Wicked Good! by Melinda

Brown Butter Tomatoes (source)

I seem to be hung up on this decadent combo of tomatoes and butter. The source of this wonderful and easy recipe is "Food 52," the crowd-sourced recipe and food blog we follow on this blog (click here). Amanda, one of the principals in the endeavor, notes that the tomatoes must be sliced 1/3rd-inch thick, not 1/4 or 1/2!!!!  This serves 4 as an appetizer or two as a light meal. By the way, this will not work by substituting oil for butter--browned oil is completely unhealthy, carcinogenic!

Brown Butter Tomatoes

• 2 large or 3 small, ripe, beefsteak-type tomatoes (our heirlooms would be great!)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• Flaky sea salt, like Maldon
• coarsely ground black pepper
• baguette or other country bread, for mopping up the butter (try some of Jerry Sheehan's bread!)

Core the tomatoes & slice them 1/3rd-inch thick. Divide slices among 4 plates [or 2], overlapping them just a little. Put butter in small, heavy-bottomed saucepan & set on medium-low heat. Let the butter melt completely; it will begin bubbling. Let the butter simmer away, cooking off its water, until it begins to smell nutty and brown. Swirl the pan every 30 seconds or so. When the butter turns the color of a hazelnut, remove it from the heat. Use a soup spoon to ladle it over the tomatoes. They'll sizzle! You want to dress the tomatoes with the butter generously! Season the tomatoes with salt & pepper, then rush the plates to the table so everyone can taste them while the butter is still hot! Mop up the butter and tomato juices with good bread. Toast to summer!  (recipe source)

PESTO FESTO, by Joanne

Our New Baker, Jerry Sheehan, by Melinda

Wow, have we got a great addition to our off-farm offerings this year--fresh-baked, artisanal breads made as much as possible from locally sourced, organic ingredients.  Their estimable baker is Jerry Sheehan, who will be offering samples at the Open House and Plant Sale (see here) on May 11th, and then selling to us through the season.

Wheat harvest, Tacuinum Sanitatis, 1400s

Among Jerry's offerings are French baguettes, Raisin-Walnut Whole Wheat bread, Bavarian pretzels, NY deli-style rye bread (using whole dark rye flour), peasant bread (whole wheat & whole rye with sourdough), French country white (with sesame seeds and sourdough), Italian focaccia and ciabatta (oh, be still my beating heart!), American-style pullman sandwich loaves (with whole wheat & organic honey), and organic 8-grain pullman sandwich loaves. (For the origin of pullman bread, click here.)

The top-of-the-line ingredients Jerry uses include a range of flours from King Arthur Flour, a Vermont-based company founded in 1790--see here for more about King Arthur products and issues of social and environmental responsibility.

Annville Mill, Lebanon Co., PA,Daisy Organic Flours

As well, Jerry sources more locally from Daisy Organic Flours in Lebanon County, just north of Lancaster, producer of 100% organic wheat, spelt, and all-purpose whole wheat flours. Daisy Flours' Annville Mill dates back to earlier than 1740 and is the oldest continually running flour mill in the U.S.  Back in those days, Pennsylvania was one of the country's breadbaskets, an identity that was eventually undermined by the completion of the Erie Canal, which made it cheaper to buy grains from the midwest and ship them back east.  Daisy Flour and its Annville Mill are among the shining exceptions to that corporatized, "bottom-line" mentality. For Daisy Organic Flours, see here.  For the history of the Annville Mill, click here.

Among Jerry's other ingredients are organic Montana-grown rye berries milled here, organic raw honey from Lancaster County, and grey sea salt from France.  All of his sourdough breads use sourdough starter that Jerry cultivates, while a straight dry yeast is used in the baguettes, ciabatta, and focaccia breads.

Jerry's own background is fascinating. He grew up in Delaware County; studied at St. Joe's; lived & worked in Germany for three years; traveled extensively in Germany, Spain, France, England, & Ireland;  & lived & worked in Mexico for almost three years. During much of this time he was in international accounting and finance. Then, about 4 years ago, he had an epiphany, taking up the creation of Euro-style artisanal breads and American rustic desserts like deep-dish apple pie. Jerry's altogether a Renaissance man, and we're lucky to have him as our baker. We can't *wait* to taste some of these scrumptious-sounding breads!

Red Hill Farm Open House & Plant Sale, by Joanne

Flyer by Joanne

We're having our annual Open House and Plant Sale--all are welcome--on Saturday, May 11th, from 1 pm to 4, rain or shine!  This is your opportunity to become acquainted with all the aspects of the farm, as well as meet Farm Manager Angela and other farmers and staff (our beekeeper and our Purple Martin consultant), sample our off-farm products and meet the vendors, and discover the latest addition to our offerings, artisanal breads made from locally grown grains by Jerry Sheehan (see the post just above this one for more information on the breads and their maker).

We will have well marked parking areas for the event--just follow the signs on South Convent Road; you'll be parking across the street from the main convent, then walking from there over to the farm (not a long walk).

If you plan on attending (these are always a lot of fun!), please RSVP by calling or emailing Joanne Rosenbaum, our events coordinator (610-558-5396 or Jrosenbaum@osfphila.org).  See you there!  Buy a few organic plants (or a lot!) for your home garden, or as a nice Mother's Day gift!