Well from the looks of the weather it looks as if our Indian summer is passing by this week.  Do I see possible snow flakes on Saturday?  What a sad way to end our summer season!

This is the last week of our summer season.  This week is also Halloween.  If you have any conflicts on Thursday or Friday evenings, please feel free to show up at any of our other stops, particularly Wednesday or Saturday.  A full list of our locations can be found here:  Summer 2014 Locations. 

This week, please bring your checkbook to pay your balance and any extras you want to buy.  You do not need to bring your own bag.  At the end of the season please keep your last bag and take it everywhere you go! 

Thanks for all the support this summer.  We hope you'll join us for Winter and Thanksgiving.  We have some winter spots still left so don't forget to signup this week.

Thanks

Trevor 

Stock your freezer for the winter. 

This is the last week for the Summer Season.  While we will do our best to bring extra frozen meats with us on the routes, please preorder items if you are stocking up for the winter.  This will ensure that you get what you want.  

When you login to shop HERE, you'll find all your favorites - pork chops, whole chickens, pork shoulder roasts, beef roasts, sausages and ground meats.  There are even unusual things like whole duck and venison.   To get the full selection, you should login first.

A note on bacon and turkey lunch meat:  We don't know yet if we'll have enough bacon or turkey breast lunchmeat to sell extra.  Both are being made fresh this week as we had to slaughter hogs and turkeys to make these products.  Each animal is a different weight, so we won't know our final yields until it is all made (and our nitrate free vegetable brine mix is on backorder...causing some delays at the butcher). 

We will have bacon and turkey breast available to winter customers probably next week or the week after depending on how fast Galen (the butcher) can make bacon and lunchmeat for us.  

Final Payments, Winter Season, and Thanksgiving.  

EGGS - We have a shortage, please preorder online. 

Many of you have noticed the egg shortage lately.  It has been terrible.  Our hens have been slowing down a lot this fall.  They do usually slow down some in the fall and more in the winter, but they are slowing down early this year.  I'm wondering if this is a bad sign for the winter to come!

Our egg production is literally about 60% of our peak yield in the summer and we have only had enough eggs to fill pre-orders and about one or two routes per week.  

To ensure that you get your fresh eggs, please preorder them online at http://csalogin.freshforkmarket.com by Tuesday at midnight.  

Winter Season Registration OPEN.  Winter Season starts the week of November 3rd.  We have been busy put away more goodies for the winter, including the 1,500 gallons of concord grape juice we just canned (remember that last year?  It was awesome).  

A quick summary of winter:

- weekly pickups in early November then every other week all winter long

- $45 per delivery, which comes out to $22.5 per week.  Actually cheaper than the summer

- less perishable products and every other week schedule make winter easier to manage on many customers with a busy schedule 

- no vegetarian or vegan options available.  Sorry, I just can't offer a fair value.  Please consider sharing/splitting a bag with a friend. 

For the winter, we have most of the same pickup locations.  We do cutout some of the late night stops.  Full list of locations and more details at the link below.  

Our Winter Season registration is now open.  Details and registration below.  If you have any questions, please write back or ask the greeter at the back of the truck.  

More details and registration here:  Winter Season Info and Registration  

Salmon Shipment #2 is in.  There is a little left. ORDER NOW.  The second shipment from the Wild Salmon Co is now in.  SEVERAL FOLKS DIDN'T PICKUP LAST WEEK.  Please pickup your salmon this week.  

As a reminder, this is wild caught, Alaskan Sockeye salmon that was quick frozen in Alaska as it was caught in September.  Our friend Heidi, the fisher lady, is thrilled that it has been so well received here.  Thank you guys for the support! 

THERE IS A LITTLE SALMON LEFT FOR PREORDER.  It is $165 for the 10# case of center cut 6 oz salmon filets.  If you buy the pieces individually, they are $7 each individual portion.  They are flash frozen and vacuum sealed in a very thick poly bag.  They have a freezer life of 1 year.  

