CSA Share Notes Week 6

In your share week 6:

All Shares:
Sugar Snap Peas
Basil
Salad Mix
Carrots
Green Onion
Zucchini
New potatoes: Austrian Crescent

Full shares only:
Kale
Broccoli (Trillium and PC)
Eggplant or Cucumber (Farm)

Summer crops keep coming, and we’re finally starting to harvest our potatoes.  New potatoes are the tubers off of vines that are still green and growing, as opposed to those that have died back and cured in the ground.  They should be stored in the fridge, rather than on the counter.

These are a seasonal treat, and they are extra tasty and creamy.  They are much higher in protein at this stage and lower in starch, and I find that they cook a little faster.  Today’s variety are a fingerling called Austrian Crescent, which are extra tasty and easy to prep because of their shape.  The name fingerling refers to the shape of the potato, not the size, and you will find as the season goes on that they can get quite large.  They’re great roasted, or boiled for potato salad.  I don’t generally skin my potatoes, and it’s particularly unnecessary with the thin tender skin on new potatoes.

Potatoes are the only new item for most folks. Full share farm folks have gotten eggplant or cucumber today.  Our greenhouse crops are all starting to trickle in, and we don’t have enough for everyone yet, but I will try to start distributing them out through the shares.  Eggplant are arguably my favorite vegetable, especially the Asian type that we grow.  These are long and thin, as opposed to the Italian bell type most people are accustomed to.  I most often split them in half lengthwise, toss them in olive oil and salt, and grill or roast them.  You can then eat them as is, add them to pasta or pizza, or turn them into baba ganouj.  Like potatoes, I usually leave the skin on.

Everyone got a lovely bunch of carrots again today, coming from our beautiful second rotation.  Zucchini continue to come on strong, and I expect there will be lots more of those.  Try grilling them with the eggplant.  Basil is a match made in heaven with our new potatoes, I often chop it up and toss it on immediately after roasting the potatoes, so the basil wilts a bit but keeps its fresh flavor.  Remember: keep basil in a plastic bag on the counter!

This week’s pea picks are still huge, though a bit down from last week.  The quality is still excellent, and they are so sweet and juicy.  Pea season doesn’t last long, so enjoy them while they’re here. Some folks got mild salad mix today in place of our usual mix.  The only difference is that it doesn’t contain the spicy mustards and arugula.  Not sure what you got?  The mustards are the red and green frilly lobed leaves, generally on the smaller sides.  If you don’t see them, you probably have the mild.