2014 summer Share #2

Share Notes:

• Tomatoes—Surprise! I didn’t think we’d be giving out red tomatoes so soon but these ripened much faster than we thought! Cherry tomatoes and heirlooms are soon to follow.  Tomatoes as ripe as these are very difficult to transport, especially in a mixed box of veggies. I hope they all made it to your kitchen intact. Refrigeration below 50 degrees causes tomatoes to become mealy, so store on the counter and use quickly, ’cause they are RIPE!
• Basil—Genovese. This large leaved basil is plenty for a Caprese salad, a batch of pasta sauce, or to top a pizza. We hope to give you enough for pesto in future weeks. Store in a glass of water on the counter. This plant also cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees, so don’t refrigerate your basil.
• Cucumbers—crisp and delicious. Store sealed in a bag in the fridge.
• Beans—Large shares received the heirloom variety: Dragon’s Tongue, and Small shares received green and burgundy beans. Store sealed in their bag in the fridge.
• Carrots—Rainbow mix comprised of yellow, orange, red, and white carrots. Don’t forget that the tops are edible! Cut off the tops about ½ inch above the root and store them separately, sealed in bags in the fridge.
• Onions—White, just a few. Store at room temp, and dry.
• Zucchini—Our beautifully ribbed heirloom variety: Romanesco.
• Yellow squash—You can store your squash and zucchini sealed up and in the fridge for up to a week or out on the counter for a couple of days.
• Potatoes—Red Gold. These have incredible flavor and beautiful color. Remove your potatoes from their bag so they have air circulation and keep them in the dark, and dry, dry, dry. Leave the dirt on so they store better.
• For the large shares only: Swiss chard—Bright Lights.  Store sealed in a bag in the fridge. Chard is related to beets and spinach, so the greens taste very similar. This vegetable is excellent paired with caramelized onions, walnuts, and beef dishes. I like to cook the stems separately for a few minutes then toss in the leafy parts so that everything is cooked evenly.

Wash your vegetables just before using them to improve shelf-life.

We’d love to hear stories and recipes of your culinary adventures. Send us a note or post a comment of how you’re using your CSA share! And don’t forget to head on over to the Kitchen blog to see what we’re cookin’ up!

  Large share: Bright Lights Swiss chard, Red Gold potatoes, cucumbers, mixed carrots, Dragon’s Tongue beans, white onions, tomaotes, Romanesco zucchini, yellow squash, and Genovese basil.

Small share: Genovese basil, Red Gold potatoes, cucumbers, white onions, Romanesco zucchini, mixed carrots, green and burgundy beans, tomatoes, and yellow squash.

Jessica & Justin