Too Much Zucchini?

So far, I have not had to deal with an overabundance of zucchini.  And even when my garden does actually grow plenty of it (not the case this year), I keep finding great recipes (zucchini marmalade!).  Tonight, on a whim, and because I was looking for a different way to serve vegetables for dinner, I decided the make zucchini fritters.

I'm not sure where the idea came from; I wasn't looking for recipes, but maybe the simple image of a partial grated zucchini in the fridge was enough to trigger the thought (I had used part of the zucchini earlier for zucchini bread).
I don't have exact amounts for you, but here's a list of ingredients and a pseudo-recipe -- these fritters were quite tasty and very easy, and the recipe can easily be cut in half.

2 medium grated zucchini
2 eggs
flour
salt
pepper
Mix zucchini and egg; add flour to reach a batter consistency; salt and pepper to taste.  Heat vegetable/canola oil in frying pan.  Drop by spoonful or 1/4 cupful into frying pan, turning when browned on one side.  Makes about 8 fritters, depending on size.

 

These are a lot like pancakes or latkes and are good with salt or with syrup.  Delicious for dinner, probably pretty good for breakfast, too.  Enjoy!

Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy!

It's the end of July and we've just finished our third week of the Cape Cod Fish Share.  Mr Madley and I split the fish share with another family who split the Pioneer Valley Heritage Grain CSA with us.  The grain share isn't collected until December, but we are enjoying the fruits of the sea now.

The goal of the fish share is to provide the freshest local fish in a sustainable manner.  Fish is delivered to CSAs/farms in the Valley on Saturdays in Amherst, Easthampton, and Northampton.

On our first week of the fish share, we delighted in monkfish tail -- a soft, sweet fish that we roasted with garlic, salt, and pepper.  This was a first for us and monkfish, but it was delicious; it had a definite similarity to scallops.  Also received were filets of sole, which we have yet to partake of (they're wrapped and frozen).

For our second week, we were delighted with fresh scallops and swordfish.  These we skewered and grilled with local vegetables.  We brushed a Dijon mixture onto the fish for a little extra kick.  Seriously delicious -- one of my favourite fish dinners yet.

 

This weekend we received lobster.  Our split share consisted of 2 lobsters -- just enough for us.  We steamed them up in a steamer pot of sea-salt water.  Unfortunately, we don't have any handy lobster-eating utensils, so we broke out the hammer and pliers; they actually worked pretty well.  We paired the lobster with fresh corn on the cob -- a tasty summer dinner.  We felt like we were on a seaside vacation.

We're looking forward to three more weeks of interesting, yummy fish (don't know what we'll get -- it's almost always a surprise), and we certainly enjoy eating so well on summer Sundays.  You, too, can participate in the Cape Cod fish share -- registration is currently available online for the late-summer share, which is slated to begin in late August.  There is also an autumn share.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to enjoy fish from our eastern shores!

CSA: The Kitchen Garden

Yesterday was part 2 of my CSA visits for Open CSA week, and Mr Madley and I visited The Kitchen Garden on Rocky Hill Road.  The Kitchen Garden is relatively new at its Hadley location (previously having been home to Stone Soup Farm), and is still under a little construction (the barn should be finished within the next few weeks).  Most of the farming and crop-growing is done in Sunderland on Silver Lane, but the Hadley location has pick-ups, a wonderful assortment of chatty chickens, and pick-you-own gardens.  Plus, a few of the farmers were there unloading the beautiful produce from the van for distribution.

Flowers, eggs, bags, an informational card, and a sign-in welcomed members and guests;

The white-board listed today's share portions.

Beautiful bunches of radishes (3 kinds) were part of this week's vegetable share,

as were garlic scapes, swiss chard, lettuces, bok choy, and kohlrabi (I don't think I'd ever seen kohlrabi before -- pretty!).

 

The farm offers different kinds of shares and add-ons -- vegetable shares, fruit shares, and egg shares; plus, special winter and spring shares and market shares. 
Strawberries and rhubarb were part of this week's fruit share.

Happy chickens lay tastier eggs for the egg share.

 

The Kitchen Garden produce is also available at farmer's markets in the area, including the Wednesday Market at Kendrick Park (which I'm really hoping to get to go to soon).  If you're looking for more information, take a gander at their website -- it's loaded with information on the farm, CSA shares, farmers markets, the produce they produce (storage tips, recipes, etc.), restaurants, and the farm philosophy.

Another fantastic CSA opportunity right here in Hadley.  

CSAs are a wonderful way to participate in the local farming industry and to support the local community.  Open CSA week is now over for the year, and I've highlighted two local CSAs.  If you have hesitations about joining a CSA, start by visiting the farmers markets and farm stands in the area.  Don't miss out on your opportunity to partake of the fresh, delicious produce grown here in the Valley and to sustain the local agriculture that has built the foundation of our community.  Enjoy those fresh summer crops!

