Week 17

We have one customer that only comes two or three times a year always in search of green tomatoes.  He is from the south and he loves them.  On his first visit of the year we usually tell him to come back later in the season because in July we are still hopeful that the big green tomatoes on the plant will turn red.  In August we go through and cut the growth points off of the tomatoes in hopes of concentrating the plants energy into ripening tomatoes.  This time of year we are happy to sell green tomatoes except that this year we don't have very many left on the plant!  We are going to pick the plants clean today and see if we have enough for everyone.  I grew up eating slices of green tomatoes pan fried in butter and eaten with fried eggs and toast and also fermented with lots of garlic and made into half sour pickles.  Fried with eggs is still my favorite way to eat them.  I cook them until they brown a bit and are tender than slide them on a plate and top them with a fried egg.  Every year I hope to make half sours but I have never got around to it.  Once a year or so I also will make them with either panko bread crumbs or a corn meal crust to go with some baked chicken.   When you don't get many ripe tomatoes green tomatoes can seem like kind of a let down or like something you feel obligated to eat when what you really wanted was a bumper crop of ripe fruit.  However, I think a green tomato, when not compared to a red tomato is awesome.  It has distinct flavor that isn't like anything else.

Carrots
Acorn Squash - The acorn squash we grow is really sweet and shouldn't need any sugar to make it delicious.  Like the delicata you had last week it is easy to cut, quick to cook and great on its own or stuffed.
Garlic 
Poblano Peppers - These are great roasted and added to things like corn chowder, mac and cheese, a meat chili or a white bean chili.  They can also be sliced and sautéed.  They can be cut in half and stuffed or they can be used whole for chile rellenos.  Like the green tomatoes, I am not sure how many everyone will be getting.
Hakuri
Yokatta Na - an Asian green most similar to bok choy
Green Tomato
Cauliflower-Large Only

Next week will bring more winter squash, shallots and perhaps some root vegetables.  If you still have your delicata squash from last week don't worry about it.  All the squash we give you will keep for months just sitting on your kitchen counter.