Brandywine Toms, Green Beans & Anaheim Chiles

Join Eric, Farmers and Food Fanatic on an epicurean journey through our garden during peak summer harvest. You'll get to fill up a basket with all kinds of ripe delights available at this time of year and experience first hand the joy in picking your own food. Take home your harvest and enjoy shared recipes and ideas. Cost $30 per person. Space is limited. We are taking sign-ups now.

(Send us an email).

Summer CSA Sign-ups (weekly or bi-weekly): Can't make it to the store, live too far away or just busy living life, we can accomm

odate you. Our weekly summer deliveries, beginning July 7th service many locations in Tuolumne and Calaveras County. Log into the sign-up wizard for more details of drop off locations, bag sizes and prices.

Vegetable & Fruit Highlights

VEGETABLE HIGHLIGHTS:

Our claim to the first tomatoes in Calaveras County was usurped by fellow farmer friend, Randy Metzger from San Andreas.

Congratulations Randy and crew!

Brandywine tomatoes are in! Many years ago we introduced this tomato to our customers and they were shocked to see that they weren't red and a little leary to buy. Once tried never forgotten. Now, many years after their introduction they are the first to sell out! They live up to their name gloriously, perhaps the best tasting of all the tomato varieties (at least that's what some of you say!) An historical footnote makes famous this tomato: it was Thomas Jefferson who grew this tomato in his garden in Monticello back in the early 1800's.

We just picked a multitude of French Fillet Green Beans (the skinny tender kind that steam in just a few minutes - see recipe below). This week's newest addition is the famed Anaheim Chile, famed in our household because Eric makes this fantastic Chile Rellano, stuffed with corn, cheese, onion (see recipe below). Speaking of chiles, the new hot item, Padrone pepper is a minature version of the Anaheim. Grilled whole on the bbq or fried in hot oil, with a generous pinch of salt makes for a delicious appetizer.

Other delicious items in bountiful supply are Cucumbers (2 for $1 special continues); Potatoes (available until supplies last - 20 lb bag of Red Pontaic $28 or 35lb box for $40 - a great price for a good keeper, if kept in a cool spot lasting well into the fall!)

'Tis the season of abundance! Plenty of squeaky eggplants (all shapes and colors), chard, kale (from Love Creek), squashes, lemon cucumbers, beets, peppers and basil.

FRUIT HIGHLIGHTS: From the orchards of Tyson Hill Farm, Waterford we have the finest fruit!

Indira writes:

"When you bite into a Mariposa plum, you will find succulent red-flesh that is sweet and juicy. This heart-shaped heirloom plum is larger than most other plum varieties with a small pit, providing more flesh. The maroon speckles over light green skin clearly identify the Mariposa reminds some of Japanese pottery glazes. It's lovely in fruit salads, used in sweet green salads, even atop a cool summer dessert. It's our most popular plum, fresh and dried, and makes a beautiful and flavorful jam (Mariposa-raspberry, even more yum!). Long attributed to Luther Burbank, Slow Food now claims the Mariposa plum originated in Pasadena, California, where it was a chance seedling that was selected by Jennie Benedict Thompson in 1923. The late Merced plum farmer Andrew Noda planted this and other of his favorite plum varieties on our farm over the many years of friendship and quiet Sunday suppers together.

The favorite yellow nectarine of the yellow nectarine lovers in our family has for years been Flavortop. Like many of the older nectarine varieties, it has a speckled undercoat. Lovely fresh and dried, I baked a delicious, and beautiful, nectarine/blackberry pie for lunch today. Well, it didn't make it to lunch; we all seemed to need elevensies -

Elegant Lady peaches have a gorgeous red color with little fuzz. A freestone peach that is described as being a perfect balance of sweet and acid.

BULK OFFERINGS:

Take advantage of bulk offerings at Outer Aisle. During the peak summer months we'll have oversupplies of a variety of fruits and vegetables. If you can, freeze, dehydrate or getting ready for a party.

This week: Basil for pesto making and 20 lb boxes of Early Girl tomatoes for $2/lb.

RECIPES:

CHILE RELLANO'S ERIC STYLE

Roasted Anaheim Chiles (blister over gas flame)

1 egg for every two chiles, separated

3 TBSP flour

Beer

Roast Anaheim chiles and put in a paper bag to steam. In the meantime, prepare the filling of your choice: feta, cheddar or your favorite cheese, shaved corn, diced onion, cooked ground meat, prawns, sausage.

Next beat the whites to a stiff peak with either Cream of Tartar or salt. Make a batter with yolk, flour, beer (enough to make a pancake consistency). Fold into the stiff whites.

Peel the chiles under cold running water, cut off the tops and take out the seeds. It's easier to slice down the length of the chile and stuff with filling. Heat oil in a cast iron pan to medium hot. Dip the chiles into the mix and amply coat. Fry until golden brown. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh salsa.

Sauteed Summer Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

from Fields of Greens(our favorite cookbook ever!)

Salt and pepper

1 lb green beans (about 4 cups)

1 TBS EVOO

1 shallot or red onion diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 - 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 TBS dry white wine

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, about 1 cup

1 tBS chopped fresh tarragon or basil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1/2 tsp salt. Trim the stems from the beans, leaving the tail ends on. Cut them in half on a diagonal or leave whole if small. Drop the beans into the water and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes, depending on their size. Rinse under cold water and set aside to drain.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-size saute pan; add the shallots, garlic, 1 tsp of the lemon juice, and the white wine; cook over medium heat for 1 minute, until the pan is nearly dry. Add the beans, 1/4 tsp salt, and a few pinches of pepper; saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and herbs; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, just long enough so that the tomatoes heat through without losing their shape. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately.

Outer Aisle FOODS & GOODS "Essentials for the 21st Century". Our mission is to facilitate a speedy transition to a sustainable economy by offering the essential tools, ingredients and knowledge to prepare us for the 21st century.

Behind the scenes of Outer Aisle is Taylor Mountain Gardens. Located just around the corner on Main Street in Douglas Flat, our nearly two acre "beyond organic" farm produces a large variety of seasonal vegetables including these seasonal highlights: summer heirloom tomatoes, fall cauliflower, winter carrots and spring potatoes to name just a few!

OuterAisle FOODS operates a year round CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. We distribute the highest quality, local, seasonal and regional produce and products to members all over Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties. We only purchase product from farms and producers who are committed to ecologically sustainable practices and go beyond the National "Organic" standards.