April 14, 2007

PSSST, PASS IT AROUND: Pass this newsletter around to those who'd appreciate it.

This is a test resend of last week's newsletter - apparently it is not being received. Hope to have this problem fixed soon!

Awaiting the asparagus, strawberries, and greens of May in the snow at the market last week, some hopeful numbers were tossed around.

1 - one month is how much longer Twin Springs Fruit Farm should have cider and fresh apples available (you can freeze the cider for later use, too).

21 - the date in April when the market's regular hours start; it will open at 8 a.m. (list of vendors to come next week).

70 - roughly the number of herb varieties that Red Rake Farm will have available soon in small pots to take home, plant, and enjoy all summer. (Master Gardeners will provide some tips in a future e-mail about the best ways to keep them healthy in your yard.)

80 - the cows in its herd that Fields of Grace milks to make several kinds of hard cheeses to sell.

175 - approximate number of fava beans you need to strip from their pods, blanch in boiling water, shock in cold water, and free from their individual covers to make a cupful of pure goodness. Value: priceless.

Dearth of radishes

They're so pretty, you buy them, you can't help yourself. But you're tired of green salad with a radish garnish. Here's what else to do.

It being Easter, there were hard-boiled eggs all around. Then, the radishes. Combined, they made an excellent twist on the crowd-pleasing deviled egg - and the overabundance vanished.

Deviled Eggs

• 10 large eggs
• 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup finely chopped radishes
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• Additional sliced radishes, whole radishes, chives or thyme

Place eggs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 12 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold running water until cool. Peel.

Halve eggs lengthwise and put yolks in a medium bowl. Mash yolks with fork, then add yogurt, mustard, chopped radishes, thyme, and chives. Salt and pepper to taste. Mound filling into egg white halves and garnish each with sliced radish and extra chives or thyme. Serve on platter with whole radishes.

Serves 6 (OK, really 4)

Note: Fresh eggs are delicious - and extremely difficult to peel. Once boiled, try rolling them to crack the surface all over, then peeling under running water. Your end results will never be pretty as a picture, but the deviled eggs won't last long enough for anyone to grab a camera...

Other radish uses

• ¨ Grate some into a carrot salad or cole slaw
• ¨ Stir into the raita accompanying an Indian meal
• ¨ Toss chunks with a fruit salad for sharp, crisp tang
• ¨ Add - grated or sliced - to pea, potato, or pasta salad for crunch
• ¨ Leave them, freshly washed, on a plate in the coffee room at work