hi, farmy friends
Here’s hoping you and yours are healthy, happy and celebrating the little things of late (like a trip to Farm Gate each Sunday!).
how to roast a goose…
As well as the usual porky products, for this Sunday only Long Name Farm will have a small number of free-range geese, ready to roast, from their farm in Little Swanport. You’ll have to chat to Phil on the day about exactly how to prepare your poultry, because the size of the bird will affect your cooking time. Goose is a dark, full flavoured meat, more similar to duck than chicken, and if you’re unfamiliar with how to cook with it, a bit of research pays off. Try here or here. Some recipes suggest dry brining it in salt overnight in the fridge (which will season and tenderise it and help to crisp up the skin). Remember, a goose is covered in a wonderful layer of fat that renders as you cook it so get yourself some potatoes and pop them in the roasting pan for the last hour of cooking for the best spuds you’ll have in your life.
spuds, young garlic + endive
Speaking of spuds, this will be Home Farm Products’ last market of the season, so you can find you potatoes (and swedes) from Chris and say farewell, too. Thanks for a fantastic season, Chris + Michelle, and for your support for Farmy and the Drive-Thru over the last few months.
It’s also nearly the end of last season’s garlic stock – most of our producers will be running out over the next few weeks. This does mean, however, that spring garlic is on the way! Koonya Organics (Dr Garlic) has a small amount of heirloom ‘Creole’ garlic bulbs, but also sprigs of fresh new (immature) garlic stems for a bit of a stop gap. These are lighter in garlicky punch, but a wonderful addition to your culinary repertoire. Geoff will also be peddling the last of the oca (yams), purple congo potatoes, warrigal and saag (mustard) greens and his array of garlic products. Try the honey fermented garlic: use in cooking, sip the honey in a throat-soothing tea or crunch the bulbs whole for an immune boosting mega hit (not for the faint hearted!).
You can find fresh endive at Sirocco South’s stall this Sunday! Mic says it’s “a delicious Italian winter green, sharp, a little bitter. Have it fresh in a salad or blanch it and dress with olive oil and vinegar! Only a small amount so get in early.” He’s also been cooking wild rabbit with figs and spices as well as his usual collection of fresh pasta, gnocchi, gnudi, take-and-bake meals and mushroom pate.
See you Sunday x
fermentation month
We’re joining Fermentasmania and our friends at Harvest Market in celebrating all things fermented this month. Keep an eye out on our social media pages for posts that sing the praises of the local array of microorganisms transforming so many of the things we eat every day. This week, we’re featuring ‘fruit’! So start thinking wine, cider, olives, kombucha and more.
If you’d like to learn more about Fermentasmania (a not-for-profit, industry-led cluster of folks who are out to accelerate innovation, growth and collaboration for local Tasmanian fermentation-based enterprises) head to their website: www.fermentasmania.com
