It is another beautiful sunny day in Ireland, but today you can feel a crispness in the air and it smells like fall. The picture below was taken on my commute to work!
I spent the morning helping Darina's daughter-in-law, Penny, put together the organic vegetable boxes. Sixteen families "subscribe" and get a box full of vegetables each week for 20 Euros. We loaded the boxes with french beans, white carrots, cucumbers, peppers, corgettes (zucchinis), kale, spinach, apples, and potatoes. I packed the boxes carefully, like I was wrapping a present. And in fact, I think these families really are getting a gift because it is so special to cook with these delicious vegetables. Everything was picked that morning so it is about as close to the earth as you can get. I really enjoyed putting apples in the veg boxes because in my opinion, they are the epitome of fall! Below is a picture of just one of the crates of apples with the school in the background.
A word about the vegetable boxes... This is more popular in the U.S. than in Ireland, and we often refer to it as a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture. This is a great way for farmers to make a consistent income selling their vegetables and a great way for consumers to try new vegetables; get a convenient, fresh, local selection each week; and it is also usually works out being a pretty good deal. The cooperative extension in your county can give you a list of farms with CSA subscriptions. For example, Blooming Glen Farm in Perkasie, PA offers subscriptions and currently has a 180 member CSA.
The 12-week course started yesterday and they began cooking for the first time this morning. I was happy to be outside sorting vegetables away from the chaos! I joined the students for lunch; we had carrot and mint soup, soda bread, salad, and pasta with mushrooms. I had pie a la mode for dessert. After lunch I sat in on the demonstration. Here a few things I picked up that I thought were interesting:
-When planning a menu, imagine yourself eating it and then you will know if it is balanced.
-Basil Pesto is just one kind of pesto. Vary it with whatever is in season. At the school, Arugula Pesto, Parsley Pesto, and Wild Garlic Pesto are all popular.
-Put a few vanilla pods in with fine sugar. They last for years and give the sugar a delicious vanilla flavor.
-Nutmeg and Mace come from the same tree. Two very different spices from one tree!
-After blind baking a tart, brush the bottom with an egg wash and put it back in the oven for a couple minutes. This seals the dough, preventing a soggy bottom.
-The green top on the tomato indicates freshness. If it looks nice, the tomato will probably taste great.
Darina is a really interesting teacher and I am looking forward to watching her make more complicated recipes.
I plan to catch up on some reading and go for a walk this evening. The simple life. :)
Recipe of the Day -- Carrot & Mint Soup
This soup tasted great at lunch today with some crusty bread. Serves 6.
May be served either hot or cold, don't hesitate to put in a good pinch of sugar, it brings up the flavor.
3 cups carrots, preferably organic, chopped
3/4 stick of butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup potatoes, chopped
salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar
sprig of spearmint
5 cups homemade light chicken or vegetable stock
2 1/2 ozs creamy milk (optional)
3 teaspoons freshly chopped spearmint
Garnish with a swirl of lightly whipped cream or creme fraiche and springs of spearmint.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and when it foams add the chopped vegetables, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and sugar. Add a sprig of mint, cover with a butter paper (to retain the steam) and a tight fitting lid. Leave to sweat gently on low heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the boiling stock and cook until the vegetables are soft. Pour into the blender, add 3 teaspoons of freshly chopped mint and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a little creamy milk if necessary.
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