June 3, 2018
Now What?! Recap
By Gia Yaccarino

I will be honest – Anchor Run CSA never ceases to amaze me! I shared with one member at the workshop that when I originally joined Anchor Run CSA, I was solely focused on the “A” part of CSA. The “C” part snuck up on me and had me hooked! Reflecting on today’s workshop, I was again focused on the “A” part – how to store, how to prep, recipes… Again the “C” part snuck up on me! The workshop included first year members and seasoned members and everyone shared and offered their input. There was such an awesome exchange of ideas and advice. Absolutely amazing! We talked about ways to store our herbs – placing them in a glass of water on your counter is great option! And once the Basil starts coming in – remember to keep it out of the fridge.

Of course, the workshop would not be complete without food! I shared BBQ Zucchini Chips and Cinnamon Apple Chips when we briefly spoke about using a dehydrator. I also made Radish and Turnip Lasagna – as in no noodles, the sliced and baked radish and turnips acted as the noodles! Members who tried and enjoyed the Kale Stem Pesto remarked “So instead of putting the center rib in the compost pile!” And I also shared a new family favorite – Kohlrabi in a Peanut Teriyaki sauce. I promise the recipes will come in a future newsletter.

Overall, I hoped to try to encourage members to think outside the box regarding using their share. I will confess that until maybe 4 or 5 years ago, whenever Bok Choy was part of our share, the only thought I had was “make rice for stir fry”. Now I use Bok Choy in so many ways – using the leaves for a wrap, having the stem with peanut butter, or using both leaf and stem in a Mexican Casserole!

Dandelion Greens and what to do with them also had a little talk – my favorite options are salads and Dandelion Green Pesto. If the Dandelion Greens are too bitter for your taste – try massaging them! Blanching also helps tame the bitterness.

Blanching greens to freeze and save for later was also discussed. I don’t mean to diss the turnip greens – but with all the yummy produce we are getting in our share, they are not on the top of my list of what I want to eat. But I am so grateful in the winter that I had blanched them, squeezed out all the water and froze the little ball in a Ziploc bag or a mason jar!

Thank you to everyone who attended – I had a fabulous time and I hope you did too!