CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 15th

by Megan Winfrey

I am a very proud Texan, and anyone who knows me will attest to it. I am a 7th generation, bluebonnet tattoo sportin' BBQ snob who wouldn't dare order unsweetened tea. There are many reasons to love our great state - politics ain't one of 'em - but jalapeño poppers sure are! Poppers are one of those things that seem truly unique to Texas. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've met quite a few others* who had never heard of or experienced the euphoria of a perfect jalapeño popper. The horror! Lucky for us, we live in Texas, where they even sell pre-made poppers at the grocery store. But these...oh, these are much better. I made the mistake of trying one before photographing them, and we're lucky I was able to stop myself long enough to snap some.

*people not from Texas

Spicy Turkey Jalapeño Poppers

• 15-20 jalapeño peppers
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 2 (8 oz.) packets of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese, divided
• 1 tbs. chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Wear rubber gloves while preparing the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs. Line them up on a foil lined baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl, add cream cheese, mayonnaise, half of the cheese, and the spices. Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer.

In a skillet, cook the turkey over medium-high until fully cooked and broken apart. Stir the turkey into the cream cheese mixture while hot, and combine well. Fill each jalapeño boat with the turkey mixture, piling each one slightly. Top each with the remaining cheese, or more if necessary.

Bake in the top third of the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned on top.

Serve immediately.

With an endless string of over 100 degree days under our belt, marinating in our own sweat has become commonplace. And while we are struggling to keep from going heat-crazy, our pepper crops are basking in the sunshine, and thriving in the brutal heat.  Here’s to the Capsicum genus, ranging from flaming hot to sweet as sugar, you make the dog days of summer worthwhile!

A Brief History

Originating in South America thousands of years ago, these members of the nightshade family’s cultivation spread to Central America soon after, and ultimately, through the Columbian Exchange (wherein Christopher Columbus kindled a massive exchange of goods between the Eastern and Western hemispheres during the 15th and 16th centuries) to Europe. Currently, peppers are utilized worldwide, enriching a plethora of different culinary traditions, from Spanish chorizo and Indian capsicum curry to the Congolese pili-pili sauce.

Serrano sortin'. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Nutritional Fun Facts

• All peppers have differing levels of capsaicin, a chemical compound that dissolves in fats and oils, in them. Bell peppers have little to none, and habaneros have some of the highest levels. This chemical causes a burning sensation on whatever tissue with which it comes into contact. This keeps mammals from eating the hotter peppers, because of the undesirable and sometimes painful side effects; whereas birds, whose receptors are largely unaffected by it, indulge in peppers and spread the seeds.
• No wonder it burns! Capsaicin is known to aid in burning fat and boost metabolism!
• A red, yellow, or green bell pepper has more Vitamin C than an orange, and are good sources of carotenoids, which act as antioxidants in the body as well as support ocular and epidermal health. The more they ripen, the more nutrition you get!
• Hot or sweet, peppers have a ton of B vitamins as well, namely B6, which higher consumption of is known to quell heart disease and stroke.

 

JBG Pepper Breakdown - Recipes

You can dry ‘em, grind ‘em, use ‘em fresh, stuff ‘em, roast ‘em, or pickle ‘em! Check out our breakdown of peppers with recipe ideas below!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bell Pepper - Looking at the bell pepper harvest is always mesmerizing. These peppers have the most stunning spectrum of colors (see food-gradient image below), and are the darling of the sweet pepper category.  The taste changes with the color… red being the ripest and sweetest. A JBG favorite recipe is the culturally ubiquitous stuffed bell pepper.

Carmen - Known as the corno di toro, or bull’s horn, this Italian pepper bears a sweet taste perfect when they are at a deep red hue.  These puppies are delicious roasted whether as a side dish or on an antipasto plate!

Ringo - Better known as the percussionist from the Beatles (Google Image Ringo Peppers and see what you get), this thick-skinned and meaty pepper turns a bright yellow as it ripens.  It has a long, horn-like shape that is similar to the Carmen.  This sweet tasting pepper is superb for garnish on a salad, or stuffed!  We could all get by with a little help from this succulent pepper.

Shishito - A Central Texas favorite, this mild little pepper hailing from East Asia is great for tempura, or a quick saute. Take a peek at our resident recipe blogger’s most recent escapade into the blissful blistering of these green beauties.  Watch out though, most of these peppers are on the milder side, but once in a blue moon you’ll get a kick of spicy shishito! BAM!

Photo by Scott David Gordon. Artistic stylings by Ada Broussard.

Banana - A mild pepper known for its banana-like aesthetics. This pepper is perfect for pickling, a yummy addition to sandwiches.

Poblano - These mild heart-shaped peppers have a nice, subtle, earthy heat. They add the perfect amount of spice to any dish. We love them in chile rellenos!

