Savoring the Smorgasbord: Summer CSA’12 – Week #10
“The smell of manure, of sun on foliage, of evaporating water, rose to my head; two steps farther, and I could look down into the vegetable garden enclosed within its tall pale of reeds – rich chocolate earth studded emerald green, frothed with the white of cauliflowers, jeweled with the purple globes of eggplant and the scarlet wealth of tomatoes.”- Doris Lessing, The Habit of Loving
We have entered one of my favorite times of the year. There is something about August that I find delightful, hot or not. The sights and smells, the sounds, and the food. The grasshoppers, crickets, and cicadas provide a symphony of sound nightly, and there is a lush, earthy smell of soil, dying grass, and mature trees that I love. All the sounds and smells remind me of the those last summer nights as a kid. Suddenly school is on the horizon again, there are back to school shopping lists, and fall sports start to take off again. But at night, one still had freedom. Somehow those August nights were sweeter than the other summer nights, because one knew they were coming to a close soon.
I no longer have those free evenings to romp around the neighborhood with other kids, but I still feel that sense of holding on, of savoring this time of year. As an adult, the sense of savoring in August has expanded over the years to include food. Before I got into farming, eating with the seasons was not something I ever thought about. If I wanted a cucumber in December, I just bought one from the grocery store. But as farmers, we really do eat with the seasons. The cold months are characterized by lots of root crops and much more meat, and the summer months are all about eating as many fresh vegetables as we can.
August is really the height of the fresh fruit/vegetable smorgasbord. Everything is so delicious and there’s so much of it. This week’s box really reflects that; it’s full of such tasty summer treats. Sure we put up lots of food and freeze/dry/can it for the winter, but there’s nothing like fresh sweet corn, melons, and tomatoes from the field. Savor, savor.
In February, you feel your mind stretching to find a new, exciting way to cook with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. But in August€¦ the challenge in the kitchen virtually disappears. Salsa time with tomatoes, cilantro, onions, hot pepper! Ratatouille time now that eggplant and tomatoes are coming in together. Fritter time with your corn and zucchini! And ohh, Emeril’s recipe with garlic, ground pork, green beans, and eggplant. Oh so many yummy treats from the field. We hope you enjoy and truly savor them!
Sincerely, Cassie, Mike, and Zea
In the Box:
- Basil
- Broccoli
- Cabbage, Red
- Cilantro
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant, Globe
- Garlic
- Green Beans
- Honeydew Melon, Orange
- Romaine Lettuce
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Onion
- Tomatoes ” assorted heirlooms, slicers, cherries
- Zucchini
REGs Only:
- Hot Wax Pepper (not as hot as a jalapeno)
- Parsley
EOs Only:
- Jalapeno
- Watermelon
This Week’s Recipes:
Summer Week #10: Wednesday, August 8th – EveryOther Group B
