January 9th, 2023 Newsletter

Box Contents:

2 lbs Blue Heron Oranges

1 lb Broccoli

1 bu Cilantro

2 pcs Black Spanish Radish

1 bu Red Mustard

1 hd Red Leaf Lettuce

2 hd Iceberg Lettuce

1 hd Napa Cabbage

Farm Notes:

Happy mid storm season!!  I hope all of you are doing ok as we all roll through the challenges of real rain.  Cache Creek, our main river in the Capay Valley is running strong but not overrunning its banks yet.   Many of the seasonal creeks are creating challenges and SR16 is closed on both ends of the valley due to flooding this afternoon.  We are just picking your veggie boxes, local restaurant orders and markets for the beginning of this week as acess to our fields is just too muddy to take on wholesale orders.  Grateful for the rain and relatively low level of inconvenience at this point.   Our thoughts are with the many who are having a much harder time of it right now.  

-Riverdog Tim

Blue Heron Oranges -- Learn the story of Blue Heron Oranges here. Though John has since passed and Gretchen has changed paths. The heart of two extremely hard working individuals lives on and some of the people that helped support that dream still tend those orange trees. We are honored to share these treasures with you and hope you enjoy.
 
Broccoli – Broccoli is a wonderful cool weather crop that we get excited about this time of year. Make sure to eat the stem, it's the sweetest part and has a delicious texture. Sometimes the stem can be extra fibrous on the outside but can be broken down in soup form or peeled. Rich with nutrients especially when fresh, broccoli can be boiled, sauteed, steamed, chopped and added to a slaw or a classic broccoli salad. Broccoli can be stored in the refrigerator, in a plastic bag, for a few days. 

Cilantro – Oh cilantro, there is so much to say. But why don't we start with using the roots? There is a ton of flavor in the root of cilantro in addition to the stems and leaves. The roots can blended for dressing or marinades, or chopped or sauteed into any rice dish. For the leaves I like to chop and mash into avocado with some lime and onion to make a simple guacamole. Or you could shoot for the "best ever" guacamole. Store in a bag in the refrigerator.

Black Spanish Radish -- There something about weaving ancient folklore with plants and food as medicine into our everyday. I've heard all sorts of fun ways people use black radish as a remedy, and while it's important to remain well informed about what's best for our health, I do love this fresh salad recipe for incorporating black radish here: "Shred them with apples, pears, carrots and/or fennel, and then sprinkle with herbs, or nestle in arugula for a refreshing salad." Black radishes are also delicious in salts and fats, sauteed, roasted, thinly sliced or wedged into salads, sandwiches, and so on...
 
Red Mustard – I can't hear the words mustard greens without thinking of a type of mustard greens dish my mother used to make growing up. Otherwise known as Japanese Giant Red Mustard, this type of mustard we grow is sharp, with almost a garlic-like, mustard flavor. Delicious when paired with fat, citrus, and salt. A simple saute would include olive oil or pork fat, garlic, navel citrus juice, 1/4 cup of broth (vegetarian or meat.) You can bring this to a simmer and add the greens for five minutes. Then serve. If you're not such a huge fan of bitters, one secret tactic is to blanch the bitters before throwing them in the pan. Store the leaves in your fridge, in a bag.
 
Red Leaf Lettuce – At Riverdog we grow more lettuce varieties than I ever thought possible. One of my favorite games to play with the students I teach is guess which variety. What are the subtle differences between each lettuce variety? Red leaf lettuce is mild with a slightly bitter undertone. The redder the lettuce, the more bitter, sort of like the mustard of the lettuces. Because of its curly crimson red leaves, red leaf lettuce makes for a beautiful base to a salad such as this Roasted Carrot and Red Leaf salad with buttermilk herb dressing. For storage, you can either transfer to a plastic bag, or put in plastic, to avoid wilting.
 
Iceberg Lettuce – Iceberg lettuce is your classic household name lettuce. Also known as crisphead lettuce, it's known for its mild flavor and crunchy leaves, high in water content and grows in the shape of cabbage. It is truly a lettuce for everyone, you might be able to persuade a veggie hesitant child (or adult) with a salad dressing rich iceberg wedge salad. You can saute it, stir fry it, use as leaves in a burger or sandwich, or leave out the bun entirely and replace with iceberg lettuce leaves. For storage, will keep in the refrigerator for sometime. You can either transfer to a plastic bag, or put in plastic, to avoid wilting.

Napa Cabbage – I am thrilled whenever there is napa cabbage in season. Excellent chopped raw and served in a salad, sautéed in oil with a dash of salt and pepper, but in my favorite form - Kimchi. Napa cabbage can keep for week or even longer when stored unwashed in a produce bag in the fridge.

-Maya, CSA Manager