Jalapeño - Smooth and green (turning red as they ripen), these peppers are milder and wider than serranos.  These are sublime stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon or as a sauce... we’re thinking specifically of Tacodeli’s dreamy Doña sauce!

Serrano - Originating from the mountains in Mexico, these green, (turning red as they ripen like the jalapeño) spindly little peppers can pack a punch! Hotter when they are smaller, serranos are used frequently in a lot of salsas and sauces. 

Habanero - This vibrant orange and wrinkly pepper, although small, packs SO. MUCH. HEAT.  It is known as one of the spiciest peppers, and as such, makes for the perfect hot sauce ingredient.  Dr. Stadnyk’s uses our habaneros to make their delectable hot sauce infused with carrots to subdue the amount of heat.

Spicy ones. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Staff Survey: What’s your favorite pepper, and why?

Michael Mosley (our resident hot sauce expert, soon to be judge at the upcoming 26th annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival): Definitely the Serrano. Good heat but not too much. Adds flavor and depth to foods without overpowering them.

Charlotte McClure: I have to say red bell peppers because they're so versatile. I love them raw, eaten like an apple or sliced and dipped in hummus. Or chopped and mixed with quinoa, black beans and corn for a super easy skillet dinner. But the BEST thing to do is stuff them with goat cheese, grains, shredded chicken and herbs, then roast them till the skin begins to blacken.

Matt Pelkey: The Hinklehatz [which we don't grow anymore]. Best flavored hot pepper.

Montana Stovall: Candied jalapeños for the win. It's a super sweet yet spicy. I usually do a big batch at last frost with mostly red japs. Keep on farming! And eating well!

Ada Broussard: My favorite pepper is a red bell pepper... I like to eat them whole, like an apple, which is convenient, because I'm allergic to apples. They are my apple. A perfect snack to throw in a bag.

Kenny Woodson: Shishito, because it's fun to say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hurry up and grab these peppers before they are gone, just like summer! We’ll leave you with the tiny wisdoms of a nursery rhyme to ponder… Til next time, folks!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked; If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

It's profoundly HOT! The heat index has been around 110 degrees every single day on Week 32, and the field crew is out there in full sun making all the magic happen. We visited the ladies at the Downtown Farmers Market for some veggie slingin' fun. Arugula, bok choy, braising mix, mustard greens, and cabbage are going in the ground, so get your favorite salad recipes ready! Pedro and Daniel have been working around the clock to finish the new greenhouses, and we think they'll be done soon!  Thanks to Scott David Gordon for the amazing shots, as always! 

Downtown Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Melons, get 'em before they're gone! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Downtown Farmers Market Crew! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra flower. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra flowers as far as the eye can see. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

THE Montana Stovall at work. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Planting onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Having so much funion! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Greenhouses going up! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Greenhouse. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Eggplants! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Eggplant harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cuke harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zucchini harvest lookin' fly. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We love our volunteers! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

by Megan Winfrey

Dinner leftovers for breakfast - what a fabulous concept! Especially when dinner was so good that you can only wait as long as breakfast to have it again. This is that kind of recipe, y'all. Earthy, herby, and lightly sweet, these hash cakes pair just as well with a side salad and a dollop of sour cream as they do under sunny side up eggs with a side of bacon. I also hear that they make an amazing mid-night snack right out of the fridge, but I wouldn't know much about that. (wink, wink)

Red Flannel Skillet Cakes

• 3-4 whole beets
• 4-5 yukon gold potatoes
• 2 leeks, tops trimmed, cut into half moons
• 6 slices of bacon, chopped
• 2 tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
• course salt and fresh ground pepper
• olive oil, as needed for frying
• goat cheese or sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Place the beets on a large piece of heavy duty foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Fold the foil into a packet around the beets, place on a cookie sheet, and roast for about an hour or until the beets are tender. Remove them from the oven and let cool for handling. Peel them with a vegetable peeler or paring knife, then dice into 1/4" squares. There should be about 2 cups worth of beets.

Add 2 tbs. of oil to a large skillet and cook the bacon until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the leek and cook for another 8 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the beets and thyme and cook for another minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, reserving the skillet. Peel the potatoes and grate, using a large hole grater. Add the potatoes and 1 tbs. salt to the beet mixture, toss to combine.

Heat an even layer of olive oil in the same skillet as before to medium-high heat. Form 1/4 cup scoops of the beet and potato mixture into a mound using your palms. Working in batches of 4, carefully place the cake in the skillet and flatten with your spatula. Cook, flipping once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels as you go, and keep warm in a 200º oven if desired. Serve with a simple arugula, lemon, and goat cheese salad- or topped with sunny-side up eggs!

