With the arrival of the summer solstice last week we can finally announce that summer is here! As we enjoy the abundance of summer sun, the variety of produce in boxes continues to grow as well. With all that sun comes the welcoming of a favorite item, summer squash. On top of that we will continue to offer cherries as an add on and we will have sweet and delicious pea shoots coming to us from Jonathan’s Sprouts. If you didn’t get a chance to order some of the wonderful garlic scapes last week have no fear: they are still available so give them a try. Oyster mushrooms round out the new items that you might see in your delivery and the variety this week is Italian Oyster.
Cherry season in the northwest United States can be very short, usually only 4-6 weeks, but can be even shorter for organic cherries. They are a wonderful treat when we are able to offer them but the short season and lack of inventory can often be prohibitive in our access to this fruit. That is why this is so exciting that we have been able to offer them, so if you have not ordered yours yet now is the time before they are gone. One great meal you can prepare with cherries is Kale and Brown Rice Salad. This is a wonderful way to use the local kale and garlic scapes for a delicious meal.
Another fruit that we love to see in boxes is the apricot, not only because it means summer time but also because of the many health benefits. This golden orange fruit is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. Apricots are the perfect snack anytime of the day but can help brighten your morning when baked into this Breakfast Apricot Crisp. This is a great way to kick off the weekend or put in the fridge and take out a slice to shake off the Monday morning blues.
Another amazing and somewhat surprising source of vitamin C are pea shoots from Jonathan’s Sprouts in Rochester, MA. This small green is packed with more vitamin C than blueberries and can be consumed in numerous different ways. They are great either cooked, mixed in with your favorite salad or even eaten straight out of the package. Jonathan’s has been farming for over 40 years and was instrumental in working with the FDA to come up with safety standards when it comes to sprouts and continue to take a leadership role in that area.
Italian oyster mushrooms from Mousam Valley in Maine have a mild flavor and a classic oyster mushroom appearance. They can absorb flavors well when combined with other items and because of their sturdy structure hold up well in cooking. This variety is a great introduction to oyster mushrooms if you are just trying them for the first time. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we do.
Summer squash can come in many shapes and colors and that is a part of what makes it so fun and exciting to receive in your Boston Organics delivery. Kitchen Garden Farm is bringing us some of the first squash they are harvesting this year and we couldn’t be more excited. Zucchini might be one of the more common varieties and is green in color and long and usually skinny in size. There is also golden zucchini which comes in a bright yellow color and also zephyr which is half golden and half green. Patty pan squash are flatter and round. We will also see some crooked neck squash that typically have a flat yellow color. All varieties have their own unique characteristics but all are equally delightful.
Have a delicious week!
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Queen's Greens Dwight Miller and Son Orchard The Kitchen Garden Green Mountain Garlic |
Long Wind Farm Jonathan's Sprouts Mousam Valley Atlas Farm |
All of the fruits and vegetables we deliver are grown without synthetic pesticides and are USDA certified organic. Interested in receiving produce that's both organic and locally sourced all year round? Check out our Local Dogma Box.