Spinach, coming up in the salad table.

With the close of last summer’s CSA came the decision to spend some time out of the farm fields and inside an office. This week, I reach the five-month mark as a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer, a yearlong position that has allowed me to promote, through a non-profit, both environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture.

The opening of this door led to a demotion, of sorts: no longer a small-scale farmer or even a simple farmhand, I am now what some call an “avid gardener,” with a 625-square-foot community garden plot to prove it. But I look at this growing season as an adventure nonetheless, as I learn how to water a bed of just-planted seeds from three massive, but still empty, metal cisterns, or how to retain some semblance of sanity while digging up the little pieces of black plastic that were left behind by my plot’s previous tenants (who, I’ve heard, “just let the season get away from them”).

Much of this season’s preparations are similar to last’s: drawing a garden map, ordering seeds, lamenting the rain that keeps me inside. Only this time, I’m met with a smaller space and a bigger need to be creative. Instead of starting seeds in the heated (and oft-watered) greenhouse of those who so kindly lent me their land, I’ve started them in a structure I’ve cobbled together with two metal garden hoops and a large sheet of greenhouse plastic recovered from my parents’ shed. And instead of growing salad greens and cooking greens and head lettuce in ever-so-spacious beds, I’m growing them in a salad table that is nothing more than a re-purposed wood-framed chicken coop door. The plants, of course, don’t seem to mind the difference.

The book is the tale of one family’s decision to spend a year eating food grown locally, whether it’s found in their garden, on their land or at their neighborhood farmers market. This decision, while made easier by the family’s move from the deserts of the Southwest to the lusher lands of Appalachia, wasn’t an easy one; there were cravings to resist and allowances to be made and some hard winter months to get through on a somewhat limited diet. What do you do when you realize that strawberries don’t grow in December? That coffee doesn’t grow on your continent? That bananas are all together out of the question?

But Kingsolver, her husband, and her two daughters press on, pushed forward by our poor understanding of just where our food comes from (or, as Kingsolver calls it, our lack of a “food culture”). She writes:

When we walked away as a nation from the land, our knowledge of food fell away from us like dirt in a laundry-soap commercial. Now, it’s fair to say, the majority of us don’t want to be farmers, see farmers, pay farmers, or hear their complaints. Except as straw-chewing figures in children’s books, we don’t quite believe in them anymore.

Learning just who these straw-chewing men and women are becomes part and parcel of Kingsolver’s new food system. She and her family meet “those actual humans putting seeds in the ground, harvesting, attending livestock births, standing in the fields at dawn casting their shadows upon our sustenance.” And all involved, including the land on which they live, benefit from this interaction. Kingsolver writes of a trust in their food that neither she nor her family had found before:

Local food is a handshake deal in a community gathering place. It involves farmers with first names, who show up week after week. It means an open-door policy on the fields, where neighborhood buyers are welcome to come have a look, and pick their food from the vine. Local is farmers growing trust.

Imagine it. Trust in a tomato, in a pepper, in an eggplant. It is what drives me to dig it, it is what makes this food taste so good, and it is what makes this sort of farming so much fun.

I’m still returning to the farm once or twice a week, although with the cold, wet weather I’m predicting just one or two more weeks of vegetable harvests before we knock everything over and plant a cover crop in its place. In the mean time, I’m freezing what I can and getting ready to plant some greens in pots on the porch. After the jump, the recipes that I sent out. Below, some photos:

Thai Cucumber Salad (from the University of Illinois Extension)

Ingredients:

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup rice vinegar

4 cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 shallot, thinly sliced

10 whole cilantro leaves

¼ cup red pepper, julienned (about 1 inch long)

Directions:

1.       Combine the sugar, vinegar and salt and heat in a small sauce pan until sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes); do not boil. Set saucepan in cold water to cool the vinegar mixture. When cool, pour over cucumbers and garnish with red peppers.

Serves 4.