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 8th

 



 

This week, we continue the employee spotlight series with the hilarious, diligent, and extremely tenacious, Amy Gallo, our Farmers Market Coordinator. She has been working her tail off for JBG for a little over three years now. If you have visited any of our markets throughout the past few years, you undoubtedly have spotted this incredibly unique and funky lady slingin' veggies and sharing food hacks. We tracked her down this past week, and had a little time to learn a more about her life on and off the farm. Farm community - meet Amy!

Where did you grow up? I grew up in upstate New York, in kind of a rural small town, which I left promptly and headed to Boston (fun fact: she studied neuroscience at Northeastern). I quickly decided that it was too cold there, and soon after, I decided to move to the rhyming city of Austin with my partner, Dany.

What brought you to JBG? When I moved down here, I was working from home and it was very isolating. I didn’t want to get a second job, so I started volunteering at JBG once a week, and then they just kept calling me in every day to volunteer more and more. I was like, you should just pay me money to do this! So then I started working markets, and it quickly snowballed into a full-time gig.

What is your current role at JBG? I’m the farmer’s market coordinator… I manage the farmer’s markets. At the site, I have a lot of interaction with all of different organizations that run markets in the city. I also help with managing the farmer markets’ staff. I drive deliveries here and there, too.

Fun fact: Amy got married this past year! Above: Amy on her wedding day.

Do you remember the first market that you worked? Yes, I do! I think it was a volunteer shift, actually, that I was asked to do very last minute. The shift was with Pitters, who now no longer works at JBG, but used to run this place. She’s the toughest girl I’ve ever met in my life. She just ordered me around for 6 hours... I was SO sore and dead at the end of the day.

What does your life look like off the farm? I really like exploring Austin and seeing what there is to do here. I made a pact with myself at the beginning of the summer to go swimming at least once a week… so we’ve been trying to hit all the swimming holes, or as many as possible.

What’s your favorite swimming spot? That’s really tough… I really love going to McKinney Falls. There’s this one really great waterfall there.

What are you cooking at home? So much eggplant. As much eggplant as possible. My summer go-to food is just melon because of not having to cook it, but I do partake in a lot of spaghetti squash adventures and sauce-making. Whatever I can make that is solely vegetables is just perfect.

Do you have any pro tips for shopping at farmers markets? YES. Tip one: don’t come before the market starts! Tip two: ask questions about everything. Just do it. Everyone that we work with at JBG, everybody from other farms, anybody I’ve ever met working at a farmer’s market is so incredibly knowledgeable about produce. Just ask! Don’t take home a canary melon thinking that it’s a spaghetti squash, or vice versa. I have so many recipe ideas, tips, and food hacks to give out to everyone. It’s really why we are all there.

How do you find the BEST melon at the market? On a melon that’s not a watermelon, there’s usually, I call it a button, a little area where the stem has popped off of the melon. If you smell that, and it’s sweet… you’re good to go. Also, do not be afraid of scars, brown spots, or even soft spots on most melons. It just means that they are really ripe and ready to eat.

As far as watermelons go, it’s a little more complicated. You want to hear that ‘thump’. You flick it, and if you get a nice, hollow sound, it means that puppy is ripe and bursting with flavor.

What’s your favorite farmer’s market to work? Why? I love the SFC Downtown Market. It’s where I started, and I have a really good team there. We work really well together. When I walk around, I feel like the queen of the market. Every vendor is like “Hello! Let me ply you with my wares!” and give me high-fives. It’s really my favorite thing.

Downtown market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Least favorite? I’m not a huge fan of our smaller markets, honestly. I like to be really busy when I’m at a market, and if there’s down time, the boredom gets to me. I want to be running around like a chicken with it’s head chopped off.

What’s your favorite season of vegetables? People are gonna slap me for this… I love the summer. I love melons. I love when it’s hot out. I love the produce that we have right now.

What’s your favorite vegetable? Why? Is it weird if I say chard? I love chard. It reminds me of my dad, we used to eat it a lot when I was a kid. There was this one farmstand that was very out of the way, but we would always drive to for this specific chard. It’s just so good. Salty stems and green-tasting leaves, plus it’s so beautiful and huge. I love it.

Favorite thing about JBG? Everyone who works here is the best. The funniest, coolest, and hardest-working people I have ever met in my life.

Least favorite thing about JBG? Everything is always broken. All of the time. Every day.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve been asked at market? This one time, a woman was asking me how to prepare beets, and I gave her the usual stock answer that they are delicious roasted. She then asked how to do it. So, I started describing the process of how to roast a beet, which is not the first time I’ve been asked that specific question. A co-worker then chimed in and mentioned throwing some onions in with the roasted beets, and the lady asked, “what are the onions for? Are they for the beets?” I just thought it was a very strange, metaphysical question... Are they for the beets? Do the beets ingest them in the oven while it’s roasting? Are they for human consumption? I honestly didn’t know how to respond...

