In the August 24 Twenty Bag: OG curly kale and OG vine ripe tomatoes from Tendwell Farms, NC, baby Italian eggplant, lunchbox peppers, Italian basil, potato mix, belle peppers, NC golden Delicious apples

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!

It’s so nice to have a bunch of healthy kale in the bag, along with a trio of juicy-sweet Delicious apples, also from our North Carolina neighbors.

My strategy for composing a salad built upon kale, a hefty-textured crucifer: after tearing leaves away from the tough stem, rinsing and spinning dry, I chop them into small ribbons to break down the surface area. They get a generous splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and a good 15-30 minutes in the fridge to macerate. When ready to serve, I add romaine, green leaf, arugula—whatever greens you like—toss with a glug of good olive oil, taste for seasoning, and enjoy.

If you’re looking to get fancy, try this recipe for Waldorf Salad, a lovely way to enjoy the sweet notes of an apple in a lemony side dish. Brisk, crunchy, refreshing!

I’m taking advantage of this Bag’s lineup of all the key ingredients necessary to whip up renowned restaurateur/ author Alice Waters’s brilliant Genius Ratatouille.

For more ideas, 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 washed and should go in the refrigerator. Kale, eggplant, peppers, and apples should all go in the fridge.  Tomatoes can go on the counter.  Potatoes should go in a cool, dark place or they will get soft and turn green.  Pantry would be fine.