Savoy Cabbage A favorite around here, this cabbage is perfect for slaws and salads partially because a yummy dressing will stick in all it’s nooks and crannies. Cabbage keeps for a long time so no need to use it up right away. If you don’t use it all raw, try sautéing it or braising by steaming it first, then slathering it in sauce and baking on a high temp in the oven.
Eggplant Already? Yup! The eggplant are loving this heat. I find that the trick to delicious eggplant is cooking it fully to soften. If the texture is at all rubbery, I continue frying, roasting or stewing for longer. I also find that plenty of oil helps an eggplant along toward that ideal texture. Cilantro Perfect for curries, bean dishes, salad dressings or for drying to preserve. Just hang in a well ventilated space if you’d like to go that route. Rainbow Swiss ChardThe leaves make a gorgeous wrap when used like a tortilla or spring roll. You can also chop for raw salads, sauté, stir-fry, add to omlets or quiche, put in soups… so many options! Cucumbers Of the four cucumbers in your share, you have two each of two different types. The thicker skinned ones might be more familiar from the store. The thinner skinned ones are called unagi and really don’t require peeling at all. Basil On other basil weeks we’ve harvested a small bunch for you to use as seasoning. This week, we’ve distributed a pesto amount of basil in each share! Remove stems and toss into a food processor (or chop by hand) with garlic, oil, salt, and perhaps nuts and/or parmesan. Curly Kale This variety works well for making kale chips: tear the leaves until bite sized, add oil and salt, mix them around to coat, bake at 350 until crispy and dry (5-10 minutes) and wallah! It is versatile for any other kale use as well. Carrots We think this variety is even sweeter than the one we harvest earlier this summer. See if you agree! The greens are pretty but bitter. You can try making pesto out of them with garlic, oil and nuts or seeds. You could also use them to make soup stock with your garlic peels, beet stems, and zucchini tops. Or you can feed them to a local rabbit or compost pile:) Fresh Garlic These heads are on their way toward being cured but continue to store them in the fridge for now. Zucchini/ Summer Squash We grow green and yellow zucchini so you’ll get a mix of both throughout the summer. We also grow a yellow summer squash that is thin at the top and bulbous at the bottom. All the varieties are interchangeable in cooking. Beets I love a simple shredded beet and carrots salad with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Or, you could cube them and steam to top raw salads. Of course soups and simple roasted beet side dishes are also good options. The tops are great for cooking just as you would chard. Fresh Garlic These just-harvested heads aren’t cured yet, which means their skins haven’t dried down all the way to make them storable at room temperature. You’ll notice that the skins are thicker when you peel. Keep the garlic in the fridge until you eat it but otherwise use just as you would any garlic. Broccoli Steamed, roasted, or raw this super fresh broccoli is delicious. The stems are also tender and yummy and the leaves can be used like kale. Italian Parsley Use this fresh in raw salads, dressings, soups, or as garnish. Or, hang upside down in a well ventilated place to dry. Butterhead Lettuce This is the last of the summer lettuce, so enjoy! Napa Cabbage Each leaf of this Asian style of cabbage has a super crunchy middle and tender leafy edge. Try marinating in sesame oil, soy sauce, chili flakes, and rice vinegar for an Asian raw salad. Or, stir-fry it lightly. This cabbage cooks quickly so don’t give it too much time on the heat to prevent mushiness. You can also shred it thinly and use in slaw or other raw salads. Carrots We think this variety is even sweeter than the one we harvest earlier this summer. See if you agree! The greens are pretty but bitter. You can try making pesto out of them with garlic, oil and nuts or seeds. You could also use them to make soup stock with your garlic peels, beet stems, and zucchini tops. Or you can feed them to a local rabbit or compost pile:) Sugar Snap Peas Pea season is ending so savor these crunchy little snacks. Zucchini/ Summer Squash We grow green and yellow zucchini so you’ll get a mix of both throughout the summer. We also grow a yellow summer squash that is thin at the top and bulbous at the bottom. All the varieties are interchangeable in cooking. Beets I love a simple shredded beet and carrots salad with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Or, you could cube them and steam to top raw salads. Of course soups and simple roasted beet side dishes are also good options. The tops are great for cooking just as you would chard. Fresh Garlic These just-harvested heads aren’t cured yet, which means their skins haven’t dried down all the way to make them storable at room temperature. You’ll notice that the skins are thicker when you peel. Keep the garlic in the fridge until you eat it but otherwise use just as you would any garlic. Broccoli Steamed, roasted, or raw this super fresh broccoli is delicious. The stems are also tender and yummy and the leaves can be used like kale. Italian Parsley Use this fresh in raw salads, dressings, soups, or as garnish. Or, hang upside down in a well ventilated place to dry. Butterhead Lettuce This is the last of the summer lettuce, so enjoy! Fresh Garlic We are officially transitioning from garlic scape season (the curly green yummy veggies you’ve had in your share for the past few weeks) into what looks like it will be a long and abundant garlic bulb season! These just-harvested heads aren’t cured yet, which means their skins haven’t dried down all the way to make them storable at room temperature. You’ll notice that the skins are thicker when you peel. Keep the garlic in the fridge until you eat it but otherwise use just as you would any garlic.
