What’s In The Box? February 22-28

Winter Warm-Up
There’s nothing quite so gratifying after a long, chilly day as a bowl of steaming-hot risotto served with crisp bread and a glass of wine. In that spirit, this week we invite you to enjoy an earthy wild mushroom risotto crafted with F&L chicken stock, baby Shiitake mushrooms and our own duxelles. Paired with smoked salmon, eggplant caponata and fresh produce such as kale rapini, leeks and Kabocha squash, plus all the ingredients for an apple galette tart, this menu will satisfy both body and soul.

Here’s what you’ll find in your box this week:

Arborio Rice

This round-grain rice comes from the Po River Valley region of Italy and is named for the town of Arborio located in the heart of the region. When cooked in flavorful chicken stock and a splash of white wine, it becomes creamy and starchy and is a great accompaniment to any flavor combination, especially our housemade duxelles and locally-foraged mushrooms.

Housemade Duxelles

Try pairing this week’s risotto with our housemade duxelles—a finely chopped mixture of wild mushrooms, shallots and herbs sautéed in butter and wine.

Baby Shiitake Mushrooms

This week’s box also includes beautiful organic mushrooms cultivated by the lovely folks at Cascadia Mushrooms in Bellingham. With their curled umbrella-shaped caps and tender thin stalks, these petite Shiitakes release a garlic-pine aroma when cooked and boast a rich, earthy flavor.

Farm & Larder Chicken Stock

Made from roasted Bella Luna chickens, this flavorful stock is simmered slowly for hours with carrots, onions and celery and seasoned with a dash of sea salt.

Pain au Levain Bread

This slightly-nutty, slightly-sweet sourdough loaf epitomizes French country-style baking with a chewy crust and light, airy interior. Baked by our favorite bakery in Snohomish, this traditional Pain au Levain is crafted using the bakery’s own sourdough starter.

Piazza del Castello Rosso Toscana

A beautiful blend of Tuscan Merlot, Cabernet and Sangiovese grapes helps give this Italian red a bold finish and medium-bodied palate, as well as notes of cherry, liquorice, spice and roasted coffee.

Farm Fresh Eggs

Our small flock of heritage breed laying hens are on an early-to-bed, later-to-rise schedule with the shorter daylight hours. As they spend more time snug in their coop, the “girls” are enjoying an extra helping of grain to supplement their diet, continuing to give us fresh eggs in beautiful shades of brown, blue and green.

Galette Dough

Crafted from all-purpose flour and organic butter, this housemade pastry dough adapted from a beloved Alice Waters recipe bakes up light and crisp, with a smooth buttery taste that pairs well with crisp-tart Granny Smith apples.

Lummi Island Wild King Smoked Salmon

Tender and perfectly flaky, this top-quality King salmon fished fresh from the Fraser River retains its lovely moisture thanks to a low-salt recipe and light alder smoke.

Eggplant Caponata

Crafted in our farmhouse kitchen from hearty eggplant and peppers, briny capers and juicy golden raisins, this traditional Tuscan relish is lovely on toasted Pain au Levain bread.

Fresh Fruit

Granny Smith apples and juicy Cara Cara oranges.

Seasonal Organic Greens

Beautiful curly kale.

Seasonal Organic Vegetables

This week’s produce selection also includes Bolero carrots, kale rapini, yellow onions, leeks, Kabocha squash and Yukon Gold potatoes.

Fresh Garden Herbs

Fresh Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, shallots and garlic from the walled garden and greenhouse at Bella Luna Farms.