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Citrus Fruit

1/18/2021

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The days are short, cold and often sunless this time of year, but you can find a burst of sunshine in your weekly produce delivery: Citrus Fruit. Thanks to our partnership with Thorpe's Organic Family Farm, we can deliver delicious, organic grapefruit, oranges and tangerines throughout these long winter months.

​For more than a decade, the Thorpe Family, whose certified organic farm is located in East Aurora, has also grown citrus in Lake Wales, Florida. 


Citrus fruits grow on flowering trees and shrubs. They are characterized by a leathery rind and white pith that encases juicy segments. Cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates all over the world, major production hubs include Spain, Brazil, China, the US, Mexico and India. Interestingly, nearly a third of all citrus fruits are used to make juice. 

You can find all kinds of citrus fruits year round. The peak season for oranges and grapefruits in the Northern Hemisphere is between mid-December and April.

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A note about Organic Citrus: Organic citrus may not always be the most beautiful. To achieve perfection, farmers sometimes use methods that are not approved for organic farming to improve the fruit's appearance. Depending on climate conditions, citrus may ripen while still green. Unlike some other fruits, ripeness is not determined by color. However, most people associate an Orange with the color orange. Therefore, some growers dye their fruit to obtain that signature color and improve their marketability. This is not allowed for organic citrus fruits. Further, organic labeled produce is prohibited from using genetically modified seeds which are often used to produce the best colors and to be more resistant to the elements. 

While our Organic Citrus may be a little discolored on the outside, once you cut into it you'll see the inside looks perfect. The flavor is even better! So, if your citrus looks a little blotchy or green, take comfort in knowing it is completely safe, edible, and tasty.

Benefits

​Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, a nutrient that strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin smooth and elastic. In fact, just one medium orange has all the vitamin C you need in a day. They also have good amounts of other vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and copper. Additionally, citrus is rich in plant compounds that have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Oranges

​Hamlin: Sweet and juicy, the Hamlin orange is larger than other varieties and has few to no seeds, making it one of the best oranges for eating or juicing. 

Sugar Bell: Sugar Bell oranges are rare breed of citrus fruit - a cross between the luscious Honeybell oranges and full-flavored Clementines, these oranges are super sweet, juicy and easy to peel. The size is perfect for snacking or packing in lunches. 

Navel: Navels are part of the winter citrus family. They're seedless, peel easily, and are thought to be one of the world's best-tasting oranges. Because of the peculiar human-navel-like formation found opposite the stem-end, we can easily identify Navel Oranges from other cultivars or varieties. This belly-button like formation answers the question “Why are Navel Oranges called Navel Oranges?”

Tangerine: This citrus fruit are a subgroup of mandarins. Most commonly, mandarins that are reddish-orange and brightly colored tend to be labeled as tangerines. The taste is considered less sour, as well as sweeter and stronger, than that of an orange. Tangerines are most commonly peeled and eaten by hand. ​

Grapefruit

Their bulbous size; bitter pith (the white stuff that surrounds the fruit); and tart taste can be off-putting to those who are more accustomed to their sweeter citrus cousins, like the orange. But consider adding this superfood to your regular rotation of healthy foods. It's among the 20 best breakfast foods.

Storage Tips

  • ​Keep citrus fruits in the drawer of your refrigerator. This will keep fruit fresh for well over a week.
  • When storing citrus in the fridge, avoid using a plastic bag because droplets of moisture can get trapped and promote mold growth.
  • Be sure to take the fruit out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before eating to allow the fruit to warm up. Allowing the fruit to reach room temperature will make the juice sweeter and the skin easier to peel.
  • If storing out of the fridge, keep ripe fruits and unripe fruits separated to prevent the unripe fruit from ripening too quickly.

Recipes

Citrus Salad with Fennel Vinaigrette -- Sub Top Seedz crackers for the sesame clusters in this recipe.
Candied Grapefruit Peel
Citrus-Marinated Chicken Thighs
Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake
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Lion's Mane Mushroom

1/11/2021

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 Lion’s mane mushrooms are large, white, shaggy mushrooms that resemble a lion’s mane as they grow. This mushroom is popular in vegan and vegetarian recipes. It is absolutely delicious and provides an amazing hearty and firm texture, very similar to crab. It is mild in flavor and is an excellent vehicle to take on different flavors. Many describe their taste as “seafood-like,” often comparing it to crab or lobster. We source ours from Flat#12 Mushrooms in Buffalo. 

These mushrooms have both culinary and medical uses in Asian countries like China, India, Japan and Korea. Lion’s mane mushrooms contain bioactive substances that have beneficial effects on the body, especially the brain, heart and gut. Thoroughly heating them softens the mushroom, releasing the nutrients and medicinal compounds. 

