Community Supported Agriculture

I baked a cake yesterday—an elusive recipe I just can’t give up on. This was Take Four, I think. It’s getting there. Last time it flopped. Time before it was a bit gummy. This time—too dry. The good news is this time it isn’t gummy and it didn’t flop! It’s flavorful even if it looks a little naked. My kid said it didn’t look like my other “fancy” cakes. (Clearly he doesn’t read food blogs because this kid has never seen a really fancy cake!)

Baking wasn’t up to par yesterday but, the rest of the day was stellar. I have an urge to tell you all about it. It wasn’t spectacular in the Hollywood sense of the word. It was spectacular for an every day person like me. It’s something I like being—an every day person—because the chance for a simple day like yesterday to be spectacular is abundant.

I awoke just like any other day. Lay in bed a few minutes adjusting to the knowledge of being. The sounds, the body, what had happened, what was yet to happen. Into my head popped two good thoughts. It’s my birthday! It’s the first CSA veggie pick up of the season! Bazinga.

A cup of coffee, a few dog snuggles, a dinner invite from the hubs, and a cake later I was heading out the door for the one hour drive (in the rain) to the farm. With the kid in tow. (Yes, he went with me to the farm for my birthday! One of the best gifts ever.)

We walked into the barn at Genesis Farms pretty much at the starting whistle. The staff was beaming, excited to share their crops and to say hello after the long winter. We picked baby lettuces, arugula, beets, potatoes, turnips, leeks, garlic, walla walla (what the hell is that?), chard and fragrant herbs. The kid picked out a freshly baked french boule and we got one for my Mom, too. We chatted with greeters and the staff about cooking with baby garlic (why didn’t I ask about that walla walla?) and storing vegetables. I think I committed to being a greeter at some point in the future. It was a mere twenty minutes of sharing something very basic—greetings and food. What can I say? It buoyed me.

Apparently it did the same for the kid because he was talking food in the car all the way to my mother’s house. While the smell of fresh rosemary, garlic, and bread filled the air around us we discussed Potato Leek Soup—which we’ll be having for dinner tonight. It was good to see a “Net Generation” kid enjoy the simple things in life. All the trepidation about the shape of world we’re passing on to them was washed away for an afternoon as the door to the simpler life I remember was re-opened.

Yep. It was quite a good day

So begins this year’s CSA experience. I’ll be going back in two weeks to pick up my next haul. I’m hoping the kid will take the trip with me again this summer. Until then you might want to check out the CSA Chronicle and “recipes” from last year.

A Year of Living Dangerously

The very first TSP Recipe - Dense Chocolate Yogurt Loaf Cake. Fitting since I’m a known chocoholic.Making it through an entire year of food blogging is my idea of living dangerously. Clearly I’m not the adventurous type because blogging is more like a virtual adventure than an out-there-in-the-wilds kind of adventure. Still, the blogisphere can be a jungle.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I jumped into food blogging a year ago. There’s so much I didn’t know. What made me think I could hold my own? Food blogging is not your “lay it all out there” or “what’s on my mind” kind of blogging.  Oh, no. It’s a bit more complex. I was naive.

First, a big applause for all food bloggers. The commitment, the work, the creativity required is phenomenal. I don’t mean to scare anyone…it’s certainly doable. Just look at how many food blogs exist. But, please, let’s be honest. It’s complex, demanding, hard work and it takes a monumental commitment—not to mention skill, creativity and passion.

Yes, it’s fun. It is. You get to create recipes, share your enthusiasm about food, your successes and failures, and meet new people. And, those people are interested in what interests you. That’s way cool.

But, you gotta work it baby. Let’s see - come up with the idea for the recipe, make it 2, 3, 4 times until it’s just right, photograph it (ugh-that in and of itself is at least an entire post worth of ranting), write about it (and be interesitng, funny, provocative), post it, proofread it, and tell the world about it via as many social networking sites as you can maintain (again, another whole post). Then do it over again, maybe twice a week? Oh, did I mention you have to master the creation of a blog space—how many columns, type faces, a logo, a header? Let’s not even discuss HTML.

It’s my second job. (oh, did I really say “job”?) …um, adventure. But, it’s one that I love. One that I daydream about doing full time. Sigh. For now it’s just going to have to stay a very time consuming and gratifying hobby.

So, will I attempt year number two?  You betcha!

One more thing—thanks to all of you for sharing this year with me. It’s been a great adventure and I’ve loved meeting each and every one of you.

Join me for a bit of a TSP Year of Living Dangerously retrospective.

Your favorite TSP recipes from year one…

Tiny Turkey Meatballs Atop Penne and Escarole

Red Velvet Smoothie

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Very Chocolate Gelato

Blondies

And, a few of my favorites…

Maple Corn Fritters

Buffalo Chicken Wings

Rosemary Lime Cookies

Orange Olive Oil MiniCakes

Veggie Breakfast Bake