Minted Spaghetti Squash (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon ground cumin

kosher salt and black pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ cup fresh mint, sliced

Directions:

1.       Cut ½ inch from both ends of the squash and cut in half lengthwise. Microwave on a plate, cut-side down, on high until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

2.       Scoop out and discard the squash seeds. With a fork, gently scrape the strands of squash flesh into a bowl. Toss with the scallions, mint, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Easy Okra (from vegweb.com)

Ingredients:

1 pound (or 1 pint) okra

1 medium onion, sliced

4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

salt

jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1.       Cut both ends off the okra pods, then slice pods into two halves lengthwise. In a small bowl, mix with lime juice.

2.       Combine oil, garlic and ginger in a saucepan and fry for one minute. Add onion; fry until onion is light brown (about 4 or 5 minutes). Stir in okra mixture. Sprinkle salt to taste; add jalapeno (optional). Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until okra is tender. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Serves 4.

Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho (from myrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups diced cantaloupe

2 cups diced honeydew melon

1 cup diced mango

1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber

1 cup diced nectarines

1 cup orange juice

½ cup chopped Vidalia or sweet onion

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions:

1.       Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Serves 7.

Nontraditional Sweet Freezer Pickles (from the University of Illinois Extension)

Ingredients:

2 quarts cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon salt

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup white distilled vinegar

Directions:

1.       Mix cucumbers, onions and salt in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set the bowl on the counter for 2 hours. Pour into a colander and drain water from the cucumber mixture. Combine sugar and vinegar. Stir well and pour over cucumbers. Pack into freezer containers or zip-closure bags. Freeze immediately. Pickles are ready to eat in 3 or 4 days, and will keep in the freezer for up to one year.

Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces

kosher salt and black pepper

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 pound cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)

½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1.       Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, bell peppers, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.

2.       Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and tortellini. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini are cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.

3.       Stir in the parsley and ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Serves 4.

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup (from vegetarian-recipes.suite101.com)

Ingredients:

2 pounds (or one quart) tomatoes

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup water

½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth

Directions:

1.       Wash and stem tomatoes. Fill a large pot full of water and bring to a boil. Blanche the tomatoes by dipping them in the boiling water for 10-15 seconds. Let cool and carefully peel off the skin.

2.       Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with your fingers, leaving in the flesh. Dice tomato halves. In a large saucepan, heat butter and add tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and rub through a wire strainer or put in a blender and mix.

3.       Return tomatoes to pan. Sprinkle with flour, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add water, then wine or chicken broth. Heat to simmering. Garnish with butter and fresh parsley, and serve with crackers.

Serves 6.

Watermelon Granita (from the University of Illinois Extension)

Ingredients:

5 cups seeded watermelon pulp

1 cup sugar syrup*

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

thin watermelon wedges, cut into strips for a garnish

Directions:

1.       Puree watermelon in a food processor or blender.

2.       Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Stir in the syrup and lemon juice. Freeze for about 4 hours or until frozen solid.

3.       To serve, scrape up granite with a large spoon and place in goblets, tulip-shaped wine glasses or ice cream dishes. Garnish with a narrow wedge of watermelon.

Serves 4.

*To make sugar syrup: Combine ½ cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved. Cool in the refrigerator.

Pesto (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing

Directions:

1.       Combine the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, pour in a thin, steady stream of oil, blending until the mixture is well combined and emulsified.

2.       Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container covered with a thin layer of oil for up to 1 week. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan (and basil leaves, if preferred) just before serving. This can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Makes 2 cups (about 8 servings).

Roasted Eggplant with Lemon Juice (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.

2.       Slice eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise again. Cut each of those in half horizontally, making two shorter quarters. Place eggplant onto the baking sheet, skin side down. Brush each slice with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3.       Roast until softened and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Huevos Divorciados (from epicurious.com)

Ingredients:

½ pound tomatoes

½ pound tomatillos, husks discarded and fruit rinsed

2 jalapeno peppers

1 (1-inch) wedge white onion

2 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

¼ to ½ cup water

4 to 8 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil

8 large eggs

8 (6- to 7-inch) corn tortillas

Directions:

1.       To make the green and red salsas: Heat a griddle or a dry well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over moderate heat until a bead of water evaporates quickly, then roast tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion, turning with tongs, until charred on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Core roasted tomatoes. Discard stems from jalapenos, and discard half of seeds from each chile. For red salsa: Coarsely puree tomatoes, 1 jalapeno, 1 garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor, then transfer to a bowl. For green salsa: Coarsely puree tomatillos, remaining jalapeno, remaining garlic clove, remaining teaspoon salt, cilantro, and ¼ cup water, then transfer to a bowl.

