The "To Refrigerate or Not Refrigerate" Mystery Solved!!

First, I want to apologize for the lag in posts.  My late summer months flew by, with an insane work schedule and my brother's wedding (destination: MIA) this past week/weekend.  I hope to get back to a regular posting schedule, hopefully on Wednesday evenings, and promise to post more than the hokey game or two (which I realize have been the subjects of my last few posts).  I hope to keep posting with more information about the goings-on at the Farm in order to give you a better glimpse into the trials and tribulations of being a small Farm owner...so, check back later in the week for a more Farm-inspired post...but for today, I am leaving you with the long awaited answers to the Refrigerate "game."

Jill, I have to admit that you are correct, based on how the grocery store groups its produce is certainly not random. So, why, then when we get our beautiful tomatoes home, do we refrigerate them?  This (I guess) is okay when you have store-bought tomatoes, which are picked on the vine when they are still green (and which have harder, thicker skins to withstand coast-to-coast delivery).  But, when you have vine-ripe tomatoes, you typically ruin them by putting them in the refrigerator.  The cool, damp refrigerator reduces the flavor, causes mushiness, and in my humble opinion, dries out an otherwise perfectly plush flesh.  If you are going to store your tomatoes for less than a week, then the countertop or windowsill is perfectly fine.  If you plan to store them for more than a week (One Acre Farm's tomatoes are so vine-ripe that if you wait a week to eat them, they may have passed their prime...and who are we kidding, they don't last more than a day or two in my house because they are so fresh that I can eat them plain!), then find a cool, dark place (pantry shelf), or the refrigerator at last resort!

Likewise, potatoes and onions should be stored in a cool, dry place.  Good ventilation is also important.  I have seen baskets in cabinets (or the pantry), but paper bags (reduce, reuse, recycle!) should work just as well.  If the potatoes are kept at a temperature below 40 degrees (F), they develop a sweet taste because the starch turns to sugar.  (I googled it!)  The dark place is key because lengthy exposure to light causes the potatoes to turn green and taste bitter.  Don't throw away your potatoes if they begin to sprout...just trim off the sprouts and enjoy!  At first, I thought Michael was nuts at suggesting this, but I don't want to waste his hard-work, so I have converted into a sprout-cutter, and trust me, they taste just fine!

Now for the basil.  I tend to wrap my basil in a paper towel and store in the refrigerator.  A website that I found recommends layering the basil in damp paper towels in the refrigerator for up to four days.  I also read in the Post (I think it was a Hint from Heloise!!) that all herbs -- including basil -- should be treated like fresh flowers: trim the ends and store in a glass with some water.  Unlike flowers, however, cover the top of the glass (and the herbs) with a plastic bag.  Change the water frequently (this same website says every day).  This will extend the "shelf-life" of your herbs!  For those of you who were encouraged about my pesto tip, I have read a little more into it and it appears that you should do make the basil and oil into a paste and freeze that; don't add the pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese until you are ready to use the paste.

I hope this has been somewhat informative (although, I suppose it is a little "elementary" because I found most of the answers by googling storage tips and information) and I am in no way claiming to be an expert in food storage principles (the lawyer in me comes out!).  If you have any other storage techniques or tips, feel free to share them!