In your box this week:

  1. Tomatoes:  As usual, treat these heirloom varieties very gently.  Not sure what to do with the really ripe ones today?  EASY TO FREEZE:  Just cut them up and freeze them.  Some people like to freeze them first on a cookie sheet, so they are separate and loose in the bag.  Some people like to first drop whole tomatoes into boiling water for a minute or so until the skin starts to peel, and then they freeze the de-skinned tomatoes whole or cut into pieces.  The EASIEST way, in my humble opinion, is to puree the tomatoes, skin and seeds and everything.  Then pour into a bag and freeze.  If I have time, and it’s not too hot, I will cook the tomato puree on the stove to get rid of some of the extra moisture.  Then I will can or freeze this thicker and more concentrated version.  It takes up less space, and is better for winter hot dishes and spaghetti sauce anyway.  You can boil it until it is as thick as you’d like.  Sometimes I like to cook it down until it looks like ketchup and is more like tomato paste.  For the LITTLE TOMATOES, a friend taught me last year to throw them whole (with skin) into a bag and freeze them.  Then in the winter take them out and throw them into Tabbouleh or slaw or sautes.  Yum!
  2. Zucchini / Summer Squash
  3. Cucumbers
  4. Garlic Chives: Eat the flowers, BUT the stem of the flower might be too tough to eat.  Try it and see.
  5. Sweet Corn:  The second picking of the second planting.  Ripeness and size are more variable.  Think of it as an extra bonus week of corn.
  6. Broccoli
  7. Cabbage
  8. Kale
  9. Lettuce
  10. Arugula and Mizuna
  11. Sweet Peppers
  12. Carrots
  13. Beans
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