2.       To cook the eggs: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small nonstick skillet over moderately low heat until hot. Gently break 2 eggs into a cup, keeping yolks intact, then pour into skillet and cook, covered, 5 minutes, or to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper.

3.       To fry the tortillas: While eggs are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in another small nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stack 2 tortillas in skillet. Cook bottom tortilla 30 seconds on first side, then flip stack with tongs. While second tortilla cooks on bottom, turn top tortilla over with tongs, and flip stack again. Continue until both sides of  both tortillas are cooked. Tortillas will soften and puff slightly, then deflate (do not let them become brown or crisp). Fry more tortillas in same manner, adding oil as needed.

4.       To serve: put tortillas on plate, overlapping slightly, and top with eggs. Spoon a different salsa over each egg. Salsas can be stored, covered and chilled, for up to 3 days.

Serves 4.

After sending the subscribers snack bags of parsley week after early summer week, I stopped relying on the herb as soon as other things could fill its place. A few weeks ago, I noticed that more than 15 swallowtail caterpillars had taken up residence in the small bed, leaving bare stems behind as they prepared to become butterflies. And as I was harvesting carrots for the last time this summer, I noticed a black swallowtail butterfly fluttering around the veggie piles, seeking out a spot to lay her eggs. Some photos:

Since the spring, I’ve been nervous about no longer having fresh tomatoes to eat. It’s become hard for me to eat “fast food” tomatoes, and, as a purported advocate of Slow Food and seasonal eating, I’m hesitant to pick up a pint from the store in the dead of winter (and know that I wouldn’t be satisfied even if I did). So, I’ve entered preservation mode.

Several weeks ago, I laid hands on a bushel of seconds from the farm on which I worked in college. Not having the time nor the energy to process them then, I spent a quick hour cutting off the moldy bits and threw them in the freezer. This afternoon, I decided to turn them into sauce.

Using a recipe from realsimple.com as a guide (click here), I turned a couple of gallon-sized Ziploc bags of frozen fruit into the equivalent of three jars of sauce. As a bonus, I also ended up with several cups of tomato soup stock, made from the liquid that rose to the top of the at-first-far-too-thin sauce. The process took some time (about three or four hours from start to finish), but it was easier than I expected, and I did get five meals out of it. With just a few weeks left before this region’s first frost, I hope to do this at least once more before winter rolls around, stocking the freezer for the tomato-less months ahead.

The rest of the box’s contents: one eggplant, two pints cherry tomatoes, one pint heirloom tomatoes, one pint tomatillos, four or five assorted peppers (green bell, purple star, sweet chocolate or ancho), one pint okra, one red and one yellow onion, one sandwich-sized Ziploc bag basil.

After the jump, the recipes that I sent out. Click images to enlarge.

Phillips Wharf Cucumber Salad (from the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center)

Ingredients:

5 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup white vinegar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine cucumbers, onion and green pepper. Sprinkle with salt; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate two hours. Combine sugar and vinegar and pour over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Tomato, Corn and Okra Succotash (from food.com)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups chopped tomatoes

2 ½ cups corn

1 cup sliced okra

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cook onion, green pepper and garlic in butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until tender.
2. Add the tomatoes; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients’ bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 9 minutes or until the corn is tender.

Serves 6.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup (from cooks.com)

Ingredients:

1 large ripe cantaloupe

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups orange juice

fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

1. Remove seeds from melon and cube the pulp. Place pulp and cinnamon in a blender or food processor and puree. Combine orange and lime juices and stir into the puree. Chill before serving; garnish with mint sprigs.

