New England Mamas

My Ultimate: How to Screw With Your Customer; or, When The Right Hand Doesn't Even Know It Has a Left Hand

("My Ultimate" will run most Tuesdays and will feature any topic that hops into my head.  The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the other New England Mamas. . . although they should).

Late last week, we lost our internet connection.  One minute, I was checking my email, the next minute. . .blam!  Nothing.

Husband called our esteemed (cough, cough) digital internet company (rhymes with FlomFlast) who told us we'd have to wait four days before the could get a service person to come to our home. 

Four days.  Four days!  Gee, thanks for the service!

The night before the service call, we received an automated phone confirmation that changed the time of our call from between 2pm-5pm to between 11am-1pm.  We made sure we were home until 1pm, at which time I called the company, only to be told, "Sorry!  The phone call must have been in error!  You need to wait from 2pm-5pm!"

And we waited, and waited.   I called them at 4pm.  Was told that they'd be there by 5pm. 

Called at 5pm; was told that I would hear from someone within 30 minutes with an exact time. 

At 5:30pm, I called again and was told that, not only was no one on their way, the call had been canceled internally at 4:45pm. 

Would I like to reschedule? 

I went ballistic. 

The service person got a little nervous and decided to see if she could figure out the problem on her end.  I handed the phone to my husband because I was ready to start talking in a devil-voice to her. 

Five minutes later, the internet was back.  All she had to do was push a button on her end to reset our internet connection. 

Now, one would think that "Push the Reset Button" would be something that FlomFlast would do before scheduling an expensive, time-consuming service call, but what do I know? 

I'm just the customer. 

Cabbage and Lettuce and Collards, Oh My!

(A quick recap:  this is my second season belonging to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture---basically I pay a farm upfront for a share of their season's harvest).  Every week from now until October, I'll drive to my farm's pick-up spot and get my share of whatever is in season.  When I remember, I'll take a photo of the week's bounty, tell you what I got and what I did with it.  Hope you enjoy this ongoing project).

Week Four

We've had a great start to this season, although from what I hear, this year started particularly robust.  I remember last year started a little slower---we had plenty of vegetables at pickup but it wasn't the overflowing bounty that hit us at Week One this year.  The rain, temperatures, soil and even pest control all came together in a way that was very good for us share members. 

This concept of 'feast or famine' is something I never thought much about when I did all my shopping at the supermarket.  There is always enough lettuce on the refrigerated shelves, even in January (except for when an E. coli scare removes spinach or tomatoes from the store). 

This hit me today when I stopped at our local Farmer's Market to buy a pint of strawberries (yes, I actually wanted some more strawberries after last week's pick).  Surprisingly, there was not a strawberry anywhere.  Puzzled, I asked the farmer where her strawberries were.  She told me that they lost the entire crop this year.  "Hail" was her one-word explanation.  My oldest stood quietly next to me and then said, "Like Little House on the Prairie", reminding me of  when hail destroyed their beautiful wheat crops.   One storm did them in, and one storm ruined one farmer's strawberry season.  It's a stark example of how hard farming can be and how much we take for granted when we stand before those racks of berries on the store shelves.

Getting back to the issue at hand, we had another huge pickup.  (we are having some major computer issues here at the Casa di Odd, so if you see a photo below, hooray!  If there is no photo, there will be one uploaded as soon as possible).

Pictured are (clockwise from top left):  Garlic Scapes, 3 Heads of Lettuce, 2 European Cabbages, Beets, Collard Greens, Zucchini, Snap Peas, Bok Choy, Chinese Cabbage

So far this week, there has been Homemade Coleslaw, Napa Cabbage Salad, Salmon Bulgogi and Garlic Stir-Fried Snap Peas.  There has also been a Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake that the kids love, even with the teeny bits of green that peak out from the inside of the cake.  "It's magic fairy dust", I told them, lying through my teeth.

