Phew! We made it through the heat wave and now we're settling into early summer farming! Greens are still coming in strong, and this week we're delighted to harvest the first of the zucchini, plus gorgeous first-cut cilantro and sweet fennel!

Newbies may want to know when tomatoes are coming....later this summer! Along with peppers, eggplants, sweet corn and much more!

Happy Cooking!
Maggie & Matt

What's in season this week?

For weekly members, you may be seeing a return of some of last week's favorites, as we try to distribute the much-loved items to both weeks A and B.

Green Romaine Lettuce
Those tall, sturdy leaves are built for crunch — this is the classic Caesar lettuce for a reason. The outer leaves make great little boats for scooping up chicken or tuna salad, and the crisp hearts are tender and sweet. Not a salad fan? Try it grilled or in a smoothie.
Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

Red Russian Kale
The most tender of the kales — flat, frilly, blue-green leaves with pretty purple stems. Because it's so delicate, it's the variety I prefer when I want to eat kale raw: slice it thin, add a little olive oil, lemon, avocado, garlic and salt, and give it a good massage until it softens right up. It also cooks up quickly, a perfect simple side dish with garlic & olive oil. *Remember to pull the leaf off the stem first — those stems stay tough. Like the whole kale family, it's a nutrition powerhouse, loaded with vitamins K, A, and C, plus fiber and calcium.
Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

Cilantro
One of my favorite summer herbs! Don't toss the stems; they're more tender than parsley stems and carry just as much flavor, so chop them right in. I love it showered over tacos, stirred into a pot of beans at the very end, or blitzed into a bright chimichurri or green chutney. Add it off the heat — cooking flattens that fresh flavor.
Storage: Trim the stem ends and stand the bunch in a glass with an inch of water, loosely tented with a bag in the fridge — it'll perk up and last for days!

Fennel
Don't be intimidated by that feathery frond and bulb! Raw, it's crisp and cool with a light licorice note that mellows the longer you cook it. Shave the bulb paper-thin for a salad with orange and olives, or roast it in wedges until it goes soft, sweet, and caramelized... a completely different vegetable, and a total revelation! Save the fronds too; they're a beautiful herb, so snip them over the finished dish like dill. It's gentle on the stomach (fennel's long been used to settle digestion) and brings vitamin C, potassium, and fiber to your plate!
Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

Zucchini
This is the first harvest of the season of this impossibly versatile veg! When it's this fresh you barely have to cook it — slice it into coins and steam gently served with salt & butter, or grate it and make fritters! They are great sliced thin, charred on the grill, and finished with lemon and a little Parmesan.
Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

Baby Spinach
This is the last harvest of the summer spinach! We're known for our amazing flavored spinach. It's all about the perfectly balanced soil! No metallic taste, just sweetness! It will cook in just a few minutes, it's so tender. Pile a big handful raw into a salad or smoothie, or wilt it down at the very end of a soup, pasta, or scramble; it barely needs any heat. It cooks down a lot, so use way more than you think you need. And it's as good for you as it tastes: a real standout for vitamin K, vitamin A, and folate, with iron and antioxidants too.
Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge

WILTED VEG?
The summer heat can wilt your greens fast if left out to dehydrate. You can revive almost any wilted green by dunking it in a large bowl of ice cold water. Let it sit for up to 20 minutes, shake off and store in the fridge.

HOW TO STORE YOUR VEG
Leafy greens need to be stored in an air-tight bag or container -- something to keep in the moisture. Plastic produce bags like these work well. I aim for a plastic-free kitchen and love my Vejibags. They're an investment, but last a lifetime.