If New Yorkers were carrots, parsnips would be the Bostonians of the vegetable world. For no discernible reason, parsnips are inhibited by a bit of an inferiority complex despite being much friendlier to the palate than the more popular orange root.
Lots of TV shows and movies portray New Yorkers happily eating carrots. And while we couldn’t find any famous movies with scenes about parsnips, rumor has it that Good Will Hunting had some promising deleted scenes.
Parsnips and carrots can both be harvested in the fall and eaten all winter long, but much like Bostonians, the ivory-skinned root has a love-hate relationship with the cold. Parsnips and Bostonians are both hardy enough to survive even the bitterest of winters while carrots and New Yorkers wither at the first sign of snow.
In fact, parsnips can be kept in the ground all winter long, allowing the cold weather to convert the root’s starches into natural sugars. So spring-dug parsnips, much like Bostonians, literally become sweeter as the ground thaws.
Parsnips have a solid core, which can be easily popped out when the cylindrical root is cut into quarters and are also a little nutty, much like any true diehard Pats fan.
Parsnips could also beat the Yankees in a seven game series without breaking a sweat.
Alright, enough with the extended metaphor already. Here’s some of our favorite parsnip (and carrot) recipes:
When you eat an artichoke, do you ever wonder who was clever (aka desperate) enough to figure out how to get sustenance from such an austere, abrasive and all-around thorny plant?!
Artichokes are perhaps one of the most labor intensive vegetables to eat, but an artichoke’s rich, unique flavor is worth the extra effort. These four facts will show you why.
1. Artichokes Are Immature Flowers
If left unharvested, artichoke plants blossom into beautiful violet-blue flowers with diameters up to seven or eight inches wide. The part we eat, however, is actually the flower’s bud. So if you see a beautiful blooming flower, you’ve already missed your chance to eat it.
2. Artichokes Aren’t So Named Because They Can “Choke” You
Aristotle actually ate artichokes, or at least some ancient relative of the modern plant we now consume. But the ancient Greeks lumped it into the same category as a desert cactus and named it kaktos.
The etymology of the English word artichoke traces its history from Arab-occupied Spain into Northern Italy where it was named articiocco, meaning something close to “arching stump”.
3. Artichokes Now Come From California
Artichokes are grown in different parts of North Africa and Europe, but California is responsible for almost 100% of commercial artichoke production in the United States. Some three-quarters of the country’s artichokes actually come from just one county, Monterey.
The loamy northern California soil and cool foggy summers are ideal growing conditions for artichokes, which take six months to mature. One plant can be harvested about 30 times per season, and the perennial plant will regrow every year for up to a decade.
4. Artichokes Have a Thorny Past
Notorious New York gangster, Ciro Terranova rose to power on the profits of an artichoke monopoly. He bought up all of the artichokes coming off the trains from California and intimidated merchants into buying them at inflated prices.
In 1935, Mayor La Guardia famously instituted a city-wide ban on the sale of artichokes, which lasted for less than a week but was enough to knock the “Artichoke King” down a notch.
So What?
Hopefully now you can see why this illustrious vegetable is worthy of some respect. Artichokes may be intimidating to cook and eat, but their back story is infinitely more complex.
Besides, with a good recipe, making delicious artichokes can be a breeze. Here’s one of our favorite recipes for Steamed Whole Artichokes.
For more information about storing and preparing artichokes, visit the Boston Organics Produce Page.
Nothing compares to the aroma of fresh basil, finely chopped on a wooden cutting board. There’s something in that fragrance that screams authenticity.
Whether you’re sprucing up a salad, making pesto or garnishing a bowl of tomato soup, basil is a vital ingredient in fresh, organic cooking.
Here are five basic basil facts that any basil fanatic should know along with fantastic recipes to help inspire the chef inside you.
1. Basil Has Traveled the Globe
Basil is thought to have originated in Africa, but it was likely brought to Europe by Alexander the Great around the 4th century BCE. The fragrant herb also rapidly spread east through Asia, though it didn’t make its way to the New World until the 1600s.
There are now over 60 varieties of basil grown all over the world, and the herb is important to the native cuisines of Italy, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Get your culinary passport stamped with this vegetarian recipe for Sriracha Tofu with Eggplant and Basil.
2. Fresh Basil Prefers Room Temperatures
Basil grows in warm, humid environments. Even after it’s harvested, fresh basil prefers these conditions.
