CSA: A review of a summer of farm- fresh produce

Yesterday was the first CSA-free Saturday since a summer chock full of fresh fruits and vegetables began (with the exception of the sad, post-Irene Saturdays). So I figured today was a good day to review a summer of deliciousness before my fall/winter shares start up.

From week one...

...to the final week...

...the experience has been a mix of emotions, running the gamut from giddy to guilty to grateful. The first week's delivery of berries was a great kick off and left me excited for the coming weeks. Somewhere in the middle, after trashing almost every single item in a delivery, I was left feeling guilty and more annoyed that I had months left before I wouldn't have to worry about cooking all this food. By the end, I was so happy to get deliveries after a week of nothing that it finally hit me that this had been a great experience. I've made some great food along the way, too. From chocolate zucchini cake to corn chowder to roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza, we've definitely ate well this summer. And more than that, we've ate well without spending a ton of money. So here comes the moment of truth. You know, the one where I share that pesky price breakdown that proves how awesome the CSA is.

Price Breakdown

• Week 1: $ 41.44
• Week 2: $29.24
• Week 3: $33.68 
• Week 4: $34.46 
• Week 5: $39.58 
• Week 6: $29.19 
• Week 7: $41.32 
• Week 8: $38.21 
• Week 9: $41.77 
• Week 10: $27.19 
• Week 11: $35.42 
• Week 12: $33.67 
• Week 13: $37.20 
• Week 14: $36.70 
• Week 15: $35.17 
• Week 16: $33.40 
• Week 17: $0 (Irene) 
• Week 18: $0 (Irene)
• Week 19: $18.23 
• Week 20: $58.42 (double share)
• Total price if bought at Harris Teeter: $ 644.29
• Total CSA cost: $420.00 
• Total Saved: $224.29 

Note: I priced my veggies by using the Harris Teeter Express Lane website, which allows you to shop for your groceries online. Whenever possible, I used the organic options, since my CSA follows organic practices.

All in all, I think the verdict is the same that I thought it would be way back at the beginning, when I assumed I'd get a lot of better quality veggies for cheaper if I signed up for a CSA. The only downsides were my failing, simply that I sometimes didn't have enough time to cook all that amazing food. I can't imagine what I would have done had I purchased a full delivery instead of the half deliveries. Hopefully, when I get to enjoy my fall/winter encore in a month I'll do better.

CSA Week 20: End of summer

Well, my little experiment has finally ended. And I would say it's been a roaring success, with the exception of my occasional inability to cook all the food. That's my fault and it's something I'll have to start planning around since the fall share starts up in a month! That's right, I loved this so much that I went ahead and signed up for deliveries in November and December. I'm not sure what I'll do come January since I won't be getting my weekly dose of inspiration.

This week's delivery was actually a double delivery, meaning we got more than we normally would because she was making up for the post-Hurricane-Irene missed delivery. Remember that post saying it would be a loss for us? Yeah, just kidding about that. Anyway, here's this week's price breakdown. I'll be following up soon to share the season-long totals and some more reflections. I just have to find the time to put it all together!

Price Breakdown

• 1 head of cabbage: $6.27
• 1 watermelon: $7.99
• 1 pound of butter beans (that's what these crazy Southerners call lima beans): $3.58
• 2 acorn squash: $5.96
• 2 butternut squash: $7.45
• 2 cucumbers: $3.58
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 6 red potatoes: $2.90
• 4 Granny Smith apples: $6.73
• 4 Red Delicious apples: $5.98
• Total cost: : $58.42
• Total savings: $16.42
  (Out of $42, since this was a double delivery)

When inspiration hits

It had been a while since I was inspired by the items in my CSA delivery. So it's seems odd that it took an onion to kick my inspiration back in gear. Specifically this onion:

Yes that's my CSA delivery from right before Hurricane Irene and, yes, that is a honking big onion, pulled right out of Suffolk's rich soil and brought to me by my favorite food fairy, Jan of Clayhill Farms. And it got me wanting to create something using only CSA items, or at least something that didn't require me to leave the house. And looking at my delivery, I suddenly lit upon the idea of mixing roasted eggplant and caramelized onion. I had never done either, but I figured it couldn't be that difficult. And then, after discovering leftover pasta sauce and two kinds of cheese, I knew I'd be making pizza.

