My Soapmaking Adventure

I recently started making my own soap to remedy my dry skin and as a hobby.  This has been rewarding so far, I am able to save money and create soap which I can customize to my preferred scent, color, and bar size.  I use the melt and pour method, which uses soap bases made of unscented glycerin and different oils such as olive and Shea, some bases contain other additives such as oatmeal and hemp; then I melt them down in the microwave by cutting the base into small pieces.  Afterwards, I add herbs such as turmeric, and other additives such as spirulina which adds a green color as well. 

Here are pictures of soap I made:

This soap was made using an oatmeal base layered with a clear case, I scented it using ylang ylang and peppermint essential oils.

This soap was made using a hemp base, I used turmeric and spirulina which gave it its color.  I scented this one using bergamot essential oil.

I am planning to incorporate CSA items into soap, fennel fronds can be used as a decoration on top of the soap, or I can add honey or milk.  Fresh fruits and vegetables should not be used in soap, it can have an adverse reaction, however, you can use other items such as fragrance oils, essential oils, lab-created micas or other items to personalize the soap.  Embeds are decorations you can make to resemble fruit or vegetable if you want to make a certain type like citrus or berry type of soap, colors can enhance the look.

I am just learning about the various possibilities of soaps I can make, it is like a new world I am discovering for myself.  I am reading books and getting inspired by YouTubers such as Brambleberry’s Ann Marie and Katie Carson on the Royalty Soaps channel, I watch they then make my own creations from herbal ingredients.

Written by Patrice Hall

Pasta à La Everything

Pasta à La Everything goes a little something like this: survey inventory of Norwood CSA vegetables from given week, decide that they’ll all be tasty in a tomato sauce, and presto! Our version of the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink dish was created this week with:

1. 1 handful of fennel fronds

2.     1 large zucchini

3.     1.5 yellow onions

4.     2 garlic cloves

5.     7-9 small eggplants

6.  1/2 - 2/3 cup cup of red wine 

7. 2 cans of 15 oz whole peeled tomatoes

Steps: Heat olive oil in a medium pan, add garlic and fennel fronds, chopped. Add a few large glugs olive oil, add eggplants, chopped. 

Let the vegetables sweat. Add zucchini and a pinch of sea salt. 

cook until onions, zucchini and eggplants are browned. 

Add 2 cans of tomatoes and red wine. Let simmer on low for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Everything-from-the-CSA Pizza

This week, I did the least possible creative thing with our CSA ingredients: I had a pizza party. I bought dough, mozzarella, sausage, and goat cheese at the store. I sautéed eggplant, zucchini, peppers, fennel, scapes, and onions from our share. Tomatoes and plums from our share went on raw. Tomato sauce was from the winter share. Everyone made their own pie, and it was easy and fun (and hot for a Bronx apartment). It was also a solid way to use up produce that, at this point, I have way too much of.

Pizza Ideas:

Sausage, pepper, onion

Tomato, fennel, basil

Zucchini, eggplant, pepper

Plum, goat cheese, balsamic

Surprisingly, the plum was my favorite! It was tart and sweet and goat-cheesy and just right. Overall, the diner was a success. As a friend from out of town put it, "This is just like out of a magazine!" So easy to prepare, so cheap, and so worth it to feel like kids at Pizza Hut again (but with a far more delicious result).

In other news, we're not the only ones with (seemingly) endless zucchini. Deb at Smitten Kitchen seems to have lots of zuc this week, too. Here are some recipes from her site that are on my to-make-asap list:

Ultimate zucchini bread

Zucchini quesadillas

Marinated eggplant with capers and mint

Here's to feeling like a kid again!

Want more CSA inspo? Check us out on insta and Facebook for more recipe ideas and photos.