Our CSA {community supported agriculture} has arrived!

Bella's Agricola Artisan CSA  {community supported agriculture} by Bella Cucina  Artful Food

Agricola: pronounced a-gree-co-la

Translation from Italian:  agriculture- farm- organic farm 

{What makes Bella's Agricola Artisan CSA  unique?}

1. It expands the idea of CSA to include a wider range of artisan –made products, both locally + regionally as well as including other items that will enhance the experience of both cooking and eating.

2. We love our local farmers! Each week we will feature produce from a local farmer. We tell the story about their farm and what makes them special and unique in their “field”.

3. We’ll highlight hard-to-find and familiar hand-crafted goods from local + regional producers we love, including our own award-winning artisan-made Bella Cucina products.

4. Recipes featuring the ingredients included will teach you how to quickly and simply put together absolutely scrumptious meals all week long. Some condiments will carry you through the coming weeks.

AND

5. A special non-food surprise will be in your box every week. It’s all about creating an artful, easy- to- use and unique CSA experience.

{In addition to seasonally harvested produce, some of the assorted items in the weekly subscription might include: }

• Farm fresh eggs
• Artisan cheeses  
• Local honey
• freshly milled polenta
• Estate grown olives + pressed olive oil
• handcreams, bath salts, soaps
• jams and syrups
• hand-crafted sweets
• freshly made pesto, pasta sauces, and other ready to eat foods made with local ingredients
• Hand-made pasta  
• Garden flowers
• Bunches of herbs

Program Dates:

June, July & August

First pick- up date is Thursday, June 3, 2010.

Subscription details:

Pick -up  your CSA box every Thursday from 12pm -7pm at the Bella Cucina retail store in Virginia Highlands @ Virginia + Highlands Avenue across from Highland Hardware.

There are a limited number of subscriptions being offered. First come, first serve.

We are offering an advance opportunity to our loyal friends + fans first. 

{Sign up begins May 3 to the general public.}

Payment may by Credit Card to guarantee your subscription confirmation:
email bella@bellacucina.com to reserve your subscription now. We will send you a secure payment invoice.  


PLEASE NOTE:

• Due to the hand-crafted nature of this subscription program, we cannot offer refunds or extensions on missed weeks .  Should you need to miss a week of your subscription, we can offer store credit equal to $75.00.  A two week advance notice is required.
• Availability and diversity of ingredients will  depend on the “nature”of the season’s bounty.  Substitutions and changes may be necessary, but we will always do our best to provide you with the quality and variety you expect.

Buon appetito!

copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Backyard farmer's market

I didn't have to go far today to create a farmer's market feast this Saturday. Our garden is not big, but it produces some delicious little jewels seasonally that we relish with delight!

Fresh figs have been blossoming for the last two weeks and we have been enjoy their short-lived bounty. Our dog, Kiva, have also enjoyed them! She loves to stand by the tree and nibble off large bites of low hanging fruit until she has had her fill.
The black missions have already come and gone, and now we are enjoying the Celestes, a larger, more fleshy variety.


Butternut squash is just ripening now. It is one of my favorite fillings for ravioli or simply baked and scooped out and mashed with sweet cream butter and a drizzle of chestnut honey.


Nestled in soft grass, as if sleeping in hibernation until ready and ripe.


And the basil is full and flowering all summer long, but never quite happy until the tomatoes arrive.
We planted tomatoes late this year and only the smaller, golden and red sweet 100's variety, one of my favorites.


We barely have enough to create entire salads at a time, so I often nibble on them as they ripen, a delicious warm summer snack.



Arugula is always abundant, we just have to pick it while it is still small and not too spicy hot or thick and leafy from the searing summer sun.

But nothing beats the abundance of the farmer's market. Grab a basket and see what's growing in your neighborhood this week!

Smith made my fig jam recipe from last year {hard to believe, already!}. Every year it changes, depending on what kind of liquor we have around the house. This year, we made it with a splash of Lillet red, one of my favorite Italian aperitivos.
Here is another one of my favorite recipes, especially good when cooked over a hardwood grill.

GRILLED FIG LEAF WRAPPED CHEESE, CHESTNUT HONEY GLAZED FIGS AND MARCONA ALMONDS
8 figs, cut in half
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil
salt and pepper
1- 6 oz. . piece of haloumi cheese, drained on paper towels. {A salty, briney Greek cheese found in the specialty section}
1- 6 oz. jar olive pesto
½ cup Spanish Marcona almonds {I like these fatty variety because they are packed with flavor, but you can use regular almonds too}.
crusty Italian bread, like a fennel and sultana raisin

To grill figs:
Gently toss figs with olive oil and season lightly with kosher salt and pepper.
Place figs cut side down on grill over low flame and cook just until soft and almost jam like , about 3minutes . Remove to platter. Drizzle with chestnut honey.

Place cheese in center of two overlapping fig or grape leaves. Spoon olive pesto in middle. Wrap leaves around to cover and secure with two soaked skewers in criss coss fashion. Grill over med high flame on both sides until leaves are crisp and cheese begins to soften and melt. Place on platter and to top with squeeze juice of ½ of lemon.

To assemble cheese platter:
On large platter, place figs to one side. Open up leavesto expose the cheese. Sprinkle a mound of almonds between the cheese and figs . Serve with toasted flatbread.


Buon appetito!
copyright 2008 Alisa Barry

Campo de Fiori

One of my favorite places in Rome is a petite piazza nestled in a not so quiet corner of the city. If you didn't know it was there, you might only stumble upon it by accident on your way to the nearby Pantheon or Piazza Navona.



Campo de fiori {field of flowers} is probably best known for its bustling neighborhood food market. Vendors set up just after daybreak and settle in until early afternoon to sell beautifully displayed fruits and vegetables.











Vendors sit at the back of their stall shelling peas, trimming artichokes or chopping vegetable ends for a savory minestrone starter. It is an ingenious way to use well any idle time, unfazed, as the crowds of both curious tourists and serious neighborhood shoppers mill about.



Next time I visit, I plan to stay at least a few days and find an apartment where I can cook these delectable ingredients. For now, I am content to savor with my eyes.....a place at the nearest trattoria is my next and necessary stop.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2008 Alisa Barry