We’re glad the deep freeze is behind us, even if it means we’ll be a soggy mess for a while.  One of the biggest questions I was fielding last week was, “What’s this going to do to your crops?!?!”  I didn’t know how to answer, but I knew it wasn’t going to be great.  That was one of the toughest and most uncertain weeks we’ve experienced farming on this coast, but as we anticipated, it roughed things up a little.  I can say with honesty that we and our crew did the best that we could heading into the extreme cold, given the constraints of our time and storage space.  (We’ve got hopes and plans to address the latter this year, but for now, we’re aching from the growing pains).  It was a real bummer to walk out this morning after several days of thawing to find that our January cabbages had frozen all the way down to their cores, decaying from the inside out.  (It wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but I was luckily able to source some from other organic producers in our region this week to make up for our loss).  And with a little more time, much of what remains planted in the open field has a chance to bounce back in time for our anticipated harvests of braising and flowering raab.  It appears that at least some of our greenhouse crops held on as well. Thank goodness!

This is to say that I’ve never been so thankful to have such a well-stocked root cellar as I am this Winter.  There’s peace-of-mind in having a stockpile of comfort foods, and to me, that’s what’s so great about root vegetables and squashes—they’re the basis for so many comforting and nourishing meals.  True, it takes a little more force to slice through a Parsnip than a Cucumber.  (But one of those things tastes a whole lot better roasted or mashed up on a cold day).  And indeed, Parsnips are on the menu this week.  Kelly, David and Mark spent the afternoon getting hundreds of Parsnips ready, and I have been dusting off my favorite savory ways to enjoy this sweet root vegetable, so be sure to scroll on through.  I think I like them best roasted and eaten like oven fries, but sometimes I make extra to enjoy with grain bowls and salads mid-day, like this one from David Lebovitz.  (It is a great recipe and a worthwhile READ, by the way.  I love his short retelling of the history of these ‘forgotten vegetables’).   How do you like your Parsnips?  Mashed?  Crisped?  Fried? Hashed? Souped?  Is that even a word?

Have a great week,
Katie

PS: Please pardon any messy formatting this week. I’ve been struggling with my site editor all afternoon, and I’m giving up and pressing send before I lose my temper:)

IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:

• Savoy Cabbage

• Onions

• Parsnips

• Butternut or Autumn Frost Squash

• Frozen Blueberries

• Apples (Large Shares)
  

AT THE FARMSTAND THIS WEEK

RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS

59 Cabbage Recipes to Eat Every Night of the Week - Bon Appetit
26 Snug Butternut Squash Recipes - Food & Wine

CARROT-PARSNIP SOUP WITH PARSNIP CHIPS
Tara Parker-Pope

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 2 ½cups chopped yellow onion

• 3 cups coarsely chopped parsnip (about 1 pound)

• 3 cups water

• 2½ cups coarsely chopped carrot (about 1 pound)

• 2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium vegetable broth

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup parsnip, cut into ⅛ inch slices

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

  CONTINUE TO RECIPE

  SKILLET ROAST CHICKEN WITH FENNEL & PARSNIPS
  Claire Saffitz & Dawn Perry

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 3 1/2–4-pound chicken

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced lengthwise 1/2" thick

• 2 large parsnips, peeled, sliced 1/2" thick on the diagonal

• 1 bunch scallions

• 3 wide strips lemon zest

• Lemon wedges (for serving)
  CONTINUE TO RECIPE

  SPICY CABBAGE & RED ONION SLAW
  J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

• 1 small head cabbage, thinly shredded (about 1 pound; 450g)

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces; 170g)

• Handful fresh mint and cilantro leaves, minced

• 1 to 2 green Thai bird chiles

• 1 tablespoon (15ml) juice from 1 lime, plus more to taste

• Kosher salt

  CONTINUE TO RECIPE

  BLUEBERRY RICOTTA BREAKFAST CAKE
  Barefoot Contessa

• 10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta

• 2 tablespoons sour cream

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• Kosher salt

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (12 ounces), divided

• Sifted confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

  CONTINUE TO RECIPE