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CSA Smackdown 2013 Recap

Grand Street CSA’s Smackdown
at LES Flea  
        On September 15, 2013, Grand Street CSA and LES Flea presented a local food cooking competition to determine which CSA members would represent Grand Street CSA at Just Food’s Great CSA Smackdown. Fresh produce was provided by our farmers Norwich Meadows Farm. Special thanks to support from Qiana from Just Food; our Farmers, Zaid & Haifa; and our judges: Anat & Kaya of Cafe Petisco, Sanyu from LES Flea, Rose from the Abrons Art Center!
Flea Market shoppers, CSA members, and special guests joined our panel of esteemed judges to watch, as our two teams each stepped up to create a delicious dish with fresh produce from that week’s CSA distribution, a handful of staples and just 30 minutes to cook.
 
Shafar WUJS: Jenna & Lisa
The Emo Eggplants: Dan & Caroline
  VS.
Our judges support our mission of bringing local food to the neighborhood for everyone to enjoy. 
Grand Street CSA’s MC Deb introduces the competitors.

Local Produce and Staples
Ginger – a surprise ingredient from Norwich Meadows Farm

Shafar WUJS 
the runners up 
presented
Melon Cup Fruit Salad
 
1 Plum
1 Nectarine 
1 Melon
1 Apple
Cup of Husk Cherries
1 Tomato
Tablespoon Butter
1 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup of Honey
Mint

1. Cut fruit in slices.

2. Cut melon in half and scoop out insides. 
3. Combine balsamic and honey in a small pot.  Bring to a running boil on high heat. Continue on a low simmer for about 10 minutes or until mixture has a thick consistency. Take off heat and cool.
4. In a pan, heat butter over medium heat.  Add cut apples and stir until golden, about 3 minutes. 
5. Combine all fruit except melon in a bowl with balsamic reduction.

6. Neatly place fruit in melon and top with mint.

The Emo Eggplants
winners and reigning champions 
presented
 Three Mini-courses
  Course one was a salad of melon & tomato with edamame & husk cherries tossed in balsamic/honey dressing & served on a lettuce leaf.

Course two was squash pasta (zuchini cut on our mandolin to mimic fettuccine & sautéed in butter to soften) with a spicy sour tomatillo sauce.
 
Course three was turnips, apples, nectarines, plums & ginger carmelized in butter & honey & served on an apple chip.

Thanks to all our participants for a great event!

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Enter the Great CSA Smackdown 2013!!

Share Your Local Food Skills!

With just 30 minutes to cook in the Great CSA Smackdown, CSA members highlight how fast and delicious our fresh, local food can be.

Thanks to Caroline (above) and Dan of Grand Street’s winning team, the Emo Eggplants, for their smackdown -style demo at distribution last Tuesday!

In this year’s THE GREAT CSA SMACKDOWN, Grand Street CSA defends its title!

 Will the Emo Eggplants return to the final event, or will it be you?

THE COMPETITION:

 
Just Food challenges New York City CSAs to show off their cooking talent and local food skills with the: a city-wide cooking competition for members of Just Food Network CSAs. CSA members will be pitted against each other as they prepare a delicious dish around an assortment of ingredients directly from their CSA share! With only 30 minutes to cook, competitors will need to rely on their speed, skill and creativity to make the cut. Winners will advance to a city wide final-round event, representing their CSA community in the quest to come out on top of the GREAT CSA SMACKDOWN.
Grand Street CSA will be holding its round of the Smackdown on a Sunday afternoon in mid-/late-September (date/location TBD). We’ll have details on where and when in the coming weeks. Find more details, rules, and register to cook here!

Email Smackdown questions to info@grandstreetcsa.org.



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CSA Recipe Blogs

Looking for new ideas for using your share? One item got you stumped?
This just in from this week’s CSA Newsletter from Just Food:

CSA Food Blogs
We asked and you delivered! Click below to see some of the fantastic blogs that showcase the beautiful, nutritious food that your fellow CSA-consuming comrades are cooking up. Check them out, try the recipes, and share with your community of foodies- enjoy!
  
Home in the City for seasonal CSA ideas
  
Raspberry Eggplant for sweet treat and meat-free fare  
  
Mary Elizabeth: a Brooklyn-based chef currently being inspired in Rome
  
eat+art+word: a visual and gastronomic perspective
  
German-Jewish Cuisine a closer look at Jewish food from German-speaking European countries
  
Fruition Seeds on the significance of organic and regionally adapted seed
  
Accidental Locavore for ideas on how to use that local produce

For more ideas from Just Food and to sign up for their CSA Newsletter, go to http://justfood.org/
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July 2nd Shares

Here is what to expect today:

Greens
Onions
Squash
Garlic Scapes
Lettuce
Kohlrabi
Carrots

Fruit Shares, only Full Shares or those who pick up weekly:
Strawberries
Cherries
Rhubarb

Eggs are for both Full Shares (weekly pick-ups) and Half Shares (bi-weekly pick-ups)

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First Distribution Today June 18th

Come on by Abrons Arts Center at 466 Grand Street today, rain or shine, between 5:15pm and 8pm to collect your first share of the season!  Here is the info about the share today:

The list below is for one share of produce.  If you ordered two shares (equivalent to the FULL share last season) you will pick up double this amount.  Please remember it is early in the season so don’t be concerned about the limited amount – there is more to come!! 