Broccoli Steamed, roasted, or raw this super fresh broccoli is delicious. The leaves are also yummy- use as you would kale. Most of the stem on these is also super tender. Basil We put your basil in a brown paper bag this week so it wouldn’t get lost among the items in your share. Toss these in salad dressings, soups, sauces, stir-fries, or sandwiches. When fresh basil leaves get wet or cold they will often turn dark. If this happens to your basil in storage, don’t worry- it’s still perfectly good to eat. Lettuce Pretty soon we’ll segue out of green salad season and into juicier types of salad like tomato and cucumber or even melon salads. For now, lets continue to enjoy the bountiful lettuce! Lettuce struggles to grow well in heat but this season we are trying to keep it going through mid-July. Curly Purple Kale This variety is great for kale chips or steamed greens but is also tender enough for a massaged kale salad. Peas Eaten raw as a snack or tossed into stir-fries, the peas are just such a delicious treat! Zucchini/ Summer Squash We grow green and yellow zucchini so you’ll get a mix of both throughout the summer. We also grow a yellow summer squash that is thin at the top and bulbous at the bottom. All the varieties are interchangeable in cooking. Lemon Balm Toss a few sprigs into ice water or hot tea for a mild and soothing flavor. Lemon balm is an excellent digestive aid. Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of green in your share? Its all part of the evolution of the season! I like to imagine a bear emerging from winter slumber to start off the summer with tender greens before the fruits and roots of the forest develop. Consider balancing out the heaping piles of salad with nuts and chick peas or rounding out the cooking greens by putting them in bean soups or stir-fries with nuts. We promise, the season will advance with heavier crops as we go along:) Bok Choi This cruciferous Asian vegetable only grows well in cooler temperature. Braise or stir- fry it lightly for a gorgeous balance of crisp, light stalks and dark green leaves. You can also marinate after finely chopping both leaves and stalks for a raw salad. It does have a number of small holes from our foe the flea beetle. Nutritionists say that insect bitten veggies actually have higher amounts of antioxidants thanks to the plant’s immune system being in full effect, so the holes are actually a sign of nutritional quality! Scallions Also referred to as green onions, these alliums will go well with your boy choi in stir- fry or marinated salads. Try them in salad dressing or with your breakfast omelet. Salad Mix This mix of baby greens includes mustards like arugula and mizen, spinach, and lettuce. It is sharp thanks to the arugula, so if you want to tone it down you can mix it in with chopped butterhead lettuce or add a sweet salad dressing. It has been triple washed. Dill This herb can be added to salads, dressings, soups, and just about anything! If you don’t think you’ll use it this week, you can always dry herbs by hanging them upside down in a well ventilated area. Lemon Balm A delicious herb that can simply be plopped in a mug of hot water for lemony tea that aids digestion. Baby Carrots The true meaning of baby carrots! These young carrots are incredibly flavorful and tender. We leave the greens on because they are gorgeous but also because you may want to try making soup stock or carrot green pesto with them. Radishes Chop these up for salads or try roasting or sautéing to sweeten them and bring out a rich flavor. The greens are too tough for some people but others like to sauté or steam them for eating. Butterhead Lettuce This type of lettuce forms a delicate head of interlacing center leaves, offering tender salads in different shades. Chop and mix the layers together. Some of our heavy spring rains splashed a good bit of soil into these, so you may some of it despite them having been washed. Peonies! What? Flowers in my vegetable share? These are not edible, they are just pretty! We happen to have access to a huge planting of gorgeous peonies and we couldn’t help but share them with you to celebrate this first week of the CSA. Keep in clean water to ensure a long vase life. Basil Plants You will receive plenty of fresh basil in your CSA share starting in a few weeks but we thought folks might also enjoy having a plant of their own. Plant it in your garden or keep it in its pot by a sunny window. You can pinch leaves off to eat as it grows. Swiss Chard Like spinach… but more colorful! Green Tomatoes We cleared out all of the tomato plants from our tunnel ahead of this cold weather coming in and harvested the green fruits as we went. Fry these up for classic Fried Green Tomatoes, or look up one of the many recipes for green tomato salsa, green tomato soup, green tomato pie, or green tomato pickles. Colored Tomatoes These may need a day or two to finish ripening on your counter top. Delicata Squash Tender enough to eat the skins and so sweet! Salad Mix Triple washed and ready to eat. Scallions Chop these small for stir-fries, soups, miso, salads, kimchi, or scallion pancakes. Shunkyo Radishes If you have never roasted radishes, you may want to start… especially if you think you don’t like radishes! These gorgeous, long pink radishes are divine when sliced into rounds, lightly oiled, and roasted in the oven until tender. You can also eat them raw as you would typical salad radishes. Apples These golden apples are sweet and crunchy, great for fresh eating. They’ll store well, so no rush. The little flecks on them do not compromise their quality… just evidence that we don’t spray chemicals in pursuit of perfect looking fruit! Chinese Cabbage Also called Napa cabbage, this succulent veggie is perfect for slaw with Asian style marinades or lightly cooked as stir-fry. It does cook quickly so don’t leave it on the heat too long unless you like mushy Napa cabbage. You could also pickle it to make kimchi or try a simple recipe of sautéing with garlic for fifteen minutes and then roasting at 450 for fifteen. Broccoli Raab This specialty broccolini, also called rapini, has a mustardy flavor. Cook the little florets, stalks, and the greens. I like to simply put oil in a pan with garlic, sear the florets for a few minutes, add the greens and a little soy sauce, cook for another few minutes, and serve with rice. You can also roast, grill, or stew it.
