The “Tell”- Springdell Spring CSA Pickup #1


Hi everyone, Jess here to bring you the first “Tell” of the Spring Season Springdell Show and Tell! I’m a little late getting this out after a busy Apple Blossom festival weekend, but am happy to finally share about the deep greens of Spring! Let’s get right to it…

  • Pea Tendrils from Johnny Putt, Littleton, MA
    • Enjoyed as-is by the boys, and snipped up here and there in salads
  • Lettuce heads, also from Johnny Putt, Littleton
    • Simple side salads, including one with fresh cheese and jarred summer peaches
  • Asparagus
    • An adaptation of Brie and Asparagus Pasta
    • Sautéed in Amish Roll Butter with Shallots and Spring Garlic, topped with mustard sauce from the farm and a poached egg
  • Spring Garlic
    • Subbed the mixed garlic with spring garlic in Brie and Asparagus Pasta
    • Sautéed in Amish Roll Butter with Shallots and asparagus
We talked a little earlier in the week about the spring garlic, and how sweet and tender it is compared to the larger bulbs that come later. Don’t get me wrong, mature garlic bulbs are amazing as well, but there’s something about the taste of spring garlic that is not easily duplicated, hence when they come along I’ll preserve what I can.
I start by cleaning the garlic and separating the whites and light greens from the darker tougher parts. The stalks up top will end up flavoring stocks and soups, while the chopped bits on the bottom will be used in place of minced garlic or scallions.
These will be frozen in a single layer on parchment before being placed into a container back in the freezer. This keeps them from sticking together when the time comes to spoon a few out.
And here are a few already being spooned out! This is a quick prep plate with brie, Amish roll butter and shallots awaiting the delicious asparagus and brie pasta.
I used Ditalini because it was the pasta I had on-hand. This recipe was amazing and I’ll add the CSA-based adaptations to our database. Meanwhile, the facebook page has the recipe and adaptations. If you have a few extra minutes to pay attention to your stove, this one is definitely worth a try!
I was fortunate enough to find a last jar of tomatoes behind my last jar of peaches in the pantry!
Spaghetti with Springdell ground beef and tomatoes is always a hit.
Here are some of those peaches with a bit fo cheese and what pea tendrils I could rescue from my boy’s bellies long enough to pop them onto an official salad.
The combo of shallot, spring garlic, lemon salt and butter was so yummy in the brie pasta earlier this week, that I sautéed them the same way a second time. Topped with that farmstand mustard sauce, I had trouble waiting for the poached egg before digging in.

That’s about it for me for week 1, I’ll see you back here shortly to present week 2 of the Spring CSA. Lots coming up this coming week, so stay tuned!


About Jess

Jess Anderson is the creator of CSA|365 and is passionate about the local food movement. A long time member of Springdell and a busy mother of two, Jess loves keeping her family fed by honest local food.

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