Week 2 Newsletter 2018

Hello Everyone,

I hope you connected with your bin or bucket last week and that you are making room in your refrigerator for Week 2! The full shares are packed in a 1/2 bushel black plastic bin and we use an 8 quart sapphire blue bucket for the small share. The strawberry plants are continuing to produce berries and the garden enjoyed the gentle rain last night.

Below you will find information about green garlic and garlic scape:

Green garlic looks like a scallion with a fat white bulb and dark green stem. It’s an immature garlic plant that farmers remove when thinning out their garlic crop. It has a subtle garlic flavor and the entire green can be used. It may be used in salads, vinaigrettes, sprinkled on pasta, pizza, sauces, and in marinades for grilled foods.

Garlic scapes are the curled flower stalks of hard-necked garlic varieties. They are a seasonal treat, cut off to encourage better bulb growth underneath and are available through early summer. Scapes are crunchy, have a mild garlic flavor, and can be used like green garlic or mature garlic. The whole scape, the flower head as well as the green stalk, can be chopped and used raw or cooked.

This week's list:

Week 2 Bin:

Garlic Scape

Strawberries
Rhubarb
Mixed Greens
Lettuce
Sugar Snap Peas or Shallots
Garlic Scape
Maple Syrup
Radishes

Small Share:

Strawberries
Lettuce or Arugula
White Turnips
Green Garlic

Green Garlic

The tender baby turnips of late spring and summer, the smallest bulbs of this root vegetable yield delicate, sweet flavor. Turnips are great candidates for a variety of cooking methods: roasting, braising, sautéing, and steaming. You can also thinly shave or julienne them to use raw in salads. This is a great recipe that incorporates both bulb and greens in one dish.

Last week one member wrote me a note and explained how she prepared her radishes and radish greens with wonderful results. This recipe could easily be adapted to use radishes.

Braised Turnips with Greens

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

CHERYL SLOCUM January 2017 Cooking Light

Ingredients

6 small turnips with greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup unsalted vegetable stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cold butter
1 teaspoon honey

How to Make It

Trim and peel turnips; reserve and chop the greens. Halve turnips. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add turnips, cut side down; cook 4 minutes or until golden. Turn and add vegetable stock, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until turnips are crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and add greens; cook until liquid reduces by three-fourths and thickens, about 6 minutes. Swirl in butter and honey.

Strawberries, Sour Cream And Brown Sugar

Prep 5 mins
Total 5 mins

Yield 2 -3 servings

Ingredients

1 quart strawberries, leaves attached
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Rinse strawberries and put the whole strawberries in a bowl with the leaves attached, a bowl of brown sugar and a bowl of sour cream. Let the dipping begin!

Week 1 Newsletter 2018

Welcome to the 2018 season of the Peak Season CSA!

The first delivery of the season is here and is always exhilarating. It is also the time of planting, planting and more planting. Then taking a step back to see what is ready to put into the Week 1 bins. It is just the beginning of the season and the early boxes are a gradual build-up to the bountiful bins that come together in deep summer and the hefty crops that arrive in the fall.
Eating with the seasons, as well as eating locally, may be new to some of you. It can be frustrating, intimidating and overwhelming when you are just starting out with bins of fresh produce.
Hopefully, the weekly newsletter will provide you with information to make it easier and to inspire you to try some new things that will work for you and fit into your lifestyle.
We welcome your ideas and recipes so that we can share them with other members of the CSA.

Here are details about picking up your bins including location addresses and pick up times:

Wednesday
Mark’s House:  4:00 - 7:00 pm     -   7177 Center Rd.- The bins & buckets will be located in the large wooden shed behind Mark’s house and close to the circle driveway.

Govt. Center:  4:30 - 5:00 pm     -    400 Boardman Ave - The pick-up locations is to the left of the main building. Joe will be parked in the Delivery Only area and the bins & buckets will be in his gray pick-up truck.

Wunsch Farmhouse 6:00 -7:00 pm   -   17017 Peninsula Drive -  The bins & buckets will be in the trunk of my light blue car.

Thursday
Grand Traverse Senior Center   7:30 - 9:30 am  - 93801 East Front Street  - The bins & buckets will be inside the Senior Center Building on the right side of the main entrance. 

