Week 22 Share

Apples
Sugar Pumpkin

Watermelon
Bok Choy
Green Beans
Leeks
Radishes
Kale
Potatoes
Fresh Apple Cider

As the season changes into fall, my thoughts on what to cook are drifting to warmer and heartier meals. This week's share certainly will help that along. Leeks and potatoes? Sounds like soup to me! Fresh apples means its pie time, and the sugar pumpkin, well I suppose that could be made in to a pie as well, but I feel like there could be something more interesting to do with that one...

Week 20 Share

Peaches
Tomatoes
Beans (organic)
Arugula (organic)
Lettuce
Tomatillos
Potatoes
Apples
Swiss Chard (organic)
Onions
Collards
Spinach

Okay! Back to it with week 20, and boy am I glad my schedule is back to normal because I would have been sad to miss this share. All the leafy greens are back! We got so used to having 1 or 2 nice fresh greens every week back in the spring and have missed them during the summer months. Not that I'm complaining about the veggies we were getting, but still, its nice to get a break from corn and bell peppers! I'm also excited to see the tomatillos in the share. I've only cooked with them twice before (including this one a few weeks ago) and I look forward to another opportunity to use them. Lastly, I have to note the potatoes. I have never had a potato that was dug out the ground just days ago (I mean, how old do you think potatoes from the grocery store are?) and I am very curious to see if there is any difference in flavor.

Week 18 Share

Peaches
Arugula
Tomatoes
Green Beans

Cantaloupe
Lettuce (organic)
Watermelon
Corn
Bell Peppers
Radishes
Onion

I think I'm finally starting to see the farm's growing cycles at work in how the contents of the shares have changed over the last few months. Early on, greens and radishes were a constant, but then disappeared, presumably because there weren't any more to pick. Now that there have been a couple months of growing time, they are back! Two weeks ago was kale and radish, and now arugula with some nice looking light pink radishes. Of course, now I have a ton of radishes to use. The watermelon was a nice surprise this week, I think I'm going to have to come up with something fun to make with it, perhaps a drink. 

Week 17 Share

Doughnut Peaches
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Onions (red and yellow)
Cantaloupe
Lettuce (organic)
Zucchini
Sweet Corn
Green Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Scallions
Cucumber

Summer's bounty rolls on, and while the variety of vegetables in the share has stayed pretty much the same for the last few weeks, the sheer versatility of all these items keep this from being any problem. Remember in the first weeks when there was 2 or 3 heads of lettuce every week? That was a pain to use up for sure. 

A couple ideas come to mind right away looking at this list; a stuffed pepper of some sort for the bell peppers and chowder for the corn as its been a while since I've made a soup. I think I'll need to coax my wife to work on another peach dessert as well. Can't have too many of those!

Wait!! Where's the share value?? Well, I've decided to retire that particular element of these weekly share posts. The fact of the matter is that having passed the midpoint of CSA season, the value of this program is clear. For the last 16 weeks the value has totaled $389 whereas I invested $360. To be honest, weighing and pricing each share was a lot of work, so I'm glad to be done with it...gives me more time to cook!

Week 16 Share

Onions, 2 lb ($1.98)
Peaches, 2 lb 10 oz ($3.38)
Green beans, 12 oz ($2.24)
Mint, 1 bunch ($1.99)
White eggplant, 1 lb ($2.49)
Cantaloupe, 2 lb ($2.99)
Radish, 1 bunch ($1.50)
Scallion, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Plum tomato, 1 lb 10 oz ($4.42)
Cilantro, 2 bunches ($2.98)
Corn, 8 ears ($4.80)
Kale, 1 bunch ($1.49)

Total share value = $31.25

Getting a little melon this week was a nice surprise. I had assumed that once the blueberries stopped that there would be a couple weeks of peaches being the only fruit until the apples came in. I was also happy to see the tomatoes, which have been conspicuously absent in the shares this whole summer. I'm thinking that fresh tomato sauce will be on the menu this week, as well as another ice cream. Speaking of which, I'll need to do something else with the corn to make up for the corn ice cream debacle...

