Tomato harvesting hands!
Farm Notes
Well friends, we’ve officially hit peak summer here at the farm! There isn’t much new planting that happens in July here in NC (as there aren’t many plants that can thrive/get started in this heat), which means we spend most of our time harvesting all the colorful fruits of the season. The tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, okra, beans, etc pretty much all need to get harvested every other day, and we’re happily (aaaand a bit tiredly…) reaping the rewards from all the tending we’ve given these plants since the spring.
When we aren’t harvesting, we’re doing our best to keep up with weeds, as well as continuing to trellis/support the plants as they grow taller, managing pests, keeping everything irrigated, etc.
Believe it or not, we’re also hard at work planning for fall! We will do our big push of fall planting in mid-August, so now is the time to think about our fall crop rotations and making sure our growing beds will be in good shape and ready for planting in about a month. Back in May we ordered our fall seedlings from Banner Greenhouses, and it’s hard to believe that in a few weeks we’ll be putting cool-weather crops like broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards, etc in the ground!
Right now we’re in Week 4 of our Summer CSA, and I’ve loved putting together the boxes each week for our awesome CSA members. The way our CSA works, we have some folks who pick up on Tuesdays, and some who pick up on Thursdays, so the boxes do vary a bit based on pick up date... though we make sure to evenly distribute the veggie goodness each week, so that everyone will ultimately get all the same items throughout the course of the summer. Here are some shots of our Tuesday full shares from the past two weeks:
Tuesday Full Shares Week 3
Tuesday Full Shares Week 4
Kitchen Notes
Alright friends, let’s talk EGGPLANT! When grown well and cooked right + paired with complimentary flavors, eggplant can be a showstopper. That said, I know eggplant can be a divisive vegetable and miiiiight not be everyone’s cup of tea. So I’m here to get more folks on the eggplant train!
Last week, I dug into all things eggplant in my most recent mini virtual cooking lesson, (which you can watch HERE via our Farmbelly Club private facebook page, or HERE via our shared Google Drive folder) and I wanted to recap all the things you need to know here in the Farmbelly Journal. Today I’m going to dig into the different varieties of eggplant, what to look for when shopping for eggplant + how to store, and lots of cooking tips and recipes.
TYPES OF EGGPLANT TYPES
While there are LOTS of different varieties of eggplant in a range of sizes, shapes, and colors – it’s most helpful to understand the three main types of eggplant: globe, asian, and fairytale.
Globe – Globe eggplants are likely what first come to mind when you think of eggplant, and they’re what you’ll most likely find in a grocery store. Globe eggplant are large and meaty and tend to have thicker skins. They are versatile and can be grilled, roasted, stir-fried, etc. I especially recommend using globes if you’re making a dip/sauce (like baba ganoush) from the creamy flesh after it has been cooked.
Asian – Asian/Chinese/Japanese eggplant are known for their long, slender shape. I find that asian eggplant have thinner skins and fewer/smaller seeds than globes. Use this type of eggplant for stir-frying, grilling, or sautéing (ie quicker cooking methods).
Fairytale – This specialty variety has become more popular in recent years, and is known for it’s adorable, miniature size! They can be prepared in the same way as larger eggplants, but are especially nice when grilled, since they’re so tender and can fall apart/lose their cute shape when roasted (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just something to keep in mind).
Pictured below (L to R) are globe, asian, and fairytale eggplant.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: When shopping for eggplant, look for heavy, firm fruits with shiny skin. The stems should also be green, which shows that they were freshly harvested.
STORAGE: Eggplant doesn’t like to be super cold, so store in the warmest part of your fridge (usually the front part of the fridge). If you know you’ll be using the eggplant within a day or two from harvesting/purchasing, it is also fine to leave out on your counter.
COOKING TIPS:
If you find the outer skin of eggplant to be tough/rubbery, just peel it before cooking with a vegetable peeler! While it’s not necessary to peel eggplant, it’s quick and easy to peel if you don’t prefer the skins.
Eggplant has a lot of water/moisture inside, so if you want a super crispy/caramelized eggplant, it’s recommended (but certainly not required) to first chop up your eggplant, sprinkle it with salt, and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes to draw out excess moisture. If you go with this pre-salting route, use a towel to pat the flesh dry before cooking.
Another tip for getting nicely caramelized roasted eggplant is making sure to give it plenty of room when cooking… so if you’re roasting and the baking tray feels too crowded, divide up the eggplant into multiple trays.
Eggplant is one of those vegetables that really needs to be fully cooked to be enjoyed. When properly cooked, the flesh should be extremely tender! If roasting eggplant, I recommend using a higher heat, around 425F.
Be thoughtful about your flavor pairings! Here are some ingredients that pair especially well with eggplant:
Tangy/acidic ingredients like plain greek yogurt, bright lemon juice, or tart pomegranates
Alliums like garlic, onion, leeks, etc
Mediterranean spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, and za’atar
Fresh herbs like mint, chives, basil, and thyme
FAVORITE RECIPES:
Still have eggplant questions? Don’t hesitate to send me a message!
Today’s Stats
Low temp: 67F
High temp: 91F
Sunrise: 6:07am
Sunset: 8:37pm
Moon phase: Waning Crescent
Additional notes: Sunny, hot, and humid