Mushroom Puns!
It's well documented that we love a terrible pun here at Family Dinner. Last year Shannon won the Halloween Costume competition by dressing up as an ear of corn and taping puns to her costume. She was, very proudly, a "Corny Joke." (My RootBader Ginsburg costume with a parsnip as a gavel didn't even make it on the podium. Obviously I was robbed.) So in doing useless research for this week's email we were overwhelmed by pun possibilities and have decided to just let you PYO.
This week we have mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm in Westford, MA. Elizabeth and her team grow a beautiful product that is always the highlight of the shares. We love 'em on a pizza or sautéed into an omelet. Elizabeth shared a bit more about her delicious 'shrooms here:
"Mushrooms are a fascinating crop! They’re not plants—they’re members of the fungus family. Unlike wild mushrooms that spring up only when seasonal conditions are ripe, cultivated mushrooms can be grown indoors year-round, provided the climate conditions are right.
It takes patience and skill to produce the best quality mushrooms. Like any crop grown in the field, mushrooms require close attention to achieve maximum flavor and nutrition.
How we grow
Fat Moon Farm mushrooms are certified organic by Baystate Organics. We use only organic materials to grow them. All of our products are produced in a dedicated warehouse space in Massachusetts’ Merrimack Valley.
Mushrooms need less water, energy, and growing materials than almost any other crop, which makes them tops in sustainability. And they’re excellent recyclers of waste material, turning indigestible byproducts such as sawdust, coffee grounds, and straw into food."
Though I have gone on too long, and there isn't mushroom left to this newsletter (zing!) I wanted to leave you with a few additional resources if your brain is just dying for more information on fungi. There is a great book, highly recommended by our own Brian Hack, about the hidden universe of fungi. Entangled Life, by Merlin Sheldrake (whose name 100% sounds like an extra in Harry Potter) dives into the invisible lives of the fungi from yeast to psychedelics. Check it out at an independent bookseller near you.
WHAT'S IN THE BAG?
Delivery dates: Saturday, 9/25 and Tuesday, 9/28
Note: If you order a "Meat and Fish Share" you will receive just the meats listed, not the "dairy" items (i.e., eggs, yogurt, etc). If you order a "Fish and Seafood Share" you will receive the fish listed, not the dairy items.
Add-on Grain of the Week - Crackers from Mill Cove
Add-on Bread of the Week - Maple Oat Bread from Forge
Add-on Pastry of the Week - Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Scone from A&J King
Add-on Fresh Pasta of the Week - Egg Spaghetti from Dave's Fresh Pasta
Add-on Cheese of the Week - Feta from Flying Goat Farm
Add-on Mezze of the Week - Tahini from Just Hummus
Add-on Fruit Share - Grapes from Autumn Hills Orchard; Raspberries from Norse Farm
Add-on Gluten Free Grain of the Week - Tumeric Tortillas from VT Tortilla Co.
HALF SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House
Pescatarian Protein - Tuna from Red's; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House
Vegetarian Proteins - Bean Salad from Topsfield Bakeshop; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Fruits and Veggies -Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm; Cauliflower from Kimball Fruit Farm; Lettuce from Langwater Farm; Apples from Kimball Fruit Farm and Autumn Hills Orchard
Grain - Caraway Rye Bread from A&J King
Special Treat - Molasses Spice Cookies (YES!) from A&J King
WHOLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Tuna from Red's; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Tuna, Flounder from Red's; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Vegetarian Proteins - Bean Salad from Topsfield Bakeshop; Quiche from Forge; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Tuna from Red's; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Fruits and Veggies -Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm; Cauliflower from Kimball Fruit Farm; Lettuce from Langwater Farm; Apples from Kimball Fruit Farm and Autumn Hills Orchard; Mustard Greens from Kitchen Garden Farm; Bok Choy from Atlas Farm and Kitchen Garden Farm
Grain - Caraway Rye Bread from A&J King
Special Treat - Molasses Spice Cookies (YES!) and Pumpkin Muffins from A&J King
DOUBLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Tuna from Red's; Bacon from Feather Brook Farms; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Pescatarian Protein - Tuna, Flounder, Swordfish from Red's; Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Vegetarian Proteins - Bean Salad from Topsfield Bakeshop; Quiche from Forge; Veggie Burgers from Farm House Burger Co, Mozzarella from Mozzarella House; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm; Kimchi Cucumbers from Perillas
Paleo Proteins - Chicken from Feather Brook Farms; Tuna from Red's; Bacon from Feather Brook Farms; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm, Grant Family Farm, and Clark Farm
Fruits and Veggies -Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm; Cauliflower from Kimball Fruit Farm; Lettuce from Langwater Farm; Apples from Kimball Fruit Farm and Autumn Hills Orchard; Mustard Greens from Kitchen Garden Farm; Bok Choy from Atlas Farm and Kitchen Garden Farm; Leeks and Cantaloupe from Brookford Farm
Grain - Caraway Rye Bread from A&J King; Sesame Crackers from Forge
Special Treat - Molasses Spice Cookies (YES!) and Pumpkin Muffins from A&J King
RECIPES
(from Shannon)
Mushroom Lettuce Wraps - Light and easy! Add any combo of meat/veg/whatever that thing is in the back of the fridge to your lettuce wraps for easy lunches.
Steamed Flounder with Mustard Greens - Another light and easy way to use these delicious greens and fish!
Bok Choy and Cauliflower Stir Fry - This recipe also includes a few suggested substitutions. It's wonderful to remember that there's always a few ways to get to a similar outcome with food and to utilize different things in your pantry!
Baked Chicken with Apple - I love when I get to pull out my Great- Grandmother's old dutch oven for fall and winter cooking almost as much as I love one pot meals!
Grilled Tuna Steak - Ina says this is good so I'm going to have to agree with her!
All things Concord Grapes - Did I start the fruit share just so I could ensure that we would get grapes again? Yes, completely. I am so excited and delighted by these tart, sugary wonders and hope you are too!
For my fellow food system nerds out there, you may know that it's the UN Food Summit this week. There's also a wonderful Food Film Festival going on as well. It is free to register and I am excited to see two of the documentaries, Gather and A Reckoning in Boston. Check it out!
Tips and Tricks for storing your food and getting the most from your shares can be found HERE.