August 15 - CSA - SCVWD

What's in the box

Tomatoes, (this week I will do a photo of all the tomatoes to help you identify them) Blue Lake or Romano Green Beans, Gravenstein Applies, Cukes, Zukes - hey you guys asked me to plant them...don't look at me...and never plant zukes if you join a CSA! Melons Galore! Hale's Best and Rocky Ford Cantaloupes, Watermelon, and Collective Farm Woman Melon, Tomatillos & potatoes.

Romano Beans

Romano beans, if you don't already know them, are meatier than regular green beans. They're flat and broad (about 1 inch wide), tender, and sweet, and colorful. To prepare the beans, trim them and cut them on a diagonal into bite-size pieces, then simmer or saute them to serve as a side dish. You can also leave them whole and roast them, which intensifies their flavor and produces slightly charred beans that are addictive. They'll become your new favorite snack.

Roasted Romano Beans

1 sack Romano Beans
1/4 c. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs of thyme or rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
1. Set oven at 450 degrees.

2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the whole beans with the oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread the beans into a single layer.

3. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until the beans are tender and browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Look at these Sweet potatoes go! Just seeing them I'm starting to look forward to my sweets.

Next week there should be peppers, finally. The weather has just not been here to make them turn color, so I'll send you some green ones while we wait.

Today I planted corn and dry beans for the fall season. If you are going to continue through the fall, please e-mail me. I'd like to know before I plant broccoli. It's a little known secret. Broccoli is my least favorite vegetable. In an effort to stem my Broccoli Blues, I have ordered Cavolo Broccolo a Calabrese Broccoli. Of all the wonderful things Italians gave us (thanks Dad) why Broccoli? Leo loves the stuff, I hide it in my milk. He makes me eat it. I will eat Romanesco Broccoli...isn't it pretty?

Many beautiful Italian seeds have come in. Four kinds of Cauliflower! (Purple, Cheddar Cheese Color, and Brilliant White. Salad greens of every conceivable color and type. Cabbages and onions from every nation. Leeks to cry for. Favas to sigh for. It's inconceivable! Carrots and beets, spinach and peas...the seeds are flooding in.

Hey, but let's not get too excited we haven't even finished summer yet. Speaking of Italian. To the right, one of the Italian Heirloom tomatoes that aren't ready yet. They remind me of my aunts, sitting around the table making ravioli. Leo, hum the Queen tune again.