March 2016

A few months ago, we told you all about the many mail-order subscription options that can bring your favorite goods or exotic new flavors right to your door. Now that the 2015-16 excuse for an Upstate winter has passed, it’s time to get excited about the new flavors that are about to start popping up locally.

Mail-Order Meals are all the rage.

We definitely understand why it’s so exciting to receive perfectly portioned gourmet ingredients and the recipes to whip them into magical meals. Services like HelloFresh and Blue Apron are incredibly delicious and convenient, and they eliminate the need to shop or find your own recipes. Even if your kids can’t make ice, they’ll likely be motivated by these interesting dishes to pick up some new cooking skills. But we’d like to share with you a local spin on subscription food that keeps your dollars — and your produce — local.

CSA What?

If you’re new to the world of CSAs, we’re really excited to introduce you! Let’s start with the basics. “CSA” stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and it requires a commitment, but not indefinitely. Here’s how it works. Members or families in a community buy “shares” from a local farmer, usually with an up-front lump-sum payment. In exchange for purchasing a share, each member receives an allotment of produce or farm products each week. Share boxes can usually be picked up by members at the farm, at a farmer’s market, or at another community pick-up point. Many farms offer different share sizes so that households can get as much or as little food as they need. Typical CSAs run June through September, but others offer share options with different products throughout the year.

Get fresh local food in Rochester.

There’s no substitute for the freshness you’ll get from just-picked, truly local produce. If you’re accustomed to browsing the Rochester Public Market or the Abundance Food Co-Op, you’re already taking great steps to support sustainable local agriculture. You might find that a CSA can save you money, add more variety to your at-home-meal menu, or ensure you get your greens when you don’t have time to shop. If the CSA lifestyle sounds interesting to you, check out individual local CSA listings at Local Harvest, or explore the abundant options brought to the Rochester region by The Good Food Collective. Even Kids Out and About has its own list of local CSAs.

Time to get cooking!

It’s true — you will have to portion your own ingredients and look up your own recipes, but that can be half the fun. You do have every recipe ever known to man at your fingertips thanks to your smartphone. Since endless inspiration can be overwhelming, here are 20 recipes to get you really excited for spring.