And Now For Something New!

In choosing what was to be included in this week’s CSA basket, we had to think back and ask ourselves if we’d ever included raw peanuts before. Most of us could not recall a time when we had, which makes this thing we do so much fun; it is still possible to surprise and delight even longtime CSA members.  

Roasting your own peanuts could not be any simpler and FoodNetwork’s Alton Brown supplies the ideal no-nonsense recipe for doing just that . 

If you have kids in your house, we encourage you to engage them in this easy process — heck, maybe you even put them in charge of the whole thing! The point is, to make that connection between the Cottonwood (south of Dothan) farmer who grew the peanuts to the CSA that shares them to the end user who decides how best to enjoy them. 

Clayton Farms sends us pickling cucumbers and ripe bell peppers. Slice these super thin, with the Vidalia onions from Georgia and toss with a little olive oil and red wine vinegar and chill in the cool refrigerator until suppertime. The Florida lady peas want nothing more than to simmer with a little chicken or vegetable stock and a nice slab of good bacon or ham. Any leftovers could be added to the cucumber-bell-pepper mix for a lovely cold midweek salad. 

Summer is still showing out with gorgeous peaches from farmer Wayne Headley in Chilton County while fall starts to make an appearance with sweet potatoes from neighboring Mississippi. Rounding out the box are okra, eggs and buttermilk from Stone Hollow Farmstead, bread from Corey Hinkel and more tart muscadines from Cullman county.  We’re curious how you are enjoying those fruits -- did anyone make the muscadine syrup recipe from last week? We did and froze it in ice cube trays so we could taste that sunshine anytime we please. 

Thank you for being a part of our fall CSA season. Stay safe and eat well!