Monday, August 11, 2008

Organic Nerd

I’m geeking out over this week’s harvest from Sophia Garden. There are mini green peppers, more pickling cucumbers, yellow summer squash, beets, burgundy beans, kale, slicing cucumbers, piles of blushing red fingerling potatoes, basil and cilantro and – drum roll please – the first heirloom tomatoes are in!!!


What to do with all this summer bounty? Start slicing, dicing, and boiling!

Dinner consists of a salad of yellow and red heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with crumbled goat cheese and fresh basil that tastes like licorice perfume.

Those red fingerling potatoes are scrubbed cleaned and boiled. Dressed with diced green pepper, cilantro and Dijon vinaigrette, they are transformed into a savory summer potato salad.

Diminutive cherry tomatoes in dazzling red, gold and orange - and sweet like sugar candy - are tossed with minced green pepper and whole wheat orzo for a fresh pasta salad.

You want to hear my geekiest move of all? I’m heading off on a trip to the West coast for a few days. There is so much food, and I can’t bear the thought of leaving my creations in the refrigerator. So, I pack a lunch of orzo salad and potato salad for the plane. Let’s face it. The food on airplanes is dismal, but these organic vegetables have me soaring!

©2008 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

8 comments:

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Those burgundy beans caught my eye right away -- and after all, eating is about appealing to the visual! I'm so glad the CSA has been such a wonderful experience for you.

Kathy said...

I wouldn't be able to leave those lovely creations behind in the refrigerator either--good idea! I enjoy seeing the dishes you prepare from your CSA harvest.

Anonymous said...

Oh how beautiful, T.W. . I don't blame you for taking your food along. It surely beats airplane food.

Thistlemoon said...

Heirloom tomatoes! YUM! I still have yet to try them. I haven't seen them at my farmers market and they are just too ridiculously expensive at the store! But that salad with the herbs and yellow tomatoes looks great!

~~louise~~ said...

Everything looks so fresh & delicious! I'm headed to Idaho, can I sit next to you on the plane?

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Hi Lydia - Those burgundy beans make great fresh snacks! I've got a bag with me today!

Kathy - it has been so much fun seeing what each harvest brings and what I can do with it.

Veron - it was a little like a Thanksgiving display with all those vegetables on my counter!

Jenn - you would not believe how sweet those tiny cherry tomatoes were!

Louise - I could probably start a new service for the airlines - "Organic Lunches - Fresh Daily!"

Anonymous said...

So many beautiful vegetable dishes! I wish I could try the potato salad.
By the way, T.W., what is the feed link for your blog? I wish to add it to my list. Thanks!
manuela

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful bunch of produce, and your salad look great as well!