THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: snow peas, kohlrabi, zucchini, parsley, spring onions, kale, RED WHITE & BLUE POTATOES, and carrots.

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!  This is a holiday that holds special meaning for Polly & me as it was on July 4, 1989 that we moved to this farm as caretakers.  At the time we thought we could tolerate living here for up to three years while we searched for a “nice” piece of land to buy.  It didn’t work out that way.  We bought this property less than a year after moving here and while we did continue looking at other pieces of property for several years, as we expanded our gardens and planted trees on the back half of the land, it eventually became clear that this was exactly where we should be.  That feeling of belonging on (and to) this farm has only grown stronger every year.  Thank you all for helping make that possible for us.

One way we celebrate the fourth of July is with a red, white, and blue potato salad.  We like to use the recipe below.  As with most recipes, I consider the ingredients listed as one suggestion and always adjust to what we have on hand and what strikes my fancy.  One thing we always do, though, is to make the Gribache sauce.  Using the hard boiled egg yolks in this way is amazing.

POTATO SALAD FROM PERIGORD

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, unpeeled

1 garlic clove, cut

1 onion, sliced

2 Tbsp. chopped sour gherkin

1 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

2 tsp. chopped chives

1 tsp. chopped tarragon

salt and pepper

2 eggs, hard boiled

3 Tbsp. vinegar

1/4 c. olive oil, or to taste

To make a Gribache sauce:  mash the egg yolks into a puree with the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Incorporate the olive oil (or a mix of walnut and peanut oils), using enough to suit your taste. Boil or steam potatoes until tender.  Run under cold water to cool.  Cut into thick slices and keep warm.   Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the cut garlic clove.  Put the potatoes into the bowl with the onion, gherkin, capers, parsley, chives and tarragon, season with salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the salad and mix well.  Garnish with chopped egg white.  Serve warm or cold. (The gherkin and capers can be omitted.   Olives can be substituted.  Tarragon is optional and cilantro would work well).  Adapted from Salads by the editors of Time-Life Books

The recipe below is another staple dish for our summer meals.

GRILLED SUMMER SQUASH MARINADE

3-4 Tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

chopped fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary etc)

dash of Worcestershire sauce

½ cup olive oil

Place garlic and salt in bottom of a bowl and mash together with a fork.  Add vinegar, Worcestershire and herbs, mix well.  Whisk in olive oil.  Cut squash lengthwise (1/4 inch thick or less) and toss in marinade.  Let sit at least 20 minutes.  Grill over hot coals until browned on both sides.  Place grilled squash back into the bowl containing the remaining marinade before serving.

We use the recipe below for a quick, healthy snack.

MICROWAVE KALE CHIPS

5-10 kale leaves

4 tsp. olive oil

Kosher salt

Remove stems from the kale leaves and tear into 2 inch strips.  Wash and thoroughly dry the leaves and toss them with oil in a large bowl.  Spread approximately 1/3 of the leaves on a large plate and sprinkle with salt.  Microwave for three minutes.  If leaves are crispy, transfer them to a serving bowl; if not, continue to microwave leaves in 30 second increments until crispy.  Repeat with remaining leaves in two batches.  The kale chips can be stored for up to a week in an air tight container.

IF YOU FIND A LONG, CURVY, LIGHT GREEN GOURD-LIKE ITEM IN YOUR BASKET, DON’T BE ALARMED: that is a tromboncino squash.  These are particularly popular in Sicily where it seems every family has its own preferred recipe for them.  We like them in part because they stay firm when cooked and they have a lovely flavor as well.  Use them as you would the more familiar types of summer squash.