Happy Harbingers

Spring has so many harbingers we’ve come to expect: bright and bold yellow forsythia blooms, a blanket of pollen covering everything, and lots of tender young buds of tasty things we cannot wait to eat. 

This week’s basket has only the best of these!

From Ireland Farms, there is tender, early bok choy. Stir-fry is the first dish that comes to mind when presented with this member of the brassica family but there are plenty of other things to try — slice in half lengthwise and grill which adds a smoky char to the mellow flavor, perfect alongside a grilled pork chop or a thick piece of Chilean sea bass. The fingerling potatoes from Farmer Hab in Mentone would also pair well here. We like this Food & Wine recipe which incorporates the zing of lemon in the roasting process. 

Other harbingers of spring? Green garlic from our own Harpersville, AL farm is one such treat. Not unlike items like ramps or morels, green garlic has “a moment” in early spring wherein we capitalize on its appearance, making the most of it any and everywhere we can. This Kitchn feature explores so much of what we appreciate about green garlic, and offers tips on how best to use it. We think it’ll inspire you almost as much as the chive and fennel herb bundle we’ve included. Place this bouquet in a short vase with a bit of water and you can snip herbs into any dish you like this week. We’re also partial to a technique first spotted with Chef Adam Perry Lang who fashions a basting brush made by wrapping a variety of fresh herbs to a wooden-handled spoon. 

Other treats from our farm this week include items from our cannery: vegetable soup, canned yellow heirloom tomatoes, award-winning goat cheese, and our limited-edition wild violet jelly.  We’re more than a little excited about that sweet treat, celebrating its arrival with a basket of warm scones and some clotted cream. Saturday morning cannot come soon enough…

Finally, baker Corey Hinkel has included two treats for our members this week. His rosemary bread is a perennial favorite; we love layering on shaved slices of salty ham with gooey wedges of creamy brie for the perfect sandwich. Any leftover bread can be left to air dry (or on low heat in the oven) then blitzed up in the food processor to make breadcrumbs for later use (store in an airtight container in the freezer.) Corey also shares his not–so-basic pizza dough with us too; a perfect weeknight activity with kids/fun dinner. Dinner should always be a joy and we think that with the items in this week’s basket, we’re all well on our way to that coveted destination.