Tomato, ToMAHto.
'Tis the season to be putting fresh tomatoes on absolutely everything. And by "everything" I mean open-faced sandwiches with a thick layer of Fresh Ricotta from Mozzarella House and a heavy freckling of Maldon salt.
Pro Tips for the Fam Din Win
Hello, wonderful people!
Olivia (aka Liver) here with some reminders/advice on how to get the most out of your Family Dinner subscription:
When the Moon Hits your Eye
Little known fact, the next line in this classic Dean Martin love ditty is :
"When the stars make you drool
Just like pasta e fasul, that's amore. "
Now I have to admit to not exactly being a sucker for love songs, but one that contains explicit references to pizza and pasta dishes can win this cold, dead heart over for sure.
All Along the Squash Tower....
This week in shares we have Zucchini and Squash, those summer starlettes. God forbid we let this moment pass without a quick history lesson and some fun/mostly useless facts about our favorite summer veggie (spoiler alert - actually a fruit).
Christmas in July
It's been a banner week here at Family Dinner! The crew got to celebrate at the Best of Boston soiree on Wednesday night. We got all gussied up, ate pickles on pizza, owned the dance floor, and didn't even get kicked out--success!
The Souls of Soils
Hey, all! Shannon here to share some of my "Card Catalog" of random knowledge (as Erin and Olivia like to call it). And because I'm in charge (temporarily), we're going to be talking about SOIL!
This week I received an email in which someone declared "sustainable agriculture is an oxymoron." They proclaimed that with all the carbon emissions released from farming, there is no way it can be sustainable. This person probably isn't connected with their food or even curious to really know how it's created. But what really broke my heart was that they were completely closed off to the idea that some forms of agriculture can be beneficial and regenerative for the soils and the world.
A Love Letter....
You guys. Sam. Sifton. Is. Coming. Back. To. Maine.
For those who aren't nerdy/creepy enough to be tracking every movement of this wonderful man's life, Sam Sifton is the food editor for the New York Times and a founding editor of New York Times cooking. He is the author of delightfully pithy newsletters that sprout into your inbox prodding you to cook this or that on any lackadaisical weeknight.
Best of Boston
My wonderfully kind and gracious mother always told me it is impolite to brag. I trust and love her implicitly, so normally I would abide by such maxims. That said:
HOLY SH*T, you guys! We were named Best of Boston for Best CSA! (It's also apparently impolite to swear, I'm in big trouble. Sorry, Mom.)
Flower Shares!
Flower shares are back and they're ready to brighten up your home and bring a smile to that mug of yours! The folks at Old Friends Farm will be picking and packing up field bunches and field bouquets each week and we will bring them right to your door! We are starting in Massachusetts for now but will have this up and running in Maine very soon.
Garlic Scapes
What exactly are these curly, serpentine-looking veggies? The simple answer is that they are the early stages of where flowers come from to produce seeds. There are two ways that garlic propagates (to make more plants)–through either seeds or cloves. Plants only have so much energy–they can put that energy towards either making seeds or bulb development. Therefore, if you want to enjoy those delicious garlic cloves with your winter stews, pasta sauces, chicken, tofu, steak, fish (I think you get the point…), you can probably see why it’s important that the scapes get the snip. (Plus, we get two ways to enjoy all of the garlicky goodness–win/win!)
Come closer, lettuce talk!
This week we are excited to announce that we are expanding our à la carte veggie offering. In your wonderfully detailed (sometimes hilarious) survey responses, you called for more choice. And so you shall have it! (You also called for more chocolate and less monkfish. We hear you!)
The Green Monster
This week we have beautiful bunches of arugula from our friends at Clark Farm. These bunches pack a zesty peppery bite that will add a zing to any salad, pasta or egg dish. (More frittata please!) For a few ideas we are turning to the foodie wizards at the KITCHN. We would love to know what you make!
Survey Says!!!
This week has been impossibly hard and unimaginably sad. While atrocities pile on top of tragedies we settle into a long weekend that itself is born of loss and remembrance. I get the sense that a lot of folks are retreating, instinctively and quietly into themselves to settle into their personal cocktail of grief, rage and overwhelming fatigue.