Preserving the bounty

Many of you have probably begun noticing an abundance of summer squash and zucchini in your CSA shares and in the farm markets in recent weeks... And there is more to come! These delicious veggies produce in huge volumes once the warm weather hits, leaving us all to find creative ways to use the crops before they spoil.

And these aren't the only things we're finding in abundance as summer unfolds- berries, cucumbers, beets and onions are also making themselves known. Luckily, there are literally hundreds of amazing ways to cook these varieties, and better yet, tons of ways to preserve them as well. Because while we may be drowning in these fruits and veggies at the moment, there will certainly come a time when we miss their summer flavor- and that's where preservation comes in!

Because there are so many options, listing them all here would be nearly impossible, so instead we've compiled a list of our favorite sources for preservation ideas. Try these books and links for delicious and varied recipes for preservation, from quick and easy tips for freezing and creating refrigerator pickles to instructions and recipes for canning produce, pickles and jellies. Though some of these ideas will be more involved, all of these resources are geared towards small-scale, at home preservation. So dig-in and have fun!

Books:
• The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving
• Preserving Summer's Bounty
• Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving and Freezing

Links:
• Canned Heat at Epicurious.com
• National Center for Home Food Preservation

Recipes:
• Pickled Red Onions
• Relish, Sauce and Chutney- All in one day (scroll down to click on recipes)

Get your grills ready...

I must admit, the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. It's hard to go wrong when you combine a weekend of good friends, fireworks and BBQs... Especially when those BBQs incorporate the beginnings of the sweet summer harvest. We're just now starting to see a few summer favorites in our own CSA shares; from summer squash and strawberries to green beans and cucumbers... And the first of the season's tomatoes shouldn't be far behind.

{ vintage flag photo by Joseph Hancock courtesy of art.com }

So for my part, I've been dreaming up a delicious menu all week that will incorporate some of our own and our neighboring farm's bounty, and that will suit the tastes of the vegetarian and carnivorous, the dieters and the indulgent. So without further ado, let's take a look at the potential menu...

{ grilled chicken courtesy of Bon Appetite }

• Lemony White Bean Hummus with garlic and tahini
• Forks Farm grilled chicken
• Green leaf salad with new cherry tomatoes, Zebulon red onion and feta
• Bikini Zucchini Salad (a clever name for a delicious diet-worthy mix of raw zucchini and lemon dressing, with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and basil)
• Grilled sweet white corn
• Homemade buttermilk biscuits

{ grilled corn courtesy of Bon Appetite }

As for a sweet ending....
• Black Raspberry-Blueberry Pound Cake
and
• Vegan Coconut, Chocolate Chip, Pecan cookies based on this recipe (okay, so this last one isn't exactly local, but I am a true believer that no holiday is complete without a bit of chocolate)

There are still hours left until the final trip to the farmer's market tomorrow- so things could still change, but come Saturday I know that I'll be enjoying at least a few of these summer dishes. And how about all of you, what favorite foods have you excited for this weekend?