Chilly Day, Warm Bread

What does one do on a chilly, rainy Saturday when the plan was to enjoy the great outdoors?
Bake bread, of course!

Today was my first try at making wheat-berry bread -- whole wheat, graham, flax, oat bran, and red winter wheat berries, with local milk and honey, also.  So so good!  (Isn't it beautiful?)

 

And so Mr Madley wouldn't feel left out, I also baked him homemade gluten-free bread.  Turned out quite nicely.  I'm still trying to perfect this recipe, but it gets better each time I make it.

If you have any interest in fresh and local bread or grains, Wheatberry offers a heritage grain CSA that sounds marvelous!  Check out the information on their CSA site.  They offer whole grains of wheat, corn, spelt, beans, and oats, and even have a grinder you can use if you don't have one of your own.

Asper-grass

Asper: harsh, rough, rugged
Grass: something grown in a lawn around the dandelions and violets
Asper-grass*: rough grass found in a garden patch

You may be seeing the signs pop up around town: $3.50/bunch, Grass -- $4.00; it's asparagus season in the Valley! That rough, green, fibrous, Hadley grass is once again decorating local fields and gardens, being presented at roadside farm stands on nearly every street, and being offered on dinner tables as a tasty, fresh, spring vegetable.

Growing up I was never a fan of asparagus, but living in Hadley has changed my mind; now I can't seem to get enough.  Roasted with shallots, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper, it makes a delicious side to nearly any dinner.  This week I'm going to try as a bed of vegetable puree under seared salmon.  And perhaps, if I get really brave, I'll try asparagus ribbons around an egg or asparagus spaghetti....  But Hadley Grass Soup sounds really good, too.

Don't miss out this season.  Local asper-grass is tasty and versatile.  Make sure to stop at one of those farm stands today and pick some up for dinner (or breakfast).

*Asper-grass is a made-up compound word, and as far as I can tell from looking in the Oxford English Dictionary, actually bears no relation to the real word "asparagus."

First Asparagus of the Season

Asparagus.
Hadley is known far and wide for this early spring, stalky green crop.
And boy, did I hate it when I was a kid.  But somehow, I now love it; I look forward to the spring when I know I can pick up local asparagus from a stand in someone's front lawn on the way home from work.

Tonight, it was a bedtime snack(!).
This is how I fix it:

Baked, with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder at 350 for 15 minutes, give or take, depending on doneness (I like the stalks to still have some crunch to them).  Sometimes I add shallots to the mix.

So simple, it doesn't even seem worth writing out as a recipe.
How do you like your asparagus?  I'm looking forward to trying it grilled someday soon....

Hadley asparagus.  Currently available at your local roadside stand.

So Spicy: SNE Spice Company

Last Friday was excursion time -- a small excursion to nearby places of interest.  One of those places included the Southern New England Spice Company.  You know the place -- you've driven past it on 47 dozens of times but have never stopped in because you never quite knew what it was about and there were never any cars in the lot.  And each time you drove past you thought "One of these days I'll just stop in and see...."

Last Friday was "one of those days," and I stopped in to see.
The public space inside of the SNESC is deceptively small -- just a single room.  But that single room is stocked with large bottles of spices, salad dressings, jams & jellies, dried fruits & veggies, rices & beans, marinades, dips, extracts, oils, salsas, relishes, Mexican chilies, cooking agents, sauces, honey, and more.

Amazing how much variety can fit in one uncrowded room.  If you've ever wanted,needed to stock up on spices, this is the place to do it.  (Preview the list of spices here; an even more extensive list is available at the shop.)

Here's the kicker -- the SNE Spice Co. supplies over 700 restaurants in New England, so if you've ever been frustrated because you can't get that great restaurant taste at home with your kitchen oils and spices, you might want to stop in and see what they have.  They might have just what you're looking for.

My Recipe for a Happy Holiday

For me, the holiday begins today, with a vacation that stretches into the New Year.  I am very thankful for a little downtime during this season. 
I have a standard recipe for happy holiday vacations.  As the years pass it gets refined, and I don't always have access to all the ingredients every year.  Nevertheless, here it is:

My Recipe for a Happy Holiday

1 Gingerbread with Hot Orange Sauce
4 dozen Grandma's Norwegian Krumkaker
1 Box G&G's Homemade Flatbread
1 Fireplace for Multiple Fires
1 Collection of Classic Movies
1 Large Pot Clam Chowder (sometimes replaced with Beef Stew)

1 Large Stack of Books; holiday reading must include one or more of the following:

• Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
• East by Edith Pattou
• Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher

1 Frosting of Snow to cover the ground
Blankets & slippers & wool socks (as needed)
1 or more Dear Ones (these may include but are not limited to spouse, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cats, dogs)
3-7 Days Away from Work
Birds at Outdoor Bird Feeders

There are, of course, other little things that help make the holidays special and relaxing -- all those little decorations and traditions.  What is your happy holiday recipe?