CSAs the Week of May 2, 2022

SMALL/LARGE VEGGIES WITH FRUIT:

ASPARAGUS: Stand the asparagus up in a glass or jar with about an inch or two of water, making sure all the ends are sitting in the water. Loosely cover the asparagus with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or, store in a plastic bag in the drawer of your fridge for up to 3 days. Roast or grill spears with olive oil and salt. It’s also delicious raw in salads or

lightly steamed.

BEETS: Separate the tops from the roots, if still attached. Store unwashed greens in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Use anywhere you’d use spinach – salad, sandwiches, soups, etc. Store the roots in a bag in the fridge for up to a month. 

LETTUCE: store unwashed in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. 

RED POTATOES: Store in a cool dark place – not your fridge. Use within 3 weeks. Roast, panfry, or boil. Chop into desired sizes. Peeling is not necessary. 

SCALLIONS: Store in a dry plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. You can trim the green tops and use to garnish tacos or salads or meat dishes. Or chop and freezer for later use. If you have purple scallions, the tips add nice color in vinaigrettes or salad. 

RHUBARB: Looks like pink celery. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Chop and cook with a little water and some sugar to make a compote for yogurt, oatmeal, or pancakes. 

PINK LADY APPLES: a good eating or cooking apple. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a month. 

THYME: a versatile herb. Its pungent, bitter, slightly lemony flavor compliments: Poultry and seafood (perhaps add some to your turkey seasoning tomorrow!). Eggs. Roasted veggies, especially potatoes and winter squash. Breads and pasta dishes. Even some desserts! It dries easily for future use. 

OR CILANTRO: Store in a bag in the fridge for up to a week. Moisture is not cilantro’s friend, so make sure it stays dry during storage to give it the longest shelf life.  

LARGE VEGGIES WITH FRUIT

The above plus: 

RADISHES: Remove radish leaves if they are still attached. The tops can be used in scrambled eggs, soup, and spaghetti sauce. The roots should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge and will last for several weeks. Eat them raw, on toast, or try pickling them. 

BROCCOLI: store in the fridge in a plastic bag. Chop off the very bottom half-inch of the stem before eating. Cook the stems a bit longer than the tops.

DANDELION GREENS: The taste of dandelion is earthy and nutty, resembling a slightly bitter green like arugula.  Stems may be green or red.

Or SORREL: has long, arrow-shaped leaves with a bright, lemony flavor. Can be used both fresh in salads and cooked in soups and casseroles. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. 

Or SPINACH: Store it in a plastic bag right away and leave it in the fridge. Will keep 3-5 days. Add to a salad, or wilt it down and add to lasagna, pasta, or stir fry.

CELERY ROOT: These will have a hairy appearance on the outside. You’ll want to remove the hairy skin with a chef’s knife. Then chop and use like celery. Concentrated celery flavor. You can also grate the root.

Or CABBAGE: Place dry, unwashed cabbage heads in the refrigerator, preferably in the vegetable bin. Store for up to 3 months! Eat raw in salads, steamed, braised or fried. Turn raw cabbage into coleslaw or sauerkraut. 

TARRAGON: has a fresh, green, licorice-like taste. Traditionally  it pairs well with fish, chicken, eggs, green beans, and asparagus. It also works well in herbed butter, salad dressings, gravies, and creamy sauces. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks

Or CHIVES: Chives are long, thin tubular leaves with an oniony taste. They make beautiful purple flowers too that you may see in your share. Keep unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.  To freeze, snip into small lengths and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then place in a freezer-safe bag. No thawing is necessary before using.

FRUIT ONLY

RHUBARB: Looks like red celery. Keep in a bag in the fridge for up to a couple weeks. Rinse, dry, chop, and freeze for later use (no need to blanch!). 

APPLES: I know you’re probably tired of apples by now. 2-3 more weeks until strawberries should start. In the meantime, store your apples in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a couple weeks.  Pink Lady are a crisp semi-sweet apple with pink and green skin. Golden Delicious are a softer sweet apple with green-gold skin. 

Freeze your apples to give yourself an apple break and to enjoy in the summer: 

How to Freeze Apples

Apple Pie Filling

Freezable Apple Crisp

Applesauce for the Freezer

FLOWER SHARES:

It’s the first week of the Flower Shares!!!! No matter the variety or the week, put your flowers in a vase of water as soon as possible. Make sure the water covers the ends of the stems by a couple inches – remember, they’re going to be drinking the water up! Check the water level each day. And replace the water about every 3 days. 

TULIPS: Tulip stems keep growing while they’re in water, so don’t be surprised if your perfectly arranged bouquet starts looking a little leggy. 

or LILACS. Some of the lilacs you’ll be getting are from trees our family planted about 100 years ago! We like our old-fashioned lilacs’ fragrance the best. See if you can smell the different varieties in the bunch you get.