Why buy local?

Let’s celebrate National Veggie day on June 16th! Actually, let’s celebrate veggies all the time.

With the help of some of our local farmers, we can do exactly that. We at the Turnip Truck are very proud to prioritize supporting local farms, and happy to tell you why we love buying local. It’s great that our locally-grown veggies are as fresh as can be, but it’s more than that!

BUYING LOCAL:

  • Invests in community economy – sustainable agriculture, healthier communities, and strong local economies are some of the benefits in spending our dollars locally
  • Builds and scaffolds community – when small local businesses get together, our community thrives!
  • Creates the system we want – buying local is a reflection of our values to be transparent, support our farms and workers, and be kind to the planet

In honor of National Veggie Day, here are some of the local offerings in our produce section and the local farms they come from:

Fresh herbs, sprouts, wheatgrass, and kale from Bloomsbury Farm

Greens and summer squash from Delvin Farms

Greens and fresh flowers from Green Door Gourmet

Butter lettuce and lettuce blends from Greener Roots Farm

Corn is aMAIZEing

Eating a non-GMO diet helps promote efficient organ functions, gastrointestinal and reproductive health, and uncontaminated food. They also foster eco-friendly practices as well by promoting biodiversity and sustainability.

One of the crops most susceptible to bad chemicals like Roundup is corn, which is why it’s so important to only eat non-GMO corn.

Corn is a really important aspect of our daily lives. 90% of corn is grown for animal feed and biofuel, while the other 10% is grown for consumption as a vegetable (sweet corn), as a grain, or as an additive. To easily spot whether or not the corn in your favorite products is non-GMO, look for the Non-GMO Project seal. To learn more about the Non-GMO Project, go to https://www.nongmoproject.org/.

Sweet corn is what we eat as a vegetable, on or off the cob. Corn on the cob is a fun, inexpensive, and healthful delight – just be sure to eat non-GMO!

In honor of National Corn on the Cob day, June 11th, come see us at the Turnip Truck for a great deal on non-GMO, loose, bi-color corn – six ears for just $3! Corn on the cob is so versatile, and easy to make for yourself or for a crowd. What’s your favorite way to eat corn on the cob? We are having a hard time deciding, so here are a few of the best ways we can think of to eat corn on the cob:

Grilled, with a little butter

Elote style

Sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar

Cooked, brushed with olive oil and rolled in chopped herbs

Roasted and coated in Old Bay and garlic compound butter

 

Honestly, raw corn on the cob is really good, but here’s how to cook it:

Remove husks from corn just before cooking. Remove as much of the fine silky thread as you can by running your hands over the cobs and pulling them out. A wet paper towel will remove the rest.

To boil: The trick to cooking fresh corn is to not overcook it. Bring a large pot (a 6-quart stock pot will fit 4 to 5 large ears) full of water to a boil. Add the corn. When the water boils again, which will take a few minutes, the corn will be cooked but still crisp. If you want the kernels softer, let it boil for another three minutes or so. Some people add sugar to the water, but you should not add salt. It will make the corn tough.

To grill: Heat grill to medium. Grill corn, turning occasionally until all sides are charred and kernels are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. If you want to grill in the husks, you’ll need to peel the papery layers back, remove silks and then return husks to original position. Soak corn in water for about 15 minutes to prevent the husks from burning on the grill and to allow corn to steam a bit.

To roast: Corn on the cob can be roasted in the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees in or out of the husk. When the corn is in the husk, use the same technique for roasting as you do for grilling, placing the ears directly on the oven rack grate. If you remove the husk, place the ears on a baking sheet and turn them a couple of times during cooking. Corn without the husks can also be wrapped in foil before roasting. This is an especially good technique if you spread with flavored butter first.

Keep it Cheesy

June 4th is National Cheese day, and it’s one of our favorite days to celebrate. We love cheese. This year, we are very excited to offer our rotating selection of the best artisan, local, or imported cheeses.

While we are pretty stoked on all of the cheese we sell in our store, some of our absolute favorites come from the Point Reyes Creamery. Point Reyes is a family farm in the San Francisco Bay Area, and their whole cheese-making process from cows to aging happens right on their farm. We’re proud to carry several of their crowd-pleasing varieties, because these cheeses are absolutely delicious, and we think you’ll like them too!

