This Week's Food

 

The cure for anything is salt water — sweat, tears, or the sea.
— Isak Dinesen

Isak Dinesen the pen name of early 20th century Danish writer Baroness Karen Christenze von Blixen-Finecke (Which is the greatest name EVER, after Cher- of course). And the Baroness really nails it here. Salt water is good for the soul. And we will even one-up her and say that we believe that salt itself is good for the soul. 

And the salts from Hippie Pilgrim are no exception to the rule.
Owned by Susannah Locketti, Family Dinner Member, expert Brand Ambassador and Food Network Alum, this South Shore company has been cranking out delicious salts for the past five years.  On the origin of the company she writes:

"In 2006 a coworker gave me garlic salt as a holiday gift. When the jar ran out I made my own and gave it away out of a 50 gallon bucket in my apartment for years. Neighbors would come over with baggies and jars to refill constantly. In 2013 I officially founded Hippy Pilgrim and three weeks later we landed a cooking segment on the Queen Latifah show (video is on our website) which gave us the initial boost we needed.

We recently celebrated our five year anniversary and now make 10 great flavors of garlic salt plus a delicious coffee rub and dipping oil seasonings. I love quality food but don’t want to work too hard in the kitchen for it. Our garlic salts adds a sophisticated flavor to whole foods with zero effort which is what people love about us! Hippy Pilgrims are happy pilgrims and we hope to replace every saltand pepper shaker in the country with a pinch pot of our salt which is made with fresh RAW ingredients sourced locally as much as humanly possible."

We love that.
Susannah says that the salt would be a great addition to so many of this week's ingredients: pork chop, grilled romaine salad, scrambled eggs or Bloody Marys.

Did someone say "Bloody Mary"? Yes, Please!

Forge Baking Company is hosting another In Season event at Forge on Thursday, February 28th.  We are thrilled to be helping with the products while Jen Park from Forge makes it into an amazing menu.

This dinner will have a heavy emphasis on local, seasonal produce, fish, dairy, and grains from Family Dinner. The ticket is all you can eat along with 2 beers from Idle Hands. We want to really get into the winter mood. 

Doors open at 6:30 pm on Thursday 2/28.  Each ticket is $60.  

Here is the link to the Eventbrite page to purchase a ticket.

Please join us for the fun we would love to see you there!

We have two things to gab about this week:
In this corner delightful local food (Hot Italian Sausage! Haddock! Fresh Pasta!) and in this corner Shameless Self Promotion!!!!

TedX Natick
Hey folks!  We have been invited to present at TedX Natick on January 26th. We will be nerding out about farms, data and a humble mission to change the food system.  In the end we will be telling a story about this little company and the wonderful people (like all of you!) who helped us build it.  Oh, and we will be sharing the stage with a Nobel Prize winning Physicist. How cool is that?!?!

We have been working on our presentation in a very analog way, on a big black board in our kitchen - while something simmers on the stove and the wine chills in the fridge. Time to get cracking, its just two weeks away!

If you want to learn more check it out! 

Delightful Dishes
Also, its time to Cozy up to Casserole this week! Christine has a few great ideas for cozy weeknight meals, below.

The subject of this week's email may sound like the title of a delightful fairy tale, and in many ways it is.

Bell & Goose Cheese Co. is a woman-owned business in the great state of New Hampshire. This week got to visit them, see the farm and eat cheese to our hearts content. Which is heaven on Earth, as far as we are concerned. Anna and her family are doing it right. We are in love with the product and the mission:

"We have a passion for supporting dairy farmers and the large swaths of land they care for. Eating hand made, small batch cheese is pretty delightful but when it's local you can savor the good it's doing as well. When we buy local dairy we preserve our agricultural landscape as well as the knowledge and way of life these multi generational farms have to offer us."

The cheese we have is their Hunca Munca, a pasteurized baby Swiss. It melts beautifully, goes great on salads with apples and is great for snacking while you roast up Tad's chicken.

Bon Appetit! Vive le Fromage!!

CALLING ALL BAGS! CALLING ALL BAGS!
(and Ice Packs!)

You may have noticed we are back to the paper variety this week. We are trying to round up our team of black insulated bags so we can send them to the spa, clean them up and get them back into the rotation.

If you have one, two or more than a few of these kicking around we would love to reuse them! Please send them back with your smiley delivery person and we will get them back to bringing you the best local food we can find!