While some herbs, like parsley and cilantro, can be stored in the fridge, basil should be kept on your countertop with the stems in a small glass of water. Covering the plant and the jar with a plastic bag, keeps in the humidity and helps the leaves stay healthier even longer.
Get a free biodegradable plastic bag in your next delivery and then try this recipe for Fresh Basil Dressing.
3. You Don’t Have To Use Dried Basil…Ever
If you’re not able to use all of your fresh basil within a week, you have a few options. A lot of people’s first instinct is to dry their herbs, but basil’s distinctive scent and flavor comes from the high concentration of essential oils methyl chavicol and eugenol in its leaves. Dried basil is often significantly less flavorful than fresh basil because the essential oils are lost to evaporation.
Instead, try freezing the leaves in oil or preserving them in salt. The process is really simple. See these instructions for 10 Easy Ways to Preserve Herbs.
4. Organic Basil is Better for You
Basil plants have very tender leaves. If you’re planning on cooking with or eating these leaves, it makes sense to keep them free of synthetic pesticides and herbicides that can leave harmful residues.
Buying organic produce is one of the best ways to make sure your basil is grown far away from potentially dangerous chemicals.
And this recipe for Arugula Caprese Salad with Kale Pesto is one of the most refreshing ways to enjoy your farm-fresh organic produce.
5. Basil Both Repels and Attracts Pests
Basil naturally repels some insects, like flies and mosquitoes, and is often used in natural insect repellents. Unfortunately, the supple plant is also subject to a variety of pests including Japanese beetles, aphids and the fungal disease, Fusarium wilt.
This makes growing basil outdoors on a commercial scale very difficult with organic methods. Fortunately, Doug Coldwell at Happy Valley Organics has built an incredible collection of solar-powered greenhouses on his farm in central Massachusetts where he grows basil and other fragile herbs.
In his greenhouses, Doug is able to create the ideal growing environment for his herbs while protecting the delicate plants from pests and disease without relying on synthetic chemicals. He has to be very careful, however, because one infection could spread rapidly and ruin his entire crop.
We’re so happy Doug is part of our network of New England organic farmers because we get to enjoy farm-fresh organic basil almost all year round!
Who said basil was just a summer herb? If you have access to greenhouse-grown local organic basil, there’s no reason why you can’t make Risotto with Winter Squash, Leeks and Basil in the middle of December.
Brussels sprouts used to be one of the most vilified vegetables in American households.
An extensive study conducted by Heinz in 2008 revealed that Americans detested Brussels sprouts more than beets, spinach and even broccoli. This visceral repulsion is excusable considering that until quite recently, most home cooks (and even professional chefs) didn’t know how to properly handle the trickiest member of the Brassica family.
But in recent years, Brussels sprouts have had a culinary renaissance. Chefs have started featuring them, moms have stopped boiling them, and even children are starting to embrace the complex flavor of Brussels sprouts.
It’s time you got on board too. After reading these five facts, you’ll have no excuses for making obnoxiously stinky Brussels sprouts. In fact, you may even find you start to crave them.
1. The Bitter Flavor Is Part of a Natural Defense Mechanism
A few years ago, The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published a 6-year study on the cause of Brussels sprouts’ bitter flavor. The conclusion? That glucosinolates singrin and progoitrin are the culprits for Brussels sprouts’ bad reputation.
These compounds are released when the Brussels sprouts are chewed, cut or damaged. So unless you want a mouth full of blech, you better treat these sprouts with respect.
2. Respect the Sprouts…
Brussels Sprouts were first planted in California in the early 1900s, but they weren’t widespread until the development of the frozen food industry in the 1940s. For some reason, Americans were taught to take these frozen Brussels sprouts and toss them into a pot of boiling water for an extended period of time.
That is no way to treat a delicious vegetable. As we learned in point #1, when Brussels sprouts feel disrespected, they’ll seek revenge with a punch to the mouth of noxious flavor.
Always look for fresh Brussels sprouts and never, NEVER boil or overcook Brussels sprouts.
3. …And the Sprouts Will Respect You
The upside to Brussels sprouts’ defense mechanism is that glucosinolates singrin and progoitirin are thought to inhibit carcinogenesis. Though the mechanism is still unclear, increased consumption of Brussels sprouts and other brassica have been linked to decreased rates of cancer.
Brussels sprouts also contain significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, iron and fiber. Best of all, if you roast your sprouts at a high temperature for a short amount of time, they actually sweeten a little instead of turning bitter.