Week 15 Share

Blueberries, 1 pt ($1.99)
Cucumber, 2 ($1.32)
Doughnut peaches, 13 oz ($2.42)
Eggplant, 1 lb 11 oz ($2.17)
Corn, 3 ears ($0.99)
Dill, 1 bunch ($1.49)
Bell peppers, 1 lb 2 oz ($1.67)
Pristine apples, 14 oz ($1.74)
Carrots, 1 bunch ($2.00)
Yellow squash, 14 oz ($2.61)
Radish, 1 bunch ($1.29)

Total Share Value = $19.69

First apples of the season for me! The pristine apples here are a very crisp variety with a sweet-tart flavor. The name come from the fact that they tend to have very smooth, almost pristine finish with light yellow to pinkish coloring. Supposedly these apples will keep for quite a while after being picked, though I doubt they will need last that long in our house. The doughnut peaches are fun to see as well. I've always avoided buying them because they typically cost half again as much as regular peaches but taste pretty much the same. I also have to say I'm glad to see only 2 yellow squash this week...

Week 14 Share

Blueberries, 1 pt ($1.99)
Peaches, 2 lbs ($3.98)
White eggplant, 7 oz ($1.08)
Yellow squash, 2 lb 10 oz ($7.85)
Cucumber, 3 ($2.49)
Red onion, 7 oz ($0.43)
Hot peppers, 2 oz ($0.25)
Bell peppers, 1 lb ($2.99)
Red cabbage, 3 lb 7 oz ($2.76)
Cilantro, 1 bunch ($1.49)
Arugula, organic, 6 oz ($3.50)
Swiss chard, organic, 6 oz ($1.12)
Carrot bunch, 13 oz ($1.99)
Red leaf lettuce, 9 oz ($1.09)

Total Share Value = $33.01

More cucumbers this week, adding to those I haven't used from last week and there are now 6 of them in my fridge. Looks like I'll be making pickles again soon, or perhaps a really large Greek salad! Also getting overloaded on the yellow squash. Those I'll probably give to friends (along with that cilantro). Nice to see the arugula and chard back in the box (and organic as well!), I had missed the greens over the last couple weeks. 

Week 13 Share

Blueberries, 1 pt ($2.50)
Corn, 9 ears ($3.60)
Kale, 1 lb ($0.99)
Scallions, 2 bunch ($1.00)
Cucumber, 2 ($1.66)
Peaches, 2 lbs ($3.98)
Bell peppers, 10 oz ($1.86)
Eggplant, 3 lb 4 oz ($4.25)
Purslane, 13 oz ($6.00)
Basil, 1 bunch ($1.99)
Yellow squash, 2 lb 12 oz ($7.47)

Total share value = $35.30!! Not bad!

Its been a few weeks, but here we finally have another item that I have never cooked with (or even eaten) before. Purslane is commonly considered a weed, but what is a weed really? Something growing where we don't want it to. So while some say "weed", others say "premium salad green".  Not sure about your farmer's market, but I've seen bunches of dandelion greens going for up to $9...kind of crazy. 

Anyway, purslane is a succulent plant with leaves that are slightly fleshy. It has a tangy, peppery taste somewhat along the lines as watercress. It also has very high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, more so than most other leafy greens. From the little bit of research I've done already, is seems that purslane can be good in both raw and cooked preparations and it can often be found in Mexican cuisine. Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but I am excited to try something new!

Oh, and with 9 ears of corn to use, its time to get creative...thinking corn ice cream.  Stay tuned!

Week 12 Share

Lots of sweet corn this week and with them comes the challenge of using it before age turns the kernels all starchy. The newsletter that comes with each share included a tip on how to prevent the loss of the corn’s sweetness by freezing kernels before they get too old. To do this, you need to shuck the corn and then blanch it in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. The cooking will deactivate the natural enzymes in the corn that change the sugars into starch. Immediately transfer the corn from the boiling water to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cool, dry the corn and then cut the kernels off the cobs. Pack the loose kernels into freezer bags and remove as much air as possible before freezing. Once frozen, the corn should keep for up to a year depending on how airtight your bag is. 

Hot peppers, 1.5 oz ($0.20)

Basil, 1 bunch ($1.99)
Peaches, 2.5 lbs ($4.98)
Blueberries, 2 pints ($5.00)
Tarragon plant ($2.99)
Corn, 8 ears ($4.80)
Cucumber, 2 lb 5 oz ($2.64)
Pattypan squash, 27 oz ($3.35)
Yellow squash, 1 lb 5 oz ($1.95)
Green beans, 8 oz ($0.85)

Total Share Value = $28.66

These here are the pattypan squash. Nice little single servings that I’m told taste pretty much just like yellow squash. The shape and color certainly makes a nice presentation, so I may try stuffing them so they can be served intact.

