Fresh Garlic, Cucumber Idea and a Few Storage Tips

This week is the garlic harvest and that means we will receive fresh garlic - Yay! Fresh garlic is what is harvested from the field, prior to being hung and cured into the bulbs with the papery protective covers we are used to seeing. Since it hasn't gone through the curing process, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Other than that, use it just like any other garlic in recipes. Please note - Anchor Run garlic is very fresh, even when cured so it is much stronger than what is purchased in the grocery store.

While in the pick up room somebody asked what to do with all the cucumbers - aside from salads, cutting up to snack on, try making the Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickles. Don't think canning - these are much simpler - and very tasty!

Much of what we receive can just be put in plastic and stored in the fridge/crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

One thing that recently happened to me so I am sure it has also happened to some of you is I came home with my harvest and placed everything needing refrigeration into the fridge. Some things I didn't touch for a few days. When I pulled what had been a beautiful head of butterhead lettuce out of the fridge, the leaves that were on the side the head was sitting on were starting to rot! I remembered then that some of the items we receive are still quite wet from the washing station when we pick it up. There are a couple of simple solutions:

1. Lightly wrap the lettuce in a light towel and then place in plastic bag and refrigerate.
2. Purchase the containers that have an insert to keep the veggie out of the water.

Celery needs high moisture to keep from wilting quickly, so if you wrap the cut bottom in a wet towel/paper towel and then put into a sealed plastic container or bag and store in the crisper of the fridge, it will keep better than without the added attention.

Basil is an exception from refrigerating being one thing that does not like being cold. To keep it fresh, snip the ends when you get home and place in a glass of water and leave the glass on your kitchen counter. To keep it even longer, place a plastic bag over it. Basil can also be stored for a few days in the door of the refrigerator - just don't forget it is there!