First Basket

So, yesterday we brought out the first garden baskets. There wasn't a lot ready, but the spinach and lettuce needed picking -- a we certainly can't eat that much greens ourselves. We thought you might like some first tastes.

If you're at all familiar with gardening, you know that things do start slow ... and abundance comes later. Certainly, I think members who got our baskets last year can attest to the filled & overflowing baskets that came later in the season.

At any rate, we do hope that you enjoyed the package.

For those of you with a half share, we substituted the delightful little Johnny-jumps ups to add to salads or decorate desserts since they're edible and add so much appeal to a dish.

The full shares were given a 2 lb. tub of frozen pitted carmine jewel cherries. One way to use those is to cook up a quick sauce and use them in many of the recipes posted earlier. For quick reference, here's the sauce recipe:


Cherry Filling

1 - 2 lb tub cherries
1 - 2 lb tub water
1 1/2 cups sugar (I've also used 1 cup honey instead of the sugar)
5 Tbsp. cornstarch (or half tapioca starch / half cornstarch)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Put cherries and water in a pot. Cook cherries
gently until soft. Add sugar and stir. Mix cornstarch with
lemon juice and a little more cold water. Add to boiling cherries stirring
constantly. Boil 3 minutes longer until cornstarch has thickened and sauce is clear, stirring constantly.
Pack into hot jars, seal and turn jar upside down OR Use immediately or store in refrigerator once cooled (keeps in the fridge for about a week).

Use filling in any of the following recipes, in pies and tarts or as a sauce over perogies, cheese cakes, ice cream, pancakes, cream puffs…use instead of cranberries with stuffing … we even use it like jam!

OR ... check out the variation that combines the cherries with the rhubarb:

Cherhub Sauce
This is a variation of the recipe above - we like it just as well or better...and it makes the cherries last longer and the rhubarb not as tart.

Make the recipe above but add a good cup of rhubarb before cooking. You may wish to add a little more sugar (1/3 cup) as well. Try and see what you think.