Yesterday we had the joy of visiting Tad (handsome guy featured above) at Feather Brook Farms. Tad and his farm are the origin of much of your eggs and meat. He raises chickens, hens and rabbits and sources our beef and pork. Tad is a joyful smiling guy with a deep faith in and commitment to sustainable food practices and top-notch animal husbandry. We are excited and proud to bring you his products, especially this week's ground beef. Check out our recipe recommendations for the perfect burger and Sloppy Joe, below!
Posted on October 21, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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This week we are highlighting one of our favorites; gorgeous, fresh Atlantic Salmon fillets from Red's Best. We love working with Red's Best out of Boston. Their goal is "to sustain the livelihoods of American fishermen and their families while sustaining fisheries for harvest." What could be better than that?
These fillets, with their soft pink hue* can take on a variety of flavors. We've provided a few recipes that will let you eat this buttery fish all day long - breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
*Nerd Alert*
What makes salmon pink? This fish's flesh can vary from a very light pink to a deep orange color. The secret is that this this depends on the amount of carotenoid astaxanthin the fish have in their diets based on how much shrimp and krill they eat. Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid pigment that's found in some marine plants and animals. It is recognized as being one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature.
So eat up. This pink fish is good for you.
Posted on October 14, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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Nothing says "Family Dinner" more than a prized recipe shared among friends. Here we are including the ultimate comfort food, Chicken Pot Pie, from our dear friend John Henry with whom we have shared countless meals, laughs and glasses of wine.
John's recipe, below, calls for a dark horse ingredient that adds a special bit of magic to the crust. Not necessary but if you have it lying around - it's a game changer.
PS: We are thrilled to be in our second month of working at our shared commissary space, Foundation Kitchen (Cheesy photo above!). Lots of beautiful food coming out of ambitious start ups here!
Posted on October 07, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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This week we are highlighting some beautiful Organic Poblano Peppers from Brookford Farm. These peppers may look scary for those who don't love heat, conjuring up memories of the time you ate a Ghost Pepper chicken wing at your cousin's BBQ and nearly died. But you don't have to worry - poblanos are mild and versatile given their relative low Scoville Unit Measurement and can be approached without trepidation.
What the hell is a Scoville? (Nerd Alert)
According to Wikipedia: "The Scoville scale is a measurement of pungency (spicy heat) of chili peppers- or other spicy foods, as reported in Scoville heat units (SHU), a function of capsaicin concentration. Capsaicin is one of many related active components found in chili peppers, collectively called capsaicinoids. The scale is named after its creator, American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville. His method, devised in 1912, is known as the Scoville Organoleptic Test."
If you want the heat off a pepper but much less of the relative burn, remove the seeds and the ribs before cooking. They pair amazingly with the rich sirloins from this week and we have included a few ideas below.
Posted on September 30, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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"Scallops are expensive, so they should be treated with some class. But then, I suppose that every creature that gives his life for our table should be treated with class." Jeff Smith
Scallops are an incredibly versatile and luxurious shellfish. Whether you like yours fried with tartar sauce, sautéed in butter, or served in a fresh, bright ceviche - this catch from Red's Best will not disappoint.
We asked Avery from Nella Pasta what he thought would pair nicely with the fish. He suggested linguine, and these long strands of dough were cut this morning. The recipes below have the makings of a wonderful weekend meal.
Posted on September 16, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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Shakshuka is is one of our favorite dishes of all time. It's perfect for a weekend lunch or for an elegant, but simple dinner to share with friends.
This humble but wonderfully satisfying dish is made of eggs poached in a tomato sauce with spices; often with cumin or chilis. The variations on it are myriad (we share a few options below) but sometimes the recipes can look intimidating from a spice perspective. If you don't have everything on the list, don't fret. You can be creative here; adding what you have on hand and whatever you are happy to see alongside tomatoes and eggs!
We like to serve it right in the dish, with a side of crusty bread and have people share family style. Bon Appetit!
Posted on September 09, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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Happy Labor Day, it's Taco Time!
We're excited to share organic tortillas from Mi Tierra Tortillas in Hadley, MA. A local farmer teaming up with a couple of chefs to make beautiful products. Doesn't get any better than that. Here's their story:
"Mi Tierra started as a dream of Jorge and Dora's to bring authentic Mexican food to Western Massachusetts. We are continuing that dream by making tortillas in the ancient 'nixtamalazation' process, no chemicals, no additives, just 100% corn in the way our forefathers intended.
Mi Tierra Tortillas are made from 100% non-GMO, locally grown corn from the Connecticut Valley Region. Corn, water, and lime. Those are the only ingredients we use and the only ingredients they need!"
We hope you love them, we have focused our recipe suggestions around these little gems.
Posted on September 02, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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Corn and Pasta may seem like a bit of a strange pairing. You might think that adding a starch to starch would leave you with a leaden dish. However, if you cook the corn only slightly it brings a sweet, fresh bite to the pasta. If the idea of doing anything other with Summer Corn than boiling it and slathering it with butter seems appalling to you, we totally get it. That irresistible summer treat isn't going to be around for long. If you were willing to branch out a bit, try one of the Pasta recipes below.
Posted on August 19, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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Nothing says summer like firing up the grill. For carnivores that means endless delicious charred, meaty treats. In this canon of deliciousness, creating the perfect cheese burger is a skill to be honed. There are dozens of ways to cook them and endless toppings. For the recipe, below, we kept it simple and brought it back to the burger you grew up with. Serve it with the quick pickles, corn and watermelon and you have a feast.
Posted on August 05, 2017
Erin Baumgartner
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