July 12
Storage notes:
NEW: Washed and unwashed: Some crops don't wash well or don't store well when wet, and those will be delivered OUTSIDE the big plastic bag. Basil and cilantro and peas, for instance, will be in a small bag OUTSIDE the big plastic bag, because I think they will keep better this way. Rinse before eating.
Basil and cilantro keep best with their stems in water, like little bouquets, I find. Basil outside the fridge, cilantro in the fridge but not the coldest part.
Everything INSIDE the big plastic bag has been triple-washed and drip dried before packing. Root veg should have their greens taken off; all greens like being cool and humid but not sitting in water. Potatoes need to be kept in the dark.
They're so big! And these were harvested as new potatoes! The variety is Gold Nugget, propagated by Grand Teton Organics, and the parent potatoes went into the ground in March.
This week's harvest:
NEW: Red beets and golden potatoes.
ONGOING: Kale, chard, basil, cilantro, scallions, two colors of snap peas.
THE LAST: The last big lettuce for a *while*. It does not like hot spells. I harvested this early this week, so eat it first, it's used some of its storage time already.
Recipe suggestions:
How to make very crispy oven fries (YouTube).
Or very English roast potatoes (also YouTube).
Or a Spanish breakfast skillet dish with roast potatoes (while I'm going through my YouTube links!)
Although, when it's too hot to turn on the oven, I am more likely to microwave new potatoes -- poke them with a fork or they'll burst; or cut them into same-size pieces and toss a couple times mid-cooking so they're all done at the same time. Poke the little ones too or they overheat inside.
I don't have a favorite cold potato salad recipe, I'd like to know yours if you do.
BEETS:
The red greens of these beets cook like chard, and will turn anything they're cooked with pink. Barbie Rice?
Beets are also great in a quick pickle. The simplest is to slice them, just cover with water and vinegar half-and-half, and simmer until they're tender. Maybe a little sugar to taste, maybe caraway?, eat hot or cold.
While we're on pickles, a pickle-everything recipe from Smitten Kitchen, very good for any solid veg that don't inspire you in themselves. She juliennes the veg so they can be tossed with anything. Since red beets would turn the entire pickle bright pink I usually do them separately, with ginger.
Classic: borscht. Cipe Pineles' biography includes a beautiful hand drawn Borsht recipe.
Getting ripe:
look: a tomato beginning to blush! Mayyyybe enough ripe ones to harvest next week? Maybe not. Soon though.
