August 14 CSA

Small shares:  1 bunch arugula, 1/2lb. okra, 1lb. tomatillos, 1 jalapeno, 1 bell pepper, 1lb. yellow onions, 1 garlic, 1 pint edamame, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1lb. heirloom tomatoes.
Regular shares:  in addition to the above, 1 bunch french breakfast radishes, another 1/2 lb okra, 1 lb. heirloom tomatoes and pint of edamame.

Everything should be stored in your refrigerator except the yellow onions and tomatoes.  The tomatoes need to be eaten within 3 days.  The arugula will be best today or tomorrow.  If you're going to keep it longer, you can put it root down in a glass with a little water inside the fridge.

Tomatillos are in the purple mesh bag.  They taste like a sour green apple on their own.  Most commonly they are used to make salsa verde or green chili sauce.  You must first remove the husk before preparing.
Salsa Verde Recipe

I have had a lot of questions about the garlic so I'll address Garlic again here.  The bulbs you are getting in your box right now are "uncured" garlic which means they have not been hung in the barn to dry or "cure".  When we harvested the crop during all that crazy rain in early July, it was too wet and conditions were perfect for disease to spread throughout the crop.  For this reason, any questionable bulbs had their tops removed immediately and we are storing them in our walk in cooler.  This garlic is called "fresh" or "uncured" and is perfect for eating NOW.  It has a slightly less strong flavor because it has more water in it than garlic that has been air dried or "cured".  There is the added benefit of it being easy to peel.
The garlic we deemed worth trying to cure is in the old tobacco drying barn with fans on it and looks like it is doing well.  Eventually you'll see that in your box and it will look more like what you're used to seeing in the store.  It will not need to be refrigerated.

Speaking of garlic, try caramelizing some and adding it to tomato sauce.
To caramelize garlic, peel as many cloves as you want to caramelize.
Over medium heat, warm enough olive oil in a skillet to half way cover the cloves you are preparing.
When oil is hot enough to sizzle when you add the garlic (try adding 1 clove to see) add it all and let it do its thing.  The cloves will start to brown and blister a little.  Be sure to flip them (carefully!) so that all sides get in the oil.  It takes about 20 minutes.  You can add a little salt and fresh herbs too!  I like oregano.  You can take 1 clove out and cut into it to see if its soft.
When it done caramelizing, I add it to my tomato sauce and eat!

I hope you all have a good week.  Lettuce will be back in your boxes in 2 to 3 weeks.  Also beans, cucumbers, squash, radishes, bok choi.