Specifically roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza with feta and mozzarella. And it was so good, I figured I'd (finally) share the recipe with you.

Roasted eggplant and caramelized onion pizza

Makes enough topping for two pizzas
1 medium eggplant, skinned and cubed

2 tbsp. olive oil

sea salt

pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp. honey

Pizza sauce (fresh or store bought)

Fresh pizza dough (you can make this or buy fresh dough at most grocery stores)

For the eggplant:

• Skin and cut into cubes. Salt and leave covered on the counter or in the fridge for at least a half hour. This will draw out the juices, which can leave the eggplant bitter when cooked. (You can skip this step but if you have a more mature eggplant, you'll regret it.) Drain, rinse and pat dry.
• Toss cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, chopped. Scatter on a baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until browned. 

For the caramelized onions:

• Cut onion(s) in half and then slice into thin strips. You can go thicker, but I just wanted the onions to almost melt away so cut them as thinly (read safely) as a could. 
• Coat the bottom of a wide, deep saucepan with 1 tbsp. of butter per onion or a mixture of olive oil and butter (I only used one onion, so I just did at tablespoon of butter).
• Add onions and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and 1 tsp. of honey (optional). Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the onions have reached your desired color, tenderness and taste. I only did 30 minutes. 
• Try to avoid stirring constantly. You need to butter/oil to brown but you don't want the onions to burn. 

For the pizza:

• Your oven should already be at 400 degrees, but if not, preheat it. Put your pizza stone in there to heat up while you assemble your pizza.
• Roll out your dough using cornmeal to keep it from sticking to your paddle. Press out from the middle and fold over the outer rim to create a crust. You want this dough thinner so it crisps up enough to handle the toppings but also thick enough to handle the toppings. It's pretty much trial and error here folks.
• Add sauce, mozzerella, eggplant, onions and feta. 
• Bake until the cheese is brown and to crust is crispy. Eat as is or drizzle with balsamic vinegar to cut through the rich earthiness of the roasted eggplant and carmelized onions.

Notes:

• When I make pizza, I use a pizza stone preheated in the oven. I slide the pizza onto the stone with a pizza paddle. Don't have these items? Get them, STAT! Or add them to your Christmas list, as we did. Why? Because pizza stones make the best pizza. However, you can also just cook this on pan, round or square. You just have to shape the dough to fit the pan and be aware that it won't be as awesome as my pizza, though it will still be delicious.
• Yes, these are a lot of steps and yes it took a lot of work for two pizzas. But they are amazing pizzas. Consider making one pizza and then using the leftover ingredients for a layered pasta dish on another day. The toppings will keep for a week or so in the fridge and can be used in many ways.
• As I always say in pizza posts, customize away. 

CSA Week 17/18: Recovering

I know what you're thinking. Why wasn't there a CSA post last week? And it's simply because Hurricane Irene ruined the crops that were ready for delivery on week 17. And here we are, already four days into week 18 and I haven't posted about my CSA. And no, this time it's not because I didn't get a delivery. I did. It's just been a crazy couple of weeks and I haven't even managed to take a picture of my food (again). I suppose it's because the share was mildly disappointing. Or maybe it's the fact that I was just so happy to get a share that I cooked most of the delivery before I remembered to take a picture (again). But excuses aside, I have returned to offer a review of the last couple of CSA weeks.

