What’s in your box today (consume in order of appearance on this list!): Heirloom Tomatoes:  We have Black Brandywines, Red Brandywines, Piriform, Lemon Boys, Copias, Purple Calabash, and Green Zebras just to name a few.  They are of varying ripeness with the intention that you will have some that are perfectly ripe to eat right away and some that will be great in the following days. Please note that some of the heirloom varieties are green and are ripe. These are from our transitional fields, so they are not certified organic. Please contact us with questions about transitional produce & organic certification; we’re happy to explain how we keep the items separate. We finally entered our third year of transition to organic on our leased piece of land — we’ll be able to have the parcel certified Nov. 2010!  Store on counter upside down (never in fridge!). Tomatoes are famously fragile, so please make sure you eat them soon!

Cherry Tomatoes: These oh-so-delicious little treats are a welcome addition to any green salad, pasta salad, or as a quick snack. These are from our transitional fields (see above) and are not certified organic.  Never store in fridge to maintain great flavor and texture.  Keep them on the counter and eat soon.

Shady Lady Tomatoes: These are a wonderful slicing variety with lots of flavor. These are from our transitional fields (see above) and are not certified organic.  Store on counter (never in fridge!) and eat soon.  These will last longer than the heirloom tomatoes.

Basil: Yum! It’s gorgeous, succulent, and oh-so-aromatic! Please keep in mind that we are growing three different varieties this year (a large, curly variety called Genovese; a narrow-leaved variety called Lemon Basil; and a regular, Italian Large-Leaf basil). Adds depth to many dishes. Use soon. Store in plastic bag in fridge. Keep dry and remove blackened leaves.

Parsley:  The beautifully clean, crisp flavor adds depth to many a dish!  Store in a plastic bag in the fridge and use rather quickly.

Spinach:  From our transitional fields (see tomatoes above) meaning it is not certified organic.  May be muddy. To clean, first rinse quickly to remove mud chunks. Then fill up a bowl with cold water. Remove leaves from stems & all yellow leaves. Put in water, swish, & let soak for 5-10 min. Lift leaves out of water, rinse & blot/spin dry. Use the discarded water for your houseplants! Store in plastic bag in fridge.

Summer Squash OR Cucumbers: Some of you will receive summer squash and others will receive cucumbers this week.  The squash can add a special something to any sauté, soup, or bread.  The cucumbers are the smaller, wider variety and there is no need to peel them as they are thin-skinned and ready to eat (after washing, of course).  Store in plastic bag in crisper of fridge.

Red Bell Pepper:  Oh how we love peppers! They are great sauteed, roasted, or raw. To roast peppers, place over flame on stove (or in broiler).  Rotate so entire pepper is blackened.  Remove from the heat and place in a bowl with lid/plate covering it.  When cool enough to touch, rinse off blackened skin.  Store in crisper in fridge and wash before use.

Eggplant:  These are absolutely gorgeous!  The best way to draw out bitterness  is to cube it & cover with a lot of salt (in a bowl). Let sit for 20+ minutes. Wash off salt & sauté or otherwise cook.  Store in fridge crisper for best results.

Apples:  These are organic and of the Fuji variety from our friend and neighbor Greg at Coco Ranch near Davis.  Keep in the fridge or on the counter (depending on how you like to eat them) and wash before consuming.

Onions OR Strawberries The onions are from our transitional fields (see tomatoes above).  Peel outer leaves & wash. Great raw or cooked. Store in fridge.  For strawberries, store in fridge in green basket in paper bag or in closed plastic container with a damp paper towel. Wash only when ready to use. Eat soon. Please return green baskets to your delivery site in an orderly fashion.

Potatoes:  You may get either the larger Yukon Gold or the smaller German Butterball potatoes in your box this week.  Both are deliciously creamy varieties.  Store these in the fridge and eat the skin for most nutrients! Wash before eating.  So good!