4. Fresh is Best
Brussels sprouts look like tiny cabbages. But while they’re closely related to cabbage, a Brussels sprout is actually a small bud that protrudes from a thick stalk that grows straight up from the ground. The fresher your Brussels sprouts are, the better they’ll taste and one indicator that your Brussels sprouts are fresh is if they come still attached to the stalk.
Peak growing season is between late August and early March, so it’s no coincidence that Brussels sprouts are strongly associated with Thanksgiving feasts and late winter delicacies.
Though not as robust as a root vegetable, Brussels sprouts are pretty hardy. Just don’t wash them until right before you’re about to cook them and you can store them in a plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week.
5. Brussels Sprouts Are Versatile
Brussels sprouts naturally have a strong, nutty flavor, which can be teased out in a variety of ways. You can bake them, roast them, shred them into salads, pickle them and steam them. But in case you missed point #2, please don’t EVER boil Brussels sprouts!
Brussels sprouts are nicely complemented by complex flavors like blue cheese, Gruyere, mustard, chorizo and pancetta. But they also can stand alone quite competently with just a little olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs. Here are a few of our favorite ways to prepare Brussels sprouts:
You’re now ready to go forth and explore the amazing culinary adventures that farm-fresh Brussels sprouts can offer.
A crucial component of Thanksgiving feasts, sweet potatoes are often forgotten once the holiday seasons have passed. But sweet potatoes are some of the healthiest and most versatile vegetables available during the winter, so it should be no surprise that they’re making a comeback in New England winter cooking.
One baked sweet potato contains more than two times your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A, a third of your recommended Vitamin C and only 140 calories. Sweet potatoes are also naturally fat free and cholesterol free; making them a healthier alternative to regular potatoes.
In fact, sweet potatoes, which thrive in hot, tropical climates, are only very distantly related to the traditional Irish potato. Columbus brought sweet potatoes back from the West Indies well before Europeans discovered Irish potato in the Andes Mountains.
Sweet potatoes are also entirely botanically different from yams, even though the names are (mistakenly) used interchangeably. While sweet potatoes are the edible roots of a morning glory flower, yams are technically a tuber like the Irish potato. Yams also have rough, scaly skin and contain significantly less Vitamin A than a sweet potato.
While American farmers grow 1.25 million tons of sweet potatoes each year, yams are rarely grown commercially in the United States and are almost never seen on grocery store shelves. North Carolina is responsible for well over one third of all sweet potato production in the US, but the farmers in our network of New England organic farms grow a sizable harvest every fall and winter.
If you were to eat a freshly harvested sweet potato, you might be surprised by its bland flavor. Sweet potatoes are generally cured in a hot, high humidity room for several days after harvest to increase their shelf life and prompt the sweet potatoes to release an enzyme which converts the roots’ starches into sugars.
This process is put into overdrive when you cook a sweet potato, heightening its flavor to the point of perfection. Sweet potatoes can be boiled, steamed, baked, roasted, microwaved and mashed. They can be used in side dishes, soups, entrees and even baby food.
The possibilities are endless, but here are 4 of our favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes. Click on the photos below to get the recipes:
| Sweet Potato Soufflé | Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Braising Greens |
| Sweet Potato Fries with Fried Sage | Jeff’s Famous Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Burgers |
Blueberries are blue, sweet potatoes are sweet (though not actually potatoes), but eggplants miserably fail to live up to the expectations that their name creates. Though you can make a delicious eggplant omelet, you will still require a hen’s contribution.
This leads us to ask: how did the eggplant get its name?
The answer, according to horticulturalists from Purdue University, becomes abundantly clear once you realize that there are, in fact, dozens of different kinds of eggplants out there.
Eggplants are indigenous to India and parts of southeast Asia where they have been grown for thousands of years. They migrated along trade routes through Persia and north Africa into Medieval Spain and Italy, but its use was mostly limited to herbal remedies due to its tendency to cause indigestion when not cooked thoroughly.
But eggplants gained widespread popularity in the English speaking world during the British occupation of India. At the time, the most popular variety of eggplant in India produced white egg-shaped fruits.
Photo credit: twistedstringknits (Flickr)
This leads to another interesting fact about eggplants. Though they’re commonly cooked and eaten like a vegetable, botanically speaking, eggplants are fruits. This is similarly the case with tomatoes and peppers, which are related to the eggplant as members of the nightshade family.
Eggplants come in various shapes and sizes. The classic variety has a deep purple “eggplant” colored skin and an ovular shape. We’ll sometimes also bring you Sicilian eggplants with streaked white and purple skin.
