soothing winter comfort, available in Rooibos, Jasmine Green or Chamomile.

Suzy's Kitchen Notes

Bittersweet Molten Chocolate Cakes with Coffee Ice Cream
Adapted from the January 2003 issue of Bon Appétit magazine via Epicurious.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 12 teaspoons plus 5 tablespoons sugar
• 8 ounces Equal Exchange Very Dark Chocolate (71% cacao), chopped
• ¾ cup unsalted Trickling Springs Creamery butter
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon Wade’s Mill white all-purpose flour
• 1 quart Trickling Springs Creamery coffee ice cream
• Raspberries (optional for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Generously butter the bottom and sides of eight 3/4-cup (6-ounce) ramekins. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar in each ramekin.

3. Combine chocolate and butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Heat on low and stir often until chocolate and butter completely melt. 

4. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks and 5 tablespoons sugar until thick and pale, approximately 8 minutes.

5. Gently fold 1/3 of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Then fold in the remaining chocolate mixture. Fold in flour.

6. Pour batter into ramekins, dividing evenly and filling each ramekin to about half-way full.

7. Place ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake cakes uncovered until edges are puffed and slightly cracked but the center 1 inch of each cake moves slightly when dishes are gently shaken. Do not over bake! Baking will take about 11-13 minutes depending on the accuracy of your oven.

8. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and raspberries.

Advance preparation notes: Cakes can be prepared and left unbaked 1 day ahead. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate after conducting step 6 above. Bring batter to room temperature before baking.

Happy Local Eatings from the entire Arganica Team!