Week 17 Price Breakdown

• No delivery: $0
• Total saved: $0
• Total lost (here's a first): $21

Week 18 Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 2 green peppers: $3.98
• 1 cabbage: $6.27
• 1 lb. of green beans: $1.99
• Total cost: $18.23
• Total lost: $2.77

That's right. This week's delivery was so small, I actually lost money. And I even priced everything at the more expensive, organic prices. But the good news is that so far, even with the bad luck of Irene, I've still saved money overall. With 2 weeks to go, I'm not above calling it early and declaring the CSA the winner of my experiment. I'm sort of banking on it, since I've also signed up for the fall/winter delivery. Kale, sweet potatoes and winter squash, here I come! And let's not forget the savings. A quick bit a math puts the total I've saved over the summer (minus what I've lost) at $270.87. Wowsa!  

CSA Week 16: Blame Irene

OK, I have bad news. I've been a bad blogger. Not only have I not post in nine days, I haven't even managed to  give myself much to blog about. See, I've gotten increased duties at work that have double my workload so I have less time and inclination to do "work" outside of my job. Then an earthquake hit. And then there was this little hurricane named Irene. And we were without power for three days. So cut me some slack, please?

Thanks! Alright, so my cardinal sin this week might have been the fact that even though I received a CSA delivery (a few days early so we wouldn't have to travel during the storm), I never took picture. And I've already eaten or given away half of the delivery. Lame. Teaches me not to put off taking the dang picture, that's for sure.

Anyway, here's my breakdown anyway:

Price Breakdown

• 1 cantaloupe: $3.69
• 1 head of cabbage: $6.27
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 1 eggplant: $1.79
• 6 yellow squash: $10.09
• 2 cucumbers: $3.58
• Total: $33.40
• Total savings: $12.40

CSA Week 15: Challenges

I used to think that getting items that I've never or rarely cooked with would be the challenge of getting CSA deliveries. Not so. Turns out it's a whole lot more difficult to be creative when you are faced with using the same vegetables over and over again. That's how I ended up throwing a few yellow squash and a whole lot of cucumber away a few weeks into the program. I know, I know. Shame on me. But I suppose this week's delivery is an opportunity to make up for it:

That's right. 4 yellow squash and 3 cucumbers. Plus, I'm finding it hard to think of anything but corned beef and cabbage to utilize that admittedly gorgeous head of cabbage. But why fight it,  right? My husband is a fan and it's kind of in my blood. I suppose I'll be picking up corned beef at the grocery store today.

Price breakdown

• 1 head of cabbage: $5.92
• 2 pints of cherry tomatoes: $7.98
• 10 ears of corn: $9.18
• 4 yellow squash: $6.73
• 3 cucumbers: $5.37
• Total: $35.17
• Total savings: $14.17

CSA Week 14: Decisions

This week's delivery was exciting not just because of the gorgeous vegetables, but because of a simple piece of paper that announced that we have the chance to continue getting deliveries through the second week of December.
My first instinct was to celebrate. My second instinct was apprehension, mostly because I've already had a bit of trouble trying to use everything from my deliveries. We have until September to make the decision about whether or not we want to extend our program, but I'm already leaning toward getting it. That's because we can expect broccoli, kale, winter squash (like butternut) and sweet potatoes, and all of those items are super exciting. Plus, the deliveries are the same price ($21 per week, or $147 fro 7 weeks) and I've pretty much proven that the CSA saves me a boatload on veggies. I think this week and next week will help make that decision by acting as a test of whether or not I can make these deliveries worth it, i.e. whether or not I can actually eat all that food.

So here's this week's delivery:

Big excitement of the week: an onion! I know, it seems a little silly to find something so simple like an onion, but it's a very essential item and I never seem to remember to buy them. Plus, I've never actually tried a fresh-from-the-farm onion.

Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 onion: $1.34
• 2 eggplants: $3.58
• 4 tomatoes: $7.98
• 5 green bell peppers: $9.95
• 6 yellow peaches: $7.85
• Total: $36.70
• Total saved: $15.70

CSA Week 13: More chances to experiment

There were a lot of repeat items in this week's delivery, but they are favorites that allow me to do some experimenting with cooking.