Recently, a few of our local farmers have been growing Asian eggplant varieties with long skinny bodies. These tend to be easier to cook with because of their lower seed count and thinner skin (you usually don’t have to peel it). The flesh also more readily soaks up sauces and flavors.
Eggplants are extremely versatile and can be used in stir-fries, baked into a vegetarian lasagna, or mashed into a smoky babaganoush. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
When life hands you lemons… It’s a pretty good day, actually.
We are talking about Meyer lemons. The gorgeous and sweet-tart citrus can’t help but bring a smile to your face. Little globes of sunshine, Meyer lemons are actually a cross between a standard lemon (Eureka or Lisbon) and a mandarin orange. The Meyer lemon is sweeter than your regular grocery store variety, with a thin, edible exterior and lots of juice inside. As you lift them to your nose or slice into one, you’ll notice a bright, floral scent. (Smiling yet?!)
The Meyer lemon was introduced to the United States by agricultural explorer Frank N. Meyer in the early 1900s. The US Department of Agriculture sent Meyer to Asia to research new plant species, and of all the varieties he brought back, this particular species came to be his namesake. Cultivation of the Meyer lemon began in California, Texas and Florida. They were popular as backyard trees for many years, but didn’t reach commercial popularity until the 2000s. (Thank you, Martha Stewart.)
©2012 Edsel Little, Creative Commons.
The sweet quality of the Meyer lemon makes it a versatile and treasured ingredient. You can use them wherever you would use a standard lemon. They accompany fish and chicken dishes beautifully, serve as the basis for refreshing desserts, and garnish, well, almost anything. Because of their milder quality, they make excellent lemonade and cocktails, not to mention salad dressing. Toss a little sunshine into your next winter salad with this recipe for Zesty Meyer Lemon Dressing.
If you’re opening your box this week to Meyer lemons, take a moment to stop and smell the citrus. And see if you can keep yourself from smiling.
Celeriac might not be winning any beauty contests, but once you get past the other-worldly looks of this underdog root vegetable, you’ll find a mild-tasting and fragrant interior that’ll surely win you over.
Celeriac, or celery root, is a variety of celery grown specifically for its bulbous root, rather than its stalk. It can be eaten raw or cooked, and adds a terrific flavor to any dish that calls for root vegetables, like gratins, mashes and soups.
Beloved in Europe, celeriac has quite the pedigree. While celeriac made a cameo in Homer’s Odyssey (referred to as selinon), it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that it rose to fame, and later became a commonly cultivated food item by the late 1600s. Rumor has it that it was once popular in the United States during the times before refrigeration (due to its impressively long shelf life), but was edged out of the limelight by its more attractive cousin: stalk celery.
Historically known as a medicinal plant, celeriac is a great source of both vitamin C and phosphorous. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant that helps control infections, improve immunity, and maintain healthy bones, teeth, and blood vessels. Phosphorous is an essential mineral that also plays a key role in bone health. One half-cup serving contains just 30 calories, zero fat and lots of dietary fiber.
But most importantly, it tastes fantastic with a delicate celery-parsley flavor, and it’s pretty versatile. Preparation is much less daunting than it looks. To peel the celery root, cut off the top and bottom, so that it stands on its own. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice off the knobby peel, starting at the top and following the contours of the root to the bottom. Then cut into equal sized chunks or slices. If you’re not cooking them right away, place the pieces into a bowl of acidulated water to prevent browning. Celeriac can be boiled, roasted or steamed, just like other root veggies.
Want to give celeriac a shot? Try this tasty recipe for Celeriac Hashbrown Casserole or dig up more info on our Celeriac page.
What makes an orange orange?
Well, technically the English word for the color wasn’t recorded until several centuries after the fruit appeared in Europe, so orange is the color of the fruit and not the other way around.
An orange (the fruit) is a hybrid between a pomelo and a grapefruit. The first oranges were, in fact, green and many of them still are for most of their lifespan. Oranges only turn their eponymous color as a result of cold temperatures breaking down the chlorophyll in the fruit’s skin.
But some oranges aren’t orange at all! In fact, two of the sweetest, most flavorful oranges you can find are red.
Keep scrolling to learn about the Cara Cara and Blood Oranges.
The seedless Cara Cara orange is a beautiful fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free snack.
