Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Weekend Trip: Farm Fresh in November


Fresh produce for dinner in November is always a treat this time of the year.

For my four days off during Thanksgiving, I paid a surprise visit to my friends Mike and Jan Kokas of Upstate Farms two hours away from NYC in Tivoli, NY in the Hudson Valley.  With such fertile rich soil; they have been one of our purveyors for many years. Upstate Farms supplies quality produce to fine restaurants such as Eleven Madison and Daniel NYC.


 
Picking Tokoyo Turnips




For part of our dinner, we had snappy rapini (or baby broccoli rabe); tokyo turnips simply seared on a high flame for 3 minutes with shallots and garlic; and a heavenly assorted salad of red oak, baby romaine and wild arugula to end the dinner.


Tokoyo Turnip Stir-fry


 I’m glad I had a chance to visit before the cold sets in.  I am looking forward to visiting again in the summer where I will get to pick everything from the tastiest champagne grapes to delicate mesclun greens.

  

Greens in November!