The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Weeks 6-7!

During this period of time I had a 1 week conference to attend in Indiana, so I postponed a week's worth of produce for the 3rd week of August, when I will get a double share. But two days before I was scheduled to leave I picked up the East Farms share and was surprised to find a very interesting vegetable:

After consulting several books, internet sources, and family members, my mother took the vegetable down the street to some older ladies who correctly identified it as kohl rabi. The name is German for 'cabbage turnip' and you can kind of see a resemblance to the two. But at first I thought it was some sort of alien beholder vegetable. The skin is thick and colored like purple cabbage (Once you rub off the whitish looking dusty surface, as you can see) and the shape is very turnipy - but it grows above ground. It appears as a contradiction, but the word on the internet is that this vegetable is addictingly delicious - with a mild, sweet, fresh flavor. The leaves can also be eaten if they are young (which is not the case with this particular specimen). It's a good thing it apparently stores very well because I had to leave it for vacation!

	CSA SHARE		Price (Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	4 Summer Squash						1.49/lb	$3.00
	1 Bunch Radishes						0.50/bunch	$0.50
	4 Young White Onions						1.99/lb (large yellow)	$1.99
	1 Kohl Rabi							$ ??

Prices for this week are slightly rough - experimenting on counting by number instead of pounds; that and I really have no idea what the kohl rabi is worth, since I can't find it for sale! I gave the squash and radishes to my brother but kept the onions, as I was out, and the kohl rabi - for experimental purposes.

To get a taste for the kohl rabi, I ripped off the leaves, peeled the skin, and sliced it thinly before eating a few raw pieces - the flavor is very mild, sweet, with a slight peppery aftertaste. It has a flavor close to broccoli stems with the texture and color of a white potato. After eating a few slices raw, I steamed them and ate with butter and nutmeg. Craig was not impressed with the texture, but I thought they were delicious! Next time I'll peel the kohl rabi more thoroughly - I think I may have left a little too much of the rough outer layer on it.

The Borski share for this set came two days after I returned from my vacation, and I missed it! When I went to go pick it up (a little later in the day but still with time to spare), I was informed that a miscount had been made and there hadn't been enough for pickup at my normal location. As each CSA services anywhere from several hundred to several thousand people, I can understand a slipup every once in a while. I left my name and number next to those of 5 other people, then later e-mailed the CSA coordinator and asked if I could pick up a double share in the 4th week of August. (Woo tomatoes!) She was very apologetic and said that would be just fine.

The conference in Indiana was great, but just because I was away for professional reasons doesn't mean I didn't try my best to get into the local scene there! Bloomington is full of great little local eateries - and certainly the environment contributes to a glut of great local food. The place was unbelievably green compared to Utah - not that it's any surprise.

My favorite local eatery was the FARMBloomington Restaurant, a local place that serves breakfast through supper, features an in-store 'market' shop where local goods are sold, and contains a 'root cellar' bar and grill. The entire store operates from local food sources and the menu changes with the seasons. In addition, the website boasts a list of local farms and suppliers they get things from - so if you want to know where to buy your own pasture raised beef or local goat cheese (in and around Bloomington, IN), you can do that too. Where can I find a place like this in Utah?

Oh, and the restaurant food was wonderful. I had the 'Wild Bianca' pie (herb pesto, ricotta, mushrooms and truffle oil all on a thin crust pastry), my roomie had the 'Big Red' pie which more closely resembles an actual pizza. I can also vouch for the Parmesan, Garlic, and Chili fries (with tarragon!) and the dessert with Blueberry ice and fresh fruit. Just, you know - if you're ever in the area.

In Indianapolis we were treated to breakfast at a delicious local pancake house, then noticed this sign while driving out of town:

Hurray for local restaurants!

P.S.: A group of locally-minded people here in Utah have issued an EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE for Salt Lake, beginning August 16! Take the opportunity and try to eat only local foods, or increase your local-food intake for a week, two weeks, or a month. Check out their website for a lot of great resources on eating locally!