by Farmer Laurel | At the start of the CSA season, 
we gave each of our members a Gwenyn Hill tote bag to pack their shares in. Members quickly came to realize that this bag is simply not big enough to pack all of the goodies that we offer each week. We have supplemental bags to offer, and most members bring their own from home as well. What I’m saying is: we offer quite a bit of food each week, if you choose to take everything offered. So how would I use this week’s share? Let’s find out!
First I look for things that are ripe right now and won’t hold for long. I would probably snack on the cherry tomatoes on the ride home, though we’ve been giving 2 quarts, so I will still have plenty to use later. For dinner that first night, I would eat sweet corn (a veg which turns sugar to starch quickly), a ripe tomato, and a cantaloupe with cayenne powder, lime, and salt. Summer is the only time you can get away with this, so I would savor these things that require little preparation to taste fabulous.
On Day 2, I would make Easy Cherry Tomato Salsa and eat it with some salted cucumber and grilled zucchini. I would also start to eat my salad mix, adding anything that tempts me, such as sweet corn, grilled sweet peppers, herbs, tomatoes, or blanched beans. Now is the time to dig in to the watermelon! These are so delicious right now: sweet, juicy, and refreshing.
On Day 3, I would make a tomatillo salsa with my tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro, and finish off my sweet corn by eating it Mexican street-style (with mayonnaise, cayenne, lime juice, and parmesan).
On Day 4, I would make a green bean and tomato salad, simple yet pleasing. I love tomatoes, so I don’t shy away from eating them every day. We give such a wide variety of tomatoes in the share that there’s something for everyone: sturdy slicers that hold well and stand up to hearty fare like BLTs; romas that are great for canning and slow-roasting; heirlooms that are tender and delicate and mouth-watering.
On Day 5, I would grill eggplant and sweet peppers and 
combine it with onion and tomato for Grilled Eggplant Pepper Caviar. I would make a cucumber-yogurt dip and eat both of these dips with salad mix, peppers, grilled cabbage, sliced cucumbers, grilled zucchini, roasted cherry peppers, grilled or blanched beans, and any remaining cherry tomatoes. I would snack on boiled edamame with salt.
On Day 6, I would cook off a spaghetti squash and make a quick fresh tomato sauce to go with it. I would have the last of my salad mix.
On Day 7, I would look to see if there was anything I hadn’t eaten yet. I may have a half a cabbage remaining, but that’s about all. I would either shred this for a quick slaw, ferment it and make sauerkraut, or grill up the rest of it and eat it with cilantro-lime dressing.
On Day 8, I would congratulate myself on eating fresh, organic, and local all week, and get my refrigerator ready for a new round of vegetables.
How are you going to use your share this week?