FROM THE HEN HOUSE: Sorry the newsletter’s late this week – I just haven’t gotten the hang of being in two places at once yet! The big news is that we finally have the online store up and ready for your perusal. Just go to www.goodfoodeasy.com and click ‘Online Farm Store/CSA Members’. Now you can easily order our jams, Scottish oats, tomato sauces, etc and pay for the items through PayPal. Anything ordered by Saturday will be delivered with your next scheduled share. You can also pay for your shares online once you are a member. Do be aware that the shares and farm products cost 3-5% more through the store than just sending us a check.                            LYNN

Individual orders vary for a lot of good reasons. Substitutions are noted on your bag.

EVERYONE GETS eggs or eggplant, nectarines, tomatoes, and flame grapes.

SMALLS ALSO GET jalapeno pepper, Italian parsley, lettuce mix or romaine lettuce, garlic, Tropea onions, and cauliflower.

MEDIUMS ALSO GET kohlrabi, Italian kale or chard, figs, summer squash, Anaheim peppers, fresh dill, white onions, (green, romano, or yellow wax) beans, sun jewel melon, and pickles or cucumbers.

LARGES ALSO GET jalapeno pepper, chard, figs, Poblano and bell pepper, sungold tomatoes, fresh dill, white onions, (green, romano, or yellow wax) beans, baby romaine lettuce, Japanese eggplant,  and pickles or cucumbers.

Fresh dill: Unless baking with it, add at the end of cooking. Rinse thoroughly just before using, it wilts quickly after being in water. Dill adds fresh green flavor to cabbage, cauliflower and root crops like carrots and beets. Fresh dill is a natural with fish, potatoes and cauliflower, eggs, tomatoes, any salad or dressing. Chop and add for a great tuna salad.

Italian Parsley: Besides being flexible and adding a bit of green flavor to any dish, fresh parsley makes dried herbs seem a little fresher and makes other fresh herbs go further.

Fresh basil: . The leaves bruise very easily so don’t wash or chop them until just before you need them. Add at the end of cooking.

Peppers of the week: Anaheim peppers: are rich, green and long. They have a mild heat with thick, crisp flesh and the classic chile flavor. Bell peppers: identified by their shape, regardless of their color, they are sweet. Jalapeno peppers: (small, plump, and green) are medium hot. Poblano peppers: an intense green-black color, are medium hot and popular for Southwestern recipes. They are often roasted then peeled and stuffed.

Tropea onions: These onions are grown in Italy and France. They are best sautéed or fried, with a good aroma and flavor.  Just thought I would mention again in this newsletter how wonderful these onions are fried in a little olive oil, as the start of a wonderful dish. If not cooked, they taste pretty strong.

Kohlrabi: It is the other-worldly looking purple or green globe that might become your new favorite vegetable. The most important thing is to thoroughly peel it – the skin is very fibrous. Grate and add to a salad or coleslaw. Or slice and stir-fry. Also a nice addition for a stew. Or my favorite: peel, slice and eat! The leaves are good as cooking greens. To store, keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Sun jewel melon: Asian melon that is yellow and oblong, with white flesh. A very sweet and crisp taste.

Naturally fermented pickles: These naturally fermented cucumbers are referred to as ‘half sour’ because they cure from the outside in, with the center still being cucumber-like. This type pickle is common on the east coast.

Sungold tomatoes: Lots of varieties are called ‘sungold’ but this is the real deal. They split easily but definitely have the best taste. They are so sweet it’s the only tomato I know that makes a good dessert.

Cauliflower: The thick stems under the buds store most of the nutrients so use those, too. You can roast it, steam it and add cheese on top or slice it and add raw to salads. It has high levels of vitamins C and K, folate and fiber.

Japanese Eggplant: Light purple, long and skinny, slice in half lengthwise and grill or broil.

Italian kale: has dinosaur skin textured leaves. Wash and fold along the center to cut out and discard the stems. Excellent in soups, stews and risotto. It needs to be cooked longer (about 20 minutes) than other greens but holds its texture well. It is an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6, C, K, calcium, copper, potassium and manganese, and a good source of Vit. E, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron and Magnesium.

Chard: The stems are good too; just discard the bottom inch or 2. They should go in the pan for a few minutes before including the leaves.

RECIPES SENT TO MEMBERS VIA EMAIL