Loving you, a Latke.
Good Morning!
Two things for this week:
1. Tomorrow January 9th and Tuesday January 12th we will be collecting dry goods for La Colaborativa, a Food Bank in Chelsea, in addition to our new monthly giving initiative at Family Dinner.
2. Latkes are in the house! We are starting a series of restaurant collaborations with some of the best joints in Boston. We are kicking it off with Mamaleh's Delicatessen. We will have their items in the shares and there are plenty of add-ons to pick from for next week only.
More is on each below! (Because what would Friday be with out an excessively long email from us? We can't help it. Some folks are good at chess, multi-variable calculus or sportsy things - at Family Dinner we excel at the art of a good harangue.)
Lots of Love,
Erin and Tim
La Colaborativa
La Colaborativa, formerly the Chelsea Collaborative, is food bank in Chelsea that serves thousands of families a week. The funding for that program ran out abruptly at the end of December, leaving them to have to close their doors for a week due to lack of supply.
Saturday January 9th and Tuesday January 12th, Family Dinner is donating hundreds of pounds of produce, eggs, and fresh pasta and also picking up dry goods donations from you!, our wonderful members. Anything you can add is greatly appreciated.
If you would like to participate please leave any of the following items out and your driver will pick them up.
Needed Items:
- Cereal
- Granola Bars
- Bread
- Canned Fruit/Vegetables
- Baby Food
- Pancake Mixes
We are trying to focus on kid-friendly, healthy items. If you don't have a delivery this week but still want to contribute, you can do so here. 100% of your donation will go to folks in need. We are working out some software bugs and will ensure this is not reoccurring for you week-to-week. Thanks for your patience.
Fried Potatoes are Self Care.
We are really excited to launch series of restaurant collaborations starting next week with Mamaleh's Delicatessen in Kendall Square. The goal of this series is multi-pronged: to bring delicious new items into your shares and into the store, to bring more business into the places we love during these uncertain times, and to financially contribute to the restaurant's Back of House staff who are not allowed to collect tips.
Next week we will have their latkes for the vegetarians and mini Challah for the Bread of the week. This will be for deliveries on Saturday 1/16 and Tuesday 1/19. There are plenty of bagels, latkes, smoked fish and more in the store for one time add ons. You don't want to miss this week!!
In addition, we will have a code MAMALEH for any new orders. By entering it at check out people will get 10% off their first share and Family Dinner will donate 25% of the share cost BACK to Mamaleh's for their back of house staff.
So grab yourself a few dozen latkes, and settle in for your fourth rewatch of the Queen's Gambit. You deserve it.
Editor's Note (aka; an Unnecessary Non - Sequitur)
I grew up on Topsfield, MA home of the Topsfield Fair. Each Fall thousands of people descend on this small town to ogle giant pumpkins and to eat friend atrocities on a stick.
As a kid I loved the fair; caramel apples, games and the aforementioned gargantuan gourds. A high-point was always the rides, which were inevitably also a low-point. The Rotor Ride (basically a spinning circular hellscape) was an excellent example. You got in, never knowing what to expect, but about 10 seconds in you feel that some is about to go horribly wrong. You're pressed up against the wall via the grace of centripetal force, your stomach rumbles and your head aches. You look across this damn wheel to see that Mikey from gym class is fairing far worse than you, his face a disconcerting green and his eyes darting around. You pray to him " Hold on Mikey. Not here, not now..."
And after sixty second that feels like three weeks, it's over. You pile out, knees wobbly and uncertain of which way is up. And by the grace of God, you have not been thrown up upon by Mikey. You shake your head, re-affirm that your feet are planted to the Earth and head off for a caramel apple that will undoubtedly ruin the fortune your parents have recently spent at the orthodontist but bring you an insane amount of joy.
That's what this week felt like. The ups and downs, the twinges of nausea. The existential pontificating: "is this ever going to be over?".
We're all be on that damn Rotor Ride for a week, or a few months. Our knees are wobbly and its hard to know which way is up. I hope that something you cook, or enjoy this weekend is a balm for you and quiets the noise a bit. I hope you stumble your way over to whatever your caramel apple is and find joy.
WHAT'S IN THE BAG?
Note: If you order a "Meat and Fish Share" you will just receive the meats listed, not the "dairy" items (eggs, yogurt etc). If you order a "Fish and Seafood Share" you will receive the fish listed, and not the dairy items.
Add-on Grain of the Week - Granola from Forge
Add-on Bread of the Week - Focaccia from Forge
Add-on Pastry of the Week - Apricot Ginger Scones (HOLY MOLY!!)
Pro-tip: you can now add extra treats to your share by adding "treat of the week" or "pastry of the week" to your subscription! Thank you for your feedback and requests for the option to do so!
HALF SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Butter from High Lawn Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Albacore from Red's Best; Butter from High Lawn Farm
Vegetarian Proteins - Tofu from 21st Century Foods; Butter from High Lawn Farm
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Fruits and Veggies - Spinach from Queen's Greens; Lettuce from LEF Farm; Tomatoes from Backyard Farms; Potatoes from Brookford Farm
Grain - Cornmeal Pumpkin Hearth Bread from A&J King
Special Treat - Cookies from A&J King
WHOLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Pescatarian Protein - Albacore from Red's Best; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Vegetarian Proteins - Tofu from 21st Century Foods; Empanadas from Buenas; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Fruits and Veggies - Spinach from Queen's Greens; Lettuce from LEF Farm; Tomatoes from Backyard Farms; Potatoes from Brookford Farm; Kohlrabi from Langwater Farm; Apples from Brookdale Orchard
Grain - Cornmeal Pumpkin Hearth Bread from A&J King
Special Treat - Cookies and Muffin from A&J King
DOUBLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken and Steak from Feather Brook Farms; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Cheese from Silver Moon Creamery
Pescatarian Protein - Albacore and Fluke from Red's Best; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Cheese from Silver Moon Creamery
Vegetarian Proteins - Tofu from 21st Century Foods; Empanadas from Buenas; Mushroom Pot Pie from Dunk's Mushrooms; Butter from High Lawn Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms; Cheese from Silver Moon Creamery
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Salmon Spread from Boston Smoked Fish; Pork from Longest Acre Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farms
Fruits and Veggies - Spinach from Queen's Greens; Lettuce from LEF Farm; Tomatoes from Backyard Farms; Potatoes from Brookford Farm; Kohlrabi from Langwater Farm; Apples from Brookdale Orchard; Micro Greens from Gorilla Greens; Leeks from Brookford Farm
Grain - Cornmeal Pumpkin Hearth Bread from A&J King; Cider Donut Mix from Carolyn's Farm Kitchen
Special Treat - Cookies and Muffin from A&J King
RECIPES
Albacore Tuna and Spinach Salad: Easy, breezy. Anything else you have in the fridge. When I'm feeling lazy I use potato chips as croutons.
Curried Apple and Leek Soup: YUM!
Roasted Kholrabi with Parm: I love me some veggies with Cheese