From Our Winter Root Cellar

We apologize for running out of some of our winter storage root vegetables a little early this year. Please check the (MONTH) beside each root on our Now Available list before you put items on your menus. Or better yet, give us a call for our most up-to-date guesstimate.

The perfectly balanced flavour of Japanese Red Carrots is considered by many to be ichiban (number one). I am sure you too will agree. The rich flavour of beautiful heirloom Afghan Purple Carrots is memorable indeed. From the ancient Roman cuisine come delicate White Carrots. Slavic Yellow Carrots are another fine variation of our heritage carrots. And the newest carrot on our list is the French 17^th century Orange Nantes Carrots. For colourful preparations consider presenting our rainbow of carrots as a local alternative for imported winter peppers. Parsley Roots are the carrots’ close cousin. Use them in much the same way.

Golden Beets have a mellow flavour – even loved by “beet haters”. A lot of this is not so much due to their colour, but that we grow all our vegetables in exceptionally healthy soil. Candy Cane Beets look beautiful and taste great pickled in a marinade. You can quickly cook them to maintain their unique red and white stripes; or cook them longer for a handsome light red colour. Red Cylinder Beets can be cut length-wise for mysterious deep red strips; or quickly cut cross-wise into even slices.

Our new Japanese Turnips are the totally delicious carrot-shaped heirloom Hinona Kabu. Cousins to turnips, are our selection of winter radishes. Green Flesh and Black Icicle Radishes are two stunning accompaniments in colourful winter salads, gorgeous garnishes, quick pickles, or amazing grilled vegetables.

Waxy and luscious Fingerling Potatoes are deservedly our most popular waxy potato. Starchy Ratte Potatoes are ready to absorb rich sauces and drippings. Ask for large ones to prepare classic mashed potatoes. Stunning and luscious Black Fingerling Potatoes maintain their colour and texture. Maybe consider them as a garnish. Blue Potatoes are pale blue when freshly cooked; then turn a stunning royal blue after a few hours in the fridge. Fuseau Artichokes are not cousins of potatoes, but you can use them in many of the same preparations. These smooth skinned beauties are very easy to clean and peel. Being free of knobs makes them easy to slice for luscious chips. Crosnes (Baby Artichokes) are stunning little morsels which are more a garnish than a vegetable. Serve them raw or quickly sautéed.

And From Our Spring Greenhouses

Baby Salad Greens continue to be our main winter greenhouse crop. Please keep praying for lots of sunshine so our plants can keep up with your continuing orders for our pride and joy!

Our new Seedling Salad provides a delicious alternative to leafy salads. A little can go a very long way. Alternatively, all our seedlings are available as single varieties.

Now that the sun has some heat, our Edible Flower Mix and Edible Flower Petals are blooming prolifically. What happier garnish for Easter and Spring presentations is there? Also consider our Mixed Garnishing Leaves which are a blend of attractive and luscious herbs.

Coming Soon from the Greenhouses are springtime French Breakfast Radishes. Of course you don’t have to limit yourself to enjoying these gems only for breakfast. They look oh so elegant when presented with their fresh green leaves attached. Easter Egg Radishes are not intricately painted, but they do come in an assortment of pastel pinks and purples along with various hues of red and white. Fresh Red Icicle Radishes will return soon. And Baby White Turnips with delightfully delectable spring-time green leaves will be with us soon.

A time to anticipate

Delicacies from Our Cold Root Cellar

    It may be spring in our greenhouses, but as far as the garden is concerned, winter is really still here! It is still a good time to savor some of the elegant roots of winter:
White Salsify has a refined oyster-like muskiness so beloved by French diners it is often served on a plate of its own. Leeks are usually a base ingredient. But our Long White Leeks (Titan) are so rich and creamy they also can be served alone. (We take great care in hilling them so we can assure you there will be no dirt inside – opening up the opportunity to serve them in full ring slices!) Another delicious delicacy that easily stands on its own is our small Parsley Root. Think “white carrots”.    The tiny spirals of Crosnes make an absolutely charming garnishing vegetable. (But they also have a nutty artichoke flavour completely belying their origins in the mint family). A little known root, (likely because it is so tricky to grow) is the Tuberous Chervil Root. Its delicate licorice notes are superb as a puree. To lower your labour costs, make generous use of our large and easy to clean, peel and slice (i.e. knob-free) Jerusalem Artichokes. And don’t forget our true Turnips – another great delicacy (when not overcooked). To assist with your presentations we have them in Red, Amber and White.
   For a bit of spice Red Valentine Radishes, Green Flesh Radishes, Black Icicle Radishes and Red Icicle Radishes are all lovely accompaniments in colourful winter salads, stunning garnishes, quick pickles, or amazing grilled vegetables. For drama, our white-tipped French Breakfast Radish and purple-pink Easter Egg Radish, both with attached crisp, green leaves are indeed a herald of Spring.
   Gold Beets, Candy Cane Beets, White Beets and Red Cylinder Beets sorted to your choice of size are rich and sweet with beautifully intense colours. Consider baking, then marinating them while still hot in vinaigrette as an alternative to off-season winter tomatoes.      Red Carrots, Purple Carrots, Yellow Carrots, White Carrots, and Orange Nantes Carrots are at their luscious best (raw or cooked) at this time of year. Consider using them as a local, seasonal alternative for your coloured pepper presentations.
   Now that the Aitkens fad has faded, memorable potatoes can be welcomed back to your menus. Our long-time flavorful stars (even sans butter and salt) are the waxy Fingerling, the starchy La Ratte, the red-skinned Roseval, and the intense All Blue Potatoes.

From Our New “Cool Room”
   The usefully small Winter Nugget Squash is ready for your cold weather menus. They give a smile when sliced and grilled; or filled with soup or a stuffing. (For easier slicing, first soften the skin with a quick blanch – last summer’s heat cured their skins a bit too hard.) So if you get one too hard to safely cut open, just ask for a no-charge replacement.
   Fresh tomatoes are in fact coming up in the greenhouse nursery. But last summer’s sunny heat provided a great supply of our Sun-Dried Tomatoes and our famous apple/cherry wood Smoke-Dried Tomatoes. They add zip to everything – so keep some on hand in your culinary “first aid kit”.

And from Our Sunny Warm Greenhouses

Our ever-popular Baby Salad Greens are still tender and sweet with about 35 fascinating ingredients. (If your guests need a Guide while they enjoy them, ask for a copy of our Watercolour Poster.) Other tasteful salad leaves are winter Claytonia, Fava Bean Leaves, mixed Baby Arugulas, and mixed Baby Cresses. For dramatic colour Edible Flowers, and Edible Petals are exceptional. (Supplies are happily returning!)
And do not forget the stunning presentations, tastes and aromas you can obtain from just a splash of our beautiful Garnishing Leaves. Chervil Leaves and Green Garlic are at their peaks. Large Lemon Verbena is a sure winner for flavoring sauces, custards and ice creams.

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Cookstown Greens, 6321 Line 9 RR#3, Thornton, Ontario L0L 2N0 Canada • Tel: (705) 458-9077 • Fax: (705) 458-1707

• Web: cookstowngreens.com • Email: info@cookstowngreens.com