|
|
Photo by Lana Shartle
Thank you Lana, we love the photos you took of us in the garden!
| STORE OPEN 5 DAYS YEAR ROUND!
FALL/WINTER HOURS: | TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY & FRIDAY:
11 to 6 pm
SATURDAYS:
11 - 4pm
Outer Aisle FOODS & GOODS |
 NEW 2011/2012 BOX DELIVERIES | |
|
Up for the holidays and can't make it to the store: Sign up for as few or as many deliveries as you want. With our new system it is easy to just "order" a bag and put yourself on vacation until you're up again!
Weekly or bi-weekly deliveries to Tuolumne, Calaveras and Alpine Counties. Benefits of Becoming a Member:- Enjoy local and seasonal fruits and veggies all year round
- Fresh, high quality, home-grown flavor
- Bi-weekly fall, winter and spring deliveries to convenient drop off locations near you
- Your choice of the size bag for your needs: mini, basic and full sizes. Add on fruit, roots, and greens
- Access our on-line web store for many more essential items
- Cancel when you are out of town
- Supplement your own garden, you grow greens: we have roots and fruits!
- Lower your carbon footprint. Save gas, we deliver to you
- Support local growers, producers and makers.
|
|
News From Outer Aisle
Mid December Newsletter of 2011
OPEN 5 DAYS PER WEEK: Tuesday - Friday 11 - 6pm Saturday 11 - 4pm
Happy Holidays - Are you thinking of novel gifts this giving time: Here's our suggestions: Marygold's beautiful soaps and other handcrafts; Chocolates of all sorts; nuts and dried fruit make great stocking stuffers; oh and Mushroom tinctures (see below).
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND a FoCuS EVENT : A field seminar and lecture on sierra fungi ecology and their uses with Daniel Nicholson Join Daniel an experienced mycologist, naturalist, and educator in an exploration of the sierra foothill's mushrooms. Ecological roles of fungi and basic identification skills will be introduced. We will visit a local site for the investigation of the current seasonal occurrences. Friday evening pre-event presentation and slideshow followed by field collection Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon displays, presentation, identification. Bring a lunch and be prepared to walk in the damp woods. Also useful: collection basket, knife, hand lens, paper and waxed paper bags. Rain or shine event Come for one or both days. Please register at the door. December 16th: Friday 7-9 Slideshow $7 Saturday 10-4 Workshop $25 Both Days 30$ Meet both days at Tuolumne Co. Ambulance & Fire Building, 18440 Striker Ct. Sonora, CA
CHECK IT OUT:
Mushroom Tinctures and Capsules from Fungi Perfecti:
We were privileged to hear Paul Stamets speak at a conference several years back and his presentation was so riveting and the information so intriguing that it piqued our interest in learning more about medicinal mushrooms and their properties. Here's what folks say about his latest book, "Mycellium Running": "A paradigm-changing book. Stamet's visionary insights are leading to a whole new understanding of how mushrooms, scarcely seen and rarely appreciated, regulate the earth's ecosystems".  Available in extract and capsules: Reishi, Maitake (we often have these fresh too), Cordiceps and a combination mushrooms blends. The medicinal qualities are vast and all encompassing; including lowering blood sugar, lowering blood pressure, anti-inflammatory, anti-candida, anti-oxidant; anti-viral and other great properties. www.fungiperfecti.com
OUR FLEXIBLE SYSTEM MAKES IT EASY TO GET A BOX AS OFTEN AS YOU WANT: Are you up in the hills for the holidays and can't make it to the store? Sign up for as few or as many deliveries as you want. With our new system it is easy to just "order" a bag and put yourself on vacation until you're up again!
Winter Sign-ups (weekly or bi-weekly): Weekly or bi-weekly veggie/fruit boxes to all Tuolumne, Alpine and Calaveras locations. Browse the selection without committing by clicking on a drop off spot you'll get to the next screen where all the different sizes are described. Please know that you can sign up whenever you want and put yourself on vacation.
Click here to view and/or sign up anytime SIGN UP FOR 2011/2012 SEASON
|
|
Vegetable & Fruit Highlights The Harvest! ON SPECIAL FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Owari Satsuma mandarin  is one of the more flavorful varieties.
We'll have freshly picked satsumas available this week from Terra Firma Farms. The sweet Naval oranges are still a couple of weeks away..according to Jake Cutler the cool summer weather is holding off ripening just a little bit longer.
