Cookaholics Bulletin Board

No strawberries on our first week's allotment, which was disappointing because we're finishing up strawberry season about not. We did get a couple of (hothouse) tomatoes which are really tasty, as well as romaine so we've been eating BLT's regularly.

Also some kale. We really don't like kale; hope it doesn't become a regular thing...

This is what I got for my U Pick day. I could have picked more, but I didn't have enough room in the saddlebags. I gave 2 quarts away and cleaned and froze the 9 other quarts. I was told I could come back tomorrow and pick again. It only took me about 40 minutes to pick all these. It was just crazy. Everywhere I looked, there were berries waiting to be picked. I would stand in one spot, pick the berries, turn 45 degrees, pick berries and do that 2 more times and I would have 2 quarts in my pail in no time. I told my mom it was almost fun because the picking was so easy.

Nice haul Todd!

Pete, have you made kale chips? They are much better than trying to eat cooked kale, IMO. I also shred kale into a sausage and potato soup just before service and found that I like that.

The only thing I really like kale in is Italian Wedding Soup. I haven't tried the kale chips, though.

I went back yesterday with a friend of mine and we picked 10 more quarts. I came home with 5 and gave 2 quarts away. It's going to be another Sunny day here, so the berries will be plentiful again for a couple of more days. I doubt they will all get picked in time because there is just so many.

Todd,

My sweetie is VERY jealous of you right now.

We use a lot more raw kale than cooked. Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad is the reason why.

It is sometimes necessary to repeatedly mumble the ingredient list until after the first taste. It deserves the 95% make again ranking. The sour lemon dressing works magic with the bitter greens. We usually do salted almonds and will cavalierly substitute toasted pine nuts if we are feeling frisky.

No kale this week. No tomatoes either, which was a bit puzzling after last week's beauties and seeing them for sale at their small stand..

•spring onion
•lettuce
•sugar peas
•swiss chard
•squash
•blueberries

Blueberries weren't local - what's up with that? We should be asking more about origin, I think.

While researching CSA's on the internet, I did see that some former members didn't sign up again for this very reason. If you are investing up front and there is a drought or other natural disaster, you will suffer as a member with less produce. If it's a good year and the harvest is exceptional, you should reap the benefits and have the opportunity to receive the extra produce. It seems that some CSA's are taking the bounty and selling it at their stands and not rewarding the Shareholders who should be the recipients of anything above and beyond an average growing season. Anything that they decline could then be sold at the Farm Stand.

This looks really good. Thanks for sharing. We love kale around here. Kale chips in the dehydrator, kale in the bean soup, baby kale in salads...

--Lisa