Preorders for the remaining salmon should be placed ASAP at http://csalogin.freshforkmarket.com.  

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2" cubes
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and chopped into 2" cubes
1-2 parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
2 tsps kosher salt 
Salt and 1/4 tsp pepper (white pepper if you can find it)
2 tbsps oil (for Roasting Method)
2 tbsps butter (for Boiling Method)
1/2-1 cup whole milk (for Boiling Method)

Note:  You don't need all the ingredients.  This is your smash so use whatever veggies you have if not all and in whatever proportions you want.  

Roasting Method: for a caramelized, hearty texture. Heat your oven to 350, and toss all the veggies with the oil, salt and pepper. Roast them on a rimmed baking sheet for 30-45 minutes, tossing once or twice, until golden brown and you can pierce all the pieces with a fork. Use a potato masher and rough-smash them, leaving big chunks for texture. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.

While they can be cooked together, I would roast each ingredient separate since each cooks at different rates.  When desired doneness is achieved, then combine to smash.  This isn't necessary but may yield better results.  

Boiling Method: for a smoother, creamy texture. Place all veggies in a large pot and cover with 1" of salted, cold water. Bring it to a boil, then loosely cover and reduce heat. Cook until you can pierce the pieces easily with a fork. Drain, reserve a little liquid. Add in butter, milk and seasoning, and then smash with your potato masher (or blend with an immersion blender for a super smooth texture.) Add in reserved cooking liquid or extra milk if it needs it. Serve with some chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.  

Ingredients

1 small red onion or shallot, very thinly sliced (if an onion, into half-moons)
Juice from 1 lemon (seeds removed)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp pepper butter
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp sunflower oil
3 cups Brussels sprouts 
1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheese (Flat Rock, Hull's Trace, Parm, Asiago or Pecorino)

Toss your sliced onions in a bowl of cold water (mellows the intensity a little so they're not so sharp.) Soak 15 minutes or so. 

Meanwhile, use a whisk and emulsify your dressing: into a small metal or glass bowl, put in your lemon juice, honey, pepper butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Start whisking, and drizzle in oil slowly until it all comes together and the oil isn't separating. Alternatively, put all items in a mason jar, seal tightly, and shake it.  Another quick way to make a dressing is to use your vitamix.

Prep the sprouts: trim off the ends (where it attaches to stalk) and remove any bruised/brownish outer leaves. Using either a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the sprouts very thinly one at a time-- the texture you're going for is a super-thin slaw.

Put the sprouts in a big salad bowl, add in the drained onions, and toss with the dressing. Add in the shaved cheese and fluff with big spoons, and eat right away (does not keep dressed for long--if you're preparing this dish early, reserve dressing and do that step at the last moment before serving.) 

Ingredients

1 bunch beets, trimmed (reserve leaves for something else), peeled and chopped into equal sized pieces
1 bunch radishes, tops removed, cleaned and cut in half
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsps oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Lemon Juice from half a lemon

Turn oven to 425. Toss the beets, radishes and garlic in a metal bowl with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Roast time total- 20 min: roast for 10 minutes covered with a little water on the tray, toss, roast for 5 uncovered, toss, roast for 5 more minutes uncovered, take out. While still warm, transfer to serving bowl and squeeze lemon juice over the top and serve! 

Adjust cooking time depending on size of your beet chunks and how tender you desire them. 

Peel the celery root with a paring knife.  Chop the celery root into even sized pieces.  Place in cold water.  Peel and cube twice the amount of potatoes as celery root; add them to the cold water.  Boil until the potatoes are soft.  Drain and proceed to make mashed potatoes. 

Optional:  Add 2-3 peeled chopped parsnips or a couple of peeled and chopped turnips.

Of all the recipes one can find that use celery root or celeriac, my preference is a very traditional dish from the French repertoire. 

2 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice (Save the lemon halves after juicing.)

salt to taste

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1 cup cream or crème fraiche

1 celery root, about 1 lb

1 tart apple

In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice and salt together.  Add the mustard and cream.  Taste for season and set aside. 

