Saturday 27 October 2012

Read all about it!!

Hello there...
This week marked a very exciting exchange of community and friendship. Our dog loving neighbours Victoria and Stu, have very kindly offered the front room of their house for us to pack and sort your Organic Fruit and Veggies each week!! 
Thank you Victoria and Stu for offering and allowing us to use such a beautiful space to work in!!
In the box this week:
Vine Ripened Tomatoes
Yellow Capsicum 
Zucchini
Bok Choy
Dutch Carrots
White Onions
Yellow Peaches
Fuji Apples
Strawberries
Mangoes
Jap Pumpkin
Eggplant
Corn
Potatoes
Broccoli

Herb of the Week:
Curry Leaves

I personally love Eggplant!! I especially love it in a Curry!!
I found a Vegan recipe at Curry and Comfort. In Spike's house Curry is a comfort and always a dish that is easy and quick to prepare when hunger hits. Spike's Aunty Piri is Vegan and we were thinking of her, hence the Vegan Recipe. 
We hope that you enjoy the Curry Leaves. 
How do you use Curry leaves? 
Or is this your first time?
We would love to know! 
Scout showing Spike how to get around!
Scout keeping a watchful eye on the quality of the produce

Until the next Post, Enjoy your produce!!
xxx
Brooke, Katrina, Scout and Spike
Abbotsford Wooden Box






Sunday 21 October 2012

Sunday Breakfast at Spike's House

Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Hash Browns!!




Hash Browns are used instead of Bread for Eggy Breakfasts in our house hold.
Spike's dad is the maker...... with Spike's help that is!!
The ingredients used:
Sweet Potato
Pumpkin
Spring Onions
Spanish Onions
Garlic
Flour
Sunflower Seeds
Dried Mixed Herbs
Salt and Pepper to Season

You mix it all together, heat up a non stick pan, form them into balls, flatten them down and let them cook on each side until golden and a little crunchy then you serve them with what ever you like. Spike's dad made up a Broad Bean, Tomato, Mushroom and Basil Salad to go with it. We also added Poached Eggs to mine.
But some of us can never quite break that breakfast routine.
xxx from Spike's house.

Saturday 20 October 2012

packing in the rain...

hello there...




This mornings pack was extra fresh! The clouds gave us plenty of rain to make the produce sparkle in the sunlight when it finally arrived!!
Tea cups were extra full as some of us are lacking sleep but the sunrise made up for the blurry eyes.

While at the market this morning we noticed that the stone fruits are starting to make an appearance, but were far too hard to be eaten straight away. Here's hoping that over the coming weeks everything is just how it should be and we can pack them up for you!

This weeks boxes include:
Zucchinis
Silver Beet
Dutch Carrots
Spring Onions
Sweet Potatoes
Asparagus
Mushrooms
Kiwi
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Pumpkin
Herb of the Week is Rosemary.

You might like to use the Rosemary for a Cake called:
Olive Oil Apple and Rosemary Dessert Cake 
Inta, one of Abbotsford Wooden Box regulars, posted a great recipe last week for a Anchovy Rosemary Butter. 
Here's what she wrote:

I've been using a yummy rosemary recipe that I found in a Gourmet Traveller mag. Its an anchovy and rosemary butter. They have it on steak. We've done that as well as having it on toast with an egg. Once made it keeps well in the fridge.

100gm unsalted butter
5 anchovy fillets
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp coarsely chopped rosemary
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat

Add anchovy, shallot, garlic and rosemary
and saute until shallot is soft (2-3 minutes)

Remove from heat and stir through mustard and vinegar.


If you would like to share ways in which you use your produce, please leave us a comment. Thank you Inta! I'll be sure to try the Egg option!!

While exploring on the internet yesterday my friend Pip, who is the editor for this website (Pip is a super great cook and super great at many other things too. Pip always posts the nice things that she makes and finds in her day)
Pip found a great recipe for Zucchini Pasta. I also found this recipe which tells you just what you need, incase you need to know such things.

What did you think of your boxes this week?

