4P Foods Weekly Harvest

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND!
As the last official weekend of summer is in full swing, take advantage of those warm, long summer nights. Fire up the grill, eat peaches so ripe that the juices drip down your chin, and take a last dip in your favorite lake or sink your feet in the sand. The warm weather isn't officially over just yet, but now the best of fall and summer produce awaits you. Get excited for the first apples and pears, and some of the last zucchini and tomatoes. Happy holiday!
 
CELERIAC - THE UGLIEST MOST DELICIOUS ROOT VEGETABLE
This week in your bag you'll find celeriac, one of our favorite root vegetables. Celeriac is a pale-yellow, dense, knobby (some say even ugly) root; it's roughly the size and shape of a grapefruit. Like most root vegetables, celeriac is excellent in stews and soups, and makes a perfect a gratin — with or without the addition of potato. It also makes an amazingly silky purée. Left raw, it can be grated into salads, as is the case in its most well-known dish, céléri remoulade. You can use the stalks and leaves attached to flavor soups and stews, and the tender leaves go great in salad. 

To peel, simply lop off the top and bottom so that it sits flat on your cutting board and work your knife down the sides to remove the knobs and roots. Occasionally you may have to take out a few rougher spots with a sturdy peeler. Use the flesh right away or put it in acidulated water to prevent discoloration.

STORAGE TIPS
Feel like your kale wilts in a day? Zucchini getting soft? Check out our handy storage guide to keep your fruits and veggies crisp and delicious. Here are some recommendations for this week's produce:

• As soon as you get home with your Kale fill a bowl with cool water and submerge the kale in the water. Allow to sit for several minutes, swish, let sit and then remove. Wrap kale in a damp paper towel and store in a sealed storage bag for up to 5 days.

• Pears and Apples slowly continue ripening after picking, so they are best stored in your “Green Bag” for up to a week in the crisper in your refrigerator. Be sure you don’t store apples freely in the crisper with other items. The gases released by the apples will cause your other items to go bad sooner.

• Onions (like Shallots) and Potatoes do best left out in a cupboard or pantry that's dark and dry. 

• Store zucchini in a plastic “Green Bag” in the refrigerator crisper drawer for 4-5 days. Avoid washing or cutting until just before use.

• Green Beans are best stored in a ventilated plastic bag in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Avoid washing until use and they should keep for about seven days.
• Red Bell Peppers  will typically last 1-2 weeks in the crisper section of your fridge. Avoid cutting until ready to be used, once cut, the peppers are very susceptible to spoilage. For even longer term storage (up to 10 months) you can freeze peppers. If frozen, the pepper will keep its flavor, however lose it’s crispness.
• Tomatoes should be stored at a cool room temperature. Do not make the mistake of storing them in the refrigerator— that completely diminishes the flavor! If possible, eat tomatoes within a few days of receiving. They will taste much fresher and won’t get the chance to spoil!

SWAP SYSTEM BLOG POST
Want to customize your bag?  Add more goat meat to your protein share? Extra carrots in your produce share? Annabel put together this handy dandy guide on how to use the system and create the bag of your dreams. Check it out here!