Here are any recipes that didn't have a link:

Creamy Coleslaw (Everyday Food, Issue 44)

1/2 cup light mayo

2 TBS cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

coarse salt & ground pepper

1/2 head green cabbage, cut lengthwise into thirds and thinly sliced crosswise

2 medium carrots, sliced with a vegetable peeler, then cut into shorter strips

2 medium scallions, minced (I left these out)

Combine mayo, vinegar and sugar, then season with salt & pepper.  Add cabbage, carrots and scallions (if using).  Let stand 15 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate up to one day.

Garlic Stir-Fried Snap Peas (From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook)

3 cups sugar snap peas

1 TBS oil (any mild one)

2 large garlic cloves, minced (I used some of the scapes I had)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

cooked rice (optional)

Heat oil in skillet.  Stir in garlic, then add peas.  Cook and stir for 2-4 minutes on medium heat.  Remove and sprinkle on lemon juice, salt & pepper.  Serve over rice if desired.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake (From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook)

3/4 cup oil (I used Canola)

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk (I used 1/2 soy milk with 1 TBS white vinegar)

3 TBS cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp each cinnamon and cloves (ground)

2 1/2 cups flour

small bag of chocolate chips

Heat over to 350.  Grease a 9x13" pan.  Mix all ingredients, dump in pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes. 

I need to dig up some good Collard Greens recipes asap.  Have any you'd like to share? 

My Ultimate: Food, Glorious Food

("My Ultimate" will run most Tuesdays and will feature any topic that hops into my head.  The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the other New England Mamas. . . although they should).

I've been making lists lately.  This one is all about food that is made right here in New England.  Anything I've marked with an asterisk (*), I can buy in my local supermarket.  Have any to add?

Echo Farms Pudding* (NH):  Never would I have thought that Tapioca Pudding could make me speechless, but this one does it.

Apsara's Nim Chow (RI):  Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls that I've enjoyed for more than 15 years.   Love going on a Saturday night and seeing the dressed-up adults rubbing elbows with the punk kids.

Wicked Whoopies (ME):  Just had these for my sister's birthday party and, oh my, the Raspberry  & Creme pies are the best.

Red Rose Pizza (MA):  I've already written of this pizza's superpowers.   But, the best part?  I get to have it later this week!  Woo Hoo!

Del's Frozen Lemonade (RI):   Icy lemon with hunks of chewy, frozen rind in it.  Ooo la la!

Ben & Jerry's Lemon Meringue ice cream (VT):  Tried this at the Scoop Shop in Stowe, but (sob) have not been able to find it down here.

Bliss Dairy Raspberry Chunky Fudge (MA):  My latest and greatest crush. 

Stonyfield Farm's Whole Milk Vanilla Yogurt* (NH):  The tippity top of this is heaven in creme form.

Wasiks Nor'easter Pepper Jelly (MA):  Give me a wedge of cheese, some crackers and their Pepper Jelly and leave me alone.

Coffee Exchange (RI):  Before Dunkin Donut's Coolatta, before Starbucks' Frapuccino, I fell in love with the Granitas at this little coffee shop.  Still order my beans from them now.

And, last but not least, we get most of my vegetables through this CSA, we pick fruit in season here and even hope to get our meat locally.  I should just start driving in to meet the fishermen off the docks since the best piece of fish I've ever had was from my husband who caught a haddock on a guys-only fishing trip.

Lettuce Entertain You and Other CSA Talk

(A quick recap:  this is my second season belonging to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture---basically I pay a farm upfront for a share of their season's harvest).  Every week from now until October, I'll drive to my farm's pick-up spot and get my share of whatever is in season.  When I remember, I'll take a photo of the week's bounty, tell you what I got and what I did with it.  Hope you enjoy this ongoing project).

