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Eggplants vote

April 12, 2010 by marian33031

Posted in comic, Uncategorized |

CSA share: week 19

April 9, 2010 by marian33031

CSA share: week 19

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CSA share: week 18

April 2, 2010 by marian33031

CSA share: week 18

Posted in csa, photo | Tagged |

Tastes like root beer

April 1, 2010 by marian33031

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.

Posted in food, photo | Tagged , | 14 Comments »

Nourishing Overtown

March 31, 2010 by marian33031

Just a reminder that the Grand Opening Celebration of the new Roots in the City Farmers Market will be next Wednesday, on April 7, starting at 1 pm.

Scheduled festivities: Ribbon-cutting, performances by the Booker T. Washington High School Band and Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink will offer complimentary samples of dishes from the school’s cookbook, created with the market’s fresh produce.

There’s a great picture of Farmer Margie in the Miami Herald today! It’s on page 2A, or you can see it online.

Affordable farmers market nourishes Overtown residents

A new farmers market aims to make fresh fruits and vegetables accessible to Overtown residents.

BY ELAINE WALKER
ewalker@MiamiHerald.com

Sarah Wallace can barely remember what it was like to eat fresh spinach, collard greens and carrots. It has been years since she has been able to afford any of her favorite fresh vegetables on $40 a month in food stamps.

Typically, Wallace makes do with canned beans and corn. That’s why she couldn’t help fighting back tears at the recent opening of the Roots in the City Farmers Market across the street from her Overtown apartment.

What makes this market different from others around South Florida is that it offers lower-income consumers the opportunity to eat healthy by using their food stamps to make subsidized purchases. For every $1 in food stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars, they get $2 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables. The limit: $20 per day of free produce.

Wallace, who has lived in Overtown her whole life, didn’t believe the market was going to happen until she saw the trial run for herself last Wednesday. She walked away with a big bag of fresh produce and the hope that it dispels the notion that African Americans don’t want to eat fresh vegetables.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/30/1555973/affordable-food-nourishes-neighborhood.html

Posted in food, location, market, media, photo | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments »

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