So far I've used two of the eggplants and the pink-eyed peas. The peaches will be meant for peach crumble and I'm thinking of roasting the tomatoes and tossing them with feta cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Price Breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 8 peaches: $10.47
• 3 tomatoes: $5.99
• 3 eggplant: $7.98
• 1 lb. of pink-eyed peas: $2.78
• Total: $37.20
• Total saved: $16.20

Note on the pictures: The tomatoes were slightly under-ripe (hence the orange color) and the peaches were really dusty. A quick scrub for the peaches and a two days on a sunny windowsill fixed these babies right up and they look just as a good as they taste. Often with fresh, farm-grown fruits and veggies, they really don't have to perfectly formed for them to be tasty and healthy.

CSA Week 12: Purple and pink

When the owner of my CSA farm Jan asked me if I wanted eggplant I almost squeaked with excitement as I attempted to calmly say sure. Eggplants are one of the most maligned member of the vegetable world, taking their unglorified place next to Brussels sprouts and okra. But eggplants are incredible, unlike those other two examples. I mean, seriously. They are versatile and take on the deliciousness of whatever sauce you cook them in. Plus they are good for you. So, that's why this sight makes me delirious with joy:

That's right. Five eggplants. I don't know how I got so lucky. Also, you see that bag? That was my surprise item of the delivery:

That is a bag of pink-eyed peas, the prettier cousin of black-eyed peas.They offer another challenge that I'm hoping a creative recipe will help me overcome. See, my opinion of black-eyed peas is decidedly negative. So, I suppose this is my chance to change my opinion. This, of course, was one of the main reasons I got a CSA. Besides getting cheaper, fresher fruits and vegetables, I wanted to stretch my culinary abilities.

The whole delivery includes a watermelon, a cantaloupe, a pound of pink-eyed peas, five eggplants and 10 ears of corn. And a new culinary challenge.

Price breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 1 lb. pink-eyed peas (priced for 2 pounds of dried black-eyed peas): $5.56
• 5 eggplants: $8.95
• 10 ears of corn: $9.18
• Total: $33.67
• Total saved: $12.67

Summery fresh: Corn chowder

Alright, I can understand why you might think that corn chowder isn't really a summery dish. I mean, with the temperature being in the triple digits right now, I'm not sure myself if I want to dig into anything warmer than a nice cool salad. But then, I get to work, where they keep the thermostat at an almost unbearable 60 degrees, and all I can think about is hot soup and tea. Besides, corn is about as quintessentially summer as you can get and my CSA sure delivers a lot of it. The best thing about this chowder (which I came up with all by myself) is that it only takes 30 minutes and yet still manages to be delicious and flavorful. The key? Farm fresh ingredients, herbs from my own patio garden and  a bit of chicken stock.

30-minute Corn Chowder
3 slices of bacon, diced
4 ears worth of corn
5-6 red potatoes, skin-on and diced
3-4 cloves of garlic
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
About 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsely
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 1/2 cups hot water)
1 cup soy milk
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheddar cheese

• Dice up bacon and put in a preheated pan. Remove the cooked bacon and some of the grease (I do this to decrease some of the overall fat in the soup).
• Add the corn, potatoes and garlic to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the potatoes are lightly browned, add the stock. Bring it to a boil. 
• Turn the heat down. Add the fresh herbs, cayenne pepper and soy milk. Simmer until it's reached your desired consistency. Stir often so the soy milk doesn't scald. 

This dish is not only super easy to make, it uses very few ingredients, and most of them tend to be sitting around your house anyway. On a sidenote, if you don't have fresh herbs I suggest growing an herb garden! Just kidding, that's not necessary. But just remember that when subbing dried herbs for fresh ones, decrease the amount by half. In this case I'd do a teaspoon each of oregano and parsley and two teaspoons of rosemary. Why? Parsley and oregano tend to be superstrong when dried. Rosemary is slightly weaker and you'll need extra so it's not overshadowed. Also, make sure you get crushed rosemary. It is very difficult to chop dried rosemary and the herbs won't be in the dish long enough to soften. And no one likes getting a huge chunk of chewy rosemary in their chowder!

