Tea Time!
Friends, meet Vikram Mathur, owner of Yatra Tea Company. Vikram is a local guy, born is India and is completely passionate about tea. His company direct sources tea from estates India (no middleman, which is music to our ears!) and they are "fanatical" about quality and freshness.
When Vikram first approached us about including his hand-selected teas in our shares, we paused a moment, given that - you know- we are a local food company. Unless your goods grow on the rolling hills of Belmont, we said, no deal.
But his insistence on touring the terroir, knowing his producers, sourcing directly and giving back to the community made us think again.
We are obviously very keenly dedicated to eating locally. But we know that isn't always possible/easy. (Case in point: they don't make much coffee or white wine in Somerville and those are definitely part of the food pyramid in our house.)
We realized that when you can't buy from your neighbors, when you can't source it from your backyard- its best to go to someone who knows the product, the producers and the supply chain inside and out and who obsesses over every step of the process.
So we are trying this out. We are brining his tea to our whole and double shares this week. We would LOVE to hear what you think!
From Vikram:
"The tea itself is a lightly oxidized black tea produced in the Spring. It is the highest grade of tea (SFTGFOP1) produced by the estate. It brews a lovely golden liquor and is extremely fragrant with pronounced floral notes. The taste is smooth and well rounded."
For more info, visit their site!
WHAT'S IN THE BAG?
HALF SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Haddock from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm
Vegetarians - Tofu from 21st Century Foods; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm
Paleo Proteins - Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Leaf Lettuce; Asparagus (almost season's end!) and Golden Beets from Busa Farm; Green Garlic from Pete's Greens
Grain - Brioche Rolls from Iggy's Bread
Special Treat - Sea Salt and Chocolate Blondies from Dirty Blondies
WHOLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Haddock from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Haddock and Halibut from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm
Paleo Proteins - Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Haddock from Red's Best; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm
Vegetarian Protein - Tofu from 21st Century Foods; Tempeh; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Leaf Lettuce; Asparagus (almost season's end!) and Golden Beets from Busa Farm; Green Garlic from Pete's Greens; Broccoli Raab from Kitchen Garden Farm; Giant Mustard Greens from Clark Farm
Grain - Brioche Rolls from Iggy's Bread
Special Treat - Black Tea from Yatra Tea Company; Sea Salt and Chocolate Blondies from Dirty Blondies
DOUBLE SHARE
Omnivore Protein - Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Sausage from Brookford Farm; Haddock from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm; Smoked Salmon Pate
Pescatarian Protein - Scallops, Haddock and Halibut from Red's Best; Greek Yogurt from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/Brookford Farm; Smoked Salmon Pate
Fruits and Veggies - Sweet Potatoes; Leaf Lettuce; Asparagus (almost season's end!) and Golden Beets from Busa Farm; Green Garlic from Pete's Greens; Broccoli Raab from Kitchen Garden Farm; Giant Mustard Greens from Clark Farm;Apples from Champlain Orchards
Grain - Brioche Rolls from Iggy's Bread; Crackers from Brewer's Crackers (hello, Salmon Spread!)
Special Treat -Black Tea from Yatra Tea Company; Sea Salt and Chocolate Blondies from Dirty Blondies
RECIPES
Burgers: It's grilling season friends. Tad at Featherbrook suggested we go with beef patties for the summer and I couldn't agree more. Follow the link above for a few tips for the best burger around. (I mix the meat with a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce to make it more moist!) Some caramelized onions on top if you have a few laying around RULES the school for flavor.
Fried Fish Sandwich: This delight has been made a mockery of by the likes of McDonald's and their Filet-o-Fish. The Original is super delightful and pairs nicely with the aforementioned Sauvignon Blanc.
Mediterranean Halibut Sandwich Recipe: The lighter, brighter version of the sandwich above brought to you by Giada de Laurentiis and her impossibly large smile.
Broccoli Rabe: Also known as rapini, or Broccoli Raab, this leafy veggie has a slightly bitter taste that just calls out for garlic and olive oil. Or maybe just oil and some lemon zest. Its also a great home for some sautéed ground sausage if you have any kicking around the freezer.
Green Garlic: The true harbinger of Spring, green garlic is a young, softer garlic that looks a lot like a scallion, with a firm oniony taste. Almost the whole thing can be used- chopped raw into salads, sandwiches and egg dishes. Or if you have some time and a left over bird in the freezer, in this delightful Slow Roasted Chicken with Green Garlic recipe.
Leftover Brioche Buns: "What do I do with all this incredibly buttery bread?" - is a question I have asked myself exactly zero times. But you may find yourselves with a few too many buns if you don't crank through all your burgers at once. They freeze nicely and are ready to house your future egg Sandwiches, tuna melts or morning butter and jam sammies.