Bright Bitter Berries

 

by Kristine Paulus

Locally grown cranberries arrived in recent fruit shares, just in time for socially distanced Thanksgiving celebrations. The bag in which they came includes a surprisingly simple recipe for classic cranberry sauce: just add a cup of sugar and boil in water. Related to blueberries, Vaccinium macrocarpon (American cranberry) is a low-growing shrub native to North America. White bell-shaped flowers are thought to look like sandhill cranes, prompting German and Dutch settlers to call them craneberries (the “e” fell away at some point). In Unami, a Lenape language, they are known as ibimi, which means “bitter berry,” referring to its tart flavor.

Cranberries are known for thriving in bogs but the plants are somewhat adaptable. Like other members of the Ericaceae family, which includes blueberries, heaths, heathers, azaleas and rhododendrons, they prefer acidic soil but don’t need to be waterlogged. They can be found growing in the nearby New York Botanical Garden’s Native Plant Garden, Azalea Garden and Rock Garden sections. There is also one growing in a container at Bainbridge Avenue Garden. Although usually grown for its edible fruit, cranberry is a rather pretty perennial with shiny evergreen foliage, trailing branches, pollinator-friendly flowers and bright red berries, giving it considerable ornamental value as well. 

Photos:

1. Vaccinium macrocarpon in fruit at the New York Botanical Garden

2. A flowering cranberry plant at Bainbridge Avenue Community Garden

3. A bowl of CSA cranberries ready to be sauced

Norwood CSA is the Best in the Bronx!

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez

I know the title of this post is bias.  And, I’ve only been a member for a relatively short time, but I can say with confidence, while mimicking King Kong’s chest-pounding that we have the best CSA in the Bronx (dare I say in the entire New York City area).  Yeah, it’s a bit melodramatic, so I’ll expound. 

I joined Norwood CSA at the start of the year before COVID made its global debut and took center stage in our lives. When I signed up I was apprehensive because I didn’t know what to expect. However, being a part of the Norwood CSA for almost a year and participating in both the winter and summer shares allayed any reservation I may have had.  I am now a passionate advocate.  

I know that a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, as well as, upfront goes into making our food co-op run smoothly. Our CSA is well managed and very organized. And, information is disseminated to our members superbly. I personally look forward to receiving emails a day before pick-up to alert us of the content of weekly shares.  One member recently compared receiving our weekly shares to a Christmas gift and I’m sure many of you share that sentiment.

I also want to give a round of applause to all of my follow volunteers because the concerted efforts of everyone has made this a wonderful year-long experience for me.  I won’t give any personal shout-outs, but as a whole, I feel that this IS the best CSA in the Bronx.  And, I’m looking forward to many years of being a part of this group. 

Next week is our last pickup for the summer/fall harvest.   The signup has begun for our Winter Food Share (deadline Sunday, December 13, 2020). I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to join us….you won’t regret it! ☺

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The Apples Are Back

 

by Kristine Paulus

The apple is one of the most overused metaphors of the fruit world so perhaps it’s no surprise that a single cultivar managed to establish a near monopoly in the Malus market. Until relatively recently, the paradoxically named ‘Red Delicious’ was pretty much the only apple most people knew. While it is very red, it’s not particularly delicious. Bred to last for eternity, ‘Red Delicious’ is hard as a rock with a tough skin, mealy center and a bitter taste. As a kid I would only eat an apple if it was turned into a pie, sauce, butter, fritter, ring or cider. Apples were what mean people put in your Trick or Treat bag. In the 19th century tens of thousands of varieties of apples were grown in the United States, only to be whittled down to just a few bland ones by the 1970s and 80s.  Fortunately, since the 90s there’s been a resurging interest in heirloom apple cultivars and we now have more choices in grocery stores, farmers markets and, of course, the CSA.

Recent CSA shares have been anything but an apple monoculture and have  included such cultivars as ‘Cortland’, ‘Fuji’, ‘Gala’, ‘Ginger Gold’, ‘Golden Supreme’ and ‘Macoun’. 

• ‘Cortland’ is an excellent all-purpose apple bred in 1898 in New York state. A descendant of ‘McIntosh’, It is slightly tart and excellent for baking, snacking and in salads. 

• ‘Fuji’ is a 1930s hybrid from Japan. It has a crisp, sweet flavor and is quite juicy.  

• Semi-sweet and slightly tart, ‘Gala’ was introduced in the 1920s and also great for eating or cooking. 

• ‘Ginger Gold’ is small, early season apple with sweet and creamy flesh and a hint of spice. It’s great fresh but can be cooked as well. It was discovered growing in an orchard in Virginia in the 1960s.

• ‘Golden Supreme’ was discovered as a chance seedling in 1890 in West Virginia. It’s quite sweet, with notes of honey and pear and very little tartness. It’s great for eating or baking. 

• Best eaten fresh, ‘Macoun’ is a sweet and flavorful late season apple. This is another New York State varietal from the 1920s.

I’m rather lackadaisical in the kitchen so I’ve made practically effortless pies with every one of these varieties. All of them turned out quite well. I simply peeled and chopped the apples, filled a (store-bought) crust, added a pinch of cinnamon but no added sugar, and baked in my toaster oven at 375° for about 45 minutes and let stand for a bit. 

Spices: My Pièce de Résistance (aka Secret Weapon)

by Kathi Carter Rodriguez 

While growing up with my 4 siblings in the Bronx, one of my parents’ favorite sayings was “don’t waste food.”  Each week I attempt to put that dictum into practice when I pick up our veggie share.  As I start to unpack and store our veggies, I begin to think about the different ways I can use them.  For example, which ones can I put in hubby’s salad for lunch? Which ones can I add to my one-pot bean or chicken dish?  Or which ones are suitable for juicing or eating raw as a snack? 

Confession: I get bored making the same old dishes week after week, so to spice things up, I default to my spice rack.  Spices are my pièce de résistance or secret weapon when I want to add pizzazz to weekly meals. 

So if I have a yen for Italian, I season my veggies with fresh onions, garlic, basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme and a little extra virgin olive oil.  If I’m in the mood for Indian, I might use a combination of turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom and perhaps cinnamon.  For a Thai flavor, I’d combine coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut amino acids, scallions, lemongrass, cumin, ginger, and fennel. And, lastly for a Middle Eastern flair (I love ME foods), I’d mix  coriander, turmeric, cardamom, salt, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. I’m rather loosey-goosey with my measurements, but any of the strong flavors like ginger and garlic, I add incrementally.  For easy access, I store my spices on a Lazy-Susan (see pic). 

Picking up our share each week is like receiving a wonderful healthy gift.  So I try not to waste anything and working with my spices helps me to keep meals interesting, creative and fun.  

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