P i c k l i s t
CHERRY TOMATOES - ROMA TOMATOES - CARMENS PEPPERS - EGGPLANT - CILANTRO - LEEKS - CARROTS - HOT PEPPER MEDLEY (CAYENNE, SERANO, HABANERO) - KALE
Edgewater update: Another frost is in the forecast, woof. I suppose this should come as no surprise, but with Summery temps over last weekend, and another hurrah of Summer coming through this weekend, it is enough to make a farmer cry thinking about the frost prep in between. You can think of it like a shit sandwich served on a fresh baguette begging for a sun-warmed tomato on the inside. But instead of a tomato, it's F”ing frost.
OOOOF yall, I am tired. And the changing light levels are not helping one bit. It is becoming increasingly harder to greet the day at 5am. The world is still pitch black out. And our long afternoons of pushing through harvest after harvest come to a real halt at 6:30 when the sun sets. Typically, my eyelids get pretty heavy soon thereafter, so at this point I am happy to turn in and call it quits for the day. But damn the frost that will surely keep some of us wide eyed and bushy tailed as we watch the car windows for that first sign of demise. If the windows are frosted, the fields are too, and there goes the flowers, the tomatoes, etc…
We will probably spend tomorrow evening, grabbing remay, and tucking everything in, weighing it down with a random stick and praying that it will be good enough for the night.
But enough about the whiplash in temps, let's talk about some glory moments from the week:
For starters, we harvested our sweet potato crop today. And wouldn't you know, the mice chews were few and far between. This is all due to our extremely talented second favorite cat and wild huntress, Johnny Utah. Every single morning she leaves entrails for us as gifts at our door. And today I realized that she has successfully taken out a whole mouse village over in the sweet potato field. It is rare to find a crop like this come out so unscathed. Good girl Johnny Utah, now please spend all your next available free time in the carrot field.
Another win for the week: Our cilantro crop is back and so beautiful… this herb is begging to be added to your salsa, or garnish on everything
And last win, that is the constant theme in everything we do around here: our field crew is just the best.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
The following recipes were crafted specifically for this week’s CSA by our friend and hyper local chef (he lives just up the road), Mitchell Davis. if you are curious about alllll the recipes he has to offer, check out his substack:
Roasted Eggplant with Crushed Tomato, Peppers, and Pecorino
Inspired by a cooking demonstration I once hosted with the great Phoenix-based pizzaiolo Chris Bianco, this is a warming and delicious way to prepare late-season vegetables.
Serves 6
2 medium eggplants, about 2 pounds
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes, halved
1 or 2 sweet red peppers, such as Carmen or bell, cut in half and seeded
2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 ounces aged pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved or thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove about half the peel from the eggplants and then cut them into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Place on a baking tray and douse with 5 or 6 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. On a separate tray, place the tomatoes and peppers and coat with a tablespoon or so of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place both trays in the preheated oven to roast until the eggplant is tender and light golden brown, the tomatoes have swollen, and the peppers have blistered, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the roasted eggplant to a baking dish. Chop the tomato and pepper and add to a mixing bowl. Combine with the garlic, thymes sprigs, a pinch of salt, and the remaining tablespoon or so of olive oil. Spoon and scatter this mixture over the eggplant and return the baking dish to the oven to to roast for another 10 minutes or so. Top with the shaved cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted and begins to brown, about five minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Leeks Vinaigrette Mimosa
makes 4 appetizer portions
6 to 8 medium-sized leeks
Salt
2 hard-cooked eggs
Shallot Sherry Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs, such as chervil, chives, parsley and/or tarragon
Fleur de sel or other finishing salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To begin, you must clean the leeks, which can have dirt and sand stuck in the darndest places. Cut off the roots and the dark green tops, reserving them for another use. (I use leek greens in stock or in a Chinese stirfry.) Depending on how long the remaining white parts are, either cut them crosswise in half or trim them down further—ideally you want 4- to 5-inch lengths. If they are less than an ince in diameter, you can leave them whole. If they are thicker, you will want to slice them lengthwise in half. Be sure to keep the layers of the halves intact. Rinse well under cold water and set on a paper towel to dry. Using butcher’s twine, tie the leaks together into two bundles, like logs, still keeping any split halves together. Place the bundles in a saucepan just large enough to hold them. Cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer cover and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks are tender. (Test them with the point of a pairing knife.) When done, lift them out of the water and let drain on a rack while they cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, steam and peel your eggs according to the technique in this issue. Cut the eggs in half, remove and set aside the yolks in a small, fine sieve. Finely chop the whites. Cut the strings holding the leeks together and arrange the leeks in a single layer, cut sides down, on a large serving platter or divide them among four serving plates. Spoon the vinaigrette generously over the leeks and sprinkle with the chopped egg white. Using the back of a small spoon, push the yolks through the sieve evenly over thew whites. Season with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with the chopped herbs.