A shrub has many definitions. A nickname for a former president, a woody plant smaller than a tree and most importantly, a vinegar-based drink made at Bloomfield Farms. "Drinking vinegars" aka shrubs have recently got some attention from mixologists and chefs who use them in diluted forms to create refreshing drinks. Our version is a base of feijoa and apple cider vinegar with some basil, kaffir lime, mountain mint cane sugar. The syrup will last up to four months in the refrigerator after it's opened and it mellows with time. The key is shake it up before using and to dilute it with sparkling water or a prosecco and lemon slice for a start then you can experiment with vodka or other favorite alcohols.
The box delivery this week includes a small bottle of feijoa shrub, Bloomfield pesto ( add your own cheese), a bottle of lacto- fermented pickles of kohlrabi, carrots, daikon, coriander seeds collected from our own plants and chili. We also have collards greens, micro mix, onions, herbs ( rosemary , thyme, magoram, and oregano).
Lacto fermentation: a phenomenon that allowed people to preserve foods for extended periods of time before the advent of refrigeration or canning. It involves a simple mixture of salt and water to form an acid, which acts as a preservative. The simplest form of lacto fermentation is the venerable pickle.
Recipe for a New Year
A wonderful way to use your pesto is to eat it with fresh Dungeness crab. To cook a crab and clean it- see this "Intructables" or just buy precooked crab. Then get some good quality linguine —my favorite "Rustichella d'Abruzzo"— cook al' dente and mix in your pesto. This bottle does not have cheese already added so add your own top quality parmesan. Serve the pasta as a side dish to your cracked crab or add crab picked from the shells and mix it in the hot pasta. Making pasta is a great way to extent the crab and it adds a wonderfully rich flavor. Another option is to make a dip for the crab with the pesto. Just heat up the pesto with a little olive oil and use it as a condiment.