As, shareholders, you have made a commitment to share in the risks and rewards of farming here at Appleton Farms. It is our hope that this season you will be inspired to share the many rewards of being part of a CSA - sharing your harvest with a neighbor who may not have access to the abundant fresh local food that your farm share provides, sharing the pick-your-own experience with a grandchild to instill the wonder of what can come from the tiniest of seeds, or share the joy of cooking by taking part in our new recipe exchange.
We were recently inspired by volunteer Cathleen Williamson's research on the concept of terroir at Appleton Farms. To bring this concept to life, we will be seeking your favorite farm-focused recipes in our new recipe exchange. Read on and see you all this week!
The Discovery and Delight of Terroir. A celebration of place and taste at Appleton Farms by Cathleen Williamson
Walk into the share room on any given day and it is easy to see that the Appleton Farms CSA program is cultivating produce lovers among its members, adults and children alike. What is it about CSA membership that is fostering these sophisticated, vegetable-loving palates? Beyond the quality and fresh taste of Appleton’s fruits and vegetables, what other cultural influences of membership are at work that impact food preferences and taste? This was the topic of my research study last fall as part of my masters degree in gastronomy.
What I expected to find was the home experience – special traditions of making grandmother’s tried-and-true tomato sauce with the bounty of plum tomatoes or making blueberry crisp together at the height of the summer – to be where these palates were being formed. What I found, however, is that while there are some kitchen connections, the more meaningful influences are happening right at the farm itself - people and place; culture traditions; and a sense of environmental stewardship collectively taking the lead on cultivating taste and food preference. There is also a sense of delight and discovery that happens when all of these factors work together that further influences taste and food preference by fostering a sense of experimentation and joy.
Taste an Appleton Farms strawberry or cheese and you know there’s something special about it. There is a reason you wait patiently (or not) for its arrival every season. The concept of terroir – a French term that started in the thirteenth century to connect the land to the taste of wine and later expanded to include other cultural and environmental factors working together -- gives a seat at the table for the influence of physical place on taste alongside its companions of embodied values and cultural tradition.
How does your CSA participation influence your taste and preferences? What is it about the sense of place and the stewardship of the land; and the cultural traditions you experience both here and on your own that make a difference?
This summer we are launching a recipe exchange that will celebrate the delight and discovery of terroir. We invite you to participate by not only sharing your own original recipes featuring the Appleton products you love but also your experiences and thoughts on how being a part of the CSA program is shaping your food preferences and taste. Each week we will highlight a “recipe of the week” in our blog post, distribute the recipe in the shareroom, and post all recipe submissions on this part of the blog: http://appletonrecipes.blogspot.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
-Cathleen P. Williamson
RECIPE SUBMISSIONS: Please submit your recipes by email to: appletonrecipeexchange@gmail.com
Recipes should focus on one of the veggies in the share:
CSA Week 1
· Lettuce
· Salanova
· Greens
· Kale
· Kohlrabi
· Radishes
· Spinach
· Green garlic (use it as you would green onions)
· PYO strawberries
1. Your info:
First, last name(s):
Town:
Number of years participating in Appleton Farms CSA:
2. An original
By submitting you confirm that the recipe is an original and has not been published by someone else. If any part of the recipe is not your own please be sure to credit the original author.
3. The recipe
Name:
Category: Is it breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, snack, or dessert?
Please list:
Ingredients and measurements
Clear instructions
Number it serves
Can you tell us about your recipe? Is it a family tradition? Summer favorite for the beach? One your grandmother taught you?
3. Your thoughts on your terroir experience at Appleton Farms:
How would you describe your Appleton Farms experience in terms of one or all of the following aspects of terroir: cultural connection (traditions, events, social connections), environmental stewardship, place and taste (the connection between Appleton Farms and its harvest)
4. Photos (optional)
We’d love to see a photo of that beautiful strawberry pie or grilled eggplant or whatever your recipe yields and one of you - at the farm, at home or wherever!
