CSA Week Six. Cowboy Stew.

I was away for week six of my CSA delivery. Far, far away. Crown Counsel of the Cayman Islands called me to testify in a criminal trial against a woman responsible for a horrific car accident I survived intact with my dear friend Laura back in 2007 -- though someone else was not so lucky. In short, a trailer came unhitched from the car in front of us on the one road that goes around the island, drifted across the lane, and an oncoming van (a Caymanian bus) smashed the trailer, then turned and slammed head on into a tree. That trailer happened to be hauling giant rocks that exploded all over the road -- and our rental sedan, breaking the mirrors and denting the doors -- said sedan being a replacement of the *convertible* we had before it broke down mid-week. While I was thanking god for broken down convertibles, several people in the van were injured, and the driver -- who apparently broke nearly every bone on the right side of his body -- was airlifted to Miami and died ten days later. Horrifying. Tragic. Sad. I could write for hours on the events of that day and the aftermath, and Lord knows I have spent hours processing so much about that day, but that is not what these pages are for.

Point being, not one week after work enters a hiatus, I received a summons from Crown Counsel to provide testimony at this trial, which I desperately wanted to do, being an officer of the court and all. Then I realized I could use this time to decompress, exhale, see my aforementioned dear friend Laura. I decided to stay the week and told husband Brandon I would call the farm and let them know to skip our delivery that week. Brandon was just .... just ... APPALLED at the thought. "I can cook it!," he says. Um. Okay?

Brandon does not cook. Well, he makes veggie burgers. And veggie hot dogs. He has probably heated up frozen vegetables. He makes a KILLER pot of coffee, especially when he delivers a cup to my pillow in the morning to wake me. When I try to encourage his dinnertime cooking, every meal is an adventure, and every meal is called Cowboy Stew.

If you know Brandon, you know I am preaching gospel here.

Sometimes Cowboy Stew consists of leftovers with Brandon additions. Sometimes Cowboy Stew is veggie burgers and a can of soup and maybe baby carrots. One time I remember clearly that Cowboy Stew was the Cowboy Stew Tasting Menu, complete with covering my eyes when I came home from work to lead me to a dining room table covered in many plates. On one plate, leftover chicken or similar. On another plate, Triscuits and cheese. On another, sliced avocado. On another, leftover brown rice. And on another, fried green tomatoes he pulled together after calling his mother. Fantastic.

To this day, I do not believe Cowboy Stew ever included fresh vegetables. Oh, except one time when he made Swiss chard ... only we couldn't eat it because poor Brandon did not exactly wash it well and the leaves were covered in grit. Made for difficult chewing. But I applauded the effort and explained the concept of washing in bowl changes of water.

So, I was skeptical about the farm delivery. I made Brandon promise that he would document all he did with the delivery for Web Preservation AND that he would store everything appropriately to ensure we ate all of CSA Week Six. Then I boarded a plane to hang out with this guy.

Did I mention Cayman is a British colony? Yes, that is a robe. Yes, that is a wig. A BLONDE wig. On a Jamaican (as Jamaica is part of the crown consortium for practicing law on the island, or something like that). And they call the judge My Lord. I mean, I am not making this up.

Cayman may not have farms to produce vegetables like those I enjoy every week in my house, but Cayman has this .....

And I was immediately able to procure the necessaries.

Now, I may be on my favorite island, but I still craved nutrients. At the local Hurley's grocery, I bought the most beautiful (imported) vegetables imaginable -- broccoli rabe, beets, Swiss chard, bok choy. My dear friend Laura and I were going to eat WELL. Our place had a kitchen, but wow did I miss my Shun knife.

Still, we muddled through. Somehow.

On my favorite food night, I tossed the beets in the oven to roast, then whipped out the Swiss chard, chopped up some onion and local "flavor peppers," which were the most adorable things I think I ever saw, and put together my favorite greens saute.

Meanwhile, back home, Brandon feasted his eyes on this:

Leave it to Karl's Farm to deliver so many of my favorites while I was away! This week's share included

• Cucumbers
• Garlic (I mean, garlic!!)
• Onions
• Zucchini
• Yellow squash
• Beets
• Scallions
• Kale
• Green beans
• Lemon basil

For heaven's sake! Brandon had a feast on his hands! I was almost jealous! 

Emphasis on the almost. Because, let's not forget, I had this:

So, with every bit of contentment imaginable, I pulled out my roasted beets, topped with goat cheese, and served up the chard with my favorite cold bottle ...

... while Brandon sent me an email of a photo with only the subject line (and I am not making this up) Cowboy Chipotle Veggie Chop a la Mode.