What’s the weirdest thing you have seen at the market? Some of our customers are very eccentric and bring pet lizards, birds, and/or cats on leashes and walk them around the market. I can’t look away when that’s happening.

Amy at market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What is the vegetable you most frequently have to advocate for at market? People don’t really like to use greens that aren’t kale or spinach. I love advocating for odd greens, or anything that people haven’t heard of… sweet potato greens, mustard greens, malabar spinach… greens that just aren’t as popular.

Food hacks for weird greens? I have to eat everything that we have, and figure out a way to make it work before I can suggest it to somebody. Most greens fall into a more like kale or more like spinach category. Is it tender? Or does it need to be beaten into submission? A great idea on how to utilize mustard greens is to make a pesto with it, so delicious and spicy.

Most market mishaps in one day? Any particular day stick out to you? I don’t know! It’s every weekend… every weekend there’s some sort of mishap. There was one day that I brought two dollies with us to the Mueller market, and all of the tires on each dolly were flat. That was a really fun day...

Amy working. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Why does buying locally matter? Buying locally matters because you are supporting people’s jobs, businesses, and livelihood in the town that you are in. When I buy something that wasn’t produced here, I know none of my friends are benefiting… I’m not paying for anyone’s salary when I do that.

Why should people care about farms/farmers markets? Besides being environmentally friendly, it benefits you as a consumer. You get better quality food, fresher items that are better for you, and you get out of your house to interact with your community. I mean it’s the whole package.

What was your motivation to work for a farm for so many years? I’m not sure that I intentionally set out to work here for so long, but I started doing it, and loved it… and saw no reason to stop.

Did you grow up near farms? Would you consider farms as being a part of your upbringing? I mean where I’m from is pretty small. It’s located in what is referred to as the “black dirt area” of New York, named for the very fertile soil left over from a glacial lake. It’s very good for growing onions, corn, etc. It’s an agriculturally-minded area, for sure, though personally, I had no real direct interaction with farms besides going to the farmer’s market.

What are the best Italian recipes from your parents/family? My dad is VERY Italian. My family is super New York Italian. That’s definitely where my love for vegetables comes from, specifically eggplant and bitter greens. My mom’s side is really stuck in the 60’s casserole era, and my dad’s side is all super fresh and vegetable-heavy recipes.

There’s this one really funny article that I read recently about how Sicilian people in America pronounce everything really strangely… and as I was reading, I realized it was about me and my family. We pronounce things very differently, instead of saying “prosciutto” we say “prosciutt” - instead of “parmesano” we say “parmesan” - We take the last syllable off of everything. My grandma makes this dish and I never knew what it was called because she always pronounced it “gabbardeen.” I would try to google it, and I realized, I had no idea how to spell it… maybe it was a made-up word? So, as you can see, it’s really hard to replicate those recipes unless I go home and request special dispensation from my grandma.

One of the things that Amy is notoriously good for is making the BEST market displays, so when you are setting up market, what are you thinking about? What’s your game plan? It’s a deeply psychological process. I like to think that I have dug into the consumer’s mind: their hopes, their fears, and their dreams, hopefully… and I can use that in my display to lure them. The vegetables are the medium within which I work, but it’s not just color blocking or separation of type and variety. It can’t just be based on what’s new or pretty, it really has to be a total package. If I put a bin of spaghetti squash next to some bagged tomatoes, peppered with basil around it - I’m making you think of something that you want. It’s my game. (Amy is also notorious for her amazing, inimitable vegetable art - see below).

 

Just in case you forgot how talented I am #googlyeyes #veggieart #boredatwork

A photo posted by Amy Gallo (@amy_ukulele) on Mar 31, 2016 at 9:52am PDT

If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring three things, what would you bring?

1. A knife
2. Dany
3. Hopefully Netflix

 

What’s your favorite color? Pink, the whole spectrum.

What’s your favorite band? A tie between Animal Collective and Wu Tang Clan.



Staff Survey: If Amy were a veggie, which one would she be, and why?

Ada: Amy is an eggplant. Comes is lots of different beautiful pink/purple varieties (like her hair/style), but always traditionally Italian. Like eggplants, she usually doesn't have a working cell phone and can be sometime hard to get in touch with, but when you finally get her, she's consistently delicious. Also, I think I'm pinning her as an eggplant because she's introduced me to the world's best eggplack hack EVER... basically this technique.

Krishna: I guess it would be Daikon Radish. It is tender but hard like a pole. She’s a very strong person, and able to carry the load even if the job is tiring.

Nellie: Sweet potato - their unique shapes and sizes are as beautiful and funky as Amy. Everyone likes sweet potatoes, plus she makes funny veggie faces out of our sweet potatoes for market-goers to enjoy!

Now that you know her, visit Amy at the market this weekend! 'Til next week, y'all!