Week Three

It feels like the first (and second) time. . .but a couple new things:



Pictured are (clockwise from top left):  Green Kale, Pac Choi, Chinese Cabbage, Hakurei Turnips, Garlic Scapes, Lettuce  (do you see Swiss Chard?  it was on this week's list, but I don't see it and don't recall eating it)

It's been a busy week, with little man fracturing his elbow on Tuesday, us picking $40 worth of strawberries on Thursday, and then going to Boston with my husband for the night on Saturday.   I'm happy to say that most of this week's harvest was eaten, although I still need to use up one of the cabbages, the garlic scapes and a head of lettuce tomorrow.  Oh, and we still have some strawberries to eat:

First, though, I'll explain what a garlic scape is since I had never seen one before last year.  When garlic grows, it is a bulb under the ground with the scape appearing above the soil.  Most people cut off the edible scape since the bulb underneath will grow larger when the scape isn't there to consume the plant's resources.  Scapes taste like garlic, but milder, and I like to saute mine with some greens. 

What else did I do with the veggies this week?   Here is a run down:

Cabbage (one head):  made this delicious cold salad with some boiled shrimp.  The recipe doesn't call for rice noodles, but I added them since I happened to have a package in the pantry.

Kale:  I blanched and froze most of it, but I also took two leaves and used them in a smoothie, just for kicks.  To my amazement, the drink was pretty darned good!  I made a lot and froze some for popsicles which my son (the boy who will eat nothing leafy), gobbled up (he had two today, even with the funky color).

Here is what I threw into the blender (I have a regular Waring blender, so I let it run to a while to make sure the leaves were completely pureed):

    two leaves of chopped raw kale, stems removed
    couple of frozen bananas
    handful of strawberries
    about 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt
    few splashes of half and half
    about a tsp (possibly more) of vanilla extract

(all measurements are estimates; I recommend you play with it to get the taste you like)

Pak Choi:  got this recipe off of our CSA newsletter:

1 large bunch of Pak Choi (or Pac Choi)

2 tsp light sesame or canola oil

2 tsp dark sesame oil

2 tsp tamari

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 TBS toasted sesame seeds

Chop up leaves of Pac Choi and saute them in hot oil for 2-3 minutes.  When greens are cooked, add rest of ingredients and serve. 

Turnips: Boiled them with a bunch of potatoes and garlic cloves for 25 minutes.  Mashed them with some butter, olive oil and reserved cooking liquid.  Added salt and pepper to taste.  My new favorite way to make mashed potatoes, and the kids have no idea they are eating turnips.

Lettuce:  Salads, salads and more salads.   One night, I even made myself a fried egg and some chopped up bacon and threw it on some lettuce.  Kind of odd but pretty yummy nonetheless.

My father-in-law arrives on Tuesday for a week, so I'll do my best to update this series this weekend but may be a little late (as I was today; blame it on the cocktails I had in Boston last night). 

Add It Up

Hey Bostonian Mamas,

Care to add to this list on Alpha Mom?  It's titled "50 Things To Do with Kids around Boston Before They Grow Up".    It was a lot of fun to write, but I also love getting new suggestions!  Plus, you can see some cute photos of the kiddos.

This weekend, Fairly Odd Father and I have a hotel in the city for a  bow-chicka-wow-wow evening a deux.  If you'd like to add a "Few Things To Do with your Spouse in Boston Before You Turn 41", please feel free to comment here.

Informal Survey: Cleaning Up

I'm about to do something that plunges me into my discomfort zone:  hire a person to clean my home.

I don't know why I'm so conflicted about this.  Perhaps it is because my own mother "did it all", juggling home, kids, cooking and even a part-time job at times.  Maybe it is because I can't imagine that something I do regularly is worth paying someone else a large sum of money to do.

When my husband started school, we had agreed to get help around the house since he would no longer be able to pitch in on the cleaning chores.  With me homeschooling, doing the errands, handling our finances, cooking, doing laundry and housecleaning, it was decided that this would be a necessary charge to get through the next two years.

But, I resisted.  For nine months, I told myself I could do everything just fine.   I am a stay-at-home mom:  isn't this what we're supposed to do? 

Well, see that white flag?   Yeah, it's me. 

So here is the 'informal survey' part of this post.   For those of you who use a cleaning service, what is reasonable?  I've spoken to a few which require a one-time "upfront" clean where they scour your entire house.  Unfortunately, this one-time clean can run upwards of $200 which is stopping me dead in my tracks (we live in a mid-size colonial, by no means a McMansion; nor is it a cesspool of clutter and filth).   For those of you who have your home cleaned less than once a week, is it worth it?  Do you feel like you get a break from cleaning in between, or are you still cleaning on your off weeks?

