July 15, 2024
Summer's Bounty is Beginning
by Linda Dansbury

Additional veggies are arriving, first at a trickle, and then hopefully, pounds per week.

Tomatoes - the farm grows a multitude of varieties to extend the harvest and allow for enjoyment in many culinary ways: plum or paste tomatoes to cook sauces, hybrid slicers, which tend to be sturdier and keep longer, and a large variety of cherries and grape for u-pick. When I do my pick up, I take some of each to extend my enjoyment and avoid losing some because I didn't eat them fast enough. I keep them on the counter, until really ripe and soft, and then refrigerate to avoid them rotting. (editor's note: RIP heirloom tomatoes - too hard to grow, too susceptible to disease, too fragile)

Peppers, sweet and hot - the peppers we get right now are considered unripe because they are still green. Later in the season, we will be graced with bright orange and red ones. Enjoy them the same way. They will keep on your counter for a few days, but do prefer being refrigerated. As with tomatoes, the farm grows many varieties - especially of the hot varieties for your enjoyment, no matter how much heat you like in your food. I love using some hot peppers in cucumber and grilled green bean salads. Delicious!

Eggplant - as with the above crops, our farmers select a wide variety of eggplants to use in many different dishes. They are all great grilled. Check out this site for Asian dishes incorporating the long, thin eggplants and for recipes such as Eggplant Parmigiana and Baba Ganoush, which incorporate the globe types.

Fresh onions - may be in the pick up room this week, if not definitely next week. They will only keep for a short time on your kitchen counter so use them up or refrigerate.