Cara Cara Navel Orange
Coloring: Cara Cara oranges have a yellowish-orange peel and looks nearly identical to a standard navel orange from the outside. But slice one open and you’ll discover a bright pinkish-red flesh. This coloring is caused by an abundance of lycopene, a caratenoid and powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their vibrant glow.
Flavors: Sweet and tangy with hints of cherry and notes of cranberry and blackberry. Cara Cara oranges have a low acid content. Though they look like small grapefruits, they are far sweeter.
Nutrients: 80 Calories, 150% RDA Vitamin C, 30% RDA Vitamin A.
(Serving: 1 medium cara cara)
Fun Fact: The Cara Cara orange was discovered in 1976 at Hacienda Cara Cara in Venezuela. A naturally occurring mutation of the Washington navel orange, this flavorful citrus was first introduced to the United States via Florida, but California is now home to the most Cara Cara groves in the country.
The Best Cara Cara Orange Recipe:
Kale Salad with Orange Champagne Vinaigrette
The anthocyanins that give blood oranges their distinctive coloring mop up cancer causing free radicals in the body.
Moro Blood Orange
Coloring: Unlike a Cara Cara orange, a blood orange’s skin betrays its colorful interior. The skin can range from light orange to dark orange with some distinctive red marbling. Blood oranges get their name from their deep maroon juice and flesh. Their coloring is caused by the presence of anthocyanin, the same antioxidant that makes blueberries blue and cranberries red.
Flavors: Moro blood oranges are a complex blend of sweet and tart with plum and raspberry-like overtones.
Nutrients: 70 Calories, 110% RDA Vitamin C, 260mg Potassium.
(Serving: 1 moro orange)
Fun Fact: Blood oranges grow particularly well in a Mediterranean climate where the days are warm, but the nights are cool. While most of our blood oranges come from Florida or California, Italy is one of the top producers of blood oranges. In addition to the more familiar Moro blood orange, Italians also grow two special varieties of blood orange, the Tarocco and the Sanguinello.
The Best Blood Orange Recipe:
Blood Orange Marmalade
Beets are one of the most misunderstood vegetables. The earthy root is habitually snubbed by young children who are only familiar with the over-salted and mushy variety they’re served from a can.
First Lady Michelle Obama planted spinach and broccoli in the White House garden, but she famously refused to plant beets, citing the president’s aversion to the vegetable. Many home cooks are unwittingly wary of beets, intimidated by their rough exterior or afraid that a beet’s bright red juice will stain their kitchen.
But beets are healthy, colorful and flavorful root vegetables that are increasingly found on the menus of some of the top restaurants in the country. It’s time to put old biases aside and embrace this ruby gem.
5 Reasons to Eat Beets
1. Beets are packed with nutrients.
Organic beets are one of the healthiest root vegetables you can find.
Beets are a great source of folic acid and natural antioxidants. One cup of beetroot also has 12% of your recommended daily value of potassium.
Did you know beet greens are edible too? Store them separately from the roots for a longer shelf life and cook them like chard or kale. One cup of cooked beet greens contains 220% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin A, 60% of your daily vitamin C and loads of iron and calcium.
2. Beets are nature’s candy.
In the United States, 50-55% of domestic sugar production is derived from sugar beets! While most of these beets have been bred and ultimately genetically modified* to produce extremely high levels of sugar, beets are naturally quite sweet.
Beets are nature’s candy and this recipe for Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies will prove it.
*Certified organic vegetables cannot be genetically modified, so eating organic beets is the easiest way to ensure you’re not eating GMOs.
3. Beets are beautiful.
Beets come in lots of different colors, shapes and sizes and Winter Moon Farm is growing a few different varieties for the Boston Organics Community this year. The Chioggia beet is an Italian heirloom variety known for its candy cane stripes. Chioggia beets have a tender flesh that is milder and sweeter than red beets.
Also keep your eyes peeled for Winter Moon Farm’s golden beets and the cylindrical Forono beets.
4. Beets are easy to cook.
Beets are commonly roasted, but you can steam, boil or pickle them too! Here are the two easiest ways to prepare beets:
Oven: Scrub beets under running water, wrap loosely in foil and bake on a sheet at 400°F for 50 minutes. Let beets cool, grip with a paper towel and gently rub off the peel.
Microwave: Peel raw beets as you would a potato, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Place in a glass container with 2 Tbsp water. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes or until soft.
5. Beets are delicious.
Hot, cold, sliced, shredded and cubed; beets are an extremely versatile ingredient. Here are some of our favorite ways to prepare beets: