[CSA Update] Welcome to week 11

We are in full summer swing, and that invites creativity with your farm share. This is our 14th year, and early on, a group of members shared the neighborhood plan that inspired them to make the most of our CSA and engage with each other with some fun activities.
It begins when you receive your "It's time to customize your share" email. You will set your ingredient constraints for the challenge by building your share and including any of the extras. You are already started with the freshest farm-to-table produce. You can access seasonal recipes with your CookWithWhatYouHave membership to maximize your CSA bounty.

Challenge 1: Seasonal Sensations
For this challenge, embrace the seasons and work with ingredients available at the same time in your area (i.e., no orange juice and pineapple with kale). Let the ingredients guide your culinary creations, whether it's a refreshing summer salad, a cozy stew, or a vibrant spring stir-fry. Share your recipes and showcase the beauty of seasonal eating!

Challenge 2: Colorful Creations
Get ready to add a splash of color to your plates! In this challenge, you create dishes with a specific color or color combination. From vibrant red tomatoes to leafy green kale, from sunny yellow peaches to deep purple beets (or did you get the watermelon beets and your jaw dropped when you cut them open), let your imagination run wild and show your most visually appealing and delicious dishes.

Challenge 3: Mystery Basket Surprise
Are you up for a culinary adventure? In this challenge, you pick something for your share during customization that you normally don't cook with - kohlrabi, for example. (Or anything you put a "not in my basket" and decide to pull it into your basket for one week to see if you can turn it around). It could be an unusual vegetable, a unique herb, or a lesser-known variety. You create a dish using these mystery ingredients as the star. Mystery chocolate cake is a frequent winner on this challege - guess which vegetable is in this cake kind of thing. Unleash your inner chef and surprise us with your ingenuity!

Challenge 4: Sweet and Savory Fusion
Prepare for a flavor explosion as you explore the world of sweet and savory combinations. For this challenge, you are encouraged to create dishes incorporating sweet and savory elements using your CSA produce. From roasted beets with honey glaze to grilled peaches with goat cheese, let your taste buds guide you as you experiment with unique flavor combinations.

CSA cooking challenges provide a fantastic opportunity for you to bond with family or friends over delicious food and explore the culinary possibilities of your CSA share. Participating in the themed challenges gives you more energy and excitement in the kitchen on CSA pickup day. You can unlock your creativity and create unforgettable meals. I invite you to share your recipes and experiences with your friends near and far. Let's have fun and discover the amazing flavors waiting in your CSA shares!