We're especially excited about our broccoli and broccolini this week! Recent growing conditions have been good and we're delighted to have a successful Fall crop. It's a great time to order some extra and stock up for the cold months ahead.
Broccoli is a particularly challenging crop to grow- it takes up a large area in the field and lots of nutrients in the soil, it's prone to pests and diseases, and it doesn't like heat or excess rain. So over the years as the weather has gotten more extreme, we've shifted our efforts to rely on other brassicas like tatsoi, bok choy, kale, and cabbages during the summer months, and then we grow a big crop of broccoli in the fall when the conditions tend to be more ideal. While we know that many people's first choice is broccoli, adapting our diets to eat locally is all about make choices that are good for the land and our resources, so this is one of those compromises we make.
So it's a fleeting crop, likely just available this week, but the good news is that broccoli freezes well! Simply remove leaves and trim off any woody ends to the stalk and cut into uniform pieces. Blanch for 3-5 minutes, cool immediately, and drain. Pack in containers or ziplock freezer bags and freeze.
If you have a little extra time, go ahead and make a big batch of this broccoli and cheddar soup and freeze the extra in quart containers with 1/2 inch headroom, you won't be sorry.
