The Art of Opening a Clam - Great Article

New York Times - Slurping Seashells

We love Summer - and the art of Slurping Seashells!

Happy 4th - Grilled Watermelon Salad

nocouponsGreat summer salad - a friend made this while visiting with her family at the beach.  Gorgeous.

• 1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt (specialty salt is great here, if on hand)
• 2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
• 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, preferably a French Chevre
• Fresh finely cracked black pepper - serves 4 - appox 15 min prep time

Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.
Grill each side of the melon about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt. To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese (love goat or feta) and another 1/4 cup arugula. Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syrup. Dust with black pepper and serve immediately.

Great meeting at Coverdale Farm for our new local chapter of slow food. Please join SLOW FOOD BRANDYWINE VALLEY. Amazing food and people. Applications will also be in Sugarfoot.

Mission:Slow Food seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system. We reconnect Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food. We inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat. 

www.slowfoodusa.org 

Garlic Scapes - Ideas for cooking with...

Garlic scapes are a gourmet delight, found at Farmer’s Markets and specialty grocers, usually during the month of June. SIW has them at the farm stand this week. As hard neck garlic, (Allium sativum) matures, it produces a straight green stalk which then forms a loop or two at the top. This loop is the budding garlic flower; more commonly called a ‘scape’. That spot is where a bulbis will form if left on the plant. Some growers remove the bulbis and sell the scapes at market. In theory, the plant’s energy is redirected toward underground bulb production.

We would love to hear from you on how you love to cook with scapes!  Pesto, in salads, on pizza...

What Can I do to Help?

- Between 2002 and 2008 the number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased by nearly 50%
- Eat local! More than one fifth of all transportation emissions come from agriculture and food products
- If everyone converted 10% of their food to organic, we could capture an additional 6.5 billion pounds of carbon in soil (equivilant of taking 2 million cars off the road each year!)

The National School Lunch Program needs new funding for healthier food, stronger nutrition standards, and grants for linking schools to local farms. Take Action Below:

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5986/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3038

The Art of Summer

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend at the beach...