What is in the Co-Op bins this week 1/20/2011

The word of the day today.... Sorrel. Everyone was asking; what is it? how do I cook it? what is it like? Well, I love sorel and love to share my little bits of knowledge with people, so here is a little information...

What is Sorrel?

Sorrel is a green leaf vegetable native to Europe. It is also called common sorrel or spinach dock, and is actually considered less a vegetable and more an herb in some cultures. In appearance sorrel greatly resembles spinach and in taste sorrel can range from comparable to the kiwifruit in young leaves, to a more acidic tasting older leaf. As sorrel ages it tends to grow more acidic due to the presence of oxalic acid, which actually gets stronger and tastes more prominent.

How do I cook it?
Sorrel is often thought of as a salad green, rather than an herb, but it's actually both! The tangy lemony leaves are best added to salads while young and tender. If you grow it for that reason alone it's worth it. Sorrel, Rumex scutatus, is a hardy perennial, yet many herb growers suggest using it for two or three years then pulling up and planting it fresh. This allows you more control over the planting, because it does self sow quite vigorously. However, it is a perennial and can be divided by the roots. I have not done this, but I would be willing to give it a try! 

What is it like?
Well, I think that was answered in the last paragraph.

My all time favorite recipe is Sorrel Potato Soup. Here is another same idea maybe a little different ingredients.

Ingredients for Sorrel And Potato Soup Recipe

• ½ pound sorrel, washed, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 4 cups water, boiling
• 1½ cups milk, scalded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Seasonings to taste

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients, except the milk, in a saucepan.
2. Cover.
3. Let cook slowly for about 20 minutes.
4. Add the milk.
5. Then serve.

So now that that is all out of the way on to what was in the bins today...

Extras for this week...
1. Organic Fair Trade Coffee $7/lb
2. Pecan Halves,8.5 oz Tub, Conventional $6.00 or 2 for $11
3. Murray's All Natural Whole chickens $10 **Fresh**
4. BLUEBERRIES 6oz $3.00 **Lower Price**
5. Chocolate Chip Flaxseed Cookies from the Clay Bakers $6
6. Organic, Gluten Free Honey or Cherry Drops $3.00
7. Organic Honeydews $4.00 each

Now for what will be in your bins this week...
Mixed Salad greens Local, Organic
CARROTS, Organic
Cucumbers, Organic
Choice: sorrel Or dill OR cilantro OR parsley Local, Organic
**My favorite Sorrell recipe **
BLUEBERRIES, Organic
APPLE, FUJI, Organic
Banana, Breaker, Organic
Oranges, Hamlin, Florida,  Organic

$25 Only...
Melons, Honeydew (Green), Organic
Beans, Green, Organic