CSA Week 11: Helping us beat the heat

It seems Clayhill Farms knows a thing or two about beating the heat. My delivery consists of all the juicy items that would be excellent at keeping everyone hydrated and happy in this triple-digit heat.

Today's selection includes 10 ears of corn, half a pound of green beans, eight peaches, two cantaloupe and a watermelon. All of this just in time for my birthday cookout. So yeah, I'm looking at this delivery like a birthday gift from my wonderful CSA friends. 

Price Breakdown

• 10 ears of corn: $8.98
• 1/2 lb. of green beans: $2
• 8 peaches: $10.47
• 2 cantaloupe: $7.98
• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• Total: $35.42
• Total saved: $14.42

We've passed the halfway mark on deliveries, by the way. There are only 9 more to go, with the last delivery set for Saturday, Oct. 1. I'm really looking forward to seeing what sort of items will be in the September deliveries. For now, I'll be enjoying this week's delivery, likely with a handful of napkins to sop up all the peach and melon juices. Having a CSA can be messy!

CSA Week 10: Big and small

This week's CSA delivery ran the extremes of sizes. I got a large watermelon and a bag of gorgeous cherry tomatoes. It was a most excellent surprise to get such a large watermelon. I can't wait to try out the recipe for Watermelon Mojito Salad that I've been imagining.

The delivery included one watermelon, one cantaloupe, a pint of cherry tomatoes, half a pound of green beans and 10 ears of corn. This was one of the lighter deliveries, but it still included some great food.

Price breakdown

• 1 watermelon: $5.99
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes: $3.99
• 1/2 1b. green beans: $ 1.25
• 10 ears of corn: $11.97
• Total: $27.19
• Total saved: $6.19

CSA Week 9: Melon!

This week I received 10 ears of corn, a cantaloupe, six tomatoes, six peaches and four cucumbers. I used the corn at a cookout with the in-laws and donated my cukes to them, too. I'm not a huge fan of cucumbers, at least not so many. I think I've gotten some with every delivery. The cantaloupe was amazing, as well.

Price breakdown

• 10 ears of corn: $10.00
• 1 cantaloupe: $3.99
• 6 tomatoes: $11.97
• 6 peaches: $7.85
• 4 cucumbers: $7.96
• Total: $41.77
• Total saved:$20.77

Getting tomatoes these past couple of weeks has been especially exciting because my problems with my own tomato plants. Remember how gorgeous and optimistic these plants were:

Unfortunately, something went very wrong. Part of growing plants in containers is that you can miss out on some of the natural nutrients in the soil. Turns out, my tomatoes were severely lacking in calcium. This lack causes blossom end rot in tomatoes. Which leads to inedible and ugly tomatoes. Like this:

I've been able to get my tomato fix, but not in the way I wanted. Next year I'll know better. And, according to my neighbor, all I need to do is put a little lime in my pots and all will be well. They also make a blossom end rot spray that apparently works. Too bad my plants have mostly given off their last tomatoes of the season. Maybe next year. Til then, I still have my CSA.

CSA Week 8: Sunflower days

It's a good day when you wake up to a giant hug from an old friend and a smile and a sunflower from your CSA. Besides those wonderful wake-up calls, I also received a pound of green beans, six tomatoes, 10 ears of corn, six peaches and four cucumbers, just in time for Fourth of July grilling. Grilled corn and peaches? How can you go wrong?

Price breakdown

• 1 lb. green beans: $2.49
• 6 tomatoes: $10.09
• 10 ears of corn: $11.97
• 6 peaches: $4.70
• 4 cucumbers: $7.96
• 1 sunflower: $1
• Total: $38.21 
• Total saved: $17.21

CSA Week 7: Tomatoes!

