Winter Share 2013/14 – Week 5 (update)
Pork Shoulder, Kale, Sauerkraut, Cheese, and lots of veggies
This week we are back on schedule for another winter subscription delivery. This week we have some holiday themed favorites lined up, just in time for Christmas and New Years. As a reminder, we do have deliveries in two weeks again, including on New Year’s Day.
If you are needing tasty treats for entertaining, be sure to read below. We have some new pies and quiches available this week (at a very good price) and we do have some holiday hams left.
This week’s feature ingredients include pork shoulder roast and sauerkraut. We also have a “brewer’s grain” mix of barley, rye, and spelt. These are whole grains (think wheat berries) and are great cooked as a small grain, such as a replacement for rice or to make pork and beans (just substituting the grains).
We also have an aged goat gouda in the bag this week. This should go over well as a snack when entertaining guests at the holidays.
On the produce side, we are expecting some fresh greens, including a baby green stir fry mix, that includes mustard greens, tatsoi, baby leeks, radishes, and more. We also expect kale. If the row covers failed in protecting the crops from the recent extreme cold, we will adjust the offerings accordingly.
Other root crops that we will feature include fingerling potatoes, celery root (celeriac), rutabagas, onions, and beets.
Select Holiday Products Still Available:
We still have hams, cheese trays, and the handmade ceramics available. Please order ASAP to ensure delivery this week. The best way to order is to login to http://csalogin.
Here is a quick overview of what is left:
– Turkeys – only 5 left
– Handmade Ceramics by Gina Desantis. Get your foodie friends a very unique gift, including our custom butter crocks (for keeping butter at room temperature), corn plates (to hold an ear of corn), and honey pots. See photos and more details here:
– Hostess and Foodie Gifts. We have a few cheese boards and antipasta boards still available. We also have jam packs available. Full details found in the gift guide here.
To view all of our Holiday offerings or to purchase now, please visit this link: https://freshforkmarket.com/
All items will be delivered this week at our usual delivery locations.
SPECIAL NEW ITEM: HOMEMADE PIES AND QUICHES
At Thanksgiving, I gave one of my producers a pie to thank them for all the hard work they put into baking bread and dinner rolls for us. They were thrilled. I gave them one of the Lucky’s Sweet Potato Pies. This was to the girls at Wholesome Valley Farm who bake our Whole Wheat Bread and raise produce for us.
Knowing my intent, they asked if I was interested in selling pies if they baked some. I said yes, I have some delicious fruit pies right now (courtesy of Humble Pie), but I need some more savory options and/or pies made with produce. I also wanted a more affordable pie.
Two weeks later, they presented me with a few options. Actually, 4 options. I purchased all of them and I think you’ll absolutely love these new products. Here is a little about the product:
The crust: A dense, flaky pastry crust made with local soft red winter flour, lard, and butter.
The fillings: Local sweet potatoes and eggs in the pies and in the quiches they use grassfed beef from their farm, grassfed cheese from a neighbor, eggs from their farm, salsa made on their farm from their tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc, and local cream.
The Flavors:
Each pie is a sweet potato pie (think a rich pumpkin pie) with a butter-cream frosting. We selected this arrangement because they freeze excellent. You can then sit the pie out a few hours before guests arrive and serve it at Christmas or New Years.
Sweet Potato with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting – $14 for a 9 inch pie
Sweet Potato with Banana Buttercream Frosting – $14 for 9 inch pie
Sweet Potato with Molasses Glaze Drizzle – $14 for 9 inch pie
Quiche with smoked beef brisket, cheese, and salsa – $14 for 9 inch quiche
We will have these available at the back of the truck. If you want a specific one set aside for you, please reply back to this email and we will do so.
Roast Vegetable Hash
I’m very excited about the possibilities of this week’s bag. One of the things I’ve been making a lot lately has been a roast vegetable hash. Then last week Allyson and I had a delicious wild pheasant dinner with Chef Parker (yep, I get to shoot ’em and he cooks them. What a good arrangement that is!).
One of the side dishes was a roast vegetable hash. It tasted just like mine, all the way down to the texture. We swapped techniques and I felt you should be aware of this too.