Please be respectful of the pick - up times. If you are not able to pick up at the location during the set pick - up time, call me ahead by 24 hours and you can pick up your bin at the farm. 

(231-313-1471)

   

Here are the items to expect to find in the Week 1 bin:

Standard Share:

Strawberries
Rhubarb
Radishes
Chives
Mixed greens

Baby kale
Honey

Assorted fresh herbs plants

Small Share:

Strawberries
Rhubarb

Chives
Radishes

We hope you enjoy this culinary adventure with us as we celebrate another season. Thanks for joining us. Here are couple of recipes that include items that you will find in your bins & buckets this week.

Classic Deviled Eggs

ALEX WITCHEL

YIELD
 12 halves

TIME 
45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste

Salt, to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Paprika, for garnish

Whole fresh chives, for garnish

PREPARATION

Rinse eggs with warm water, and place in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water, place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10-12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and peel. Cool in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 15 minutes.

Halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully scoop out yolks. Place yolks in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Add mustard, Tabasco, salt, pepper and snipped chives. Stir in mayonnaise.

Fill each egg white with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture and dust the top with paprika. Arrange in a spoke design on a platter; garnish with whole chives.

Rhubarb Crisp

MARK BITTMAN

YIELD 
6 to 8 servings

TIME
 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan

2 ½ to 3 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, tough strings removed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 5 to 6 cups)

¼ cup white sugar

1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

Pinch salt

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup pecans

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss rhubarb with white sugar, orange or lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

Put the 6 tablespoons butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Add oats and pecans and pulse just a few times to combine.

Crumble the topping over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

Week 16 Newsletter 2017

Hello Everyone,    

You are invited to come to the farm and fill your last bin of the season with the items below plus extra produce. We will be meeting in the Peak Season CSA garden on Wednesday. (10/4/16) between 4:30 - 6:30 pm.


 The easiest way to get to the garden is to head north on Center Rd (M37) and go about 12 miles, then turn left on Kroupa Rd. In 1/2 mile you will come to a stop sign, turn right on Peninsula Drive, drive another 1/2 mile,  then turn left on Phelps Rd. Drive about a quarter of a mile and you will see the hoophouse on the left hand side of the road. There are rows of large apple trees on both sides of the hoophouse.

* Reminder* - the Peak Season CSA address will take you to my house rather than to the garden. Be sure to pack the directions to the garden along with you for this adventure.

Also, confirm with me by email if you are planning to come to the farm this week by Tuesday afternoon.  I will be in the garden to assist with the bin assembly between 4:30 - 6:30 pm on Wednesday. There will be plastic produce bags and brown paper bags available in the hoophouse. Of course, your own cardboard box/ tote bag would be ideal for this pick-up.

For those members who are unable to come to the farm I will put bins and buckets together in cardboard boxes and Joe will be delivering the boxes to the regular locations on Wednesday. I will also be delivering to the other locations on Thursday morning.

* Big Reminder*  -  Please return all black plastic bins and blue buckets this week.

 If you sign up for next year by November 1, 2018 and include your $ 50.00 deposit you will receive a FREE 1/2 bushel of Honey Crisp apples for a full share or a FREE 1/2 peck of Honey Crisp apples for a small share. I have posted the 2018 sign-up sheet on the csafarm.org site and will have sign-up sheets and complimentary apples in the hoophouse on Wednesday. 

What to expect to find in your bins this week:


Variety Pack of Apples
Asian Pears
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers                                                                                            
Red Onions
Cabbage
Winter Squash
Beets
Garlic

and in your bucket:


Variety Pack of Apples
Tomatoes
Onions
Sweet Peppers
Carrots
Garlic

Roasted Winter Vegetable Medley

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  YIELD Serves 6  TIME About 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeds and membranes scraped away, and cut into 3/4 to 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (quarter at the fat ends, cut in half at the thin ends, then cut in thick slices)
1 large parsnip, quartered, cored, and cut in 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium-size fennel bulb, quartered, cored and cut in 3/4 inch pieces
1 medium or large red onion, cut in large dice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
 Optional: Chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or sage, about 2 teaspoons

