Our best prediction for this week’s pack is that it will include fruit; carrots; onions; chard kale or beets; potatoes; garlic; zucchini; eggplant; tomatoes; peppers; beans; spicy mix; eggs; and a choice of herbs.  Recipes are at the end of this post.

The other day I noticed the sound of crickets.  For me this sound signals deep summer, when the hot weather settles in.  It is a fabulously comforting sound for me as a lover of hot weather.  With that hot weather comes yummy heat-loving vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and eventually melons.  The gardens are rocking out here with incredible growth and variety.  Life is good.

This week we harvested the garlic crop.   The bundles are all hanging in the barn and it smells fantastic!

We have had many family visitors lately.  My two nephews harvested kale for my mother, who is into kale smoothies right now.

Recipes

Thank you for sending in photos and recipes!!  Keep ’em coming.

We have recipes this week for red potato salad, and eggplant cooking suggestions, including baba ganoush.

Eggplants can be made into many delicious dishes.  Baba ganoush is at the top of my list.  Try this recipe: www.food.com/recipe/baba-ganoush-the-best-in-the-world-67570.

For more eggplant suggestions, try this page: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/menus_and_collections/easy_and_elegant_eggplant_recipes.php.

Paddy sent a lovely recipe for making Balsamic Red Potato Salad

 

(Best made the day before to allow the flavours to mingle.)

 

3 lb small new red potatoes

 

1/2 cup slivered oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

 

1/4 cup sliced black olives

 

2 tbs capers

 

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

 

1/4 cup olive oil

 

2 tbs of the oil that comes with the sun-dried tomatoes

 

2 tbs Dijon mustard (I use the grainy type but smooth is fine)

 

freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste

 

2 tbs or more snipped fresh basil or oregano

 

Cook potatoes whole in salted water until tender. Drain and let cool a bit. Cut into halves if small, or quarters if larger. Add sundried tomatoes, olives and capers.

 

Whisk together vinegar, oils, mustard, salt and pepper. Toss with potato mixture. (I use about half of the dressing at this stage, then add more just before serving if needed. Depending on whether the potatoes are waxy or floury in texture, sometime I find I need as little as half of the dressing. It’s a personal thing.

 

Sprinkle with snipped basil or oregano just before serving.

 

(Any leftover dressing can be refrigerated for several days. It’s good on pasta, steamed veggies or salad.)

 

See you all soon!

Jen, David, Bruce, Cassie, Stephanie, and Brent