“Darkness always precedes light”
Yes, yes, it does! Charlotte and I are traveling today, so I took the photo last night. (Can you tell it’s almost dark?) It’s also dark, as I am writing this quickly before we head off on an adventure to Corolla, NC. Speaking of light, they have a cool lighthouse there - I’ll share some photos of our adventure next week. In the meantime, Wilbur is heading to boarding school; Shelly and Elandra will be handling the harvest on Saturday. Thank you to the farm team for letting us have a life while farming this year too!
Have a good week.
-
BOK CHOY 101 - As far as cabbage goes, bok choy stands apart. With a crunchy, celery-like texture when cooking times are short, to a unique, creamy texture when left in the pan a little longer. You can steam, stir fry, broil, sauté or eat it raw by mixing it in a salad or slaw (so good it makes us rhyme!). Check out our blog for one of our favorite bok choy recipes!
EAT NOW - Wash bok choy by swishing in a bowl of water to remove dirt between stalks. Baby bok choy can be cooked whole or by halving. For larger varieties, separate leaves from stalk to prevent overcooking.
EAT LATER - Store unwashed bok choy in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. To freeze, blanch, then remove excess water and store them in an airtight bag. Good for up to 10 mo.
To blanch, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. While you wait for boil, prepare an ice bath. Once boiling, drop veggies into water - water should return to boil within a minute otherwise you have too much veg for the water. Once boil has returned, cook for 1-5 min until veg has a vibrant color. Immediately put into ice bath to stop cooking.
RECIPES
-
CARROTS 101 - Crunchy, tasty, and highly nutritious, carrots are one of our favorite root vegetables. Carrots are a great source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants! We’re used to seeing orange carrots, but did you know carrots come in a variety of colors like yellow, white, red, and even purple? Both the root and the greens are edible - the leaves make for a great garnish or addition to pesto. The greens have a slightly bitter taste that compliments the sweetness of the root.
EAT NOW - Because we don’t use pesticides, our carrots don’t need to be peeled. Simply rinse and scrub any dirt before use. Eaten raw, carrots are great whole, julienned, speared, or chopped. Carrots can be boiled, sautéd, stir fried, or even air fried! Fresh carrot tops can be chopped into a green salad or stir-fry too! The greens can also be dried and used as an herb like parsley.
OR LATER - To avoid “floppy carrots,” remove the green tops as soon as you can, leaving about an inch of stems. Save the greens separately. Then, place root in a bag in the fridge or in a bin of water (like celery) to keep them crisp, changing out the water every few days. Uncut carrots will last in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. They can also be chopped, then blanched and placed in an airtight container in the freezer to keep longer. Store the tops in a separate bag in the fridge. Or put them in a plastic Ziplock in your freezer and use them to make DIY vegetable or chicken stock.
To blanch, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. While you wait for boil, prepare an ice bath. Once boiling, drop veggies into water - water should return to boil within a minute otherwise you have too much veg for the water. Once boil has returned, cook for 1-5 min until veg has a vibrant color. Immediately put into ice bath to stop cooking.
RECIPIES
-
EGGPLANT 101 – With its glossy purple skin and creamy texture, eggplant is a versatile summer vegetable that soaks up the flavors of whatever you cook it with. Roast it, grill it, sauté it, or bake it into your favorite dishes. We love it tossed with our 1808 Olive Oil, salt, pepper, and a little garlic. Eggplant is delicious in pasta, curries, casseroles, and dips like baba ganoush. The secret? Cook it until it’s tender and golden!
EAT NOW – Rinse and dry eggplant before using. Trim off the stem and cut into slices, cubes, or halves. Peeling is optional! Toss with olive oil and seasonings before roasting, grilling, or sautéing until tender. Smaller eggplants tend to have fewer seeds and a milder flavor.
OR LATER – Store whole, unwashed eggplant in a cool spot or in the refrigerator’s veggie drawer for about 3–5 days. Eggplant is sensitive to cold, so avoid storing it in the coldest part of your fridge. Once cut, wrap tightly and refrigerate, using within 1–2 days. To freeze, slice or cube, roast or blanch until partially tender, cool, and pack into airtight freezer containers.
