July has a wonderful peak in the harvest for us. We’re still getting salad greens and a little swiss chard, and all the delights with seeds inside of them are now available: Cucumbers are still around. Sweet Peppers are ripe. Roasting peppers are ready! Eggplants, the stunningly fun purple food that we grow, are coming into their glory. And tomatoes??? They are abundant and diverse and fabulous and delicious and fun. We have been doing some taste testing of a few new varieties we’re growing this year. (It’s fun when a super delicious one is also growing well…it’s a real downer when a delicious one is a variety that isn’t looking the healthiest. We’ve found one of each so far.)
The favorite roasting pepper we grow is the shishito. Here’s what it looks like on the plant:
Here’s what it should look like when you eat it:
Some say they find a spicy one from time to time, but we have yet to find one. Just sweet, flavorful (once roasted), and delicious.
Enjoy these fruits of the summer! We’ll see you at markets on Saturday!
Saturday’s/Monday’s Farm Share will most likely include:
Salad Mix, Tomatoes, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Sweet Orange Peppers
* We now have a Facebook group for our CSA Members. Send a request to join, and we’ll add you so that you can exchange cooking ideas or questions with other members. (Thanks to those members that requested this!)
Vegetable Notes & Recipe Suggestions…also cataloged on our Recipe Page and see our Pinterest Page
Shishito Peppers – these are likely new for new members. They are quite unremarkable if eaten raw. They are meant to be cooked, and cooked whole. Don’t cut them! Saute in a pan or cook on a grill with salt and oil until they darken/soften/blister. They should not be spicy. We haven’t encountered a spicy one, but some people say they find a spicy one from time to time. They are flavorful! Eat them whole, biting all the way up to the stem. Enjoy them as a side dish or as a topping on something, like a hot dog or tofu. See Epicurious’ Sauteed Shishito recipe. Each pick up location will be getting them in turn over the next few weeks. Here’s a Collection of Shishito recipes.See photos above.
Sweet Orange Peppers & Cilantro – Make this Pepper-Tomato-Herb Salad
Tomatoes – If you can handle turning on the stove or oven this week, make a Roasted Tomato & Meat (or sub veg protein) Sauce to serve over pasta or other carb of choice. Otherwise, make lots of cold Salsa/Pico de Gallo.
Onions – This week’s variety is called “Candy” and is known for being very sweet and non-stinging. However, that means it doesn’t store as well. (The compounds in onions that make them store are also the ones responsible for making them bring you to tears.) Sweet onions are ideal for on sandwiches and salads and also for pickling. Try this Pickled Onion recipe, or just put them in a jar with salt and garlic (and dill if you wish) and add a mixture of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water. Store the pickled onions in the fridge.
Carrots – Try Carrot Slaw with Lemon-Honey Dressing by Williams Sonoma. (It calls for shredded carrots. We’ve also made this with diced carrots.) Or this Carrot Raisin Salad by Martha Stewart.
This week’s harvest (and baking) includes:
Arugula, Basil, Carrots, Chard, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Dill, Eggplant (just a few), Garlic, Lettuce, Microgreens, Okra (just a few), Onions, Parsley, Shishito Peppers, Sweet Orange Peppers, Salad Mix, Spearmint, Summer Squash, Tomatoes (slicers and cherries)…and our Organic Hearth Baked Bread (Baguettes, Tomato Basil, Whole Rye, Seed, & Raisin loaves for this weekend)
{Our farmstand is open Friday with most of the above items…see here for updated inventory}
2017 Market Share CSA Members: Reserve your selection online to pick up Saturday, July 15th at our farm, at the Brandermill Green Market, or at the Farmers Market @ St. Stephens.
Anything remaining after CSA shares are distributed and our farm stand is shopped… we’ll bring to the Brandermill Green Market or the Farmer’s Market @ St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the West End of Richmond. Keep an eye on what we have available via the online farmers’ markets: FallLineFarms.com and Local Roots Food Coop.
Enjoy ~
Janet, Dan, & the whole Broadfork crew
Want to follow along during the week, including Farm Stand updates? Visit us on Facebook or Instagram.
