Novice preserves from a Brooklyn kitchen
[blueberries, peaches, snapdragons, lettuce, kale, beets, summer squash, beans, potatoes] This week the produce was pretty manageable. Plenty of squash, potatoes, beets, lettuce for salad tonight, kale for a caesar later. Peaches for maybe another cobbler? Snapdragons that I hope don't go to the bugs. It'll be a great week for fresh and roasted veg.… Continue reading CSA Number 8
[CSA peaches] The past few days have been beautiful: 80s, low dew point, partly cloudy—ideal July weather. I tried to spend as much time as possible outdoors, relishing in being able to leave air conditioning without becoming drenched in sweat a few minutes later. Today, the swampy humid weather has started to make a return,… Continue reading Peach cobbler and a summer soup
[peonies] The unbloomed peonies from the farmers market bouquet remained unbloomed, despite trying a few tricks I consulted the Internet for. I was disappointed, but the leftover stems were started to rot, so I had to toss them. [sweet william (left) and hydrangeas (right)] The Sweet William began to wilt and die about a week… Continue reading Flowers: some second thoughts
[blueberries, peaches, thyme, basil, sage, green beans, summer squash, onions, carrots, chard, ageratum flowers] The sky was filled was smoke, turning the sun into a hazy orange orb, and shrouding downtown Manhattan in a sheet of blue-gray ash. Plus the card swiper stole two swipes off of my metrocard. Otherwise it was an uneventful pickup… Continue reading CSA 7
[tangerine gem marigold flower] I'm not really a jelly person. I love chewy jams full of whole fruit spread on toast or mixed in with yogurt. But jelly has its merits (including making an excellent gift), and is a great way to preserve the bright, summery orange-yellow flowers of gem marigolds that I don't think… Continue reading Tangerine gem marigold jelly
[cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and peppercorn] A few weeks ago, I found a copy of Ball's Book of Canning in excellent condition in a free book pile outside someone's house. I had just made this blog visible to the public, so it seemed serendipitous. There are a lot of simple recipes, and helpful canning notes,… Continue reading Sweet pickled cherries
[cherries, ready to get crumbled] Sometimes it's too hot to use the oven, sometimes it's just late enough to turn it on and still enjoy dessert. Sometimes it comes together faster when you have help. Sometimes you have to use overhead lighting to capture images, and realize that the sun is going down earlier and… Continue reading Late night stone fruit crumble
[snapdragons (!), peaches and apricots, fennel, onions, radicchio, peas, mint, lettuce] I've been sick (why every July?), quashing any plans I had for a weekend filled with canning. Though with the heat, I don't know if I would have wanted to anyway. I hope things keep in the fridge. J went to the CSA pickup… Continue reading CSA VI
[chopping some veg—dandelion greens and onions] I used this recipe to make a vegan pesto. A few substitutions for dietary restrictions, plus an extra handful of parsley to make up for the rougher bits of dandelion stems I chopped off. It took a few stops and starts, plus removing half and adding more greens, due… Continue reading Dandelion pesto
[peas, beets, onions, dandelion greens, parsley, lettuce, sage, gem marigold, cherries, raspberries, sunflowers] Sunflowers! Such a happy addition to our living room. The peas I ate right away—just rinsed off and crunched through. Plans: I'm thinking of a quiche maybe, with the onions and dandelion greens. Probably roast the beets as a side. Clafoutis for… Continue reading CSA V
Rhubarb Season 