Spaghetti With Cauliflower, Almonds, Tomatoes and Chickpeas

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  YIELD4 servings  TIMEAbout 30 minutes Save To Recipe Box 

INGREDIENTS

24 raw almonds (about 3 tablespoons), blanched, skinned* and chopped
1 small or 1/2 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
 1-14 1/2-ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice
¼ teaspoon sugar
 Pinch of cinnamon
 Salt to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon dried oregano (to taste)
 Freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup cooked chickpeas (canned or freshly cooked)
¾ pound spaghetti
 Crumbled feta or freshly grated Parmesan for serving

PREPARATION

Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and cauliflower. Boil 5 minutes, then using a Chinese skimmer, a strainer or a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to a bowl of cold water (do not drain the pot; you’ll use the water for the pasta). Drain the cauliflower and chop medium-fine. Set aside.
(You can do this step while you are waiting for the water to come to a boil for the cauliflower). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in tomatoes with liquid, sugar, cinnamon, salt and oregano. Turn up heat to medium-high and stir often as tomatoes come to a brisk boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and taste very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add pepper to taste.
Add cauliflower and almonds to the tomato sauce, along with 1/4 cup cooking water from the cauliflower, and stir together. Stir in chickpeas.
Bring water in the pot back to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook al dente, following timing instructions on the package but checking for doneness a minute before indicated time on the package. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the pasta, in case you want to moisten the sauce more, drain pasta and toss with the tomato and cauliflower sauce and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add water from pasta only if you think the mixture seems dry. Serve, passing crumbled feta or grated Parmesan at the table for sprinkling.

Tips

To blanch and skin almonds, bring a small pot of water to a boil and drop in almonds. Boil 30 seconds and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and slip off skins, then chop.

Advance preparation: The cauliflower and tomato sauce can be prepared through Step 3 up to 3 days ahead.

Week 15 Newsletter 2017

Hello Everyone,    




We are in full swing with the apple harvest. The cooler and the packing shed have a strong fresh apple aroma and the bins keep marching in from the orchards. We prefer a cool finish for the apples and are looking forwards to cooler temperatures for the apple picking crew to complete the apple harvest. 


*Save The Date*

You are invited to come to the farm and fill your last bin (Week 16) of the season. We will be meeting in the Peak Season CSA garden on Wednesday. (10/4/17) between 4:30 - 6:30 pm.

I will include your Beyond The Bin tally this week with your Week 15 Bin. It works best for me if you can plan on paying when you pick up your Week 16 Bin.  For those who will not be coming to the garden please mail the payment to me to this address:   

17017 Peninsula Drive,
Traverse City, MI  49686

One last thing... I will be offering an early sign up option for the 2018 season. If you sign up for next year by November 1, 2018 and include your $ 50.00 deposit you will receive a FREE 1/2 bushel of Honey Crisp apples for a full share or a FREE 1/2 peck of Honey Crisp apples for a small share. I will have apples and sign-up sheets available at the CSA garden on Wednesday. (10/4/17)

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Honey Crisp Apples
One More Melon
Carrots
Eggplant
Red Onions
Sweet Peppers
Garlic
Red and Purple Potatoes
Tomatoes

... and in your buckets:

Melon
Tomatoes
Sweet Peppers
Purple Potatoes
Garlic

Here are a couple of recipes that include some seasonal ingredients.

Apple-Gruyère French Toast With Red Onion

MELISSA CLARK  YIELD 2 servings  TIME About 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1 3/4-inch-thick slices challah bread from middle of loaf
3 ounces grated Gruyère cheese (about 3/4 cup)
¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small apple, cored, quartered and very thinly sliced
 Fried eggs, for serving, optional

PREPARATION

Place one slice of bread on kitchen counter, the bottom crust nearest you. Cut into bottom crust, parallel to counter, to make a pocket. Do not cut all the way to top of slice; bread should remain attached there. Tuck half the cheese and onion slices in pocket. Repeat with other slice.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour custard into a wide, shallow dish. Soak stuffed bread in custard, turning once halfway through, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the apple slices in a single layer and cook for 1 minute. Place bread slices in pan, covering apples. Arrange remaining apple slices on top of bread; cook 1 minute more.
Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium; cook until bottoms are golden, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn bread and apples and cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve topped with fried eggs if desired.