And, I realize I will still be 'cleaning' every day---there are toys, play-dough, dropped socks, crumbs, cat hair and all those things that never really go away.  Plus, there is laundry (oh, the laundry). 

What I really need is the Brady Bunch's Alice.  Too bad I don't have a spare bedroom, and a money tree, for her.

Still More Green Leafy Things

(A quick recap:  this is my second season belonging to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture---basically I pay a farm upfront for a share of their season's harvest).  Every week from now until October, I'll drive to my farm's pick-up spot and get my share of whatever is in season.  When I remember, I'll take a photo of the week's bounty, tell you what I got and what I did with it.  Hope you enjoy this ongoing project).

Week Two

Look familiar?

Pictured are (clockwise from top left):  Spring Greens, Pac Choi,  Radishes, Turnips, Lettuce, Red Russian Kale and Oregano.

Well, a culinary genius I'm not.  When faced with seven heads of lettuce, I did the obvious:  I gave one away and then ate plain green salad every day of the week. 

Of course, I had great plans---there is the Quesadilla Salad that features sliced avocados on the greens, with a Jalapeno cheese quesadilla on the side.  There is the Tuscan Tuna Salad and the Spicy Shrimp salad (all from this cookbook).   And, I will still get around to making them one of these days.

I did make a delicious pot of garlic mashed potatoes (plus 6 TBS butter). Although potatoes were not part of my CSA pickup this week, more turnips were, so I just boiled and mashed those along with the taters (thank you Melissa!).  Without a doubt, the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. 

And, there were the experiments.  I blanched and pureed a bunch of greens so that I could freeze most of them for use in soups and other recipes (Sneaky Chef anyone?).  But, then I also dumped them into a recipe that called for leafy greens, and it just wasn't the same.  Too much green pureed stuff.  Live and learn, I suppose. 

John, our farmer, also passed on the following recipes that were recommended by a new apprentice at the farm.  They both sound yummy (in a healthy kind of way) and will find a way to our table soon:

Kale salad

1 bunch kale, chopped (or other cooking greens such as collards)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion sliced into thin half rings
1/2 to 1 avocado, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons of honey, to taste
cayenne pepper, optional
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, optional

Place kale into a large salad bowl with lemon juice and salt. Use hands to massage salt and lemon juice into kale until it softens and wilts. Add other ingredients and toss until well combined.

Chard (or other cooking green) with raisins and pinenuts

1 bunch chard, finely chopped (or other cooking green)
juice of one lemon
1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup golden (or black) raisins
1/3 cup pine nuts

Toss all ingredients into a salad bowl and marinate one hour

Enjoy your greens this week and you can have an extra scoop of ice cream, 'kay?

Green Leafy Things

(Here's the scoop:  this is my second season belonging to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture---basically I pay a farm upfront for a share of their season's harvest).  Every week from now until October, I'll drive to my farm's pick-up spot and get my share of whatever is in season.  When I remember, I'll take a photo of the week's bounty, tell you what I got and what I did with it.  Hope you enjoy this ongoing project).

Week One:  The Beginning

The interesting thing about a CSA is that it really opens your eyes to the seasonality of food.  Like green leafy things?  Well you are in luck right now.  Love peas?  Then, when they appear, eat them fast because they won't last long.  Items come and go throughout the season, reminding me of a day when people learned to live without fresh tomatoes most of the year (wait, we DO live without fresh tomatoes most of the year).

So, this is Week One.  And what do you see?  Green Leafy Things!   

Pictured are (clockwise from top left):  Green Kale, Arugula, Turnip, Radishes, Pak Choi, Mixed Greens, Collard Greens.

I was thrilled for the arugula.  Scared of the collard greens.  And, really have no idea what to do with the turnips and radishes.  Oy, they never go away, if memory serves me correctly.

