Farm boxes: How to get the most of your countertop bounty
If you recently started receiving boxes of farmfresh produce at home, you are right on trend, said Amy Scattergood in the Los Angeles Times. As farmers have scrambled to replace sales to fine restaurants and customers have tried to limit grocery runs, the CSA-style box has been a popular solution. You can join the craze by asking your local farm if they are selling farm boxes or looking up community-supported agriculture subscription options at LocalHarvest.org. “Pandemic or not,” though, said Ben Mims, also in the Times, “the response to a CSA box is usually, ‘What am I going to do with all this?!’” But remain calm: First, you’re going to unpack the entire box and wash, dry, and sort the produce. Make yourself a list before putting anything away.
You’ll want to separate ethylene-emitting fruits from produce that ripens and rots quickly when exposed to the gas, said Becky Krystal in The Washington Post. So keep apples, melons, and peaches away from cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and greens. Once you’re ready to plan meals, “focus on what needs to be eaten first”—delicate items like berries, tender greens, and asparagus. You might want to prepare some foods for later use: Roasted root vegetables can be thrown into salads and grain bowls, while sliced cucumbers and onions will last slightly longer if you lightly pickle them in an airtight container with some vinegar and salted water. You can also blanch vegetables to freeze them, or combine various greens in a pesto. “Worst-case scenario, you can always make a soup.” First sauté aromatics and a mirepoix, add water, diced veggies, and seasoning, then cook. Puree the results and you have a lunch—for the freezer or for right now.