This week your basket contains: Asian broccoli and/or European broccoli, lettuce (half shares), BASIL, zucchini, cucumber,  snow peas & snap peas (full shares), spring onions, Swiss chard, carrots, and new potatoes.

FLOWERS ARE GOING CRAZY!  You can order a beautiful bouquet for your home any week (25+ stems for $10).  On the other hand, in August , when Polly doesn’t go to Farmers’ Market, you can order 5 weeks of flowers for $50.  We’ll send them along with your veggies and bill you in September for any flowers you receive in august.  Just email to order.

We are starting to get more cucumbers every week.  The recipe below is one we try to keep in our fridge all summer long (it is difficult because they get eaten so quickly!)

QUICK PICKLES

2 unwaxed or peeled cucumbers

1 small onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tb fresh dill or 1 ½ tsp. dill seed

1 cup hot water

1 Tb salt

2 Tb honey

3 Tb cider vinegar

Slice each cucumber lengthwise into 8 sticks.  Slice onion into rings.  Alternate layers of cucumber and onion in a broad non-metal dish.  Scatter dill and garlic on top.  Mix water with honey and salt to dissolve; add vinegar and pour this brine over the cucumbers.  Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before using.  NOTE:  When ready to replenish the pickle container, add 1 Tb vinegar and 1 rounded tsp of honey to the brine and add more sliced cucumber and onion as needed.  Prepare a fresh solution after 2 or 3 batches have been made.  From American Wholefoods Cuisine by Nikki and David Goldberg

This recipe is excellent.  We thought it was even better the next day.  You could substitute a bit of basil for the oregano.

GREEK TAVERNA ZUCCHINI WITH LEMON

4 zucchini

3 garlic cloves

large pinch of salt

large pinch dried oregano

juice of ½ lemon

4 Tbs. olive oil

freshly ground pepper

15 olives

Slice zucchinis in half lengthwise then cut into large chunks.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add zucchini and cook 10-15 minutes or until quite soft.  Drain.  Crush the garlic in a mortar in pestle with the salt, then rub it into the cut surfaces of the zucchini.  Sprinkle with oregano, lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with pepper.  Garnish with the olives and serve at room temperature.  Serves 4.  From The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook vol. 2

I enjoy unusual ingredients on pizza and this one fits the bill for this time of year!

NEW POTATO AND SPRING ONION PIZZA

1  pizza dough
Cornmeal and/or flour for pan or pizza stone 
1 spring onion, chopped using white and light green parts
3-4 medium new potatoes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and pepper 
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere, aged Gouda or other flavorful cheese

Heat oven to 450ｰ F.  Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal or flour and place the dough on top.  Combine the onions, potatoes, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and oil in a large bowl. Scatter the potato mixture over the dough and sprinkle with the cheese.  Bake until the crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and transfer to individual plates.