Friday, June 25, 2010




Market Day: June 23

Lots of new items this week in Davis Square! Snap peas are up and delicious. Cucumbers, summer squash and zucchini just came in and for all the tomato lovers out there: Heirlooms and Sweet 100s. Baby carrots and greens are still bountiful and sweet, as well as the new addition of blueberries to the scene.


The only thing in rapid decline is asparagus—this may be the last week, so be sure to grab some if you see it!



Market Highlights

This is not a comprehensive list of all products. Instead we focus on the products that caught our eye and pleased our palette.


Radishes, Beets, Fresh Garlic and Scapes, Arugula, Kale, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, Summer Squash, Strawberries, Blueberries, Black Prince Tomatoes, Mizuna, Zucchini, Rhubarb, Turnips and Radishes.



This Week’s Recipe: Morel Mushrooms, Caramelized Spring Onion and Local Farmstand Cheese Frittata

This week’s recipe comes from Chef Sam and highlights Kimball Fruit Farm spring onions, Hanson Farm eggs, Foxboro Cheese Co. Fromage Blanc, and locally-foraged mushrooms.


Ingredients

1/4 lb. Morel mushrooms

2 spring onions (bulb and stalk)

1 cup Foxboro Cheese Co. Fromage Blanc

1 cup roughly chopped arugula

12-16 Hanson Farm eggs

2 cups cream

salt and pepper to taste

a pinch of freshly chopped garlic

white wine for deglaze


Technique

  1. Line a spring-form pan with foil.
  2. Slice morels and sauté with chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Deglaze with 1-2 ounces white wine and continue to sauté until dry, cool completely.
  3. Grill the spring onions bulb, chop stalks and bulbs and place in separate sauté pan. Cook on medium heat until caramelized (light brown in color).
  4. Combine, in a bowl, eggs, cream, salt and pepper with a whisk and set aside.
  5. Line spring-form pan with arugula, cheese and caramelized spring onions.
  6. Fill spring-form pan with egg mixture and decorate top with sautéed morels.
  7. Bake at 325–350F for 30–60 minutes. Remove when center jiggles just slightly.
  8. Allow to cool slightly, remove spring-form pan, slice and serve with some chive crème fraîche.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Market Day: June 16



Cherries and berries are in!

It’s week three of the Davis Square Farmers Market and the farmers’ hard work is really starting to pay off. Beautiful green spring vegetables—such as asparagus, baby greens, English peas, green garlic and baby onions—are in abundance, as well as lovely fruits including strawberries, cherries, and the first-of-the-year raspberries!

We had the opportunity to speak with the farmers and the word on the season so far is that the wet, cloudy weather is both a blessing and curse. For Farmer Al, who works exclusively in the field with no greenhouse, the lack of sun is keeping his tomato plants from producing full red fruit. On the other hand, for Kimball Fruit Farm, the cool weather has extended their asparagus season (the next hot spell will likely bring an end to local asparagus) and has encouraged an early growth of raspberries—which are the hands down favorite of our kitchen! Each berry is incredibly ripe, sweet and juicy. Their amazing flavor inspired sous chef Sam to break out his amazing sweet biscuit recipe. Be sure to check it out below!

Market Highlights: June 16
This is not a comprehensive list of all products. Instead we focus on the products that caught our eye and pleased our palette. 

Raspberries, Carrots, Asparagus, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Garlic Scapes, Spinach, Cherries, Strawberries, Red Oak Leaf, Red and Green Chard, Kale, Beets, Leeks, Collards and Sugar Snap Peas


This Week's Recipe: Sweet Buttermilk Biscuits
Chef Sam's buttermilk biscuits are the perfect accompaniment to Kimball Fruit Farm's raspberries and fresh whipped cream. Makes 6–8.