1 lettuce
1 pac choi
1 lb greens (the greens were not identified so we will all be surprised, but assume they are cooking greens)
6 to 7 garlic scapes
5 spring onions
4 radish
4 spring garlic
Also if you ordered extras don’t forget to pick them up too! Today we will have: 
eggs
syrup
beef
Pushcart Coffee has generously offered to bring free coffee for members starting at 5pm.  Thanks Pushcart!!
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Start Date July 18!

We know this is the news you have been waiting to hear–our farmer Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farms has confirmed that our first distribution will start Tuesday June 18th.  The delay by a week has been due to the weather. 
Maple Syrup distribution will be on the 18th as well. 
If you ordered beef from Norwich it will be coming on the 18th. 

Remember distribution does not start until 5:15PM and runs until 8PM.  

See you then!

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Start Date?

We are as excited as you are to begin picking up fresh veggies and fruit – but we still haven’t had word from Norwich Farm what our start date is.  Due to the long winter and cool spring this year will start a couple weeks later than last year, that just means we will go a little later into the fall.  We promise that as soon as we know the date we will send out an email to all the members and post it on the website.  Until then…

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Visit Norwich Meadows Farm!

The Summer 2013 CSA season is just around the corner! Every year, Washington Square CSA Members take an annual farm trip. This year, Grand Street CSA is honored to join them. Thanks to the core of our sister CSA, Washington Square CSA (WSCSA), for inviting our members and organizing this exciting trip! 

On Saturday, April 27th we will be visiting our CSA farmer Zaid Kurdieh at Norwich Meadows Farm (http://www.norwichmeadowsfarm.com) in Norwich, New York. We will be touring the farm where our veggies are grown and Zaid may even have small projects for us to complete! Members, friends and family are welcomed and encouraged to attend! 

TRIP LOGISTICS
Where: Norwich Meadows Farms (Norwich NY)
When: Saturday April 27, 2013
Who: You do not need to be a member to attend; children and families are welcome. Members from other CSAs are also welcome!
Cost: $20 per person (if you choose to ride the bus) – this must be paid by Saturday, April 20th to reserve a seat! Part will be refunded if some members are able to ride with members who are driving their own vehicles.
What’s Included?: $20 will cover the bus rental, gas, and basic snacks such as water, apples, clementines, bananas, granola bars and cookies
What to bring: Money for your lunch (or a bagged lunch), additional snacks, comfortable clothes and shoes, sunhat, additional water, sunscreen, items to occupy you on the bus ride and a smile!
Details: The bus will leave St. Mark’s Church In-the-Bowery (131 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10003) at 7AM and return at approximately 7PM. It is a long drive, but it’s the drive our farmer makes every week to bring our delicious CSA produce!

Action Required: by Saturday April 13th, 2013. 

              If you would like to join us, please RSVP by email to info@washingtonsquarecsa.com and info@grandstreetcsa.org) and provide us with the following information, so we and the farm can plan accordingly. The farm requires a list of all visitors. 
  1. Your Name/Email (main contact):
  2. Names of all attending:
  3. Total #:
  4. I/We want to ride on the bus – Y/N
  5. I/We will drive separately – Y/N
    • I/We can accomodate other passengers to & from the farm in our car – Y/N
    • # of extra passengers I can take:
For those who plan to ride the bus, checks should be made payable to Washington Square CSA and all checks should be received by Saturday April 13.  Once you RSVP, we’ll provide info if you need to mail in a check.

We hope you can join us for this year’s farm trip!

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Meet the Farmers: Tuesday, February 12 @ 8:45pm

We know you are all thinking about snow but it’s time to think SPRING and fresh produce, fruit, eggs, pasta and other specialty items from our new providers for the 2013 season. Please join us for a “Meet the Farmer” meeting on Tuesday February 12 at 8:45PM at the Seward Park Community Room at 264 East Broadway (also known as Building 1 at the Seward Park Co-ops).

You will get a chance to hear from our new farmer, Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farm, about our vegetable, fruit, and egg shares and other specialty items the farm offers. Scott Ketchum from Sfoglini Pasta will be on hand to talk about and show off their artisanal pastas, and you will be able to buy some before ordering if you have not had the opportunity to try some from their stall at the New Amsterdam Market or sold in the neighborhood.

We also have the prices for eggs now, so click on the links below for more information.

Our CSA Core will be on hand to answer any questions you may have on our 2013 season.

Share prices and farm info: http://www.grandstreetcsa.org/p/shares.html

Register today online: 2013 Registration is now CLOSED
We look forward to seeing you Tuesday.