Caprese Chicken Stuffed Peppers

 BY LINDSAY FUNSTON   TOTAL TIME: 1:15 SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
2 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided
3/4 c. ricotta
1/3 c. shredded fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 bell peppers, halved (seeds removed)
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Balsamic glaze, for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is golden and no longer pink, 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then dice.
In a large bowl, stir together cherry tomatoes, cooked chicken, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, ricotta, basil, and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Stuff tomato mixture into peppers and sprinkle tops with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Pour chicken broth into baking dish (to help the peppers steam) and cover with foil.
Bake until peppers are tender and cheese melty, 40 to 45 minutes.
Garnish with more basil, drizzle with balsamic glaze, and serve.

Week 14 Newsletter 2017

Hello Everyone,                        

We are on the home stretch of this year's CSA. It is hard to believe that there are only 3 weeks left of this season. The main garden is taking on a fall look and I did notice orange pumpkins in the garden this past week. The warm temperatures were welcomed which  helped the cantaloupe cross the finish line.

If you are planning to can/freeze or roast tomatoes, make tomato sauce or salsa......be sure to let me know. The Beyond the Bin will include 1/2 bushels of tomatoes and some of the other needed ingredients.

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Macintosh Apples
Cantaloupe
French Melon
Sweet Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Tomatoes
Onions
Fingerling Potatoes
Eggplant

... and in your bucket:

Cantaloupe                                                     
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Leeks/Onions
Eggplant

Here are a couple of recipes that include items from your bins/buckets this week.

Fresh Tomato Soup With Basil and Farro
 MELISSA CLARK  YIELD 6 small servings  TIME 1 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
1 ½ cups farro
3 large sprigs basil, stems and leaves separated
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 ¼ pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
 Black pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Pour 8 cups cold water and 1 1/2 tablespoons salt into a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium, add the farro and basil stems, and cook until grains are tender but still a little chewy, about 25 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the leek and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook leeks until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes have completely fallen apart, about 30 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, blender or food processor, purée the tomato mixture until smooth (you may have to do this in batches). Add half the farro and pulse until the grains are broken down and the soup is a chunky purée. Stir in the remaining farro. If the soup seems thick, add more cooking liquid. Taste and add more salt if needed. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Drizzle with oil; top generously with black pepper and torn basil leaves.

Baked Eggplant

Allrecipe.com JEZZI16  Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Ready in 45 min

Ingredients:

cooking spray
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tomatoes,
sliced 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a baking dish with non-stick play.
Arrange eggplant and tomato slices into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables; season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the entire mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Switch oven broiler to high; continue baking until completely browned, about 5 minutes.

Week 13 Newsletter 2017

Hello Everyone,

I have been harvesting the lush green kale this week and marvel at how they start off from such tiny seeds.  The kale seed is the size of the tip of a pen.  This veggie is part of the Brassica family along with cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, turnips, radishes, and broccoli.  


Brassicas are a favorite host to the imported cabbage worm or looper worm.  The yellowish white moths flock to the rows of brassica to lay their eggs.  The eggs hatch into caterpillars that crawl into the head of broccoli or cauliflower to eat before it pupates into a new moth.  We can control them using a bacterium product containing bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki or Bt.  The bacteria are dusted on the crop leaves, then the worms ingest the bacteria that disrupt their digestion.  Bt was first used in the 1920s and is one of the most widely used naturally occurring bacterial products to control worm populations in food crops.

We rinse all of the produce that is packed in the bins and buckets and recommend items be washed before they are used in your homes. 

The watermelons for both the bins & buckets will be located in a "grab your watermelon" black crate at each delivery site.


