The 5 Second Rule – Dropped Food On The Floor? by Patrice Hall

 The 5 Second Rule – Dropped Food On The Floor?

by Patrice Hall 

 

My whole life I heard about the 5 second rule, which states that dropped food stays safe to eat as long as it is picked up within 5 seconds.  My Mom had a no-second rule, and if she saw us pick food up from the floor and eat it she would give a stern look, and we would throw it out.  Well, maybe my Mom was right, according to an article in allhealthy.com “The Five Second Rule: Does it Actually Hold Up?” According to this article, it depends on the temperature and texture of the food and the surface it falls on. For some foods, the moment it touches the floor it is contaminated with unwanted bacteria. Three separate studies were done which all pointed to the same conclusion, do not eat certain foods off of the floor:

In a controlled environment, 128 scenarios involved dropping watermelon, white bread, white bread with unsalted butter, and Haribo Strawberries gummy candy on stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood, and carpet.

 

At the extremes, watermelon transferred the most bacteria (up to 97%), followed closely by plain white bread (up to 94%). The butter offered a slight barrier, but buttered bread still reached up to 82%. Even the gummy candy — the least absorbent option — hit up to 62% under the worst conditions. Transfer was lower with a fast pickup than with longer contact, but the researchers still measured meaningful transfer in under a second, which is exactly what disproves the five-second rule.

 

There is some uncertainty about the pressure applied or the friction from contact with the contaminated surface, but some research suggests that greater pressure or friction can worsen contamination.

 

So, in conclusion, food dropped on the floor should be tossed, and a rinse will not save it either. I’m a clumsy person, so I have to make sure to be extra careful not to drop my food.  Thanks Mom!

Here is the article: https://allhealthy.com/five-second-rule/

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.

Embracing the Imperfections by Lauren Sowa

 Embracing the Imperfections 

by Lauren Sowa

As a filmmaker and photographer, I am often struck by the beauty of our CSA boxes. In the supermarket we see carbon copies of picture perfect fruit and veggies, but one of the gifts of working with our local farmers is embracing the imperfections - the oddly sized pepper, the slightly bruised fruit - it’s very human. It makes me feel connected to our food, and to the land. Please enjoy this photo essay, which captures the beauty, bounty, and imperfections of our harvest. At the end, I share my husband Tim’s recipe for pear pie, which he made this week with our fruit share!

 

Recipe: Pear pie filling and pear-balsamic reduction

8-12 pears (you can also sub in apples, of course)

Quarter your whole pears, then slice out seeds and stems

Slice pears roughly 1/8” to 1/4” thick

In large sauce pot or pan:

Add 1/2 to 1 full stick of butter (salted or unsalted)

Sliced pears

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Clove

Nutmeg

Lemon juice

Cook until pear slices soften, scoop into pie shells (or save for later), draining off as much liquid as possible. I personally recommend more cardamom than the other spices, as it pairs well with the delicate flavor of the pears. Another option: add orange marmalade, brandy, or rum to deepen the flavor profile.

If you can save the liquid, I recommend creating a pear-balsamic reduction by adding balsamic vinegar and reducing over medium-low heat, stirring often until leggy in the pan. Store in a dish in the refrigerator until the excess oil from the butter congeals at the top, then scoop off. Blend or strain as desired.

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 Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.

Testing New Flavor Combinations - Braised Green Beans and Tomatoes by Patrice Hall

 Testing New Flavor Combinations - Braised Green Beans and Tomatoes

by Patrice Hall 

We have received lots of green beans lately, which I usually cook with carrots and onions like I learned from my Mom.  She would also cook green beans with potatoes, seasoned with just salt and pepper because she usually bought fresh green beans.  Today I saw this recipe for green beans and tomatoes, a food combo which I never thought about because I usually don’t eat tomatoes much.  So, this recipe from Southern Living will be my first inspiration to cook this dish.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. salted butter

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed

5 large Roma tomatoes, diced (about 2 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup water

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives (for garnish)

Directions

In a large skillet or braiser pan, melt butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika; cook 5 to 8 minutes until onion is softened.

