What’s In The Box? December 17-23

Home for the Holidays
As winter nears and the holidays approach, we hope to bring you both comfort and joy with this box of warm, soulful favorites, from fixings to prep a decadent risotto with local Hedgehog and dried Porcini mushrooms to two locally-milled flours, yeast, a fresh-baked gingerbread loaf and our own housemade crème fraîche to assist with all your sweets cravings. Also included: Potatoes, parsnips and petite Honeynut squash, beautiful salad greens and our signature herb fromage blanc, plus farm-fresh eggs and orchard fruit. Happy holidays!

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 our flavorful chicken stock and a splash of white wine, it becomes creamy, starchy and luscious, making it a beautiful pairing for the combination of fresh and dried mushrooms included in this week’s delivery.

Hedgehog Mushrooms

Also known as the ‘sweet tooth’ mushroom, these locally-foraged fungi are similar in taste to the popular Chanterelle, but with an earthier, smokier flavor.

Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Italian for ‘little pigs’, these meaty dried Porcini mushrooms foraged by expert mushroom hunter Jeremy Faber and his team at Foraged & Found Edibles are rich in taste, imparting a pungent, woodsy flavor to any number of dishes, from risotto to soup.

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.

Gingerbread Loaf

A true taste of the season, this fragrant spiced gingerbread loaf makes for perfect afternoon snacking alongside some hot cocoa, or serve it with whipped crème fraîche for dessert!

La Petite Perrière Rosé 2019

Boasting a beautiful pale salmon hue, this easy-going Rosé from France is fresh and clean with a soft, silky texture, plus notes of raspberries, strawberries, red currants and violets.

Farm Fresh Eggs

Our small flock of heritage breed laying hens gives us fresh eggs in beautiful shades of brown and green. With the short days of winter, the girls are up with the sun to roam the outdoors. Bedtime is much earlier now, as we see them heading into their house to roost as the sun is going down.

Housemade Herbed Fromage Blanc

This wonderful cheese is made in our in-house creamery from locally-sourced cream and farm-fresh herbs. A creamy and just slightly tangy cheese, it can be used in place of ricotta or mascarpone in recipes. Spread on cracker and top with thinly-sliced apples for an appealing appetizer, or add a dollop to this week’s risotto for a rich, decadent finish.

Housemade Crème Fraîche

Our rich and silky crème fraîche is crafted in our farmstead creamery from pasteurized organic sweet cream.

Cairnspring Mills Organic Flours

This Burlington-based company is rediscovering the heart and soul of flour-making by producing small-batch, responsibly-grown flours made solely from wheat grown in the Pacific Northwest. This week’s delivery includes two of their stellar flours: The rich and buttery Edison all-purpose ground from hard white spring wheat, and a Cara Club pastry flour fantastic for cakes, pies, pastries, biscuits and more.

Baking Yeast

Active dry yeast to help with all your holiday baking!

Fresh Fruit

Orchard apples and pears, plus Meyer lemons and Mandarin oranges.

Seasonal Organic Fruit & Vegetables

This week’s produce selection also includes parsnips, orange and purple carrots and Huckleberry Gold potatoes. Also included: Sweet, petite Honeynut squash, one of the creations of New York Chef Dan Barber and seed breeder Michael Mazourek’s venture, Row 7, a startup that selectively breeds a variety of vegetables to maximize factors like yield, shelf stability, and, of course, flavor.

Fresh Garden Herbs

Chives, garlic, shallots, thyme and Italian parsley from the walled garden and hoophouse at Bella Luna Farms.