The cucumbers were hard to start, with seeds not germinating and plants slow to grow, and the melons were planted rather late. But for the past couple of weeks, I’ve given out four or five cucumbers to every subscriber, and last week began what I hope will be a regular harvest of melons lasting through the rest of the summer season. Because I had no experience growing cantaloupe, I told my dad to pick out what we should plant. He chose two varieties: the two- to three-pound Isabella and the five-pound Ambrosia, both from Burpee’s. The smaller variety doesn’t slip off the stem like a ripe cantaloupe should, so it’s been hard for me to harvest them before the fruits split open in the field. The larger variety, however, has been a breeze to grow and pick, and is super delicious to boot.

The contents of Week Ten’s box: zucchini or summer squash, spaghetti squash, eggplant, cucumbers, one green bell pepper, two pints cherry tomatoes, one quart heirloom tomatoes, one pint tomatillos, one sandwich-sized Ziploc bag basil and one quart okra, for those who requested it.

The contents of Week Eleven’s box: cucumbers, eggplant, one green bell or ancho pepper, one pint cherry tomatoes, one quart heirloom tomatoes, one pint okra (for everyone), one bunch onions (one red, one yellow), one bunch carrots, one sandwich-sized Ziploc bag basil and one cantaloupe or watermelon for about half of the subscribers.

After the jump, the recipes that I sent out. Click images to enlarge.

Recipes – Week Ten

Herbed Spaghetti Squash (from foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 ¼ pounds

2 ½ tablespoons butter

2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs, such as basil, parsley or sage

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add water to reach ½-inch up the sides of the dish, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife.
3. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender.
4. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place into a mixing bowl.
5. Heat a skillet. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine.

Serves 4.

Tomatillo Rice (from whatscooking.us)

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ pound tomatillos

½ medium onion

2 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

2-3 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, fry rice, stirring constantly, in canola oil until it starts to turn golden brown.
2. In a blender, mix together tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno and basil with 1 cup chicken broth. When blended and smooth, add the rest of the broth.
3. Pour sauce over rice, mix well and bring to a boil.
4. Mix again and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring lightly every 5 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.

Stuffed Tomatoes with Cucumbers and Feta (realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

4 heirloom tomatoes (about 2 ½ pounds)

2 small cucumbers, chopped

½ cup crumbled Feta (2 ounces)

2 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette

kosher salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut off the top of each tomato and scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds.
2. In a bowl, toss the cucumbers and Feta with the vinaigrette and ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper; spoon into the tomatoes.

Serves 4.

Recipes – Week Eleven

Cucumber and Avocado Soup with Tomato and Basil Salad (from epicurious.com)

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled, diced (about 2 ½ cups)

2 ½ cups low-fat (1%) buttermilk

1 avocado, quartered, pitted, peeled

4 tablespoons chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

½ cup seeded chopped tomato

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

Directions:

1. Combine cucumber and buttermilk in a blender. Chop ¼ of avocado; set aside for salad. Cut remaining avocado into chunks. Add avocado to blender; then add 2 tablespoons red onion and 1 tablespoon basil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
2. Mix reserved avocado, remaining 2 tablespoons onion and 1 tablespoon basil, tomato and lime juice in small bowl. Ladle cucumber soup into 4 bowls. Dollop each with 1 tablespoon yogurt; top with tomato salad and serve.

Note: This recipe can be prepared ahead. Cover soup and tomato salad separately and refrigerate for up to one day.

Serves 4.

Peanut Butter and Chicken Noodles with Carrot and Cucumber Ribbons (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package thin rice noodles or sticks

1 2- to 2-1/2 pound rotisserie chicken

2 carrots

1 cucumber

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water; let soak until soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander or large strainer.
2. Meanwhile, using your fingers, shred the chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones. Use a vegetable peeler to make long stripes of the carrot and cucumber.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, and 6 tablespoons water until smooth.
4. Divide the noodles, chicken, carrot, and cucumber among 4 bowls. Drizzle with dressing.

Serves 4.

