Birds and Rainbows

Today's share has a leek, a nice sprig of rosemary, a small bunch of kale and a head of frisee. This is the first frisee of the season and it's still a bit young. Like the escarole from two weeks back, it's best soaked in cold water before using, but the leaf shape does nicely just torn up roughly. All of that frizziness holds dressings very nicely, and if you have other greens to mix with it it adds good loft. The ribs are the best part, in my opinion, and by the next harvest we may have more of a blanched heart, especially if it gets a little colder. Frisee, like the other chicories, is also strong enough to hold up to cooking and is nice wilted in a hot sautee pan, or even chopped up and added to vegetable soup. If you're especially sensitive to bitter flavors, the cooking can take a bit of the edge off. For some of us, that slight bitter, along with the crunchy sweetness is what we crave in fall salads.

Riding to the farm this morning (late morning these days, as it's best to avoid the coldest wettest part of the day for harvest this time of year) there were an incredible number of birds on the island. Just as I got to the island the clouds broke and one of the biggest double rainbows I've ever seen popped up in front of me. I thought about jumping off the bike to take a photo, but instead I just enjoyed the view. Only nine more harvests this year and then the farm moves off the island. More on that soon...