ANYTHING CAN BE A PIZZA

Another Holiday season has come and gone and we are once again staring down a formidable mountain of leftovers. Ham, breads, gratins of all kinds. Of course you can load it into your Tupperwares as is and schlep it to work for the next 47 days. Or you can give them all a make-over and mask them in new creations. As we strive toward zero food waste we have a simple mantra in our house: ANYTHING CAN BE A PIZZA. I'm sure that this statement is considered heresy by culinary purists and somewhere Giada de Laurentiis is shuddering in horror - but it's true. (And who cares if she's horrified - it's not like she eats pizza anyway.)

So many of our meat and veggie leftovers can be rolled into the forgiving arms of a frittata, fried rice, or pizza. This past Thanksgiving we riffed on an Alfredo Pizza using leftover broccoli casserole. What was initially a questionable choice was delightful in the end.  

This week we have pizza dough from Forge - we can't wait to see what you come up with! Share it with us! @sharefamilydinner

Christmas Fishes are Delicious, try saying that three times fast...

Christmas Fishes are Delicious, Christmas Fishes are Delicious,Christmas Fishes are Delicious.... ok it works but it is a bit wonky.
We have Swordfish back this week! It doesn't often pop up on the list from Red's but when it does we jump at the chance to bring it to you. The pescatarians had this just a few weeks back but it was too not to share with everyone!

Also in this week, fresh micro greens from Andrew at Clark Farm (pictured). He plants and harvests them just for us - makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They're just adorable but also a lovely bright addition to your plate as we once again prepare to drown in gravies, hams and cookies at Christmas.

We hope you have a wonderful Holiday. Full of good wine, great food and bad jokes- the Family Dinner way.

A few notes before we turn it over to Christine to talk Pork Belly and wintery goodness.

Delicious Holiday Presents: Did you know? We have gift cards! Holiday gifting season is never easy, but we’re making it extremely convenient for you to treat friends and family with Family Dinner, with options from $39. Also, if you’ve been good this year, cull your wishlist and drop a hint to your loved ones if you’d like locally farmed goodies to tide you over into the new year and beyond.

Get your Pot Pie here: This week for the Whole/Double Omnivore shares we are bringing you Chicken Pot Pie from the incredible Mass Provisions in Somerville. The meat and veggies are all organic and are slow smoked. We very rarely include prepared foods but this was too good not to share. Dan  wolfed one down just last week. 

Celebrate the Small! from Christine: 

Have you noticed? It’s officially big-sweater-and-wool-socks season. Although it seems like just yesterday we were hip deep in juicy tomatoes, enormous eggplant, and tart gem-like berries, we’re full-on embracing the four seasons of bounty that New England farms serve up. Ever dependable root vegetables, yes, but also cruciferous sweetness, gorgeous apples, and humanely raised protein like the pork belly we have this week. Winter fare may not scream glamorous, but instead whispers it: The realtime harvest speaks of sustainable measures, of geographical identity, and of homegrown ingenuity.

And how better to celebrate than a good meal? Share your cooking with us @sharefamilydinner

We told our friend Christine Liu (food guru, Family Dinner member, collaborator, and all around swell person) that we were thinking of firing up the Tagine (pictured) to greet Tad's Chicken this week.  A tagine is an earthenware casserole type dish used in North African cuisine (a Dutch oven will stand in perfectly). We asked Christine to give us some ideas for this week's prized birds from Tad. She shares that and some fun facts on the History of Carrots, below:

Howdy. They call me Stew.

Soup is a healing force—a cozy sweater, exuding comforting warmth. Stew, on the other hand, is like taking a steep hike where the sunrise view is waiting at the summit. Stew invigorates while it soothes, and things can get a little rugged out there. But that’s where the adventure begins.

As New England dips into the colder temperatures, the hearty proteins and root vegetables we’re receiving are ideal foundations for a rib-sticking roast, soup, or (yup) stew. Get in on a smoky gumbo. Toot your horn at a tagine. Corral your strength with chankonabe. Your one-pot wonder is out there. Share it with us @sharefamilydinner!

Did you know? The “traditional” carrot color is 🥕(orange), but did you know at one point carrots were commonly yellow, white, or purple instead? This food peculiarity (like almost always) has to do with politics and power—particularly with the Dutch House of Orange.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed a bit of time off and some delicious food. From our side, we spent time with Family eating, drinking and getting our butts kicked by our moms at Bananagrams and Scrabble. We also got the chance to tour some farms and meet this magical lady. A cow who can lick her nose with her tongue may have nothing to do with the content of this week's share but it is AWESOME.