Week 11 Share

Zucchini, 4 lb 7 oz ($5.80)
Jalapeños, 4 oz ($0.50)
Pickling cucumbers, 13 oz ($1.61)
Snow peas, 9 oz ($1.68)
Red leaf lettuce, 4 oz ($0.37)
Romaine lettuce, 1 lb ($0.99)
Corn, 4 ears ($1.32)
Onions, 1 lb 8 oz ($1.33)
Sage plant ($2.99)
Blueberries, 2 pt ($5.00)
Carrots, 1 bunch ($2.00)

Total share value = $23.59

So it seems that the annual zucchini invasion has begun.  This week's share included bonus zucchinis, so clearly the farm has plenty to spare.  I'm very excited to see the pickling cucumbers and will definitely be making pickles, especially after the success I had with the rakkyo back in May. I bought some really great fresh pickles at the local farmers market a couple weeks ago and will probably try to duplicate them. I also love the little carrots we got.  I've always been a fan of more unique varieties of carrots such as these little yellow beauties. They caught the eye of my daughter as well, so I'm guessing that you will not see these in a recipe as there is no way I'll deny a 3 year old that is asking to eat them raw.

Week 10 Share

Blueberries, 2 pints ($4.32)

Snow Peas, 7 oz ($2.18)
Cauliflower, 2lbs ($3.99)
Summer Squash, 2 lb 6oz ($4.90)
Mint, 1 bunch ($1.99)
Kale, 6 oz ($0.48)
Onions, 1 lb 10 oz ($1.60)
Tomato, 7 oz ($0.98)
Green Leaf Lettuce, 13 oz ($1.21)
Boston Lettuce, 14 oz ($0.99)
Lavender Plant ($2.99)

Total share value = $25.63

A nice pile of squash this week, four yellow zucchini and one yellow squash.  Clearly the fields at the farm are starting to get busy and I expect that we'll be receiving squash for the next few weeks.  Going to require a bit of creativity to avoid getting tired of them.  Zucchini fritters anyone?  I'm also looking forward to making use of the fresh onions.  Very curious to see how the flavor compares to the grocery store onions that have been sitting around for who knows how long.  Thinking a fresh salsa might be in order...stay tuned!

Week 9 Share

Blueberries, 2 pints ($3.98)
Radish, 1 bunch ($1.29)
Fresh oregano plant ($2.99)
Beets, 1 bunch ($2.50)
Parsley, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Tomatoes, 1.5 lb ($4.50)
Green Leaf Lettuce, 1 lb 5 oz ($1.95)
Cauliflower, 1 lb ($2.99)
Romanesque Broccoli, 1.5 lb ($3.50)
Sugar Snap Peas, 11 oz ($3.43)
Summer Squash, 13 oz ($1.21)

Total Share Value = $29.33




This is what I love about buying produce right off the farm.  When was the last time you saw squash that looked like this in the supermarket? These are a hybrid of zucchini often called eight-ball squash. Fantastic!









And how about this odd-looking one? Romanesque broccoli, is actually a type of cauliflower.  The broccoli name is more commonly used because of its green color. What's really interesting about this vegetable, is that it is a naturally occurring example of a approximate fractal. Wait! Don't go anywhere, you haven't accidentally ended up reading a math blog, just bear with me for a minute. In short, fractals are geometric patterns that are the same whether looked at from a distance or close up. If you look at the head from afar (pic on the right), you see its comprised of spiral shaped buds. If you zoom in on those buds (below) you can see that they are made up of smaller buds of the same spiral pattern.  The reason its considered an approximate fractal is because the pattern will eventually stop when it gets small enough. True fractals (based on mathematical theory) continue the pattern smaller and smaller infinitely. If you are interested in learning more about what a fractal is, here's a link to a more in-depth explanation.  Who'd have thought food could be educational as well as delicious?