RECIPES
-
GARLIC 101 - Separate the cloves as needed and peel just before using. To peel a clove, place it under the flat side of a knife and give it a gentle tap to loosen the skin. Trim off the root end, then mince, slice, crush, or leave whole.
EAT NOW - Store cured garlic bulbs whole, unwashed, and unpeeled in a cool, dry, dark place with good air circulation. A basket, mesh bag, or open container works well. Properly cured garlic can last for several months. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator, where humidity can encourage sprouting or mold.
OR LATER - Garlic can be eaten raw or cooked and adds flavor to almost any savory dish. Roast whole bulbs for a mellow, sweet flavor, or sauté minced cloves for a sharper garlic kick. Cured garlic is rich in sulfur-containing compounds and antioxidants. Use garlic in: sauces, soups, dressings, marinades, roasted vegetables, pestos, and just about anything that needs a little more flavor.
-
KALE 101 - Wash leaves in lukewarm water. If your greens have thick stems, remove them by folding each leaf in half and slicing out the stem. Then, stack the leaves up and slice diagonally into 1” wide strips.
EAT NOW - Wrap unwashed chard or kale in a sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Best used very fresh, but may last for a week. To freeze, blanch washed greens, rinse in cold ice water, drain, and pack into airtight containers.
OR LATER - Swiss chard or kale can both be eaten raw or cooked. A longer cooking time is best as it brings out the sweetness in the greens. Extremely high in vitamin K and vitamin A, these nutrient-dense greens can help combat cancer and reduce blood pressure! Chard and kale can be used interchangeably with: collards, turnip greens, beet greens, broccoli raab, mustard greens, dandelion, and spinach.
-
Microgreens 101—Before use, rinse gently in cool (not hot or cold) water to remove excess dirt. Pat or spin dry, and you’re good to go! Pat or spin dry your greens to remove excess moisture (moisture = mush!). Place loosely in a plastic bag or container and put in the fridge. They will keep for up to one week.
Eat These Immediately!
-
PEPPERS 101 - Whether hot or sweet, peppers are full of beneficial vitamins and minerals and are great raw or cooked. They can be sliced on pizzas or as part of salads and even stuffed with meats and cheeses. Hotter peppers like jalapeños can be cooked or roasted to reduce their heat. They make a great addition to any meal such as: sandwiches, tacos, pizzas, or chopped and added to soups, stews, sauces and more. Our personal favorite, are Jalapeño Poppers.
EAT NOW - First rinse and dry your peppers. Cut off the top and slice. If preparing hot peppers, be careful to wash your hands after handling - don’t touch your eyes! For less spicy peppers, cut in half length-wise and remove seeds and ribs. Are best stored whole.
OR LATER - Store whole or sliced in fridge for up to 1 week. To store longer, flash freeze (whole or sliced) on a cookie sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag once frozen. They keep well in the freezer – no need to thaw for use in cooked dishes.
RECIPES
-
TOMATOES 101 - Probably the most versatile fruit in the garden, tomatoes can be used in countless ways - salsa, gazpacho, sauces, slow roasted, puree and even a bloody Mary. Ours are grown for taste so eat them right out of the crate.
EAT NOW - Store unripe tomatoes upside down on a plate at room temperature until they fully ripen. Wash, pat dry, slice or dice, and enjoy the taste of a real tomato.
OR LATER - Refrigerate any fully ripe tomatoes - allow to come to room temp before serving. To freeze, first blanch and dunk in ice water to cool. Remove stems and core. Transfer to storage bags, seal and place in freezer.
To blanch, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. While you wait for boil, prepare an ice bath. Once boiling, drop veggies into water - water should return to boil within a minute otherwise you have too much veg for the water. Once boil has returned, cook for 1-5 min until veg has a vibrant color. Immediately put into ice bath to stop cooking.
RECIPES