In This Week's Box

When you get this box home, store the garlic in a cool dry place. Tomatoes go out on the counter, and everything else (including the fresh red onions) goes in the refrigerator with some sort of plastic around it, preferably in the crisper drawer.

Garlic – I am really happy to have the big, beautiful, and fully-cured garlic in your box this week. This easy-to-peel variety will store for a long time in a cool, dry place. A terra cotta flower pot in a cupboard works quite nicely. I especially enjoy the porcelain-type garlic for its large bulbs, making life easier for all of you garlic enthusiasts out there.

Fresh Red Onions – Use these just like regular onions, although you’ll want to store them in your refrigerator. In general, red onions have a milder flavor than their yellow siblings; the fresh onions, with higher moisture content, will have an even milder flavor. Enjoy on hamburgers and sandwiches, or use in cooking just as you would a regular onion.

Carrots – We finished harvesting our first crop of carrots this week, and I am just loving the tender crispness of these beauties.

Beets – We took the tops off this week, and present you with what we call “bulk beets.”

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes

Round Red Tomatoes – You know what to do with these, but I think it’s worth reminding you that we try to send tomatoes with a range of ripeness, so that you can still have tomatoes early next week. You can ripen them faster in the sunshine, or by putting them in a paper bag to capture their own ethylene gas; or keep them in a shady spot on the counter for a longer shelf life.

Golden Zucchini

Broccoli

Conehead Cabbage – I don’t know why it’s shaped that way, but I like its thin leaves and it looks pretty neat. Use as you would any green cabbage, but I especially like it done up in a natural sauerkraut.

Spearmint – Mojitos. Need I say more? You might also try it steeped with black or green iced tea, added to lemonade, or as part of a pesto for lamb. Also great as an addition to fruit salads or fruit cups.