Saturday, August 18, 2007

And then there were plums...

Looking out the window this morning the wind was whipping the trees around, the sky was cerulean and it looked chilly. It is the middle of August and on this fine morning it was 55 degrees. I pulled on a sweater and a cotton scarf and we headed to the farmers market. We went early this week to avoid the stroller crush and it was well worth it. Apparently in Park Slope parents vs. non-parent fights break out at the farmers market. I think at the moment in Williamsburg we non-parents out number the stroller set but by the time all the condos, condoops, townhouses and glass fortresses are finished it will be the other way around. With the weather being so cool I concluded that summer is officially over and that next week we will be skiing to the farmers market. A bit of a dramatization.

In our share this fine week: lettuce, beets, eggplant, honeydew, sweet onions, cucumbers, fennel, mustard greens, heirlooms, cherry tomatoes. From the farmers market: zucchini, blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, watermelon, green pepper, parsley, potatoes, bread, milk, eggs, butter.



I think because the weather was so cool I panicked and bought too much at the farmers market. As if buying more vegetables would prolong the summer months. It also made me feel like I took advantage of all the produce available to me now. Soon in the middle of winter, the fresh food supply will be minimal and I will grow fat and sad. I should move to California where it is always growing season.

I was surprised there were blueberries this week but there they were tiny and sour. I bought them. A big crowd pleaser this weekend was the red and black plums. James picked some up yesterday in Union Square and they are very pleasant. Plums are probably my fourth favorite summer fruit tied with the tristar strawberries that we have been devouring. In case you were wondering, my top three favorite summer fruits are: Blueberry, watermelon, peach/ nectarine. If you can get your hands on some tristar strawberries you are very lucky. They are amazing.

The eggplant from the CSA is huge like my head and I look forward to making something delicious with that. I am the resident eggplant aficionado.



Tonight for dinner we will eat the mustard greens and lima beans. The fennel is the tricky one. Last year we gave it a go and made smashed potatoes and fennel. This time we really don't know what to do with it. And when I say don't know what to do with it I mean, don't know how to change the taste of the actual fennel plant so that we like it.



The heirlooms are amazing. I chopped one up and threw it in a salad with cucumbers and red onion. I am still tasting that red onion. I think heirlooms are my favorite tomato. They are so awkward and deformed. It is always amazing that they should taste so good.



Something smells good! It must be my dinner. Bon Appetite to me!

1 comment:

Mary said...

Fennel.... so pretty and sooooo yucky!