July 25, 2021
From Our Farmers
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Fresher Together Chicago
@ FresherTogether www.freshertogether.com
Stevia, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Garlic, Swiss Chard, Bell Peppers
Bee-utiful Chicago
@bee_utifulhoney www.bee-utifulbees.com
Honey
Hinata Farms Chicago
@hinatafarms https://www.hinatafarms.com/
Japanese Eggplants, Green Shiso
B.S.R.R - Boots and Saddle Riding Ranch -Pembroke Township
Facebook only- @Bootsandsaddleridingranch
Sweet Corn, Chow Chow Relish
Never hesitate to reach out if you’re unsure what to do with things in your bag! FresherTogether @ gmail.com or text 312-88-Fresh (3-7374)
A Note from Chef Fresh about this week’s bag and Stevia …
Thank you. Thank you for your continued support. Welcome to Week 3 of this season’s Harvest Bag.
I can’t wait to hear about and see what y’all make this week. Don’t hesitate to send us pictures, or tag us on social media. Feel free to shoot over an email if you want.
This week it felt great to pull a lot of harvest from our Fresher Together Farms. One of the things we harvested first thing this (Sunday) morning was our Stevia. Our stevia is growing super abundantly. Whether you’re familiar with stevia because of the small packets places give you with your coffee or tea, or if you’ve seen the plant before this is a sweetener that needs no processing to immediately use. you can throw a leaf or two in with your hot beverage. Combine it with the tulsi and make a hot or iced tea.
Or dry your leaves and grind them to make a powder that you can use anything from drinks to desserts.
While still very sweet, this variety of stevia isn’t the same one used by commercial companies, so don’t expect it to be as intensively sweet as that one.
Fresh Stevia from Fresher Together Farms
A Note about Hinata Farms’ Green Shiso from the Farmer, Rachel Kimura
Rachel shares a few words about the shiso included in this week’s bag.
“Green shiso or "aojiso" is an aromatic herb that is often used in Japanese cuisine. You may have seen this beautiful leaf used as a garnish at your favorite sushi restaurant. It's uses are similar to Italian basil. It is delicate so I recommend that you use it fresh or add it at the end of the cooking process. Use it in salads, cold noodles, or even in pasta. And of course, it will pair well with sushi!”
A fist full of tulsi power
Tulsi- is an Ayurvedic herb also called Holy Basil. We include it pretty frequently in the Weekly bag because we love it and all the magic that comes along with it.
Use Ideas: Makes a great tea! Hot or Iced! Dry it and add it to your honey for an infused honey. Throw a little in your stir-fry or salad.
Benefits: My favorite benefits - It’s an adaptogen and helps with stress reduction. It also is a powerful anti-inflammatory.