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Archive for April, 2010

Learning Luncheon at Paradise

Posted in agritourism, chef, events, farm, locavore, tagged , , on April 13, 2010|

Paradise Farms introduces the first interactive “Learning Luncheon” featuring Private Chef Mary Siragusa.

Saturday, April 17th
11:00 am Arrival with sparkling organic juices, followed by farm tour
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Interactive food prep
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Luncheon

3 courses with dessert @ $45 per person. Sign up at www.paradisefarms.net

Learn how to prepare delicious and healthy meals effortlessly while having a great time. Guests will have the opportunity to partake in the preparation of the meal. Chef Mary will explain the benefits of organic foods and show you how easy it is to incorporate organic juices and food into your lifestyle. You will be inspired by her fresh, wholesome approach!

Gabriele Marewski, owner of Paradise Farms, will lead a farm tour to collect the herbs and edible flowers for lunch with a discussion on how you can grow your own food.

Featured will be Carico International, a manufacturer of healthy lifestyle products including cookware which uses low heat and no oil.

MENU:

First course: Creamy cucumber soup
Second course: Baby Brassica greens with fennel, carrot and orange
Third course: Grilled shrimp on top of orrecciette primavera
Dessert: vanilla coconut cake with a hint of lime accompanied with lime sorbet
Coffee and tea service.

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Eggplants vote

Posted in comic, Uncategorized on April 12, 2010|

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CSA share: week 19

Posted in csa, tagged on April 9, 2010|

CSA share: week 19

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CSA share: week 18

Posted in csa, photo, tagged on April 2, 2010|

CSA share: week 18

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Tastes like root beer

Posted in food, photo, tagged , on April 1, 2010| 14 Comments »

Piper auritum (or Piper sanctum), also known as hoja santa leaf

Have you done anything with the leaves of the Root Beer Plant yet? That’s the package of heart-shaped leaves that was in last week’s CSA share box. They are reminiscent of the Piper Betel leaves that we got a couple times, before the freeze hit. These leaves are Piper Auritum (or Piper Sanctum), commonly known as hoja santa, and they taste like anise or root beer, thus the name.

The hoja santa came from Possum Trot Tropical Fruit Nursery, of course. It’s one of several different varieties of Piper that Robert Barnum has been growing for years. I called him up and asked what he does with it. He puts it in baked beans, or uses it to wrap fish and then bake it. He also suggested making a pesto, then spooning a bit over cream soup and using a toothpick to make swirly designs. Yup, that’s what he told me.

One of the CSA bloggers, Chef Caroline over at Occasional Omnivore, used the leaves to wrap tamales that she cooked on a grill pan. Her recipe sounds delicious and easy to do. Check it out here.

Still haven’t used much of mine, in case you were wondering. I chopped up one leaf and tossed it in with some spring onion in scrambled eggs the other day for breakfast. That was good, but P. betel would have been better. Chopped up another two leaves and used them in a saute of onion, tomato, and chicken, seasoned with a pinch of cinnamon, salt and pepper. That was good, but it tasted like it was missing something. Any suggestions?

If you want grow your own, contact Robert Barnum at 305-235-1768 to purchase hoja santa plants. Or, you can contact Farmer Margie at office(at)beeheavenfarm.com if you want to buy some leaves.

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