The Recipes

Tuesday night, I got home from pickup after 4pm.  By the time I finished photographing and storing the vegetables, it was time to make dinner.  I needed something quick, so I made a Martha Stewart recipe called Green Orzo which used up the arugula.  It has a light taste (blanching takes away the sharpness of the arugula which is good for kids), is pretty and, oh yeah, fast.  I also threw some shrimp on the grill. 

Verdict?  Oldest tried the orzo, didn't love it; Middle ate it up; Youngest just looked at it*.

Wednesday, I used up my kale to make my favorite.  soup.  ever.  One of the best things is that it is a "30-Minute Meal", meaning I can finish it in about 45 minutes.   I also made some pasta & oil for the kids since I already know that soup is not their thing.  Verdict?  Oldest tried it and didn't love it; Middle LOVED it; Youngest just looked at it. 

For Thursday, I had seen a recipe in Bon Appetit that looked good and would use up TWO of my vegetables.  It is called Sesame Soba Noodles with Cucumber, Bok Choy (Pak Choi is in the same family) and Mixed Greens.  Unfortunately, I didn't read the fine print (or the recipe) since it called for baby bok choy and salad greens, not random mixed greens you are supposed to cook before serving.  However, I plunged forward and made the dish anyway and it was pretty good.  It has a peanut butter base which I figured the kids would kind of like.  I also grilled some chicken breast to throw on top.  Verdict?  Oldest and middle ate a bit, youngest poked at it with his fork and ate the chicken.

Last night (Friday) was pizza night (my night off from cooking), and tonight we're at a birthday party (more pizza!).  I still have a load of greens, turnips, radishes and collards to use up by Tuesday's next pickup.  Any suggestions?
----------------------------------------------------

*  Going forward, expect to see this type of reaction to almost everything.  My middle  (age 5) will eat almost anything you put in front of her; my youngest (age 3 1/2), almost nothing.  My oldest (age 7) will try things when pressed but is still pretty picky.

My Ultimate: About a Girl

("My Ultimate" will run most Tuesdays (0k, it is almost Wednesday) and will feature any topic that hops into my head.  The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the other New England Mamas. . . although they should).

Every time we go, we talk about a little girl who died.

"How old was she, Mommy?"

"Why did she die?"

"What was her name?"

"Was this all hers?"

I tell them what I can: 

She was 9. 

She had a lot of things go wrong with her body, but, in many ways, she lived a life a lot like your own. 

Her name was Julia. 

She used to visit this park with her parents.  After she died, they wanted to do something to celebrate her life that other children could enjoy too.

It is such a sad story.

And yet, Julia's Garden, found in WWI Memorial Park in North Attleboro, Massachusetts is anything but sad as the sound of children laughing and shrieking fills the air. 

It is a place that has parents gazing around in awe at the artistic benches, life-size unicorn (well,  what I imagine 'life-size' would be), and the hundreds of flowering bushes.

It has us choking back tears as we read about the little girl for whom this garden is named. 

But, it is also a place where kids excitedly climb a rope ladder to slide down the longest slide I've ever seen.

Where they get squirted in the face with water.

Where they can run up a wooded hill and find a large playground with more slides, swings, cars and picnic tables.

It is a place any child would love.  And, while I am glad I am able to make such happy memories with my children there, I will always think of that little girl.   May she be able to see all that she has left behind.

Eat Your Greens (and Reds, Yellows, Purples and Whites)

I'm ready for them. 

The bok choy, kale bundles, radishes (yes, even the radishes), the tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and the leeks.  This year, I will not be intimidated.  I will even figure out what to do with the daikon, the funny twisted eggplant, the tomatillos and the fennel.

I have a great cookbook, a vacuum sealer and a second freezer.  And a mission.

The mission is to share my CSA experience with you all this season.  Every Saturday (well, most Saturdays), I will post a photo of the week's pick-up along with comments about what I did with the food since I picked it up on the previous Tuesday.   Thankfully, you will not have to relive the Great Pickled Daikon Debacle of 2007. 

And, hopefully there will not be too many posts that include the words, "everything is still sitting in the refrigerator".