Cut the celery root in quarters and peel it.  Rub the piece with the remains of the lemons to prevent dis-colorization.  Shred the piece using the food processor or a box grater. 

Peel and core the apple.  Cut into wedges.  Shred in the same way as the celery root. 

Combine the shredded apple and celery root with the cream dressing.  Refrigerate in a tightly covered container. 

Remove from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving.  

1 head red cabbage

½ cup red wine vinegar (The vinegar is used several times in the process.  It maintains the color.) 

salt and pepper

½ lb. bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 medium onion, diced

4-5 apples, peeled, cored and diced

3 TBS red jelly (no seeds)

½ cup bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup chicken stock

Saute the bacon pieces over medium heat.  Proceed with the recipe while the bacon is rendering its fat.  The bacon should be thoroughly cooked but not crisp. 

Follow the instruction from last week's newsletter about how to peel the leaves off of cabbage. Add 2 TBS of vinegar to the boiling water.    Remove 12 leaves and set aside.  Remove and drain the remaining center portion of the cabbage.  When it has cooled, cut it into quarters.  Remove the thick core and shred the cabbage into short thin ribbons. 

When the bacon is cooked pour off the fat and add the onion.  Cook until the onion is soft and beginning to color.  Add the shredded cabbage, the apples and the jelly with all but 2 TBS of the remaining vinegar.  Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.   Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Remove the cabbage, bacon and apple mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon.  Place it in a strainer to allow remaining bacon fat to drain.  When the mixture is cool add the bread crumbs and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.  Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

Lay cabbage leaves on the cutting board.  Remove the thick rib.  Place about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing on each leaf and fold the leaf over the stuffing to make a roll.  Pack the cabbage rolls in a baking dish so that they are tight against each other.  Pour the chicken stock over the rolls and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. 

Serve with the cooking liquid.  You could add 2-3 tablespoons of cream to the liquid and boil it for a couple of minutes.  Or serve with crème fraiche and omit the cooking liquid. 

To make vegetarian:  Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.  Omit the bacon and use oil.  

2 TBS olive oil

1 medium red onion, cut in quarters from top to root, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely minced

4 cups packed, finely shredded red cabbage, about ½ head

salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS chopped mint

2 TBS finely chopped dill

2 TBS finely chopped parsley

4-5 oz goat feta

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over medium high heat.  Add the onion and using tongs turn it quickly and continually to coat with the oil and soften it for 2-3 minutes.  Do not cook.  Just soften it. 

Add the garlic and cabbage and season with about a teaspoon of salt. 

Continue to turn and toss the cabbage with tongs for 3-4 minutes.  Soften it but do not cook it. 

Remove the sauté pan from the heat and add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice.  Toss with the herbs.  Taste and add more lemon juice if you prefer.  Add plenty of freshly ground pepper. 

Arrange the warm salad on plates.  4 as a luncheon course of 6 as an appetizer.  Crumble the goat cheese over the salads.  

1 head of cauliflower

3-4 TBS olive oil

salt and pepper

½ cup bread crumbs

Remove the florettes from the main stalk of the head of cauliflower.  Plunge these pieces into boiling salted water for about 3 minutes.   Remove and refresh in ice water.  When the piece are complete cooled, drain them and pat dry. 

Arrange the cauliflower in a gratin dish (baking dish).  The pieces should be close together.  Season with a little salt and pepper. 

Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. 

For the cheese sauce

2 TBS butter

3 TBS minced onion

2 TBS flour

1 cup milk

1 TBS minced flat leaf parsley

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

1 cup grated cheese, cheddar or Gruyere style

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pan set over medium high heat.  Add the onion and stir for 2-3 minutes.  Add the flour.  Stir until the flour is completely moistened and then add the milk.  Cook while whisking for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Add the mustard and season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Fold in the cheese and spread the sauce over the cauliflower.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the sauce.  Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.