July 17 2008

Chioggia beets, Bok choi, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Sugar snap peas, Anaheim pepper, Scallions, Squash, Basil

         I got some extra strength pain medication from the doctor today.  Having taken a pill, I find, much to my excitement, that I can bear to sit long enough to write a few sentences. 

I cannot help noticing, however, that one of the side effects of this potent wonder drug is that I am occasionally confused about which hand is attached to which arm.  This is, I admit, is a small price to pay for pain relief, and I do not mean to sound less than overbrimming with gratitude to the pharmaceutical industry for all it does on our behalf.  I only bring it up at all because it may have some bearing on my ability to compose a remotely lucid newsletter.

         But I am sure it will be fine.  I mean, what are the chances of me actually getting my hands mixed up?  No doubt I am just ; seyyse owuv wry huwx ygi q;wc lvj s;bd eh lsiiq.

         Just to be safe, however, I will once again confine my comments to useful information such as how to pronounce Chioggia.  As many of you may already know, it is kee oh gee ya, not chi oh ghee ya (and no, I was not getting my hands mixed up when I typed that).  I spent years mispronouncing it until my aunt, who lives in Rome (the one in Italy), corrected me.  Admittedly, getting the name right has not had any noticeable effect, positive or negative, on the beets’ flavor.  But good manners would seem to dictate that one make the effort at the very least to call a thing one is about to eat by its proper name.

         Whatever you choose to call them, you will find that these beets have an attractive bull’s eye pattern inside.  You will also, however, discover that this fades away when you boil them and you end up with pink beets.  If that distresses you then you can try roasting them (though I find the pattern still fades) or just eat the beets raw.  Seriously.  I recognize that what with the narcotics in my system I am an unreliable witness, but you do not have to cook beets.  Slice them thinly (very thinly; a mandoline helps) and dress them with olive oil, a good amount of vinegar and salt, perhaps a splash of soy sauce, and let them sit in the dressing for a while.  Or mix the slices with a generous amount of salt and leave for at least 12 hours.  Rinse off the beets, add some sliced onion, dill, a garlic clove, and cover with vinegar.  Let the beets sit in the vinegar for a couple of hours before you serve them.

         I won’t offer any pronunciation tips for Anaheim, but I will tell you that your pepper may be mildly hot and that it is tastiest charred and peeled.  Put it over a flame and turn it slowly as the skin blisters.  Once it is all charred, wrap it up for a few minutes in a towel or paper towel then wipe off the skin.  You could dice it and add it (along with sliced scallions) to a beet salad or to a dish of cold grilled squash or puree it with garlic, olive oil, a little lime juice and some basil.

         I know I already did my snap pea rant last week, but I am on drugs so I get to do it again.  Don’t overcook the peas.  And if you are thinking about doing so anyway despite my exhortation, keep in mind that I might just be loopy enough on this medicine to turn up in your kitchen and snatch them away from you before you ruin them.  For which, no doubt, you will thank me once you discover how much better they are only barely cooked.

         If you want to cook your peas correctly but are not sure what I mean, you can come to the farm this Sunday and I will show you.  As you may recall, Sunday is one of our official farm visit days and you are invited to come out between 10 and 2 to tour the fields, meet the pigs, weed the onions, pick some currants.  We will provide drinks and snacks (maybe even the fabled Kings’ doughnuts)—as well, of course, as the fields, pigs, weeds and currants.  Please feel free to bring a picnic and your friends (but not your dogs).  The forecast promises a hot and humid day.  While not perfect for farm work, it should be ideal ice cream eating weather and we will be happy to give you easy directions to The Ice Cream Man, where you can enjoy a richly deserved reward for all that weeding you have done.  I particularly recommend the maple walnut hot fudge sundae.  I hope you can make it out to the farm.

         In order to increase the chance of that happening, here are directions from Albany.  Take 787 North to Route 7 East.  Go over the river (on the Collar City Bridge) and at the second light off the bridge go left on Route 40 North.  You will stay on 40 for about 17 miles until you come to Meeting House Road (which is 5.6 miles past the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds).  Go right on Meeting House.  After 1.5 miles you will come to a fork.  Take the left fork (which is straight ahead) onto the dirt road and continue over the hill to the next intersection.  The farm is at the intersection (dark blue house, farm sign in the front yard).  If you need further clarification or directions from a different starting point, send me an e-mail (Thomas@theallegedfarm.com).