I’m really excited about this summer season and the presence of beets and potatoes. (Last year, we got lots of rain at the wrong time, and there weren’t any beets or potatoes to be found. )
The potatoes are Yukon Golds. They are not overly happy potatoes…
but they seem friendly enough.
(They’re also delicious cubed and roasted with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.)
We also got some really pretty fennel.
Chris has vetoed fennel. I’ve tried a few different things with it, and he hasn’t appreciated any of them. So I gave this lovely specimen to my neighbor to play with.
Check out the fruit…
So what do you think? Really small peaches? Or really big blackberries?
Huge blackberries! I’ve frozen mine to mix in with frozen strawberries for snacks on hot summer afternoons.
Broccoli is always good. I usually either steam broccoli or stir-fry it. There’s enough here to do some of both.
We also got some yummy granola with dried blueberries, some cornmeal, and our regular order of eggs.
I’ll use the cornmeal for cornbread sometime soon. Once we start getting in squash and eggplant, it will be great for breading fried veggies.
And here’s more lettuce and tomato…
What a tomato! I remember this variety from last year. I don’t think that green on top is a sign of unripeness; it’s this variety’s fashion statement.
So far this season, I’ve just sliced tomatoes for salad. But this week, I’m planning to make a bruschetta-like thing. I’ll cook down the tomato a little with some onion in too much olive oil and not enough red wine. I’m out of fresh garlic and don’t have any basil, so I’m defrosting pesto and garlic scape pesto.
The plan is to bake some Italian bread (bought and frozen in its pre-baked state from Kroger). Then slice it and spread the pestos and maybe extra olive oil on the slices. Toast the slices a little more. Then top with the tomato/onion mixture and toast a little more. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, pour a glass of wine, e finito.
Enjoy your food!
thoughtful consumption 
I asked about the tomato variety while we were packing, and promptly forgot the answer. The green shoulders were normal for this variety, I remember that part.
My brain is remembering “Cherokee Rose”, but I don’t find that as a tomato variety on a web search except for one photograph. I do find several hits on “Cherokee Purple” heirloom, but that’s supposed to be a late-season varietal and very dark. Maybe this is the earlier-started Purple and it loses those green shoulders later?
It makes a lovely bruschetta. Between the salads and the bruschetta I’m going through bread flour like crazy, making loaves and dinner rolls.
(Did you put fennel on your don’t-want list? I keep forgetting to turn mine in)
Mmm… fresh bread!
Fennel’s not on my hate list. Maybe some day, but as long as my neighbor enjoys it, I’m okay. It’s fun to give stuff to other people. And fun neighbor reciprocates with cooked and baked treats!