Letter From Maryellen

Last week’s chardonnay grapes were such a treat, we wanted to capture a picture of them for the newsletter. (We picked them up from Maynard Farms on the way to delivering to the city last Thursday, so we weren’t able to get a picture of them until after distribution.)

This weekend the autumn leaves here became noticeably awe-inspiring. Perhaps it wasn’t sheer coincidence that many of this week’s share items reflected this season’s brilliant, warm colors: the purple of opal basil and Russian kale, the burgundy beets and “red” Romaine lettuce, the yellow and bright red bell peppers, and the orange of bunched carrots. Fall foliage of another kind.

 

“Beets are Back, With Greens” is the timely title of a New York Time’s “Well” column last week (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/28/beets-are-back-with-greens/), accompanied by a series of inspiring recipes:

 

Beet Greens Frittata, Beets with Goat Cheese and Spinach (go ahead and substitute the red Romaine for the spinach!), Beet and Chickpea Salad, Beet and Beet Green Fritters and Beet and Potato Salad.

 

Here at the farm, yes, beets are back, and, so long as we don’t get a hard frost, the greens will continue to hold up. Enjoy the greens while they’re around. They’re packed with nutrients, and, we think, really tasty too.

 

In this week’s share:

1 baby bok choy

1 bunch curly leaf parsley

1 bunch red Russian kale

2 red bell peppers

14 ounces yellow wax beans

1 bunch opal basil

1 head red Romaine lettuce

1 bunch carrots

1 bunch beets

 

Fruit share:

1 organic watermelon

Bartlett pears

 

Fruit tip: This week’s Bartlett pears shouldn’t need to sit out on the counter too long  before they’ve ripened. They’re ripe when they’ve turned a waxy yellow color and yield ever so little when pressed with a finger.

Watermelons do not ripen off the vine. So no need to leave out on the counter to ripen; store in the refrigerator.

 

Opal basil is a deep purple color with broad, fragrant leaves. You should use it just as you would green basil, and, in fact, it will turn green when cooked. So if you make it into a pesto and want to show off the rich color, use it to coat something that’s served cool or at room temperature, such as a potato salad or drizzle over slices off fresh mozarella.

 

Russian kale has a tendency to lose its body more readily than other kinds of kales. For this reason, store in a produce bag in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

 

Best,

Maryellen