Summer 2026 #3/17: Sugar Snap Peas, Sweet Cherries & Greens

Jun 15

Nothing feels as good as telling people that they only have to cook if they actually feel like it on a hot, June day. My friend Ashlee refers to this time of year fondly as “Food in Cups Time,” because snacking on Sweet Red Cherries and munching on Sugar Snap Peas is about the best thing we could ask for these busy, sweltering days of Summer.
We’re looking at some good stuff for you all this week that fits the bill of enjoying things on a “chop and go” basis. Ironically though, I’m sharing tons of recipes today, so be sure to scroll on through. Some of these vegetables might be new (and/or exciting to see after a loooong winter). So, read on if you could use a quick primer/refresher:
First up, Kohlrabi. The most beloved oddball vegetable we grow, Kohlrabi is a literal cross between a cabbage and turnip, which means it tastes like a sweet broccoli stem somehow. The summertime varieties of this vegetable are smaller than the winter storage types and have edible leafy tops to start. There are plenty of ways to actually prepare and cook Kohlrabi, but more often than not, I slice it into half moons, about 1/4 inch thick, and dip it into hummus. It makes a unique and yummy addition to a vegetable tray (or lunchbox). You can peel the bulb if you’d prefer, but when they’re small and tender like this in Summer, I tend to chop and go.
Sugar Snap Peas may look like an English shelling-type pea, but the pods are edible as a whole—no peeling or shelling necessary. This makes them another favorite for dipping and snacking on the go, but you can cook them if you’d prefer, chopped or whole with the tiny stem end removed. These 90ish degree days will likely make our pea plants pump their brakes prematurely, so we hope that you enjoy them this week!

Now that you’ve had a few weeks to get to know the delight that is Wild Hare Lettuce, we’re bringing out another salad superstar—Frisee! Though it looks like lettuce, it is technically a mild, frilly chicory. Frisee LOVES a warm dressing. So, let the good greens wilt and top your salad with the traditional vinaigrette made with bacon and/or a runny egg or a savory sauté of mushrooms. It is just lovely stuff.
And last, but certainly not least, we’re lucky to have loads of Garlic Scapes in house this week from the wonderful growers at Filaree Farm in Okanogan. Unlike the mild Green Garlic we enjoyed closer to the start of the season, Garlic Scapes are the potent but delectable seed pods that get trimmed away from the heads of garlic, encouraging them to keep bulbing out underground rather than erupting into seeds above. Because they’re a “one and done” sort of vegetable, I like to use mine to make pesto so that I can stretch my enjoyment out a little bit longer.
Many Thanks,
Katie & Mark
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