What is the dish? The “hash” is just medium diced veggies all cooked together. The flavors vary based on the veggies and herbs used. The technique, however, is the same. I like the dish because it is tasty, easy, and colorful.
What to use? I always like to use one high contrast veggie, such as beets or sweet potatoes or butternut squash. In addition to that, I’ll limit mine to one starch (such as fingerling potatoes) and then fill in with other root vegetables, such as parsnips, carrots, turnips, and celery root.
How to do it? Start by washing your vegetables. Peel them and cube them into approximately the same size pieces. The smaller the pieces the faster they cook. I usually shoot for a quarter inch to half inch cube. Mine tend to start out small then get big as I lose patience.
The next step is the most important. Par-cook all your veggies separately first. Do this in boiling water. Think of this as an extended blanching. I’ll cook parsnips and carrots the longest. They take a while to get soft. Cook them in salted water just until they start to have a little give or a fork can be inserted with a little force (but clearly not raw). Remove them from the boiling water and chill immediately in ice water.
Cook all the veggies to the same firmness. Mix them together in a bowl with sunflower oil, salt, and pepper. Season with whatever herbs you prefer. I tend to stay with thyme, oregano, and herbs de provence.
In an oven proof casserole, mix the veggies with some course chopped raw onion and a few whole garlic cloves, peeled. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees until desired doneness.
If you are drying out your veggies and they aren’t soft enough yet, cover with foil and continue to roast. This will trap the moisture and quickly soften the veggies.
Apple Cider
Tremont customers. Last week I took Saturday off and was informed that my staff left 100 gallons of apple cider back at the warehouse (where it does no good). In short, alot more folks showed up in Tremont than scheduled (which is common and a-ok). We ran short by about 30 gallons. If you did not receive cider last week in Tremont, please let us know and we’ll correct it this week.
Also, if you have leftover cider, consider using it for a brine for your holiday turkey or as a braising liquid for your pork shoulder. Extra cider will be available at the back of the truck.
Grovewood Tavern Sunday Brunch – 10 AM to 2 PM
If you don’t feel like cooking for the holidays, please stop in and visit our friends at the Grovewood Tavern. If you haven’t tried their brunch, you must. It is possibly the most local brunch in Cleveland. I know because I sell them most of the ingredients on the menu.
I didn’t get to try everything when I was there, but here are some of my recommendations:
Drinks: Let’s get one thing straight. A stiff drink at breakfast is awesome because you don’t get to do that Monday thru Friday. I let the staff order for me because they know my style. Here is what I enjoyed:
– Good Morning Collingwood: A bourbon based cocktail with a sweet note derived from the sweet vermouth, and cherry syrup. The lemon juice brightens it up some and makes it quite refreshing.
– Bloody Irishmen: A bloody mary made with Jamesons and Guinness. I generally really enjoy Bloody Mary’s (hence how we came up with the Clark Pope Bloody Mary Mix). This one though, with bourbon and Guinness, was exceptional and unique.
Food: I love eggs Benedict, and the Grovewood Benedict with the crab cakes and house made hollandaise was exceptional. Beth, the owner, recommends the South By Southwest, which is their take on biscuits and gravy, made with our black beans, smoked cheddar, Fresh Fork chorizo, and served with a side of Stutzman grits. The biscuits are cheddar scallion biscuits.
I’m looking forward to my next visit in which I can try the Buttermilk Oat Hotcakes, made with Stutzman Oats smothered in real Ohio maple syrup and served with a side of Fresh Fork Pork, including our bacon, ham, or a housemade sausage patty.
The Grovewood Tavern can be found at 17105 Grovewood Ave, Cleveland OH 44110. Be sure to checkout the entire menu here: http://www.grovewoodtavern.
So here is this week’s entire list:
Winter Week 5 Share:
1 Size Package, No Vegetarian or Vegan Options
1 pork shoulder roast, approx 3 #
1 bag kale, 12-16 oz
2# sauerkraut, must be kept refrigerated
2# brewer’s grain mix, spelt, rye, and barley berries
2# bag fingerling potatoes
1 bulb celery root
1 # carrots
1 bag stir fry mix
2# rhutabaga
8 oz goat gouda
1 candy onion
1# beets without tops