Week of January 16th, 2012

In This Week’s Box

[box_list]

• Navel Oranges, Fuerte Avocados, Olsen Organic Farm, Lindsey, CA
• Navel Oranges (larger type) Purity Organic, Kerman, CA
• Meyer Lemons, Frog Hollow Farm, Brentwood, CA
• Algerian Clementine’s, Satsuma’s, Abounding Harvest, Los Gatos, CA
• Kiwis, Chiechi Farms, Gridley, CA
• Pink Lady Apples, Cuyama, New Cuyama, CA

From Farmer Al

Dear CSA Members–

On Friday we began spreading fungal dominant compost in our Golden Sweet apricot orchard. The theory (and hope!) is that by changing the biology of the soil, we will ‘bio-remediate’ the brown rot fungus problem, shifting the ‘balance of power’ from the bad microbes (Brown Rot) to the healthy microbes!

If successful, we may never have another apricot failure again. Furthermore, we’ll be using materials mostly from our own farm to provide fertility and disease control, while providing more work for our own workers.

All this keeps dollars local, helping to rebuild the local economy and changing the ecosystem one million microbes at a time.

Fanatically Fungal,

Gluten-Free Coconut Cupcakes with Chopped Pears–
From Andrea Boje, CSA Member and creator of The Holistic Chef http://theholisticchef.blogspot.com/

Everyone says they don’t like coconut, until they try this cake.  It tastes so fresh and real, not like the fake coconut flavoring they are used to. This recipe uses gluten free flours, and you won’t even know it isn’t a regular cake.  I had a lot of pears around, so I added them and loved the combination! I hope some of you have pears left over from last week!

2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 ½ cups gluten free flour mix (see note below)
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup oil, canola or grape-seed
1 cup coconut milk, (Thai Kitchen is a good brand)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
½ cup dried coconut, finely shredded
½ to ¾ cup pears, chopped small

Preheat oven to 350o.  Place cupcake liners in a 12 capacity muffin tin. Place sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer (or a large bowl). Beat at medium speed until well mixed and fluffy.  In a medium bowl mix flours together with salt, baking powder and xanthan gum.  Add flour mix to the bowl and beat for another minute. Add oil, coconut milk and extracts and continue to beat for another minute, scraping the sides as needed. Gently fold in shredded coconut and pears.

Pour batter evenly among cupcake liners and bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or tops are lightly brown and a toothpick placed into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Gluten Free Flour Mix:
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup sorghum flour
½ cup potato starch
½ cup tapioca starch