What’s In The Box? May 4-10

Glorious May
The arrival of May means spring truly is in full swing as we are starting to see warmer weather forecasts and various crops ripening in the garden. This week, enjoy spring in all its glory with a wonderful assortment of produce ranging from locally-foraged morel mushrooms and baby butter lettuces to pac choi and herbs like mint, chives and parsley. Also included: Fresh challah bread, our handcrafted chicken stock and a truly-special Grana-style cheese that’s been aging in the cheese cave for three years. Enjoy!

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

Locally Foraged Morel Mushrooms

These seasonal mushrooms are only available in the wild, developing a cult following of local ‘mushroom hunters’ who roam our forests looking for this treat of nature. Woodsy and earthy, yet delicate and rich, they are an excellent accompaniment to roasted vegetables, risottos and pastas. Or, simply sauté in butter or olive oil and enjoy on their own!

Housemade Chicken Stock

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

Challah Bread

Baked just for us by our favorite bakery in Snohomish, this fresh loaf boasts a sweet, rich flavor thanks to a traditional base of silky eggs and Shepherd’s Grain flour, plus a touch of sugar.

Maison Nicolas Perrin Syrah

This French Syrah is made using a traditional Northern Rhone-area technique known as “co-fermentation”, where a very small amount of Viognier is blended into the wine during fermentation. This tiny addition of white grape causes a chemical reaction that stabilizes color, resulting in an absolutely beautiful red wine with greater depth of hue. It also adds a hint of floral quality to the classic Syrah notes of berries, black pepper and hints of smoke.

Grana-Style Cheese

Our hard Grana-style cheese is crafted from part-skim cow’s milk to allow for longer aging of 36 months or more. Ideal for grating over veggies, the drum-shaped cheese is turned and rubbed with olive oil during aging to create a smooth, golden rind.

Farm Fresh Eggs

Busy scratching through the straw mulch in their spacious outdoor run looking for tasty bugs and worms on nice days, our heritage breed laying hens are also thoroughly enjoying a bounty of sprouting seeds and spring popweed, in turn supplying us with fresh eggs in beautiful shades of blues, green and brown.

Blueberry Jam

Made here at Bella Luna in our farmhouse kitchen from fresh-picked blueberries, organic cane sugar and pectin. (That’s it!)

Seasonal Organic Fruit & Vegetables

This week’s produce selection includes baby red potatoes, golden beets, leeks, asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli and baby carrots, plus lemons. Also included this week: Beautiful pac choi, a type of Chinese cabbage that is excellent sautéed along with other spring vegetables in a stir fry.

Seasonal Organic Greens

Tom Thumb baby butter lettuce, green curly kale and red sorrel.

Fresh Garden Herbs

Fresh parsley, chives, garlic, shallots and mint.