Mary Beth Allen’s Eggplant and Tomato Stackers

Ingredients:

olive oil

2 yellow onions, diced

salt and ground pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/8 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 eggplant, sliced 1/8-inch thick

2 to 3 tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick

2 zucchini, halved crosswise, sliced lengthwise 1/8-inch thick

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions, salt and pepper; cook until soft. Add garlic, basil, oregano and parsley, cook 2 minutes more.
3. Rub bottom and sides of 12-inch cast-iron fry pan with oil. Place 4 eggplant slices in single layer in pan; season with salt. Top each with 1 teaspoon onions and 1 tomato slice; season with salt. Top each with 1 teaspoon onions and 2 zucchini slices; season with salt. Top each with 1 teaspoon onions. Repeat layering two more times, ending with zucchini. Drizzle each vegetable stacker with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
4. Bake vegetables 40 minutes. Sprinkle each stack with 1 tablespoon cheese; bake 7 to 10 minutes more. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

Serves 4.

Karen Abouraya’s Egyptian Okra with Stewed Beef

Ingredients:

1 pint okra

1 pound stew beef

2 small cans tomato sauce

2 to 4 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon cumin

Directions:

1. To prepare the okra, slice off both ends, at the pointed tip and at the neck. Slice in 1/4- to ½- inch pieces. Cover with vinegar and let sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. This helps reduce the slippery coating that many find offensive about okra.
2. Sauté garlic in olive oil. Add stew beef until brown. Add tomato sauce, vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer 1 to 1-1/2 hours until meat is tender. Add small amount of water or broth if the stew becomes too thick. After 1 hour, add okra. Sprinkle with lime juice just before serving. Serve on top of rice.

Declining squash harvests are still a disappointment, but I noticed new growth all week, including the ripening of a couple of cucumbers and two varieties of peppers (green and purple bell). And perhaps more importantly, the melons should be set soon. I spent a couple of hours earlier in the week placing cantaloupe on overturned flower pots, to keep them from rotting on ground that is too damp. I cannot wait to see a yellow one that isn’t rotten waiting in the field.

I’ve also been attempting to keep pests from harming our new squash plants, wrapping aluminum foil around their stems to stave off squash vine borers (the adults of whom are now out of the old squash plants and in the air, just waiting to do more damage) and checking their leaves for eggs. But the bugs can be overwhelming. Last week, I discovered grasshopper damage on now-chewed-down okra leaves, cucumber beetle damage on now-skeletonized pumpkin leaves and a new sort of egg (that of the leaf-footed bug) to worry about. I now understand the value of floating row covers—it might be a chore to hand-pollinate plants, but worth it to avoid all of these insects (and the egg-searching and pyrethrin-spraying that come with them).

After the jump, the recipes that I sent out. Click images to enlarge.

Eggplant Pasta Salad (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

¼ cup tomato paste

¼ cup white wine vinegar

kosher salt and pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons capers

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 pound dried penne

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery and cook, 3 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and tomatoes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, vinegar, ¼ cup water, 2 ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the sugar. Stir into the eggplant.
3. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the capers, pine nuts (if using), and parsley.
4. Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the package directions. Toss with the remaining oil, let cool, and cover. Combine the eggplant with the pasta before serving.

Serves 4.

Tomato and Garlic Sauce (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 pints grape tomatoes, halved

8 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Pour or spoon the sauce over cooked meat, fish or pasta.

Serves 4.

Tomatillo Salsa (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ pound (about eight) tomatillos, husked, washed, and quartered

¼ medium sweet white onion

½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the garlic until chopped. Add the tomatillos, onions, jalapeno, and lime juice and pulse until fairly smooth.
2. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Store covered in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 1 cup, serves 4.

Lemon-Mint Cooler (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)

¼ cup sugar

3 cups water

½ cup torn fresh mint leaves

1 12-ounce can club soda

lemon slices (to garnish)

ice

Directions:

1. Place the lemon juice, sugar and ½ cup water in a large pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 2 ½ more cups water, the mint leaves, the club soda, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice.

Serves 4.