CSA Week 7

It’s gonna be a short post this week because right after I picked up my basket I left town for a week! But I am doing a post anyway to show you what I got from the CSA and give you tips on storing produce.

In the crate:
lots of onions
red potatoes
beets
Swiss chard
cucumbers
zucchini
blueberries
white cherries! I had never seen these before! They are lovely and very sweet.

Storing Produce

– Heartier vegetables like the squash will be fine in the refrigerator for a week.

– Cucumbers will not last as long as the squash, nor will they freeze well – UNLESS you make freezer pickles. Mix white vinegar and sugar together (adding flavorings like celery seed and dill if you like); pour over sliced cucumbers and onions; chill in the refrigerator for a couple of days, stirring occasionally; freeze in containers and enjoy whenever – best when not completely thawed.

– Beets will keep for several weeks, but the greens wont – so cut those off and use them or get rid of them.

– Store potatoes in a dark, cool place – like your pantry.

– Chard and kale are pretty sturdy, they might last as long as a week depending on the freshness.

– Berries do not last long at all – freeze them if you are not going to use them quickly (pit cherries first, hull strawberries)

– Finely dice extra onion and carrot and freeze. Use for the base of stews, soups, and braises. The green tops of onions, spring onions, scallions, can also be cut up and frozen (to be used in cooked, not raw preparations).

– Unfortunately celery does not freeze well or I would add it to the above for mirepoix. The ice crystals destroy the cellular structure and turn it to mush. The same goes for lettuce and cabbage. You can however attempt to rescue these vegetables (and others) by soaking them in cold water if they are wilted. Usually, they will absorb the water and become refreshed.

I hope that was helpful!