2024 Summer | Week 3
Remembering John R. White
This week, we’re dedicating our crates to my big brother JR. We’ll be hosting a memorial for him this Sunday from 1-4 here on the farm. (You might want to plan your pickup around this window, as parking might be challenging. Anyway, John and my brother Mark have been very supportive of Yankee Street Farm and Garden over the years. He’s been a cheerleader, a mentor, an advisor, and a friend my whole life. I miss him already and wish all of our new family - The Farmtastik Eleven - knew him too. One of his favorite crops was snap peas. Our pods are maturing into peas this week, but they are just as delicious in pasta salad and other dishes. Also, this week, you’ll find celery in your crate. This is our first try on this crop, and getting them to harvest has been a long ride. We planted them in late February, and they took until almost April to germinate! JR enjoyed his celery in a Bloody Mary!
This just in—tomatoes are trending. and more romaine lettuce is on the horizon. Have a great week.
What's in Your Crate this Week?
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Here’s what Johnny’s says about this mix:A specially designed blend based on two years of trial research to make your salad mix stand out from the crowd. Selected varieties yield darker reds and greens even under low-light conditions. Ruffled edges and unique leaf shapes provide loft, interesting texture, good shelf life, and fancy appearance. Includes green oakleaf, red oakleaf, green romaine, red romaine, lollo rossa, and red leaf lettuces.
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BEETS 101—Beets are healthy, versatile, taste amazing, and look beautiful. One of the best things about them is that they keep well before and after cooking, and every part is edible and delicious. Beets can be broiled, steamed, grilled, or roasted, our favorite. (We like cut beets roasted in olive oil and salt and pepper the best!)
EAT NOW—Roots: Just before cooking, scrub the beets well and remove any scraggly leaves and rootlets. If your recipe calls for raw beets, peel them with a knife or a veggie peeler, then grate or cut them according to the recipe. To remove the skins, roast them in foil or boil them, and the peels will slip right off.
Beet greens: Wash the leaves in a basin of lukewarm water to remove grit. Remove the thicker stems. Depending on use, cut the greens into appropriately sized pieces.
OR LATER - To Freeze: Beet Roots: Boil or bake beets until done. Cool them in ice water or let them come to room temperature. Remove peels. Trim the beets into 1/4-inch slices or keep them whole (if they are small). Place in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Seal and freeze. Beet greens: Blanch wash beet greens for 2-3 minutes in hot boiling water. Immediately dunk in ice water to stop the cooking process. Then drain and pack into airtight containers. Freeze them in “balls” on a cookie sheet, then pop them into a freezer bag for the perfect portion.
DON’T TOSS THOSE BEET GREENS! - Beet greens are delicious! Here are some simple ways to use them: Use them for making vegetable stock, toss them into a salad — especially the smaller leaves, braised with a bit of olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes, toss in a smoothie, add them to an omelet, frittata, or quiche, stir them into a pasta sauce in the final stages, add to a soup, like you would kale or spinach, turn them into a pesto
RECIPES
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Celery 101 - Celery is a member of the Apiaceae family which includes carrots, parsnips, parsley, and celeriac. Its crunchy stalks provide a wide range of health benefits—from anti-inflammatory to lowering blood pressure; celery is a versatile veggie that can be cooked or enjoyed raw.
EAT NOW - Keep it cold! Wrap it in a damp paper towel and then wrap it tightly in foil, leaving the ends open.
OR LATER - Blanch and freeze
RECIPES
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SNAP PEAS 101 - Another item that should be eaten as soon as possible, peas are rich in vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin and potassium. When raw, they make a delicious and healthy snack on their own, or can be added to salads. They can also be added to stir-fry or soup in the last stages of cooking. Steamed peas (til just tender-crisp) are great tossed with butter, olive oil, vinaigrette, or pesto!
EAT NOW - Snap peas need stringing. To do this, snap off stem tip toward the flat side of pod and pull down-ward. Fresh snap peas are delicious both raw and cooked.
OR LATER - Refrigerate in perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer for 4-5 days. To keep longer, pea pods can be frozen. Blanch your peas, then freeze on a baking sheet (prevents clumping). Place in a plastic bag in the freezer up to 8 mo.
RECIPE
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RADISHES 101 - Our radishes are delicious when raw, with a sprinkle of salt or butter. The spicy, raw flavor is a wonderful addition to slaws and salads, or you can sauté and roast radishes to bring out a more subtle earthly flavor. You can even try them grilled!
EAT NOW - Scrub radishes well to remove dirt, then trim stem and rootlets. Slice, chop, mince or leave them whole. Delicious raw and cooked.
OR LATER - Remove leaves and store unwashed greens in loosely wrapped plastic bag in crisper. Store unwashed roots in plastic bag in fridge for up to 1 week.
RECIPES