Hi everyone, Jess here. As the end of August fast approaches, so does the giant CSA, filled with enough goodness to keep any veggie lover happy! Despite the heat and dry weather, the fields are turning out some beautiful fruits and veggies this year. We are blessed to be a part of this farm family, the team works hard to keep us well-fed.
- Butter and Sugar Corn– We have lots this week, a great time to freeze some for the winter! Also remember, the husks are great for tamales, and the corn cobs make a mean honey-like jelly!
- Italian Eggplant– Ratatouille remains in the rotation! Alice Waters has one of my favorite versions. If Ratatouille isn’t your thing, Baba Ghanoush is a simple and delicious smoky veggie dip or spread for sandwiches. I’ve been enjoying Eggplant Parmesan, see below!
- Poblano Peppers- These delicious peppers come and go quickly. Before enjoying, I blister off the skin over an open flame, either on the grill, under the broiler or directly over the stove flame (careful!) Chile Rellenos are my absolute favorite use of these, and when I can’t get to them right away, I’ll blister and freeze some up for a Chile Relleno Casserole.
- Bell Peppers– If you’re feeling inundated, this is a great time to freeze some! As always, your winter self will thank you! Stuffed Pepper Soup makes a great treat in the cooler months!
- Watermelon– Slice and enjoy outside during the warm weather. Summertime seed spitting contests make for fun memories. Have you tried grilled watermelon? Save the Watermelon Rind for Pickling if you like!
- Jalapeño Peppers– This is the week for Candied Jalapeños or Jalapeño Pepper Jelly, or Poppers (lots of great recipes out there to suit your prefecences)!
- Radishes – Pick up a container of Mozzarella House Ricotta, drizzle a little bowl of it with olive oil, and season with Copp Family Farm salt and pepper, quarter these babies up and get to dipping. Alternatively, pop them in a bowl of water in the fridge until ready for use, but don’t forget them!
- Nature’s Skittles – Leave these on an accessible counter and they’ll disappear, they are so snackable.
- Tomatoes – These are the tomatoes of my childhood. Have you tried Farmer Jamie’s Tomato Pie?
- Sugar Beets– These little beauties have been roasted and won’t last long in this week’s round of salads. These beet greens look beautiful to cook up as well!
- Lettuce– Wonderful for lettuce wraps or lunchtime salads. Remember to separate them from the core when you get home, give a quick rinse and bag them damp dry before fridge storage for best preservation.
- Classic Carrots– Beta Carotene all the way! I’ve been slicing off the tops and storing in the fridge in a glass of water to maintain crispness (or just enjoying them immediately).
Single Shares this week include Butter and Sugar Corn, Italian Roasters, Radishes, Italian Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Heirloom Tomatoes, Sugar Beets, Carrots, and Lettuce.
Small Shares this week include Butter and Sugar Corn, Melon, Italian Roasters, Radishes, Italian Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Nature’s Skittles, Sugar Beets, Carrots,, and Lettuce.
Super Shares this week include Butter and Sugar Corn, Italian Eggplant, Rainbow Peppers, Green Bell Peppers, Banana Peppers, Poblano Peppers, Classic Peaches, Sungold Tomatoes, Saladette Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Radishes, Tomatillos, Classic Carrots, Sugar Beets, and Lettuce!
*Quantities vary by share, with the larger shares receiving the larger quantities accordingly. Please note that items may vary slightly throughout the week depending on daily yield, but share value will remain consistent.
- Chris’ Classic Peaches – Incredibly delicious, great grilled! I keep thinking a cobbler is happening, and then we just eat them all.
- Collard Greens– Bring on the Brassicas! I’ll hit the farmstand to see if there are any ham hocks to enjoy these with, and if not, I’ll noodle these leaves up.
- Kale– Maybe kale chips, maybe brownies, maybe smoothies, I haven’t yet decided the fate of these lovely leaves.
- Eggs– Some of these already went into Meatless Monday’s dinner. If inundated with eggs, try a summer veggie quiche!
The farm had quite the crate shortage this week. Most of us have been guilty of forgetting a crate here and there at some point. I thought I’d share a couple of ideas that have worked for me, and may help others stay off the “naughty list” as well.
1- If you empty your crate at home, pop it right back in your car/trunk so that it’ll be there for your next trip. Simple and effective.
2- Pop recyclable bags in your trunk. Carefully empty your share into said bags when you arrive to pick up your CSA. This method also gives you an opportunity to check out your veggies while at the farm stand, so you can start to meal-plan on the spot!
3- Pick up an empty box or two from your local market. They are usually sturdy and meant to carry lots of produce. Repack your CSA into this box (or boxes) when you arrive, and return to your car once emptied at home. Using a produce box also allows you to review your veggies before the trip home, allowing on-the-spot meal planning, and a supplemental trip to the farm stand is only a few steps away!
I forgot to take a picture of my basil flower vodka- I can’t imagine why! *hiccup* I must say, the flowers infuse a lot faster than the leaves (which you can leave for a few days). The vodka had a pleasant basil sweetness to it after only a few hours. If you leave the flowers in the vodka too much longer than that, your vodka will start to get an aged scotch-like hue to it, and by then the taste has likely become bitter. So dip and sip! As you infuse, frequent taste testing is *hiccup* recommended, remove the flowers when you find that sweet spot.
That’s about it on this end. Please feel free to check in with ideas, questions, comments, etc. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you!