Day: May 21, 2022

This morning, the CO woke at the usual time: 526. Why 526 is totally a mystery: when the alarm is set, it is never at 526. In order to get the best selection at the Farmers’ Market, it’s best to arrive before 8 am; closer to 730 is better, even. However, this fine morning at 526, it was raining. By 0700, it was a gale-force thunderstorm. Several things happened (or didn’t happen) as a result of these events:

1. Jessa von Fabaceae, Waldkönigin, was fed by 0600. As were the Sisters Negrae, Posh Pasht and Anu Vashti.
2. The Caustic One got a few extra hours of sleep, from 0600 to 0700 and then again from 0700 to 0856. At 0700, it was obvious that no playing with plants/beautification was going to happen this morning prior to a Farmers’ Market Run. It also seemed a fantastic day to stay indoors and do all the things the CO says they are going to do on days when being outside is just not feasible, but never seems to get to. And sleep, that marvelous entity that doesn’t seem to happen as often as needed, but hits like a Pavlovian response whenever hard rain or thunderstorms sound at the window, was engaged in. Ahhhhh who doesn’t love a good rainstorm.
3. At around 0900, it seemed as though the winds were down, the rain had stopped, and the temperature was comfortable. Cooler, much cooler, than the 90 degrees of the previous days. Marvelous, very marvelous. So instead of staying home and doing nothing, it was off to the Farmers Market, if only to buy some lettuce from Koss Farms and chat with the Farmer for a while.

Arriving at the Farmers’ Market this morning, the parking lots were full and people were milling about in good measure. However, the day’s takings turned out to be plentiful, as the storms had kept people away just long enough that product was still available to be had. Here is the list (also pictured above):

• Rhubarb (Avery)
• Asparagus (Avery)
• Mixed Greens (Avery)
• Purple Basil (Koss Kountry Fresh)
• Summer Crisp Lettuce (Koss Kountry Fresh)
• Cilantro (Sola Gratia)
• Dillweed (Sola Gratia)
• Daikon Radish (Twin Acre)
• Scallions (Twin Acre)
• Purple and Gold Cauliflower (Cary’s Garden of Eatin’)
• Spring Onions (Ochoa)
• Chestnut Mushrooms (Flyaway)

The plans for this week’s stash include:

Rhubarb soup. The CO’s stomach has been bothering them quite a bit of late. Last week, the Rhubarb soup actually settled it quite a bit. Served slightly warmed or at room temperature, this week a larger batch is The Plan, for “medicinal purposes”. It’s actually quite nice that CO loves the flavor. Last week, the CO was talking with Amazing about this, and Amazing asked if there was cinnamon in the soup. Now, that’s an idea….

The concept of a rhubarb pie still exists, but the craving has faded, so maybe if there is still rhubarb to be had next week, that might be a thing. Or not.

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry for the Sunday Meal. This will use the mushrooms, along with beef from Triple S farms procured at a previous jaunt to the FM. Since the CO loves cauliflower and onions in their stir fry, this is exciting. And it will be pretty. A few scallions or spring onions as well as some asparagus will be tossed in as well.

Cilantro soup!! The Mexican Food Journal has a lovely recipe for Creme of Cilantro Soup. Cooked cilantro changes flavor and is really wonderful. The CO also loves a Cilantro Onion soup but has been thinking a lot about a cream soup, served cold (maybe). Here is the recipe, compliments of Douglas (https://mexicanfoodjournal.com/cream-of-cilantro-soup/):

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch cilantro
• ½ white onion (CO will use a sweet Vidalia-type onion, as that’s what available)
• 1 clove garlic (CO will use Shallots)
• ¾ cup Mexican cream not sour cream (CO will use boring American Cream)
• 1 cup low salt chicken broth (CO will use whatever chicken broth is handy)
• 4 cups water
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. cooking oil

Instructions

• Roughly chop the onions and garlic and fry them in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until they start to soften and turn translucent.
• Add the bunch of cilantro and sauté over medium heat until the cilantro has wilted.
• Add 2 cups of water and black pepper to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Blend the sauteed onions, garlic, and cilantro and cooking liquid with 2 cups of water until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Strain the mixture into a mixing bowl. Press firmly on the pulp to extract as much flavor as possible.
• Allow the cream to come to room temperature and allow the blended cilantro base to cool for 10 minutes before adding to the cream.
• Add a few tablespoons of soup base into the cream and gently stir to incorporate.
• Continue adding a few tablespoons of base at a time while continually stirring.
• Once you have added all of the soup base add 2 cups of water and stir for 30 seconds to ensure that all of the soup base and water are incorporated into the cream and there are no lumps in the cream.
• Warm 1 cup of chicken broth in a pot but don’t bring the broth to a boil because if the broth is boiling the cream will clump when you pour the mixture into it. Slowly pour the soup base into the broth.
• Very gently simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. Over this time the soup will thicken. Do not allow it to come to a boil or the soup may clump.
• Serve immediately.

This could be pretty wonderful, even if it is putzy.

Greens from Avery and Koss: Mostly, these end up in weekday lunchboxes. Summer crisp stays crisp in the fridge after cutting and washing, so this will be five lunches, easily. Some fresh minced dill in one along with some soft weiskäse makes a Greek-style influence.

It’s been mentioned before that the Caustic One likes soup for breakfast. Lately, substituting steel cut oats for rice or orzo has been both delicious and a good way to get the oatmeal into the body. With the purchase of the (stuffing the face into the dill and inhaling deeply) dill, it seems a good time for an Avgolemono Breakfast soup! Since Avgolemono is really about the lemon and egg, one could conceivably use a non-meat broth base and leave out the chicken, since the herbs and spices make up the flavor palette. For a breakfast soup, this would be fine. However, there is some chicken in the freezer that has to be cooked, so a nice broth made from the bones and leftover stuck-to-the-bones meat will be the basis for the soup. This is helpful for two reasons: the chicken will be roasted “Athenian Style”, so the spices and flavors will be already present, making the broth easier to make. Secondly, all the onions that the chicken roasts on, can be added to the broth and not wasted (after Alpha refuses to eat any).

Daikon radish and greens: This is up for debate. Not sure about the greens at all. Might just dry them and delay any decisions for the moment. As far as the actual roots, in the past, the CO has pickled Daikon for later use. At the moment, there are two versions of this in the pantry that haven’t been eaten yet. One possibility is to open one of the versions, and if it is wonderful, make more with the new Daikon. That would make the most sense, since, if it is NOT wonderful, why make more. This would, of course, demand that the second version would need to be opened and tasted, and if it is wonderful, make more of it.. but if neither of them are wonderful, then, well, a quandary has been reached. Hm. Well. Stay tuned ….