Twenty Bag | Feb 16
In the February 16 Twenty Bag: Curly kale, French Breakfast radishes, beets, cilantro, arugula, rainbow carrots and Cara Cara red navel oranges from Georgia-based Jonina Farm.
Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!
Whether it’s oranges, grapefruit or Meyer lemons, all the produce I’ve tasted from Jonina Farm has that tree-ripened sweetness that’s often missing from commercial fruit. I’m grateful for the Bag’s blast of sunshine and vitamin C when citrus season rolls around.
What, you may ask (as I did), is a French Breakfast radish? I’ve learned it’s one of over a hundred types of radish—who knew—and originated in 19th century France. Parisians do not eat radishes for breakfast, but are fond of knibbling the bulb dipped in a bit of salt and downed with a buttered baguette. I grew up eating a sandwich composed of thinly sliced radish, salted and peppered, layered between cream cheese-smeared slices of bread. Another good source of vitamin C and minerals, they are also fiber-rich. This variety is a bit elongated and milder than its Stateside cousin.
I give the kale a fairly fine chop before tossing it in a bowl with a dash of Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Then into the fridge to macerate while I’m prepping dinner. When I’m ready to blend it with a few other greens and good olive oil, it’s a much tastier and more tender green.
A quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all curated with an eye toward the weekly Twenty Bag harvest.
Harleston’s storage tips: If greens of any kind begin to wilt at any point or at pick up, put them in a big bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes. Almost all produce is already washed and should go in the refrigerator. Remove carrot tops from root portion and discard or juice. Put the root portion in a plastic bag and they will keep for a month or two at this size. Kale, celery, scallions, and cilantro should all go into a plastic bag of sorts to retain leaf moisture. Arugula and spinach can stay in their respective plastic bags. Sweet potatoes on the counter or in the pantry.