Zucchini

Matt loves zucchini (and other summer squash).  I like them okay, but also retain that home-gardener’s fear of being engulfed in massive fruits.  Our zucchini and yellow crooknecks are just starting to trickle in, but the multitude of miniature squash forming lets us know they are on their way in earnest.  We’ll start selling them at the farmer’s market, of course.  Last year, an early and severe cucumber beetle infestation meant that despite our best efforts to protect the plants with row cover, hand-pick, and spread diatomaceous earth, most of our squash were deformed or otherwise not really market quality.  We ate a LOT of zucchini last summer (I haven’t recovered).  This year, we started one row under cover, and an additional group inside the new short hoop house – where the plants are growing to monstrous proportions.

One way Matt prepares squash, which works best for small to medium ones, is to simply brush with olive oil, maybe sprinkle with herbs, then toss on the grill.  Easy, and surprisingly tasty!

I’m rereading Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal Vegetable Miracle.  Not to discount in any way all of the other contributions her book makes, I think the most important may be the zucchini recipes (because you can only make so much zucchini bread!).  I am preparing for the tidal wave, testing them out.  Last night we made the “Disappearing Zucchini Orzo” (but used tiny whole-wheat pasta alphabets instead of orzo).  It was simple and delicious.  And it offers the best of both worlds: I said, “Wow, I can’t taste the zucchini at all,” but Matt said, “I can!”