Fresh and Local Produce July 20th - 26th

White Cauliflower from Driftless Organics - Cauliflower can be roasted, boiled, fried, steamed or eaten raw. Steaming or microwaving better preserves anticancer compounds than boiling. When cooking, the outer leaves and thick stalks are removed, leaving only the florets. Though, the leaves & stalks are also edible and nutrient rich. Low carbohydrate dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes; while they can produce a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of potatoes.

Savoy Cabbage from Driftless Organics & Keewaydin Organics - Savoy cabbage  has a round, compact head with crinkled and curled leaves. The part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head; more precisely, the spherical cluster of leaves, excluding the partially unfolded outer leaves. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its naturally spicy flavor. The so-called "cabbage head" is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a great variety of dishes. It is the principal ingredient in coleslaw , saurkraut, kimchi, & borscht.

Suyo Long Japanese Cucumbers from Snow Goose. An HEIRLOOM Asian burpless cucumber that can grow to 15 inches long with a sweet flavor and crisp texture. Use for fresh eating, pickling or even cooking as it is traditionally prepared. Fruits are spiny when young, and become smoother and less ribbed at peak maturity. Fruits have a tendency to curl on one end. You can't beat the $1.99/ea price...they are a steal.

Broccoli from Driftless Organics & Ridgeland Harvest - Broccoli is usually boiled or steamed, but may be eaten raw and has become popular as a raw vegetable in hors d'oeuvre trays. Let's not forget that the stems are as edible and valuable as a nutrient source as the heads. Boiling reduces the levels of suspected anti-carcinogenic compounds in broccoli, with losses of 20 - 30% after five minutes, 40 - 50% after ten minutes, and 77% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying had no significant effect on the compounds. Steaming broccoli for 3 - 4 minutes is recommended to maximize potential anti-cancer compounds, such as sulforaphane.