Week 11: Flowers

Well, first, it’s pretty clear I’m not able to keep up with writing about CSA each week.  I’d like to be a little more creative in the kitchen with the veggies I get each week but work has been busy. Really busy. And, I haven’t had much time to think about interesting recipes.

So, I’ll try to write each week but if not will do so when I can.

The Northeast got a tremendous amount of rain this spring and early summer. So, we will definitely not be worried about drought as we have been in some summers past. Unfortunately the crops are behind. According to the farm lettuces are doing just great but other plants are not producing as many vegetables as they have in the past. I know that our own few tomato plants have small green tomatoes when we should be close to picking them about now.

This week we got a lot of lettuce, cucumbers, onions, and more beets. (Beets, beets, beets!) More zucchini and I got there a little late so I missed out on eggplants! Too bad. There was swiss chard, amaranth (a very pretty green I have never seen before) and green beans.

I made a great Green Bean Salad. It’s a family favorite: cut the beans into 1 inch or bigger pieces. Cook them until they’re al dente. Add your favorites (cut into bite sized chunks): carrots, artichokes, cooked red potatoes, black olives. Mix with a balsamic viniagrette. Chill and then serve.

Pick your own was interesting: more green beans, pickling cukes, and flowers. Beautiful, beautiful flowers. (That I picked just before the heavens opened up and drenched us with more, yes more, rain.)