Week 8 Share

Strawberries, 21 oz ($2.50)
Snow Peas, 8 oz ($4.00)
Cauliflower, 2.5 lbs ($7.47)
Collards, 0.5 lb ($0.65)
Chives, 1 bunch ($2.49)
Fresh Thyme Plant ($2.89)
Chicory, 4 oz ($0.60)
Red Leaf Lettuce, 4 oz ($0.50)
Kale, 0.5 lb ($0.85)
Broccoli, 2 lb ($1.98)
Green Cabbage, 2.75 lbs ($1.50)

Total share value = $25.45

Great to see the variety continuing to grow as the season goes on.  Snow peas, collards, endive and cabbage  all making their first appearance.  The snow peas are so fresh and sweet, already my daughter has put a dent in those!  Chicory is a new vegetable for me, a somewhat bitter tasting leafy green that should be good raw or cooked.  Lots to work with this week, and I'm behind on the week 7 share as well. I think I'll have to focus on finding recipes that use more than just one item to make sure nothing goes bad.

Week 7 Share

Strawberries, 1.5 lbs ($4.99)
Tomato, 12 oz ($2.24)
Broccoli, 10 oz ($1.37)
Cauliflower, 1 lb 13 oz ($5.41)
Red Beets, 1 bunch ($2.50)
Cilantro, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Dill, 1 bunch ($1.79)
Red Leaf Lettuce, 4 oz ($0.37)
Boston Lettuce, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Kohlrabi, 1 lb ($3.99)
Fresh Rosemary Plant ($2.99)

Total share value: $27.63

Nothing that unusual this week, though I suppose the kohlrabi could still go in that category and I'm glad to see it again.  Several vegetables are making their first appearance (red beets, cauliflower and Boston lettuce), and it seems my old nemesis cilantro is back.  I am separating and saving the leaves from the kohlrabi again, as well as the beets.

Week 6 Share

Fresh Stevia plant ($2.99)

Chives, 1 bunch ($0.99)

Romaine Lettuce ($1.29)

Broccoli, 1 lb ($1.69)

Tomatoes, 1 lb 10 oz ($4.85)

Strawberries, 2 lb 10 oz ($5.52)

Swiss Chard, 8 oz ($1.99)

Radishes, 1 bunch ($1.29)

Total share value: $20.61

A couple items in this week's share got my attention right away; the broccoli and the Stevia plant.  Why broccoli?  Well, for me broccoli represents the rut I was in with cooking vegetables.  I bought it every week at the supermarket and every week it ended up being boiled and served plain with maybe a little salt or some oil and vinegar dressing.  Nutritious, but boring. Time to get creative and not let this nice fresh head of broccoli suffer the same fate.

As for the Stevia plant, here is my second CSA WTF moment.  I knew of Stevia as a member of the non-sugar sweetener world, and had a vague awareness that it came from a plant, but certainly did not expect to ever see that plant sitting on my counter.  There is plenty of information on the Stevia plant and its uses on the internet, so here's rundown of what I learned.

The Stevia plant is native to Central and South America where it has been used as a natural sweetener (mostly for teas and other beverages) in that part of the world for hundreds of years.  In its natural form, Stevia leaves can be used fresh or dried and because the sweet compounds in the leaf are not metabolized by our bodies, it is a zero calorie sweetener.  This fact is of course why the food industry uses Stevia, but (no surprise here) in a highly processed form.  Products that contain Stevia will have "Rebaudioside A" on the ingredient list, as this is the single sweetening compound (out of around 7 found in the raw leaves) that is targeted during processing.  Unfortunately, this processing strips away the healthful antioxidants that are also found in the leaves.  It should be noted that the FDA has not approved the use of whole Stevia leaves as a food additive, only the highly purified Rebaudioside A product.  They cite as the reasons concerns over control of blood sugar and effects on the reproductive, cardiovascular, and renal systems.

At the moment I am not sure what (if anything) I'll do with this plant. For now, I'll add it to the herb garden and keep you all posted.

Week 5 Share

Asparagus, 1 lb ($2.99)                                          Swiss Chard, 1 bunch, ($2.99)
Bok Choy, 1.75 lb, ($1.64)                                      Kale, 1.25 lb, ($2.11)
Red Leaf Lettuce, 0.5 lb, ($0.75)                            Scallion, 1 bunch, ($0.66)
Parsley, 1 bunch, ($0.99)                                        Strawberries, 1.5 lb, ($4.56)
Fresh Dill Plant ($2.49)                                           Kohlrabi, 1 lb, ($3.99)

Total Share Value = $23.17

Kohlrabi??  Here I have my first CSA WTF moment.  I have never cooked with, or even heard of kohlrabi. To the internet!

