The Scent of Melon
On Sunday, our packing house was filled with the joyful scent of melons. Last week we already harvested some melons with white pulps, and this week they were joined by the orange variety. The scent is really exhilarating—the true smell of summer. Just imagine the heady whiff of the melon sitting in your box this week multiplied by hundreds of melons in our packing house—it can be totally intoxicating! A melon’s aroma is one of its signs of ripeness and sweetness. From the taste tests we ran (in honor of my Shachar’s sixth birthday!), our testers were impressed and very full by the end of this assignment. So we hope these delectable melons will make you just as happy, quench your thirst and sweeten the heavy summer heat. I’ll let you in on a little secret- two of the season’s first watermelons were sliced open and consumed quickly and joyously by Chubeza’s devoted staff. … Watch your vegetable boxes for your own delicious watermelon treat—coming soon!
We are at the beginning of summer, when the days always bring the excitement of a newly ripened vegetable. Each vegetable brings particular joy to its avid fans. Our spring potatoes, the yellow (Nicola) and red (Desiree) types were just pulled from their mounds. Last week Yuri, a veteran client who usually buys at least 10 kg potatoes, glowed with happiness when he caught sight of our fresh friends peeking out of the earth, bright and crunchy.
Over the past few weeks, the lull from the winter vegetable exit was filled by many newcomers. Some will be with us for only a short while, like the green and yellow beans, while others intend to stay for the whole summer, namely the eggplant and various squashes (currently ripening by size, from small to large). You have already sunk your teeth into the spaghetti squash, but her sisters are also beginning to ripen and be harvested. They will be visiting you shortly, in a variety of shapes, colors and tastes.
In the herb department, the mint has been growing like crazy, like it does so effortlessly. The basil is almost ready to go, as are the tea herbs and perennials, which have begun filling out to soon decorate your boxes: lemon verbena, thyme, oregano and white savory. Alongside them, the winter herbs, parsley, dill, cilantro and chives, continue to loyally join us. We express our thanks by stretching a shade net over them to ease the summer sun.
And what’s in the offing? The eggplant and potatoes will soon be joined by their Solanaceae brethren: the tomatoes (followed by cherry tomatoes) and peppers (first the dark green, then the red). These two are well-represented in our net house, and we hope their season is long and better than the ones we’ve been accustomed to see in the open field over the past years.
And, preparing for their summer debut are the long Thai beans, the black-eyed peas, the green and red okras, and of course (fanfare!!) the summer star, the one and only long-awaited……………….Mr. Corn, who will be arriving towards the end of this month, just as summer formally begins.
We hope you are enjoying the new surprises, and happily accept recipes and ideas for fun summer cooking.
Have a nice summery week,
Alon, Bat Ami, Ya’ara and the Chubeza team, with a mouth full of melon
WHAT’S IN THIS WEEK’S BOXES?
Monday: Lettuce, dill/parsley/coriander, green/yellow beans, tomatoes, melon/eggplant, New Zealand spinach, cabbage, fakus, spaghetti squash, potatoes, zucchini
In the large box, in addition: cucumbers, scallions/chives, Swiss chard
Wedensday: parsley /cilantro, New Zealand spinach, fakus / cucumbers, corn, eggplants/scallion, lettuce, zucchini, melon, potatoes, green/yellow beans, tomatoes
In the large box, in addition: Swiss chard, cabbage/beets, kuri pumpkins