This week we wanted to give us all a break from the heavy meats and dishes drowning in gravy (not that there is anything wrong with that.) We are serving up Pollock from Red's Best . Delicious, versatile and decidedly NOT turkey. We hope you love this light, bright fish this week.

WHAT'S IN THE BAG?

HALF SHARE

Omnivore Protein - Pollock from Red's Best; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Pollock from Red's Best; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm
Vegetarian Protein - Pasta from Lord of Pasta; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm
Paleo Proteins - Pollock from Red's Best; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Apples from Busa Farm; Carnival Squash from Brookford Farm
Grain - Spinach Gemelli from Lord of Pasta
Special Treat - Nuts from Q's Nuts

WHOLE SHARE

Omnivore Protein - Pollock from Red's Best; Pork Ribs from Feather Brook Farms; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm
Pescatarian Protein - Black Sea Bass (!) and Pollock from Red's Best; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm
Vegetarian Protein - Plant Deli Meats; Pasta from Lord of Pasta; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Red Onions; Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Apples from Busa Farm; Carnival Squash from Brookford Farm; Micro Arugula from Clark Farm
Grain - Spinach Gemelli from Lord of Pasta
Special Treat -Nuts from Q's Nuts

DOUBLE SHARE

Omnivore Protein -Pollock from Red's Best; Pork Ribs and Ground Beef from Feather Brook Farms; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm; Butter
Vegetarian Protein -Plant Deli Meats; Pasta from Lord of Pasta; Cottage Cheese from Brookford Farm; Eggs from Feather Brook Farm/ Cider Hill Farm
Fruits and Veggies - Leeks, Baby Spinach, Red Onions; Kale, Brussels Sprouts and Apples from Busa Farm; Carnival Squash from Brookford Farm; Micro Arugula from Clark Farm
Grain -Spinach Gemelli from Lord of Pasta
Special Treat - Nuts from Q's Nuts, Cookie from Girlfriend Baking (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

RECIPES

Foil Fish Packs: A quick way to dress up your Pollock mid-week. Low-Key on the clean up too, so you can get back to watching House of Cards.

Thai Coconut Fish Curry: A few more ingredients from the Pantry, like coconut milk,  but its a warm bowl of happiness.

Kale and Squash Minestra: "Minestra" is just a light vegetable soup. Further proof that even the most dull things sound better in Italian.  You can use the pasta here if you wish or skip it and drag some of the Bear's Beans out of your cupboard.

Cottage Cheese Alfredo:  Don't knock it 'til you've wolfed down an entire bowl of it before anyone else could even sit down.

Black Sea Bass with Tomatoes: Calls back to summer with a light, acidic broth. 

TIP
The pasta from Lord of Pasta was made Friday afternoon. It will hang happily in your fridge for a few days but if you don't plan to eat it right away it can be frozen for up to 4 weeks.   When cooking it should be in the 1-2 minute range so keep an eye on it!

Hello Friends!

In the poetic words of Wyclef Jean, we are Gone 'til December. (Fine. Technically he says November. We improvised.)
You should have received some of this information from us in many ways but here it is again- we wanted to reiterate there are No Deliveries on Saturday, Nov 24. Our team will be spending time with family and taking the Saturday after Thanksgiving off. We imagine that you'll have plenty of leftovers to sustain you through the following week. We'll be back with a vengeance the following week (with anything but more turkey).

Ok! Onto the good stuff! 

We have pizza dough from Forge this week. Get your quiet Homemade Pizza and Sweatpants Night on before you have to put up with your relatives for the next few days.

Here are some extremely detailed dough instructions from Jen, one of the owners of Forge: 

Take dough out of the fridge an hour before you want to bake (move the dough from the freezer to the fridge the day before you want to bake). Keep it wrapped and let it expand in a warm spot for an hour. 

If using a sheet pan:

Preheat the oven to 500*

Use your hands to coat a cookie sheet in lots of olive oil. Unwrap the dough onto the oiled pan and use your well-oiled hands to pat the dough into an oval. Gently push the edges of the dough outwards, following the shape of the pan until the dough reaches the size and shape you want. If you feel resistance, let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes and try again. Use lots of oil (it's delicious) and gentle pressure - don't tear the dough! 

Top the dough with salt and pepper and then spread out the toppings of your choice. Lower the oven to 450*. Bake until the edges of the crust look brown and the cheese (if applicable) is melted. For a crispier crust, bake just the dough for 5 minutes before adding any toppings. 

