Everyone is invited to picnic this Sunday July 25th at Luscher Farm with author Temra Costa. She’ll speak about her great new book Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat.

What: Portland Chefs Collaborative meeting & picnic with author Temra Costa
Where: Luscher Farm, 125 Rosemont Rd, West Linn, OR
When: Sunday July 25th, noon-2pm
How: Please carpool or bike, parking is limited

Picnic!! Bring your picnic lunch and everything you need to set up on the grass under the big beech tree and listen to Temra. Don’t forget a blanket and/or chairs and drinks.  If you want to bring extra to share, we’ll set up a table for extra bounty.

Questions? email portlandchefscollaborative@gmail.com

Hope you can join us!

This week your share may include…

• Garlic: This looks more like what you’re used to buying in the store, but these have not been cured at all. We pulled them out of the ground this morning so they’re still green on the inside and won’t store well so eat them sooner rather than later! The variety is Music.
• Kohlrabi: Don’t be afraid! Never before have you met such a versatile vegetable. Peel off the outer skin and inside you find a sweet treat – imagine a cross between Jicama & Broccoli. Good raw with dip or grated on salads. Want to cook it – they’re good roasted or sauteed. And I bet they’d make a fabulous fritter!
• Lettuce Heads: Finally with this heat they have started to grow! Huge tasty crispy sweet heads of romaine lettuce this week. The green is Costal Star and the red, Outredgeous, was bred and selected right here in the PNW for organic production by Frank Morton at Wild Garden Seeds.
• Spring Onions: The bulbs are getting bigger and they have nice big greens on them too.
• Onion Scapes: These are the tasty flower stalks from onions and are similar to garlic scapes, but have a thick walled stem that are hollow inside.
• PEAS!! Sugar snap peas are at the peak of their flavor and production right now. Like sweet corn, the  sugars begin to turn to starch as soon as you pick them so eat them asap. But I didn’t really have to tell you that – bet some people’s peas barely made it through the ride home…
• Radish: This is the first year we’ve grown this variety called Cherriette and I’m impressed! They have a nice sweetness that balances out the spice. You can cook the greens too.
• Hakuri Turnips: These tender salad turnips are sweet but not too hot. Both the bulbs and greens can be eaten raw or sauteed.

Coming soon… Fava Beans!

Slow Food Portland is hosting this thoughtful panel discussion about food, labor & immigration TONITE at 7pm at First Unitarian Church, 1226 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR. More info here

Grab your gloves! Everyone is invited…

Saturday July 3rd
1-5pm for Workin’
5pm-7pm for Potluck & BBQ
Luscher Farm, 125 Rosemont Rd., West Linn

Join us to learn more about urban farming, where your food comes from, and how to grow it.  After this crazy wet spring we really need your help to catch up with projects on the farm! There are lots of things to plant, trellis to build, and always more weeding. In addition, we will continue to work on the Luscher Farm Hedgerow using shrubs from the Wahoo Native Plant project.

You are welcome to bring family and friends- there will be things to do for folks of all ages and abilities. Kids are welcome to come help work or just hang out. We’ll provide snacks and drinks. You’ll get to sample all sorts of tasty treats from the garden. Please bring your favorite gardening tools and dress for the weather.

To celebrate all our hard work we’ll have a potluck afterward. Bring something to share and/or put on the BBQ.

Any Questions Call Laura at 503-777-4213
Hope to see you there!

Put the rest of the work parties on your calendar. They are always the first Sat of the month 1-5pm: August 7th, Sept 4th, and Oct 2nd.

This week your share may include…

• Spring Garlic: These are the young bulbs of the garlic plant – getting bigger every week! They have a mild garlic flavor and can be used like green onions – chopped & sprinkled raw over salad or sauteed.
• Garlic Scapes: These are the tasty flowering stems from garlic and like the leek scapes, they are solid all the way through. I toss them with a bit of olive oil & salt then roast them whole – like you would asparagus – until slightly carmelized. They can also be diced & sauteed to add a mild onion or garlic flavor to any dish. Learn more about scapes here.
• Bunched Greens: Choose from mizuna & arugula. The mizuna has frilly leaves and very mild flavor. Arugula has lobed leaves and a stronger flavor, but is not at all spicy. Both of them can be added to salad or sauteed. I’ve posted the recipe for one of my all time favorites  - Arugula & Poached Eggs below.
• Lettuce Mix: Salad days are here!
• Choy: The green leaf is flavorful, the white stem is mild & crunchy. Great in stir fry but it also works anywhere cooked greens are called for – lasagne, spanikopita, au gratin, over pasta, or in a fritata. Don’t be intimidated by Choy – Ruth Reichl, in her cookbook Gourmet Today, calls it “one of the first Chinese vegetables to successfully  cross over to mainstream America. Though it might seem odd to see a traditional Asian green served in a European-style, it works brilliantly.”
• Spring Onions: These baby onions have a tiny tender bulb and the greens are good too.
• Onion Scapes: These are the tasty flower stalks from onions and are similar to garlic scapes, but have a thick walled stem that are hollow inside.
• Baby Turnips: These tiny tender hakuri salad turnips are sweet but not too hot. Both the bulbs and greens can be eaten raw or sauteed.

This is simple, fast and fabulous! We learned it from our friends at the Busy Corner Restaurant. They’re sadly out of business now, but the memory lives on with this dish.  The only trick is to start with the best ingredients you can find…

Farm fresh eggs
1 bunch of arugula
olive oil
smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste
Toasted buttered baguette on the side

Toss arugula with olive oil, salt & pepper and separate into individual bowls. Poach 2 eggs per person. Turn poached eggs on to top of arugula salad. Add a dash of paprika & serve with toast on the side.