We also wanted to thank you for your feed back on the Pears last week. We were disappointed to hear that they weren't up to scratch as they were quite pricey. Whilst we do our best to make sure everything is top quality there are times that things might slip through. We REALLY value your feedback at these times and thank you for doing so.



Check the blog over the coming days for a few favourite recipes from our home.

Thank you once again!!
xxx
Brooke and Katrina.

Saturday 13 October 2012

1,2,3...4!

Hello there,
Week 4!! 
It's quite hard for us to believe that 4 weeks has past.
We must be having too much fun because it doesn't feel like work!
Spike and Scout are managing the finances well. We count on them!!
This weeks boxes consist of:
Oranges
Bananas
Kiwi
Pears
Kipfler Potatoes
Jap Pumpkin
Broad Beans
Mushrooms 
Corn
Fennel
Spanish Onions
Kohlrabi
And this weeks Herb of the week is Oregano.

Two ingredients in the box that might seem like an unlikely pair is Orange and Fennel.

A great recipe was passed onto me by one of my favourite Chefs Shakti.  Here it is:

My favourite way for fennel would be to slice it supper thin and make a salad with it, some orange segments and shaved Parmesan. Dress it with a light lemon, garlic vinaigrette. 

You should also have a look at Shakti and her partner Daniels website called The Forgotten Vegetable.

Another new member to the box this week was the Kohlrabi. 
I (Brooke) have never cooked with it before. But with the research that I have conducted it seems that you can enjoy it roasted with a little salt and olive oil, use the leaves in salads and you can also eat it raw! How do you like to cook with Kohlrabi? 

Also we are happy to announce that we will be delivering to Clifon Hill. If you have any friends that live in our neighbouring suburb please let them know.

Check in during the week as we will post some more recipes that we have used with our produce this week.

Happy Weekend to you all.
Also what did you think of your boxes this week? We love feedback!

xxx
Brooke and Katrina
Abbotsford Wooden Box

Sunday 7 October 2012

Cooking with Carrots

Hello There...


Today, I (brooke) decided to make a childhood favourite of mine Carrot Cake. I thought this to be the perfect treat and a great way of using this weeks Carrots.

My Mum would cook from a recipe that had been handed down and handed down, you know the type that is just right and you could never dare use another due to disappoint. Well today I found one that was just as good as my childhood memory..
I cooked Gluten Free Carrot Muffins. This recipe is for a Cake but I decided to make Muffins. They worked just as good and only took 20-25mins to cook rather than 55min ( super great if you always find it hard to wait, I sure do)
Scout and Katrina pop in, perfect timing if you ask me, and the next minute I had both Scout and Spike wanting to be held at the same time, or was it that they knew how to reach those freshly baked Carrot Muffins?!
How have you used your carrots this week? Or the other produce in the box? We would love to know!
xxx
Brooke.

Friday 5 October 2012

Week Three...Cargo Bike

Hello there...


This week has seen Brooke and Spike's Cargo Bike out and about on the streets of Abbotsford running errands.  

Katrina tried out Bertha (the name we have given the cargo) collecting boxes, getting the children from A to B and also dropping off your boxes today. 


We are really enjoying our Friday morning routiune of sipping tea and listening to PBS. Scout spends the morning with her Dad Tim until Tim heads off to work, then Scout gets dropped off to help with packing. Spike watches us while being fed his breakfast from the freest hand.

Grace is still on holidays and had the job of weighing the mushrooms and bagging up the Bay Leaves.
In the box this week:

Corn
Carrots
Mushrooms
Bok Choy
Avocado
Cauliflower
Broccoli 
Leek
Potatoes
Apples
Bananas

Oranges

Shanaka (Spike's dad) had the pleasure of dropping off most of your produce on Bertha. 

How are you enjoying your Herb of the week?
How are you enjoying the selection of Produce?

Also a thank you to Penny, Justin and Digby for there link to a recipe that they tried out last week with their cabbage. Check out the link in week twos comments.

Until next week,

Brooke, Katrina, Shanaka, Tim, Grace, Scout and Spike.
p.s our cat had kittens this week and two are looking for a home.
xxx
Abbotsford Wooden Box