I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can (Week One)

I have been waiting for this all winter!

Sunny but still windy and too cold (when, oh when, are we going be treated to some genuine spring weather??), I drove over to the Garden of Ideas for my first pick-up. I was a bit nervous, having heard stories of people joining CSA's and getting inundated by unpronounceable, un-cookable veggies. What a surprise to see the wonderful variety that awaited me.

I was lucky to meet Ilsa, the propriator, and spent some time gushing over her establishment. We talked for awhile and while she went off to help a customer purchasing one of the wonderful sculptures scattered around the property, I took the opportunity to shoot some photos:

All lined up and ready to go "home";

carved eggs, ready for Easter;

a view of the art gallery, with organic herbs lined up for sale;

potted lettuces;

This is the "store", where I will pick up my share every week. There are many items available to the public as well. In fact, I was a patron well before I signed up for the CSA. They carry items from local farms in CT. and NY., so there is always a great variety - milk, juice, honey, wool yarn, etc.

Now, back to my share this week. Nothing to be nervous about. I can easily handle spinach and bok choy; eggs are sooo easy; sorrell, well, I've never cooked with it, but it smells good, so I'm sure I will be using that up. Maple syrup - as you can see, we barely got home when Ariana requested pancakes, so Darth Vader got drenched.

She prounouced it "yummy". It has a stronger, sharper taste than the Maple syrup from New Hampshire that we are used to. It would work well with fruit. In fact, I poured some into the leftover Haroset that I made a couple of nights before and it really punched up the taste.

Tonight, we will have salmon, with the spinach. Tomorrow - omelets for breakfast. Stay tuned for the recipes and taste testing results..