Add green beans, tomatoes, and water.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until green beans are softened and tomatoes have broken down. If green beans get too dry before they are tender, add additional water, 2 tablespoons at a time.

Stir in lemon juice and sprinkle with chives before serving.

You can find the recipe at SouthernLiving.com here. 

Sauteed green beans in a large blue and tan striped bowl.   Credit:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox for Southern Living.

  

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.

Guest Blog Post: Chicken Sliders Play-By-Play by Aaron Donato

 Guest Blog Post: Chicken Sliders Play-By-Play

by Aaron Donato

 

It was yet another deluge day. At times this summer it seems like the rain was never going to stop.  I returned to Woodlawn, the Bronx after a long day, battling the elements while working outside, and a crowded evening commute.  Wet and weary, I stumbled through the door with an appetite like a mosquito at a Red Cross drive. 

Lucky for me, my CSA and partner Chelsea had picked up our bountiful cornucopia box the day before, and it was time to whip up a delicious gourmet meal!  We set our Personal Record (PR) of incorporating 8 ingredients from the haul into our dinner. Chicken sliders seasoned generously with my eponymous “AA-1 meat seasoning” incorporating dried thyme. The burgers and toast were plated alongside a visually-chromatic salad featuring yellow wax beans, Walla Walla onions, tricolor carrots, an orange heirloom, and some green Negi scallion.  The wax beans squeaked on my teeth, like sneakers on basketball court, but surprisingly, this was a fun sensation!  Muddled CSA blueberries were featured in a spicy Calabrian chili-dressing for the salad.  The sliders were served atop a gluten free soda bread, homage to our neighborhood’s heritage. We washed it all down with a lime-infused spring water we collected on a recent trip to the Finger Lakes, just a few counties away from where all this fresh food starts its journey to the Bronx. 

After enjoying this meal, I felt totally recharged, able to put the long hard day behind me, feeling the strength to get up and do it again.  Nothing can beat a nice slow meal after a fast paced day.  

Photo of a smiling woman in front of two plates of food and glasses of water.  Photo by author.

 

FUN FACT

The Walla Walla onion is the state vegetable of Washington!

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.

Sometimes Simple is Best by Wendy Myers-Jennings

 Sometimes Simple is Best

by Wendy Myers-Jennings

This week we got a lovely array of veggies in our box, including fresh thyme, eggplant, and yellow wax beans. I’ve been trying to do better at just preparing the veggies how I can instead of getting caught up in finding the perfect recipe that uses them all and then procrastinating. This was a lovely stir fry, using the recipe below but with added eggplant. Simple and yummy. Enjoy!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/italian-yellow-flat-beans-with-olive-oil-garlic-and-tomatoes/

Sautee pan with cooked mixed vegetables.  Photo by author.

 

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.

Fermentation Summer by Wendy Myers-Jennings

 Fermentation Summer

by Wendy Myers-Jennings

We as a family have been focusing more on our gut health, and so one way we're using our CSA veggies is to make fun ferments! In years past we would make vinegar pickles with our cucumbers, but this year we made fermented pickles instead! Make a salt brine and plunk your cucumbers in there - add any seasonings you prefer. Let it sit out for several days in a covered jar, burping the lid once a day. Once it reaches the desired taste, put in the fridge and enjoy!

 

Ball jar with homemade fermented pickled cucumbers.  Photo by author.

 

Another ferment we made was beet kvass - scrub your beets, chop, then put in a salty brine. I've read that beet ferments can get moldy easily, so if you can add some sort of fermentation starter to your jar (lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, kraut brine) then hopefully you can avoid mold! Beet kvass is a sour yeasty drink that is an amazing tonic for your liver and can be super helpful for constipation (not that I know anything about that...).

Ball jar with homemade fermented beets.  Photo by author.

Happy fermenting!

  

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Interested in learning more about the Norwood CSA? Check out our Info Page.