Hello Friends,

We hope you are all well and safe from the fires!  We are extremely excited to partner with a new farm this week, the Spade and Plow!  This farm grows exceptional produce that is always beautiful and tasty!  No small feat while also growing organically…This week the lettuce, the cucumbers, the zucchini, the shallots, and the tomatoes all come from them.

From our kitchen this week, Chef Brandon made homemade heritage pork Calabrese sausage. We also smoked a side of king salmon and made a smoked salmon parfait with fresh heirlooms and dill and hard boiled farm eggs.

We thought you could make sweet potato “fries” this week.  Take the sweet potato medley, wash them and cut them into wedges (think home fry cut), drizzle with olive oil and salt and maybe some garlic or garlic powder and paprika..then bake on a sheet pan in the oven at 400 for 40 minutes or until soft inside, crispy outside.

We are in the absolute peak of heirloom tomato season.  I suggest eating them sliced with a little olive oil and salt.  You could garnish with fresh tarragon or basil or both.

For the pescatarians we think the clams will be great with leeks and onions and a little white wine.  Remember to soak clams in cold water so they release the sand before you cook them. You need to do that at least 2-3 times for 10 minutes each time.

Baby bok choy is great grilled and drizzled with some balsamic or lemon juice and salt.  I like to cut them in half and grill them long enough to get grill marks on the flat side.  They are best still a little crunchy.

Here’s a great recipe for zucchini.  Cut it thin in slices or better yet on a mandolin in “spaghetti” strands.  Warm a frying pan with olive oil and toss in sliced almonds at high heat.  When the almonds start to brown, toss in the zucchini and kill the flame.  Give it a few tosses, sprinkle with some shaved parmesan cheese and some pepper.  Makes a luke warm zucchini “salad”

Badger Flame beets are best roasted in the oven until soft and then sliced in a salad or served warm.  Great with goat cheese and roasted garlic

We wanted to try something new this week. Candy Hearts..they look like plums but are crossed with cherries.  Fun, something new!

Red Anjou pears are great raw but even better for cooking.  Great in pie, but my favorite is to slow poach it in red wine.  Place the pears sitting up in about half a bottle of red with a whole cinnamon stick and some sugar and any other mulling spices like cloves, star anise…simmer until the pears get soft and the wine reduces into a syrup.

As always, reach out with any questions or more suggestions.

Enjoy,

Chef Gabe, Chef Brandon