While we can only stock according to the farm’s availability, we like to have at least a couple kinds of Point Reyes’ award-winning cheeses in our cheese case. Right now, we have Point Reyes bleu cheese, Bay Blue, and their versatile table cheese, Toma.

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For an elegant, summer dinner without having to turn your stove on, make a mini cheese plate, all supplies available at your local Turnip Truck!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Small-medium hunk of Point Reyes Bay Blue
Medium-large hunk of Point Reyes Toma
Thinly cut Olli Salami
Halved red grapes
Turnip Truck house-made Baguette, sliced on the bias
Dalmatia Fig Spread

Arrange on a cheese board or serving plate and dig in! We think cheese plates are fun because there are no rules and endless combinations, so get creative. Don’t forget the cheese knife and a little spoon for the fig spread.

To complete the meal, pair your Point Reyes Toma with Blue Quail Organic Pinot Noir and the Bay Blue with Predator Old Vine Zinfandel.

Come in to the Turnip Truck on National Cheese Day (June 4) to celebrate the greatness that is cheese, sample our Point Reyes Creamery offerings, scope out our other cheesy specials, and pick up cheese plate necessities!

Winner, Winner!

June 2 is National Rotisserie Chicken Day! We love the versatility, convenience, and value of the rotisserie chicken. While there’s definitely no shame in just eating it right off the bone, there are countless ways to dress up a rotisserie chicken for an inexpensive, easy, and healthful dinner.

The Turnip Truck sells antibiotic-free, hormone-free, humanely-raised rotisserie chickens sourced from FreeBird. Choosing ethically-raised and antibiotic-free chickens like the ones from FreeBird can have many benefits! Consuming poultry that has been treated with growth-promoting antibiotics can weaken our body’s ability to use antibiotics when we need them, and chickens that are raised in a stress-free environment definitely taste better! To learn more about FreeBird, visit their website here.

Turnip Truck rotisserie chickens are the most convenient part of a great dinner, but there’s no need to get stuck in a rut! We thought it would be fun to ask some Turnip Truckers their favorite way to use a rotisserie chicken. Let these fun ideas inspire your dinner tonight! Also, we love talking about food.

Our Gulch store Director, Robin, and Associate Director, Bert, both like to make a good chicken sandwich! They suggest sliced rotisserie chicken, lettuce, tomato, pimento cheese with a side of our macaroni salad.

“I like to use the pulled chicken with lettuce leaf tacos with some avocado and salsa.  Low carb, fresh and not hot!” –Kim, COO

“My current favorite recipe with rotisserie chicken is a really simple tortilla soup. I saute onion and garlic until soft in a soup pot, puree that with a can of tomatoes and can of green chiles, reduce the puree back in the pot until it has the consistency of tomato paste, then add a quart of chicken broth and simmer for a while.  As soon as that has a good flavor I add shredded chicken, chunks of avocado, shredded cheese, and chips to serving bowls and pour the thin soup over the top.  It’s based on a Rick Bayless recipe whose Frontera brand we sell in the store.  Always delicious!” -Carly, Gulch Grocery Manager

“I would make a Waldorf Salad with fresh grapes from the produce section!” –Maggie, East store Cashier

“A quick run down to the garden to gather whatever veggies & herbs are in season, topped with some pulled chicken, dressed with lemon, olive oil, pepper & bitter orange adobo seasoning. Simple & perfect!” –Adam, CFO

“I like to make chicken tacos – buy tortillas, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, onion – maybe sour cream and salsa.” Brian, Gulch Store Produce Manager

Don’t forget to make chicken stock with your leftover bones!

Here’s a quick and delicious recipe from our East store Director, Phillip:

Chicken Enchiladas

1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 bag of corn or flour tortillas
1 onion, 1 clove garlic. and 1 bell pepper, sautéed
1 bunch cilantro
1 bag of Mexican shredded cheese
Pull chicken and toss with sautéed veggies and cilantro
Roll chicken mixture and cheese in slightly warm tortillas
Arrange in 9×13 glass baking
Top with Frontera Green Enchilada sauce and more cheese

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

To help celebrate National Rotisserie Chicken day, on June 2, 2018, rotisserie chickens will have a special price of $6.99! Enjoy.

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