What’s In The Box? September 12-19
SEPTEMBER 12-19
Season to Season
As summer begins to wane, this week’s box toes the line in between this season and the next as it is packed with staples like tomatoes, zucchini, Tropea onions, baby beets, plums and cucumbers. Enjoy all these bright and fresh September flavors alongside: farm-fresh eggs from our flock of heritage breed hens, smoky dry-cured bacon, buttery blueberry-lemon croissants, seasonal organic greens and a plethora of fragrant herbs; bon appetit!
Here’s what you’ll find in your box this week:
Jack Mountain Sunday Bacon
Each smoky strip of dry-cured bacon from this Skagit Valley-based meat company is cut the “old school” way, by hand, and aged for a minimum of eight days. Smoked all day over hazelnut shells, the resulting bacon crisps up beautifully, while still maintaining a big meaty chew.
Bella Luna Farms Plums
Beautifully-ripe, freshly-harvested plums from our very own orchard here at the farm!
Multigrain Bread & Blueberry-Lemon Croissants
Crafted in nearby Snohomish by our favorite bakery, this healthy freshly-baked loaf is made with locally-milled Shepherd’s Grain flour and seven different whole grains, plus a hint of honey and toasted sunflower seeds. Also tucked in your box and from the same local bakery: Buttery, blueberry-lemon croissants.
Kiki & Juan Vino Blanco
This fresh and vibrant Spanish white is crafted from 90% Macabeo and 10% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Granny Smith apple and Bartlett pear notes jump from the glass, followed by layers of green fig and chamomile, plus a noticeable aroma of honeydew melon.
Farm Fresh Eggs
As they spend plenty of time outdoors in their run, our small flock of heritage breed laying hens are enjoying succulent popweed pulled from the gardens, plus vegetable scraps from the kitchen, to supplement their diet of locally produced organic layer mash to give us fresh eggs in beautiful shades of brown, beige and cream.
Miles Away Farm Dried Plums
Grown in Walla Walla, these dried Italian plums are fantastic in salads.
Seasonal Organic Greens
This week’s selection of greens includes baby red lettuce and mixed baby salad blend.
Seasonal Organic Fruit & Vegetables
This week’s vibrant produce selection also includes: baby golden beets, green beans, Tropea onions, lemon cucumbers, cherry and heirloom tomatoes, and mixed baby zucchini and summer squash.
Garden-Grown Herbs
Parsley, thyme, garlic, basil and rosemary from the gardens here at Bella Luna.
Grilled Zucchini & Peppers
Serve these classic grilled vegetables from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy atop warm bread.
Ingredients:
3-4 sweet peppers
2 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, sliced thin
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high, then place whole peppers on grate and grill until skins are blistered and blackened. Add zucchini slices and also grill until just soft with grill marks.
2. Transfer grilled peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand about 10 minutes. Remove peppers and lay on cutting board. Cut each in half, seeding and stemming, then scrape off charred skin with a knife. Cut into thin strips.
3. Drizzle olive oil over peppers and zucchini, season with salt and sprinkle with parsley. Toss to coat, then add slices of garlic. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to meld flavors before serving.
Variation: Try rubbing both the zucchini and peppers with our signature F&L dry rub before grilling—delicious!
Frisée Salad with Plums & Hazelnuts
Later in the fall, this salad is equally amazing with slices of crisp apple or juicy pear.
Ingredients:
1 medium head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium head frisée, torn into bite-size pieces
1 ripe plum, pitted and cut into thin slices
¼ cup hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
½ cup roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk the hazelnut oil with the red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the radicchio and frisée and toss until coated. Add the plum slices, blue cheese and hazelnuts, season the salad with salt and pepper, toss gently and serve.
Marinated Cucumber Salad
Super simple and healthy, this salad is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 Persian cucumbers
1 red onion
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Peel the cucumbers and then half lengthwise before thinly slicing. Then, peel and thinly slice the onion and place in a bowl with the cucumber.
2. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and oil in a bowl and whisk together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber and onion mixture and toss well to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1-2 hours before serving cold or at room temperature.
