Morning Song Farm News

Although prettier than your average halloween pumpkin, these little blue treasures are much more than ornamental. Heirlooms, these pumpkin seeds have been passed down for generations because of their fine flavor and cooking qualities. To begin with, many cooks are familiar with following a pumpkin recipe that starts with "open a can of pumpkin puree." If you want to use your pumpkin, you'll need to back up one step and make your own puree. It's not complicated. Smash your pumpkin (don't try this on your countertop; I give this job to one of my kids: take it outside and throw it down on the sidewalk or driveway. ) Once opened, remove seeds and bake at 350 until soft. Scoop out meat of pumpkin, and throw away the outer skins. You can now put in a blender or cuisinart to perfect your puree. From here, you can follow any pumpkin recipe. This pumpkin makes a fine pumpkin soup, pumpkin muffin, pumpkin pie or pumpkin gravy. A winter squash, you can enjoy the ornamental q...

This is a really quick, easy meal if you have a cusinart. Boil pasta, set aside. Throw in cusinart: All the leaves of one bunch of our basil. Two cloves of garlic Quarter cup of walnuts Half cup of olive oil Salt to taste Little bit of water if it comes out too thick Puree in cusinart. Then add an additional, small handful of chopped walnuts to add texture. Stir over pasta, serve immediately.

Here's this week's planned pick list: Reed Avocados Persimmons Juice Limes Apples Carrots Basil Jalapenos Heirloom Dried Red Peppers Radishes Swiss chard Heirloom Blue Pumpkin (culinary) Garlic Fioja Guava Head Lettuce Dill Cukes Green Peppers (maybe just in large baskets?) Macadamias, large baskets only

It's not even related to a tomato, and is actually a tree fruit. For years the coyotes beat us to the punch and ate every one. We pruned the trees last year, so the trees couldn't be easily climbed by Wiley anymore, and so this year is the first ever that we have a good crop. Hopefully Mr. Coyote won't turn to my avocado trees instead.... Anyway, you can eat these persimmons when they are still somewhat hard (although as they soften, they are sweeter). Don't confuse this Fuyu persimmon, which can be eaten hard, with a Hichiya, which is longer and pointier. You eat one of those before the dead ripe stage and you with never, ever, make that mistake again. The unripe fruit's taste is bad, and I think, just to make myself clear, the word taste, is an understatement, you are more likely to look back on it someday, after getting over it, as a culinary train wreck, The ones in your baskets this week are good to eat at any stage. They can be peeled and sliced into a fru...

Hardly a recipe, but applesauce is so easy, it's really not worth ever buying. Peal your apples, squeeze a little lime juice, drop a couple drops of stevia if you think it needs to be sweeter (make sure you get the good stuff that isn't cut with sucrose or other additives; get the pure stevia extract) and put everything in a Cuisinart. Puree. I buy little disposable containers from Smart and Final and add these little treats to my kids' lunches.

As many have been challenged by recent economic issues, Morning Song Farm's CSA program lost 25% of its supporters this last month. Wow! We sure are passionate about continuing our CSA program, but do need our local community's support. I thought perhaps I should consider offering a Laguna Beach, Hungtington Beach or Orange drop off. If anyone has a friend or organization that might be interested in joining or hosting in those communities, please let us know.

Greetings! What a scorcher of a week! Fruit photo at right is a Fioja Guava. Some people slice long ways and scoop out the contents. I like the spicy skin and eat the whole thing. Try it both ways and see what you think. Photo at right is sage, which you'll find in your baskets as well this week. The garlic is another heirloom, and is medium hot, and fairly easy to peel. Garlic Butter: Either churn your own butter like I do, or buy butter and toss a cube in the Cuisinart. Add a couple cloves of garlic and salt to taste. Puree. Remember that garlic adds "heat" to a dish, as well as the familiar garlicly taste that at least I'm addicted to. So add as many cloves as you like to your butter as it's being pureed, but make sure you don't overdo it. If you do, just add more butter. Use the finished product on baked fish, as a dip with cheese and crackers, on toast in the morning, on your baked potato, or over steamed green beans, Following is this week's basket ...