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By deepening our connection to the food system, we  can further connect with each other and the world around us.

Baby Ginger: A Tender Delicacy

9/28/2020

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Ginger season is finally upon us! We harvested our first tender baby ginger last week, and are so excited to share it with you. I know some of you have been waiting all year for this delicacy—thank you for your patience! Since it’s a tropical plant, it needs a long stretch of warm weather to get underway, and takes several months to grow large enough to harvest. Turmeric matures later than ginger, and ours still has a ways to go.

Fresh young ginger is more tender and milder than the mature ginger available in stores. It lacks the thick cuticle and fibers that mature ginger have, so there's no need to peel it. Add it to smoothies or stir fries, candy it or use it in sweets! And it’s a natural to pair with lemongrass for Southeast Asian dishes.

We sell our ginger with stalks and leaves attached; they're not only dramatic, but useful, too. Ginger stalks and leaves make a delicious tea or stock for Asian soups. To make tea, just put the leaves and crushed stalks in your cup, muddle, and steep. To make stock, simmer the leaves and crushed stalks--along with lemongrass, lime leaves, garlic, chiles, or mushrooms if you wish--in water until the flavors are thoroughly infused and your kitchen is wonderfully aromatic!

Baby ginger has a shorter shelf life than mature ginger, and is best stored at 55-60 degrees. It will last longer if you refrigerate it, but the root may get a little rubbery. You can also freeze your ginger and then grate off what you need for a recipe, but don’t allow it to thaw or it will get mushy. Your ginger will keep best if you remove the stalks and leaves and store them separately (the leaves and stalks can also be frozen for use in stock later on).

You can also dehydrate, candy, or pickle baby ginger to preserve it.

Whatever you do with your baby ginger, have fun playing with this treat while it's in season!
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Lush ginger plants ready to harvest
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Roasted Tomato Coulis

9/21/2020

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I know some of you have been patiently waiting for our Roasted Tomato Coulis. Well, you’re in luck—I made some yesterday! I roast our tomatoes, thyme, onions, and garlic for nice deep flavor, then blend it, creating a smooth, versatile sauce. The French word “coulis” (pronounced “koo-LEE”) simply refers to a smooth sauce made from pureed vegetables or fruits.

We use the coulis everywhere—over pasta, mixed into our morning grits (or savory oatmeal!), or in any dish that could benefit from the addition of tomato, onion, and garlic. Add some chiles, smoked paprika, and cumin for a chili base, or add curry powder or garam masala for the start of an Indian-inspired dish. We even have customers who use it in Bloody Marys!

Have fun experimenting!
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Gratitude for the Most Essential Workers

9/7/2020

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Photo courtesy of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers https://ciw-online.org/campaign-for-fair-food/
This Labor Day, we want to hold up all of the frontline workers who put themselves at risk to keep things running and take care of our communities, not only during this pandemic, but all the time. Industrial farmworkers and food processors are some of the most essential workers, keeping the nation fed. Yet many of them face exploitation and health hazards, and are especially at risk of COVID-19.

Farmworkers have been organizing for many years to fight for their rights, dignity, and health, whether through strikes or community organizing.  The organizing of workers in Florida’s tomato fields led to the formation of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in 1993. The CIW has been recognized internationally for its achievements in fighting human trafficking and gender-based violence at work, as well as its groundbreaking Fair Food Program, which monitors participating farms for socially responsible practices and partners with national buyers to pay workers more for their work. Other organizations working to lift up farmworkers include Farmworker Justice, Feeding the Frontline, the Food Chain Workers Alliance, and the National Center for Farmworker Health, and I encourage you to support their important work.

If you want to learn more about farmworker issues, these books are also excellent places to dive in:
  • Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit, by Barry Estabrook, Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2011
  • Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy, by John Bowe, Random House, 2007
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