Hi everyone,
Probably my favorite thing to read are farmer’s newsletters and produce lists. Nichols’ with particular interest of course but I read a few others just because I crave to know how the veggies are doing (Three Sisters Garden, Tomato Mountain, Mick Klug, and Ellis). For the same reason, trips to the farmer’s market take me awhile.
I love the consistency in all the commentary as everyone experiences the highs and lows of the season in similar ways. In the beginning of the season, I was mentioning how surprisingly early everything was ready, corn in particular. “Two weeks early” is what all the farmers were saying.
I wanted to share this bit from Tracey of Three Sisters Garden’s newsletter from last week, both because it’s emblematic of the common thread of the moment and because I love her writing.
I wish I had better news, but that soon to be fall crashing sound has started. […..]
Amish Pastes [tomatoes] will continue for a week, maybe two, but we are seeing the blight rise in the plants, so it will not be long. If you are thinking that the Amish Paste is only a cooking tomato, please slice one. They are meaty, dense, not all that many seeds, and delicious. Cantaloupes are gone until next year. Watermelons continue for a week or two more. […..]
We are thinking cherry tomatoes could run another 2 weeks, but only time will tell. […..]
Even with 90 degree temps, Fall is heralding its coming arrival. Time to clean up and plant the hoop-houses for winter. I better get my act together.
-Tracey
Hope you all enjoy the share!
-Ben
Crowder peas are also called cowpeas or black-eyed peas. This particular variety are called-so because their pods are a vibrant purple. Crowder peas are not actually peas, but a relative of mung beans. Fresh like this they are quick to cook and particularly delicious compared to dried or canned. Here is a recipe from Taste of Southern for inspiration.
A nice mix of some broad leaf and frilly greens. Crispy and refreshing, they would make a great salad for lunch during the warm afternoons of the next week.
Another familiar face from Spring, the perfumed, woody flavor of this bok choi is something I find just so pleasant. The small size of these mean all they need are a quick sauté/stir-fry finished with a splash of soy sauce and vinegar (seasoned, rice, or even balsamic would work) for an easy side dish.
Still freshly dug and not yet cured, these would be considered ‘new’ potatoes and are best kept refrigerated. They’re still perfect for any potato application (their size considering). Azziza was peeling the onions while I was cleaning these today and it made me think of the fried potatoes laden with onion that my grandma used to make, and how these fingerlings would do great in that dish sliced into cute little rounds
As fall rolls around, radishes make their return to the shares. We last had radishes back in March, and then I would have recommended eating them raw with a healthy smear of butter. But now with the cooler nights, radishes roasted until soft and juicy would be the perfect side to steak or tossed into a buttery pasta.
LindaMacs are an offshoot variety of the staple McIntosh. They ripen early, evidenced by being in the shares this week, and they are sweet with a bright acidity and have that classic McIntosh flavor often described as spiced, honey, or wine.
Bred by North Carolina State University, Covington sweet potatoes are great baking, mashing, and roasting. The simplest way to enjoy these is by baking whole at 375F for ~1hr.
There are extra melons in the shares this week. We hope you all have been enjoying it. Melons definitely fill my dreams in the dead of winter.
From Le Guide Culinaire by Auguste Escoffier first published in 1902:
“French [green] beans are one of the finest of all the vegetables but they need to be prepared with the greatest possible care. Their quality is such that they are nearly always good in spite of the faulty preparation they so often receive.
French [green] beans should be used fresh and must not be cooked for long in boiling salted water. They are best when still a little firm to the bite but not, of course, the least but hard.”
Candy onions look just like your standard yellow but their flavor is mild and sweet. This lends itself well to slicing and serving raw over something like a salad, as well as roasting to further develop some of those sugars. We also like to pickle these, where their sweetness balances well with some acid.