Ingredients
1.5 cups All-purpose flour
1.5 Tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (chilled)
3/4 cup buttermilk
Milk for brushing
Sugar or salt for coating dough

Technique
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Cut chilled butter into 1/4" cubes and with pastry blender (or forks) blend into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix with hands until just incorporated. Chill dough completely in refrigerator (roughly 90 minutes). Portion on baking sheet lined with wax paper and refrigerate again. Brush portioned dough with milk and lightly sprinkle sugar or salt over biscuits (depending on sweet or savory application). Bake in 375 F oven for 10–15 minutes or until golden brown. Cut in half and enjoy warm with Kimball's Fruit Farm raspberries and freshly whipped cream.

    Thursday, June 10, 2010

    Here Comes The Sun!

    Welcome to the inaugural post of Season To Taste Catering’s Davis Square Farmer’s Market Journal.


    At Season to Taste Catering we have one mission: to bring the tastiest, most responsibly sourced meals to the good people of Greater Boston. A big part of our growing business is promoting the hard work of farmers and by extension the local markets where they sell their produce. Although we would like to highlight all of the markets in our area, for now, we are focusing on the closest to our store at 2447 Mass Ave., which is the Wednesday Davis Square Farmers Market.


    Every week we will be heading to the market and talking with local farmers. We will be  sharing their stories, taking photos of the amazing produce, and providing a list of some of the market's harvest highlights as they come into season. Furthermore, we will be posting a recipe showcasing the most abundant ingredients.


    We will be posting fresh content weekly. We view this information as an extension of what we do every day, which is to search out the highest quality local products, bring them back to our kitchen and cook them up. It is our sincerest hope that we can convince our friends and neighbors to do the same. Once folks understand how much better local foods are for their bodies, the local economy and the earth, we firmly believe that people will choose to shop at their farmer’s market. Of course we also hope they will give us a call! Allow our chefs to do the work for you, and have fresh hot food delivered. So, if you are curious as to what’s in season, how to cook it, or perhaps have it ordered, stay tuned… it’s going to be a great season! As always, keep it fresh, keep it local and power to the farmers!


    Market Highlights: June 9
    This is not a comprehensive list of all products. Instead we focus on the products that caught our eye and pleased our palette. 


    Strawberries, Cherries, English Peas, Baby lettuce, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Humane Veal, Head Lettuce, Asparagus (one week left), Radishes, Spring Onions and Garlic, Swiss Chard, Beets, Fresh Herbs




    This Week's Recipe: Roasted Beet, Spring Green Onion and Fresh Oregano Relish
    We love this relish on Cinnamon-Dusted Seared Diver Scallops, Pepper-Crusted Grilled Grass Fed Beef Sirloin and on top of Vermont Goat Cheese and Iggy’s Crostini


    Ingredients
    1 Bunch of Sienna Farm Beets (approx. 3-4)
    1 Bunch Kimball Fruit Farm Green Onions (approx. 3-4)
    3 Tablespoon Canola oil
    3 Sprigs Oregano
    3 Sprigs Thyme
    1.5 Tablespoon Honey
    1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
    3 Tablespoon Organic Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    Salt and Pepper to taste… always remember to season to taste ;)


    Technique

    1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. Pick the oregano and thyme leaves off the stem, finely chop the leaves and reserve.
    3. Thoroughly wash then place the uncut, non-peeled beets and oregano stems on a 12" by 14" piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle a splash of the canola oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper over the beets. Gather the foil up so that the beets are sealed in a “hobo pack,” place on a cookie sheet and roast until a fork easily slides out when pierced to the center of the beet (roughly 45 minutes to an hour). Let them cool to room temperature, peel, and cut into rough medium dice.
    4. For the onions, trim most of the green part off, leaving approximately two inches of green on the top of the onion. Split the onions down the middle lengthwise then cook them in similar fashion as the beets (in a hobo pack) along with the thyme stems until soft, slightly caramelized and sweet. It should take roughly the same amount of time as the beets. A second option is to grill them on a low to medium heat grill. Let the onions cool to room temperature, then thinly slice.
    5. In a medium size bowl combine all the ingredients and toss until fully mixed. Serve right away, but it’s even better after sitting for a day in the fridge.