Tomato Tomatoes in October! Butternut Squash These store beautifully so if you don’t use it this week, it will last for months and it will even get sweeter as the weeks roll by. Spinach Such a gorgeous green color! Onion These are storing nicely. Hot Pepper This was the last of the peppers for the season. They are milder than they would be if they were further ripened. Green Peppers In our final sweep we picked peppers that hadn’t fully colored up. They are delicious as green peppers. Turnips Roast them, mash them, make soup, or make turnip pancakes browned and buttered for all like in Jan Brett’s gorgeous picture book that celebrates this humble vegetable. These also store well. Notice a theme? All your roots, squashes, onions, and garlic will keep for weeks if not months. Eggplant Did you miss these after the summer eggplant abundance? They made a small autumn comeback and we’ve harvested the last of them for you. Garlic Such a great deal of garlic this season! Parsley Just enough for a garnish or addition to soups, salads, or roasted roots. Siberian Kale This tender kale is a better fit for recipes like massaged kale salad or sautéed greens with garlic than it is for crispy kale chips. I remove the tough stems before using. Need a week off from kale during this leafy green autumn abundance? Try making kale pesto to freeze with kale, plenty of garlic, nuts, and olive oil. You’ll appreciate the bright green color and phytochemicals come January. Tomato So many tomatoes! Enjoy this blast of summer while it lasts. You can also freeze these if you have more than you need this week. Pumpkins October is here! Decorate for Halloween with these little seasonal beauties or roast them for soup or pie. Better yet- enjoy them as decor and then cook them up when November comes! They store beautifully as long as you don’t let them freeze on your front stoop. Salad Mix The arugula in this mix is sharp! I happen to love the mustardy flavor of mid-autumn arugula, but if it’s a bit much for your palate, consider dressing your salad mix with something sweet to balance. There is also baby chard, lettuce, mizuna, and kale in the mix. Hot Pepper Almost the end of pepper season here. Savoy Cabbage A few members received a classic green cabbage in your share but most of you got savoys with crinkly leaves. Both varieties are versatile for recipes from slaw to soup. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with cabbage? I get it. It’s been a cabbage heavy fall. But these store beautifully! You can leave them in your fridge crisper drawer for months and they’ll still be delicious so give yourself a cabbage break if you need it. Leeks These mild alliums (onion relatives) have an incredible sweetness flavor when sautéed very slowly over time. They can be used like onions in recipes but lend a beautiful flavor all their own. French Breakfast Radish These little french breakfast radishes are the same types that you got in the spring. Roast them, sauté them, toss them into salads- they’re versatile. Some people appreciate the greens and others find them too tough to eat even cooked. Parsley Just enough for a garnish or addition to soups, salads, or roasted roots. Salad Mix The arugula in this mix is sharp! I happen to love the mustardy flavor of mid-autumn arugula, but if it’s a bit much for your palate, consider dressing your salad mix with something sweet to balance. There is also baby chard, spinach, lettuce, mizuna, and kale in the mix.
