THIS WEEK YOUR BASKE CONTAINS: leeks, broccoli, carrots, sweet peppers, spinach, KABOCHA SQUASH, and CELERIAC.

THANKSGIVING WILL SOON BE HERE! As we always do, we will be delivering a TWO-WEEK BASKET to you on November 26^TH. We will SKIP DELIVERY DECEMBER 3^rd, and be back on December 10^th.  Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.

Celeriac, or celery root as it is also known, is a wonderful combination of celery flavor and potato texture.  The leaves, which are very similar to the herb lovage, can be used in soup stock or stews to add a celery flavor. To use the root, it must be peeled first.  Perhaps the easiest way to use celeriac is to grate it after peeling, dressing with mustard vinaigrette and serving cold.  The recipe below makes great use of both your celeriac and leeks.

CREAM OF LEEK AND CELERIAC SOUP

2-3 leeks

1 1/2 Lb celeriac

1 large potato

3 Tbs butter

4-5 cups chicken broth

1 cup light cream (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Wash leeks and slice until you have approx 2 cups.  Peel and chop celeriac into 1/2 inch cubes (3-4 cups).  Peel and coarsely chop the potato.  Melt butter in a large sauce pan and stir in the leeks, cooking until wilted.  Stir in celeriac and potato then add 4 cups of broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20-25 minutes.  Puree in a food processor or blender.  If very thick, thin with cream and additional broth.  Season with salt and pepper.

Kabocha squash is our favorite squash.  Its dry sweet flesh is very similar to sweet potato.  This is our favorite way to cook it.  After removing the seeds, cut the halves into thin wedges either with the skin on or off.   Sprinkle them with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.  Bake in a hot oven (400⁰) until browned on one side.  Turn the wedges over to brown evenly.  You can eat them hot, let them cool as a snack or use them as the basis for a pureed squash soup like the one below (substitute leek for the onion in the recipe).

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AUTUMN GOLD SQUASH SOUP

1 med. to large butternut squash

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 medium carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 ½ c. water

1 ½ c. tomato juice

1 c. apple juice

1 c. orange juice

salt and pepper

For a full recipe, you need about 2 c. cooked squash pulp.  Bake or boil the squash.  To bake, halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees until tender (45 minutes-1 hour).  Scoop out pulp and discard skin.  To boil, peel the squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds.  Cut it into chunks and place in a saucepan with water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and reserve the liquid.  Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in the oil with the nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves until onion is translucent.  Add the diced carrot and celery and the water (if you boiled the squash, use the reserved liquid).  Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender.  Remove the bay leaves.  In a blender or food processor, puree the cooked squash, the onion-carrot mixture, and the juices in batches.  Gently reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.  From Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant.

Please email us with your pear order no later than noon on November 18^th.

canned pears either light syrup or water: 1 can $8, 3 cans $22,1 case $84

dried pears (they are halved comice pears): 4 oz $8, 8 oz $16,16 oz $30

 5 lb. mixed pear sampler, which includes;  abate fetel, bosc, comice, green d’anjou, warren and asian pears $15

pears: comice or bosc  2 lbs $4,4 lbs $7.50,25 lbs $30

 asian pears:  olympic pears and possibly hosui pears:     2 lbs  $ 6,  5 lbs  $13, 

25 lbs   $46