Summer Thyme, coming right up!

Box 3: 6/17 & 6/21

first calendula blooming today

Baby goats are growing and are either frolicking around like popcorn or are cuddled up sleeping. If you want to come visit baby goats, you're welcome to get in touch and come over sometime we're home! As our days grow closer to the Summer Solstice (this Wednesday, the 21st) many new foods are on the verge of coming into fruition. Take a look:

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tomatillos starting to fill out in their lanterns

patty pan summer squash *almost* ready

burgundy snap beans budding

This Week's Box includes:
a medium bag of lettuce
a bunch of thyme
a kohlrabi
black raspberries
a bunch of parsley

 In the How to Use a Kohlrabi:
How you can fit kohlrabi into a dish you already prepare.
    Kohlrabi is in the brassica family and is thus a relative of kale, cabbage, cauliflower, mustards, turnips, radishes, and more. Both the leaves and bulb are yummy to eat, but the leaves will not stay fresh if you leave them on the bulb. When you get your kohlrabi home, the first thing to do is cut off the leaves and store them in your refrigerator separate from the bulb. The leaves are eaten in the same ways you'd prepare collard greens or kale.
    The Bulb: The bulb is crisp and sweet. It tastes a bit like a turnip, but what it tastes most like is the delicious inner of a broccoli stem when you peel it.  The kohlrabi bulb does not need to be peeled, but many people prefer it peeled. The peel is more fibrous than the rest of the bulb and is slightly more bitter in flavor. If you do decide to peel, use a paring knife and not a vegetable peeler. In the picture above, I peeled the kohlrabi then sliced it into matchsticks. This particular one I ate raw as a taco topping, however this preparation is also very nice to add to a stir-fry. The bulb can be shredded and mixed into many different salads, from green salad, to carrot salad, to coleslaw.  Shredded bulb can also be mixed with shredded potatoes or sweet potatoes for some delicious hash browns. The bulb can be cut into wedges and lightly fired in a high heat oil for "fries." Likewise it can be cut into wedges or chunks and roasted in the oven with other root veggies. The sweetness really comes out when roasted. Topped with a parsley cream sauce, perhaps?

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 Dried thyme Fresh Thyme:
    Fresh thyme makes Italian themed dishes pop with flavor and is also great with any type of meat and many types of fish. The flowering tops of the thyme plant can be chopped up and do not need the stems removed before eating. Toward the bottom of the bunch the stems get woody and you'll need to strip the leaves off the stem before eating. 
    If this is more thyme than you can use in a week, no worries! simple hang the remainder by the rubberband and let dry. In a week or two you'll have dried thyme which you'll strip off the stalks before using. Dried thyme can be stored in a jar either stripped from the stalks or on them until use. I've been enjoying dried thyme sprinkled on top of a fried duck egg along with smoked paprika. Dried thyme also goes well in an immune supporting herbal tea.

Parsley:
    Needing some parsley inspiration? Think tabouli. Cook a medium sized pot of any of the following grains: bulger wheat, quinoa, millet, or couscous. Chop entire bunch of parsley finely. Mix grain and parsley together in bowl. Add Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Salt. Add all or none of the following: Chopped fresh tomato or dried tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped red or sweet onion, and crumbled feta cheese

Making the most of you box:
-If you do decide to peel the Kohlrabi, the peelings can go in the soup stock bag.
-Don't forget to eat the leaves!