This week's delivery is really the reason I bothered to get a CSA in the first place, and I can explain it in two words: fresh tomatoes!

This delivered included a bag of fresh green beans, two green bell peppers, eight ears of corn, 10 red potatoes, two cucumbers, four zucchini and five tomatoes. This is my most exciting delivery since the first one, which included strawberries and blueberries.

Price breakdown

• 1 lb. fresh green beans: $1.99
• 2 green bell peppers: $3.98
• 8 ears of corn: $11.92
• 10 red potatoes: $4.84
• 2 cucumbers: $3.38
• 4 zucchini: $5.24
• 5 tomatoes: $9.98
• Total: $41.32
• Total saved: $20.32

This total seemed higher to me than normal, but I realized that I was able to price for almost all organic produce, and this delivery was huge. The tomatoes, by the way, are delicious. Like food-gasm delicious. Seriously, I was making groans like Sally (from When Harry Met Sally) and the other restaurant patrons next to me said, "I'll have what's she's having." 

CSA Week 6: Yellow gold

This week's CSA included some usual favorites (pattypans) and my favorite summer treat: corn!

My bag included a pound of fresh green beans, eight ears of corn, three green bell peppers, five pattypans and 10 red potatoes. The plan is to grill the corn and pattypans with my steak tomorrow. Oh yeah, and I'm making steak tomorrow. Yum!

Price breakdown

• 1lb. fresh green beans: $1.99
• 8 ears of corn: $7.98
• 3 green bell peppers: $5.97
• 5 pattypans: $8.41
• 10 red potatoes: $4.84
• Total: $29.19
• Total saved: $8.19

The only organic items are the bell peppers and the yellow squash (which I use as a pricing for the patty pans). I got the "farmers market" corn, which at Harris Teeter means it came from somewhere in the area, as opposed to the cheaper corn that's from Mexico. Everything else is just regular old produce.

CSA Week 5: Pattypans and (more) peaches

It's been a few days and I've actually already cooked a lot of what I received in my recent delivery, but it's never too late to review my bounty from this week's delivery.

This week I got a pound of peas, two cucumbers, four zucchini, six yellow squash, two green bell peppers, ten red potatoes, six peaches and four pattypans. So far I've made oven-roasted potatoes, sausage-stuffed pattypans and chocolate zucchini cake.

Price comparison

• 1 lb. of fresh peas (priced for frozen): $3.99
• 2 cucumbers: $3.38
• 4 zucchini: $5.24
• 4 yellow squash + 4 pattypans: $13.46
• 2 green bell peppers: $3.98
• 10 red potatoes: $4.84
• 6 peaches: $4.70
• Total: $39.58
• Total saved: $18.58

CSA Week 4: A little late but a lot of delicious

Sorry to post this so late, but I felt like I needed a break from life. Now that I've recovered, I figured it's time to share the down-low on last week's delivery. I'm saddened to say that it's not just the posts that I've had trouble keeping up with: I've been having some trouble eating the deliveries as well.

Last week I received a pound of fresh peas, two bell peppers, four yellow squash, three zucchini, two heads of bok choy, eight round zucchini and four peaches. The peaches, by the way, were absolutely delicious, and I was able to use up all the round zucchini on Monday, when I had a cookout. I grilled up all the zucchini over the fire with some olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Price breakdown

• 1 lb. fresh peas: $3.49
• 2 green bell peppers: $3.98
• 4 yellow squash: $6.73
• 3 zucchini +  8 round zucchini: $14.40
• 2 heads of bok choy: $2.54
• 4 peaches: $3.13
• Total: $34.46
• Total saved: $13.46

The bok choy, by the way, is delicious brushed with a butter seasoning mixture and grilled over the open flame for a few minutes.