We just couldn't wait for kiwifruit season so we headed up to Brenner Ranch and picked up our first load of kiwi's. They are still firm, but will ripen quickly at room temperature. Kiw i's are harvested in the late summer rock hard a nd stored in cold storage. They ripen naturally as they are brought out to room temperature.
Cool weather on the coast didn't hamper the artichokes or the Brussels. They are gorgeous this week, freshly picked and perfect for the recipe below!
Preparing Artichokes: The heart and inner leaves of artichokes are wonderfully tender once you peel away the dark outer leaves. Trim off the tops and stem ends, peel away the outer leaves, down to the tender light green inner leaves. Cut the artichokes into quarters and trim away the choke. Cut the quarters and then slice finely and immediately place in lemon water (this prevents  discoloration). 1 lemon to 2-3 cups of water. When ready to use just drain and proceed with the recipe.
We'll also have plenty of broccoli, white, Romanesco and purple cauliflowers, fennel, endive and chicory, carrots, roots, spinach, kales, chard, cabbage and much much more .
|
RECIPES
HOLIDAY STYLE BRUSSELS SPROUTS
1 pound brussels sprouts
1 large shallot, minced
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp brown sugar
Salt to taste and pepper, to taste
First, prepare candied nuts. Mix nuts, seeds and cranberries. Toast in a saute pan over medium-low heat until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted. Watch carefully! Do not allow to burn. Add 1 tablespoon butter, brown sugar and pinches of salt, tossing to coat nuts and cranberries. Continue to toast until mixture is slightly caramelized. Remove from heat and spread out on a plate to cool. Set aside.
Using a paring knife, cut off the sprouts' stem ends. Then, using the knife, peel leaves from the stem end, working in a circular motion around the sprout, a few at a time. There will be a small piece of stem left at the center that you can discard, or save to saute later.
Next, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining butter and oil. Saute shallots for about 30 seconds, then add brussels sprout leaves. Saute leaves until they are slightly caramelized and cooked through. Do not overcook. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. The leaves should be sweet and softened, but still toothsome. Add cooled candied nuts and cranberries, and toss to distribute thoroughly. Serve immediately.
Wilted Spinach with Lemon and Pine Nuts
from Fields of Green by Annie Somerville
You can use a combination of greens: mustard or chard. If you do, spinach wilts quicker; so braise the greens with a little water, when they're tender toss in the spinach.
1 large bunch of spinach, about 12 cups of leaves or
1/2 bunch chard or mustard greens or a combo of both
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
1 TBS pine nuts, toasted
Wash the spinach in plenty of cold water then spin dry. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and lemon juice and saute for 1 minute. Turn the heat to high and add the spinach, 1/4 tsp salt and a few pinches of pepper. Wilt the spinach, tossing with tongs to coat the leaves with the hot oil and garlic. (The water left on the leaves after washing will help to wilt quickly). Toss in the pine nuts and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Potato Gratin with Artichokes and Smoked Mozzarella Cheese from Fields of Green by Annie Somerville
Artichokes are sauteed with garlic and lemon to draw out their subtle flavor, then layered with thinly sliced potatoes and smoked mozzarella cheese. Hot cream, steeped with fresh herbs and bay, is poured over. As the gratin bakes, the potatoes take on the fragrance of the cream and bubble deliciously with the smoky flavor the mozzarella. Serve the golden crisp gratin with a saute of winter greens alongside.
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced, about 2 cups
salt and pepper
5 medium-size artichokes, trimmed and sliced, about 5 cups
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 TSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBS chopped fresh herbs: parsley, marjoram, and thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sage leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 1/2 pounds of potatoes
1/4 pound of smoked mozzarella cheese, grated, about 1 1/2 cups
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few pinches of pepper; saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes and add to the onion along with the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, until the artichokes are tender, then add the tablespoon of lemon juice. When the artichokes and onion are cool, coarsely chop them and toss with half the chopped herbs. While the onion and artichokes are sauteing, pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan; add the bay leaf and sage leaves, the herb sprigs, and the peppercorns. Steep over low heat for 20 minutes. Pour through a strainer and season with 1/4 tsp salt.
Preheat the oven to 375 F and lightly oil a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Slice the potatoes thinly and lay one-third of them in the bottom of the dish, overlapping the slices and rows as you go. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; spread half the onion-artichoke mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle with one-third of the cheese, make another layer of potatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Follow with the remaining vegetables and one-third of the cheese. Top with a final layer of potatoes and pour the hot cream over.
Cover the dish and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bake, uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. The gratin should be golden and a little crisp. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped herbs just before serving.
|
|
|
|
|
 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