Dinosaur Kale Sometimes called Toscano kale, Lacinato kale, or Italian kale; this kale is as gorgeous as it is diversely named. My favorite of its titles is Dino kale as the texture does have a Jurassic look to it. As I harvested it this morning I felt so much joy to think about what rich nutrients you’d each be getting and imagining what recipes you’d use it in. White bean kale soup, steamed greens, kale chips, massaged salad, and kale pesto are some of my favorites. Tomato Our high tunnel, the unheated greenhouse where we grow tomatoes, offers just enough added warmth to keep the plants going into October. We’ll see how long into autumn they last! Pumpkins October is here! Decorate for Halloween with these little seasonal beauties or roast them for soup or pie. Better yet- enjoy them as decor and then cook them up when November comes! They store beautifully as long as you don’t let them freeze on your front stoop. Chinese Cabbage Also called Napa cabbage, this succulent veggie is perfect for slaw with Asian style marinades or lightly cooked as stir-fry. It does cook quickly so don’t leave it on the heat too long unless you like mushy Napa cabbage. You could also pickle it to make kimchi or try a simple recipe of sautéing with garlic for fifteen minutes and then roasting at 450 for fifteen. Pepper The pepper plants are feeling the October chill and not producing heavily. Watermelon Radish You may be asking yourself, “hmm.. what am I supposed to do with another odd radish?” If so, I hope you will be pleasantly surprised to develop as affectionate of a relationship with the fall storage radishes as I have. Watermelon radishes are particularly gorgeous, so marvel at the surprise, vibrant color inside. Then slice thinly or julienne for salad or, for my favorite, roast them in the oven until soft and sweet. Roasted radishes are a tragically under appreciated delicacy. These roots will store for months in a bag in your crisper so there is no rush to reveal the wonders of roasted radishes to yourself. Dill Fresh dill for salad, dressings, soup or, if you are my six year old, raw consumption by the handful:) Salad Mix These greens don’t grow as well in the heat of summer so we savor them as a spring and fall treat. Your shares have a super tender mix of baby sized arugula, mizuna, red russian kale, swiss chard, and lettuces. The combination of greens lends a dynamic flavor for salads.
Curly Kale Try making kale chips if you haven’t yet this season- kale, oil, salt and only as long in the oven as it takes to crisp them. There is a very brief window of time during which you want to remove the kale from the oven so stay close by! Tomato Our high tunnel offers just enough added warmth to keep tomatoes going into October. We’ll see how long the plants last but they do continue to ripen. Butternut Squash This variety sweetens as they store so they may be a little sweeter in November than they are today. Cabbage This cabbage is particularly thin and tender- great for raw salads and slaws but also tasty cooked. Consider sautéing lightly or roasting to maintain that tender texture. Hot Pepper Each share got a different hot pepper this week. Kohlrabi or Lettuce We didn’t have enough of these for every share to get so you’ll have to be surprised. If you got the kohlrabi and feel like you’re not sure if it is an alien vegetable that arrived mysterious on a UFO- we think you’re in for a pleasant surprise! This giant variety is still tender. Peal the kohlrabi and eat it sliced raw, or try sautéing it or adding it to soups. The greens can be used just like kale. Hakurei Turnips These juicy turnips are perfect raw but can also be roasted or sautéed. One thing I’ve noticed is that they get bitter if you slice them too far ahead of eating, so slice before you serve. Sage This herb really matches the autumn palate. Try with winter squash. You can very easily dry it with good ventilation and save for all the butternuts you’ll get this fall. Salad Mix These greens don’t grow as well in the heat of summer so we savor them as a spring and fall treat. Your shares have a super tender mix of baby sized arugula, mizuna, red russian kale, swiss chard, and lettuces. The combination of greens lends a dynamic flavor for salads.
Siberian Kale This variety requires very little cooking time- just a quick flash in the pan until it turns bright green. Tomato Our tomatoes are finally ripening at full steam! In addition to cherry tomatoes, you have different colors of slicing tomatoes in your share this week. If they aren’t quite ripe yet, let them sit on the counter for a few days. Hot Pepper Each share got a different hot pepper this week. Cabbage This cabbage is particularly thin and tender- great for raw salads and slaws but also tasty cooked. Consider sautéing lightly or roasting to maintain that tender texture. Winter Squash Squash season has begun! Roast simply with oil and salt for a fast meal, or get creative with stuffings. The skin on these is edible. Shunkyo Radishes If you have never roasted radishes, you may want to start… especially if you think you don’t like radishes! These gorgeous, long pink radishes are divine when sliced into rounds, lightly oiled, and roasted in the oven until tender. You can also eat them raw as you would typical salad radishes. The gorgeous rhubarb colored leaves are also yummy steamed or added to stir-fries. Hakurei Turnips These juicy turnips are perfect raw but can also be roasted or sautéed. One thing I’ve noticed is that they get bitter if you slice them too far ahead of eating, so slice before you serve. Sage This herb really matches the autumn palate. Try with winter squash. You can very easily dry it with good ventilation and save for all the butternuts you’ll get this fall. |
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