CSA Week 3: Mystery delivery

 This week's haul, which I received early do to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, includes another pound of sugar snap peas, 8 baby red potatoes, 2 cucumbers, 4 huge zucchini, 3 yellow or summer squash, 2 huge bunches of bok choy, 2 "round" zucchini and a "patty pan" squash. If you don't recognize some of those names, don't worry. I actually had to do some Googling to identify the odd squashes.

 Here's a close up of the round zucchini. I really was thrown by these little guys. I thought it was a melon up until the moment I cut it and half and discovered a squash interior:

Apparently it's related to zucchini. It grows into a round ball, with the seeds centered in the middle, like acorn squash. It's a summer squash, which is just a name for squashes that (surprise, surprise) mature in the summer and have a tender, edible skin. Other squashes - butternut, pumpkin, spaghetti, etc. - mature during the fall and have a tough, inedible skin.

 This beautiful guy is a patty pan. He's not quite as obvious of a patty pan, by he's definitely flatter and if you look at the yellow edge, you'll notice the scalloped edges that is fairly unique to the squash. You have likely seen his bigger, more popular brethren in stores or farmers markets in a seafoam green or tan color. I personally think these colors are much prettier.

I feel as though I've completely ignored the crown jewel of this batch, the huge bok choy bunches. Seriously, I've never seen bok choy in this size. Most grocery store versions are smaller and are often "baby" bock choy. Janice, the Clayhill Farms owner who delivers the bags, handed out two recipes that I'm eager to try. One is for a classic chicken stir fry (which I'm sure the peas will make an appearance in, as well) and the other is for a cole slaw. I'm foreseeing Asian-inspired pulled pork and bok choy coleslaw sandwiches in my future.

Price comparison
This week was really difficult due to the uniqueness of the items. Plus, potatoes, peas and bok choy were not available in organic. I may have to check out Trader Joes or Fresh Market in person just so I can start collecting prices on some of the basics that I can't find organic versions of at Harris Teeter. I had to price the patty pan and round zucchini on normal zucchini and summer squash. So this week isn't quite accurate yet. I hope to edit it and get you a better comparison.

• 8 baby red potatoes: $3.87
• 1 pound sugar snap peas: $3.99
• 2 cucumbers: $3.18
• 4 zucchini + 2 round zucchini: $9.16
• 3 yellow squash + 1 patty pan: $8.41
• 2 bok choy (I priced for 4 since each is about double the size of a grocery bok choy): $5.07 
• Total: $33.68

I saved at least $12.68 this week, though I bet it's really more. If I ever make it out to the local organic groceries, I'll update all the posts.

CSA Week 2: Sweet surprises

This week's haul includes another pound of strawberries, about a pound of baby red potatoes, 3 cucumbers, five peaches, a green pepper and more sugar snap peas than I know what to do with. Luckily, the husband is crazy about just snacking on these guys raw. That, and I'm sure there will be many stir-fries in our future. I wonder if they hold up in the freezer. Fresh sugar snaps in the middle of winter? Yes, please.

And no, these guys aren't snow peas. There's a subtle difference, I agree, but sugar snaps tend to be rounder - like this plump guy above - while true snow peas are flat. The difference is also slight, but sugar snaps are juicier and often sweeter. And yes, they are absolutely delicious raw.

Price breakdown
There are no organic red potatoes, peaches or snaps at Harris Teeter, so this week's price difference isn't quite as astounding as the the first week. But I'm still saving money and enjoying some crazy awesome fruits and veggies along the way.

• 1 pound of organic strawberries: $4.99
• 3 organic cucumbers: $4.77
• 1 organic green bell pepper: $1.99
• 5 peaches: $6.54
• 1 pound of red potatoes: $2.97
• 2 pounds of sugar snap peas: $7.98
• TOTAL: $29.24

The savings this week is only $8.24, but I bet that total price would go up if I could find organic versions of the potatoes, peas and peaches. No organic produce brings the total down to a little less than $26, so I'm still saving, as usual. Anyway, can't wait to get my cook on!