All the veggies you can eat (and more)

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Much of the fun of going to a farmers market is lingering over the tables of colorful, leafy delights. It’s a feast of the senses, with the rich smell of earthy root vegetables mixing with the sweet scent of freshly sliced fruit and the sight of bright flowers everywhere.

However, if you’re one of those eternally busy people who can’t find time in your life to stop and smell the produce, you might be interested in a new delivery service from Auntie Em’s Kitchen in Eagle Rock. The concept is simple: Auntie Em’s will shop the farmers markets so you don’t have to. They’ll hand-pick seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables, pack them in a snazzy insulated bag and deliver them fresh to your doorstep once a week (or every other week, if you’d rather). You can also opt for prepared dinners and leave any excess roughage in the bag the next week and Auntie Em’s will compost it for you.

Inside each bag you’ll find a mini farmers market party, with all the happy-making sights and smells that you associate with the real thing. The only catch is the cost. A small box goes for $42 per week and a large box for $62. If you shop smartly at your local farmers market, you can get bags of healthful goodness for a family of four for less than $30. Still, if you can afford it, the service is pretty great and will alleviate the constant stress of wondering how and when to get fresh produce to incorporate into your meals.

However, if you’re like me, you’re full of good intentions and want to cook healthful meals at home regularly, but somehow still manage to throw away more than a few rotten vegetables at the end of the week. I can’t say for sure, but I’d like to think that Auntie Em’s service would force me to change my negligent ways.

(For a sample list of what you might find in each box, click on the jump.)

Auntie Ems: 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd., www.auntieemsdelivery.com.

-- Jessica Gelt

A Summer Harvest Small Box might include:

1 bunch purple scallions
1 package raspberries
1 flying saucer summer squash
2 pluots
1 bunch of beets
2 peaches
1 purple Japanese eggplant
1 lettuce (red leaf or romaine)
1 small bag herbs
1 small bag baby greens
1 onion
1 small bag green beans
1 head garlic
1 to 2 heirloom tomatoes (depending on size)
1 head celery
1 bunch heirloom carrots

A Summer Harvest Large Box might include:

1 basket of figs
1 package blueberries
3 heirloom tomatoes
1 package raspberries
1 bunch heirloom carrots
2 nectarines
1 bunch green onions
2 pluots
2 flying saucer squash
2 mariposa plums
2 Japanese eggplant
2 lettuce (red leaf and butter)
1 small bag herbs
1 medium bag baby greens
2 to 3 onions
1 medium bag breen beans
1 head garlic
1 head celery