The name is German, meaning "cabbage turnip" which, I suppose is kind of what it looks like.  Kohlrabi grows above ground and is in the same vegetable family as cauliflower, broccoli and kale, and  is quite nutrient rich.  Both the bulb and the leaves are edible, so I'll have to come up with some way to use them both.  I should note that the $3.99 price I gave it was a bit of a guess based on what I found online.  Not a big surprise that my local supermarket doesn't sell them.


Swiss chard is another new one for me.  I pass by it all the time at the grocery store, but have never cooked it.  Very exciting to have two vegetables that are new to me to play with this week!


Finally, a quick status update on the Week 4 share.  You'll recall I received two very large bunches of lettuce (red leaf and romaine) and using them up in ways other than salads has proven to be quite a challenge.  Only some of the romaine is left (full disclosure; I did give away half of the red leaf), but I've got some ideas on non-salad ways to use it.  Luckily it is holding up quite well in the fridge.

Week 4 Share

Asparagus 1 lb ($2.49)
Strawberries 1.75 lb ($3.48)
Spinach 7 oz ($0.65)
Arugula 8 oz ($2.99)
Golden Beets 1 lb ($2.50)
Romaine Lettuce 1 lb ($0.99)
Tomatoes 1.5 lb ($4.49)
Red Leaf Lettuce 1 lb ($1.49)
Fresh Parsley Plant ($2.49)

Total share value = $21.57

Now we're starting to get into some interesting stuff!  Golden beets. Yum!

It's nice to see the leafy greens continuing to fill the box, and while I never get tired of using them for fresh salads, I am going to have to come up with some other uses for them.  Otherwise it wouldn't be a challenge, right?

I'm also happy to see the first fruit of the season.  Fresh strawberries, and lots of them!  While I have no doubt that my daughter will happily devour them all, I think I'll have to see if my wife (and her pastry degree) is willing to make a guest appearance on the blog.  I know my taste buds will not mind.

Week 2 Share

Red Leaf Lettuce, 1 lb ($1.29)
Organic Spinach, 5 oz ($0.60/oz = $3.00)
Arugula, 4 oz ($0.60/oz = $2.40)
Italian Parsley, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Curly Parsley, 1 bunch ($0.99)
Radish, 1 bunch ($1.29)
Asparagus, 1 lb ($2.99)
Organic Scallions, 2 bunch ($0.99 ea)
Fresh Basil Plant ($3.29)
Free Range Eggs, 1 doz ($3.69)

Total share value = $21.91

Another live herb!  I asked about this when I picked up the share and was told that we will be getting different herbs for the first 4-5 weeks with the idea that we will plant them and be able to pick herbs as needed throughout the year.  Very nice!

A couple organic items were in the share this week. The farm practices sustainable agriculture for everything and strives to grow organic where possible. I will start marking the organic items in green on the share list to make it easier to see how often they show up.

Lots of parsley this week, using that all up without putting a huge amount of garnish on everything will take some creativity.  Ideas are welcome!

Week 1 Share

Here's a picture of the contents of the week 1 share with details listed below along with the how much they would have cost at my local supermarket in parenthesis.

Cilantro, 2 bunches ($0.99 ea)
Red Leaf Lettuce, 1 bunch ($1.79)
1/2 lb Greenhouse Tomato ($1.50)
Scallions, 2 bunches ($0.50 ea)
1 lb Asparagus ($2.49)
6 oz Spinach ($1.50)
Radishes, 1 bunch ($0.99)
4 lb Leeks ($2.99)
1 Fresh Mint Plant ($2.49)
1 lb local honey ($5.49)

Total share value = $22.22

I was pleasantly surprised by the honey, having expected only produce.  The live mint plant is a nice touch as well.

After I unpacked the box, my first thought was "uh oh, cilantro".  We are not cilantro fans in this house and here I have two bunches!  So now I will add one loophole to my rule about using everything and give myself the out of giving items away to friends who can make better use of them.  The cilantro will be the first through my new loophole!