CSA Day October 8

Dear CSA subscribers,
 In appreciation for your support, CSA members and their immediate families are invited to join us at Tanaka Farms on Sat. Oct . 8th for our Fall CSA Day.

We'll have some of our grilled veggies for you to sample. Also that afternoon there will be complimentary wagon rides around the farm and petting zoo admission for our CSA members.

For more details and to RSVP for the event , please go to CSAday.com

We hope to see you soon!

The Tanaka Farm Family

Tanaka Farms
5380 3/4 University Drive
Irvine, CA 92612

This is also a good time to pick out your Halloween pumpkin.

What to do with basil

A subscriber asked for some suggestions on how to use the basil that came in last Thursday's box. 

• You can use it in sauces and soups.
• Snip off the end of the stem, put the cut ends in a cup of water and store them in the refrigerator with a plastic bag over the leaves, just as you would store cilantro.

Here are a few recipe suggestions.

Tomato-cucumber salad:

• chop some tomatoes* and cucumbers*
• dice some sweet onions*
• chop some basil leaves*
• (optional) add minced garlic 
• (optional) add cubed mozzarella aka home-style cheese (the kind you buy in a ball)
• season with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
• * all items contained in last Thursday's box! 
• I would have added a photo of this salad, but our family already demolished it.

Bruschetta:

• pre-warm oven on the broil setting
• set a rack right under the broiler element (or use a BBQ)
• chop tomatoes, onion and basil leaves
• mince garlic 
• add olive oil
• mix
• season mixture with salt and pepper and let steep for 10 minutes
• brush sliced bread with olive oil
• put bread under the broiler for 1-2 minutes
• remove bread from the oven
• cut bread into serving-size pieces (if needed)
• top with tomato-basil mixture

Antipasto platter:

• slice beefsteak tomatoes and mozzarella
• arrange on platter with (optional) salami or proscuitto
• top with chopped basil
• drizzle olive oil over platter

White bean spread (especially fast with a food processor):

• process a few garlic cloves
• add basil leaves and pulse
• add cooked white/canneloni beans and olive oil and pulse
• stir in salt and pepper to taste
• serve over bread

Nature's packing material

A subscriber asked Farmer Tanaka, "Why so much kale?"

Because it is a perfect packing material that is nutritious and yummy to boot!  Whenever the boxes have many objects that roll around or need cushioning, Tanaka Farms adds leaves of washed kale to keep everything in good shape. 

Consider using the kale in kale and white bean soup or in sauteed southern greens.   You can add the turnip greens, too!