Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tops and Bottoms

The first delivery from our CSA (community supported agriculture) arrived yesterday afternoon. I was giddy as I opened the box of kale, Swiss chard, radishes, pac choy, arugula, butterhead lettuce, green onions, and garlic scapes. As I prepared the Swiss chard for inclusion in a Provençal Caramelized Onion and Greens Tart (from New Vegetarian by Robin Asbell), I could not help but think of Hare's methods of tricking Bear in Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens. I love reading that story aloud. I can even do a fairly good Bear voice. Children love so many things about that book: Bear's laziness, the way the book opens like a calendar, the repetition, the clothing, and of course, Hare's ingenious way of getting more vegetables for his family and for sale.

Take a break from sorting out tops and bottoms of produce this summer and revisit that 1996 Caldecott Honor Book. And try that recipe as well. It was a keeper in our collection. For more information about CSAs, visit the website for ours: www.crazyboyfarm.com.

4 comments:

  1. my mouth is watering just imagining that tart!

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  2. That list of vegetables is beautiful sounding...so mysterious and magical to someone who is unfamiliar with those varieties!

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  3. We should have invited you for dinner, David. Tonight's kale and three cheese calzones were superb...though I didn't tell the older two what they were eating till they went back for seconds.

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  4. That would be exciting to me, too, opening that box of local presents.

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