Khichdi

Our Weekly Sale from January 12th – 18th celebrates the culinary traditions of Makar Sankranti, which is a Hindu observance and festival celebrated on January 15th this year. Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun from the zodiac of Sagittarius (dhanu) to Capricorn (makara). Since the Sun is regarded to have moved from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere on this day in the Hindu calendar, the festival is dedicated to the solar deity, Surya, and is observed to mark a new beginning. Makar Sankranti is observed across India with festivals, fairs, ceremonial swims in sacred waters, dances, kite flying, bonfires, and feasts of popular Indian foods such as this khichdi recipe, which pairs nicely with the raita recipe that you’ll also find on our blog and at the Weekly Sale display!

Egg & Avocado Sandwich

Our Weekly Sale from January 5th – 11th features everything you need to whip up this delicious sandwich, including fresh local English Muffins from La Panciata, fair trade organic avocados from Equal Exchange, and organic eggs. We happen to think it makes a perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner! 

Roasted Grapefruit with Granola & Yogurt

Ever tried roasting a grapefruit? Now’s a great time to give it a try! You’ll find organic grapefruits featured in the weekly sale from January 5th – 11th and this simple recipe will help you pull it off. The warmth and spice from the ginger elevate this citrus fruit to a new level. Paired with local Cabot yogurt, which happens to be featured in the sale, plus your favorite local granola and a drizzle of honey, you’ve got a uniquely delicious new way to enjoy some healthy breakfast staples. 

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

With a heritage claiming both French and West African roots, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and/or gumbo file powder (made from ground dried sassafras leaves), along with a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood. With so many options, every family has perfected its own treasured recipes, which leads to an impassioned debate on which one is best. Even so, gumbo does more to bring us together than divide us, as queen of Creole cuisine Chef Leah Chase said, “There’ve been a lot of problems solved in that dining room over a bowl of gumbo.” 

Our weekly sale from December 29th – January 4th celebrates the culinary traditions of Kwanzaa (which spans from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day celebrations. You’ll find Henry & Lisa’s shrimp, organic Bionaturae tomatoes, and bulk long-grain white rice featured in the sale, so it’s a perfect time to whip up a batch of this authentic shrimp and okra gumbo from the award-winning Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana! 

Hoppin’ John

The black-eyed pea was first introduced in the New World by Africans who carried the dried legume here with them from West Africa. The U.S. Library of Congress has records of its arrival as early as 1674. James Beard award-winning chef and cookbook author Edna Lewis, known as the First Lady of Southern Cooking, shares in her timeless cookbook In Pursuit of Flavor that in her home state of Virginia, Southern farmers planted them in abundance to supply nitrogen to the soil between cash crops. Before the plants were tilled in, farmers welcomed anyone to go out and pick the peas. Lewis remembers her family storing the dried pods in cotton sacks until “on a cold winter afternoon when there was nothing better to do, we would shell the peas.” Because of its significance in African foodways, dishes with black-eyed peas are commonly made for feast days and other special occasions among members of the African Diaspora, most notably on New Year’s Day to bring good fortune and prosperity, and during Kwanzaa, a celebration of African heritage which runs from December 26th – January 1st. Because Kwanzaa is a nod to harvest celebrations in Africa, when communities honor crops and laborers, food plays an important role — particularly soul-food staples like Hoppin’ John. You’ll find black-eyed peas and rice featured in our Weekly Sale from December 29th – January 4th, so it’s a great time to give this dish a try!

Hoppin’ John

The black-eyed pea was first introduced in the New World by Africans who carried the dried legume here with them from West Africa. The U.S. Library of Congress has records of its arrival as early as 1674. James Beard award-winning chef and cookbook author Edna Lewis, known as the First Lady of Southern Cooking, shares in her timeless cookbook In Pursuit of Flavor that in her home state of Virginia, Southern farmers planted them in abundance to supply nitrogen to the soil between cash crops. Before the plants were tilled in, farmers welcomed anyone to go out and pick the peas. Lewis remembers her family storing the dried pods in cotton sacks until “on a cold winter afternoon when there was nothing better to do, we would shell the peas.” Because of its significance in African foodways, dishes with black-eyed peas are commonly made for feast days and other special occasions among members of the African Diaspora, most notably on New Year’s Day to bring good fortune and prosperity, and during Kwanzaa, a celebration of African heritage which runs from December 26th – January 1st. Because Kwanzaa is a nod to harvest celebrations in Africa, when communities honor crops and laborers, food plays an important role — particularly soul-food staples like Hoppin’ John. You’ll find black-eyed peas and rice featured in our Weekly Sale from December 29th – January 4th, so it’s a great time to give this dish a try!

Egg & Avocado Sandwich

Our Weekly Sale from January 4th – 10th inspires this delicious sandwich, including fresh local English Muffins from La Panciata, fair trade organic avocados from Equal Exchange, and organic eggs. We happen to think it makes a perfect breakfast, lunch, or even dinner! 

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

With a heritage claiming both French and West African roots, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and/or gumbo file powder (made from ground dried sassafras leaves), along with a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood. With so many options, every family has perfected its own treasured recipes, which leads to an impassioned debate on which one is best. Even so, gumbo does more to bring us together than divide us, as queen of Creole cuisine Chef Leah Chase said, “There’ve been a lot of problems solved in that dining room over a bowl of gumbo.” 

Our weekly sale from December 29th – January 4th celebrates the culinary traditions of Kwanzaa (which spans from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day celebrations. You’ll find Henry & Lisa’s shrimp, organic Bionaturae tomatoes, and bulk long-grain white rice featured in the sale, so it’s a perfect time to whip up a batch of this authentic shrimp and okra gumbo from the award-winning Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana! 

Citrus & Arugula Salad

This bright, fresh winter salad highlights the fact that most citrus fruits ripen to their sweetest and juiciest during the North American winter. Our weekly sale from December 22nd-28th features organic Navel oranges and we typically receive our first shipment of ripe blood oranges in late December. If you can’t find blood oranges, feel free to use any combination of citrus fruits. 

Classic Hanukkah Brisket

Planning a Hanukkah feast? Thousand Hills grass-fed beef brisket and local, organic carrots are featured in our weekly sale from December 15th – 21st and we think you’ll love this classic Hanukkah brisket recipe that pulls them together into a celebratory meal!