Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh This Week

• Acorn squash
• Peppers
• Raspberries
• Summer squash
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Eggplant
• Beans
• Fingerling potatoes
• Basil

From Farmer Rick

We are already working on planning next year. Over the winter you will get a couple notes on what is going on at the farm. We are currently planning several courses at different places in the state on farming and gardening. I also have been asked to write for a new magazine on local farming and food. I appreciate any comments you want to e-mail on our CSA.

Thanks to all who have blogged about this year’s CSA. I have read several very nice blogs. Thanks to those continuing into the fall season. Food is very important to each of us and growing good food is what we are about! Your most valuable asset is your health; eating fruits and vegetables is the best thing you can do for yourself. I hope you have enjoyed our efforts this year. You can sign up for the 2010 season in November when our new form is available. Thanks for a great season.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are members of the tuber family, like other potatoes. Though sweet potatoes are often called yams, true yams can grow much larger than sweet potatoes, and are rarely produced in the U.S.; yams are generally only available in Latin markets.

Sweet potatoes become soft and sweet when cooked. They are an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium and dietary fiber. One cup of plain baked sweet potato has 180 calories.
Sweet potatoes should be plump and unshriveled. Keep in a cool, dark, dry place, but do not refrigerate. Sweet potatoes are fairly perishable for tubers, and should be used within a couple weeks.

To bake sweet potatoes, preheat oven to 425°. Wash sweet potatoes and poke a few small holes in each, with a thin-bladed knife. Bake in a foil-lined baking pan, turning once, until very tender (about an hour). Serve with salt and pepper, or butter and cinnamon.

Sources: How to Cook Everything (Bittman), Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (Madison), nutritiondata.com

Recipe Feature

Sweet Potato Biscuits
adapted from How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman

About 10 biscuits, 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 scant teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 to 5 tablespoons cold butter (more is better)
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato or winter squash, pureed (a food mill or potato ricer works well for this)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk (see instructions*)

Heat oven to 450°. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into small bits and pulse in food processor, or use a pastry blender to incorporate the butter into the flour, until butter is smaller than pea-sized.

Add the pureed sweet potato to the butter-flour mixture and mix well. *Add only enough yogurt or buttermilk to form the dough into a ball (will need lesser amount if potatoes are moist). Press the dough to 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass. Put rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, and repeat until all dough is used.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown, and serve within 15 minutes.

Link of the week

Summer Creek Farm CSA page – bookmark us for next year!

Contact us: farmer@summercreekfarm.com