CSA -- Week 1

Inside the bins there were potatoes, a bag of tomatoes and beans, cucumbers, a big bag of basil leaves, onions, green peppers, chard, collard greens and an assortment of squash.

Food ready to go at the Farmer & the Cook. You get the contents of a bin and then some peaches, zinnias, garlic and a basket of cherry tomatoes.

We split the bounty in half, except for the basil and tomatoes, which I used to make sauces we'll divide.

Lindsay and I took off for our first CSA pickup. I always hate first anythings because I never know what to do, so I feel awkward and uncomfortable. We went to the Farmer & the Cook and explained that it was our first time there for the CSA and we really didn't know what to do. the young woman there led us to a back room, gave us a newsletter, with some illuminating thought from Steve Sprinkel, who runs the who shebang. She told us to take the contents of a bin, or we could take the bin and bring it back each week, and she said to also take some of the extra stuff, which consisted of peaches, heads of garlic, colorful summer zinnias, and baskets of orange cherry tomatoes.

I explained that I had a peach tree and was wondering if they would like some of my peaches. She said to go ahead and bring some back next week and maybe they would sell them. She then left us because she had another customer and we were a little unclear on how to make payment, but we figured it all out. We will pay $100 at he beginning of the month and come once a week to pick up the food.

We loaded up, took off and headed to my house to split things up. We got a beautiful bag of basil, so I told Lindsay I would make a pesto sauce and we could split it. I also offered to make a tomato sauce. I sent her home with potatoes, squash, garlic, onion and flowers.

I made a walnut pesto sauce, which came out really well. Trader Joe's has discontinued pignolas, and I've found that lightly toasted walnuts actually have a better flavor in pestos. I also made a fresh tomato, summer squash sauce that will be perfect for dinner with some pasta. I roasted the cherry tomatoes and put those aside too.

I was worried that I would have too much to handle, but this batch was easy to manage. I need to show Lindsay how to cook greens. The chard and collard greens look titillating. I make my collard greens Southern style with salt pork and red pepper flakes. The chard calls for a more delicate touch, perhaps sauteed in olive oil with shallots and a little cream. I'm thinking of picking up a few more tomatoes from my friend Alex at Beylik Farms and I'll make some gazpacho with the pepper and cucumber.

So far, so good and delicious.