If it hasn’t hit you as hard as it is hitting me this week, Summer is reaching its late, hot, and hazy homestretch, which means that now is the time to savor some of Summertime’s treats and think about stashing away a bit to enjoy over the cold months.  Future you will be thankful, and so will your farmers. To quote one of our customers, “These are the days that we dream about all Winter,” and with so much dreamy produce rolling in from our fields this week, I figured we ought to not only extend but also expand our Bulk Tomato Sale this week. We will have cases of beautiful Romas this week (10 lbs for $30), but we will also be selling flats of Mixed Cherry Tomatoes (6 pints for $24) and Mixed Heirlooms (8lbs for $34). So, get ready to feast on tomatoes, make a quick sauce to enjoy now, or maybe share some seasonal goodness, fresh or prepared, with a friend or loved one.

Given that we’re seeing a brief cool down, may I recommend Slow Roasting?  If the idea of turning on the oven is still a solid "No" this week, then you might start stashing a few extras in your freezer.  Frozen Cherry and Roma Tomatoes have become one of our favorite things to uncover in the cold months, and a fully stuffed quart-sized bag makes a nice batch of Tik-Tok Baked Feta Pasta.  Just pop the stems off and put them into a freezer bag or container of your choice for later.  Though we freeze many of our tomatoes and sauces, there are certainly other ways of canning and preserving them.  But, acidity is variable in tomatoes, so be sure to follow method published method from a Cooperative Extension or reputable source, like The Ball Guide to ensure that your methods and canned goods are food-safe. 

In addition to tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes, we’re picking more Sweet Corn, more mini Melons, stunning Kohlrabi and ROMANO BEANS! (All Caps, because they’re a BIG DEAL). Romanos are much bigger than your standard green bean, but they're still plenty tender and perhaps more versatile.  They're large like a fava, but unilke those favas we enjoyed earlier this Summer, they're fairly flat and you actually eat the whole pod.  No shelling necessary!  In many ways, they're like a standard green or wax bean—they just look like they’ve been pressed out with a steamroller. You just snap off the stem and prepare them however you'd like.  You can chop them down to your preferable size or leave them whole. If you're not ready to eat your share of them this week, they can be frozen or pickled to enjoy later on.  

Happy August,
Katie

IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:

• Tomatoes—Heirlooms, Romas and Slicers

• Cherry Tomatoes or Shishito Peppers

• Sweet Corn

• Romano Beans

• Kohlrabi

• Mini Charentais Melons
  (or Santa Rosa Plums)

AT THE FARMSTAND THIS WEEK

RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS

10 Restaurant-Worthy Shishito Pepper Recipes That You Can Make at Home - Food & Wine
Romanos are the Queen of Snap Beans and I Want to Eat them All - Food & Wine

SALSA FRESCA WITH KOHLRABI
Martha Rose Shulman

• ¼ cup finely chopped red or white onion

• ½ medium kohlrabi (about ½ pound), cut in small dice (1 cup)

• 1pound ripe tomatoes, diced (2 cups)

• 1 to 2 serrano or jalepeño chiles (or more, to taste), minced

• ¼ to ½ Cup chopped cilantro (to taste)

• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (to taste)

• Salt to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

MY FAVORITE LENTIL SALAD
Smitten Kitchen

• 2 1/2 cups cooked, cooled small green, brown, or black lentils

• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

• 1/2 a large or 1 small white onion, chopped

• 1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, to taste, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, divided

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lime, juiced, plus more to taste

• 1 large firm-ripe avocado, diced

• 2 cups (about a 12-ounce package) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

• Hot sauce, to taste

• Tortilla chips for serving (optional)

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

ROASTED CURRY TOMATO PIE (Thank you for the recipe, Abi!)
Samantha Fore, Food & Wine

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/8 ounces), plus more for work surface

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon if using Morton’s kosher salt)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (4 ounces), cubed

• 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Tamarind Onions

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 3/4 cups)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate

Filling

• 2 pounds ripe red medium-size and cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 tablespoon Madras curry powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

• 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

• 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (such as Duke’s)

• 1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

SUCCOTASH WITH CORN & GREEN BEANS
Brooklyn Farm Girl

• 3 ears fresh corn approx 2 cups of corn

• 1 ½ cup green beans cut into quarters

• ¼ cup butter

• ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved

• salt to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

SPICY CORN & SHISHITO SALAD
Lidey Houck

• 3½ tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

• Kosher salt

• ⅓ cup diced red onion

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 to 6 ears of corn)

• 6 ounces shishito peppers, stemmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices, or green bell peppers, stemmed and diced

• 1 large jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced

• ¼ cup grated Cotija or crumbled feta cheese (optional), or to taste

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

ROMANO BEANS IN GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE
Easy Weeknight Recipes

• 1 pound fresh Romano beans, rinsed and ends trimmed

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, add less or more to taste

• salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

• lemon wedges, for serving, optional

CONTINUE TO RECIPE