Has it already been a week? Can you tell from the bigger that the bounty is getting bigger? It's much harder to make our way through an entire box of local, sustainable, organic fresh produce - no matter how wonderful - when we spend part of the week out of town (as we did last week). Lucky for us there's always a line up of family, friends, and neighbors willing to take an extra bag of spinach, green garlic, or bok choy off our hands in a pinch. Why is it so hard to let these treasures go? Here's a list of what's coming this week, along with some short notes from the Harmony Valley CSA on what to do with them.
- Red Leaf or Red Boston lettuce: Big, beautiful leaves make a perfect addition to a sandwich.
- Spinach: Gather a handful of spinach into a tight bundle and slice across into ¼" strips. Mix into scrambled eggs or a cheesy omelet.
- French Breakfast Radishes: Slice very thinly and layer on buttered bread.
- Purple Scallions: Colorful addition to a salad, or toss with pasta or add to soup.
- Garlic Scapes: Long, curly stem. Chop and use the whole plant as a garlic substitute in any recipe.
- Yukina Savoy: One of our favorite bunching greens; mild with a slight mustard flavor. Steam briefly, drizzle with olive oil, and serve as a side dish to meat or fish.
- Asparagus: Blanch and freeze extra asparagus to enjoy later in the year.
- Rhubarb: Rhubarb coffee cake!
- Arugula or Sauté Mix: Toss in with cooked rice, pasta, or potatoes before serving.
- Basil
My own notes:
- As I've written in the past, most of our rhubarb is going towards rhubarb margaritas these days.
- I'm especially excited to try scapes this week - they're one of those foods I've heard and read about, but have yet to taste.
- I'll admit to needing to try something new with my spinach and arugula - I'm not much of a breakfast person, but I think the egg idea is a good one.
- My wife has been eating - and loving- brie and arugula sandwiches on bread from the nearby Turtle Bread Company.
And if you don't yet know how I feel about radishes, please read my Ode to a Radish.
