What’s In The Box? August 20-26

Late-Summer Bounty
From juicy heirloom tomatoes and crisp peppers to fragrant peaches and lemons, summer’s late-season bounty continues this week with a fresh and flavorful meal starring a creamy polenta entree topped by all-natural chicken Italian sausage, smoky-sweet peppers and summer squash. Add alongside a robust red wine, our housemade pickled cauliflower to pair with Pain au Levain bread and Grana-style cheese, plus crisp produce including fresh cranberry beans, and cucumbers, and you’ve got all the makings of an al fresco feast.

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

Double D Meats Chicken Italian Sausage

Family owned and run since 1955, this Mountlake Terrace butchery only carries naturally raised meats, including this week’s chicken sausage. Spiced with fresh herbs and traditional Italian flavors, it adds a rich touch to polenta, pastas and soups.

Organic Polenta

Imported from Italy, this traditional yellow polenta creates a wonderfully creamy base for a variety of produce year-round. To create this fresh and flavorful main dish, just cook in our flavorful chicken stock, then top with sautéed Bell and Piment d’Espellete peppers, plus Italian chicken sausage to finish.

Housemade 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. (Use within the week or freeze for later.)

Pain au Levain Loaf

This slightly-nutty, slightly-sweet sourdough loaf embodies country-style French 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.

Château Mirausse Minervois l’Azerolle 2013

Located in the heart of Minervois in France, the village of Badens is home to Mirausse Castle, where head winemaker Raymond Julien cultivates this beautiful wine crafted from the Carignan grape. Rich with the aroma of blackberry and an herbaceous quality, it also boasts a spicy, slightly peppery finish.

Grana-Style Cheese

Made in our farmstead creamery, this hard Grana-style cheese is crafted from part-skim cow’s milk to allow for longer aging of 24 months or more. Ideal for grating over polenta, the drum-shaped cheese is turned and rubbed with olive oil during aging to create a smooth, golden rind.

Farm Fresh Eggs

Our flock of heritage breed laying hens produce eggs in beautiful shades of brown, blue and green. During the warm days of summer, the ‘girls’ spend their days outdoors chasing tasty bugs, taking dust baths and enjoying the tasty raspberry leaves we feed them from the garden.

Pickled Cauliflower

A wonderful starter served with toasted Pain au Levain and Grana cheese, our housemade cauliflower is pickled in vinegar and seasoned with fresh garden herbs.

Ripe Summer Fruit

Fresh lemons, limes and ripe figs, plus cantaloupe and beautiful white-fleshed peaches from Tonnemaker Family Orchard.

Piment d’Espellete Peppers

Originally hailing from the Basque region of Southwest France, this deep red-colored, flavor-packed pepper is often used as a seasoning in lieu of traditional chile peppers. With a smoky flavor and mild heat, it adds distinct flavor and aroma to this week’s polenta preparation.

Seasonal Organic Fruits & Vegetables

This week’s produce selection also includes sweet red Bell peppers, Walla Walla sweet onions, mixed heirloom tomatoes, mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes, eggplant, fresh cranberry shelling beans, mixed summer squash, and Japanese cucumbers.

Seasonal Organic Greens

A beautiful selection of baby red and Little Gem Romaine lettuces.

Fresh Garden Herbs

Organically-grown Italian parsley, spearmint, pineapple sage, basil, cilantro, garlic and shallots.