week 10

Cooking in Season

week 10

The middle of August is the perfect time for sweet tea and I have to remind myself to do all those summertime things that I’d been too busy to do during the crazy early days of summer. The cicadas are out and the nights sound a bit more eerie now as the dusk is sneaking up closer and closer each night. The pumpkins at work are flowering, but with all the fungus that’s hit the cucumbers, I’m worried it’s going to jump over to the winter squash and pumpkins.
Welcome the tomatoes to the scene and I am about ready to walk down to the orchard to taste test to see if the pears are ready. Travis found a cool caterpillar in the carrots. Turns out it’s going to be a black swallowtail. Good thing he didn’t smash it!

The okra is coming along well, the beets are at all different stages of getting ripe, and we’re testing melons weekly to see if they are ready. I am sure it looks very scientific – all of us out in the melon patch, holding each one up to an ear and knocking on it to hear a thud. I am not sure what a thud sounds like, but I hope they are ready soon.

Also, if anyone is a home bread maker, I have organic wheat from a local farmer that I’d like to share. I think its soft winter wheat and I got it to put some in the ground for next year and use some for beer making. Let me know if you’d like some. Also, if anyone would like to buy in to a pig share, let me know. We have their date set in mid September and if you’d prefer different cuts, we can do that as well. Also just ordered second batch of meat birds, which should be ready in October if you’re interested.

Our recipe was submitted by our member Tracy Weiner for a dense casserole that uses everything in season right now. It’s completely delicious and very easy to make, and a great way to use corn off the cob if you so desire.
CORN, ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO PIE
3 cups fresh or frozen defrosted corn kernels
5 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks 5-6 cups
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP fresh dill weed
2 TBSP melted butter
3-4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into ½ inch thick slices
½ cup freshly grated parmesan 2-3 cups
½ cup dry bread crumbs 3 cups
2 TBSP olive oil
I also added some sautéed onions, green peppers and mushrooms
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In 13” x 9” baking dish, combine the corn, zucchini, 1 tsp salt ½ tsp. pepper, dill and melted butter, tossing to coat the vegetables. Cover the vegetables with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
In small bowl, combine the cheese and the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake the pie for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Remove it from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
See you next week,
Janee