Summer of Obscure Vegetables

My summer has basically been a blur. June was consumed by a Midwestern vacation, during which I drove directly from Denver to a wedding in Ohio, made it to my hometown, visited my family, complained about the humidity, went to a Cubs game in Chicago, and saw a Phish concert in Wisconsin. Then I drove home, and five short days later I spent the weekend camping at the Sand Dunes. Then suddenly June was over. But it was a lot of fun.

I've been working evenings at a university library, but since it's summer break right now, they don't need me, so my weeknights are considerably less hectic. Mostly I just watch Lost, play with my roommate's cat, and cook. Oh, the cooking. Why, do you ask? Why are you, Loren, cooking, when obviously that is not your strong suit?

Let me tell you why. Because--in an effort to eat more healthfully? a desire to fully embrace the yuppies that we truly are? on a whim? I truly have NO IDEA--we signed up for a farm share, so every week I go to someone's house and pick up a mystery box of vegetables. For some reason these vegetables torment me throughout the week. Why aren't you eating me? they say, and I feel guilty everytime I open the refrigerator. In an effort to stop these horrible feelings, I spend more time than I'm proud of scouring the internet looking for recipes that involve things like kale and beets and collard greens.

So here is what I brought home today:



It's pretty great, there are peas in there, and rhubarb*, and the aforementioned beets and kale. But can you tell me what those little white radish-shaped things are? And do you have a recipe that involves turnips? Because I am getting a little tired of spending so much time on kale. It does NOT deserve it.**


*oh, the Midwesterner in me just loves rhubarb SO VERY MUCH.

**I have tried extremely hard to like kale, but alas, I cannot. I hate it.