Quick! How Do We Make the Salmon Bigger?

Really? Do we really need fish with a constant "on" button just so they get bigger? I mean, you'd think we'd learn...what with the whole "free range, organic, etc" movement getting bigger right now. I don't need hormones in my chickens or cows to make them bigger, and I don't want my salmon genetically altered to make it bigger. Sheesh. Nature, people, let's work with it, not against it.

End of soapbox. You should still read the article.

Genetically Altered Salmon Set to Move Closer to Your Table - NYTimes.com

Top Chef Takes On School Lunches

Top Chef recently did an episode that had the chefs making lunches on a school lunch budget. I wish I could have seen the episode, but the blog article is cool too. Sam Kass from the White House kitchen was the guest judge. The interesting thing - it says the chefs weren't able to complete it successfully and stay in budget.

Our Blog : 06/24/10 - Top Chef takes on school lunch : Slow Food USA

Second CSA Delivery

Here's what we got this past Thursday (I'm a little late with the post!):

summer squash
cucumber
turnips
broccoli rabe
broccoli
sugar snap peas
salad greens
parsley
basil
cabbage
swiss chard
a lettuce with red leaves...and I forget the name (fail)

Unfortunately we haven't made much this week because we had a friend in town over the weekend.  We made a great frittata tonight with all of the salad greens from this week and a few left from last week.  Monday night we made spanakopita with the swiss chard and the parsley.  Both were good, but I'm not sold on either recipe.

Tomorrow night we are going to make sugar snap peas with shrimp curry and I am really looking forward to it.  If it's better than the last two we've tried, I'll post the recipe. :)

What I've been enjoying most is making food that we're able to freeze for later.  Last week I made zucchini muffins and a loaf of zucchini bread to keep in the freezer.  The muffins have made excellent breakfasts.  We're planning to pickle the turnips and the cucumber from this week's haul.  We've never pickled before, but we're getting good at experimenting.  More soon with this week's CSA!

Go Bronx Go!

This is a great article from NYTimes on a new CSA-type program in the Bronx. It's a little different in that it's a pay-as-you-go program rather than paying all upfront like we did. Also, if the people stick with it they'll actually own shares of the farm in a few years. Members are able to influence what is grown on the farm, which is a great way to get people to join and a great way to give them produce they'll actually be able to use.

Alliance Delivers Farm-Fresh Produce to South Bronx Consumers - NYTimes.com

Oh the Pretty Greens

I'm all for farmer's markets (and I frequent the one at Union Square almost weekly), but this article makes an interesting point about farmers preferring the markets in the big cities because people will pay more for produce there, as opposed to markets in areas that really need the fresh produce - many times in their own backyards. Markets are a beautiful thing, but it's important that we focus on providing fresh food to the areas that need it, not just the areas with the biggest wallets.

The dark side of the farmers' market boom - Food Business - Salon.com

Fish Tacos!

Here it is - the first meal we've made with our CSA goodies.  We didn't use a ton of them, but we did at least start to make a dent in all of the veggies we got this week.  A very small dent.  This is the recipe we used for fish tacos.  It was actually really good, even though we were a little suspicious of the cinnamon when we first started.  Once it was almost all the way cooked though, it smelled fantastic!

The CSA veggies we used: Scapes, romaine, cilantro

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 c. nonfat sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
2 canned chi[otle chiles in adobo, minced (our new favorite ingredient
1 Tbs. butter
1 can corn
1 chopped tomato (we used a plum because that's what we had...although more tomato would have been good I think)
1 tsp. ground cumin (or 1 tsp. cumin seeds finely chopped)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 scape
3 cloves of garlic (or, if you don't have a scape, use 4 cloves of garlic)
1 lb. tilapia fillet(s) - you could probably use another white fish
2 Tbs. lime juice
Tortillas (Andy likes corn, I really don't)

Instructions:
1. Mix sour cream, salt, and chiles in a bowl, set in the fridge.
2. Saute the next 8 ingredients (from butter to cilantro) for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tillapia, cover, and cook about 4 minutes until the fish is opaque.
4. Take the skillet off the heat and add in the lime juice.  Flake the fish as you stir in the lime juice.  Our fish wasn't quite done, so we put it back on the heat for about another minute.
5. Assemble your tacos with the fish mixture and the chipotle cream.  We topped ours with some sliced romaine lettuce and added yellow rice on the side.

Our First CSA Share!

Here it is - the pictures you've been waiting for. Ok, really it's the veggies I've been waiting for, and I was not disappointed. Oh so many. We came home and stored everything, and then sat around for an hour making a game plan for the week. Keep watching and I'll post some pictures and recipes for the meals we make. But for now, here are the pictures and a list of veggies.

Yes, two people are going to eat all these veggies in a week. Well, sort of. I plan to make zucchini bread and freeze it, so that won't be consumed this week. Also, I think we might make kale pie, and I hope that will freeze as well.

Here we have Tat soi, romaine, cilantro (or parsley, it's hard to tell from this picture) and mixed salad greens.

Kale, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, parsley, Boston bibb lettuce, garlic scapes, turnips and snow peas.

A close up, just because they're pretty.

New School Lunch Legislation

A good start, but more money for school lunches would be nice. I'm glad they included funding for the farm to school program though.

Our Blog : 06/10/10 - Child Nutrition Legislation introduced in the House : Slow Food USA

Chefs Invade the White House

Eee! I wish I could've been at the White House for the big event a few days ago. I saw pictures posted to the Twitter feed for the Beard Foundation and it looked so cool - hundreds of chefs all in their chefs whites listening to the first lady talk about the adopt a school initiative. I was so excited when I read about it. I have no problem with the occasional Kraft Mac & Cheese (I have been known to keep a box of spirals on hand), but when pizza and hot dogs are the staples of school lunches, we know that the system needs to be improved. I know the President is trying to add on a few cents to each school lunch, but I wish he'd add more. I love that chefs are willing to partner with schools to get kids excited about growing fruits and veggies and then learning how to cook with them. It's so exciting!

Nearly 1,000 Chefs Answer First Lady ‘s Call to Adopt Local Schools | Center for a Livable Future

Raw Milk Debate

Ok, so I've never actually had raw milk, but supposedly there are benefits. Have you had raw milk? What do you think about the debate for/against allowing raw milk to be consumed by the public?

Op-Ed Contributor - Cheese Heads, Unite! - NYTimes.com

Rachel Ray Speaks Out

I can't believe I'm saying this, but go Rachel Ray!

Rachael Ray's Radical EVOOlution | Food Systems Network NYC

Food Safety Bill Stuck in the Senate

I don't know that I agree that "It's a national scandal that the Senate is still sitting on that bill" but it is pretty important. I also like Jim Prevor's recommendations, especially revitalizing that Agriculture Extension Service and educating consumers.

Food Politics » Thinking about food safety