If using a pizza stone: 

Preheat the oven and stone to 500* 

Flour a counter or the peel very well and flour your hands. Unwrap the dough ball onto the floured surface and pat into a flat round. Add more flour if you feel stickiness. Shaping on the peel (or whatever surface you will slide the dough off of) use gentle outward pressure on the edges of the dough to reach the desired shape. If you feel any resistance, cover the dough and let it rest for 10-15 minutes and try again. Don't let the dough tear. Before adding any toppings check to make sure that the dough slides freely on the peel. Add more flour as necessary.

Brush off any excess flour and oil the entire top of the dough with olive oil. Add salt and pepper and any toppings. Slide the dough onto the hot pizza stone and lower the oven to 450*. Bake until crust is brown and cheese is melted. For a crispier crust, bake the dough for 5 minutes before adding any toppings beside oil and seasoning. 

ENJOY!!!!

Hello Friends!

You should have received an email from us earlier this week but we wanted to repeat this here:

No Deliveries on Saturday, Nov 24. Our team will be spending time with family and taking the Saturday after Thanksgiving off. We imagine that you'll have plenty of leftovers to sustain you through the following week. We'll be back with a vengeance the following week (with anything but more turkey).

Ok! onto the good stuff! This week we have ramen noodles from Valicenti Pasta.  Serious Eats has a comprehensive ramen overview that begins as a love letter:

"Hi, I'm ramen. You may remember me from such bowls as "First Dish I Learned to Cook On My Own," the ever-popular "Morning After Peach Schnapps-Fueled College Dorm Room Party," "Don't Tell Mom The Microwave Is Dead" 

Despite its popularity among the cash-strapped and the sodium-starved, the world or ramen extends far beyond the instant variety we grew up on. Originating in China, alkaline noodles served in soupy broth have been in Japan for well over a century, but like pizza in America, only became widespread after World War II. Troops returning from overseas had developed a taste for the stretchy noodles, and the inexpensive ingredients—wheat flour, bones, and vegetables—made them an attractive dish for restaurants to serve."

Ramen can take a lot of forms. It can be an extremely intricate dish, taking 3 days to make a good broth, or we can dial it way back and just count con a delicious, salty bowl of happiness. 

We are excited to have this and some spicy mustard greens, and earthy shiitake mushrooms to spike your creativity and fill your bowls (and tummies) with something warm and inviting as the temperatures drop.

On a recent trip to Chatham we creepily stalked the Red's Best Docks. (You know you're a real nerd who may need to find a hobby when this thrills you). Here you can find local fisherman coming in with the day's haul, or fixing equipment or coming to shore after a long day on the water. The scene is beautiful in its simplicity.

We love bringing your fish from Red's Best not only because it is caught at the peak of freshness - but because Red's Best believes in supporting local fishermen and elevating their hard work.  Its also insanely tasty. Red's takes the task of having you know your fisherman to heart because traceability is key. They even share a few portraits of the hundreds of men and women who are your fishermen. 

We love Red's Best because we believe in what they do and they save us from eating a bowl of Halloween candy for dinner. (Again.)

Bird, Bird, Bird. Bird is the Word.

That 1963 Song by the (unfortunately named) surf rock band The Trashmen may no longer be gracing the Top 40 but it is still indelibly, and maybe, annoyingly lodged in people's brains.  At least it is in ours when we think about Tad and his beautiful chickens.  Each time we get the whole birds, we are so happy to share them with you. They are delivered fresh, not frozen. We don't want to get dark here, but those chickens were alive on Tuesday. They were processed lovingly, and with respect by Tad himself that same day. You will not find fresher, more delicious meat. And yes. We have use this photo of Tad before. What of it? We love the guy and what he does. His daughter Shannon has started working with Family Dinner and we couldn't be more thrilled.

One of our rockstar members Mel has serious love for the whole chicken. She's been with Family Dinner since day 1 and sees the birds as a real benchmark of her learning as a talented home chef: " I would say the whole chickens are definitely a symbol for me of the growth I’ve made as a home cook since we started with family dinner. They used to intimidate me. I felt like I could never find a recipe that worked and then I didn’t know what to do with the leftovers and I felt guilty about how much I let go bad and had to throw out. Now, I get so excited when they come. I found an awesome recipe and I use the leftovers to make a kickass chicken salad." Kickass, just like you Mel. 

Using the whole animal is hugely important to us. And a salient point this week, because these birds are huge! Consider it a practice round for Thanksgiving. And don't forget- you can still order your Thanksgiving Birds through Family Dinner!