Monthly Archive: November 2022

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – November 14, 2022

Hi Everyone, So, we have reached the end of the line for this season.  I would say the finish line, but my crew and me still have several more weeks to finish out the season.  There is still some garlic to be planted, the stock up shares to put together, and various root crops to harvest for storage through the winter and into next spring.  And there are a myriad of other chores to be done, to put the farm to bed for the winter.  As I mentioned last week, we are entering a very cold stretch of weather.  We have been busy harvesting many of the crops that will be in the shares this week and in the stock-up before they are damaged.  And we have been moving many of the crops in storage into the barn where they can be better protected from the cold nights ahead. (more…)

White Root Bisque

White Root Bisque

This is a delicious seasonal soup, served at Michael’s on the Hill restaurant in Waterbury, Vermont, close to Stowe. The recipe serves 6 but can easily be doubled and it freezes well. (more…)

Simple Broccoli Soup

Simple Broccoli Soup

This simple soup is equally good hot or cold.  You can readily omit the potatoes for a lighter version.  A small dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche before serving is a nice complement to the soup.  The recipe serves 4-6. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – November 7, 2022

Hi everyone, So, I guess we knew this balmy weather couldn’t last forever! We have two nights of frost coming up and then a brief warming before some truly frigid air rolls in over the weekend. We will be shifting gears from protecting the tender crops from a few hours of below freezing temperatures, to covering the cold tolerant crops to protect them from being damaged by temps in the mid-twenties. (more…)

Fennel

Fennel

Fennel, also known as sweet fennel or finocchio, originated in the Mediterranean and is popular in Italian and Scandinavian cooking. Closely related to parsley, carrots, dill and coriander, this aromatic vegetable is the swollen, immature stem of a large, feathery bush. The young stems of the plant overlap at the base to form a bulb with white-to-pale-green ribbed layers. Although the stalks are similar to celery both in their appearance and in their crunchy texture, all parts of the plant (bulb, stalks, and fronds) have a pleasantly sweet anise, or licorice-like flavor, and are edible. (more…)

Autumn Vegetable Gratin

Autumn Vegetable Gratin

From the cookbook “Simply Organic”. If you have a mandoline to slice the vegetables thinly, all the better. You can also substitute broth instead of milk. It tastes better if made one day ahead. (more…)

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

This recipe is from Mark Bittman who writes “The Minimalist” column in the New York Times.  If you do not have any dried shiitake mushrooms, so you can use fresh shiitake mushrooms.  Where the recipe calls for reserved mushroom water from the dried mushrooms, you can substitute chicken broth.  Yields 4 servings. (more…)