3rd Delivery
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 and Friday, June 3, 2011 (my last day of school!)
We had a very busy and productive Memorial Day Weekend! The weather was wonderfully hot and really felt like summer; I guess we aren’t having spring this year. Fortunately for us- we like it hot. The spring garden is weeded, thinned and tilled. The corn and beans are in planted. Many (200 plants) of the tomatoes found their summer homes in the ground. We still need to get the rest out of the pots and into the ground. We planted 40 blueberry bushes and they look really healthy. All together it was good weekend; we hope yours was too.
Sadly, we did lose all of our chickens to the buffalo gnat. We came back from our Friday night delivery to a chicken tractor full of dead chickens. We couldn’t figure it out, because they were so healthy. They were laying eggs in the morning and dead by dusk. After talking with people in the area we concluded the gnats were to blame. Here are a few links if you are interested.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6451812
http://m.courierpress.com/news/2011/may/23/gnats-and-mosquitoes-emerging-after-flooding/
This week’s Delivery:
Romaine Lettuce
Garlic Scapes
Oregano
Sylvetta Arugula-
“Wild Arugula” (It has strong, but delicious flavor)
Sage
Cilantro
Epazote
Lettuces
Rouge de Hiver (Red Romaine)
Green and Red Deer Tongue
Speckled Bibb
Red Salad Bowl
Romaine Lettuce
Garlic Scapes
Oregano
Sylvetta Arugula-
“Wild Arugula” (It has strong, but delicious flavor)
Sage
Cilantro
Epazote
Lettuces
Rouge de Hiver (Red Romaine)
Green and Red Deer Tongue
Speckled Bibb
Red Salad Bowl
Adam’s Refried Beans
Soak 3 cups of pinto beans overnight
Cook until tender and drain
In a hot wok add:
½ cup chopped onion
Cooked in a little oil (your choice) until black (really)
* Our friend, Roberto, gave us this tip to make authentic refried beans.
Once onions are black add:
1 Tablespoon Cumin brown
Wait one minute and add:
½ teaspoon salt
Cayenne to taste
3 garlic scapes finely chopped
2 sprigs epazote finely chopped
Wait another minute
Add all the beans
Add a cup or so of stock or water
Mash with a potato masher and cook for 20 minutes
Any questions ask Adam- I had to call him 4 times to get the full recipe typed.
What is Epazote?
The Senora that owns the Taqueria Pequena in Cobden turned us on to growing Epazote. Since everything she cooks is delicious; we knew that it must be an herb we should grow. She told us to put it into our beans to add flavor and decrease the gas caused by eating beans. The recipe above is what has evolved.
One of the highlights of Cobden- the best Mexican food!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/taqueria-pequena-cobden
Epazote
Pronounced [eh-paw-ZOH-teh] an herb well known to Mexican and Caribbean cooking. The name comes from the Aztec (Nahuatl) epazotl.
About Epazote
Epazote is an herb well known to Mexican and Caribbean cooking. The name comes from the Aztec (Nahuatl) epazotl. It is also known as pigweed or Mexican tea and is frequently regarded as a garden pest. It is most commonly used in black bean recipes to ward off some of the "negative" side affects of eating beans. Much like cilantro, it is referred to as an "acquired taste". The herb is quite pungent and some say it smells like gasoline or kerosene.
History And Lore
Epazote (chenopodium ambrosioides) was brought to Europe in the 17th century from Mexico and used in various traditional medicines. The Aztecs as a medicine as well as a culinary herb used the herb.
Store
Fresh epazote leaves can be placed in a plastic bag and stored for up to 1 week. You can air-dry the fresh leaves and store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Medicinal Uses
Epazote contains compounds, which actually act as an anti-gas agent (referred to as a carminative, which means it reduces gas) when cooked with beans. Its chief use was as an agent to expel intestinal hookworms (wormseed). According to Jessica Houdret (The Ultimate Book of Herbs and Herb Gardening) it has also been "recommended for nervous disorders, asthma, and problems with menstruation).
CAUTION: This herb is poisonous in large does.
Culinary Uses
Rick Bayless's (in his book "Authentic Mexican") describes this herb as the well-known essential ingredient in Mexican black bean recipes as well as in quesadillas and some moles (moh-LAYS).