9 Health Benefits of Lion's Mane Mushroom:
  1. Could Protect Against Dementia. Studies have found that lion’s mane mushrooms contain two special compounds that can stimulate the growth of brain cells. In fact, lion’s mane mushroom and its extracts have been shown to reduce symptoms of memory loss in mice.
  2. Helps Relieve Mild Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety.
  3. May Speed Recovery from Nervous System Injuries.
  4. Protects Against Ulcers in the Digestive Tract.
  5. Reduces Heart Disease Risk.
  6. Helps Manage Diabetes Symptoms.
  7. May Help Fight Cancer. Some research suggests that lion’s mane mushroom has cancer-fighting abilities, thanks to several of its unique compounds. Although further study is needed, when lion’s mane extract is mixed with human cancer cells in a test tube, they cause the cancer cells to die at a faster rate. 
  8. Reduces Inflammation.
  9. Boosts the Immune System.

​Storage & Preparation

Lion's mane mushrooms will last up to a week if properly stored and cared for, and they really aren't that finicky. Just keep them away from water—do not wash them until you are ready to eat them, if at all—and store them in your fridge away from the direct flow of cold air. (The crisper drawer will do just fine.) Brush off any dirt or black bits on the "fur" of the mushroom. Remove the "foot", where it was attached to the tree (it resembles the stalk of a cauliflower). Cut the mushroom into 1/2 inch steaks or as best you can, uniformly.

​Cooking Ideas

  • Pan sautéed with butter
  • Oven roasted with olive oil or butter and seasoning of choice
  • Grilled
To sautee: Slice mushroom into steaks. Place them in a dry pan on medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes and flip. When the mushrooms have released water and start to brown, add the butter - about 2tbsp per medium head of lion's mane. Make sure every piece gets a bit on both sides. Be delicate as you handle them and don't stir them around. Season with salt and generous amounts of fresh ground pepper. Bring the heat down to low and cook until both sides are golden brown.

​The furry fronds will go from soft to crispy and soak up all that butter. So satisfying as a side dish or served warm on top of salad.
Vegetarian "Crab" Cakes
Ingredients
  • Finely chopped or hand-shredded lions mane 
  • 1 cup large yellow or white onion, finely diced
  • 6 cloves diced garlic
  • 1/4 cup diced sweet peppers
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or panko crumbs make your own by baking in oven on 200F for 20 minutes, then blending
  • 2 duck eggs or large chicken eggs, beaten. To make this recipe vegan, use flax egg. Mix one tablespoon of flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. Allow to sit refrigerated for about 10 minutes to thicken.
  • 3 Tbsp diced parsley 
  • 3/4 Tbsp sea salt or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp butter, softened to room temperature This is mixed into the patties prior to cooking. Butter your pan separately as-needed.
  • Dash cayenne pepper
  • Lemon for garnish (optional)
Directions
  1. Place diced lion's mane, onions, and sweet peppers into lightly oiled skillet and sweat for about 15 minutes on low heat (3 on our stove), stirring regularly. The aim is to remove almost all the water from the ingredients, otherwise your crab cakes won't hold together. After 15 minutes, add garlic and sweat for another 5 minutes until no water remains in pan and ingredients are lightly browned. Remove from stove and let cool in bowl for 15-20 minutes. 
  2. Add all other ingredients into bowl and stir together. Then mush ingredients together by hand for a few minutes until thoroughly consolidated. 
  3. Form and cook a single test cake before making an entire batch. You want to make sure the moisture levels are just right and that the cakes will hold together. Tip 1: Make smaller ~3" diameter cakes to help them stick together and flip easier (larger cakes are more difficult). Tip 2: Let cakes gel together for about 5 minutes before cooking. Cook test cake in buttered skillet on low heat. If the test cake comes apart in the pan, you'll want to add more beaten egg and bread crumbs then try again. Then cook the whole batch!     
  4. Serve with lemon wedge.
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Mirepoix

1/5/2021

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​The words base, foundation, and humble beginnings are all terms used to describe mirepoix. Pronounced meer-PWAH, this simple, yet essential flavor base was named in the 18th-century after the duke, Charles Pierre Gaston François de Lévis, or Duc de Mirepoix, a French general and diplomat. It is said that his chef de cuisine named this seasoning base after his patron- the Duke.
​
Many chefs consider mirepoix to be the key ingredient for adding that extra umph to a dish. It’s the secret sauce; the essential ingredient; the reason your food tastes so good. Mirepoix plays an important role in flavoring soups, stews, casseroles, braised meats, and marinades.

How to make mirepoix:
To make this mirepoix recipe you’ll need two parts onion, one part carrot, and one part celery plus olive oil.
  1. Prepare your vegetables. Trim the root ends and tips from the vegetables. Rinse and scrub the carrots and celery. Dry well. If desired, peel your carrots before chopping (tip- save your root ends and carrot peelings and stick them in a freezer-safe bag. Transfer to the freezer and save for homemade vegetable stock).
  2. Chop your vegetables. The size you choose to chop your onions, carrots, and celery will vary depending on the recipe being prepared. However, as a general guideline: for sauteed recipes, chop small (¼-inch to ½-inch), for soups and stews, medium size (½-inch to 1-inch), and for stock, broth, or blended soups, larger size (1-2 inches).
  3. Cook vegetables over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, mixing well to coat. Cook, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes, or until softened and onions are translucent. Adjust heat to prevent vegetables from browning.
Recipes with mirepoix:
  • Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
  • Easy Lentil Soup Recipe
  • Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

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