CSA Members 2008: Newsletter Archive

Dear CSA Members,

About the crocosmia: These are my favorite flower (do I always say that?). The first flowers will begin to die back, but the next flowers will open down the stem, especially if you pluck off the dying blossoms. Enjoy! Today's delivery brings the first of a few summer favorites: peaches, golden raspberries, and summer squash.

The peaches are from an organic orchard run by Jerry and Andrea Pipitone. A little more information about the farm here. They were harvested on Saturday morning, just shy of perfectly ripe, so that they didn't bruise when we sent them to you. Natalina's first organic peach was from this farm, and won her approval -- we hope you enjoy them as much as she does! You will want a napkin present when trying these.

The golden raspberries are from Johnson's Berry Farm in Olympia, Washington (johnsonberryfarm.com). Picked just for us, we were delighted to share these sweet berries with you.

The kohlrabi is the odd-looking spaceship type vegetable in your box -- one in purple, one in green. They are related to broccoli, but don't have the sulfurous undertaste. . . more like cabbage meets apple. Carefully peel them, slice them up and eat them with a little dip (or just plain). They can also be sautéed, stir fried, steamed, used in soups. . . you get the picture.

The beets this week are an heirloom variety from Chioggia, Italy. Their flavor is sweet and mild, and if you roast them whole, you'll find a lovely pattern of stripes when you slice them. Use them over salad, as a side, or in my default fashion: steam them whole, with an inch or more of the stems, until tender. Run them under cold water until they are cool enough to handle, then slip the skins off, leaving stems intact. Toss with balsamic vinegar and feta. As for the radishes, I just can't stop harvesting them. They're too lovely and abundant. I promise to slow the tidal wave of radishes shortly.

We usually reserve kale for the cooler season, but it is so beautiful that we had to include it in today's delivery. A quick stir fry is your best bet (especially if you have a few garlic cloves left from last week). I have included a recipe below.

Speaking of recipes, if you haven't visited our recipe index yet, check it out.

Also, if you're looking for ways to use up your produce, you'll find a great resource in epicurious.com. It's an easy way to search for multiple ingredients without thumbing through cookbooks.

We are still finalizing the date for our summer open house -- it will be late August or early September. We'll let you know as soon as possible.

Kohlrabi, Radish and Pepita Salad

ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 head butter lettuce, washed, leaves torn (plus some red leaf if desired)
• 2 cups diced peeled kohlrabi
• 1 scant cup thinly sliced radishes (about 8)
• 1/3 cup natural shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), lightly toasted
• 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled queso fresco or Cotija cheese

procedure

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Toss lettuce, kohlrabi, and radishes in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and cheese and serve.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2005

Garlicky Kale with Cranberries

ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely torn
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (2 ounces)

procedure

Toss kale with a few tablespoons of water into a pan and steam over medium heat, adding more water if the kale begins to stick. Cook until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan.

Cook garlic in oil in same pan over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale, dried cranberries, salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing frequently with tongs, until kale is heated through and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

Adapted from Gourmet, November 2007, Ruth Cousineau