My “work divider partner”, Isabel, and I began picking up our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share from Zestful Gardens two weeks ago. Every week throughout the summer we will go out to the farm, and Holly will have the week’s harvest ready in bins and baskets for us to weigh out portions of each item or take X many of this or that. One share has been plenty sufficient split up between Isabel and myself.
It is so nice to have fresh greens and amazingly sweet and crispy peas again (if the first day of summer had a taste, it would be like that of the sweet pea). And for the record, I’m much better at eating my greens when they are given to me. The past two weeks I’ve been hooked on a small mixed salad of baby lettuces, endive, and spinach with chopped peas on top, maybe a radish or two, all dressed up with heirloom cauliflowers, but this year’s winner of the Sarah’s New Discovery Thanks to the CSA Share Award is… drum roll please… the garlic scape. (“Whoo!” she screams, but quietly under her breath as she types in public).
Last year’s award went to kohlrabi and fava beans. (I know, sad huh? How can people not know about these? Fava beans are in season right now, go find some at the farmers market if you haven’t tried ‘em. I admire them so much I’m growing two rows in my garden this year to make up for lost time).
So, back to the elusive garlic scape, this new addition to my veggie vernacular has a lot to offer. If I may, I’d like to share the words of an expert regarding its versatile and flavor-filled nature.
According to the Holly’s Zestful Gardens CSA newsletter (week 2) the, “Garlic Scape is a stalk that rises from hardneck garlic which ascends through the leafy portion of the plant and then twists into a curl or coil. The scape is harvested in late spring before the flower develops, it makes a tasty vegetable and an attractive garnish. Garlic scapes are also known as green garlic or garlic spears. You can chop them up and use them as you would garlic; the taste is similar, though very mild. You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe. Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe. Scapes are great in guacamole, softened cream cheese and fresh salsa, too. Use them as you would green onions, they’re just better. They are good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza or an excellent addition to stocks….and most Asian cuisine. Put them in Thai chicken/basil/coconut soup. Scapes keep for weeks in a paper bag in the fridge.”
Sorry to share your words Holly, but I couldn’t have said it better I chose to try the scapes in a creamy spinach pesto. Fiery, but delicious. Check ‘em out.
How would you go about joining in such edible fun? Check out info about great local CSAs at GrowLocalTacoma.com
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