How Do We Plan Our Meals? Sometimes We Don't July 28 2016

It's 9:19pm and I'm writing the newsletter after a lovely but busy day of folks picking up meals, buying extras, and chatting in Broomfield.

Customers often ask us what's on the next menu. Tonight is one example of why we don't always know the answer. Originally we were not going offer Kohlrabi Slaw this week. We were going to have a Salvadoran pickled salad called curtido. 

While we are more able to plan proteins in advance, we always guess on our veggies based on what was available most recently, how the weather is, and our and farmers' best predictions for what's coming.

Isabelle Farms had cabbage this week to feature, perfect for curtido. But because of the busy day and the fact that we don't order from them weekly, I totally spaced their 6:00pm order deadline for delivery this weekend. (You all aren't the only ones that forget to order).

I didn't notice until I arrived home after 8pm.  And I'm like s**t. Well, no local cabbage for us this week. Then I see the email with Red Wagon Farm availability arrived around 7:30pm, and they do not have summer squash this week as they have the last two weeks (and no cabbage).  There goes our Summer Squash Soup with Salsa Verde plan for this menu!

BUT, kohlrabi is back on the Red Wagon list!  So, Curtido has turned to Kohrabi Slaw this week, and your Summer Squash Soup is now Honey Mustard Rainbow Carrots (also from Red Wagon).  And we'll be starting to pickle beets, which are on strong, instead of the cukes I missed the deadline to order.

We were also going to have this week's kohrabi dish a couple weeks ago, but were surprised then when kohlrabi was taken off the availability list unexpectedly. That ended up being your Fresh Carrot Salad. We're glad kohlrabi is back.

Confused? Yeah. Sometimes it feels like we, or I, am a bit crazy to do this last minute menu shuffle. But this level of flexibility is what allows us to use the most of the amazing, super fresh food grown by our talented farmer friends.  

And crazy can be fun. Local farmers harvest to order, so we also have to guess on quantities and order ahead, unlike with non-local food distributors.  We do like a challenge, and this business is never boring.

This week's last minute menu changes also negated my planned newsletter topic...so I hope you enjoy this glimpse into our inner workings. Adaptability.

And I highly recommend you try the Kohlrabi Slaw! Kohrabi is amazing and if you like broccoli, cabbage, and kale, you'll like this.  It's like a tender, sweet, mild broccoli stem. We're pairing it with fresh oregano, a tangy dressing and optional feta cheese. It will be super fresh. And you never know when it'll be available again ;).