What to expect to find in your bin this week:


Watermelon
Peaches
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Leeks
Shallots
Kale
Sweet Peppers
Red & Purple Potatoes

...and in the buckets:

Watermelon
Macintosh Apples
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Red Potatoes

Pasta With Kale, Shiitake Mushrooms and Sausage

DAVID LATT  YIELD 4 servings  TIME 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch black kale, washed, ribs removed
4 Italian sausages (mild or hot)
½ pound shiitakes (or brown mushrooms), washed, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
4 shallots, peeled, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chicken stock or pasta water
1 tablespoon sweet butter
 Sea salt and pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 box pasta (spaghetti, ziti, penne, or fusili)
1 tablespoon kosher salt for the pasta

PREPARATION

Make the pasta in boiling salted water, drain (reserve 2 cups of the pasta water if you’re making the vegetarian version), drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, toss and set aside.
Sauté with olive oil or grill the sausages to put a crust on the outside, drain on a paper towel, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, then set aside. In a hot pan lightly brown the kale with the olive oil and remove. Add the shiitakes, shallots, and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned. Turn down the heat to medium. Return the kale to the pan along with the sausages, stock, and butter. Braise for 15 minutes. The liquid should reduce by half.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, toss to coat with the sauce. Serve with grated cheese.

Olive-Oil-Braised Leeks with Thyme

By Tamar Adler Fine Cooking Issue 115

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 lb. leeks (about 5 medium), white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise
12 small sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
Kosher salt

Preparation

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
Arrange the leek halves cut side down in a snug single layer in a shallow 8-inch square baking dish. Nestle the thyme sprigs among the leeks. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, wine, and 1 Tbs. water and drizzle over the leeks. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Braise the leeks in the oven until completely tender and easy to pierce with a fork, about 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue to braise until the leeks are caramelized, about 15 minutes more. Remove the thyme sprigs and serve the leeks warm or at room temperature.

The leeks will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make a light lunch: Chill, drizzle with mustard vinaigrette, and serve with a softly boiled egg and a piece of rustic bread.

Layer for an appetizer: Slice lengthwise into a few pieces, drizzle with fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with coarsely chopped parsley, and serve layered with fresh mozzarella.

Use to top fish: Coarsely chop and spoon over pan-seared striped bass or halibut.

Week 12 Newsletter 2017

Hello Everyone,

The harvest is coming in fast and furious, and we hope you are enjoying every bit of it. The bins and buckets were heavy last week and I do not expect them to be any lighter this week. We have made the bend when not everything will fit in the bins, so plan on making 2 trips to your car. I will be putting the watermelons in a "grab your watermelon" box this week. Please remember to take one when you pick up your bin.

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Asian Pears
Watermelon
Cucumber
Tomatoes (all kinds)
Onions
Garlic
Purple Cabbage
Sweet Peppers
Kuri Squash or Sweet Dumpling Squash


....and in the buckets:

Watermelon
Tomatoes (all kinds)
Eggplant
Garlic
Sweet Peppers

Here are a couple of recipes that include produce that will be found in your Week 12 bins & buckets.

Grilled Garlic Bread                           

JULIA MOSKIN  YIELD 6 to 8 servings  TIME 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 large (or 2 small loaves) baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably whole grain
 Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, not peeled
1 large ripe tomato, halved (optional)
 Coarse salt such as kosher or Maldon

PREPARATION

Cut bread in half lengthwise, and cut in half crosswise if very long. Brush cut surfaces of bread lightly with olive oil. Under a broiler or on a grill, toast bread, turning a few times, until cut surfaces are golden brown. (If using a broiler, you can place bread directly on the oven rack.)
Remove bread to a work surface, grab a garlic clove with your fingertips and rub it lightly over the cut surfaces of the bread. (The papery skin of the garlic will come off.) When the bread is well scented with garlic, brush again with olive oil and toast again. If using tomato, rub the cut surfaces against the bread so the bread absorbs the juice. Oil and toast bread one last time, until golden and charred. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve immediately.


Tomato, Fresh Fig and Blue Cheese Salad

MELISSA CLARK  YIELD 4 servings  TIME 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces, thinly sliced
½ pound fresh figs, cut into quarters
1 ounce crumbled blue cheese, like Fourme d’Ambert, more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
 Black pepper

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and salt. Whisk in oil.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes.
Spread tomato slices on a large plate. Scatter fig quarters and pine nuts over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and thyme, drizzle with dressing and finish with pepper.